Mango Steak Stir Fry

This recipe comes from  OurBestBites.com. It has a distinctly Thai flavor to it. I think it's probably the mint. Whatever it was, delicious would be a great way to describe it. Though next time I might add a bit more salt and red pepper flakes.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce (if this needs to be gluten-free, check the soy sauce label)
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
12 ounces flank steak, thinly sliced (if it’s semi-frozen, it’s easier to slice)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cooking oil (olive, coconut, or canola), divided
1 small red onion, sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 cup cubed, ripe (but not too ripe) mango
1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped or torn
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Instructions:
Whisk together the water, lime juice, sugar, soy sauce, and corn starch. Set aside.

Toss together the basil, cilantro, and mint and set aside.

Sprinkle the steak with crushed red pepper and black pepper and toss to combine. Heat half of the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. When hot, add the steak and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until almost cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in the skillet and add the onion, pepper, and ginger. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until tender-crisp.

Add the garlic, steak, mango and stir-fry until the steak is cooked through.

Add the sauce and cook until thickened slightly.

Serve immediately over rice and sprinkle with herb mixture. Serves 4.

Calories: 215
Fat: 11
Fiber: 2
Carbs: 13
Protein: 16
WW Points Plus: 6

Butternut squash sausage mushroom pasta

How do you like that? The title has pretty much all the ingredients listed! OK, not really, but it does seem excessive.

This recipe comes from RealHouseMoms.com. It was one of those recipes that my whole family enjoyed eating, and I felt good serving because it was loaded with healthy things.

Ingredients

• 1.22 lb Turkey Sausage (I used Sweet Italian)
• 1 lb butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1 T butter
• 14.5 oz whole wheat Penne pasta
• 1 T olive oil
• 8 oz. sliced baby bella mushrroms
• ¼ c shallots, diced (I used green onions)
• 3 cloves of garlic, diced
• 2 c baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 2 T shaved parmesan cheese
• 4 sage leaves, thinly sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

     

Instructions

1. bring salted water to a boil in a large pot (Here I just cut my squash in half, took out the seeds and microwaved the heck out of it to get it soft.)
2. add butternut squash and cook until soft
3. remove and add to blender
4. blend with ¼ c of cooking water
5. add pasta to boiling water
6. while that cooks remove sausage from casing and add to a large deep skillet over med high heat, break apart as it cooks
7. remove from pan after fully cooked and set aside
8. add olive oil to pan and mushrooms, cook until tender then removed and set aside
9. add butter to pan and sauté shallots and garlic, cook until golden, stirring often
10. add butternut squash, spinach, sage, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste
11. add back in the sausage and mushrooms and another ¼ c of cooking water
12. remove pasta once done and add to large dish
13. toss with sauce
14. serve with parmesan cheese, optional

Creamy chicken filo pockets

I gave up working with filo dough several years ago after some very frustrating experiences. Then I lost my mind and decided it couldn't really be that hard to work with and I should try again. It was a terrible, horrible, ugly mess. After wrapping exactly one of these I swore to never use filo again. Somehow I pulled enough torn pieces together to get 5 pockets made. I threw the rest of the dough away, never wanting to set eyes on it again. I cooked the pockets and lo and behold they came out beautiful and delicious. So, yeah, I'm going to make this again. Next time I'll know that it doesn't matter if all the sheets tear and stick together and dry out. It still comes out wonderful :)

2-3 C. cooked chicken, cut up into chunks
1 package of mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, diced
3ish cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 C. chicken stock
2 oz. cream cheese (or a couple spoonfuls of sour cream, or 1/4 C. or so of heavy whipping cream, you get the idea)
1 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. mustard
salt and pepper to taste
shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, whatever)

Saute the onion and garlic in butter. When about half cooked, add the mushrooms and cook until soft.

Add the chicken stock and cook down about half. Add the cream and mix in.

Remove from heat. When the mixture is nice and creamy, add the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper.
Add the chicken (crisp bacon, mixed veggies and other things could also be really good in this)

Open one sheet of dough. Spread melted butter all over. Add another sheet on top of the first. Butter again. Place about 1/2 C. of mixture in the middle at the bottom edge. Sprinkle some cheese on top. Fold dough over and around to make a nice, neat pocket (ha, yea right!).

Place on a cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining filling. Butter the tops of all the pockets then bake in 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes, until the pockets are golden and crispy.

Curried Lentils

As always, credit goes to OurBestBites. Not only is this super yummy, but it's also super  healthy! My kids had no idea that their second helpings nearly made me so happy I could cry.

Ingredients: 

2 cups red lentils (if you can find them…check the bulk bins or a Middle Eastern market)
10 ounces spinach (fresh and chopped or frozen and thawed)
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth if you want to go vegetarian/vegan)
1 tablespoon curry powder or paste (I prefer curry paste)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

*I also added a jar of canned chicken

Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime
Handful of chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish if desired

Additional yummy toppings include shredded coconut and chopped hard boiled eggs

Instructions: Combine all ingredients except for the lemon (or lime) juice and cilantro in the pot of a slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours (or bring to a boil on the stove top and then simmer, covered, on low for 1 hour). Before serving, add the lemon juice and cilantro. This is delicious served over rice. Weight Watchers says this makes 6 servings, but I’d say it’s closer to 8-10.

For 8 Servings:
Calories: 87.3
Fat: .6
Carbs: 15.7
Fiber: 5.7
Protein: 6.6
Weight Watcher Points: 2

Crock-pot Mongolian Beef

This was a goodie! Everyone in my family liked it, except the 4-year-old who doesn't like anything that's not Cheeto-based.

1 lb beef flank steak, sliced thinly across the grain
1 medium white onion (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup light soy sauce or 1/2 cup Braggs liquid aminos
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger or 1 inch piece fresh ginger grated
1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup cut scallion, in 1 . 5 inch pieces (green onions)
1/3 cup fruity white wine

1 Slice the flank steak thinly across the grain - the strips should be 2 to 3 inches long each; set aside.

2 Combine the onion, soy sauce, broth, garlic, hoisin, brown sugar, ginger, and pepper flakes, then put the mixture into the crock pot.

3 Put the cornstarch in a large Ziploc bag; add the sliced beef and toss well to coat. (It practically kills me to use up a gallon bag for such a simple task, but I did, and the food was worth it in the end.)

4 Add the coated beef into the crock pot, gently pushing it into the liquid to cover; pour the white wine over - do NOT stir.

5 Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours; an hour before you're going to serve, turn the crock pot to high, add the cut scallions, stir, and cook for an additional hour.

6 Stir, and serve over rice or noodles.

Ratatouille-ish

Still looking for a way to use that eggplant and/or zucchini? Here's a great dish. I'm not sure it's the real ratatouille, but it's close enough.

1 eggplant
1 zucchini
1 onion
1 bell pepper (red was super yummy)
mushrooms
olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/2-1 C. white wine
1 lb. sausage (whatever you have--italian, breakfast, etc.)
1 lb. fun pasta. Bowties worked for me.

Pour a tablespoon or two of oil on a cookie sheet. Chop up the vegetables into bite-size cubes, rub in the oil and roast. You can roast with them larger too and then chop them up when they're done, it'll just take them longer to cook.

In the meantime, prepare your pasta. Also, cook up the sausage. When the sausage is cooking, add garlic. Pour wine into sausage and de-glaze the pan, letting the alcohol cook off.

When everything's done, just throw it all together in a large pot and serve, topped with parmesan or mozzarella cheese.