smashed potatos

2 1/4 pounds potatoes
Splash of milk
1 Tbsp. butter
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Sprig fresh rosemary
Olive oil

Scrub your potatoes clean, cut them in half, and put them into a pan of salted, boiling water. Boil for about 10 minutes until tender. Stick a knife into them to check they're soft all the way through. Drain in a colander and return them to the pan. Add the milk, butter, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mash until smooth and creamy, adding another splash of milk if necessary. Pick a rosemary leaves off the woody stalk and lightly push them into the potato. You can drizzle with a little olive oil, or use olive oil instead of butter.

give credit: jamie oliver

chicken quesadillas

2 chicken breast halves, fat trimmed (i used rotisserie)
cumin
oregano
garlic powder
salt and fresh pepper
cooking spray
1/2 small onion, cut into strips
1 bell pepper (red or green) cut into strips
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp oil
1 1/3 cup reduced fat Mexican blend shredded cheese
8 (6") low carb whole wheat flour tortillas

Slice chicken breast in half so you have 4 cutlets. Season chicken generously with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano and garlic powder.

Lightly spray a skillet on medium heat with oil or if using a grill, grill chicken until cooked on both sides. Remove from heat and cut chicken into strips, set aside. To the skillet, add 1 tbsp oil and cook onions and peppers, season with salt and pepper.Cook about 2 minutes, add garlic and continue cooking until vegetables are soft being careful not to burn the garlic. When cooked, set aside.
Heat skillet on medium heat and lightly spray with oil. Add tortilla, top with cheese, chicken, onions, peppers, and pico de gallo or avocado-mango salsa. Top with the other tortilla. Cheese should be melted and the bottom of the tortilla should be golden brown. Put a plate on top of the quesadilla to flip it over onto the plate. Then slide the other side onto the skillet. Cook another minute and remove with a spatula. Cut into wedges and serve with sour cream if you wish.

give credit: gina's WW recipes

enchiladas hondurenas

1 pound ground meat

2t garlic, diced

1/2 onion, diced

i can green chiles

salt

pepper

cumin

1 ripe tomato, sliced

2 cups packaged cole slaw

2T vinegar

jack cheese, grated

tostados

1T olive oil

heat olive oil in saute pan. mix raw meat with garlic, onion, green chile, salt, pepper, cumin. cook meat until well done. remove from heat.

mix cabbage with vinegar.

add meat to tostados.

top with cabbage, jack cheese, slice of tomato. add salsa.

restaurant style salsa

• 1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice
• 2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies)
• ¼ cups Chopped Onion
• 1 clove Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole Jalapeno, Quartered And Sliced Thin
• ¼ teaspoons Sugar
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Ground Cumin
• ½ cups Cilantro (more To Taste!)
• ½ whole Lime Juice

Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like—I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.

pulled bbq chicken sandwiches with cole slaw

pulled bbq chicken sandwiches

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14-ounce) can low-sodium tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
5 tablespoons molasses
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 whole rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat shredded into thin strips (about 4 to 4 1/2 cups)
6 whole-wheat sandwich thins
6 large green lettuce leaves

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, vinegar, molasses, pepper and liquid smoke and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add chopped chicken, return to a simmer, and cook an additional 10 minutes.

Split rolls. Place a leaf of lettuce on each roll, then pile on 3/4 cup of the chicken mixture onto the roll.

*For an unhealthy and delicious option, add turkey bacon and blue cheese.

cole slaw

1/2 cup nonfat Greek-style yogurt, or 2/3 cup regular plain nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (16-ounce) bag shredded coleslaw mix

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

If using regular yogurt, place it in a strainer lined with a paper towel and set the strainer over a bowl. Let the yogurt drain and thicken for 20 minutes.

In a large bowl whisk together the Greek or stained yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Add coleslaw mix and caraway seeds and toss to coat.

give credit: healthy appetite pulled bbq chicken sandwiches and healthy appetite cole slaw

chocolate-almond meringues

3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup superfine (caster) sugar*
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (or chocolate chip morsels)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer and beat until foamy. Add sugar and almond extract beat until meringues hold soft peaks, about 3 minutes. Fold in chocolate gently until just incorporated. Using a pastry bag or a sealable plastic bag with the corner snipped off, pipe meringue by the tablespoon onto cookie sheets. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from parchment paper. Transfer to an airtight container.

give credit: healthy appetite

stuffed turkey burgers

1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey breast
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers, divided
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Divide turkey into 4 equal sized rounds. Make 2 equal sized patties out of each round so you have 8 patties total. Sprinkle 4 of the patties with 2 tablespoons each of roasted red peppers and cheese, and top with remaining patties working the turkey around the edges to seal burgers closed. Season with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Grill or broil until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

give credit: healthy appetite