Happy Loves Healthy Now

11/09/2020

Firecracker Chicken

This firecracker chicken recipe is chunks of crispy chicken tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. An easy dinner option that the whole family will love!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 2 eggs beaten
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup buffalo hot sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9"x13" pan with cooking spray.

Place the chicken pieces on a plate and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the chicken and toss to coat evenly.

Dip each piece of chicken into the beaten eggs.

Heat the oil over high heat in a large pan. Place the chicken in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. You may have to work in batches.

Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in the 9"x13" pan.
In a small bowl, whisk together the buffalo sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar and red pepper flakes.

Pour the sauce over the chicken. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring once halfway through to coat the chicken with the sauce. Top with green onions and serve.

Enjoy! 😁

13/08/2020

Spicy Southern Hot Corn

This sassy Southern-style recipe has been part of our holiday meal tradition for years and doubles as a side dish AND a dip.

Ingredients:

3.5 cups corn (fresh, canned, or frozen)
1/2 large red bell pepper diced
2 fresh jalapeno peppers diced (seeds/veins removed)
3-4 TBSP diced pickled jalapeno peppers plus extra to taste
2.5 TBSP butter
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 tsp paprika (regular, not smoked)
1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

EXTRAS:

hot sauce
extra cheese for topping
extra jalapeños for a fiery kick!
spicy green salsa see note below
cilantro or parsley for topping

Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Thaw corn if using frozen.
- Chop all your veggies and set aside.
- For tender peppers, feel free to sauté your bell peppers and fresh jalapeño to soften.
- In a medium saucepan, combine butter and cream cheese.
- Stir often until smooth and creamy.
- Add your corn, bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, and pickled jalapeños.
- Season with paprika, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Stir in 1/2-3/4 cup of cheddar cheese and stir until fully melted.
- Pour into a casserole dish and top with remaining cheddar.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly!

ENJOY!

17/07/2020

CAULIFLOWER CHOWDER

A creamy, low carb, hearty and wonderfully cozy soup for those chilly nights!

Yield: 6 SERVINGS
Prep time: 15 MINUTES
Cook time: 30 MINUTES
Total time: 45 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

4 slices bacon, diced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup 2% milk
1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS:

Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.

Melt butter in the stockpot. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in cauliflower and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until barely crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower are tender, about 12-15 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the chowder is too thick, add more milk as needed until desired consistency is reached.

Serve immediately, garnished with bacon and parsley, if desired.

Enjoy!

13/07/2020

Banana & Coconut Cream Cake

PREP TIME: 1 hour 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 25 minutes
SERVES: 8 to 10

Ingredients:
10 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1 stick plus 2
1/2 tablespoons)
1 2/3 cups sugar, divided
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (170 grams)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 pinch salt
5 large eggs, separated
1/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, and up to 1/2 cup (I like
the large flakes, but you can use smaller flakes, too)
1 cup heavy cream
1 vanilla bean
1 banana, sliced (up to 2)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and place a rack in the middle. Line a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing some to drape over the sides of the pan.

In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and 2/3 cup of the sugar until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.

Working on low speed, add the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt and mix well.

Mix in the egg yolks and the milk until combined, then scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

Clean and thoroughly dry the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Pour in the egg whites, making sure there are no specks of yolk, and add the remaining 1 cup of sugar. Beat to soft peaks—be patient, it will happen. If the egg whites aren't reaching soft peaks, wait until the mixture ribbons back onto itself. Spread this carefully on top of the cake layer.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown and puffed. About 15 minutes through baking, cover the meringue with coconut flakes (this way, the coconut can adhere to the still-damp meringue but it will not burn in the oven.)

Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack. Meanwhile, make the whipped cream: Pour the cream into a medium bowl and scrape in the vanilla seeds, discarding the pod. Beat to soft peaks with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes.

Carefully transfer the cool cake to a cutting board. Cut the cake in half crosswise with a serrated knife. Place one half of the cake on your serving tray of choice and cover with the cream and banana slices. Place the other half, meringue side up, on top.

Place the cake in the refrigerator to chill and soften for 1 hour before serving.

Enjoy!

04/07/2020

Vegan Hummus Recipe

Ingredients:
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas
- 4-5 cloves roasted garlic
- Juice of two limes
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup tahini
- ½ cup to 3/4 cup ice cold water - it will incorporate with the tahini and make the hummus lighter and fluffier
- 2 tablespoons olive oil

Toppings:
- Additional chickpeas
- Olive oil
- Za’atar
- Smoked paprika

Method:
In your food processor, add the chickpeas, garlic and, lime juice, sea salt and ground black pepper. Pulse/blend on low for about 15 seconds until the chickpeas and other ingredients are chopped up together.

Turn your food processor on to low blend. Through the chute in the top of your food processor, slowly drizzle in the tahini bit by bit until it's all poured in. Next, slowly drizzle the olive oil in. Stop, scrape the sides, and turn back on.

Now, slowly drizzle in the ice-cold water. The texture should begin to change. Leave your food processor on for 3 to 5 minutes, stop twice in between to scrape down the sides. Allow the hummus to blend completely until the hummus begins light and fluffy and fully incorporated. Once blended, taste test and add more of any ingredient that you'd like (be that more salt or tahini or lime juice).

Scrape from food processor into a bowl if serving immediately and using the back of your spoon, swoop into swirl shapes. Drizzle more olive oil on top with your favourite toppings such as smoked paprika and za'atar. Enjoy with veggies and pita chips, or in sandwiches, wraps or on pasta!

Enjoy!

29/06/2020

Peanut Butter Chocolate Dessert

Total Time:
Prep: 20 min. + chilling
Makes:
16 servings

Ingredients:
20 chocolate cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, divided
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
1 carton (16 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
15 miniature peanut butter cups, chopped
1 cup cold whole milk
1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate fudge pudding mix

Directions:
Crush 16 cookies; toss with the butter. Press into an ungreased 9-in. square dish; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and 1 cup confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the whipped topping. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with peanut butter cups.

In another large bowl, beat the milk, pudding mix and remaining confectioners' sugar on low speed for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in remaining whipped topping.

Spread over peanut butter cups. Crush remaining cookies; sprinkle over the top. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.

Enjoy!

12/06/2020

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

My all-time favorite chicken enchilada recipe — easy to make, totally customizable with your favorite fillings, and made with the hands-down best homemade enchilada sauce!

INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or olive oil)
- 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into - small 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 8 large flour tortillas
- 3 cups Mexican-blend shredded cheese
- 1 batch red enchilada sauce
- optional toppings: fresh cilantro, chopped red onions, diced avocado, avocado, sour cream, and/or crumbled cotija cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare your enchilada sauce.
In large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add diced chicken and green chiles, and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté the mixture for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add in the beans and stir until evenly combined. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

To assemble the enchiladas, set up an assembly line including: tortillas, enchilada sauce, chicken mixture, and cheese. Lay out a tortilla, and spread two tablespoons of sauce over the surface of the tortilla. Add a generous spoonful of the chicken mixture in a line down the center of the tortilla, then sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese. Roll up tortilla and place in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Assemble the remaining enchiladas. Then spread any remaining sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas, followed by any extra cheese.

Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, until the enchiladas are cooked through and the tortillas are slightly crispy on the outside. Remove pan from the oven and serve the enchiladas while they’re nice and warm, garnished with lots of toppings.
Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Enjoy!

09/06/2020

Roasted Garlic Parmesan Cauliflower recipe

Prep Time - 10 mins
Cook Time - 30 mins
Total Time - 40 mins

Crispy cauliflower bites with garlic Parmesan breading, baked in the oven instead of fried. So tasty!

1/2 cup butter melted
2 garlic cloves minced
1 cup Italian or plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 medium cauliflower head
US Customary - Metric

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Remove all leaves from cauliflower head. Cut cauliflower into florets, all roughly the same size. You can slice the large florets in half, if needed.
Melt butter and in a small bowl. Add garlic and stir in.

Place breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese in another bowl.

Dip each cauliflower piece into butter first, then to breadcrumbs.
Place each breaded piece on prepared baking sheet. Repeat until you use up all cauliflower.
Roast cauliflower for 35 to 32 minutes, or until the breading is golden brown.

Enjoy!

08/06/2020

Delicious Chickpea Salad

This chickpea salad is loaded with avocado, cucumber, tomato, feta cheese and herbs, all tossed in a Greek style dressing. A healthy chickpea salad is a great addition to any barbecue, pot luck or picnic!

Ingredients:
For the salad:
2 cups canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 avocado peeled, pit removed, and diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1 cup cucumbers quartered and sliced
1/4 cup red onion finely diced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chives thinly sliced
Additional chives and feta for garnish optional
For the dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Place the chickpeas, avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, feta cheese and chives in a large bowl.
For the dressing: Combine all of the ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously to combine. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to coat. Garnish with additional feta and chives if desired, then serve.

Enjoy!

04/06/2020

03/06/2020

Easy Bolognese

SERVES: 6
PREP TIME: 10 min
COOK TIME: 45 min
TOTAL TIME: 55 min

Ingredients:
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 cup Grated carrots
1 cup Celery, minced
1 cup Onions, finely minced
1 lb Ground beef (80/20)
1 lb Ground pork
1 25 oz jar store-bought marinara
1/2 cup Heavy cream
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1 lb Wide pasta noodles, such as pappardelle or tagliatelle
Parmesan cheese

Method

In a large saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in carrots along with celery and onions and sauté until they're just tender, about 3 minutes. Add the ground beef and ground pork, and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as you stir.

Pour in the jar of store-bought marinara sauce along with salt and pepper and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens.

When the Bolognese sauce has reached your desired consistency, stir in the heavy cream.

Remove from heat, and serve over your favorite pasta—we like to use pappardelle or tagliatelle—and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Enjoy! 🍝

02/06/2020

Grilled Five Spice Flank Steak

SERVES: 4
CALORIES: 400

Ingredients
1.5 lb Flank steak
1 tsp Salt
½ cup Hoisin sauce
1 tbsp Chinese 5 spice
1 bag “asian” salad kit (grab one with sesame dressing if possible)
1 tbsp Sesame seeds (optional)

Method

Lightly score the surface of the flank steak with a sharp knife (see post for tips). Sprinkle it with salt on both sides.

Mix the hoisin and Chinese five-spice in a small bowl. Pour over the flank steak on a rimmed baking sheet and coat it entirely. Marinate in the fridge for at least one hour.

Heat grill to 350°F. Cook the flank steak on both sides to your desired doneness. Normally about 6 minutes per side for medium rare. We suggest using an instant read thermometer.
Rest the meat for 5 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain.

Toss the salad and all the fixings in a bowl. Serve the steak with extra hoisin sauce over the salad sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Enjoy!

02/06/2020

Classic Potato Salad

SERVES: 8
PREP TIME: 25 min
COOK TIME: 10 min
CALORIES: 173

Ingredients
3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes
2 tbsp Chives, finely chopped
2 tbsp Italian parsley, finely chopped
3/4 cup Persian cucumbers, diced
3/4 cup Pickles (sweet or dill), diced
4 Hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped
5-6 radishes Thinly sliced

Dressing
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp Stone ground mustard
1/4 cup Juice from pickle jar
1/2 tsp Salt
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Method

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil.
Scrub and clean potatoes. Leaving skin on, cut potatoes into 1.5-2 inch pieces.

Add potatoes and cook until they can be pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to stop them from continuing to cook.

When potatoes are completely cooled put them, along with chives, parsley, cucumbers, pickles, eggs and radishes, in a large bowl.

In a small bowl whisk all dressing ingredients until smooth. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss with a large spoon until potatoes are completely coated.
Garnish with extra chives, parsley and radishes.

Enjoy!

29/05/2020

Norwegian Risgrøt Rice Porridge

SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: 5 min
COOK TIME: 1 hr
CALORIES: 491

Ingredients
1 cup Long grain white rice
2 cups Water
4 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Cardamom, ground
6 cups Whole milk
2-4 tbsp Butter
2 tsp Ground cinnamon
Berries (optional)

Method
In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring the rice and water to a boil. Lower heat to a heavy simmer and, stirring occasionally until water has absorbed. This step usually takes about 10 minutes.

Add the sugar, vanilla bean seeds or extract, and ground cardamom. Stir a few times to incorporate.

Bring heat back up to medium (medium-low if you are using a gas range). Add milk 1/3 of a cup at a time. We recommend stirring constantly, which ensures you don't scorch the milk. It takes about 5 minutes for each cup of milk to thicken and about 45 minutes in total to get all of the milk incorporated into the porridge.

Once all of the milk is incorporated and there is no longer any liquid in the pot, spoon the porridge into 2-4 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with a 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and put a 1 tablespoon sized dab of butter atop the cinnamon. Serve with fresh, frozen or dried fruit.

And enjoy!

29/05/2020

Wild Mushroom Chowder with Bacon and Leeks

SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: 15 min
COOK TIME: 40 min
CALORIES: 326

Ingredients
4-6 Strips of thick bacon, sliced into 1/4 inch strips
2 tbsp Butter
1 cup Leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Celery, finely chopped
8 oz Chanterelles (or other mushrooms) roughly chopped
1 tsp Fresh thyme
1 Bay leaf
1 tbsp Flour (optional)
3/4 cup Dry white wine
4 cups Chicken stock
1 tsp Sea salt
1/4 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 lb Baby yukon gold potatoes, cut in half
1 cup Cream
1 tbsp Raw honey
1 tbsp Fresh squeezed lemon juice

Method
In a large, dutch oven or soup pot, over medium heat, fry the bacon pieces until slightly crispy. Add the butter, leeks and celery. Sauté the leek mixture for 5-7 minutes until the leeks and celery begin to soften.

Turn the heat to medium-high and add the chanterelles, thyme and bay leaf. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, until the mushrooms are soft.
Add the flour and stir to incorporate.
Slowly pouring the white wine in, scraping the bottom of the pot. Allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes until the wine reduces by half.

Add the chicken stock, potatoes, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Bring to a boil. As soon as the stock begins to boil, turn heat back down and simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Add the cream and raw honey. Heat through.

Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and serve with freshly ground pepper and fresh herbs.

28/05/2020

Easy Vodka Sauce

SERVES: 12
PREP TIME: 10 min
COOK TIME: 40 min
CALORIES: 309

Ingredients
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 Small onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
½ lb Pancetta, diced
3 Garlic cloves, minced
½ cup Vodka
1 (28 oz) can Whole tomatoes (crushed with hands)
1 tsp Salt
¾ cup Heavy cream
1 ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3/4 lb Cooked pasta for serving
1 tsp Red pepper flakes, optional
Extra parmesan cheese for serving, optional
Basil, thinly sliced, optional

Method

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add onions and pancetta and cook over medium heat until onions have softened and pancetta is crispy, about 4 minutes.

Add in garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until garlic is fragrant.

Add the vodka and the tomatoes (crushing the whole tomatoes with your hands as you add them) to the pot. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes to burn off the alcohol and cook down the tomatoes.

Add the salt, heavy cream and the parmesan. Simmer another 5 minutes until creamy.

Serve over ¾ lbs of your favorite cooked pasta with red pepper flakes, extra parmesan cheese and basil.

Enjoy it!