What’s In My Fridge? – April 2012

What’s In My Fridge?

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January 2012 Edition

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Protein

Dairy

Veggies

Miscellaneous

Fruits & Grains

Rotisserie Chicken

What I Like About It

Fantastic protein source at a great price; I love that it goes into so many different recipes or can easily increase the protein content of a meal.

Typical serving size of chicken is the size of a deck of cards.

How I Use It

Chicken and Quinoa Salad

 

Ingredients
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 4 medium carrots, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup Quinoa,
  • 2 cups coarsely shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ cup sliced almonds
  • ¼ cup golden raisins
  • 4 scallions, white and light green parts only, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for topping
  • Greek yogurt
Directions
  1. Bring 2 ½ cups water to a boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon, the ginger, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add the carrots and cook until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the carrots, reserving the cooking liquid.
  2. Put the quinoa and chicken in a medium bowl. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the almonds, raisins, scallions and the remaining ¼ teaspoon cinnamon.
  3. Cook, stirring, until the nuts are toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the cilantro.

Costco Rotisserie Chicken with Spinach Salad and Sliced Strawberries

 

Ingredients
  • Costco Rotisserie chicken (chopped into 1 inch cubes)
  • Spinach salad
  • Container of strawberries, sliced
Dressing Ingredients

(I love to use my Blender bottle to mix the dressing, click link to purchase)

  • 1 rounded teaspoon grainy mustard
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Add a tablespoon of honey or agave if you’d like to make the dressing a bit sweeter.
Directions
  1. Combine mustard and vinegar in the bottom of a bowl
  2. Slowly pour in extra-virgin olive oil, whisking dressing as oil is added
  3. Add dressing to spinach salad and mix contents
  4. Sprinkle sliced strawberries on top of already dressed salad.

The vitamin C from the strawberries helps your body to break down the iron in the spinach, allowing your body to utilize the iron in a more efficient manner.

Leftover Meal Options:
  1. For lunch the next day, use your leftover chicken and slice it up to combine with your spinach salad.
  2. Leftover strawberries combined with some trail mix, makes an excellent mid-morning snack.

TIP: While preparing chicken for this dinner, chop up the rest of the chicken as well, and store to use later in the week.

Curry n’ a Hurry Costco Rotisserie Chicken Salad

 

Ingredients
  • ½ Costco Rotisserie Chicken, chopped into 1 inch cubes
  • 3 ribs celery, chopped
  • 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
  • ½ cup shredded carrot
  • 4 scallions, chopped on an angle
  • 1 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • Salt and pepper
  • ¾ cup chopped mango
  • ¼ cup (2 ounces) sliced smoked almonds, cashews or walnuts
Directions
  1. Combine chicken, celery, red grapes, carrot, mango, nuts and scallions.
  2. Add yogurt and curry to the salad and toss to evenly distribute the curry.
  3. Season the salad with salt and pepper, to your taste.
Leftover Meal Options
  1. For lunch the next day, place your leftovers in a pita or high-fiber tortilla for a nutritious sandwich.
  2. Another option would be to place the leftovers on a green salad for a high-protein delicious meal.
  3. Hollow out a tomato or bell pepper and fill with the salad for high energy lunch.
  4. Place a scoop of the salad on top of brown rice or Quinoa and round out by adding in a side of sliced veggies or fruit salad.

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Garbanzo Beans

What I Like About It

Garbanzos are very high in fiber and protein. A wonderful vegetarian way to boost the nutritional content of salads, brown rice or quinoa.

How I Use Them

I use canned Garbanzo Beans. After I open the can, I pour them into a strainer and run warm water over them for approximately 30 seconds. This helps to lower the sodium content. I then add them to salads, soups or even mix into brown rice or quinoa.

Garbanzo Bean Salad

 

Ingredients
  • 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • 1 tablespoon diced onion
  • 1 apple, cored and chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ½ teaspoon prepared mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
  • ½ head iceberg lettuce – rinsed, dried, and shredded
Directions
  1. In a salad bowl, combine the chick peas, celery, onion, apple or grapes and chopped nuts.
  2. Prepare the dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, honey, mustard and lemon juice. I love to use my Blender Bottle for mixing my dressings. Click here to purchase one now.
  3. Combine the salad mixture and dressing. Toss and serve on a bed of shredded lettuce.

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Eggs

How I Use Them

Hard boil and keep on hand for a high protein, energizing snack during your day.

How to boil an egg

  1. Place the egg in a saucepan.
  2. Run cold water into the saucepan until the water is 1 inch above the egg.
  3. Place the saucepan on a stove and cook over medium heat until the water begins to boil.
  4. Reduce the heat to low.
  5. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes for soft-boiled eggs or 10 to 15 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.
  6. Remove the egg with a spoon or ladle and let it cool slowly, or run cold water over it to cool it more quickly
  7. Add on top of salad greens for an easy work day lunch.

Healthy (and still yummy) Egg Salad

 

Ingredients
  • 6 large organic eggs
  • ½ cup low-fat mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 scallions (white and green), thinly sliced,
  • 1 rib celery, minced, about ½ cup
  • 2 radishes, chopped fine
  • 1 chopped dill pickle (I find this adds quite a bit of flavor, if you use it you can omit the salt)
  • 8 romaine lettuce leaves
  • 1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley (optional)
Directions
  1. Dice the eggs. Combine the eggs with mayonnaise, mustard and season with the salt and pepper. Stir in the scallions, celery, pickle and radish.
  2. Divide the egg salad among the lettuce leaves, top with the parsley (optional) and roll up. Two “rolls” is a serving.

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Parmesan Cheese (or hard chese, i.e. Asiago, Romano, Manchego)

What I Like About It

It has a strong flavor; a little goes a long way.

How I Use It

Sprinkle it on top of the Caesar Chicken Wrap, add to a veggie stir-fry, or sprinkle on your salad.

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Cottage Cheese

What I Like About It

This food is low in cholesterol and is also a good source of riboflavin, Vitamin B12, phosphorus, selenium, and a very good source of protein. I love that I can add delicious mix-ins, such as pineapple or flaxseed to cottage cheese. Just note that cottage cheese is a bit high in sodium, so stick with the ½ cup serving size.

How I Use It

I love to have a ½ cup of cottage cheese with fresh fruit, pineapple is the best.

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Laughing Cow Cheese

What I Like About It

It is a great cheese choice when you’re looking for more great taste with fewer calories. With only 35 calories in each individually wrapped wedge, you can add a lot of cheesy goodness to your active lifestyle without adding to your waistline.

How I Use It

I like to add a wedge in with my scrambles eggs to add extra protein and flavor.

Omega-3 & Protein–Packed Fresh Herb Breakfast Eggs

 

Ingredients
  • 6 whole Hard Boiled Eggs
  • 3 wedges The Laughing Cow Smooth Sensations Cream Cheese Spread Classic Cream 1/3 Less Fat
  • 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 4 slices Cooked Bacon
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Tarragon
  • 1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Dill
  • 1 Tablespoon Minced Roasted Red Pepper
Preparation
  1. Peel, then slice eggs in half lengthwise
  2. Place the yolks in a mixing bowl
  3. Set the whites on a plate (If they slide around, line the plate with lettuce leaves for serving.)
  4. To the egg yolks, add the remaining ingredients except the sea salt. Mix with a fork until evenly combined, breaking up the egg yolks as you mix
  5. Spoon the filling into the hole in the egg whites. Sprinkle with crunchy sea salt to season

Not Your Mama’s Tuna Salad

 

Ingredients
  • 2 whole Wedges of The Laughing Cow® Light Swiss Original Cheese
  • 2 teaspoons Prepared Red Wine Vinaigrette (or Your Favorite Variety)
  • 2 whole Scallions, Thinly Sliced
  • 2 Tablespoons Roasted Red Pepper, Diced Small
  • 2 Tablespoons Black Olives, Diced Small
  • 1 teaspoon Capers
  • ½ teaspoons Lemon Zest
  • 1 can Albacore Tuna (water Packed), Drained
  • 1 teaspoon Chopped Parsley
  • 1 teaspoon Chopped Fresh Dill
  • ¼ teaspoons Each Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Preparation
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine cheese with vinaigrette until smooth.
  2. Fold in scallions, roasted red pepper, black olives, capers, lemon zest, tuna, parsley & dill. Season with salt & pepper.
  3. Serve as desired (sandwich, salad, dip, etc.)

*Recipe courtesy of www.thelaughingcow.com/recipes.

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Kale

What I Like About Them

Always listed in the top 5 of healthiest veggies on the planet, kale is a nutrition powerhouse. It’s an excellent source of vitamins A C, and K, has a good amount of calcium for a vegetable, and also supplies foliate and potassium.

How I Use Them

Yummy Kale Salad

 

Ingredients
  • 6 cups of clean & dried baby Kale (available at Costco)
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 5-6 chopped cloves of garlic (I really like garlic, so I use 6 or more cloves of chopped garlic)
  • ¼ cup of olive oil
  • Salt & pepper to taste
Additional add-in’s
  • Drained Garbanzo beans
  • Chopped Costco Rotisserie Chicken
  • Chopped Kalamata olives or cherry tomatoes
  • Any leftover veggies!
Directions
  1. In a large salad bowl, add kale and any other additional veggies. In a blender bottle, mix together the garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. Shake for about 30 seconds and pour over the kale.
  2. If you add a protein source such as beans or chicken, then this make a wonderful and complete meal. Also makes a terrific side dish.
  3. Makes great leftovers!

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Avocados

What I Like About Them

Avocados are a good source of fiber, potassium, and vitamins C, K, folate, and B6. Half an avocado has 160 calories, 15 grams of heart-healthy unsaturated fat, and only 2 grams saturated fat. It’s known as anti-inflammatory, it promotes blood sugar regulation, has anti-cancer benefits and when added to a salad, it helps your body breakdown and utilize antioxidants (carotenoids).

How I Use Them

I love to top salads, soups with avocados. Guacamole is always the best way to use avocados.

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Asparagus

What I Like About It

Asparagus has B-vitamins and is as an excellent source of folic acid and vitamin B1 and a very good source of vitamins B2, B3 and B6. Because B vitamins play a key role in the metabolism of sugars and starches, they are critical for healthy blood sugar management.

Asparagus provides us with about 3 grams of dietary fiber per cup, including more than 1 gram of soluble fiber. Intake of soluble fiber has repeatedly been shown to lower our risk of heart disease, and our risk of type 2 diabetes can be significantly lowered as our intake of dietary fiber increases.

How I Use It

I love to sauté it with garlic and olive oil and serve it as a side dish.

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Garlic

What I like About It

Garlic’s possible benefits include: reductions in blood pressure, the most likely benefit according to Mayo Clinic; small reductions in total cholesterol level and LDL, or bad cholesterol; reductions in gastric and colorectal cancer.

According to the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide, garlic is a good food source for selenium, a mineral used as a supplement to reduce the risk of prostate cancer, and it may be effective against bacteria, viruses and fungi

How I Use It

I chop garlic and put it into a glass container in my fridge. Studies have shown that letting garlic “sit” a bit after chopping can actually increase the nutritional value. I toss the chopped garlic into stir fries, and into my “famous garlic lemon” salad dressing.

Deborah’s Famous Garlic-Lemon Salad Dressing

  • Whisk together the following ingredients: ( Easier method, use the Blender Bottle)
  • 5 cloves of chopped garlic
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • ½ of a soft avocado, cubed
  • 1/3 cup of olive oil
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Shake until all ingredients are well blended. This is a wonderful salad dressing but I also use it on grilled veggies, fish and chicken.

This dressing helps to burn belly fat! Click here to find out how…

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Lemons

What I Like About It

Lemons, like other citrus fruits, are excellent source of ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid or vitamin-C is a powerful water soluble natural anti-oxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and also, scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the blood.

How I Use It

I love to slice lemons to add to my water. (Prodyne Fruit Infusion Pitcher, my favorite. Using this pitcher will give you fresh, fruity tasting water stored in your fridge for easy to go drink with no calories)

True Foods Honey Lemonade

 

Ingredients
  • 2 Small Lemons
  • 4 Tablespoons Honey (To cut calories use less honey)
  • 3 Cups of Water
  • Ice
Directions
  1. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into a glass.
  2. Add 2 tablespoons of honey into each glass.
  3. Add 1 ½ cups of water to each glass.
  4. Stir until honey has dissolved.
  5. Add more water, lemons or honey to taste — some people like it sour, some like it sweet

Yields 2 drinks. Enjoy!

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Oatmeal

What I Like About It

Over 40 studies show that eating oatmeal may help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. The soluble fiber in oats helps remove LDL or “bad” cholesterol, while maintaining the good cholesterol that your body needs. In January 1997, the Food and Drug Administration announced that oatmeal could carry a label claiming it may reduce the risk of heart disease when combined with a low-fat diet

How I Use It

I love my oatmeal! To increase the protein content of my oatmeal I add in about an ounce of nuts (a shot glass is a perfect ounce). I also add in a bit of chopped pineapple (to give it natural sweetness) and about a teaspoon of flaxseed for added fiber-yum!

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Pineapple

What I Like About It

Pineapple is an excellent source of antioxidant vitamin C. Pineapple also contains an enzyme, bromelain that digests food by breaking down protein. Bromelain also has anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting

How I Use It

I love to slice fresh pineapple and eat as a snack. Add pineapple to your smoothie.

Pineapple is another great item to add a little sweetness to a stir fry dish.

While cooking my morning oatmeal, at the end of the cooking process, I add in 1 cup of chopped pineapple. It adds a little sweetness and a hefty dose of enzymes that helps your stomach digest food better. Oatmeal on its own can be a bit boring, so this is how I turn my morning routine into some Aloha!

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Quinoa

What I Like About It

Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa’s amino acid profile complete, making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake. Quinoa is especially rich in the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair.

How I Use It

I love to cook a large pot of quinoa and store it in the fridge and use it to prepare the following salads. (Be sure to rinse quinoa a few times before cooking) Store quinoa in an airtight container.

Use quinoa as the base for the following salads:

Italian Salad

  • Mozzarella cheese squares
  • Fresh chopped basil
  • Chopped red onions
  • Olives (black, kalamata….your favorite)
  • Chopped tomatoes
  • Canned Kidney Beans rinsed and drained.
  • Mushrooms

Dressing: Olive oil and Balsamic Vinegar or Red Wine Vinegar, Salt and Pepper to taste

Mexican

  • Cheddar Squares
  • Canned Black Beans, rinsed, drained
  • Chopped Cilantro
  • Chopped red bell peppers
  • Chopped tomatoes
  • Chopped avocado

Dressing: Trader Joes Cilantro dressing

Dressing: Easy to mix in my Blender Bottle

  • 2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice or lime juice
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • Fresh ground pepper
  • Options: Pinch of cayenne, garlic powder or fresh minced garlic, minced fresh or dried ginger

Garden Vegetable Variety

  • 1 cup edamame or snow peas
  • 1 – 2 small carrots, peeled and sliced thin
  • ½ green or red pepper, sliced thin
  • 1 medium ripe tomato
  • 1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup chopped mushrooms
  • ¼ cup chopped green onions
  • Other suggestions based on liking: broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, or basil
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted sunflower seeds or toasted cashews

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Edamame

What I Like About It

Just ½ cup a day really punches up the fiber, protein and vitamin/mineral content of your diet. Here’s what you’ll find in a half-cup serving of shelled edamame (or 1 cup edamame in the pods): 120 calories, 9 grams fiber, 11 grams protein, and 10% of the daily value for Vitamin C, 10% daily value for iron

How I Use It

I love to put edamame (just the beans not the pods) in a stir fry. Add to a green salad or pack in my lunch for a mid-day snack.

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Hinode Brown Rice

What I Like About It

It’s a healthy whole grain and I love that it’s gluten free. It also has fiber and about 6 grams of protein per serving.

How I Use It

I have to admit, I am terrible at cooking rice on the stove. I finally broke down and bought a rice cooker and that has made all the difference! But, the drawback is that brown rice still takes about 40+ minutes to cook. If I haven’t planned well (and made rice in advance) that can delay my dinner . We all know that a delayed dinner can lead to grumpy teenagers-not good! This is why I always have a tray or two of Hinode Heat & Serve brown rice. I can make it up in 2 minutes! And honestly my kids can’t tell the difference between my “homemade” rice and the Hinode Heat & Serve.

Chicken, Rice, and Run!

I am a huge fan of brown rice. But I am not a huge fan of the 40 minutes it takes to cook it. Hinode Rice makes a terrific 2 min (microwave) brown rice that tastes every bit as good as homemade.

Key points:
  • Rice is a gluten free whole grain that has fiber and protein.
  • You can add just about any veggie to rice as a way to boost the nutritional content.
  • Excellent left overs!
Ingredients
  • Chicken, many options here: use chopped chicken breast or thighs, chicken sausage or ground chicken (use about 3/4 pound for 4 servings)
  • 2 cups of chopped uncooked veggies (I like using asparagus)
  • 2 cups of cooked brown rice
Directions
  1. In a large sauce pan on medium heat, warm up 1 Tbs. of olive oil
  2. Add the chicken and cook until almost cooked through
  3. Add the asparagus and cook and stir for about 1-2 minutes
  4. Add the cooked brown rice and warm the entire dish through

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Zevia

What I Like About It

When I was chubby, I was a huge consumer of both regular and diet sodas. In fact, I drank quite a few during my workday in an attempt to stay full and stay alert. I have to say, it didn’t work and in most cases it just gave me an upset tummy. Now there’s Zevia! A healthy alternative to drinking soda and diet soda. The flavors are terrific and I am a huge fan of the Grapefruit, Root Beer & Ginger Ale flavors. Zevia is sweetened with Stevia and is a tasty calorie free

How I Use It

I love to use Zevia in my after work “mocktails”. Here is my favorite recipe:

Ingredients
  • cup Acai Juice, Zola brand
  • cup Pineapple Juice
  • can Ginger Ale
  • Orange
Directions
  1. In a pitcher combine the Zola Acai & pineapple juice.
  2. Just before serving, slowly add ginger ale; stir to blend. Serve over ice in cups or glasses. Garnish with orange slices.

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