Chicken Cordon Bleu Loaf

Chicken Cordon Bleu Loaf

Chicken Cordon Bleu Meatloaf

Nothing says comfort food like meatloaf. We all grew up with it. For some it was a certain night of the week………Monday Night Meatloaf……..for us it was always the same, meatloaf, au gratin potatoes ( Betty Crocker from the box) and corn. My brother and I were not huge veggie eaters as kids. But, give us corn and we would eat every kernel.

I have made different versions of meatloaf my entire adult life. Some super simple, some with waaayyy to many steps and pre cooking. I have tried using ground turkey, of which, if you follow our blog you know I am not a big fan of. On the other hand, I am a fan of ground chicken. My favorite way to make meatloaf is just hamburger, egg, ketchup, onion, and oatmeal……cover it with ketchup and slices of bacon………it reminds me of home. Continue reading “Chicken Cordon Bleu Loaf”

Spicy Chia Chicken Meatball Pasta

Spicy Chia Chicken Meatball Pasta

Spicy Chia Chicken Meatball Pasta 2

 That’s a spicy meatball…….Spicy Chia Chicken Meatball Pasta.
If you have been reading our blog you know this, Tim loves spicy food, and I love to use ground chicken….in any way possible. So, how could I go wrong with these spicy meatballs, well I really couldn’t, and on top of that they are healthy!

Now, healthy does not always mean low calorie, the ingredients in this dish are nutrient dense, so please do not freak out when you see the calories at the end.
In our last post, we talked about the benefits of chia seeds and how we used them in Raspberry Chia Smoothie. So, in this recipe the chia seeds, are mixed with water to make a binder for the meatballs……so no eggs needed. I will admit that the chia water mixture does not look appetizing but it worked great in the meatballs.
Adding rolled oats and coconut oil added to the nutritional value. We all know the benefits of rolled oats as a grain but, I am a huge fan of coconut oil…… Studies have shown that intake of coconut oil can help our bodies mount resistance to both viruses and bacteria that can cause illness. Even more, it also can help to fight off yeast, fungus, and candida.

Coconut oil can also positively affect our hormones for thyroid and blood-sugar control. People who take coconut oil also tend to have improvements in how they handle blood sugar, since coconut can help improve insulin use within the body. Coconut oil can boost thyroid function helping to increase metabolism, energy, and endurance. It increases digestion and helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins.
Use coconut oil in cooking, as it can stand heat making it a better option. I also use it to remove makeup and as a skin moisturizer. Before anyone curls their lip, thinking I double dip, I have two jars……one for the kitchen and one for the bathroom……….. That was a long lesson.

Spicy Chia Chicken Meatball Pasta 1
The meatballs are baked and can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator or freezer until you make the pasta. Keep some in the freezer, so you can whip this up at a moment’s notice. Speaking of the pasta, how easy can boiling pasta, using some of the pasta water and just a small amount of half and half for the sauce be? Even the novice cook can do this to perfection. So, all of you who say “I can’t really cook”, give it a try, the result will amaze you!

A touch of lemon zest, parmesan cheese, and parsley to garnish and you have a beautiful healthy spicy delicious meal. Spicy Chia Chicken Meatball Pasta!

Spicy Chia Chicken Meatball Pasta Collage

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Spicy Chia Chicken Meatball Pasta 1

Spicy Chia Chicken Meatball Pasta

  • Author: Adapted from the Chia Cookbook by Janie Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Pasta
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/4 cup chia seeds
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 3/4 cup rolled (old-fashioned) oats
  • 1/3 cup green onions minced
  • 1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 12 ounces whole grain linguine, spaghetti or angel hair pasta
  • 1/3 cup half-and-half
  • Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil or parsley chopped as garnish.

Instructions

  1. n a small bowl, whisk together the chia seeds and water and let stand for about 20 minutes. (Makes 3/4 cup extra-thick chia gel.)
  2. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the chia gel, ground chicken, oats, onion, 1/4 cup of the cheese, 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil, the parsley, oregano, garlic, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper, and the red pepper flakes. When evenly combined, firmly form mixture into 20 meatballs (I use an ice cream scoop so they are all equal). Place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake in 400* oven for 20-30 minutes until meatballs are totally cooked through. Keep warm in a 175* oven while making the pasta.
  4. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving 3/4 cup pasta cooking water.
  5. Bring the half-and-half, the remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, and reserved pasta water to a boil over high heat in a large saucepan. Add the drained pasta and toss to combine. Add the lemon juice and toss to combine. Add the remaining 1/3 cup of cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper and toss to combine.
  6. Transfer the linguine to four large pasta bowls. Top each five of chicken meatballs, sprinkle with basil/parsley and lemon zest, and serve.

Keywords: chia seeds, ground chicken, pasta, meatballs, spicy

Spicy Chia Chicken Meatball Past Lable

Teriyaki Burger with Pineapple Mango Salsa

Teriyaki Burger with Pineapple Mango Salsa

Teriyaki Burger

Burgers, burgers, burgers,…………Teriyaki Burger with Pineapple Mango Salsa.

Now that the weather is warm, I have two things on my mind……Salads and burgers. It is all we have eaten recently. Ok, we have had the obligatory pizza……several times.

We still have to get our grill up and running……….just lazy we are! But, we have a grill pan so……….sorta the same? Ok, not really, but these burgers were really great even without the aid of the outdoor grill.

My conception for these really came from pineapples and mangos being on sale at the store, and they were beauties. If cutting the pineapple and mango is not your thing, you can use canned or frozen, but it really is perfect with the fresh.

So, since I wanted to make a burger, and pineapple goes with an Asian flare, that was my direction. I added green onions, garlic, ginger, soy and a touch of red pepper flakes for heat to the beef. Now, I have made these twice, first time with ground beef, and the second time with ground chicken. Both were equally yummy, so what ever your taste is, go with that. A turn on the grill, and the burgers were done.

Teriyaki Burger Chicken

For the salsa……the pineapple and mangos were mixed with avocado, red pepper, onion, jalapeño, cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Then mixed all together and set it aside.

When I think of burgers, I always think of ketchup and mustard, but not with these and we do like something on a burger. The sauce was simple with the aid of my trusty imitation Bullet. We bought a cheap version, just to be sure, we would use it and liked it before we shelled out the cost for the real deal. Well, the cheapo has worked really well, so why spend over a hundred when you can spend twenty?

I just put all the ingredients for the sauce……fresh pineapple, soy, ginger, garlic, rice wine vinegar, and a touch of sesame oil. Gave it a whirl in my handy, dandy, cheapo Bullet and I had a sauce…….well almost. I heated it to a boil and added a cornstarch mixture to thicken.

Lightly toasted Kings Hawaiian Buns were perfect for this burger. The burger, the sauce, and the salsa……..oh la la…….oh wait thats French………well anyway there were a tasty, tasty burger.

Teriyaki Burger Collage

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Teriyaki Burger

Teriyaki Burger with Pineapple Mango Salsa

  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x
  • Category: Burgers
  • Method: Grill
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • Burgers
  • 1 pound ground beef (you can also use chicken or turkey)
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp red chili flakes
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 Hamburger buns
  • Salsa
  • 1 cups fresh pineapple, diced into ½” cubes
  • 1/2 cup fresh mango, diced into ½” cubes
  • 1/2 avocado, diced into ½” cubes
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced into ½” pieces
  • 1/8 cup onion, finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon jalapeño minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • Salt to taste
  • Sauce
  • 1 cup fresh pineapple
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon each cornstarch and water

Instructions

  1. Burgers:
  2. Preheat your grill to medium high heat.
  3. Combine all of the ingredients for the burgers in a medium bowl,and shape into 4 patties. Place your patties on the grill and cook 10-15 minutes or until well done, flipping half way through. Grill buns if desired.
  4. Salsa:
  5. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
  6. Sauce:
  7. Place first 7 ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a medium saucepan. Over medium high heat, heated cook mixture until bubbly, about 1-2 minutes. Meanwhile, blend cornstarch and water until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to saucepan. Heat stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.
  8. Assemble the Burgers:
  9. To assemble burger place each burger on grilled bun. Spoon sauce over burger and top with salsa. Serve.

Notes

We like large burger so the serving size is 2. But if you like a smaller burger you can get 4.

Keywords: ground beef, pineapple, mango, burger, grill