My recipes for my meal plan...


SLOW COOKER MEXICAN CHICKEN:

4 Frozen Chicken Breasts (aka, 400 grams or 1 lb. if you get the frozen chicken breasts from safeway/superstore it's 2 of them)
½ cup 10 minute Brown Rice (1/2 cup uncooked obviously.. it's that minute rice in a box...)
1 cup Salsa (el paso chunky medium is what I used)
2 cans Black Bean (low sodium) (I used blue menu no sodium added! - each one is 2 cups)

Throw everything in together – black beans including juice. Cook on low for 8-10hrs and serve

Makes 6 cups at 222 calories a cup. But I make it into 4 servings (1.5 cups) at 333 calories per serving.

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Chicken Kebobs:

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed (200 grams or one whole frozen chicken breast)
• 1/2 large green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1/2 onion, cut into wedges
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup low sugar (under 5g per serving) barbeque sauce (1/4 cup! - and cajun is the BEST!! always bullseye! mmmm)
• skewers
(I also added mushrooms... about 5!)

Directions
1. Preheat grill for high heat.
2. Thread the chicken, green bell pepper, onion, and red bell pepper pieces onto skewers alternately.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place kabobs on the prepared grill, and brush with barbeque sauce. Cook, turning and brushing with barbeque sauce frequently, for 15 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear.

I'm not going to lie.. I didn't do this... I cooked the chicken in a pan letting the juices/run off be my 'grease' aka be my non-sticker, added the veggies and used a lid to get them going, then added the sauce and mixed, letting it get juice and a bit carmelized... no skewers for me... This is apparently going to make '4' kebobs, but screw that, I consider it 2... aka a single serving. as it's very low calorie.. 364ish for the whole recipe.

I also found it very awesome to cut up all the veggies, use a ziplock sandwich bag and fit a portion them in and then let them freeze, so it was a fast cook, and everything was premade, cut and ready to go I just had a grab a chicken breast, cube it and away I went.

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1 pancake =
3/4 cup Egg Whites
1/3 cup Dry Quick Oats
1 tbsp Ground Flaxseed
1 tsp Cinnamon
¼ tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp/1 packet Splenda or Stevia

Mix up in a bowl
Pour in pan like an omelette
Fold over like a crape yum!!!

**Put 1 tbsp Natural Peanut Butter on top or 30 ml Sugar Free Syrup**


-- I haven't made these yet... I start monday.

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The Salad (or dressing really...)

Cranberry Romaine Salad


INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 teaspoons butter
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons almonds, blanched and slivered
2 heads Romaine, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1-1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1 teaspoon minced onion
1/8 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook and stir almonds in butter until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and let cool.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion, paprika, white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, and vegetable oil. Toss with lettece just before serving.
3. In a large bowl, combine the spinach with the toasted almonds and cranberries

Okay first... just use a bit of the olive oil (1tbsp) and take out the butter completely.
two.. add a teaspoon of either honey or raw sugar or SOMETHING otherwise you are living in a world of sour.
3 - can't find poppy seed so I just ignore that.
4 - I hate dried fruit.. so no cranberries for me... you can also make with 1/2 avacado apparently which I guess means when you're making it, it's about 1/3rd of 1/2 an avacado sliced?.
5 - I just mix the almonds with the dressing immediately... screw this waiting until after you toss the lettece.
6 - This makes 3 servings of the dressing, I use about 6 cups of lettece for each serving.. you do not need to use romaine, realistically this goes with any type of salad... and because I use 6 cups...
7 - I also add a tablespoon of ranch to the lettece because zomg... I like it a bit creamier.
8 - I'll have cooked and diced a chicken breast (200 grams), let it cool and mix it in... mmmmm...

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My new Smoothie (vegan friendly)... because OMG.

Ahem... I threw this together because I kept getting peanut butter with a banana.. and I already had 1 cup of blueberries listed for the day with steel cut oats which again... I don't like mixing fruit with other things aka cooked things... since I was allowed veggies/fruit of my choice with lunch I just took a portion of strawberries out of that... and voila.)

1 cup unsweetened almond milk (did I mention I love this stuff?! 30 calories a cup and does wonders for cereal and smoothies)
1 Banana
1 Cup Blueberries
3-4 Strawberries (medium)
2 tablespoons all natural peanut butter
anywhere between 6 to 10 ice cubes.

Mix in the blender and serve... for just yourself it's 389 calories.... makes somewhere around 4 cups (or just under) and it's DELICIOUS... there is this amazing peanut buttery aftertaste which is just droolishious.

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And finally...

Egg Salad

INGREDIENTS:
5 eggs
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
½ teaspoon steak sauce
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 15 minutes. Remove eggs from hot water, cool under cold running water, and peel.
2. Chop eggs and transfer to a large bowl.
3. Stir mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, sweet pickle relish, steak sauce, paprika, and dill into eggs until well mixed; season with salt and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, if desired.
4. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper before serving

Apparently it makes '2' servings.. but this is more like 3... and I don't follow this exactly... No pickle relish for me bleh.. and no dill weed, I like onions in mine (1/2 of one finely cut) and I do a teaspoon of bbq sauce not steak... don't add salt or black pepper and throw the cayenne in when mixing.

Not a specific recipe, but tiffanyisk brought to my attention two good clean eating sources:

http://www.cleaneatingmag.com
and
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com

That I thought should be shared. Thanks tiffanyisk!

LOW-FAT / LIGHT ALFREDO SAUCE

This is my favourite new recipe. You can have it with pasta or spaghetti squash; add anything else you may want to the final dish (chicken, shrimp, etc.).

Original recipe via: http://www.food.com/recipe/low-fat-lite-alfredo-sauce-100488

1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese or 1/2 cup romano cheese
1/8 teaspoon basil (can add more, depending on your pref.)
Directions:
1
Put all ingredients, except basil, into food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
2
Pour mixture in small saucepan and add basil.
3
Cook over medium-low heat until heated through and smooth consistency.
4
Add more basil, salt and/or pepper, if desired.
5
Let cook on very low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6
Serve over any type of pasta or use for vegetable lasagna.

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My modifications:
- I use gravy flour instead of cornstarch because that's what I have on hand at the moment
- I leave out the salt
- I use just a smidge under a cup of milk
- I only use 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
- I also add dried cilantro & oregano

I make this in my magic bullet and will sometimes make 2-3 batches at once. Making a 3x batch right now and plan on freezing some of the sauce for later. I think it should work! The batches that I don't freeze never last more than a couple of days of the fridge before it gets consumed. Don't know how long it is "safe" to have it stored in the fridge. The sauce thickens as it cools, so "next day" batches from the fridge are extra yummy!

Skinny Fettuccine Alfredo - Rachel Ray

8 oz fettuccine
2 tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage, plus small whole leaves for garnish
2 tbsp flour
1 cup fat free chicken broth
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/4 tsp pepper
1 pinch ground nutmeg
3/4cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving

Directions
In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and chopped sage and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
Whisk in the flour until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, milk, pepper and nutmeg. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring gently, until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss. Stir in 3/4 cup parmesan. Top with the sage leaves and more parmesan.

*When I make for myself - I half the recipe and it still makes enough to cover 3 servings. Maybe 4 depending on how you like your sauce. I also NEVER add the parm cheese. I'm ok without it. The garlic and sage - I just use the spices up in my counter and just kinda add a bit and go. lol. It's pretty good though