Asparagus Chicken Stir-Fry

This is one of Mike's new favorites. I absolutely love it too! If you or your family isn't too keen on asparagus, this is a good way to eat it because it takes on a lot of the flavor of the sauce. This recipe is easy to double if you want to make more than 2 servings.


1/2 c cut fresh asparagus (1-inch pieces)
2 tsp cornstarch, divided
1 egg white
3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
2 tsp canola oil
1/4 c sherry or chicken broth
2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
3 Tbsp unsalted cashews
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup hot cooked rice

Place asparagus in a steamer basket; place in a saucepan over 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil; cover and steam for 5-7 mins or until crisp-tender. Drain and keep warm.
In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp cornstarch and egg white until smooth; add chicken and toss to coat. In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry chicken in oil for 4-5 mins or until no longer pink.
Place remaining cornstarch in a small bowl; stir in the sherry or broth, soy sauce and sugar until smooth. Gradually add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 min or until thickened. Stir in the cashews, onions and asparagus. Serve over rice.
Prep time: 30 mins
Yields: 2 servings
1 cup chicken mixture and 1/2 cup rice = 478 cal, 15 g fat, 37 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 42 g protein

Banana Bread!

I'm known for my banana bread around here. It's everyone's favorite and Mike's coworkers get very excited when he brings it in for work or I serve it at our house. I have to thank my aunt Margaret for the recipe. Way to go!

1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c shortening
2 eggs
1/2 c sour milk
1 tsp baking soda
2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c walnuts, optional (I don't use)
3 ripe bananas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs and sour milk. Mix all dry ingredients and add to mix. Add bananas, vanilla and nuts. Bake 70-75 mins in a greased loaf pan. (I use a dark loaf pan - you will need to adjust time for light or glass pans.) Let sit for at least 15 mins in pan, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
TIPS: 1) I mix 1/2 c regular milk with 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar for the sour milk.
2) I have found my bread turns out the best if the bananas have been frozen before use. Anytime bananas get too ripe to eat, throw them in the freezer. Pull out and defrost in a bowl in the fridge one day before making bread. They will be very soft, almost liquidy and they don't look very appetizing but that's when they mix the best.
Yields: 1 loaf (14 slices)
1 slice = 249 cal, 8 g fat, 3 g protein, 42 g carbs, 1 g fiber

Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes

1 Tbsp canola oil
1 lg onion, thinly sliced (It calls for 2, but I think 1 is plenty)
1 tsp salt, divided
1 1/2 lbs medium red potatoes, quartered
3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1/3 c reduced fat sour cream
3 Tbsp fat free milk
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 c shredded, reduced-fat cheddar cheese
2 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (I use turkey bacon....I think I used 3 or 4 strips b/c they're much lower in calories than regular bacon)

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; add onions and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook and stir for 15 mins or until moisture has evaporated and onions are completely wilted. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook and stir for 30-40 mins or until onions are caramelized. (If necessary, add water, 1 Tbsp at a time if onions begin to stick to pan.)
Meanwhile, place potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 18-22 mins until tender.
Drain potatoes; place in a large bowl and mash. Add the sour cream, milk, pepper and remaining salt; mash until blended. Stir in caramelized onions. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with butter; sprinkle with bacon and cheese.
Yields: 6 servings
Prep time: 60 mins
2/3 cup=200 cal, 9g fat, 3 g fiber, 7 g protein, 25 g carbs (calculated using 2 onions)

I made this with BBQ Brisket (recipe to possibly come later), sweet corn and beer bread. Delish!

Toasted Granola

Here's a granola recipe I tried tonight. I think it's pretty good and it's a good source of fiber!

1 c packed brown sugar
1/3 c water
4 c old-fashioned oats
2 c bran flakes
1 jar (12 oz) toasted wheat germ (can be found in cereal aisle)
2 Tbsp flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 c canola oil
2 tsp vanilla

In a large saucepan, bring brown sugar and water to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the oats, bran flakes, wheat germ, flour and salt. Stir oil and vanilla into sugar mixture; pour over oat mixture and toss to coat.
Transfer to two 15x10x1-in baking pans coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 250 degrees for 75-90 mins or until dry and lightly browned, stirring every 15 mins. Cool completely on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

Time: 1 1/2 -2 hours
Yields: 10 1/2 cups
1/2 c= 202 calories, 6 g fat, 4 g fiber, 8 g protein, 32 g carbs

New Project

I give out so many recipes that I thought I might as well start a new blog where I post my recipes. If I make something I really like I'll share it with all of you. I like to make recipes that are healthy but still taste awesome. If I have nutrition information I will post it. If you want to come back and look up something, it'll be in the archive and you can just search through for what you want. If you have a recipe you really like, send it to me and I'll try it out and/or post it here. ENJOY!!!