Sweet Chili Fish Tacos

Sweet Chili Fish Tacos
Inspired by a taco I had at Cheeky Taqueria; help with the tilapia from a Food Network recipe
Makes 2 Servings

2 tbsp all-purpose flour
½ tsp spike seasoning (or a seafood seasoning)
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
½ pound tilapia fillets
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp garlic
4 small flour tortillas (about 80 calories each)
Toppings:
2 tbsp fat-free sour cream, divided
1 cup romaine, shredded, divided
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce, divided (we use Frank's brand)
2 tsp sesame seeds, divided

 In a shallow dish, combine flour, seasoning, salt and pepper. Add tilapia and coat on each side, flipping six times. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic to pan and stir 10 seconds until fragrant. Place tilapia in skillet. Brown for 3 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, heat tortillas and get toppings ready (I heat tortillas by flipping them one at a time directly on the stove eye grate, then stack them up and microwave for 10 – 15 seconds just before prepping.) For each tortilla, spread ½ tbsp sour cream, then top with one quarter of the fish and lettuce, ½ tbsp sauce and ½ tsp seeds.

Nutritional Information: 412 calories, 48 carbs, 12 fat grams and 29 protein grams.

Review: Loved! The sweet chili sauce definitely made them - a great, jelly-like Asian-inspired topping. The tacos were very tasty and had a lot of flavor, and best of all - they were QUICK! From start to finish, I'd say maybe 15 minutes. I'll definitely be making these again, especially since I picked up the tilapia today for only $2.50 - woo! To make this 4 servings, simply double it. And note, I included all of the flour in the nutritional information, but at least 1 tbsp was left in the pan/not eaten. To make the recipe more filling, I'd just add more fish! We will absolutely be having these again!

Ricotta Shells with Homemade Marinara

Ricotta Shells with Homemade Marinara
Recipe inspired by Real Simple recipe
Makes 4 Servings

8 oz. jumbo pasta shells (28 shells)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/4 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
6 tbsp fresh basil leaves, diced; divided
4 tsp reduced fat grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package instructions (make an extra shell or two in case they stick!). Drain and return to pot. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 15 seconds. Crush tomatoes in hands (be careful - wear an apron!) and ad them and their juices to the pan. Season with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 minutes. Mix together ricotta with 4 tbsp basil.. Stuff each shell with about 1 tbsp ricotta mixture. Place 7 stuffed shells on each plate/bowl/etc.. Top with 1/4 of the tomato sauce, 1 tsp of the parmesan cheese and a portion of the remaining basil. Top with additional salt or pepper as needed/to taste.

Nutritional Information: 440 calories, 56 carbs, 16 fat grams and 17 protein grams.

Review: We just loved this. I was at first very nervous about using so much olive oil, but it really made the sauce, which is the star of this recipe, as is the fresh basil. This was wonderful and reheated very well. For those who want less fat grams:  I feel certain that 3 tbsp would taste the same! For those who want to sub those fat grams out for something else: If you took out the tbsp of olive oil, I feel like you could replace it with light ricotta cheese (vs. fat-free) and that would be great.For those who hate stuffing shells: You can use a short pasta  (like rotini or farfalle) and just drop in balls of ricotta/basil vs. stuffing the shells - would be quicker!

Shitake & Sirloin Stroganoff

Shitake & Sirloin Stroganoff
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
Makes 4 Servings

6 oz. wide egg noodles
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pound sirloin, diced
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
1 cup thinly sliced leek
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp minced garlic
1 5-oz. package presliced shitake mushrooms
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp paprika
1 cup beef stock
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
2 tbsp fresh parsley, diced

Cook noodles according to package instructions (approx. 9 minutes). Drain. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Swirl to coat. Add beef; sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook 4 minutes or until all sides are browned. Remove from pan. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add leek, thyme, garlic and mushrooms. Saute 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle flour and paprika on top and stir constantly for 30 seconds. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in remaining 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and sour cream. Stir in beef. Serve over noodles and sprinkle parsley on top.

Nutritional Information: 489 calories, 44 carbs, 15 fat grams and 42 protein grams.

Review: Excellent, hearty recipe! The mushrooms added a lot to this recipe - definitely don't do the white ones. If you want to, sub 'hot paprika' for the paprika - the recipe called for it but I didn't have it - an extra kick would be fine but it was great as was. This was my first time cooking with a leek and it added a lot of flavor, too. I am very happy with this recipe and will definitely make it again. I also liked that it only took 20 minutes from start to finish - always a plus for us!

Deep Dish Pizza Casserole

Deep Dish Pizza Casserole 
Recipe adapted from Real Mom Kitchen
Makes 6 Servings

1 onion, diced
1 pound 96/4 ground beef
1 tbsp minced garlic
⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 cup low-calorie spaghetti sauce
1 tube reduced fat crescent roll dough
¼ cup parmesan cheese
 ½ cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a skillet, cook onion, beef, and garlic until beef is fully cooked. Drain off and excess grease. Add red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and pizza sauce to beef mixture. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, Meanwhile, spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with crescent dough and press to seal seams. Sprinkle dough with parmesan cheese. Spread meat mixture over crust and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 for 18 minutes until golden brown. 

Nutritional Information: 267 calories, 21 carbs, 10 fat grams and 22 protein grams.

Review: Pretty yummy! Super easy to make and it reheats well. We served each with a big Caesar salad (lettuce, a bit of parm, and light Caesar dressing) to boost up the calories. I’ll definitely make this again – may even add some more red pepper flakes for extra spice!

Slowcooker Pork Ragu

Slowcooker Pork Ragu 
Adapted from Real Simple
Makes 6 Servings

1 cup carrots, diced finely
1 medium onion, diced finely
1 tbsp minced garlic
 2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
kosher salt and black pepper
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
24 oz. (1.5 pounds) boneless pork butt, trimmed and cut in half
12 oz. fettuccine
6 tbsp parmesan

 In a slow cooker, combine carrot, onion, garlic, tomato paste, thyme, oregano, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add tomatoes (and juices); add pork and turn to coat. Cover and cook until the pork is very tender, on on high for 5. Remove pork, shred it with two forks, and add it back to the slowcooker for 20 minutes. During this 20 minutes, cook fettuccine according to package directions; drain and return to the pot. Toss pasta with ragù and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Nutritional Information: 525 calories, 52 carbs, 20 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

Review: Excellent! Has lots of flavor, probably from the pork shoulder vs. a tenderloin or more lean meat. Loved the tomato taste and it made a nice broth for the noodles. We will definitely have this again – very simple. Make sure to buy the boneless pork butt if you can! (if you can’t, throw it bone-in to the slowcooker and let the meat fall off the bone – don’t waste time cutting it).

Tex Mex lasagna

Tex Mex lasagna
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
Makes 4 Servings

3/4 cup bottled salsa
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
1 (8-ounce) can no salt-added tomato sauce
Cooking spray
6 precooked lasagna noodles
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chicken, drained
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 450. Combine first 4 ingredients; spread 2/3 cup sauce in bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; top with 1/2 cup corn, half of beans and half of chicken. Sprinkle with a bit of the cheese; top with 2/3 cup sauce. Repeat layers once; top with remaining 2 noodles. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and bake for 30 minutes or until noodles are tender and sauce is bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes. Sprinkle with onions.

Nutritional Information: 439 calories, 61 carbs, 8 fat grams and 32 protein grams.

Review: Super easy, really good! This one took no time at all to put together, especially since you can use canned chicken. We did have to add some hot sauce afterwards, so if you're a fan of spicy i'd say to add it in the beginning! Other than that, easy, good and filling - love Tex Mex!

Pork Fried Rice

Pork Fried Rice
Recipe inspired by Nutmeg Notebook
Makes 4 Servings

2 tsp olive oil, divided
16 ounces pork, diced and seasoned with salt and pepper
¼ cup fat free chicken broth
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp dark sesame oil
¼ tsp salt and pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp ginger
2 tbsp garlic
2 cups microwavable white rice, cooked (and chilled in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours)
1 cup small broccoli florets, defrosted

Heat 2 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Cook pork for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and set aside on plate. In the meantime, combine broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper in a measuring cup and stir with a whisk. Set aside. Also, add broccoli to a small covered microwavable dish, and steam for 1-2 minutes. In same pan, add remaining tsp of olive oil. Add eggs and stir for a minute; add onions and ginger; stir for 1 minute; add garlic, rice, pork and broccoli. Stir until heated through, about 3-4 minutes. Add broth mixture. Remove from heat, and stir well to combine.

Nutritional Information: 382 calories, 39 carbs, 10 fat grams and 31 protein grams.


Review: There is nothing better than fried rice to me, so this of course was awesome. I loved that it used chicken broth, which really cut down on the amount of soy sauce needed. Great, easy recipe, and the broccoli helped add some green! Could have also used carrots, peas, etc. - but I just used the veggie I had on hand. Great, easy recipe, ready in under 20 minutes (assuming you already had rice in the fridge of course - important to note that! We always have a tub of cold rice in the fridge - you're not surprised, right?:) ))

Classic Tomato Soup

Classic Tomato Soup Recipe 
Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café
Makes 6 Servings

2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons light butter
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a colander set over a large bowl, drain canned tomatoes, pressing lightly to release juices. Transfer tomato juice to a large measuring cup and add chicken broth. The mixture should measure 3 1/2 cups. Set liquid and tomatoes aside. In pot, melt butter in a 4-5-quart pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until it is softened, 5 minutes. Add 2/3 of tomatoes, the bay leaf and brown sugar. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, the tomatoes are sizzling and fragrant. The mixture will be very thick. Stir in tomato paste and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to darken, 1-2 minutes. Slowly stir in reserved tomato juice/broth mixture, the remaining tomatoes, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard bay leaf. Puree soup in batches (in a blender) Stir in cream and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Nutritional Information: 203 calories, 23 carbs, 11 fat grams and 4 protein grams.

Review: LOVED - had so much flavor and tasted 'restaurant' to me. The cream probably did it. Very healthy servings, and with the calories being where they are you have room to add a 200-calorie grilled cheese to it. PERFECT cold-weather food or in my case, pregnant food - this baby loves some tomato soup! Great classic i'll be making again and again. I bet it freezes good, too - yum!

Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
Adapted from Real Simple Magazine
Makes 4 Servings

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 pound chicken thighs, bone/skin removed, diced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
10 wonton wrappers, sliced into 1/2 inch strips
2 tbsp juice squeezed from one small lime
Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger; cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook until browned, 7-8 minutes. Add mushrooms and salt (to taste). Cook 3 minutes. Add broth, fish sauce, soy sauce and 1 cup water to the saucepan. Bring to boil. Add wonton wrappers, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 2 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Serve garnished with cilantro.

Nutritional Information: 244 calories, 14 carbs, 13 fat grams and 21 protein grams.

Review: VERY good - love the broth, the fun use of the wonton wrappers and the chicken thighs went great in this. Yes, the calories are a little low for a full meal, but you can easily up the meat or wrappers, or take it down to 3 servings. Or, just leave it at 4 servings, but serve it alongside a simple salad of lettuce, carrots and Asian salad dressing. Great, easy soup that's quick to put together and super yummy. If you use ground pork, it ups the calories significantly!

Bacon Ranch Wrap

It's not the prettiest thing I've ever made, but it was awesome!

Bacon Ranch Wrap
Makes 4 Serving
Recipe adapted from Hungry Girl

4 tbsp light ranch dressing
4 tsp taco sauce
1 bag Boca crumbles
4 tbsp salsa
4 slices butterball turkey bacon
4 large La Banderita tortillas
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat shredded fat-free cheddar cheese, divided
1 avocado
1/4 cup shredded lettuce

To make the sauce, combine ranch dressing with taco sauce in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside. Heat boca crumbles and salsa over medium heat in a large skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray for about 9 minutes, stirring frequently. In the meantime, cook bacon in the microwave per package instructions. Lay tortillas on a flat, dry surface and spread with sauce. Top with cheese, bacon, avocado, lettuce, and boca crumbles. Roll up and serve.

Nutritional Information: 438 calories, 49 carbs, 15 fat grams and 33 protein grams.

Review: YUM –loved the ranch/taco seasoning sauce, as well as the crunchy lettuce with avocado and bacon. Could have easily done without the cheese – couldn’t taste it! But the boca went well. If anything, you could do less boca to make sure the wrap stays together easier! Super easy, ready in under 15 minutes, and very filling. If you’re looking to take down the calories, reduce/remove the cheese or take down the boca a bit – I wouldn’t mess with the sauce – it was the best part!

My Top 5 Recipe Cravings

 In case anyone missed the Facebook "announcement"...

I thought it was somewhat subtle?

One of the biggest things I'm disliking about my new preggo state is not being Paleo. I miss it, truly. But meat had been making me very squeamish. In truth, just thinking about it made me a little sick to my stomach and vomity. Clearly, without meat, Paleo wouldn't be an option, and I decided If I couldn’t be Paleo, I wanted to be healthified. (I came to this realization after a couple of days of fast food - the baby made me do it - and of course the resulting tummy ache, thirst, et.c). I found that I was able to get to visit my blog (before the thought of food disgusted me; yes, even photos). I found 5 recipes that sounded good. Food sounded good!! I made them, repeated, and was in heaven! 

Chipotle Bean Burritos

Spicy Orange Chicken

Szechaun Chicken and Rice

Two Cheese Naan Breakfast Pizza

Caprese Breakfast Cups

While it's not entirely ideal, and it's certainly not paleo, this is pretty much my diet right now.

Q: Any preggos out there - what are you craving or what did you crave when preggo? I'm pretty much like give me some carbs with a side of carbs on top of carbs. Oh, and a dessert of sour candy.

Spaghetti with Bacon Meatballs

Spaghetti with Bacon Meatballs 
Recipe adapted from Real Simple
Makes 4 Servings

 1 small onion
4 slices raw turkey bacon, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 pound 96/4 ground beef
2 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons Italian bread crumbs
1 large egg
kosher salt and black pepper
7 ounces spaghetti
1.5 cups marinara sauce

Heat broiler. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. In a food processor, combine onion, bacon, garlic, and parsley; pulse until finely chopped, 10 to 15 times. Transfer to a medium bowl, add beef, Parmesan, bread crumbs, egg, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and mix gently to combine. Form beef mixture into 16 meatballs (about 2 tablespoons each) and place on a foil-lined broilerproof rimmed baking sheet. Broil, turning once, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Cook pasta according to package directions. Heat spaghetti sauce in a large skillet over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes; add the meatballs and toss gently to coat. Serve over the pasta and sprinkle with parmesan. 

Nutritional Information: 458 calories, 50 carbs, 10 fat grams and 40 protein grams.

  Review: I can honestly say that i'd never thought to put bacon in my spaghetti - but this tasted great! I loved how easy these cooked in the oven, too, and the macros made it a nice, filling meal with lots of protein - awesome! It reheated great at work, and made a nice lunch and dinner. I'll be making this again - too easy not to.

Shrimp Etoufee

NO! this is not paleo... but i'm still finding some recipes I never posted pre-paleo!

Shrimp Etoufee 
Adapted from Family Circle Magazine
Makes 4 Servings

2 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tbsp olive oil 
1 cup onion, diced 
½ cup green pepper diced 
1 cup celery, finely diced 
2 tbsp mincd garlic 
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce 
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 
2 tsp Cajun seasoning 
1 pound shrimp, peeled/tail-off 
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped 
1 cup Jasmine rice (dry) 
1 lemon, cut into wedges 


 In a large pot, whisk together flour and oil until combined. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes until reddish-brown in color. Add onion, green pepper, celery and garlic. Cook 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato sauce, 1 cup water, Worcestershire sauce and Cajun seasoning; simmer 15 minutes until celery is soft. Cook longer if it’s still ‘crunchy.’ Add shrimp and simmer 4 minutes. Stir in parsley. Serve shrimp over rice. Squeeze lemon wedges over each plate. 


Nutritional Information: 407 calories, 53 carbs, 9 fat grams and 28 protein grams. 


Review: Powerful dish! It had so much flavor and everything mingled together great! We used fresh shrimp and it was excellent. Shrimp dishes typically don't reheat well, but the heavy sauce made this one do well, just heat at 50% so that the shrimp doesn't become rubbery. I thought this dish was easy to put together, although my processor made it easy to dice up all of the veggies. Make SURE you dice the celery well - no one wants a crunchy bite in the etoufee! I still can't get over the calorie counts - it tastes much more calorific.

Paleo Buffalo Chicken Dip

Paleo Buffalo Chicken Dip
Recipe adapted from Katie Did
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound chicken
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp mustard
½ cup lite olive oil
¼ cup hot sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover chicken breasts in water and bring to boil for 3-4 minutes until white; cook through. Drain and allow to cool. Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend together egg yolk, lemon juice, garlic and mustard. Slowly stream in olive oil until thick mayonnaise is made. Add hot sauce and chicken. Pulse until blended and chicken is shredded. Pour into small casserole dish and bake for 25 minutes. Serve with celery.

Nutritional Information: 389 calories, 1 carb, 30 fat grams and 27 protein grams.

Review: WOW. This tastes amazing. I’ve eaten it straight, as well as over lettuce as a Buffalo Chicken Salad. The dip is great with celery, and you can just make it 8 servings for 8 snacks. We’ve already made this twice and it’s easy to double for more meals or snacks!

As a salad!

Paleo Coconut Curry Chicken

Paleo Coconut Curry Chicken
Recipe adapted from Cosmopolitan Girl
Makes 4 Servings

1 ½ pounds chicken thighs(still in tact), skin on
1 cauliflower (to make the rice)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup onion, finely shopped
5 tsp minced garlic
1 red chili pepper – seeds removed, chopped
1 can light coconut milk
2 tbsp curry powder

In a large skillet, heat coconut oil to a med-high heat. Put chicken pieces into the skillet and cook until each side golden-browned (about 3 min per side). Remove chicken and set aside.Add onion, garlic and chili – saute for about 3 min or until soft. Add the coconut milk and curry powder – mix together thoroughly. Add back chicken and simmer at medium heat covered for about 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. (The coconut milk the chicken is simmering in should cover about 1/2 of the chicken; if it doesn’t add chicken stock.) For the cauliflower rice, use your food processor to chop the cauliflower to a rice consistency. Cook, covered, in microwave for 3-5 minutes (no need to add water).

Nutritional Information: 379 calories, 18 fat grams, 18 carbs and 40 protein grams.

Review: We love this one! Next time, I will probably use full-fat coconut milk, but other than that it was great and super creamy. The minced garlic added a lot, as did the chili pepper. If you can't find the chili pepper, use red pepper flakes and/or hot sauce for some kick. Great paleo recipe!