Lunch – Chef Matthew

Fresh Veggie Bagel Sandwich

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 19:46:11 +0000

Fresh Veggie Bagel Sandwich

This sandwich is so healthy and fresh! Crispy veggies and tangy mustard make this meal a real treat that you won't have to feel bad about eating. This sandwich is terrific with gourmet kettle cooked potato chips!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings

Calories 0.331kcal

Ingredients

1 bagel, sliced in half
1 tablespoon coarse-grain brown mustard
1 leaf romaine lettuce
2 (1/4 inch thick) rings green bell pepper
4 slices cucumber
2 slices tomato
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 slices red onion
½ cup alfalfa sprouts

Instructions

Spread mustard onto the cut sides of the bagel. Layer the lettuce, green pepper, cucumber, and tomato on one half. Season the tomato with salt and pepper. Top with onion and alfalfa sprouts, then cover with the other half of the bagel.

Nutrition

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Apple Chips

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 19:41:20 +0000

Apple Chips

These yummy cinnamon apple chips will disappear almost as quickly as you make them! They're perfect for healthy snacks and easy to take on the road. The secret is baking at a very low temperature for a long time, which dehydrates the apples.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Additional time: 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings

Calories 0.024kcal

Ingredients

2 Golden Delicious apples, cored and thinly sliced
1 ½ teaspoons white sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).
Arrange apples slices on a metal baking sheet.
Mix sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl; sprinkle over apple slices.
Bake in the preheated until apples are dried and edges curl up, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer apple chips, using a metal spatula, to a wire rack until cooled and crispy.

Notes

Cook’s Notes:

Slice apples using the slicing blade of a food processor or a mandoline.

If you want, flip apple slices halfway through baking and sprinkle the other side with cinnamon sugar.

Note: they will not feel crispy until they cool down.

Nutrition

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Fruity Fun Skewers

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 19:33:33 +0000

Fruity Fun Skewers

I was looking for a different way to serve fruit, and it just popped into my head! Why not use fruit skewers?

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings

Calories 0.061kcal

Ingredients

5 large strawberries, halved
⅕ cantaloupe, cut into balls or cubes
2 bananas, peeled and cut into chunks
1 apple, cut into chunks
20 skewers

Instructions

Thread the strawberries, cantaloupe, banana and apple pieces alternately onto skewers, placing at least 2 pieces of fruit on each skewer. Arrange the fruit skewers decoratively on a serving platter.

Nutrition

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Baked Crispy Potato Chicken

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 12:41:37 +0000

Baked Crispy Potato Chicken

This recipe is adapted from one I found in a magazine to make it a little easier. It has less fat and fewer calories than fried chicken, with plenty of crispy flavor.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional time: 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes

Servings

Calories 0.203kcal

Ingredients

3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into chunks
1 cup buttermilk
3 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (Optional)
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
1 cup dry instant mashed potato flakes

Instructions

Place chicken pieces, buttermilk, bay leaves, garlic, salt, and black pepper into a large resealable plastic bag and knead bag several times to mix buttermilk and seasonings with chicken. Squeeze air from the bag, seal, and refrigerate at least 2 hours (up to overnight) to marinate.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place a wire cooking rack into a roasting pan.
Drain marinade from bag and discard bay leaves. Mix Parmesan cheese, flour, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Add Parmesan cheese mixture to chicken in the bag, close the bag, and shake to thoroughly coat chicken pieces with the mixture.
Whisk egg and water in a shallow bowl. Place potato flakes into a separate shallow bowl. Dip floured chicken pieces in egg mixture; roll pieces in potato flakes to thoroughly coat. Arrange the chicken pieces on wire rack.
Bake chicken for 15 minutes and turn pieces over on rack; continue baking until chicken is no longer pink inside and coating is browned and crisp, 15 to 20 more minutes.

Notes

Cook’s Note:

For variation you can use flavored potato flakes; just be mindful of the saltiness of the flakes combined with the Parmesan.

Nutrition

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Jicama Zebra Fries

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 12:34:46 +0000

Jicama Zebra Fries

Ever wonder what to do when you have too much jicama? Here's a quick guide to making a quick snack. Best served with barbeque sauce. The stripes on the fries are caused by the moisture escaping the jicama and creating fissures where the starch from the jicama collects and browns.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings

Calories 0.026kcal

Ingredients

cooking spray
1 cup French fry-sized pieces of jicama

Instructions

Spray a microwave-safe plate with cooking spray. Arrange jicama pieces on plate.
Cook in the microwave on high until small brown stripes begin to form on the fries, 9 to 11 minutes. Check on the fries every few minutes to avoid burning. Remove plate from microwave with an oven mitt because plate will be hot.

Nutrition

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Curried Cottage Fries

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 12:25:13 +0000

Curried Cottage Fries

Potato wedges with a kick! Great for those who love curry.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings

Calories 0.162kcal

Ingredients

6 potatoes, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
Place potatoes, vegetable oil, Parmesan cheese, curry powder, paprika, salt, and garlic powder in a resealable plastic bag; shake to coat. Spread seasoned potatoes over prepared baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven until tender, about 20 minutes.

Nutrition

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Kids’ Choice Healthilicious Pineapple Smoothie

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 12:20:34 +0000

Kids’ Choice Healthilicious Pineapple Smoothie

This is my kids' favorite smoothie! The main flavors of this smoothie are pineapple and vanilla but it is full of antioxidants from berries and spinach! Great way to get your greens.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Servings

Calories 0.11kcal

Ingredients

8 ounces vanilla fat-free yogurt
2 ½ ounces baby spinach leaves
1 cup fresh blueberries
½ cup frozen pineapple chunks
½ cup fresh raspberries
¼ cup water
1 cup crushed ice

Instructions

Blend yogurt and baby spinach together in a blender until spinach is finely chopped. Add blueberries, pineapple, raspberries, and water; blend until smooth. Add crushed ice and blend again until smooth.

Notes

Cook’s Note:

For a less sweet smoothie, you can add an extra cup or two of crushed ice.

Another less sweet option is to substitute plain fat-free yogurt plus 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in place of the vanilla fat-free yogurt.

Nutrition

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Granola Bars

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 12:15:16 +0000

Granola Bars

Quick, easy granola bars.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional time: 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Servings

Calories 0.188kcal

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats
½ cup shredded coconut
½ cup honey
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch square baking dish.
Spread the oats and coconut evenly across a baking sheet.
Toast oats and coconut in preheated oven until browned, about 10 minutes; transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Mix honey, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir until smooth. Pour the honey mixture over the oats and coconut; stir to coat. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven until beginning to dry, about 15 minutes for crunchy granola bars, less if you like them chewy. Cool completely before cutting.

Nutrition

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Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 00:07:44 +0000

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These are so yummy! They taste really close to the lettuce wraps that you can order from that famous Asian restaurant chain. The number of servings will depend on if this is an appetizer or main course for you and how big you make them. If an appetizer, then maybe 6 servings; if a main dish, then 4 servings.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings

Calories 0.292kcal

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds ground chicken
1 pounds ground chicke
½ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, or more to taste
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
5 dashes hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®)
1 teaspoon Asian (toasted) sesame oil
½ cup chunky peanut butter
3 tablespoons hot water
3 tablespoons soy sauce
5 dashes hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®
6 large leaves of iceberg lettuce
2 carrots, shredded
1 tablespoon chopped green onion, or to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Cook and stir ground chicken in a large skillet until the meat is crumbly and no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Drain excess grease. Stir red bell pepper into chicken; cook and stir until pepper is slightly softened, about 5 more minutes.
Whisk 1/2 cup soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger, 5 dashes hot pepper sauce, and sesame oil in a bowl; pour over chicken mixture. Cook and stir chicken mixture with sauce over low heat until flavors have blended, 5 to 10 minutes.
Mash peanut butter with hot water in a small bowl until smooth; stir 3 tablespoons soy sauce and 5 dashes hot pepper sauce into the mixture. Set dipping sauce aside.
Form lettuce leaves into cup shapes and fill with chicken mixture. Top lettuce wraps with shredded carrots, sprinkle with green onion and cilantro, and a spoonful of peanut dipping sauce.

Nutrition

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No-Cook Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 00:01:55 +0000

No-Cook Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These Asian-inspired chicken lettuce wraps are great for summer nights, refreshing, and require no cooking!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings

Calories 0.362kcal

Ingredients

1 deli-roasted chicken, meat removed and shredded
½ cup shredded carrots
½ cup chopped water chestnuts
⅓ cup Asian-style salad dressing
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste (Optional)
1 head Boston lettuce leaves

Instructions

Mix chicken, carrots, and water chestnuts in a large bowl.
Stir salad dressing and yogurt together in a separate bowl until smooth; pour over the chicken mixture and toss to coat.
Spoon chicken mixture into lettuce leaves. Season with red pepper flakes.

Notes

Cook’s Notes:

Add chow mein noodles and almonds, as desired.

Nutrition

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