It's All About the Hagens: September 2010

Sichuan-Style Chicken with Peanuts Recipe

Ingredients

1	pound chicken breast or thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1	teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2	teaspoons cornstarch
1/2	teaspoon minced garlic
1	tablespoon canola oil
2	tablespoons ginger, fresh (2 1/2-inch-thick slices, smashed)
2	cups peas, sugar snap (6 ounces)
1	tablespoon Sichuan Sauce
1/4	cup peanuts, dry roasted
1	scallion, minced

Combine chicken, soy sauce, cornstarch and garlic in a medium bowl; mix thoroughly.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or large skillet over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Swirl oil into the pan, add ginger and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Carefully add the chicken mixture, spreading it out. Cook until the chicken begins to brown, about 1 minute. Using a spatula, stir-fry for 30 seconds. Spread the chicken out again and cook for 30 seconds. Continue stir-frying until the chicken is lightly browned on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Add sugar snap peas and stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir the Sichuan Sauce, swirl it into the pan and stir-fry until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened and glossy, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to a platter (discard the ginger) and sprinkle with peanuts and scallions. Serve immediately.

Read more: http://caloriecount.about.com/sichuan-style-chicken-peanuts-recipe-r450110#ixzz10lgAHbYq

Cranberry Pork Roast (Crock Pot) Recipe

Makes 6 servings

Pork roasts are the bomb! I never had them growing up, but they are pretty tasty and easy to cook...not a low carb recipe...but a good one :)

Ingredients

3	lb pork loin roast (boneless, rolled)
16	oz. cranberry sauce (1 can, jellied)
1	tsp. dry mustard
1/4	tsp. ground cloves
1/2	c. sugar
1/2	c. cranberry juice
2	tbsp. cornstarch
2	tbsp. cold water

Directions

Place pork roast in a slow cooker.
In a medium bowl, mash cranberry sauce; stir in sugar, cranberry juice, mustard and cloves. Pour over meat.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender. Remove roast and keep warm.
Skim fat from juices; measure 2 cups, adding water if necessary, and pour into a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Combine the cornstarch and cold water to make a paste; stir into gravy. Cook and stir until thickened. Season with salt.
Serve with sliced pork.

Orange Glazed Chicken (Crock Pot) Recipe

Makes 4 servings
yum dude! -- 3.6 grams sugar per serving/8.2 grams carbs per serving

Ingredients

6	oz. orange juice, frozen concentrate - thawed
12	oz chicken breast, (3-4 breast halves)
1/2	tsp. marjoram
1	dash ground nutmeg
1	dash garlic powder
1/4	c. water
2	tbsp. cornstarch

Directions

Combine thawed orange juice concentrate (not regular orange juice) in bowl along with the marjoram, garlic powder and nutmeg. Dip each piece of chicken into the orange juice to coat completely. Place in Crock Pot. Pour the remaining orange juice mixture over the chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or cook on high for 4 hours if you wish. Precise cooking time is not important in crockpot cooking.
When chicken is done, remove to serving platter. Pour the sauce that remains in crockpot into a saucepan. Mix the cornstarch and water and stir into the juice in pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly. Serve the sauce over the chicken.

Cantonese Sweet & Sour Chicken (Crock Pot) Recipe

Makes 6 servings

fairly low carbs, good amount of protein

Ingredients

2	pounds chicken breasts, boneless & cut into strips
1	green pepper, seeded, cut into strips
1	red pepper, seeded, cut into strips
1/2	onion, thinly sliced
1/4	cup brown sugar
2	tbsp. cornstarch
2	cups pineapple chunks, reserve juice
1/4	cup cider vinegar
1/4	cup water
1	tbsp. soy sauce
1/2	tsp. salt

Directions

Place the chicken, pepper strips and onion in the Crockery Pot.
In a bowl mix the brown sugar and cornstarch.
Add 1 cup of the reserved pineapple juice, vinegar, water, soy sauce and salt, blend until smooth. Pour over chicken and veggies.
Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours.
One hour before serving, add the pineapple chunks, stir into the meat and sauce.
Optional: serve over Chow Mein Noodles or rice.

Lemonade Chicken (Crock Pot) Recipe

Makes 12 servings

Surprisingly low in carbs (4.5 grams of sugar, 7.8 grams of carbs per serving), high in protein

Ingredients

6	lbs chicken, (2 broiler chickens cut up 3 lbs. each)
1/4	cup flour
1 1/4	tsp. salt
2	tbsp. cooking oil
6	oz. lemonade, frozen and then thawed
3	tbsp. brown sugar
3	tbsp. catsup
1	tbsp. vinegar
2	tbsp. cold water
2	tbsp. cornstarch

Directions

Combine flour with salt; coat chicken thoroughly. Brown chicken pieces on all sides in hot oil; drain. Transfer to a crockpot. Stir together the lemonade concentrate, brown sugar, catsup, and vinegar; pour over chicken. Cover; cook on high heat setting for 3 to 4 hours (or set on low for 6 to 8 hours.) Remove chicken; pour cooking liquid into saucepan. Return chicken to cooker; cover to keep warm. Skim fat from reserved liquid. Blend cold water slowly into cornstarch; stir into hot liquid. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Serve chicken with gravy over hot cooked rice.

Ham 'N' Swiss Chicken (Crock Pot) Recipe

Makes 6 servings

lots of calories, but not terrible nutrition

Ingredients

2	eggs
2	c. milk, divided
1/2	c. butter, melted
1/2	c. chopped celery
1	tbsp. finely chopped onion
16	oz broccoli, frozen & chopped
8	oz. bread, (8 slices) cubed
10	oz. deli ham, (12 slices), rolled up
2	c. Swiss cheese, shredded
2 1/2	c. chicken breasts, cooked & cubed
12	oz. cream of chicken soup, undiluted

Directions

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and 1½ cups milk. Add butter, celery and onion & broccoli. Stir in bread cubes. Place half the mixture in a greased slow cooker; top with half of the rolled-up ham, cheese and chicken. Combine soup and remaining milk; pour half over the chicken. Repeat layers once.
Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until a thermometer inserted into bread mixtures reads 160°.
Yield: 6 servings

Chicken Teriyaki (Crock Pot) Recipe

Makes 6 servings

Sort of low in carbs, good amount of protein

Ingredients

24	oz chicken (light and dark meat, 6-8 pieces)
20	oz teriyaki sauce
16	oz broccoli, chopped & frozen
12	oz carrots, julienne & frozen
2	tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions

Wash chicken pieces, arrange in bottom of Crockery Pot.
Cover with teriyaki sauce. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Stir in vegetables and sesame seeds. Cook on low for a remainder of 2 hours.

Chicken Curry (Crock Pot) Recipe

Makes 4 servings

NOT low in carbs, but delish! Good amount of protein.

Ingredients

1	cup onion, sliced
12	oz chicken breasts, boneless & skinless, cut into 3/4 inch pieces (4 breast halves)
2	clove garlic, minced
2	tsp. curry powder
1/2	tsp. ginger
6	tbsp. raisins
2	c. apple, coarsely chopped, divided
3	tsp. chicken bouillon granules
3	tsp. flour
2/3	cup water
1/2	cup sour cream
1	tsp. cornstarch
1	cup rice, white jasmine, uncooked

Directions

Combine onion, chicken, garlic, curry powder, ginger, raisins and 1 1/2 cup chopped apple in Crockery Pot.
combine chicken bouillon granules, flour and water in small bowl; stir until dissolved. Add to Crockery Pot.
cover and cook on low 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until onions are tender and chicken is no longer pink.
Combine sour cream and cornstarch in large bowl.
Turn off slow cooker; remove insert to heatproof surface.
Drain all cooking liquid from chicken mixture and stir into sour cream mixture. Add back to insert, stir well.
Place insert back in slow cooker. cover and let stand 5 to 10 minutes or until sauce is heated through.
Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions. Serve chicken curry over rice; garnish with remaining 1/2 cup apple.

Chicken Breasts Supreme (Crock Pot) Recipe

Makes 6 servings

low carbs (1.6 grams of sugar per serving, 8.6 grams of carbs per serving), fair amount of protein

Ingredients

2	oz bacon, sliced (2 slices)
18	oz chicken breast ( 6 breast halves: boneless, skinless)
4 1/2	oz. sliced mushrooms, drained
12	oz cream of chicken soup
3	oz. Swiss cheese, sliced
1	tbsp. chopped chives
3	cups broccoli, frozen

Directions

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet; drain on paper towels. Reserve bacon drippings in skillet. Add chicken to bacon drippings in skillet; cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. Transfer chicken to 4 to 6 quart slow cooker. Top with mushrooms. In same skillet, stir together soup. Spoon over mushrooms. Cover; cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.
Top mixture in slow cooker with cheese slices. Sprinkle with chives. Crumble bacon over cheese. Cover; cook on high setting for an additional 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Meanwhile, microwave broccoli in covered microwave-safe dish on HIGH for 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Arrange chicken, broccoli and mushrooms on serving platter. Serve with cooking juices.

Caribbean Chicken (Crock Pot) Recipe

Makes 4 servings

high protein! Fairly low carbs.

Ingredients

2	pounds of chicken, boneless (mixture of dark and white meat)
1	tbsp. oil
3	tomatoes, chopped
1	onion, chopped
1	green pepper, chopped
1	clove garlic, minced
1	tbsp. brown sugar
1	tsp. ground ginger
1	tsp. pepper
1/4	tsp. cayenne
1/4	tsp. dried thyme
1/4	tsp. salt
1/2	cup chicken broth
1 1/2	cups coconut milk

Directions

To reduce the fat, remove the skin from the dark meat. In a skillet, brown the chicken in oil over medium-high heat.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to the slow cooker, and add the potatoes and tomatoes to the slow cooker.
Add the onion, green pepper, garlic, brown sugar, ginger, pepper, cayenne, thyme and salt to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 3 minutes.
Stir the broth into the skillet, then transfer the mixture to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Stir in the coconut milk and cook for an additional 30 minutes on low.
Tip: This is a relatively mild version of Caribbean Chicken, so if you'd like to spice it up, double or triple the cayenne.

Basil Chicken (Crock Pot) Recipe

Makes 4 servings

fairly high in protein, low in carbs (1.3 grams sugar per serving/6.4 grams carbs per serving).

Ingredients

12	oz. chicken breasts, skinned (4 breasts)
1/2	tsp. pepper
1/2	tsp. basil
12	oz cream of celery soup
1/4	cup green pepper, sliced

Directions

Place chicken breasts in slow cooker.
Sprinkle with pepper and basil. Spread soup on top of chicken.
Arrange slices of green pepper on top of soup. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken (Crock pot) Recipe

Makes 4 servings

Haven't tried this one yet, let us know how it is! Low carb (1.7 grams sugar per serving/11.1 grams carbs per serving), high protein...lots of fat though :)

Ingredients

12	oz chicken breasts, boneless, skinless (4 pieces)
4	oz bacon, sliced (4 slices)
8	oz ham, sliced (8-10 slices)
1	cup sour cream
1	can cream of mushroom soup
2	cups mushrooms, sauteed

Directions

Line bottom of Crockery Pot with the ham.
Wrap each chicken breast with a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
Combine the sour cream and mushroom soup; pour over the chicken breasts.
Cook on low in the Crockery Pot for 8-10 hours or on high for 6-8 hours.

Grocery List Idea

Joey and I have a few things in common which is why we get along so well :) One of them is that we don't really like to shop. So we came up with a huge time and money saver when we shop for groceries.

FIRST: we go through our freezer and pantry (our fridge is usually empty by the time we get around to shopping for groceries)...and plan meals around those ingredients. We try to plan out 10 meals for each trip, so we can depend on leftovers for lunch and a few dinners as well.

Here's how we do the grocery list:
We go through the stores we shop at and list in order what departments we walk through...Here's a spreadsheet, but it may be a different layout than your grocery store :)
Let us know if you would joey or jena to email it to you, you are more than welcome to have it! (I tried to publish it on the blog with googledocs, but it didn't look quite right :)

Mexi-sagne Recipe

Makes an 8x8 pan. Double for 9x13 pan.

combined enchiladas and lasagne...good combo!

Ingredients

1	lb turkey, ground
1/2	onion, diced
1	cup broccoli slaw, boiled tender crisp
12	oz enchilada sauce (red or green)
2	cups cheddar, shredded
5	corn tortillas

Directions

crumble and brown the ground turkey. season with taco seasoning and cook with onion until onion is clear, drain meat.
boil broccoli slaw until tender crisp, drain.
tear tortillas and single layer on bottom of 8x8 pan.
pour half of turkey burger, vegetables, and cheese on top of tortillas. layer with tortillas and rest of turkey burger, vegetables. Add remaining tortillas on top of veggie/burger. Top with rest of cheese.
Pour can of enchilada sauce over whole dish.
bake at 375 F for 20 min or until cheese is melted.
makes great leftovers!

"Mac"Less Mac & Cheese/JackMac Recipe

Makes 10 servings

fair amount of protein, low carbs! You can substitute half or all the cheddar with pepper jack cheese...equally delicious!

Ingredients

1/2	cup butter
1/2	cup flour
1/8	tsp pepper, freshly ground
1/2	cup parsley, freshly chopped
1	cup milk, 1%
2	cups cheddar, shredded
28	oz smoked sausage, (2 bags lil smokies, any flavor)
16	oz broccoli, frozen & chopped (1 bag)

Directions

melt the butter, add flour, salt and pepper.
stir flour into butter until coated, add milk.
wisk flour/butter with milk until smooth.
stir in broccoli.
add cheddar until melted, remove from heat.
place lil smokies in an 8x8 pan and cover with cheese & broccoli sauce.
bake at 350 F for 20 min or until sausage sizzles.

Simple Tacos Recipe

Makes 4 servings

tastes great! You can add olives, lettuce, sour cream...we tend to be a little plain on these :) Let us know if you have more ideas!

Ingredients

1	lb turkey, ground
12	oz of refried beans, non-fat
4	oz cheddar cheese, grated
1/2	cup salsa
4	corn tortillas

Directions

brown the ground turkey and season with taco seasoning.
heat the non-fat refried beans on a plate with the salsa and cheese in the microwave until cheese is melted.
scoop meat and bean mixture onto tortillas and enjoy

Deli Meat Lettuce Wraps

Makes 1 serving

You can use any kind of meat/cheese combination...this is what we like best :)

Ingredients

1/2	oz. roast beef
1/4	oz. pastrami, turkey
1/4	oz. turkey, roasted
1/2	oz. provolone
1/2	oz. pepperjack cheese
1	tsp. yellow mustard
1/8	cup tomato, sliced
1	lettuce leaf

Directions

arrange the meats and cheeses in a little pile along the lettuce leaf.
add a schmear of mustard
roll up the lettuce leaf and enjoy

Broccoli, Cheddar & Ham Soup Recipe

Makes 10 servings

low carbs! 1.6 grams of sugar per serving/9.4 grams carbs per serving

You can reduce the fat by using half the butter in the roux...But it's really yummy with all the fat :) This soup also freezes well for single servings to take to work. Delicious and hearty!

Ingredients

1	tsp butter
1	cup onion, minced
1/4	cup melted butter
1/4	cup white flour
2	cups half and half
2	cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2	lb fresh broccoli, chopped finely
1	cup fresh carrots, julienne
1	cup ham, cubed
8	oz low fat cheddar, shredded
1	tsp ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the onion and tsp butter until onion is caramelized or brown on the edges. add the butter and flour until incorporated. Then stir in the half and half to make the roux. Add the chicken stock and blend well with a whisk. Cook on low for 10 minutes.
Then add the broccoli, carrots and ham and cook on low (covered) for 20-25 minutes. Return to med-high heat and stir in the shredded cheddar and pepper.

Chicken Homemade Noodle Soup Recipe

Makes 16 servings

Low carbs: 1.2 grams sugar per serving/8.1 grams carbs sugar per serving.
SO good! It does take some time, but freezes really well. A good Sunday project for two or three people.

Ingredients

4	lb whole chicken
8	cups water
3	cups celery, chopped
2	cups carrots, chopped
1	tablespoon salt
1	cup flour
1	egg
2	tablespoons of milk

Directions

Boil whole chicken, celery, carrots and salt in 8 cups of water until cooked.
Remove chicken from water and vegetables. Remove meat. Optional: Save carcass to boil with another set of vegetables for separate broth for later.
Shred meat and return to vegetables and broth.
In mixing bowl, combine egg, milk and flour until slightly sticky.
On a well floured bread board, roll to paper thin. Cut with pizza cutter. Sprinkle noodles into rapidly boiling broth. Reduce heat and cook 25-30 minutes.

Chicken Stir-Fry Wraps Recipe

low carbs: 1 grams of sugar per serving/3.3 grams of carbs per serving
great for dinner parties...makes 8 servings

Ingredients

2	lbs chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1/8	teaspoon salt
2	tablespoons olive oil
1	cup onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/2	cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3	garlic cloves, minced
2	teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
1/4	teaspoon red-pepper flakes
3	tablespoons soy sauce
2	tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2	teaspoons cornstarch
1	tablespoon water
8	large lettuce leaves

Directions

season chicken with salt and pepper
heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over high heat. Add half the chicken; cook, stirring constantly. Transfer to plate. repeat with remaining chicken
add remaining oil to pan, along with the onion and bell pepper. cook, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes.
reduce heat to medium; add garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes. cook, stirring until fragrant, 30-60 seconds.
stir in soy sauce, vinegar and cornstarch mixture (water and cornstarch). remove from heat. add chicken, toss to coat.
serve in lettuce leaves

Chinese Spaghetti Recipe

Jena grew up with this recipe...Joey also loves this recipe...we just need to find some low carb pastas that taste decent for us :)Use angel hair pasta for lite taste.

Ingredients

2	lb ground turkey
2	tablespoons soy sauce
1	garlic clove, minced
1/4	teaspoon ground ginger
3	cups broccoli florets
2	cups celery, chopped
8	green onions, chopped
1	green pepper, chopped
2	cups mushrooms, sliced
3/4	cup water chestnuts, sliced
2	cups chicken broth
2	tablespoons cornstarch
8	oz spaghetti

Directions

brown turkey, drain and set aside.
skillet cook vegetables in soy sauce and ginger until crisp-tender, add turkey.
in a separate bowl, combine cold broth and cornstarch. add to skillet.
bring to boil and remove from heat, serve over al dente noodles

Cilantro Chicken Soup Recipe

Makes 8 servings

1	tablespoon olive oil
1/2	cup sweet onion, diced
12	oz white beans, not drained
2	cups chicken breast, shredded
2	cups chicken broth, low sodium
1	tsp cornstarch
3/4	cup green salsa
1	cup fresh cilantro, chopped

We got this from Lisa Hale...but we add a little lime juice to it and LOVE it!
Ingredients
Directions

Cook the onion in the olive oil until edges are crispy.
Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and enjoy!

Coconut Red Lentil Soup Recipe

Makes 10 servings

This could be a vegetarian dish, but we added the chicken to add protein!

Ingredients

1	cup yellow split peas
1	cup red lentils
2	cups chicken breast, grilled and chopped
7	cups water
1	medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2	tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2	tablespoons curry powder
2	tablespoons butter or ghee
8	green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
1/3	cup golden raisins
1/3	cup tomato paste
14	ounce coconut milk
2	teaspoons sea salt, fine grain
1/2	cup cilantro, chopped

Directions

Give the split peas and lentils a good rinse - until they no longer put off murky water. Place them in an extra-large soup pot, cover with the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the carrot and 1/4 of the ginger. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the split peas are soft.
In the meantime, in a small dry skillet or saucepan over low heat, toast the curry powder until it is quite fragrant. Be careful though, you don't want to burn the curry powder, just toast it. Set aside. Place the butter in a pan over medium heat, add half of the green onions, the remaining ginger, and raisins. Saute for two minutes stirring constantly, then add the tomato paste and saute for another minute or two more.
Add the toasted curry powder to the tomato paste mixture, mix well, and then add this to the simmering soup along with the coconut milk and salt. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or so. The texture should thicken up, but you can play around with the consistency if you like by adding more water, a bit at a time, if you like. Or simmer longer for a thicker consistency. The thicker this soup got, the more I liked it.

Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Recipe

low carbs: 2 carbs sugar per serving/10.1 grams carbs per serving
great over rice if you can use the carbs.

Ingredients

24	oz chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
10	oz of mushroom soup
1/4	cup chicken broth
2	cups mushrooms, sliced
1/4	teaspoon lemon pepper
4	green onions
1/8	cup flour

Directions

Simmer all ingredients (except the flour and onions) in the crock pot on low for 7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
Remove chicken and add the flour & onions. Stir until smooth.
Heat on low for 30 minutes.
Return the chicken to crock pot until warm.