Tag Archives: Diet

I am a pasta junkie. I love pasta and could eat it everyday, but of course, I try not to. Over the past year, I have tried different types of pasta while trying to eat cleaner and I must admit, while I was skeptical of both, I have become a fan of Dreamfields and the gluten-free varieties of pasta that are becoming easier to find in the grocery stores.

I was also recently introduced to a creole seasoning called Tony Chachere’s (Thank you @uccjeb). I’m obsessed with it and have been putting it on everything, so it was only a matter of time before it became a main ingredient in a recipe for me.

As always, I tried to keep this recipe light while keeping a rich feel to it. I like to trick myself into thinking I’m eating something sinful even though I’m feeding my body the stuff it craves and needs to function properly.

Cajun Chicken & Vegetable with Pasta

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces uncooked linguine (I used Dreamfields this time but you can certainly use gluten-free or whole wheat depending on your preference and dietary needs)
• 1 pound chicken breast strips
• 2-3 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to taste, I probably used a little more)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 vidalia onion, sliced (you can use any onion you have on hand)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup of grape tomatoes, halved or quarter according to your preference
• 1 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1 tbsp flour
• 3 tbsp light cream cheese
• fresh cracked pepper & salt, to taste
• 2 scallions, chopped

Directions:

Prep all your vegetables as directed. In a blender combine the milk, flour and cream cheese, blend until combined, then set aside. Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt.

Prepare the pasta in salted water according to package directions.

Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and spray lightly with cooking spray. Add half of the chicken and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes or until done. Set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.

After removing the second batch of chicken from the pan, add olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium. Add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté for 3-4 minutes. Next, add the mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

Reduce heat to medium-low, then add the chicken broth and the milk, flour, cream cheese mixture and stir for about 2 minutes.

Return the chicken to skillet,  adjust your seasoning to taste and cook another minute or two until hot. Add the linguine, tossing well to coat. (I let mine sit for a few minutes so the pasta could absorb some of the sauce and thicken up a little)

Garnish with chopped scallions and enjoy!

This made a ton of food and the left overs were even better the next day reheated! As I was eating the left over, I also thought that some zucchini would be excellent in this dish, especially since they are in season now.

Every now and then I get these urges to try something new and experiment in the kitchen. I have never been a big fan of soup. I’m a chicken noodle when sick type of girl, but today, I decided to step outside of the box and try this.

When I told my husband I was going to try my hand at a minestrone soup he became kinda silent and then pointed out that it wasn’t really soup weather. He had a point as it was 60 degrees and kinda sunny, however, I have a thick head and wanted to try it. He brought up adding little meatballs to it, like an Italian wedding soup and I thought why not!

I found the recipe on Pineterst. It is a Jamie Oliver recipe that you can find here and it looked very simple and easy. I of course tweaked it to fit what I had on hand and to add the tiny meatballs that my husband requested.

Minestrone/Italian Wedding Soup Hybrid

Ingredients for the Soup:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic – peeled and chopped
1 red onion – peeled and chopped
2 carrots – peeled and chopped
2 sticks celery – chopped
1 zucchini – washed and chopped
1 bunch of scallions – washed and chopped
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 – 14 ounce cans of diced tomatoes
1 large potato – scrubbed and diced
1 – 15.5 ounce can garbanzo beans – drained and rinsed
4 cups (1 qt container) low-sodium vegetable broth
1 large handful curly kale – stalks removed and leaves chopped
½ cup mixed small pasta shapes
a few basil leaves – torn (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
grated Parmesan cheese to garnish (optional)

Ingredients for the mini meatballs:

1/2 lb ground sirloin
milk
parmesan cheese
panko bread crumbs
parsley
chopped garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Sorry I don’t have exact measurements for these. I just eyeballed everything like I would normally prepare my meatballs, gently mixed it all together and rolled tiny meatballs out of the mixture.

Instructions:

Heat a large pot over a medium heat and add olive oil.  Add the garlic, onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, scallion, oregano and bay leaf. Cook slowly for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables have softened.

Add the tomatoes, potato, garbanzo beans, vegetable broth and mini meatballs. Cover and bring everything to a boil. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Check (with the tip of a knife) that the potato is soft and cooked through.

Once potato is soft, add the kale and pasta. Cook for 10 more minutes or until the pasta is cooked through. If the soup is too thick for your taste after cooking the pasta, thin it with a little more broth or water.

The basil is optional but I think it added a nice taste to the broth.  Finish by seasoning with a little salt and black pepper and if you desire, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

The result of this culinary experiment was yummy, healthy, light yet filling. I will definitely be making this recipe again and I would like to continue trying different soups.