I Got Stew, Babe-Chicken stew with balsamic roasted vegetables-Looneyspoons Cookbook

4 C unpeeled, cubed red potatoes
2 C whole baby carrots
1 C chopped red onions
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme, divided
1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, divided
1 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 C sliced green beans
1/2 C dry white wine (I used chicken broth)
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 C reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 T all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
*I also used a large container of sliced mushrooms and a small package of cubed, butternut squash.  

Spray a large roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Add potatoes, carrots, onions, squash, mushrooms, vinegar,  oil, garlic, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp rosemary, tarragon, salt and pepper. Mix well. (I added all of these ingredients into a large mixing bowl, mixed well and then put them on a large cookie sheet, sprayed with non-stick spray.)  Roast, uncovered, at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, stir once halfway through cooking time.  Add green beans and roast for 10 more minutes.
Meanwhile, pour wine into a large pot.  Add remaining 1/2 tsp thyme and 1/2 tsp rosemary.  Bring to a boil.  Add chicken pieces and reduce heat to medium-high.  Cook, uncovered, until  chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes.

Add roasted vegetables to chicken and wine.  Stir in 2 1/2 C broth.  In a small bowl, whisk together flour with remaining 1/2 C broth until lump free.  Add flour mixture to chicken and vegetables.  Cook until stew is bubbly and has thickened, about 3 minutes.  Serve hot.  This was so good and really easy!  I served it with multi-grain, saltine crackers. 

Much Ado About Mushrooms-Marinated, grilled portobello mushroom fajitas-Looneyspoons Cookbook

1/2 C light balsamic vinaigrette dressing
2 T steak spice rub (I used McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Marinade)
1/2 tsp each ground cumin, chili powder and dried oregano
4 large portobello mushrooms
1 T olive oil
1 large red onion, sliced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 T each freshly squeezed lime juice and minced fresh cilantro
8   7-inch whole-grain flour tortillas

Fajita fixin's: light sour cream, salsa, chopped lettuce, shredded light cheese, guacamole.

To make marinade, combine dressing, steak rub, cumin, chili powder and oregano in a small bowl.  Using pastry brush, coat both sides of mushrooms with marinade. I went ahead and sliced the mushrooms before adding marinade.  Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Grill mushrooms for about 3 minutes per side, until tender with nice grill marks.  I browned these in a skillet sprayed with non-stick spray and it worked well.  After mushrooms are done, set aside and wrap with foil to keep warm.

Heat olive oil in a large, non-stick wok or skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion slices and peppers.  Cook and stir until vegetables are tender crisp, about 5 minutes.  I also added cubed butternut squash to the veggies.  Add lime juice, cilantro and mushrooms.  Stir gently and cook just until mushrooms are hot.  While my veggies were cooking, I coated a skillet with olive oil and added some minced garlic.  I then added purple cabbage, mixed greens and kale.  Cooked until wilted.  I topped the fajitas with the mushroom mixture, garbanzo beans, greens, fat free sour cream, salsa and avocado.  Easy recipe and tasted really good.

    

Huffington Post!!

I recently sent our weight loss success story to the Huffington Post.  I received an email back within a couple of days and was told that they wanted to share our story on Valentine's Day since Eddie and I helped each other out along the way...=) 

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/i-lost-weight-lori-ed-olson_n_2585619.html?utm_hp_ref=health-and-fitness&ir=Health%20and%20Fitness#comments

Copy and paste link in new window to view.