After creating this “paella” and comparing the ingredients to the actual definition, I realized that I did not really create “paella” at all. Saffron? no check, Shellfish? no check check, and chicken? Does turkey sausage count?

    Hmm. [...]]]> Paella: “A saffron flavored dish made of rice with shellfish and chicken.” Quoted from somewhere on the internet.

     After creating this “paella” and comparing the ingredients to the actual definition, I realized that I did not really create “paella” at all. Saffron? no check, Shellfish? no check check, and chicken? Does turkey sausage count?

    Hmm. so what’s a cook to call this? Paella sounds so much closer to “gourmet” than something like “Erin’s Healthy and Delicious Rice and Beans.” Any ideas?

      Without dwelling on the definition any longer, just know that we thoroughly enjoyed this creation. I started with an easy paella recipe from Martha Stewart. Is there nothing this woman cannot do? My Grandma loves her and indeed CRIED when she was sentenced for that whole stock market scandal. Anyway, I tweaked the recipe as my cupboard and fridge saw fit and the recipe below is what I came up with.

     The dish was full of flavor and the aroma from the pan filled our apartment. Brandon couldn’t wait to dig in when he came home. We were delighted with every bite and although I could hardly finish a 1/2 cup ( it basically expands in your stomach and then it hits you almost instantly that you are FULL ), for what I did eat, it tasted excellent!  Oh and we also had a spinach salad and garlic bread to compliment. Yum! I love bread!

    There is nothing bland about this combination of foods and it has such an awesome nutritional profile! The addition of tumeric gives it a great boost of nutrition. In fact, tumeric has been shown to have natural anti-inflammatory properties (helping those with arthritis), speed up the wound healing process, and it might possibly aid in fat metabolism. Seems to be worth an addition to the diet!

    This could easily simmer in the crockpot for the day and make for a quick dinner!

   “Paella” The Healthy Apron’s Way
Makes 4 generous servings! Probably roughly 1 1/2 cups!
Adapted from “Easy Paella” by Martha Stewart
1 T Olive Oil
8 oz of Turkey Sausage or lean beef (antibiotic and hormone-free preferred): OPTIONAL…great without!
1/2 a large onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
3/4c long grain brown rice
1 cup black beans or 1 (15 oz) can if you are going sans meat! (rinsed and drained or no salt added variety)
1/8 tsp paprika
1 tsp tumeric
7.5 oz canned diced tomatoes
1 (14.5oz) can low sodium chicken broth
salt/pepper to taste (I used just a dash of each)
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Directions:
1. Add 1 T olive oil to a large saute pan and add sausage. Cook at medium heat until just beginning to brown and then add onion and cook until translucent, stirring frequently (~3-4 minutes). Add the garlic and rice and stir until rice is translucent (~1-2 minutes).
2. Stir in paprika, tumeric, diced tomatoes, black beans, and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover and cook until most of the liquid has absorbed  (~45-60 minutes). Stir in peas and cook 1 more minute. Serve immediately.
*I would guess 3-4 hours in the crockpot would suffice OR 8 hours if it was on a very low setting. I have not tried this though so use your best judgement and let me know how it turns out!
Nutritional Profile (per serving): 260 calories, 8.1g fat (1.9g sat, 0.6 poly, 2.6 mono), 40mg cholesterol, 27.5g carbohydrate, 6.7g fiber, 19.8g protein, 3.1 g sugars, 239mg sodium, 335mg potassium

20% Vitamin A, 20% Vitamin C, 22% Folate, 12% Phosphorus,  16% Thiamin

My mother called me several months back and raved about a recipe she tried in one of her new cookbooks for chicken chili. I had never heard of “chicken chili” before but she said my three brothers could not get enough and they devoured the whole pot in one sitting. Sounded good to me! So [...]]]>

My mother called me several months back and raved about a recipe she tried in one of her new cookbooks for chicken chili. I had never heard of “chicken chili” before but she said my three brothers could not get enough and they devoured the whole pot in one sitting. Sounded good to me! So I tried it in the crockpot and bringing the dish together was extremely easy… it was the smell lingering from the crockpot that was absolutely tantalizing and NOT easy to resist.

     The combination of cayenne and chili pepper was a little pungent so I hope you like a little spice in your life! If not, I’m sure you could add a little less cayenne. I made sure the chicken was slightly undercooked before putting it in the crockpot. I noticed this helped to keep the chicken tender and juicy.

    One serving is fairly generous, so if you are only cooking for 2-3 people, halving the recipe will work out just fine.  This dish also contains almost 8 grams of filling fiber*! You are sure to be full for hours!

     With a little cheese for garnish and a slice of french bread, we had another evening of delicious comfort food….double yum.

Chicken Chili
Adapted from GooseBerry Patch Family Favorites Cookbook
Makes 8-10 servings

2lb cubed chicken breast
4 garlic cloves
2 small onions, chopped
1 red pepper and 1 green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
3 T chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
28 oz diced tomatoes
1 (16oz) Jar Chunky Salsa (I prefer Mild)
14 1/2 oz 33% less sodium chicken broth
15 1/2 oz kidney beans, rinsed/drained
10 oz package of frozen corn
salt/pepper to taste

Directions:
Add olive to skillet and saute chicken breast, garlic, onion, and peppers until chicken is cooked through. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer in the crockpot for ~ 3 hours or the skillet for ~1 hour.

Nutritional Profile: 322 calories, 9.3 g fat (1.5 g sat., 1.4 g poly, 5.6 g mono), 26.8 g carbohydrate, 33.1 g protein,
 7.7 g fiber, 669 mg sodium (inaccurate/varies on products used and salt added)

    *Most people are aware of the importance of fiber.  Fiber prolongs stomach emptying keeping you full for longer, helps lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, and can also relieve constipation. Each person should aim for ~25-45 grams per day.  However, the average person struggles to meet this daily quota and so now there are endless products on the market that have lots of added fiber. While these are okay in moderation, I feel that there are plenty of WHOLE foods that get left in the dust because of companies like Fiber One.  Incorporating fiber richs foods into every meal and snack will help you meet your daily fiber needs!

Erin’s Chicken Salad Sandwich: Makes 2 servings.

1 whole wheat pita (Kangaroo brand is my favorite), divided in half 6 oz grilled chicken breast, cubed (a 2 oz portion of chicken is ~1 strip of chicken that is 1 1/2″ in diameter and 5-6″ in length) 1 T + 1 tsp Hellman’s Olive oil mayonnaise 2 T low-fat sour cream 2 [...]]]>

Erin’s Chicken Salad Sandwich:
Makes 2 servings.

1 whole wheat pita (Kangaroo brand is my favorite), divided in half
6 oz grilled chicken breast, cubed (a 2 oz portion of chicken is ~1 strip of chicken that is 1 1/2″ in diameter and 5-6″ in length)
1 T + 1 tsp Hellman’s Olive oil mayonnaise
2 T low-fat sour cream
2 T raisins
1/4 cup celery, diced
dash of cinnamon (trust me, it’s a great addition)
2 dashes Frank’s Red Hot (sweetens it up without adding more mayo, does NOT make it hot)
1-2 leaves of green leafy lettuce
1-2 slices of tomato

I highly recommend investing in a food scale. I LOVE my Biggest Loser Scale that was only $19.99 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

Directions:

Cook chicken on a Foreman Grill (I seasoned with a dash of salt, pepper, and Organic Chicken Seasoning with only 35 mg sodium). When cooked, dice chicken and combine with all ingredients through Frank’s Red Hot. Refrigerate ~1-2 hours so chilled. Slice pita in half (I like to warm in toaster) and stuff each half with chicken salad mixture, lettuce, tomato. Pair with yogurt, glass of milk, side salad, or piece of fruit for a fantastically filling lunch!
Nutritional Profile: (1/2 stuffed pita): 283 calories, 6.2 g fat (1.3 g sat, 1 g poly, 1.6 g mono), 58 mg Cholesterol,
246 mg Sodium, 31 g Carbohydrate, 5.3 g Fiber, 26 g Protein!

 *Looking to cut calories? Divide the chicken salad mixture into thirds and stuff into three separate sandwiches! You save about 60 calories!