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Spinach & Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken

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I think Valentine’s Day is making me nostalgic because I have been dying to make this recipe. It was part of the first real meal I ever made Chuck before we even started dating. I was still in my “Eat Clean” only phase of life so it’s also a completely clean recipe, even though you would never guess it once you taste it.

A couple things to take note of: I used broth in the baking dish helps to keep the chicken moist, while also adding just a touch more flavor. I have also used frozen spinach and skipped the sautéing step, I just think fresh spinach is so much better, that’s personal taste though. I have also added a little cracked red pepper to the spinach mix for something a little different, however again it’s up to your personal tastes.

Spinach & Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp parsley

½ tsp thyme

2 cups fresh baby spinach

½ cup shredded mozzarella (fat free)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Pre heat the oven to 350. In a small baking dish combine the first 5 ingredients, and set aside. In a small sauté pan sauté the spinach with oil just enough to get a good wilt on it (1-2 minutes). Then remove from heat and combine in a bowl with the mozzarella. Trim any gristle and fat from the chicken, and laying it flat cut a slit along the side of the chicken, deep enough to create a pocket. With your hands stuff the pocket with the spinach mixture. You may need to secure it in place with a tooth pick. Place the chicken in the baking dish and spoon the broth over the top. Place in the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes, occasionally spooning the broth over the top. Serve warm.

I love this dish because it goes with a lot and can also stand on its own. The juicy chicken is moist and flavorful, while the inside is all melty and comforting. This time I chose to serve it with rice and broccoli, but I have also served it with pasta and tomato sauce. It’s so good, and even makes great leftovers.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Steak

By Jessica

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Ok so this is one of those recipes’ that you will hold on to forever, not only is it easy, and clean, but it’s also MAN APPROVED! Does it get much better? Oh yeah it’s also fairly cheap. There are only two non-pantry items to buy so even though you’re cooking steak, if you make sides of salad and a baked potato, or simple pasta, you still have a full meal for less than $6 a person. I love it, oh do I love it.

I think what I like best about it is that it looks complicated, taste’s decadent, and is totally easy! You would never know.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Steak

1 lb sirloin steak, cut in half

1 tbs worchestshire sauce

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

½ tsp Pepper

3 oz Blue Cheese Crumbles

1 tbs oil

Combine worchestshire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and pepper in a plastic bag. Place steak in the bag shaking the cover the steak. Allow it to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Remove the steak from the bag and cut the Steak in Half, then carefully cut a slit in the middle of the steak to make a kind of pocket. Be sure to take care and not poke out the sides or you will have cheese oozing out while cooking. With one hand hold open the steak pocket and stuff it with half the cheese, do the same for the other piece until they are full. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet and place steaks in to sear. Cook each side for roughly 5 minutes or until desired doneness, take care while flipping that you don’t lose all of the stuffing. Let stand another 5 minutes before serving. (serves 2)

Asian Grilled Chicken Salad

By Jessica

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Ok, so if you read my plan for the next two weeks in my last post you saw that I was planning on making Asian Marinated Scallops over salad. Well I changed my mind, which it to be allowed since I made up my own meal plan anyway. I found that bay scallops were on sale instead of the larger diver scallops and I have a totally different recipe that I want to try with those, so I opted for the chicken version of the salad instead. It was just as good let me tell you. Chuck heartily approved, using an extra piece of chicken for his lunch the following day.

Asian Marinated Chicken

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs rice vinegar

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbs brown sugar

1 tbs olive oil

Whisk together and pour over chicken breast. Place covered in the fridge for 30 minutes. After marinating place the chicken on a preheated grill. Cook until juices run clear, turning once. You may also cook it in a flat skillet over medium high heat.

Salad

1 cup mixed greens

1cup shredded cabbage

1 cucumber, chopped

2 large carrots, julienned

1 stalks celery, julienned

4 long scallions, thinly sliced

1 clementine or mandarin orange, peeled and sectioned

1 tbs oil

1 package Ramen noodles

¼ cup slivered almonds

1 tbs Sesame seeds

In a small skillet heat oil and stir in noodles, almonds, and sesame seeds. Cook on medium low stirring continuously until golden brown, and remove from heat to cool. In a large bowl combine all other ingredients. Once the noodle mixture has cooled slightly add to the vegetable mixture and toss.

Dressing

2 tbs rice vinegar

1 tbs low sodium soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tbsp honey

In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients until well blended.

Plate the salad, and top with chicken and dressing to serve.

Now before you all go on about using ramen noodles, they aren’t as bad as you think. What is bad for you is the ramen noodle soup mix; that little packet of flavor that is discarded in this recipe. It is full of sodium and sugars that while making it tasty also make it very unhealthy. I typically use half of the ramen noodle package for a salad for two people, so what little carbs that are there from the noodles aren’t going kill you, I promise.

Top 12 Favorite Clean Recipes of 2012

By Jessica

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The end of December is always a good time to look back and reflect on the past year, as well as look forward and make goals for the New Year. I thought this would be a good time to list for you my top 12 favorite clean meals of 2012.

1) Asian Marinated Scallops

2) Orange Chipotle Chicken (Cleaneatingmag.com)

3) Avocado Egg Salad

4) Fresh Tomato Sauce

5) Penne with Chicken Sausage Tomatoes & Spinach (Cleaneatingmag.com)

6) Tuscan Pasta

7) Quick Sweet Potato Fries (Cleaneatingmag.com)

8) Squash Ravioli & Shallot Sage Broth

9) Irish Vegetable Soup

10) Guiltless Banana Ice Cream (skinnytaste.com)

11) Southwest Meatball Skillet

12) Pan Seared Steak Rolls

D4One: Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff

By Jessica

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I love stroganoff, but then who doesn’t? It’s a heavenly combination of creamy deliciousness. It’s one of my favorite things to make when I am home alone because I don’t have to use meat if I don’t want to, it’s fairly easy, and you can buy nearly all the ingredients in small quantities, so it’s perfect for a single meal. If I am looking for meat I simply brown some stew meat along with the onions and leave it in the pan while I cook the rest of the dish.

What’s funny about this dish is that I typically don’t like mushrooms; though I have discovered it is a textural thing, if they are cooked enough then I don’t mind them so much, which is what happens in this dish. Also I find that I don’t have as much of an issue with dried mushrooms, which are the base of this particular recipe. Fresh mushrooms can be used, just skip the soaking step and use vegetable broth where the recipe calls for soaking liquid. I tend to use dried mushrooms, because they don’t go bad easily, and when I have them on hand I can whip up something like this or vegetarian gravy very easily.

Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff

1 cup dried porcini mushrooms, diced

1 ½ cup warm water

2 tbs olive oil

1 small onion (or shallot), diced

2 tbs thyme

2 tbs flour

½ cup sour cream

Salt & Pepper

1 cup egg noodles, prepared according to package instructions

Minced parsley for garnish

Place mushrooms in water for roughly 30 minutes to rehydrate. Heat oil and sauté onion, until it becomes translucent. Add the hydrated mushrooms to the pan (reserve the water), and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Mix in thyme, and flour, until it is well blended and deglaze the pan with remaining soaking liquid. Cook, stirring continuously until the sauce has thickened, then remove from heat. Stir in sour cream until well blended and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm over egg noodles and topped with chopped parsley.

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