Sesame Asian Citrus Slaw Recipe

For our first date night (post baby), we decided to try a new restaurant out called Dak & Bop.  They are known for their KFC aka Korean Fried Chicken.  The chicken there was out of this world delicious.

KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) at Dak & Bop

 

One of the sides we ordered was an Asian Citrus Slaw.  It was delicious!  The cool and refreshing slaw went so well with the hot and spicy fried chicken.  This Asian inspired cole slaw would make a great side for a BBQ, potluck, or even a nice evening dinner at home. 

 

 

 

 

|what you will need|

 

makes about 4 servings

 

+ 1 Tsp Sesame Oil

+ Bag of Cole Slaw Mix

+ Can of Mandarin Oranges

+1/4 cup Milk (we used 2% milk)

+1/4 cup Mayonnaise (we used reduce fat olive oil mayo)

+ Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder to taste

 

 

|how to|

 

{1} Open Mandarin Oranges and drain most of the liquid.  Reserve about 4 tbsp. of the liquid.  Cut Mandarin Oranges into 1/2" pieces.  Reserving a couple whole pieces for garnish.

 

 

 

{2} Mix the sesame oil, milk, mayonnaise, mandarin orange liquid, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl.

 

{3} Open the bag of cole slaw mix and place it in a big bowl.  Pour the mayo-sesame oil mixture over the cole slaw mix.  Toss the slaw until the mayo mixture is well distributed.  Top the coleslaw mixture with a couple whole mandarin orange segments.  You can also top with sesame seeds.

We served the Sesame Asian Citrus Slaw with Sesame Soy Cross Cut Ribs.  Yum!







Crispy Baked Chicken Wings (No Frying Needed!)

I love crispy chicken wings!  I found this genius way of getting a great crispy skin without all the oil and frying!

|what you will need|

(makes 2-3 servings)
+ 2.5-3 pounds of chicken wings
+ juice of one lemon
+ 3 large cloves of garlic
+ salt and pepper to taste
+ 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

|how to|

{1} Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

{2} Mince your garlic cloves.

{3} Place your chicken wings in a large mixing bowl. 

{4} Add the lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil to the chicken wings.  Mix well.

{5} Place the chicken wings in a aluminum baking sheet.

{6} Bake wings for 40 minutes until crispy and golden brown.

ENJOY!

Skinny Minny Recipe: Roasted Cabbage with Honey Mustard Dressing

I've said it once and I'll say it again...I love cheap, simple, and healthy meals.  This Roasted Cabbage with Honey Mustard Dressing is no exception.  This is really a delicious side dish! 

|what you will need|

(makes 3-4 serving)
+ one head of cabbage
+ salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
+ 2 1/2 tablespoons of honey
+ 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
+ 3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
+ 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard

|how to|

{1} Preheat oven to 425 F.  Wash and dry the cabbage.  Then, slice the cabbage in 3/4"-1" slices/wedges.  Lay slices over a nonstick cookie sheet.

{2} Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil over the cabbage slices.  Then season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

{3} Roast the cabbage in a 425 F oven until slightly brown.  This will take about 25-30 minutes.

{4} Whisk together the dijon mustard, three tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil, honey, white wine vinegar, and season the dressing with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

{5} Drizzle the honey mustard dressing over the roasted cabbage and serve.

This is an awesome side dish during the busy work week.  You probably can also use store bought honey mustard dressing if you are short on time.  Enjoy!  

When I Juice, You Juice...Domesticated Diva's Juicing Adventures

So I got bit by the juicing trend, and I can say juicing is amazing!  I found this Black and Decker Juicer randomly at Kohls for $25.  I mean come on...$25 for a juicer is a pretty amazing deal!  It got a four star rating on Amazon, so I decided to give it a shot. 

This is one of the most basic juicers you can buy, but at $25 I am not complaining.  I wasn't even sure if I was gonna like juicing, so this is perfect for the beginning juicers out there!  You do have to cut up your veggies/fruits, since the tube the fruit/veggies goes down is rather narrow.  Also, the juicing cup in the picture is rather small and needs to be dumped into a pitcher or whatever juice container you are using.

Let's back track a little, I got into juicing after watching the documentary Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead.  This is a great documentary by the way =)

Joe Cross (the guy in the film) also has a blog called Reboot with Joe. His blog is chocked full of different juicing recipes. 

The Basic Domesticated Diva Juicing Recipe I usually go by is 2 Veggies + 2 Fruits + Either Ginger Lime or Both

Seems simple enough right!  Yes, juicing can be expensive, but if you buy whatever fruits and veggies are on sale or buy the fruits and veggies that are usually cheaper you can definitely juice on a budget!

Fruits I've Used: Apples, Grapefruit, Lime, Blackberries, Pears, Mangos, Peaches, Oranges

Veggies I've Used: Celery, Parsley, Cucumbers, Ginger, Carrots, Red Pepper

Here are a couple of recipes...

2 Green Apple + 1" Ginger Piece + 2 Stalks of Celery + 1 Lime + 1 Cucumber

1 Small Carton of Blackberries + 1/2 Bushel of Parsley + 1 Apples + 1" Ginger Piece + 1 Lime + 2 Stalks of Celery

1 Red Pepper + 2 Carrots + 1 Apple + 1 Orange

2 Apples + 1 Red Pepper + 1 Cucumber + 1 Lime

2 Mango + 1 Cucumber + 1 Red Pepper + 1 Orange Juice

Skinny Minny Meal: Guilt Free Caesar Salad

Don't you love quick, easy, cheap, and healthy meals!!!! Because I sure do!  Who doesn't like Caesar salad?  The tangy, cheesy, and creamy flavor makes this a winner in my book.  The fact that I can make it guilty free is even better.

Ingredients:
(Makes About 1/2 Cup Dressing and 3 Servings of Salad)
-1 Bag of Romaine Lettuce
-1 Small Container of Fat Free Greek Yogurt
-1 Heaping Tablespoon of Parmesan Cheese (reserve an additional 1 Tablespoon for sprinkling on top)
-3 Anchovy Fillets (finely chopped)
-Juice of One Medium Lemon
-1 Clove of Garlic (Minced)
-2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce
-4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
-Salt, Pepper, and garlic powder to taste (the more garlic flavor the better right!)
-Pan Fried Chicken Tenders (optional)

Mix the anchovies, garlic, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together in a bowl.

Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and stir rapidly with a whisk to get out all the lumps.


The yucky Anchovy fillets, but I promise they make this dressing spectacular!

Before...ewww...to

After...ahhhh!!!

Place your Romaine lettuce in a salad bowl pour the salad dressing over it.  Toss to distribute dressing.  You may have to add a little more olive oil, if you like your dressing runnier.  Sprinkle the remainder of the Parmesan cheese and lightly toss again.  Enjoy!

Served with pan fried chicken tenders. Yum-o!

Skinny Minny Recipe: Sauteed Chicken with Creamy Chive and White Wine Sauce

I love simple and healthy recipes that require a few ingredients, and this is one of them!

Ingredients (4-6 servings):
-4-6 Chicken Breast (ones that are either thinly cut or pounded to be about 1/2" thin)
-1/4 cup of Sliced Chives
-1/2 cup of White Wine
-1/2 cup of Low Sodium Chicken Broth
-2 heaping tablespoons of Light Sour Cream
-1 heaping tablespoon of Dijon Mustard
-1/2 cup of flour
-2 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
-Spices (salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning)

First, season your flour (set aside 1 tsp of flour which will be used to thicken the sauce) with your spices.

Heat a pan with about 3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 

Lightly dredge your chicken in the seasoned flour mixture.  Shake of excess flour. 

Place chicken in the pan.  Cook until lightly golden brown (about 2-3 min per side).  Set aside the chicken and cover with foil.

Next, saute the garlic in the same pan until lightly brown.  Stir in the teaspoon of the reserved flour.  This will form a "roux-like" mixture.  Add in the low sodium chicken broth and white wine.  Let the mixture reduce and continue to stir often.  This will take about 5-8 min. 

Add back in the chicken breast pieces.  Mix together the sour cream and Dijon mustard in a separate bowl.  Evenly add the sour cream/mustard mixture to the pan.  Mix the mixture so that it is evenly mixed with the wine and chicken broth sauce.  To ensure the chicken is evenly coated with the sauce turn it once in the pan.

Turn off heat and top with the sliced chives.

 

I usually serve this we sauteed vegetables, but you certainly can still keep it healthy by adding brown rice or whole wheat pasta.
Skinny Minny Calories: about 260 calories per serving

Skinny Minny Recipe #5: Faux-tato Chips...Kale Chips Recipe

I have been on a Skinny Minny Recipe rampage lately.  No crafting...all eating (healthy at least).

Here is a recipe for something that is simple, yet so freaking addicting.  I have made this recipe several times now.  As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I am currently addicted to kale.  Yummy!

Here's what you will need to make Kale Chips:
(Makes 4-6 Servings)
-1 Kale Bunch
-About 3 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-Kosher Salt and Garlic Powder to taste

Wash and dry kale thoroughly.  Separate the kale leaves from the rib with a knife.  Cut the kale leaves into about 1" pieces. 

Place the kale pieces in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  I have found that parchment paper is not necessary, but an option if you still like to use it.

Drizzle the olive oil over the leaves, and sprinkle kosher salt and garlic powder to taste.  Bake in the oven at 350 F for about 8-10 minutes; tossing and turning half way through to ensure even crispiness.  The kale chips are done, when most of the leaves are slightly brown on the edges.

Final product before it is gobbled down by my hungry husband...

Calorie Counting Divas: ~60 Calories per Serving

Skinny Minny Recipe #3...Summer Kale Salad

I have been obsessed with both kale and brussel sprouts lately.  Not only are they yummy, but pretty darn good for you too.  Read about the health benefits of kale here.  This is a great salad to make for a picnic, a nice lunch, or for a pot luck.

Here's what you will need:

(Makes 4 Servings)

Salad:

-1 Kale Bunch

-1/4 Cup of Dried Cranberries

-5 Tbsp of Sunflower Seeds

-1/4 Cup of Roughly Chopped Crystallized Ginger (can be found in the health food/bulk food aisle)

Dressing:

-1 1/2 Tbsp of Honey

-2 Tsp of Red Wine Vinegar

-2 1/2 Tbsp of Olive Oil

-Salt and Pepper to taste

1.) Separate the kale leaves from the ribs with a knife.  Then finely chop the kale leaves (1/2" wide).  Wash the kale thoroughly with water.

2.) Dry kale with paper towels or in a salad spinner.

3.) Mix together the salt, pepper, honey and red wine vinegar with a whisk.  Then slowly pour in the olive oil and whisk vigorously to mix all the dressing ingredients well.

4.) Place the dried kale along with the dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and crystallized ginger into a large mixing bowl.

5.) Drizzle the dressing on top and mix well with salad tossers.

6.) Refrigerate the salad for at least one hour, but it is best to refrigerate overnight.

End result...

Calorie Count Divas: ~175-200

Anytime is a Good THYME for a Herb Garden

After spending money on fresh herbs and using dried, ground herbs, I decided to invest in a herb garden.
Fresh herbs can be fairly expensive and can range from $2-$3 a pack.  Dried and ground herbs do not have the essential herb oils and flavor fresh herbs have.

I decided to start my own herb garden!

Here's what I planted:
-Cilantro
-Mint
-Rosemary
-Oregano
-Thyme
-Basil



Some of my herbs

Here are a list of dishes and recipes we've made so far:
-Herb Baked Chicken
-Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
-Honey Mint Whiskey Smash Cocktail

Price Breakdown:
-Planter: $6
-Soil: $2
-Herb Plants: $4 each ($20 total)

TOTAL: $28 (savings of at least $10-$30 depending on how often you use your herbs)

Skinny Minny Recipe #1....Grand Marnier Macerated Fruit

So I am making a new series of posts called "Skinny Minny Recipes", which is a collection of low calorie, healthy, and flavorful recipes.  I have a bunch of recipes and pictures saved up, so I get to share a whole lot with you guys. Yipee!  After eating at a local "farm to market" style restaurant in Houston called Zelko Bistro, and after trying their version of Macerated Fruit dessert I decided to take a shot of my version.

Ingredients (Makes 4 Servings):
-2 cups of fruit of your choice (I used apples, blackberries, strawberries, and grapes)
-2 springs of roughly chopped mint
-1 1/2 tbsp of honey
-3 portion packs of Stevia "Sugar"
-1/4 cup of Grand Marnier liquor

1.) Cut the apples into cubes, halve the strawberries, and leave the blackberries and grapes whole.

2.)  Place the fruit in a large mixing bowl and mix it with all the above ingredients.  I slightly "muddled" the black berries, just so I can extract some of that delicious juice =)

3.) Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours; I refrigerated it overnight.

4.)  Here is the final product.  Spoon the fruit into a nice ramekin or serving dish.  Then drizzle with any leftover Grand Marnier juice left on the bottom of the bowl.  Lightly sprinkle with regular white granulated sugar, so you get a nice crystallized crunch texture.  You can also sprinkle powder sugar on top.  This is a great alternative to eating boring fruit, and Grand Marnier will make anything taste a million times better =)

There can be many variations to this recipes, such as adding white/red wine, balsamic vinegar, basil, other fruits, cinnamon, etc.

Calorie Counting Divas: ~100-130 calories per serving

Bottom (Waist)line... Guilt-Free Fried Cauliflower

So me and Mr. Domesticated Diva have been on the lookout for healthy recipes.  We just love going to Mediterranean/Greek restaurants, and one of the staple side dishes is fried cauliflower. 

Here is our version:

Ingredients (Serves 2-3 people):
-Head of Cauliflower
-Garlic Powder, Salt, and Pepper to taste
-1 1/2 c. Vegetable Oil
-Optional Ingredients: lemon and fresh grated parm/romano cheese

1.) Start by washing and patting dry the cauliflower.  Cut the cauliflower into bite size pieces.

2.) Heat up the vegetable oil over medium high heat in a 1.5 qt. sauce pan.  Let the oil heat up for about 5-7 minutes. 

3.) Work in small batches when frying the cauliflower.  You probably will need two to three batches to fry the entire head of cauliflower.  You should fry the cauliflower about 1-2 minutes per side, for a total of 2-4 minutes per batch.  They will be done once the cauliflower turns to a golden brown.

4.) Season each batch with a little bit of salt, garlic powder, and pepper.  I like using my Tabasco Spicy Salt, because it is the most delicious thing ever created.

Here's the finished product...

You can certainly finish off the fried cauliflower with a little lemon juice and grated parm/romano cheese for added flavor.

Calorie wise this is about 100 cal per serving.  We make this recipe healthier by not battering the cauliflower (no egg, milk, flour, or bread crumbs needed!).  I don't think breading or battering the cauliflower adds anything to the dish, so why add the calories!





Opa...Greek Orzo Salad

I'm always looking for fast, easy, healthy, and delicious meals to make at home.  This recipe is versatile, and can be made ahead of time.

Ingredients (makes 10 servings):
-Bag of Orzo Pasta (found in the dry pasta aisle)
-5 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar (more/less to taste)
-7 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (more/less to taste)
-Vegetables (what I used-- a bag of spinach, can of black calamata olives, 3 tomatoes, 1 purple onion, and 2 cucumbers)
-Container of Feta Cheese
-Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder to taste

1.) Boil the orzo pasta according to directions.
2.) While the orzo pasta is boiling, cut the tomatoes, onion, olives, and cucumber into cubes.  Slice the spinach into shreds.
3.) When the orzo pasta is cooked, drain the water, and allow the pasta to cool down (approximately 15-20 minutes)
4.) When the orzo has cooled down a bit, mix it in with the veggies and feta cheese in a mixing bowl. 
5.) Add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Stir the mixture gently.
6.) Now cover the mixture with aluminum foil and cool in the fridge for at least 1 hr or overnight.

ENJOY!

Some optional items you can add to the Greek Orzo Pasta...
-Adding a variety of veggies such as red peppers, green peppers, sun dried tomatoes, green olives, etc
-Adding protein to make it a complete meal (grilled shrimp and grilled chicken go wonderfully with this dish)