Last Night's Cookin'

I've made a commitment to my family and myself the past year to make more of an effort to eat whole and clean.  The main way to do this is to make meals yourself.  Especially in Shreveport, there are not many choices to eat out and keep it healthy.  Now, there are plenty of fantastic restaurants with amazing food but it's just not very healthy.  So I have actually learned so much from cooking 5 days a week (more or less depending on our schedules!) and my arsenal of ingredients has grown so it has become easier to be able to get everything I need without having to run to the store.  Who knew??

I love Cooking Light magazines and when I looked on their website I saw this page called Simmer & Boil and they have a section called the Sunday Strategist: A Week of Healthy Menus.  So I decided that this week I was going to follow their menu plan.  I love it, it has meals that are simple and some that require more effort.  I am still honing my inner Paula Deen skills so the timing part is still off for me, but i'll get there eventually!  I haven't found a really good market here to find all of the ingredients that are needed in the recipes but I try to get as close as possible.  Siri has actually helped me a lot when I need an alternative ingredient!

I do love the shopping list that they put together for you, but I was frustrated when I realized I had to go back to the store because for some reason they didn't include all of the ingredients?!  So if you use these, be sure to go through each recipe and write down all of the ingredients.  I thought I'd share what I made last night.  I have switched up the days because I was feeling the chicken last night and I'm going to do the steak tonight.

Last night's menu called for Manhattan Glazed Chicken with Lemony Snap Peas and Glazed Carrots. It was so good!! My husband isn't very adventurous when it comes to food so I have to just make it in order for him to try it or else he'll try to protest.  But to my surprise, he cleaned his plate last night!  I had many pots and pans going on my stove last night so that was a little difficult to keep up with.  I really need to get a couple timers to set next to the pots!  Anyway, here is the recipes:

Photo by: Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl

Manhattan-Glazed Chicken

Serve with Glazed Baby Carrots and Wilted Spinach with Fresh Chile. Here we riff off the flavors of a Manhattan cocktail, which is traditionally made with rye whiskey or bourbon, maraschino cherries, and orange rind. For less of a bourbon kick, boil the bourbon in the sauce for a minute before spooning over the chicken.

Cooking Light APRIL 2013

• Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 1 tablespoon glaze)
• Hands-on: 10 Minutes
• Total: 17 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade 
• 1/4 cup cherry spreadable fruit (such as Polaner All Fruit) 

• 1 teaspoon lower-sodium soy sauce 
• 1 teaspoon butter 
• 1 tablespoon bourbon 
• Glazed Baby Carrots
• Wilted Spinach with Fresh Chile

Preparation

1. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

2. Place marmalade, cherry spreadable fruit, and soy sauce in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes or until very thick, stirring frequently. Add butter, stirring to combine. Remove from heat; stir in bourbon. Spoon glaze over chicken.

Note: 

MyRecipes is working with Let's Move!, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and USDA's MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to a trove of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 316
 
• Fat: 7.1g
 
• Saturated fat: 1.8g
 
• Monounsaturated fat: 2.8g
 
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.9g
 
• Protein: 36.3g
• Carbohydrate: 23.4g
 
• Fiber: 0.2g
 
• Cholesterol: 111mg
 
• Iron: 0.7mg
 
• Sodium: 412mg
 
• Calcium: 17mg

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Photo by: Photo: Johnny Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Lemony Snap Peas

Lemony Snap Peas deliver citrusy flavor in a snap!

Cooking Light MAY 2012

• Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: about 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 8 cups water 
• 12 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed 
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind 
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar 
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 
• 1 shallot, minced 

Preparation

1. Bring 8 cups water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add peas; cook 30 seconds or until crisp-tender. Drain and plunge into ice water; drain. Slice half of peas diagonally.

2. Combine lemon rind and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk. Add peas; toss to coat.

Note: 

MyRecipes is working with Let's Move!, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and USDA's MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to a trove of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov.

Photo by: Photo: Johnny Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr

Glazed Baby Carrots

To save time, look for prepeeled real baby carrots in microwavable bags.

This recipe goes with Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff, Manhattan-Glazed Chicken, Rainbow Trout with Seared Sugar Snaps, Chimichurri Mac and Cheese

Cooking Light APRIL 2013

• Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: about 2/3 cup)
• Hands-on: 5 Minutes
• Total: 10 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup water 
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar 
• 2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar 
• 12 ounces peeled baby carrots 

• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 1/8 teaspoon salt 
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 

Preparation

1. Combine water, vinegar, brown sugar, and carrots in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is syrupy. Stir in butter, pepper, and salt. Sprinkle with parsley.

Note: 

MyRecipes is working with Let's Move!, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and USDA's MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to a trove of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov.

So let me know if you try this recipe and any other ones on this menu!!

Happy Cookin'!!

Megan

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 97
 
• Fat: 3.1g
 
• Saturated fat: 1.9g
 
• Sodium: 161mg

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Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 73
 
• Fat: 3.6g
 
• Saturated fat: 0.5g
 
• Monounsaturated fat: 2.5g
 
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.4g
 
• Protein: 2.5g
• Carbohydrate: 8.4g
 
• Fiber: 2.3g
 
• Cholesterol: 0.0mg
 
• Iron: 1.8mg
 
• Sodium: 154mg
 
• Calcium: 39mg

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