Quick & Easy Healthy CHICKEN ALFREDO

I'm pretty much a sucker for Chicken Alfredo all day everyday!  My favorite place to have Chicken Alfredo would be Olive Garden, but realized it was 1440 calories not including the bread sticks! Yikes! Don't get me wrong I still LOVE that restaurant! My version I kid you not takes about 10 minutes prep time and 30 minutes cook time!! Afraid? Why? Because I said it was HEALTHY therefore it won't taste the same or have it's rich and creamy texture? Remember I said I keep it real so it won't change the taste or texture I bet you wouldn't be able to tell the difference! Ask my taste testers! P.S. Bust out your blenders! Men...don't have one? I'm sure you have a magic bullet!

Live, Love, Laugh & EAT,
  Sarah

Ingredients:

3-4 Chicken Breasts (you can use, shrimp or whatever protein you're craving)
Whole Wheat/Brown Rice Pasta (any style -- penne, elbow, linguine, etc)
1- red bell pepper (again this is optional you can use it or not and use any type)
1 cup- sliced mushrooms (again it's optional and you can use any kind I used portabella because they were on sale!)
1 cup- Skim Milk
½ cup- Fat Free Cottage Cheese
½ cup- Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 tbs- Corn Starch
¼ tsp- Black Pepper
¼ tsp- Sea Salt (Optional)
¼ tsp- Garlic Powder or 1 Garlic Clove (I didn't have Garlic Powder on hand)

I would start on the Chicken Breasts first if you're trying to bring the inner Rachel Ray out! Chicken Breasts are pretty tricky to cook so they don't turn out dry so I suggest cutting slits into them first so the seasonings can be evenly dispersed and once that is done next is flattening out the Chicken Breasts so they're pretty even. Don't have a cooking mallet? Easy! Place Chicken breasts in between wax paper, and take a frying pan, sauce pan whatever and pretty much you'll "hammer," your chicken to get them nice and even that way when you bake or grill your chicken you don't have to wait for different areas of the chicken to cook since it's even it should cook the same. There is not a right way or a wrong way to season your chicken season it however you like it, my inner Asian Rachel Ray seasoned it with Mrs.Dash (Garlic & Herb/Chicken) and I popped it in the oven at 375 for 25 minutes.

While that is in the oven, in your blender add and blend for 30-45 seconds *also don't forget to start your pasta!* (cook according to directions on box)

1 cup- Skim Milk
½ cup- Fat Free Cottage Cheese
½ cup- Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 tbs- Corn Starch
¼ tsp- Black Pepper
¼ tsp- Sea Salt (Optional)
¼ tsp- Garlic Powder or 1 Garlic Clove (I didn't have Garlic Powder on hand)

While that sits for a 30-45 seconds simply dice up your bell pepper and slice up your mushrooms and in a sauce pan using a cooking spray saute your diced bell pepper and sliced mushrooms for 1½ - 2 minutes, then add the Alfredo sauce to the sauce pan on medium heat until it starts to bubble then turn to low and stir consistently until it thickens it might still look watery, but if you let it sit for 1½ - 2 minutes it will thicken up. 

By now your chicken breasts should be done simply cut it up serve with pasta and Alfredo sauce! ENJOY!

Fiesta Burger

It's FALL!!! My favorite weather of the year! Why? Simply because it's not too hot to grill out with friends and family and most importantly it's foot-ball season!!!! For the first tailgate I decided that I couldn't go wrong with burgers! It's quick, easy, and everyone loves a burger! My burger isn't your normal burger I spiced it up just a little with a black bean salad and topped it off with guacamole. It's like a fiesta in your mouth!! The benefit about this recipe is both the guacamole and the black bean salad can be used as sides/dips. I toasted up some whole wheat pita bread and made myself some "chips," and I actually just keep everything on the side just in case you get them picky eaters who just want a plain burger!! Hurry and try it, there's no time for a siesta it's time for a fiesta!

Live, Love, Laugh & EAT!
   Sarah

P.S. You can click on the pictures to enlarge it :-)

Fiesta Burger--

In a mixing bowl add--
   Ingredients:
1 lb Lean Ground Turkey or Lean Ground Beef (I used Turkey)
1 tsp Salt-Free Chili Powder
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1 tsp Cumin (ground, if not it's fine)
1 tsp Garlic Powder or you can use 2 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (you don't have to add this I do so your burger doesn't stick to the grill or turns dry when grilling)
1 pinch of sea-salt (optional; I didn't use it)
   OR if you want you can buy taco seasoning instead of the above ingredients to make it easier, but DO make sure it's low sodium/sugar!

Directions- Mix dry ingredients into the ground turkey and then make your patties 1 lb can make 4-6 burgers (it depends if you make 4oz or 6oz burgers) *do make them a little bigger because it will shrink* Grill on low-medium heat until cooked

Gucamole--

In a mixing bowl add--

  Ingredients:
2 avocados

1 minced jalapeno/serrano pepper

½ diced red onion (You can use any kind of onion I personally like red onions because, they're sweeter and if you don't like onions that's fine leave it out)

1-2 minced garlic cloves

½ - 1 tsp sea-salt (optional)

½ -1 tsp ground black pepper

½ - 1 lime juice (use the lime juice to your liking) *add this last*

Directions- add avocados and all ingredients, except for your lime juice.  I used a fork to break down the avocado such as "smashing" it and then the ingredients will mix easier once that is all mixed you can then add the lime juice to your liking.

Black Bean Salad/Dip--

      Ingredients:

1 can of black beans (I used no-salt beans and Hy-vee sells "Eden's" no-salt black beans in the health food market for $1.30ish)

1 can of corn (again no-salt for me and I actually didn't use canned corn I grilled 3 corn on the cob and it tastes so much better!)

½  of red onion diced

1 cup of tomatoes diced

1 yellow/red pepper diced

2 jalapenos/serrano seeded and minced

¼ cup fresh cilantro or ¼ cup parsley or ¼ basil chopped (I like to mix all 3, but I only had cilantro available)

⅓  cup extra virgin olive oil

½ of lime juice (add to your liking)

4 tbsp red wine vinegar (add to your liking)

1 garlic clove minced

1½ tsp ground cumin

1½ tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp sugar (I didn't use any)

sea-salt & black pepper to taste! (I didn't use salt)

Directions-

 canned beans drained and rinse and as for the corn just drained and in a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients in and mix! it's that simple!

Now to put the FIESTA BURGER together I did one serving of the black bean salad (1 cup) and placed my turkey burger on top of that and topped it off with a little guacamole (I only needed 1½ tsp)  (if you want a little sour cream with that use fage greek yogurt!)