Honey-Mustard Lime Crock Pot Chicken

For this crockpot chicken, I did have to go and purchase the chicken drumsticks but everything else I had on hand. The ingredients are very simple and it takes 10 minutes to throw it all together. I found it on this Meal Planning website and it had already been adapted from a non-crock pot recipe on another blog:

8 chicken legs (I removed the skin as crock pot + chicken skin = slime)
1/2 cup honey mustard (or 2 tbsp honey mixed with 1/3 cup Dijon Mustard)
1 lime, juice and zest (or 3 tbsp lime juice)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp soy sauce

Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker, and stir to evenly coat the chicken. Cook on low 6-8 hours or until chicken is cooked all the way through. I cooked on high for about 3 and a half hours. Serve with rice (and steamed broccoli!) to spoon extra sauce on top.

In the spirit of using up some of the things in the freezer, I made a gluten-free crisp with some frozen raspberries and cranberries from our vast collection of frozen fruit.

Now this - I really don't have a recipe for! I was trying to experiment with alternative, natural sweeteners as opposed to putting brown sugar in the topping. The topping is a mixture of rice flour, quick rolled oats (gluten free variety), honey, agave nectar, chopped walnuts & 1/8cup margarine. I baked it in the oven at 350 until it smelled good. Aren't I just the best recipe writer ever??

Both of these dishes were a success! Its amazing the things you can throw together when you really start digging around in the freezer.

Banana Bread, Raspberry Crisp & Stirfry

I did some more baking today... 1 big and 1 mini version of the raspberry lemon loaf I made last week and one loaf of banana bread. I liked how relaxed this recipe looked! It felt like I could not fail. Here it is:

• 1/2 cup shortening or canola oil, or butter etc. (I sometimes leavemost of it out and use 1/3c applesauce) (i used margarine)
  
• 1 cup white sugar (you can cut this back too- I often use a scant 3/4 cup)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour ( have mixed this with WW, white WW and spelt with good results)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 very ripe mashed bananas (I use all different sizes and amounts- about 1 1/2c)
• 1-2 teaspoons pure vanilla
• chocolate chips (didn't have any!)
  

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan. (This can be made in any size pan or muffin tins just adjust the baking time)
2. In a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugar and add vanilla. Sift in the flour, baking soda and salt. Blend in the mashed bananas. Stir in the chocplate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until it tests done with a toothpick.

Note: The banana bread is going straight in the freezer so no reviews for now. From the outside, it looks like a good loaf though!

Then I made some simple raspberry crisp! The color was just as rich as the picture makes it out to be. Here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

4 cups fresh raspberries or frozen, thawed
Brown sugar to taste, if needed to sweeten berries (i didn't sweeten the berries at all)

Topping
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
3/5 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats (weird. i used 3/4cup)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, softened

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Taste a berry: if it’s too tart or sour, add brown sugar to taste, tossing the berries gently with the sugar to combine.

2. Lightly oil a 8 x 8-inch baking dish. Place berries evenly in the dish. (i made 1 small and one large dish of this)

3. In a medium bowl, combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over berries.

4. Bake until topping is golden-brown and berries are bubbling, about 25 minutes.

After all my baking, it was time for supper. I made a stirfry with the leftover corn from last night, snap peas, carrots, orange pepper, zucchini, tomato and chicken. For the sauce I just did my usual splash of soy sauce and squirt of fat free Catalina dressing. I usually add some peanut butter which I forgot this time around but it would have been a nice addition.

JASON'S REVIEW: Stirfry hit the spot and the raspberry crisp was the perfect mix of sweet and sour.

MY REVIEW: I am relieved to have the over-ripened banana situation AND raspberry situation under control with no epic baking failures. If you have raspberries, you should make the crisp just for the color alone. The flavor was great... but the color was spectacular!

Mediterranean Chicken Breasts with Avacado Tapenade

For some reason, I bought an avacado on our last grocery shopping trip. Actually, I bought it because I love avacados but I don't usually buy random things I don't have a recipe or a specific use for. It was super ripe today so I had to find something to do with it! I tried a recipe from RecipeZaar this evening:

Ingredients

* 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
* 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
* 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
* 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
* 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
* 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 2 garlic cloves, roasted and mashed
* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (i sprinkled a pinch of normal salt)
* 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
* 1 medium tomato, seeded and finely chopped
* 1/4 cup small green pimento stuffed olive, thinly sliced
* 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed
* 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, finely sliced
* 1 large avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and finely chopped

Directions

1.
In a sealable plastic bag, combine chicken and marinade of lemon peel, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Seal bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2.
In bowl, whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons lemon juice, roasted garlic, remaining 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Mix in tomato, green olives, capers, basil and avocado; set aside.
3.
Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade. Grill over medium-hot coals for 4 to 5 minutes per side or to desired degree of doneness.
4.
Serve with Avocado Tapenade.

Then for dessert, I brought out my raspberry coffee cake I made last week and tried it for the first time!

JASON'S REVIEW: He's busy right now as we're going to a concert in 13 minutes.. but he liked it all. He said I should just make the coffee cake with white flour next time because the whole wheat makes it taste gummy or something. I agree.

MY REVIEW: I liked both entree and dessert! I don't really know what "Tapenade" is.. if it goes on top of the chicken or just on the side? Either way it had a great flavor and there was no leftovers so I did something right. I have some more raspberries in the fridge so I think I'll make another coffee cake this weekend. It was pretty damn good if I do say so myself.

Easy Raspberry Dessert

I brought some of my previously made granola out of the freezer this evening for dessert. I put it in a mug with some fat free lemon yogurt and a big handful of raspberries. I don't know if this is really a recipe, but it's very good!

JASON'S REVIEW: I can't believe it's not healthy. (That's a direct quote. I don't really get it either. His mouth was full of it when he said it so I think he likes it)

Berry Baking!

I made 3 different recipes last night with my berries. I still have so many left in the fridge but I think I'll just freeze some. This baking stuff is really time intensive!


They Won't Know Raspberry Coffee Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour (I used all whole wheat)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened raspberry (fresh or frozen, if using frozen do not thaw) (fresh for me!)
1 tablespoon sliced almonds (i wish i had some)

GLAZE

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon nonfat milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the flour sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Combine the egg, yogurt, butter, and vanilla: add to dry ingredients just until moistened.
3. Spoon two-thirds of the batter into an 8-in round baking pan (a pie or cake pan work great for this) coated with non-stick cooking spray.
4. Combine the brown sugar and raspberries; sprinkle over batter.
5. Spoon the remaining batter over the top.
6. Sprinkle with almonds.
7. Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched and is golden brown.
8. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
9. In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients.
10. Drizzle over coffee cake.
11. Serve warm or at room temperature.


Low Fat Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (half whole wheat/half white)
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup nonfat milk or soymilk (you can also use low fat buttermilk) (i used skim)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten or 1/4 cup Egg Beaters egg substitute
1 cup blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a nonstick 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper cups.
2. In a large bowl, stir flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.
3. In a small bowl, combine milk, canola oil and egg.
4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add milk, oil and egg mixture. Stir until just moist. Fold in blueberries.
5. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake 18-20 minutes until golden.
6. Cool on wire rack.


Raspberry Lemon Loaf

1¾ cups flour (half whole wheat/half white)
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup low-fat, lemon- flavored yogurt (i could only find fat free)
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 cup fresh raspberries (or frozen) (fresh for me)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray and set aside. (I was able to make 1 mini and 1 normal size loaf with this recipe. I like to make the mini so I can try it and freeze the big loaf.)

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, egg, egg whites, and lemon zest. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Gently fold in raspberries.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Cool loaf in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely before slicing.

MY REVIEW: I can't review the cake yet because it went straight in the freezer. The muffins were really good. I've never had blueberry muffins look like that... they looked more like blue ink muffins than blueberry! I probably added too many blueberries because I didn't measure. They still tasted good. Loaf was good as well. It looked nothing like the picture on the website I got the recipe from! Mine was all swirly and looked almost blue.

JASON'S REVIEW: There's only a few muffins left from the 12 I made last night so I think he likes those. He hasn't tried the other goods but I'll post a review once I have it.