Vegetable Polenta Casserole
Original recipe here
Ingredients:
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup cornmeal
8 oz. frozen chopped spinach (I recommend squeezing water out)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 small onion
1 small zucchini
1 small yellow squash
1 (15 oz.) diced tomatoes
½ tsp basil
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp smoked paprika
freshly ground black pepper (10-15 cranks of a mill)
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded mozzarella
Directions:
Bring the vegetable broth to a rolling boil in a medium sauce pot. Stir together the cornmeal plus one cup of water to make a slurry, then stir it into the boiling water (this helps reduce clumps). Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10-15, or until thickened. Once thickened, stir in the frozen spinach until heated through.
Meanwhile, mince the garlic and dice the onion, zucchini, and squash. Combine the onion, garlic, and olive oil in a large skillet and sauté over medium heat until the onions are softened. Add the zucchini and squash and sauté about five minutes more.
Once the zucchini and squash are soft, add the tomatoes, basil, oregano, paprika, and pepper. Stir to combine and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Begin to preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
When the cornmeal (polenta) is finished cooking, pour it into the bottom of an 8×8 inch casserole dish. After the vegetable mixture has finished simmering, spread it on top of the polenta in the casserole dish. Top with the shredded mozzarella.
Bake the casserole for about 20-25 minutes, or until it is heated through and the cheese is bubbly on top. Serve hot.
Slow Cooker Taco Chicken Bowls
Original recipe here
Ingredients:
1½ lbs. chicken breasts
1 (16 oz.) jar salsa
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained
½ lb. (8 oz.) frozen corn
1 Tbsp chili powder
½ Tbsp cumin
½ Tbsp minced garlic
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp salt
to taste cracked pepper
2 cups dry rice
8 oz. shredded cheddar
½ bunch cilantro (optional)
Directions:
Add
everything except the rice, cheese, and cilantro to the slow cooker along with
¼ cup of water (for good measure). Give everything a good stir and make sure
the chicken is covered in the mixture.
Secure
the lid on your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hrs.
Near
the end of the cooking time, cook the two cups of rice according to the package
directions (Bring the rice and 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot with a
lid in place, as soon as it reaches a boil, reduced the heat to low and let
simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving).
After
8 hours of cooking, carefully remove the lid of the slow cooker. Stir with a
fork to shred the chicken (it should be super tender and will shred easily).
Build the taco bowls by placing rice on the bottom, then the taco chicken mix,
shredded cheese and fresh cilantro.
PORK CHOPS WITH APRICOT SAUCE
From Diabetes Family Friendly Cookbook 2013
6 boneless pork loin chops (6 oz each)
½ teaspoon garlic pepper blend
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 cup sugar-free apricot preserves or jam
1 Tablespoon minced green onion or chives
¼ teaspoon salt
Sprinkle pork with garlic pepper blend. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, brown chops in oil on each side.
Combine the preserves, chives and salt; spoon over chops. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 5-6 minutes or until a thermometer reads 145. Let meat stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with sauce.
SWEET BABY RAY’S CROCKPOT CHICKEN
4-6 chicken breasts
1 bottle Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce
¼ C vinegar
1 tsp red pepper flakes
¼ C brown sugar
2 tsp garlic powder
Mix everything. Put chicken in crockpot (frozen is okay). Pour sauce mixture over chicken. Cook on low 4-6 hours (if doing 4 breasts, eat either right at 4 or shortly before 4 hours).
