Lemony Pasta with Goat Cheese and Spinach

This is another recipe from Everyday Foods that I really liked. I ended up using pinenuts instead of walnuts since that is what I had on hand but I still loved it for lunch all week long! It was also super fast to make, so great for a busy night.

Ingredients:
Salt and pepper
3/4 pound spaghettini or spaghetti (I used gluten-free spaghetti)
4 ounces fresh goat cheese
10 ounces baby spinach (10 cups)
3 cups fresh parsley, chopped
2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Directions:
1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups pasta water, then drain.
2. In pot, stir together goat cheese and 1 cup pasta water over medium. Add pasta, spinach, parsley, cilantro, lemon zest and juice, and more pasta water if necessary to create a light sauce that coats pasta; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve.

Chicken with Mushrooms

This is another recipe found in Everyday Food that looked good and easy. You definitely need to love mushrooms to love this dish, but I do :-)! I wish I would have pounded the chicken to thin it a bit and help it cook faster but overall I thought it was good. We served ours over rice.

Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used cornstarch)
1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 pound button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley


Directions
1. Place flour in a shallow dish. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then coat with flour, shaking off excess.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. In batches, cook chicken until browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
3. Reduce heat to medium, add thyme, mushrooms, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and cook until softened, 6 minutes.
4. Add wine and broth and cook, stirring, until reduced by half, 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return chicken to pan along with any accumulated juices; top with parsley.

serves 4. per serv: 375 cal, 17g fat, 41g protein, 13g carb, 1g fiber

Spicy Chorizo Corn Chowder

This recipe was in a recent of Shape magazine and looked too good not to try. I subbed a chipotle chicken sausage for the chorizo and halved the corn for mine but really loved it! I love making something like this early in the week so I have yummy leftovers for lunch later on.

Ingredients:
1 med poblano pepper
1 T olive oil
1 link chorizo, diced (used chipotle chicken sausage)
1 med onion, diced
1 celery rib, diced
1 1-lb bag frozen corn, defrosted (used 10oz bag)
1/2 t ground allspice
1 bay leaf
1 med tomato, diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 t chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 12-oz can FF evaporated milk
1 c low sodium chicken stock
2 T chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. If you have a gas range, place poblano pepper directly on a burner grate over a medium flame. Turn with tongs until skin is blistered on all sides, wrap in foil, and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes until cool enough to handle. Scrape off the ski with your fingers, then seed, dice, and set aside. Alternatively, cute pepper in half lengthwise, remove seeds and stem, place skin-side up on a broiler pan, and heat on high until completely charred; rap in foil and proceed as above.
2. Heat oil in a large heavy-bottom pot over medium. Add chorizo and cook for 5 minutes or until browned and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl or plate and set aside.
3. Add onion and celery to pot and cook for 5 minutes or until soft, making sure to scrape up and mix in any brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
4. Meanwhile, put corn in a food processor and pulse 4 times or until half the kernels are chopped.
5. Add corn, allspice, and bay leaf to onion and celery mixture. cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. Add tomato and potato and cook for 3 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add thyme, evaporated milk, and stock; mix to combine. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Mix in additional stock or water if soup seems too thick.
6. Stir in chorizo and poblano pepper; cook until heated through. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Add parsley and salt and pepper to taste; divide among four bowls and serve immediately.

serves 4. 366 calories, 11g fat, 53 carbs, 17g protein, 5g fiber, 281mg calcium, 2 mg iron, 371mg sodium