Delicious & Healthy Chicken Meatballs with Apple BBQ Sauce

One of my guilty pleasures has always been meatballs. I LOVE spaghetti and meatballs, sweet and sour appy meatballs and nearly every kind you can get. The one big problem is that when you want to eat so many, you have to be careful of what is in them. The delicious melt-in-your-mouth meatballs from the Italian restaurant are probably beef and pork with lots of fillers like bread crumbs and oil. I once looked at a box of frozen meatballs and couldn't believe all the crap that went into them.

I decided to use a bunch of different recipes and make up my own. The best part about meatballs is that you can put pretty much anything in them. All you need to ensure if that the tastes go together and that they stick together as balls. I first got this idea from a vegetarian recipe for Bean/Walnut Balls that were really good! I adapted it with some ground chicken breast and loved the result. You can really substitute anything you want into this one!

I was excited these both came from my backyard! The chickens lay 1 egg/day & new veggie patch has basil!

For the ground chicken breast, I suggest going to the butcher and asking them to mince some fresh chicken breasts for you. This is easier and better than getting the frozen stuff from the grocery store. I didn't even know they did this until recently.

The minced chicken breast is under all this!

Chicken Meatball
Ingredients:

• 500 g Ground Chicken Breast (or turkey)
• 1 cup almond flour (instead of bread crumbs)
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1 can kidney beans (mashed well)
• 1/4 cup crushed walnuts
• 1/2 cup fresh basil
• 1 onion (diced really small, can cook ahead of time if you like)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 tsp Chia seeds
• 2 cloves of garlic (crushed)

ready for oven

The rest is easy! Pre-heat over to 350F. Add everything into a large bowl and hand mix. Roll into small balls and place on baking sheet in oven. Usually takes about 25-30 mins until cooked through. 

Apple BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1-2 apples, peeled and cored
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 1 tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup water

Cook the apple in the oven for 30 minutes to soften. Brown the onion in the oil in a saucepan. Add in apple and cook until brown. Add in all over ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Use a hand blender to mix if you want it to be smooth or leave with apple chunks. 

If you don't want to make your own sauce, I like the Diana Honey Garlic BBQ Sauce (in Canada). 

Thai Cashew Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing

So I'm absolutely addicted to quinoa right now... I know, I know, I'm a walking Vancouver cliche. (currently in Australia but started this obsession last year in Vancouver). I have found ways to incorporate it in almost every meal... with yogurt for breaky, with salad for lunch and with whatever I have left for dinner. Is there a harm in too much quinoa? I'm going to Google that right now.

Anyway, I found this recipe on Pinterest this week and had to try it. I love any Thai food, especially peanut sauce so this was a winner. I added a few extra things and I think they worked well. Let me know how it goes!

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 cups shredded red cabbage 
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup diced green onions
• ½ cup cashew halves or peanuts (roasted is good)
• 1 cup edamame (or frozen peas)
• 1 cup chickpeas
• Fresh lime, for a bit of tang

For the dressing:

• ¼ cup natural peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 3 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey (or agave)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Water to thin, if necessary

Instructions

1. To make dressing: Add peanut butter and honey or agave to a medium microwave safe bowl; heat in microwave for 20 seconds. Add in ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, and both sesame and olive oil and stir until mixture is smooth and creamy. If you want a thinner dressing, simply stir in a teaspoon or two of water. I had to add a few teaspoons and then make more dressing also. You need to make sure you have enough dressing to cover all quinoa. 
2. Put quinoa (must be cooled down) in large bowl. Add in dressing so it covers all quinoa and mix well. (have a taste to ensure you have enough dressing!)
3. Next fold in red pepper, onion, cabbage, carrots, chickpeas, edamame, cilantro and any other veggies into the quinoa. 
4. Garnish with cashews and green onions. Serve chilled or at room temperature with lime wedges if desired.

Adapted from: Ambitious Kitchen

Roasted Butternut Squash & Kale Lasagna

So I'm not usually one to eat vegetarian meals on regular occasions. In fact, I can't remember a lot of meals (lunch/dinner) where I didn't include meat or fish of some kind. Last week, we watched the documentary Forks Over Knives which talks about eating plant-based meals to increase health benefits. There are definitely a bunch of different things to consider but we going to make an effort to eat more veggies and less meat at some of our meals. I came across some fun recipes for veggie lasagna's on Pinterest and decided to give one a try.


I found this recipe for Butternut Squash and Kale lasagna and thought I would try it but with a few changes. We had recently had a great Zucchini Lasagna in Tofino with some friends and wanted to add that into it too. What ended up happening was a bunch of veggies thrown in with the squash, kale and yummy ricotta. This made us enough to eat for a week! (although we are only two people so it doesn't take much). Enjoy!

• Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced

• 3 peeled garlic cloves (1 minced, 2 left whole)

• 2 cans (14 oz. each) crushed tomatoes

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• About 1 tsp. each salt and freshly ground black pepper, divided

• 6 cups (about 2 lbs.) butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-in. cubes

• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme

• 1 pound Lacinato kale (often sold as dinosaur or Tuscan kale)

• 9 whole-wheat lasagna noodles (I used about 12)

• 1 container (15 oz.) part-skim-milk ricotta cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

• 
  

Preparation:


1. Preheat oven to 400°. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a 2- to 3-qt. pot over medium heat. Add onion and minced garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and translucent, 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, oregano, and 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer until thick and flavors are combined, about 30 minutes. Set aside.


2. While sauce is cooking, in a 12- by 15-in. baking pan, sprinkle squash with thyme, remaining olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Add garlic cloves and toss squash mixture to coat with oil. Bake until soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring 3 qts. salted water to a boil in a large pot.



3. Reduce oven temperature to 350°. Transfer squash and garlic to a food processor and purée until smooth.(I just mashed with a fork and it turned out ok!)


4. Tear kale leaves from center ribs and discard ribs. Boil leaves until soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain; let cool. Squeeze out as much water as possible and chop finely. (I steamed kale leaves instead of boiling)


5. In the same pot, bring another 3 qts. salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until tender to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water.


6. In a bowl, mix ricotta, nutmeg, 1 cup mozzarella, and remaining 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper.


7. Coat the bottom of a 9- by 13-in. pan with 1/3 of tomato sauce (about 1 1/2 cups). Lay 3 noodles in a single layer over sauce. Top noodles with squash, spreading evenly. Sprinkle 1/2 of kale evenly over squash. Arrange 3 more noodles on kale and top with ricotta, spreading evenly. Top with remaining kale and noodles. Cover noodles with remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. (I added a layer of zucchini and it was really yummy!)


8. Bake lasagna until juices are bubbling and cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.


Here is the original link from My Recipes

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken Meatballs

There is nothing better than a big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs... but this comes close. It's a great substitute if you want to eat a yummy meal with less carbs and fat. As you can see, I'm a little obsessed with spaghetti squash - it works so well with almost any meal. The trick is to bake it the exact right amount, any longer and it will be a little mushy when prepared. It is hard to know the right amount of time, since all ovens vary in heat. I would just test it out every 10 min after 30 min to make sure it isn't getting overdone. Let me know how it goes!


Homemade Chicken Meatballs
Ground Chicken or Turkey
Bread crumbs
Egg
Italian seasoning
Pre heat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Roll into bite sized balls and lay out on baking sheet. Bake in the oven on 350 until they are cooked through.

Homemade Tomato Sauce
Onions
Fresh Garlic
Bacon
Can of chopped tomatoes
Can of tomato paste
Carrots or other cut up veggies
Italian Seasoning
Saute onions and garlic in pan until browned. Mix in chopped up bacon (or any other veggies) and saute until cooked through. The bacon is Nathan's idea for extra flavour - leave out if you want to save the calories, but it does taste damn good :) Add in can of chopped tomatoes and tomato paste until desired consistency. Add in Italian Seasoning mix or fresh herbs. Add in meatballs and simmer until the rest of the meal is ready.

Flip over so they are face down when baking

Spaghetti Squash
Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and cut off both ends and then cut in half lengthwise. Remove all seeds and extra squash from middle. Place on baking tray face down for another 20-40 minutes depending on size of squash. Remove and test a piece with fork. Squash should easily peel off like spaghetti (hence the name!!!).

Coconut Cauliflower (Fake) Rice

We have been experimenting with different vegetables that can be substituted for rice, pasta, etc. Last night we decided to have curry for dinner but wanted to try something other than rice. I came across a few recipes and decided to adjust them slightly and it worked out really well. Since we were having Thai Curry, I added coconut to the pan about halfway though and in worked out perfectly since the coconut lightly toasted  as it was cooking. 

The original recipe called for the cauliflower to be cut up in a food processor. Since we don't have one of these, Nathan did it by hand and it worked just fine. If you are making this as a meal and not a side dish, you could add any chopped up veggies that you like. I might try one with carrots, zucchini, garlic, chili, etc.... I'll let you know if that happens.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 head cauliflower, chopped finely

1/4 cup coconut

salt/pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat

2. Saute onion over medium heat for 10 minutes, until lightly browned 

3. Add cauliflower to skillet, stirring often to prevent burning

4. Add coconut if desired after about 10 minutes

5. Add salt/pepper to taste

Original recipe can be found here:  http://www.elanaspantry.com/cauliflower-rice/ 

Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion, Apple and Bacon Mac & Cheese

Who doesn't love good old Mac and Cheese???

My hips!

Here is a recipe that give you the comfort food you are craving but with most of the calories cut out. I first saw this on Pinterest and it led me to this blog: Pinch of Yum. I thought it looked delicious and was really intrigued at how squash would taste mixed in with the cheese.

Butternut Squash fun... 

The original recipe called for a can of butternut squash puree. Since the store didn't have any, we decided to roast the squash and puree it ourselves for a better taste. This turned out really well. I highly recommend roasting your own squash if you want to try something a little bit more fresh.

The result is really amazing. The apple and caramelized onion are delicious in the pasta and the tiny bit of bacon on top really give it a nice crunch. When I make it again, I might leave the onions till the end and put on top with the bacon. The squash mixed in really well and tasted great with the cheesy sauce. It was still a very heavy meal - but sometimes that is needed on a winter day!

Ingredients

1/2 box of whole grain elbow macaroni

1 butternut squash (see picture above, ha)

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons evaporated milk

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 oz low fat cream cheese

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup onions

1 large apple

4 tablespoons crumbled bacon

Instructions:

1. Microwave squash for 5-7 minutes to soften it up. Cut in half and remove the seeds. Place on sheet in over with salt/pepper. Bake for 45 minutes or until soft. Puree in food processor when it has cooled with a little garlic.

2. Heat butter in a skillet over low hear. When melted, add onions and let caramelize for at least 30 minutes for the best flavour. Keep on low/low-medium.

3.  Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and return to pan over low heat. Add butternut squash, chicken broth, garlic, milk and cream cheese. When combined, add in salt and pepper.

4. Add apples to pasta. Stir to combine and add a tablespoon more broth or milk if needed.

5.  Just before serving, mix in cheese and stir until melted. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon bacon and onions. Add hot sauce if desired!

Orange & Rosemary Roast Chicken

I decided to try my first roast chicken this week. I knew that you could just pop a chicken in the oven with some salt and pepper and it would turn out pretty well. But what's the fun in that! I found this recipe on my Epicurious iPhone App and thought it sounded amazing. I changed it up a little bit and the final product was sooo tasty. Definitely going to make this one again!

Ingredients:
5 green onions
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, room temperature (or less if you want to save on calories)
4 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 7-pound whole roasting chicken
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled, chopped
2 medium sweet potatoes
2 medium potatoes
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth

1. Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 400°F. Mince 1 shallot; mix with butter, rosemary and peel in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Pat chicken dry. Using fingers, loosen skin from chicken breasts, legs and thighs. Spread half of rosemary-orange butter under chicken skin. Tie chicken legs together to hold shape. Spread remaining butter over chicken. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Place rack in large roasting pan. Add the onion, carrots and potatoes. Chop 2 green onions; add to pan. Place chicken, breast side up, on rack in pan. Roast chicken until meat thermometer inserted into innermost part of thigh registers 180°F., stirring vegetables in pan occasionally, about 1 hour 40 minutes. 
4. Transfer chicken to platter. Tent with foil while making sauce (do not clean pan).
5. Place same roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add wine to pan; simmer until most of wine evaporates, scraping up any browned bits, about 5 minutes. Add broth. Simmer until sauce is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, stirring often, about 6 minutes. Strain into 2-cup glass measuring cup; discard solids. Spoon fat from top of sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve chicken with pan sauce and an orange slice to garnish.


Original recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roast-Chicken-with-Rosemary-Orange-Butter-100978

Pork & Pineapple Red Curry in a Pineapple Bowl!

We have been really into making curry lately and I have been learning a lot about how to make a good curry. I have been informed that Yellow Curry is best for fish, Green Curry is best for Chicken and Red Curry is best for Pork or Beef. Is this correct? We decided to make this Pork and Pineapple Curry and use the Pineapple as a bowl! It worked out quite nicely and looks pretty too. Hope you enjoy!

Curry Ingredients:

2 tablespoons red curry paste

2 green chillies

1 tablespoon palm sugar

1 can of light coconut cream

1 teaspoon fish sauce

500 g of pork

1 red pepper

1 cup of green beans

1 fresh pineapple

2 carrots

Garnish:

Coriander

Coconut

1. Cut the pineapple so that there is a good space for the curry to be served in (set aside the cut up pineapple for use in the curry)

2. Heat wok or frying pan to med heat. Add the curry paste and an equal amount of the cream from the top of the coconut milk can and fry for 5 mins or until fragrant

3. Add pork and chopped chilies and cook through

4. Add coconut milk for desired amount of sauce, fish sauce, palm sugar and vegetables

5. Cook until veggies and pork are cooked through

Sweet Potato Mash and a Jerk

Tonight we made Jamaican Jerk chicken with sweet potato mash and grilled brussels sprouts. I had this sweet potato mash for Thanksgiving this year and absolutely loved it. And since we get a very mild winter in Vancouver, it is easy to use the barbecue all year round. The spicy chicken and winter vegetables made for a great January meal.

My brother Steve, who is a great cook, taught me how to make these brussel sprouts a few years ago. Since then, I make them all the time. With that added quick sear, it is delicious!

Chicken Marinade:
1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Honey
1 Clove of Garlic
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
Hot Sauce to taste
Jamaican Jerk Spice
Marinade the chicken for 1-2 hours with the above ingredients. Grill on the barbecue while coating with leftover marinade a few times. Add more Jamaican Jerk Spice directly on chicken while on barbecue.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Mash:
2-3 Sweet Potatoes
2 Tbsp Honey
2 Tbsp Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp 1% Milk
Salt/Pepper to taste
Peel potatoes and cut into bite sized chunks. Microwave in water for about 5-7 minutes. Drizzle with lime and honey and bake on cookie sheet in the oven on 350 for about 30 minutes or until soft. Place soft potatoes in a sauce pan and add remaining ingredients. Heat on low until smooth.

Ingredients for Brussels Sprouts:

10-20 Brussels Sprouts
Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper to taste
Boil Brussels Sprouts in a pot for 5-7 min until mostly cooked through. Strain and let cool for 5 min. Slice in half all the sprouts in half. Heat pan on med and drizzle with olive oil. When pan is hot, add sprouts (flat side down) to pan to sear. Let each one sear for approx 2 min or until golden brown. Remove and place on plate. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken Pad Thai made with Spaghetti Squash

This is our first post in what is hopefully going to be one post a week for a year. We wanted to capture some of the dishes we are creating so our family and friends could have the recipes. Our hope is to make dishes that are unique, delicious and somewhat healthy.

The first dish is something that I found when I Googled "chicken" and "spaghetti squash". I absolutely love Pad Thai and this really seemed like something that could be amazing. The result was delicious.

Ingredients:
1 large spaghetti squash

1 cup bok choy (diced)

1 cup carrots (thinly sliced)

2 cooked chicken breast, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

1 red chili pepper

Garnishes:

2 tbsp dry roasted peanuts, chopped

green onions (chopped)

cilantro

lime wedges

Directions:

Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. If you are having difficulty cutting it, try microwaving for a minute or two, whole. Scrape away the seeds. Place on foil covered cookie sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast on 350 degrees for 40-60 minutes. Remove, let sit 5 minutes and then "shred" the squash with a fork.

In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, sauté garlic for 1 minute. Add the bok choy and carrots and sauté over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add chicken broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar and red chili pepper to skillet. Heat until smooth. Return veggies to the pan, as well as the spaghetti squash. Add in chicken, and heat over medium heat for 5 minutes or until sauce has coated all.

Divide among 2 plates/bowls and top with peanuts, cilantro, green onion, and lime wedge.

Enjoy!

Check out my latest recipe:  Sweet Potato Tacos with Orange/Ginger Slaw

LIST OF OTHER RIDICULOUSLY DELICIOUS RECIPES FROM ME! :)

Wants to see another awesome Spaghetti Squash recipe? http://stuffweate.blogspot.ca/2012/03/spaghetti-squash-with-chicken-meatballs.html