Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

Ingredients

• Dressing:
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2/3 cup light sour cream
• 1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 
  Salad:
• 4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup diced peeled avocado
• 1/3 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (8 3/4-ounce) can no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, rinsed and drained

Preparation

To prepare dressing, combine first 7 ingredients, stirring well.

To prepare salad, combine lettuce and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Tip: Add a spoonful of adobo sauce for a spicier salad. Kidney or pinto beans also taste great in this dish.

Pecan-Topped Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (about 15 ounces)
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 large eggs
2/3 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
Cooking spray
1/3 cup chopped pecans


Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through allspice) in a bowl.
Place sugar, egg substitute, oil, buttermilk, and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add 2/3 cup water and pumpkin, beating at low speed until blended. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Spoon batter into 2 (9 x 5-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle pecans evenly over batter. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

What to do with left over roast?

Turn it into Tacos!

Shred meat and add hot rotel dip with chilies (or mild if you have little ones) heat in a crock pot til warm. Serve over soft or hard shells.

Classic Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Kung Pao Shrimp

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry sherry, divided
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1/4 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons green onion strips

Preparation

1. Combine 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sherry, cornstarch, and shrimp.

2. Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add peanuts and next 3 ingredients; stir-fry 30 seconds. Stir in celery and bell pepper; stir-fry 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add shrimp mixture; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sherry, and broth. Bring to a simmer; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar and salt. Top with onions.

Herbed Pork with Sauteed Wild Mushrooms

Serve over brown rice to soak up the mushroom sauce, or with instant polenta and Parmesan cheese. If you don't have steak seasoning - a blend of black pepper, crushed red pepper, salt, and garlic - use 1 teaspoon of cracked black pepper.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop and about 1/3 cup sauce)

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• Cooking spray
• 3 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps
• 1 1/2 teaspoons steak seasoning (such as McCormick Grill Mates)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 3/4 inch thick)
• 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Preparation

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Remove mushrooms from pan.

Rub steak seasoning and thyme over pork. Add pork to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Combine broth and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk. Add mushrooms and broth mixture to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened.

Kitchen Notes

If you don't have steak seasoning - a blend of black pepper, crushed red pepper, salt, and garlic - use 1 teaspoon of cracked black pepper.