Sauteed Vegetable Lettuce Wraps

Hello hello! 

This is another recipe from when I was back home. I have not done it in college yet, but only because I haven't been able to get my hands on full leaves of lettuce. 

This recipe is a take off of the Fridge Dump Lettuce Wraps. Originally, I was going to eat the veggies with a fork in a bowl, again considered a pita, and realized we still had lettuce! 

Without further ado...

The Recipe: Sauteed Vegetable Lettuce Wraps

• 1 tsp butter
• 3 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 cup frozen green beans
• 1 cup sliced white mushrooms

The Process: 

• Warm a frying pan on the stove (5-10 minutes on high)
• Once the pan is warm, add the butter and move the pan so that it spreads. Lower the heat to low-medium. 
• Add broccoli and green beans to the pan. 
• Add salt and pepper and mix with a spatula. 
• Add carrots to the pan and mix with a spatula. 
• Add mushrooms to the pan and mix with a spatula. 
• Allow the mixture to cook, covered, for 5-7 minutes. You will be able to smell when the vegetables are done, and they will be slightly browned. 
• Remove mixture and put in a bowl or on a plate. 
• Spoon mixture into lettuce leaves. 
• Wrap and enjoy! 

The calories: 

Carrots: 50 calories

Green Beans: 77 calories

Mushrooms: 68 calories

Butter: 25 calories

Salt/Pepper: insignificant calories

Lettuce: 6 calories

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TOTAL: 176 calories

This entire recipe is very low calorie and very high satisfaction!

What went right:
          It was all delicious and super healthy!

What went wrong:
          Nothing really...although for the sake of balance, adding rice would have made it even better.

Would I do this again?: 
          Yes, definitely!

Overall this was a great take off of multiple food ideas and I look forward to having it with rice and maybe cabbage in the future!

Fridge Cleaning Pasta Salad

Hello and welcome! 

Today's dish was inspired yet again by having lots of leftovers in the fridge that all look great on their own, but may or may not have worked well in anything else...

The Recipe:Fridge Cleaning Pasta Salad

• 1 cup Pasta (previously cooked)
• 1/4 grilled Chicken Breast (previously cooked)
• 1 cup halved Strawberries
• 1/8 Cucumber, sliced and chopped
• 1 cup Romaine Lettuce, chopped

The Process:

• Wrap the chicken in a paper towel
• Use a microwave to reheat the chicken. It should take 1-2 minutes on high. Be careful taking the chicken out of the microwave. 
• Put the pasta in a microwave-safe bowl with a paper towel over it.
• Use a microwave to reheat the pasta. It should take 1-2 minutes on high. Be careful taking the pasta out of the microwave.
• Toss all ingredients together. 
• Enjoy!

The Calories:

Pasta: 100 calories (depending on brand and type)

Chicken: 60 calories (depending on how it was marinated)

Strawberries: 49 calories

Cucumber: 8 calories

Lettuce: 16 calories

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TOTAL: 241 calories

What went right:

          This was a very filling and well-rounded meal, especially considering the final calorie count!

What went wrong:

          While everything tasted good on its own, combining a very summery salad with a pollo pasta this way wasn't the best choice. It was good, but would have been better in separate courses. 

What I would do next time:

         As previously mentioned, I would make two separate dishes: one, a salad, with lettuce, cucumber, and strawberries. The other, pasta, chicken, and maybe some alfredo or marinara if I had some on hand. 

Would I make this in college?:

        Yeah, for a late night leftovers meal, this turned out pretty great! Definitely the kind of thing for a college student menu. 

Overall, I ended up with an easy, low-calorie meal that just needed to become two separate plates. I'd call that a successful fridge cleaning experiment :) 

   

What would you make if you were cleaning out your fridge?

Fridge Dump Lettuce Wraps

Welcome welcome! 

You know that feeling when you get home late from a long day and just want something easy that doesn't make you feel gross, but you only have leftovers in the fridge?

That was me right before I decided to make this dish. I hesitate to say "create", because Lettuce Wraps have existed long before my birth, but I don't know that anyone has tried this combination. 

We also had tortillas, so at first, I wanted to make tortilla wraps. However, if you've ever read the nutrition facts on the back of a tortilla package, you'll see that they contain a shocking amount of carbs and calories! (More on that later...). 

At first, with the lettuce, I considered making a salad with just the lettuce, chicken, and maybe some corn. But with the addition of exhaustion at 10:00pm, that small meal just screamed 'large bowl of ice cream for dessert'.

Hungry and tired, I was very close to resigning to my bed sans dinner. But then, I remembered a meal I was too picky to try at a friend's house about 10 years ago. We ordered in; I ate plain jasmine rice and miso soup while she and the rest of her family ate various exotic mixes wrapped in lettuce...or maybe it was cabbage? Either way, that blurry image of delicious wrapped in crunchy, healthy, low calorie, green boats sounded lovely and filling. 

So, 10 years later.....

The Recipe: Fridge Dump Lettuce Wraps

• Four leaves of Romaine lettuce
• One cup of cooked Jasmine Rice
• Half an ear of cooked yellow sweet corn
• One cup of steamed green beans
• Half a breast of cooked chicken

The Process: 

• Put the rice in a plastic container
• Arrange the rice so that there is a column of space in the center
• Fill the column halfway with water
• Press a balled paper towel sheet on top of the rice cup
• Use sensor reheat on a microwave to heat the rice
• Put rice in a bowl
• Wrap the half ear of corn in a paper towel sheet
• Use sensor reheat on a microwave to heat the corn
• Use a steak knife to cut the corn off the cob and add it to the bowl of rice
• Wrap the half chicken breast in a paper towel sheet
• Slice it into smaller pieces and add it to the rice and corn
• Use sensor reheat on a microwave to heat the corn
• Place the green beans in a Magic Bullet cup with the steamer lid and a small amount of water
• Microwave for one minute
• Remove and loosen the lid slightly
• Microwave for one more minute
• Add the green beans to the rice, corn, and chicken
• Mix the green beans, rice, corn, and chicken
• Spoon the mixture into lettuce as desired
• Wrap lettuce around the mixture
• Enjoy!

The Calories:

Lettuce: 19 calories

Rice: 205 calories

Green Beans: 34 calories

Chicken: 123 calories

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TOTAL: 381 calories 

For 381 calories, this is a lot of food, and a very well-balanced meal! I'm so glad I used lettuce instead of tortillas because it allowed me to have more of the mixture and still end up with a low calorie count. Each tortilla would be about 150 calories, and I made four lettuce wraps, so would have used four tortillas. That would add about 600 calories to the total, making the meal 981 calories.

What went right:

         I successfully used quite a few leftovers in the fridge and they actually tasted very good together. The meal was light and healthy, but filling. 

What went wrong: 

         Nothing, really. It would have been nice to have made it with fresh ingredients I suppose.

Were I to use fresh ingredients rather than leftovers, this would be the new Process:

• Boil 1-1.5 cups of water in a small pot.
• Put a small amount of water in the large Magic Bullet cup with the steamer top.
• Boil 3-4 cups of water in a large pot.
• Light a grill, or heat up a Panini/grill pan on the stove.
• In the small pot, cook your rice on low-medium heat until it is saturated and sticky.
• In the Magic Bullet cup, put desired amount of green beans.
• In the large pot, boil an ear of corn for about 10 minutes.
• On the grill or Panini/grill pan, cook your chicken. Time for each will differ based on your product.
• Follow leftover recipe from this point forward.

What would I do next time?: 

         I would try using some other ingredients...avocado would be awesome, and possibly some tomatoes or pico de gallo. It might also be fun to experiment with different rices and seasonal veggies. I know a lot of people would add sauces or dressings to this, and I suppose it would keep the mix together as more of a dip, but it would also add unnecessary calories and sodium. With sauteed vegetables or fried rice and tofu, I might try it with soy sauce, peanut sauce, or teriyaki sauce...but only a little bit!

Would I make this in college?:

         This is probably going to happen at some point in college. For some reason "fridge dump" feels like a very college event. 

Overall, a very satisfying meal and I can't wait to try more versions!

Pretzel Bun Double Meat and Green Avocado Sandwich

Hey Sandwich Fans!

A sandwich is one of the most theoretically simple dishes in the world. However, this means everyone's a critic. We all have our favorite sandwiches...this healthy sandwich has definitely become a favorite of mine!

The Recipe: Pretzel Bun Double Meat and Green Avocado Sandwich

• Pretzel Bun
• 2 ounces of thinly sliced honey ham
• 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
• 1/2 avocado, sliced

The Process:

• Using a knife with a serrated edge, slice the bun in half
• On each side of the bun, lay one ounce of ham
• On one side of the bun, lay the romaine lettuce
• On the other side of the bun, lay the avocado slices
• Close the bun
• Enjoy! 

The Calories: 

Pretzel Bun: 200 calories (depends on size)

Ham: 60 calories

Lettuce: 8 calories

Avocado: 161 calories

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TOTAL: 429 calories

For under 500 calories, this is an exceptionally filling sandwich complete with a delicious and rich bun, 6 slices of ham, lettuce, and the superfood-avocado. 

What went right: 

          The meat to bread ratio and dry to wet ratios are pretty awesome. The pretzel bun makes this easy; a good bun will be nice and moist at the center. The lettuce adds the perfect amount of crunch. All the ingredients work nicely together. 

What went wrong: 

         I wouldn't say "wrong", but my personal sandwich preference is chicken or bacon with avocado. The ham definitely worked, considering this was a quick 'on the way out, take whatever's in the fridge' creation. 

What I would do next time:

         I would have liked to include some tomato, potentially cucumber, and use chicken or turkey instead of the ham. 

Would I make this in college: 

        Definitely. It's fast, simple, and healthy. All the qualities of a college meal! 

Overall, I was very pleased with this sandwich. Once I realized I was nearing the end, my bites grew increasingly smaller, savoring every moment. 

When two sides make a meal: Green Teriyaki Chicken Salad and Roasted Broccoli/Honey Carrot Salad

Welcome/welcome back!

If you are a new visitor, I hope you enjoy my blog and my food! If you are a returning visitor, I hope you continue to enjoy my blog and my food! It is with your support that I am spurred to continue cooking...so thank you :)

When you hear "salad", most people think of a less-filling, low calorie substitute for a real meal. These salads definitely break that mold, and taste phenomenal together!

The Recipe: Roasted Broccoli and Honey Carrot Salad

• 1 cup broccoli
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 cup frozen baby carrots

The Process:

• Set the oven to broil on High
• Put the broccoli in a small, oven-safe pan
• Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil on the broccoli
• Sprinkle Salt and Pepper onto the broccoli
• Using a spatula, mix the broccoli so that all pieces become coated in a light layer of the oil/salt/pepper mixture
• Broil for about 8 minutes, or until broccoli tips brown (depends on your oven)
• Put the carrots in a small, oven-safe pan
• Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil on the carrots
• Sprinkle Salt and Pepper onto the carrots
• Using a spatula, mix the carrots so that all pieces become coated in a light layer of the oil/salt/pepper mixture
• Broil for about 4 minutes
• Remove the carrots from the oven
• Drizzle honey and sprinkle brown sugar on the carrots
• Mix the carrots into the honey and brown sugar
• Broil for another few minutes, or until carrots develop a small skin
• Mix the finished carrots and broccoli

The Calories:

Broccoli: 30 calories
Carrots: 60 calories
Olive Oil: 120 calories (technically 240, although much of the oil ends up still on the pan after cooking, so not consumed)
Honey: 64 calories
Brown Sugar: 6 calories
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TOTAL: 280 calories

Not bad! This salad alone is very filling and again, the oil content is still probably less than 120 calories after cooking.

What went right:
          Everything :) The carrots especially taste like candy. So delicious!

What went wrong:
         Nothing. I've done roasted vegetables many times, so I didn't expect any problems.

What would I do next time:
         I might try an olive oil substitute that contains less calories, but I don't really see that as a need. When you're having veggies for dinner, guilt is not on the menu.

Would I make this in college:
         Absolutely! I make this quite frequently, and am glad to have found a new partner salad to go with it.


The Recipe: Green Teriyaki Chicken Salad

• 2 cups chopped Romaine Lettuce
• 1/2 cup halved Cucumber slices
• 1/2 cup shredded Chicken breast (leftovers)
• 1 tbsp Teriyaki sauce
• 10 whole, dry Cashews

The Process:

• Preheat oven to 375
• Put your shredded chicken in a small, oven-safe pan
• Drizzle with teriyaki sauce and mix until all chicken is as saturated as possible
• Bake at 375 for about 5 minutes to heat the chicken and allow sauce to sink in
• If your lettuce comes from a bag, you will not need to chop it. If you buy whole heads of lettuce: Wash the leaves. Rip off about 4, depending on the size of the leaves. stack them on top of one another and compress the pile so that you can chop them all the way down the stem. The "leafier" part should be chopped larger than the part with more stem. Put these at the base of salad platter.
• Lay your cucumber slices around the edges of the lettuce. 
• Spread shredded chicken in the center of the cucumber ring. 
• Chop your cashews. 
• Bake at 375 for about 2 minutes. 
• Sprinkle across the entire salad. 

The Calories:

Lettuce: 12 calories

Cucumber: 8 calories

Chicken: 116 calories

Sauce: 15 calories

Cashews: 50 calories

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TOTAL: 196 calories

Pretty awesome for a salad :) If you must add dressing, be wary of what you add...not only could you screw up the teriyaki flavor, but you also run a risk of nearly doubling your calorie and fat content! 

What went right: 

         Everything. I love this salad. I'm very glad I decided to roast the cashews and use teriyaki. They definitely make fridge dump salad taste like so much more. 

What went wrong:

         Nothing. 

What I would do next time: 

         If we had multiple types of greens such as kale or spinach I would add those too. 

Will I do this in college?:

         Yeah this is definitely the kind of leftovers dish I can see making in college :) It was fast, easy, healthy, and definitely delicious. 

Overall, these two dishes make an attractive, addictive, less calorie, more filling pair!

Spring Easy Salad

Happy Spring!

Yet another late night fridge raid that led to a wonderful meal :) 

The Recipe: Spring Easy Salad

• 1 apple, peeled, sliced, and diced
• 3 inches of cucumber, sliced and cut in half
• 1 tomato, sliced and diced
• 5 leaves of Romaine lettuce, chopped

The Process:

• Chop lettuce
• Peel, slice, and dice apple
• Slice and dice tomato
• Slice cucumber
• Toss salad
• Enjoy!

The Calories;

Lettuce: 24 calories

Cucumber: 15 calories

Tomato: 33 calories

Apple: 77 calories

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TOTAL: 149 calories

Of course, if you want to add any sort of dressing or oils that adds a lot of unnecessary fat and sodium. 

What went right:

          It's a great salad, light but filling. The great part about this salad is that it is light enough to have a large portion if you feel so inclined, but this size is definitely enough to satiate hunger. 

What went wrong:

          The tomatoes started to get a little warm since it took a while to eat the salad. Other than that, nothing. 

What I would do next time:

         I think it would be good to try it without the tomatoes, and instead add halved grapes and toasted nuts...possibly pecans, or honey roasted walnuts. 

Would I do this in college:

          Salads are definitely going to be a large part of my diet in college. 

Lean Salad Sandwich

 Hey food fans!

This is somewhat of a late night leftover sandwich, as we had chicken a few nights prior, only a few slices of ham left, and part of a loaf of french bread. Simple, no cooking needed, and delicious :)

The Recipe: Lean Salad Sandwich

• 2 oz low sodium Ham
• 1/4 grilled chicken breast
• 3 slices of tomato
• 5 slices of cucumber
• 4 leaves of Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 6 inches of french bread

The Process:

• Slice your french bread in half
• Lay down the ham across both sides
• Slice the chicken and lay it across one side
• Lay cucumber across the non-chicken side
• Slice the tomato and lay it across the chicken side
• Wash and chop the lettuce and toss it on the cucumber side
• Close your sandwich, and enjoy!

The Calories:

French Bread: 200 calories

Ham: 60 calories

Chicken: 100 calories

Tomato: 11 calories

Cucumber: 6 calories

Lettuce: 8 calories

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TOTAL: 385 calories

That's awesome for a very filling sandwich, with rich bread and fresh, all natural ingredients. This recipe works well because it has a strong balance of crunch, meat, vegetable, juicy, and dry ingredients. It is most notably healthy because it does not have mayo, mustard, dressing, or any other kind of high-sodium, low nutrient value condiments. It is these additions and other chemical additives that make what could be a healthy sandwich into a problem. 

What went right:

          Everything...it's kinda hard to screw up...

What went wrong: 

          Nothing :)

What would I do next time: 

          To make this more salad-like, I might try hollowing out the bread; making croutons from the insides; loading it with lettuce first and then chopped tomato, cucumber, and chicken; using ham cubes or bacon pieces; and finally adding the croutons on "top", closing the sandwich, and eating it that way. It would become somewhat of an inverted sandwich, with all the meat at the center, surrounded by lettuce. This might also make the sandwich easier to close and eat. 

Will I do this in college:

        I think a late night leftover sandwich sounds like a very collegiate thing to do, don't you agree?

You may be asking,  'Who really needs a recipe to make a sandwich?' I don't, necessarily, when I'm tired and have nothing else that needs my immediate attention. But in college, at 2am, when I have papers to write and about zero brain cells left to focus on what I want to eat? I'd rather be able to scroll through my blog, see a nice and easy healthy sandwich, and make that than turn to whatever other snacking I can get my hands on in the same amount of time.