Recipe: Healthy Chicken Enchilada Casserole Verde

It was one of those weeknights where I needed something quick for dinner because there were half a dozen things going on. It was also 3 days before payday and we didn't have much in the way of meal ingredients in the house. So I whipped up this tasty casserole that had the kids fighting over seconds. Since they are all still growing, with appetites to match, I paired this with refried beans and some leftover steamed rice that had been in the refrigerator.

Healthy Chicken Enchilada Casserole Verde

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-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (frozen is fine)

-6 high fiber, whole wheat tortillas, burrito size (I used La Tortilla Factory)

-1 28-ounce can green enchilada sauce

-1 medium onion, chopped

-1 small can sliced black olives, drained

-1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

-2 cups low-fat shredded mexican cheese blend

-Salt, Pepper, Chili Powder, Garlic Powder, Cumin to taste

Cover chicken breasts with water in a small stock pot. Add salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside until cool enough to handle. Stock may be saved for another use.

Shred chicken. Season with salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Heat oven to 375 F. Add 1/4 cup or so of the enchilada sauce to a rectangular baking dish (I used 13X9), and tilt until bottom of dish is evenly coated.

Assemble casserole much like a lasagna. Layer half the tortillas on top of the sauce (I like to cut mine in half to fit into the corners better); then top with the chicken, beans, chopped onion, 1/2 of the remaining sauce, and then 1/2 of the cheese. Top with another layer of tortillas, the remainder of the sauce, and remaining cheese. Finish by sprinkling olives on top.

Bake until heated through and cheese is bubbly and edges starting to brown, about 25 minutes.

Makes 6 generous servings.

Turkey, Spinach, and Lentil Stew over Creamy Polenta

Sorry this one doesn't have a picture. It was a busy night (kids had a band concert) and we were in a hurry to eat, finish homework, and get to bed at a decent hour.

I had bought a package of pre-cooked lentils at Trader Joe's because they caught my eye. I had a bunch of spinach and a tube of pre-made polenta to use, so I concocted this hearty dinner. It was perfect on a cold night. Full of protein, fiber, iron, and vitamins, it is power-packed and filling. The kids had no complaints, even though it featured onions and tomatoes, two ingredients that sometimes earn me an earful of complaints.

Vegetarians could definitely adapt this easily - just leave out the turkey and use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth. The lentils, spinach, tomato, and corn provide all the proteins and stuff you need to make it a complete meal.


Turkey, Spinach, and Lentil Stew over Creamy Polenta
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1 tube pre-made polenta
2/3 cup nonfat milk
1/2 pound extra lean ground turkey breast
Salt and Pepper
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots or 8 baby carrots, coarsely chopped
1 large bag (12 ounces) baby spinach leaves
2 Tbsp. dry white wine
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 cup nonfat chicken broth
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 package pre-cooked lentils (about 1.5 cups)
3 Tbsp. assorted chopped fresh herbs (I used basil, Thyme, and Italian Parsley)

Slice Polenta into thick rounds. Place in a 2-quart sauce pan with the milk. Cover, cook on low 10 minutes or until polenta is softened. Use a potato masher to mash the polenta, then use an immersion blender or hand beater to whip it until free of lumps and creamy (consistency like that of mashed potatoes). Set aside with lid on to keep warm.

Meanwhile, spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Brown the ground turkey, using a wooden spatula to break up lumps. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the meat using a slotted spoon and set aside.

In same pan, warm the olive oil. Add garlic, onion, and carrot, and sautee for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add the wine. Return the turkey to the pan and stir to combine. Place the spinach on top, cover, and allow to steap for a few minutes until the spinach is just wilted.

Add tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning, and lentils. Cook and stir over medium heat until heated through. (I heated the lentils first in the microwave for a minute to soften them a little). Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in fresh herbs right before serving.

To serve, spoon about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of polenta into a shallow bowl, and put a generous serving of the stew on top (a little more than 1 cup).

Makes 6 servings at 5 WW Points each.

No Sugar Added Persimmon Spice Cake

A neighbor gave us a whole ton of persimmons a few weeks back. They were not quite ripe yet, so I put them in a paper bag and put them in the garage until I had time and an idea of something to do with them.

The first step to using them was to make persimmon pulp. I left the skins on, removed the leaves, and large seeds, and pureed them in my food processor in small batches.

This recipe super easy to make, and is good for people watching their sugar intake, or people on Weight Watchers. Most of the sugar is from the persimmons, and it is very low in fat. This cake has a wonderful spicy flavor very akin to gingerbread. My kids loved it, and it kept well on the counter for several days, covered with plastic wrap.

On the advice of my friend CG the Foodie, I froze the leftover persimmon pulp in 1/2 cup portions for use in smoothies. Their mild flavor means that they go well with virtually any other fruit (without overpowering it).


No Sugar Added Persimmon Cake
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1 Box Pillsbury Yellow Reduced Sugar Cake Mix
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups persimmon pulp
1 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup fat-free egg substitute, or 3 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine Cake mix and spices in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl to ensure everything is fully incorporated. Batter will be very thick.

Spray a 13x9 pan with cooking spray. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 18 servings (square pieces approx. 2" per side) at 2 WW Points per serving

Breakfast Mini Quiches

These are a snap to make and the variations are endless. Depending on the specific ingredients, they clock in at around 55 calories apiece. I use them for a quick breakfast on those hurried mornings (my kids LOVE them), or have even served them at a Mothers' Day buffet brunch! They freeze and reheat well in the microwave.

Breakfast Mini Quiches

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-1 pre-made piecrust (I like Safeway's brand)

-Nonstick cooking spray

-1 cup diced mixed vegetables (Whatever's on hand. I usually use mushrooms, onions, and red and green bell peppers. Asparagus with onion is also good.)

-6 slices low-fat turkey bacon or center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

-2 ounces low-fat cheddar cheese, grated (or use the pre-shredded stuff if you are in a hurry; just make sure it is reduced fat)

-3/4 cup nonfat liquid egg substitute

-salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Using a small cookie cutter (1.5" in diameter), cut circles from the pie crust. When you have cut as many circles as you can fit, re-roll the leftover crust and keep cutting circles until you have 36 in total. Spray 2 mini muffin tins with nonstick spray. Set a dough circle into each cup. Gently press down with fingertips.

2. Spray a small skillet with nonstick spray. Sautee the vegetables for 2-3 minutes or until softened. You may need to drain them in a sieve for a couple of minutes if your vegetables are watery. Distribute the vegetables evenly atop the prepared pie crusts in the muffin tin. You will use about 1/2 tsp. for each.

3. Divide bacon evenly among each, followed by the cheese.

4. Using a glass measuring cup with a spout, add salt and pepper to egg substitute and whisk until combined. You may also add fresh herbs if you like. Carefully divide the egg substitute among the 36 muffin cups. Don't worry if some spills underneath the pie crust in your cups - it doesn't matter. Cups should be from 3/4 full to all the way full.

5. Bake at 350F for 10-13 minutes, or until egg looks completely set and edges start to brown. The egg mixture may rise significantly during the course of baking, but it will shrink back down once you remove them from the oven.

Another Hearty Breakfast

My kids are tired of oatmeal. I allow them to put raisins, dried cranberries, dates, figs, dried apricots, cinnamon, vanilla, milk, berries, nuts, or any combination of those in it (endless options, if you ask me). But they just sit at the table forEVER lately when it's what's for breakfast.

I want them to get the health benefits, but they are just burnt out on it, I think. (Maybe this has something to do with the giant Costco-sized box we keep buying and the fact that I refused to buy cereal for about 6 months?)

Anyway, I decided to look at some different recipes to get them to eat oatmeal again. I read through about a million oatmeal recipes, and tried some really gross ones, before developing this Baked Oatmeal recipe. It comes out as bars, and we serve it in a shallow bowl with maple syrup on top. The kids will actually eat it! I like it because I can put it together the night before, pop it in the oven in the morning about a half hour before waking up the kids, and then by the time they are showered and ready to eat, breakfast is ready.

Baked Oatmeal Squares
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4 cups old-fashioned oats (the kind that cook in about 5 minutes)
1/2 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1/2 cup Splenda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
1 cup nonfat milk
1 cup water
2 Egg Whites
1 Egg
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup raisins

Combine oats, brown sugar, Splenda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.

Mix together all wet ingredients (milk through vanilla) in a small bowl. Pour over dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. Gently stir in raisins.

Mixture will look dry. Spread in a 13x9 glass dish. Refrigerate covered overnight.

In morning, cook in a 350F oven for 35 minutes. Allow to set for a few minutes before cutting into bars. Makes 8 servings.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Pudding

My kids would eat cereal every morning for breakfast if I let them. But that just gets on my nerves for some reason. I like to mix it up - sometimes we do eggs and toast, sometimes oatmeal, sometimes smoothies.

I recently had some bananas that were getting a little overripe, and some big slices of Whole Wheat Nature's Pride bread that needed using. I decided to make a bread pudding using those. I had never made bread pudding before, so I perused MANY recipes (both online and in my Joy of Cooking cookbook) to get ideas.

This is what I came up with. Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture or figure out nutritional stats. But it was good! The bananas were sweet and went well with the brown sugar, and the chocolate chips made it feel decadent - like dessert for breakfast!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Pudding
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8 slices whole wheat bread, torn into bite-size pieces
3/4 cup fat-free egg substitute
1 can Evaporated Milk (I used fat free)
1 cup water
2/3 cup packed brown sugar (could use substitute if available)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
3 large bananas, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease an 8x8 baking dish (I used nonstick spray).

Mix together egg substitute, milk, water, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Add bread pieces and stir until combined. (I used clean hands for this step).

Place half of bread pieces in pan; top with banana slices. Cover with remaining bread, pouring any leftover liquid on top.

Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes, or until edges start to brown and egg looks set.

Allow to set for a few minutes before cutting into slices. Top each serving with a small handful of chocolate chips.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Why I haven't Blogged as Promised

So, really quickly, I ran the San Francisco Marathon on July 26th. I met my time goal of 5 hours (finished in 4:53). That is an hour and three minutes faster than last year!

I had to drive myself to and from the race because the husband had left that morning for a business trip to Wisconsin for a week.

A few hours after returning home, my husband's ex-wife, who had a weekend visitation with my three stepsons, brought back only 2 boys out of 3. She told me she was keeping the third. I was so confused and tired and delirious (Jeez, I had just run a marathon!) and I couldn't believe what she was saying and that she was pulling this crud while husband was away (in retrospect, I realize this was done intentionally). I frantically ran to the filing cabinet and started looking through 12 years worth of court paperwork pertaining to the custody orders.

Shoot! There was no signed order from 8 years ago when my husband got custody of that stepson. We have orders for the other two boys, but not the third.

To make a VERY long, complicated and frustrating story short, there never was an order created from when the hubby got custody of stepson #3. The judge ruled in his favor, and the minutes from that hearing state such, but we need an order to get my son back!

Of course, I went to the courthouse the very next day and started getting the ball rolling on what we needed to do to get that order. I had hubby Fed-Ex Overnight the paperwork and immediately filed it to get an order.

That was almost 4 weeks ago. The order still has not been signed.

Meanwhile, my family is in a state of chaos because one of our members has been missing for 4 weeks. Everywhere we go, I order 6 of everything. I cook too much dinner. I cut treats into 4 pieces - one for each child - and then have one left over. And I'm not the only one. My 8-year-old woke up in the middle of the night last night crying because he misses his brother.

I have been raising this boy since he was 3 years old. He is my son. Maybe not biologically, but I potty-trained him. I got up with him in the middle of the night when he had nightmares about dinosaurs. I taught him how to ride a bike. I don't see my 3 stepsons any differently than I see my own son. They are my kids!

My husband's ex is vindictive, spiteful, irresponsible, and uses every opportunity to trash my husband and I to the boy. She tells him we don't care about him. She tells him we don't love him. She tells him that his half-brother is not his "real" brother. I miss my son every minute of every day. I can't sleep. I can't focus at work. I worry about him constantly.

I sure as heck have not had any motivation whatsoever to BLOG.

I have sent the info about the case to every person I know to try and get help. People have called and asked for the order to get signed ASAP. We have called and left messages repeatedly. My husband has waited at the courthouse for hours in a suit trying to get answers. Nothing works.

Meanwhile, the ex suddenly decided (after 11 years of not caring) that she suddenly needs all three boys by her side. She has filed for custody of all of them, plus child support. The court date is in October. I despair of getting the order signed to get #3 back before that date. And then maybe the judge will decide to just let her keep him. And then why not the other 2, just to keep the three of them together? I am SO scared.

I hate family court. I hate the staff. I hate the paperwork and the confusing forms and the fact that nobody wants to help you when you go there to get help. I hate the judge who has not signed the order.

I don't know her personally, but I hate her none the less.

I know that they get dozens of stacks of paperwork a week and that we are just a number on a piece of paper to them. But this is my child! He is being kept away from his home and his family on a legal loophole - a mere technicality - and we are helpless to do anything about it! This feeling of powerlessness is so demoralizing.

I thought the people at the courthouse were supposed to be public servants. I thought it was their job to help people. All the information they need is right there in the building. All it takes is a minute for a judge to read a form and sign it. But these people just don't care. They don't return phone calls. They will get to it when they get to it, and it is just too bad for us.

I am tempted to go to law school just so I can be more empowered in the future.

If you are still reading this, it must mean you are very bored, or a very good friend. Thank you for taking the time.

I hope to get my son back soon, and get life back to normal so I can start BLOGGING again.