Perfect Chicken Breast with Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower

So I am working really hard to be healthy and get in tip top wedding shape.  I am feeling good about my workout routine, but people keep giving me desserts!  I have some serious issues saying no to free desserts...

This weekend I had a wedding shower, and the hostesses gave me the leftover cake to take home.  It was HUGE!  So, I brought the cake into school and my fellow teachers ate it for me.  It was a really tough decision, but I feel like it really shows growth on my part for doing that...

This dinner is another way that I am working at being healthy and awesome.  This dinner is also crazy yummy so that is even better!  I made some perfectly cooked chicken breast and then I roasted some broccoli and cauliflower.  It was an overall great move on my part!  

Pan Seared Chicken - take a chicken breast and sprinkle both sides with some salt and pepper.  Then, place it between two sheets of saran wrap and pound it with a pan so that it flattens.  Then, heat some olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and cook for about 3 minutes.  Flip the chicken, lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 20 minutes.  Test the chicken and continue to cook if it is not done.  It should be 160 degrees on a meat thermometer or have NO pink in the middle.  

Roasted Veggies -  Place veggies on a pan.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Toss and place in the oven at 400 for 20-30 minutes.  

That's it!  This dinner is simple, good for you, and quick!  Go home and make it!

Enjoy :)

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Is it summer yet?  I feel like I am just trudging my way towards summer. I swear each school day is a little longer than the previous one.  Any other teachers out there feel me?  I know you do because this facebook link keeps getting shared:


Now, don't get me wrong, I love my job and I love my students and I love my fellow teachers.  I just am also super freaking excited for this summer.  I have a pretty big summer ahead of me and with my first wedding shower (there are 3) this weekend, I just can't focus on anything else.

The weather is also (finally) getting nicer and that makes it extra hard to focus.  The longer days and warmer weather are making me so much happier.  I have also been cooking more because when it is lighter out I just feel less tired.  This lasagna happened because of one of those nights.

You are going to love this.  You roast a TON of vegetables and then you layer them with some pasta and a TON of cheese.  Then you bake it and someone it magically becomes a crazy good lasagna.  Even the vegetable haters out there are going to love this!  I was inspired by How Sweet It Is and then I just used my own vegetables and cheese and had way too much fun with it.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients:

8 oz sliced portobello mushrooms
10 oz broccoli florets
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, quartered
1 pint red grape or cherry tomatoes
1 pint yellow grape or cherry tomatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 cups light ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
1 burrata ball
1 8 oz container of pearl mozzarella balls
1 8 oz container shaved parmesan cheese
8 oz smoked provolone cheese, shredded
1 24 oz jar of marinara sauce (your favorite)
1 box no-boil lasagna noodles

Directions:
1. Line 3 pans with parchment paper and preheat oven to 425.
2. Place mushrooms, broccoli, onion, pepper, and zucchini into a bowl and toss with 2 tbsp of olive oil, and salt and pepper (to taste).  Spread out the veggies onto two pans.
3. Place all the tomatoes in a bowl and toss with 2 tbsp of olive oil and some salt and pepper.  Spread these guys out on the third pan.
4. Place the pans in the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes.  Take out from oven.
5. While the veggies are roasting, in a medium bowl, mix the ricotta with half the parmesan, half the provolone, and the basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
6. In a 13 by 9 inch pan, spread a thin layer of marinara sauce.  Place three long lasagna noodles on this.  Spread some ricotta mixture on top and then sprinkle a few mozzarella pearls.  Then, take about 1/3 of the veggies and sprinkle on top.  Drizzle with marinara sauce, and in a few roasted tomatoes, and then shred about 1/3 of the burrata ball and sprinkle over the top.  Place more lasagna noodles over this and repeat with two more layers.  For the final layer, drizzle some marinara sauce on top and then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and provolone.  Also add the remaining tomatoes on top.
7. Reduce the heat of the oven to 400 and bake the lasagna for 45 minutes.  Let sit for about 30-60 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Last night I made breakfast nachos for dinner.  Yep, it has been one of those kind of weeks...However, that means that you all will learn how to make amazing breakfast nachos in the near future!

This week have been really busy, but full of good things!  On Monday, I did not have school so, of course, I went for a 12 mile run.  It had snowed recently and so that 12 mile run left me feeling very sore.  This led to me not wanting to run indoors for the rest of the week.  Something about a treadmill just makes me so angry.  So, I decided to bundle up and run my 2 other runs outside.  I left early in the morning (5:30) and it was actually quite pleasant.  I sort of like being the only one out and about in Chicago.  It is peaceful and left me feeling calm and relaxed.

School has also been going pretty well this week.  We are graphing sine and cosine in the precalculus group and in AP Calc we are looking into applications of integration.  Volume is a tough one, but today one of the calc students took a quiz on it and killed it!!! I am so proud and excited for her.  Planning for both of these courses has been a lot of work, but the students are so great and I really love working with them.  It is totally worth the effort!

Otherwise, the condo stuff is still moving along.  We are signing a boat-load of forms, showing our apartment to potential subletters, and trying to work out and manage all of our funds.  It's stressful, but I am so excited to move towards closing on our place.  I LOVE it!

So, one thing that has helped me get through this week has been the fact that I had a mountain of leftovers from that time I made Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Sliders.  This was one of the rare times that I made a non-vegetarian meal.  This means that I have a ton of leftovers and no one to help me eat them.  So, I have had some pretty delicious school lunches all this week.  The chicken came out great and super tasty.  Then, I mixed some Yogurt Blue Cheese Dressing into some Broccoli Slaw and I used that to put on top of my phenomenal chicken.  YUM!  I am obsessed with this recipe and I can't wait to make it again for some sort of sporting event!  March Madness is quickly approaching and it would be perfect!

Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Sliders with Blue Cheese Broccoli Slaw

Ingredients:
6 chicken breasts
2 bottles buffalo sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays)
1 1/2 packets of ranch seasoning
Broccoli Slaw, 1 bag
2-3 tbsp blue cheese dressing (I used a Yogurt/Light one)
whole wheat dinner rolls (24-36)

Directions:
1. Place chicken, buffalo sauce, and ranch seasoning in your crock pot.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours.  After chicken is done, shred the chicken using two forks and leave on warm until you are ready to serve.
2. Pour the broccoli slaw into a large bowl and toss with the blue cheese dressing.
3. Serve with your whole wheat dinner rolls!

Enjoy :)

Thai Quinoa Veggie Salad

I just spent a really great weekend up in Minnesota!  Bri, Lauren and I all went there to visit our friends Patrick, Tommy, and Braden.  It was the second time I had ever been there and the first in four years!  Last time I was there it was for the State Fair (which is a crazy awesome State Fair) and so this time I was excited to just sort of hang out and explore Minneapolis.  

We drove there (6.5 hours each way) which means that my weekend felt really short!  We had a great time, but now I feel a little crazed.  I'm up at 5:15 (instead of 4:45) and instead of going to my workout class, I decided to sleep a little longer and get to school a little earlier to catch up on some work and get ready for the week.  

Today is going to be exhausting.  I have school and then after school cheer practice and then after practice we are cheering at a soccer game.  It's an away game so that means I have to go on the bus with the team and then come back.  Last time we did this, I did not get to leave school until after 7:30.  I guess it could be crazier.  Like if this was a night football game it would be much later.  But, after my whirlwind weekend, I know I am going to be beat later.  

Anyways, it has been a little over two weeks since I decided to be healthier, lose a few pounds, and focus on strength training as well as running.  That means that I am running less (way less compared to marathon training) and I am focusing on what I eat more and more.  This recipe is the perfect thing to share.  Plus, Bri has the day off and promised to go grocery shopping and I want to make sure he has a good list of things to buy...(so if you're reading this, Bri, make sure to get these ingredients!).   I made this Thai Quinoa Veggie Salad a while ago, but I never got around to sharing it.  Today it is the perfect thing to share!  This recipe is super simple, the ingredients are awesome for you and on top of it, it is Vegetarian, Gluten Free, and Vegan! 

Thai Quinoa Veggie Salad

(adapted from Avocado Pesto)

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped

1 cup quinoa, cooked according to directions

1 red onion, diced

1/2 cup grated carrots

2-3 tbsp cilantro, chopped, to taste

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

4 tbsp peanuts, chopped

Dressing:

1 lime, zest and juice

1 tsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp tamari (make sure you use gluten free if that is what you are going for!)

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa according to directions and then when it is done, place in a large bowl to cool and combine with the broccoli, red onion, grated carrots, cilantro, green onions, and peanuts.

2. Make the dressing by whisking all ingredients together.  Then, add half the dressing to the bowl and toss everything with the dressing.  Give it a taste and add more dressing as needed.  

Enjoy :)

Spring Veggie Pasta

I only have 6 miles left to do on my marathon training plan.  The race is super close and I figured I would share a yummy pasta dish in honor of all the carb loading I've been doing.  I ate this for dinner the night before my big 20 mile run and I felt great.  It was a pasta dish filled with great flavors and I loved the way the roasted broccolini and tomatoes came out.  I used whole wheat pasta and the whole thing ended up being a really healthy way to get some good carbs in your diet.  

Tomorrow I have a 4 mile run and then Thursday is a 2 mile run and then that is it! I am ready to run Chicago's fantastic 26.2 mile route!

School this week is also somehow flying by.  I'm not sure if it is excitement or nerves, but the time is just slipping right by me.  Plus, Wednesday is a testing day where I am proctoring the ACT and Friday is an Institute Day with no students.  Then, we also have Monday off for Columbus Day.  All this is making this, plus the marathon is making this week feel extra special and super strange.  Today my students are starting some graphing work for precalculus and my AP guys are getting ready for a test on Thursday.  I am trying real hard to stay focused, but I honestly feel a bit all over the place! Then, I also have cheer practice, but that is mostly just a lot of fun and the team is getting really good!

So to wrap up, this week is crazy, this pasta is crazy good, and I am a bit of a scattered-brained, mess.  So head over to Food & Wine for this pasta recipe, it is really yummy.  I followed everything pretty exactly except for the fact that I used whole wheat linguini and instead of shaved ricotta salata cheese (my grocery store did not have any), I used a hard goat cheddar cheese (which was super delish).  Have fun and enjoy!

Healthy and Vegetarian: Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Happy Valentine's Day!

I know I've been a little MIA lately, but I just had to post something to say Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!  Also, I had to share my latest soup recipe since a bunch of people have been asking for it.  So here it goes!

My Valentine's Day has been lovely so far.  I seriously underestimated the amount of giant stuffed bears I would see in a 24 hour period.  High school was crazy today! I handed out Hershey Kisses to my students to honor the day, but other than that it was a normal school day.  I did wake up to a cute card from Bri sitting on my computer.  Then, I came home to him cleaning the apartment and getting dinner ready! It was so sweet.  We decided to do Valentine's day at home since neither one of use loves going all out for the holiday.  However, it is our first Valentine's Day where we are actually together! I guess that is exciting!  I got him two puzzles of the Chicago skyline to put together and then hang up in our new place.  He got me a great box of chocolates (he customized it to make sure I would like all the candies!). He also got me a "mystery gift" since it hasn't arrived yet.  I'll have to keep you posted! For dinner, he's making Quinoa Risotto and for dessert, I made my Red Velvet Heart-Shaped Cheesecakes!  I am writing this and just drooling at all the smells coming from the kitchen.

Now, onto that soup recipe.  This is what I had for lunch today since I knew I would want something healthy to balance out all the sugar I would most likely be consuming.  It ended up being a great idea.  This soup was simple and amazing.  It makes a huge batch since I wanted leftovers, but you can cut the recipe in half if you want.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup
(adapted from Chow)

Ingredients:

3 lbs. broccoli
2 tbsp olive oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
salt and pepper
32 oz vegetable broth
4 cups water
10 oz light shredded cheddar cheese
4 tbsp non-fat, plain greek yogurt (I used Chobani)

Directions:
1. Cut broccoli into 1 inch pieces so that the green part is separated from the stalk.  Place half the green pieces in a large bowl and the other half in a medium bowl.  Also cut the stalk into 1 inch pieces and add to the large bowl.
2. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add in the garlic and onion and cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add in the large bowl of broccoli pieces, the cubed potato, the vegetable broth, and the water.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring mixture to a boil and then lower to a simmer.  Cover and let cook for 20-25 minutes or until broccoli and potatoes have softened.
3. While cooking, cut the other broccoli pieces into 1/2 inch pieces.
4. Once pot is cooked, blend the mixture in batches until you have a pureed broccoli mixture.  Place back into the pot and heat over medium.  Stir in the rest of the broccoli pieces and let cook for about 10 minutes.  Stir in the cheese and greek yogurt.  Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Enjoy :)

Now it's time to eat...

Mini Broccoli and Cheese Omelets

I am off on a mini vacation with my mom but I just had to share this lovely little recipe that is perfect for breakfast during Passover!

I made these mini broccoli and cheese omelets at school when I needed to use up some eggs. They are so simple and super yummy! Plus they are healthy and perfect for this week where breads are not allowed! This recipe makes 8 mini omelets.  You can serve them all at your Passover/Easter Brunch or wrap them up and stick them in the fridge for later.  They reheat really well.  I even brought leftovers with me for school lunch!

Mini Broccoli and Cheese Omelets

Ingredients:
8 eggs
1 cup low fat sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups frozen broccoli, cooked and drained
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a cupcake pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs until scrambled. Stir in cheese and broccoli. Season with salt and pepper. Divide egg mixture among 8 cupcake wells. Sprinkle with more cheese if you want.
3. Bake in oven for 20 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Fish Tacos with Mango-slaw

I'm pretty sure I've been craving fish tacos for about 3 months.

I found a really intriguing recipe for Mango-Slaw and I guess you could call it my inspiration.  After 3 months, I finally made my fish tacos with mango-slaw! I'm glad I did because it turned out really great.  Plus, it is another simple and healthy week-night meal that I can add to my repertoire.  Don't get me wrong, I still love to bake, but I get really pumped when I find a good healthy dinner/lunch recipe.  They never seem to get the same attention or love that my baked goods receive (like marriage proposals...), but I get really excited when I cook up something delicious.

Plus, Bri invited his dad and step-mom over for dinner and so I got to share my meal with them! I always get nervous and a little stressed when I share something new with people other than my immediate family, but they loved it and it made me really happy to share something I'm passionate about with them!

I never have that high of expectations for a Wednesday night, but tonight was really nice :)


Fish Tacos with Mango-Slaw (adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride and Skinny Taste)

Ingredients:
For the tacos:
8 whole wheat-corn tortillas
4 filets of tilapia
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
For the avocado cream:
1 avocado, peeled and diced
2 tbsp lime juice
2 heaping tbsp non-fat greek yogurt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp fresh cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
For the Mango-Slaw:
1 mango cut into thin strips
2 cups broccoli slaw (broccoli/carrot mix)
3 medium scallions, chopped
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp sesame oil

Directions:
1. For the tacos: in a large plastic bag, place 1/4 cup olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, and garlic.  Seal the bag and shake to combine.  Place filets in the bag, seal the bag, and toss to coat the tilapia.  Place the bag in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Make the Mango-Slaw: In a medium bowl, toss the broccoli-slaw with the sliced mango and chopped scallions.  In a small bowl, whisk the rice vinegar, soy sauce, and lime juice.  Slowly whisk in the sesame oil.  Pour the dressing on the broccoli-slaw mixture about 15-20 minutes before you are ready to serve dinner. This way it will have time to soak up the dressing.
3. Make the avocado cream: in a food processor, process the avocado, lime juice, and greek yogurt.  Mix in the cumin, fresh cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste.
4. Once the fish has been in the fridge for 30 minutes, heat a large fry pan with 1 tbsp olive oil.  Place the filets in the pan and sear for about 3-4 minutes on each side.  Throw out the marinade mixture.  Place cooked filets on a plate and using a fork, chop up the filets into small pieces.
5. Assemble the tacos: Take a tortilla (we toasted ours in the microwave for about 10 seconds) spread some avocado cream (about 1 tbsp) on one half, place fish (about 1- 1 1/2 tbsp) along the middle and top with some mango-slaw.  Fold the taco so that that avocado cream causes the ends to stick together.
Enjoy :)

Shabbat Dinner: Whole Wheat Pasta with White Wine Vegetable Sauce and Apricot Chicken

I made a couple lovely recipes for dinner last night.  We had a typical Shabbat dinner and it was nice to share my food with my family.  The chicken recipe came out amazing and the pasta recipe was really tasty as well.  Next time, I wouldn't make my own pasta as it was a little too chewy for my taste.  If you try this out let me know what you think!

Apricot Chicken (adapted from All Recipes)

Ingredients:
6 chicken breasts
1 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp water

Directions:
1. In a small saucepan, heat the chicken broth over medium heat and add in the rest of the ingredients. Allow to simmer until sauce thickens slightly.
2. Place chicken in a 9 by 13 inch dish and pour sauce over the chicken.  Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Enjoy :)

Homemade Whole Wheat Pasta with a White Wine Mushroom and Broccoli Sauce (adapted from The Realistic Nutritionist)

Ingredients:
For the pasta:
3 cups whole wheat flour
6 large eggs
For the sauce:
4 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups broccoli chopped
1 tbsp flour
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Make the pasta: In a large bowl, place the flour and create a whole in the middle.  Place the eggs in the whole and mix with a wooden spoon until combined.  Knead dough for about 6-8 minutes or until it is soft and flexible.  Let the dough rest for about 15 minutes.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and sprinkle in salt.  Roll out the dough as thin as possible and cut thin strips with a pizza cutter. Cook the pasta in the boiling water for about 2-3 minutes (it will cook really fast!). Drain and set aside in a large bowl.
2. Make the sauce: saute the mushrooms, onions, and broccoli in a large saucepan with the butter until the onions start to become translucent and the mushrooms start to brown.  Pour in the wine and cook until evaporated.  Pour in the broth and cook until it reduces by about 1/3.  Add in the flour and salt and pepper to taste.  Continue to cook until the sauce thickens slightly. Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta.
Enjoy :)