Southwestern Chicken Spring Rolls

It's certainly taken me long enough to post this, let alone anything else. My pictures were ready to go last week, but finding the time to sit down and blog was harder to come by. In time, blogging will become a part of my regular routine. First off, thank you so much to everyone who commented on my last post. I was apprehensive about mentioning my lover's TBI and its impact on our life because of how serious the matter is, but your kind words greatly eased my mind. So thank you, again, for taking the time to send your love and encouragement. 

Now for the delicious part of this post. I shared a picture of my lunch on Instagram recently and promised to share the recipe. So without further ado, here it is:

 These are a fantastic little snack, appetizer, or even great for lunch or dinner. I love to serve them with an assortment of fresh veggies, which are yum-yum-delish with the dip. Another great thing about this recipe is they freeze well. Matter of fact, I actually prefer them after they've been frozen. I flash freeze the rolls immediately after wrapping them, and then place them in a freezer bag. Talk about having a fantastic homemade snack on hand that is much healthier than your typical frozen meals/snacks. Nutrition for each roll based on this recipe yielding 26 rolls is 73 calories, 1.4g fat, 8.5g carbs, 6.7g protein.

The ingredients you will need are:

1 package spring roll wrappers

1/4 cup water for sealing

Filling:

12 oz. chicken breast, shredded

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 cup corn, frozen or fresh

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

2 large green onions, diced

2 large green chiles, diced with seeds removed

2 jalapenos, diced with seeds removed

1/2 large red bell pepper, diced

1-1/2 shredded cheese

handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

A quick note about ingredients. This recipe works great with substitutions. Use what you have. If you have organic and fresh ingredients available use those. If not, no worries. Frozen corn and spinach can be used. If you don't have fresh peppers on hand, pickled jalapenos (that's what I used this time) and canned green chiles will work just as well. For the cheese I used Kraft 2% Mexican blend, but any variety of your liking will work. The wrappers I used were found in the freezer section of my commissary, and the brand was Orientex. For the chicken I simply prepped it in my dutch oven with stock, peppers, and onion until it was tender enough to shred. If you have a rotisserie chicken available, you can use that, too. I would have used more chicken, but that's the biggest package that was available at the store, so feel free to add in more protein...you'll be able to make even more rolls!

Back to the recipe...once you have all your ingredients chopped and prepped, combine all the filling ingredients in the bowl as pictured, sprinkling the seasoning on top, then give it a good whirl to combine the ingredients thoroughly.

Now for some reason I nearly forget to add the cheese EVERY single time I make these. It happened again as I was making them for this very post! Why I do this? I have no idea, but trust me you're gonna want to add the cheese. So before you move on make sure you add the cheese!!

Mixing all the ingredients together was the quick part, assembling the rolls will take a bit longer. I usually have a little prep station to help me along. You'll need a small bowl of water for sealing the wrappers. I also place a damp paper towel over my stack of wrappers since I can be a tad slow when it comes to making the rolls in the beginning and I don't want them to dry out. Spoon about 1/3 cup (or less) of the filling into the bottom corner of the wrapper. Do not over fill because the wrappers will rip during prep and/or baking. Roll halfway, then tuck the left & right corners. Lightly line the top corner with water, and finish rolling making sure the spring roll is nicely sealed at the end. No matter how many times I use spring roll wrappers, my first 2 or 3 are usually a hot mess until I get into the swing of things again, so just take your time and they'll turn out great.

Once you've completed your rolls, place them about an inch apart on a baking sheet with a silpat mat or simply spray the sheet with a cooking spray of your choice. Pop them into the oven at approximately 400F (make sure it's preheated) for 20+ minutes until the edges become crispy and golden. The baking time may vary depending on the type of oven used. 

While those are baking away, it's time to make the spicy avocado ranch to dip them in. Do not skip the dip...you'll be missing out!

The ingredients you will need are:

6oz. no fat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp. dill, fresh or dried
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 TB. parsley, fresh
1/4 tsp. chili flakes
1/2 avocado, mashed
1 jalapeno, diced with seeds removed or 1-2 TB. pickled jalapeno
1 small red chile pepper, sliced
salt to taste (or creole seasoning if you're feeling zesty)

Combine all of the ingredients. Mix well and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes, if possible. The dip tastes great immediately after making it, but is even more amazing after allowing the flavors to blend for a bit. I tend to add extra peppers and chili flakes after the fact because we like things spicy in our house, so feel free to increase or decrease the seasonings to your liking.

If you try these out, please let me know how you like them. Hope you enjoy them!!

Delicious Turkey Burger Recipes

Part of Operation Fierce Bod (OFB) is about fueling your body with nutritious and delicious food. There's nothing worse than eating something that tastes terrible or boring. Your taste buds deserve better than that! Eating healthy is not about feeling tortured or deprived...it's about enjoying flavorful combinations in a well-balanced diet. I've been playing around in the kitchen, once again, and this week I put together two new turkey burger recipes: Meatloaf Turkey Burgers and Sun-dried Tomato, Basil, & Feta Turkey Burgers. I have more to share in the future, but I only have photos for these two so far (everything looks better with photos!). These two are loaded with flavor, packed with protein, lean fat, & omega-3. Eating healthy never tasted so good!

Meatloaf Turkey Burgers

(makes 8 patties)

1 lb. 99% fat-free ground turkey breast

1/2 small onion, diced

1 - 1 1/2 stalks of celery, diced

1/3 green pepper, diced

2 mushrooms, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

5 Tablespoon ground flaxseed

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Nutrition facts per patty: 98.5 calories, 2.7g fat, 3.9g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 14.6g protein 

Sun-dried Tomato, Basil, & Feta Turkey Burgers

(makes 8 patties)

1 lb. 99% fat-free ground turkey breast

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup crumbled feta

1/4 cup onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1 teaspoon dry basil 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

dash of garlic powder

Nutrition facts per patty: 138 calories, 3.4g fat, 8g carbohydrates, 2.3g fiber, 17.3g protein

For both recipes, dice and chop all of the necessary ingredients. Then combine all ingredients from the recipe in a bowl, and mix until well blended. To make each patty, I mold the mixture into a rectangular shape. You can either use your bare hands (preferably washed) or a piece of saran wrap. I then cut the log into 8 equal pieces and form each piece into a round patty by hand. To cook, fire up your grill to 350-400 degrees F. It will take approximately 3-5 minutes on each side. Each grill varies, so keep a close eye on it to ensure you don't overcook or scorch the burgers. 

I like to keep these on hand for a quick lunch or snack option. I flash freeze the patties, then separate each layer with freezer paper, and place in a freezer-safe container. Pop the frozen patties in the microwave for 60-90 seconds and voila....you have a quick, delicious & healthy option for lunch, dinner, or a snack. I like to eat them with lots of alfalfa sprouts & a few tomato slices. They can be served on a bun of your choosing (I prefer sandwich thins), in a lettuce wrap, or chopped into pieces on a salad. These are sooo good...you have to try them...your taste buds will thank you...I PROMISE!!

Side note: other types of ground turkey may be used, but the calorie & fat content will increase. Also I prefer to use fresh basil, but was out, so that is also another substitution that can be made.

Reese's PB Cup Cookie Bars

Yesterday I had an unexpected opening in my day, so I decided to do one of my favorite things right now...bake sweet treats for my lover. I've been trying to send him homemade baked goods every week or two. I'm intent on mixing it up, rather than sticking with my fave chocolate chip cookies. If I only made those I would end of eating half the batch before I ever mailed them. I'm a sucker for chocolate chip cookies! And they certainly won't help me reach my OFB goals.

Digging through my arsenal of baking supplies, I decided this week I would go the peanut butter route. I should mention that I despise peanut butter since it gives me a headache. However, my lover, like most men, can't get enough of peanut butter, and I had a jar of peanut butter and bag of mini Reese's peanut butter cups that were taking up space in my kitchen. 

After playing around with a few ideas, I decided to make my version of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bar....thick & chewy, packed full of peanut butter flavor. I posted a pic of the final product on my Instagram, and as per the request of one of you fabulous chickadees, I've decided to share the recipe for any of you who might be interested.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars

2 1/8 cups of all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks of butter, melted & cooled for a few minutes

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy (or chunky if you're feeling wild!)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk

1 (8oz.) bag Reese's mini peanut butter cups, halved or left whole (YES, the whole bag! Don't skimp!)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Take a 13"x9" baking dish and line with parchment paper or foil leaving an over hang so that you can life the bars out upon completion. I prefer parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper/foil with cooking spray.

In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, & salt. Set aside. In a second bowl, combine the butter & sugars until smooth. Mix in peanut butter, followed by the vanilla, whole egg, then egg yolk. Make sure each ingredient is fully incorporated before adding the next ingredient. Add in the flour mixture. The batter will be thick. Finally fold in the Reese's PB cups. I tend to keep my Reese's frozen before mixing them in and use a rubber spatula to fold them in.

Transfer the batter into the prepped baking dish, using a spatula to evenly spread the batter to all sides & corners of the dish. Press a few remaining Reese's peanut butter cups into the top. Bake for 28-35 minutes, until golden brown on top. My oven is very temperamental, thus the varying baking time. Check at the 28 minute mark, and if the middle is too soft & it needs longer, check every 3 minutes keeping an eye on the edges...don't want to burn your delicious creation. 

Remove the pan from the oven and let cool completely before removing the bars. If you try lifting it out of the pan too soon, it will fold in half since the middle will still be semi-soft when you take it out of the oven. Cut into squares and serve. 

And there you have it! Easy peasy Reese's peanut butter cup cookie bars for all of you peanut butter lovers out there. If you decide to make these, I would love to hear about it! 

Happy baking!