Jalapeno Ranch Fish & Zucchini (hCG friendly)

Ok, whether I am on a diet or not, this is absotoodalootly one of my favorite meals, hands down. It's super quick, easy, & tasty... nothing wrong with that! The beauty in this meal is that I bake it in one dish. ONE DIRTY DISH well, besides plates, but still... amazing. Josh is also a fan... as long as I don't use mushy fish.

The last time I made this for him I used flounder that I had in the freezer for maybe a little bit too long. It's not like it went bad or anything, but when you cook it, it gets a gawdawful smushy gritty texture from being in the freezer too long that just kills it. Sorry babe! Note to self: buy more flounder.

BUT I wouldn't do that to y'all, no way! I'll post it with fresh swai... well, freshly frozen non-smushy swai. But really, I've used tilapia, cod, flounder, halibut, salmon (not hCG friendly!), and now swai.

Swai reminds me of flounder. It is an amazing flaky white-fish, but it's heartier than tilapia. I really only bought it because the big frozen bags were on sale at Walmart, and I am all about a good deal! The result? YUM-O! Thank you Walmart for having a sale (oops, "roll-back") on this fantastic fish.

I firmly believe that zucchini is one of the best vegetables on the face of the planet, and it is so versatile. When it's not in season, I get mad. Really. I've gone off on tangents about "stupid" stores not having zucchini when I want it.

With that being said, you will need:


White fish filet (usually 3.5-4oz per serving)
Zucchini
I Can't Believe it's Not Butter Spray
Buttermilk ranch dressing powder
Hoot N Holler jalapeno powder (the link for which can be found in my HCG Diet Log)
Cumin

Instructions:


Preheat oven to 350.

Slice zucchini and place in baking dish with fish (I don't even bother to defrost my fish. WHAT?!? That's what the oven is for. Don't judge me). Spray fish and zucchini with butter spray, sprinkle with jalapeno powder and ranch powder. Sprinkle fish only with cumin.

Bake for 20-30 minutes.

See... easy peasy.

hCG Friendly Basic Shirataki Noodle Stir-Fry

This stir-fry can be made in many different ways, and I will post each way (as I make it), but this is the most basic. This has quickly become one of my favorite hCG recipes. Just because you're on the hCG diet doesn't mean you have to cut out delicious flavors, and this recipe really packs a punch!

Check my HCG DIET LOG for more information about the hCG diet.

Basic shirataki stir-fry:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup stir-fry mix
1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
1 tbsp sriracha
1/2 tbsp beef base (better to use organic, low sodium beef broth 1/4cup)
3/4 cup water
7oz shirataki noodles

Instructions:


Drain noodles.

**Try not to smell them! It's not too bad, but it is rather unappealing**

In a large skillet, bring 3/4 cup water to boil, add noodles, reduce heat to medium. Drain water after 2-3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup broth (or beef base and 1/4 cup water), chili garlic sauce, and vegetables to pan. Cook for 10 minutes on medium-low heat. You'll need to stir frequently to break up the noodles and get them mixed in with the vegetables. Drain excess liquid. Top with sriracha sauce.

I make this dish at night and bring it to work for lunch the next day. It heats up in the microwave nicely & gives a chance for the flavors to mingle.

Calorie Count:


Shirataki noodles: 0
Chili garlic sauce: 0
Sriracha: 5
Beef base: 5
Vegetables: 30
Total: 40

hCG Diet

Well, It's that time of year again... How many of you made a New Year's Resolution to lose weight? Food for thought: don't obsess with your weight! That number displayed on the scale does not define you. Work on being healthy, not being skinny.

Since I love food so much, I have to spend a good amount of time in the gym just to stay the same weight/size. I've recently decided I want to be smaller and more toned (and I need to shed a few pounds), so I'm revisiting the hCG diet. Stay tuned for hCG diet friendly recipes (for those that work out and those that don't), and don't forget to check out my hCG Diet Log Page for tips... please feel free to comment or contact me if you have any questions or need some support!

**All hCG recipes will be under the HCG DIET label.**

No worries, I still cook for my fabulous honey bunches, so I'll still be adding wonderful non-diet recipes :)

Crockpot Chicken Curry

This is one of my all time favorites; I love love love the intense flavor provided by the spices.

Ingredients:

1/8 cup curry powder (I use a mix of hot madras curry and regular curry)
1tbs tumeric
1tsp cumin
1tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ginger
dash of white pepper
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup bell pepper (I use all red, orange, yellow), chopped
1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
fingerling potatoes (about have the bag, or 2-3 golden potatoes), sliced
1 can coconut milk
1 can chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken
8oz sour cream (optional)
1 bay leaf
1.5lbs chicken (roughly)
rice

Instructions:


Add all ingredients (except bay leaf, sour cream, rice and chicken) to crockpot, stir until thoroughly mixed.

Boil chicken for 15 minutes, let cool, shred.

Add chicken to crockpot, top with bay leaf, cook on high 4 hours. At 4 hour mark, stir sour cream into curry. Cook rice.

Serve over bed of rice.... YUM!

Smothered Pork Chops

Are there even words? Fall off the bone fried pork chops smothered in gravy and onions served with toast or rice to mop up the sauce... It's just Southern home cooking at its best.

Ingredients:

2-2.5lbs center cut thick pork chops
1 small-medium onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1tbs beef base
1 package onion gravy
1 package brown gravy
1tbs worcestershire sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can golden mushroom soup
1 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp black pepper
pepper sauce
vegetable oil
eggs/egg beaters

Instructions:


Mix together flour, garlic powder, cayenne, black pepper & pour 1 1/2 cups flour mix on plate, and set aside 1/4 cup of the mixture. In a large skillet, pour in enough oil to cover bottom about 1/4 inch. Double dredge pork chops in egg (or egg beaters like us lazy folk) and flour. fry pork chops until golden brown, flip and fry until golden brown on the other side (I did them one at a time, it was easier). They do not need to bee cooked entirely as you are going to put them in a crock pot.

Place pork chops in a 5qt crock pot. Pour remaining grease out of skillet, leaving the fried bits and pieces in, if any.

Slice onion and garlic and place on top of pork chops.

*Optional*
If you have bacon drippins, pour about a tablespoon into the same skillet you fried the chops. Unfortunately, I didn't have any bacon drippins, but since I started this in the morning, I fried up some bacon and used that grease.

In your skillet (on low heat), pour in gravy packets, water according to packets, 1/4 cup flour mixture, 1tbs beef base, 1tbs worcestershire sauce, and mushroom soups. Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Pour sauce on top of pork chops, add 1-2tsp pepper sauce. I even put a few peppers in there because we like our food spicy, and I love those little tobasco peppers. Cook on low heat for about 4 hours.

You'll definitely want some bread or rice to soak up all that WONDERFUL gravy.