Thai Chicken Pizza, an inspired choice!

A pizza crust is a blank canvas with plenty of possibilities and I like to sneak veggies onto my blank pizza canvas.  Thai Chicken Pizza is one of my husband's top meal requests---even with shredded carrots in plain sight!

The use of a commercial peanut sauce makes this a very easy and non-intimidating meal.  Someday, I'd like to create my own peanut sauce from scratch as the sodium level in most prepared sauces is higher than necessary, but the concoctions I've created haven't tasted nearly as good as House of Tsang's.  I did find this recipe for spicy peanut sauce over at anoregoncottage.com if you would like to try making it yourself.  

This recipe for whole grain pizza dough makes enough for two pizzas.  We only eat one pizza in our house, leaving enough dough for a quick follow up meal.  I either pre-bake the plain crust and freeze it, or if I am feeling extra ambitious, I make calzones or mini pizzas for lunch later in the week or just to keep in the freezer.

Recipe for Whole Grain Pizza Dough:

1 1/2 tsp Raw Honey

1 1/4 cups Warm Water

1 tbsp Active Dry Yeast

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp Salt

1 1/2 cups All-purpose Flour

2 1/2 cups Whole Grain Flour (Mixture of Whole Wheat flour, Oat flour, and Brown Rice Flour)

Directions:

Dissolve yeast in water.  Add salt, oil, and honey and let sit for about 5 minutes for yeast to dissolve.  Add flours and knead until smooth, adding a little flour if too sticky.  

Spray large bowl with non-stick cooking spray.  Put dough into bowl and roll in oil.  Cover and let rise until dough doubles in size (about 2 hours).  I put mine in the oven (turned off) to keep it out of drafts.

I like to pre-bake the crust at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes before piling on the toppings.

I have worked on the ratios of whole grain flour to all purpose flour and find that if I add any more whole grain flour than what I have posted, the pizza gets pretty dry.  You may choose to simply substitute whole wheat flour for the whole grain flour in the same ratio.

Now to paint that blank pizza canvas!  For Thai Chicken Pizza, I start with about 1/2 cup House of Tsang Bangkok Peanut Sauce.  It is a bit spicy, but my kids tolerate it in this amount and the dough absorbs some of the heat.

My favorite toppings for this pizza are

Green onions

Shredded Carrots

Red Bell Pepper

Cilantro

You may also try fresh mushrooms.  I tried bean sprouts once, but it was too weird for my taste.

Pizza is a great dish to cut down on meat consumption as well, I easily satisfy a family of four's desire for meat with just 4-6 oz of cooked chicken.  I season the chicken with garlic powder and onion powder as I cook it.  

I top off this pizza masterpiece with part skim mozzarella which doesn't melt as well as the full fat stuff, but allows me to eat three pieces instead of two.  I have found that both the crust and the cheese are much tastier if the pizza isn't overcooked, so watch closely the last few minutes of baking so you can take the pizza out of the oven at the prime moment just when the cheese starts to brown, usually about 12 minutes at 400 degrees in my oven.

I cut the pizza into 12 slices.  I used to do eight, but I find that my brain is more satisfied after three small pieces than after two large pieces.  

Traditionally Americans drink soda with their pizza.  I think there is something about pizza's savory taste that goes well with contrasting sweetness.  Pizza and pop was a hard habit for me to break, but now I drink water and enjoy fresh fruit as my sweet side.  Grapes or oranges are my favorite with pizza.  No empty calories for this pizza lover!

Even with my healthy substitutions, this dinner comes in higher than most of Kitchy Mama's Meals, but with the following meal plan, you can enjoy Thai Chicken Pizza on a 1600 Calorie Diet.

Breakfast- 369 Calories

Cinnamon Apples

1 cup Yogurt

2 Tbsp Pecans

Snack- 130 Calories

1/3 cup Banana Chips

Lunch- 414 Calories

Veggie Gyros (1 1/2 sandwiches!)

1 cup Red Grapes

Snack- 117 Calories

13 Almonds

Dinner- 587 Calories

3 slices Thai Chicken Pizza

Clementine Orange

Total Calories = 1614

Behind the scenes at Kitchy Mama Meals, I am working to improve navigation by including a meal plan index and recipe index of all the meal plans and recipes posted on Kitchy Mama Meals.  I am also working on full week meal plans with printable grocery lists and more.  I'd love to hear your meal planning tips, so I can include your strategies in my meal plans!  

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Restaurant Quality Stuffed Chicken Dinner just 500 Calories

Having a meal plan saved our dinner tonight!  I've been working on improving my photography skills for this blog and became engrossed in reading a photography book and playing with my camera and before I knew it, it was not only time to start dinner, but time for dinner to be on the table!  With church activities in a little over an hour I was SO happy to have a plan!

Feta, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh spinach stuffed inside Chicken breasts may seem like a complicated meal, but this dinner was on the table in a little over 30 minutes.  The prep time was minimal and the result was "restaurant quality" according to my husband.  Served with a side of sauteed spinach and orzo, this meal was filling, but less than 500 calories per serving.

Recipe for Spinach, Feta, and Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breasts:

Ingredients:
1 lb Chicken Breast
1/3 cup Reduced Fat Feta
1 cup Spinach
6 pieces Sun-dried Tomatoes
1/3 tsp Coarse Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

• Split chicken breasts lengthwise with knife about 3/4 of the way through. Use scissors to chop sun-dried tomatoes and spinach into bits. mix with feta cheese. Stuff chicken breasts with mixture and place in baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
• Mix salt and pepper with garlic powder and sprinkle over chicken. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
• My chicken breasts were large so I only used two for four servings. I cut the chicken in half after baking it so the filling wouldn't fall out as easily.

Recipe for Sauteed Spinach and Orzo:

Ingredients:
1 cup Orzo, Dry
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup Onions
3 cloves Garlic Clove
1 tbsp Mrs.Dash Garlic & Herb Seasoning
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
4 cups Spinach

Directions:

• Cook orzo according to package directions and drain.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in non-stick skillet. saute finely chopped onions and minced garlic in oil until tender. add Mrs. Dash, salt, and pepper
• Wash spinach and drain, leaving leaves slightly wet. add to oil and cook 2-3 minutes until wilted. 
• Stir in orzo and serve.

I have a 1600 calorie meal plan to go with this great dinner that includes one of my guilty pleasures....chocolate cake donuts with icing.  I know they aren't healthy, but I love them and I keep finding them in the reduced bake items at the store.  So I thought I better figure out a way to fit them into an otherwise fairly healthy diet or give them up.  Here's what I came up with.

Breakfast- 482 Calories

1 Chocolate Cake Donut

1/2 banana, sliced

1 cup peanut butter and yogurt

Snack- 192 Calories

Pear

4 Cracked Black Pepper and Olive Oil Triscuits

Lunch- 348 Calories

Strawberry Pecan Spinach Salad

Lemon Poppyseed Salad

Pita Bread

Snack- 120 Calories

Fat Free Refried Beans and a Corn Tortilla

Dinner- 395 Calories

Spinach, Feta, and Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Sauteed Spinach and Orzo

Total Calories = 1537

So, I made my confession about chocolate cake donuts.  How do you fit splurges into your diet?

Love to hear your comments!

Also, don't forget---if you like what you see here at Kitchy Mama Meals you can subscribe or "like" this blog on facebook.

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Coconut Curry Chicken with Quinoa

I've been wanting to experiment with coconut milk and quinoa for a while, but just hadn't gotten around to it.  Honestly, I love both foods so much that I was afraid of creating a flop and ruining my taste for them, but this mild flavored Coconut Curry Quinoa with Chicken was a hit with the family!

Coconut Chicken Curry with Quinoa

Here's some pictures of my daughter who literally picked up her bowl and licked it clean--twice!  I was surprised because sometimes my more "exotic" type of meals don't go over spectacularly well with the kiddos, but I couldn't get her to stop eating this.  I think it was mild enough for their tastes---at other times I tend to go a little overboard on the spices because I like things hot!

We have been in a bit of a budget crunch lately with the rising gas and food prices, so I opted to use a bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables for my recipe.  I would normally prefer to chop my own choice of fresh vegetables, but this more economic version tasted good and even had pieces of baby corn which my three-year-old finds fascinating and delectable!  Our package of stir fry vegetables had broccoli, carrots, water chestnuts, red bell pepper, Italian green beans and of course, the baby corn.

Here's the recipe for Coconut Curry Chicken with Quinoa:

Ingredients

For the Quinoa:

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups Vegetable Broth

For the Curry

1 tbsp Coconut Oil

2 cloves Garlic Clove

1 tbsp Cumin Seed

1 cup Onions

8 oz Chicken Breast

1 lb Deluxe Stir Fry Vegetables

2 tsp Mild Curry Powder

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/4 tsp Pepper, Black

1/4 tsp Kosher Salt

1 tbsp Red Curry Paste (mild)

2 tsp Brown Sugar

15 oz Coconut Milk

Directions:

• Cook quinoa according to package directions substituting vegetable broth for water.
• Heat coconut oil in large skillet. add finely chopped onions, minced garlic, and cumin seed. cook 2-3 minutes. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes. Add vegetables, curry paste, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and curry powder. Stir until spices and curry paste are fully mixed into vegetables. 
• Mix brown sugar with coconut milk and add to pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover letting simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.

At only 385 calories per serving, this coconut chicken curry with quinoa easily fits into a 1600 calorie healthy meal plan.  

Here are Kitchy Mama's suggestions for the rest of your day:

Breakfast:463 Calories

2 Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins

String Cheese

Snack- 185 Calories

Apple slices with natural peanut butter

Lunch- 314 Calories

6 slices Homemade Bruchetta with 

slices of Grilled Chicken

Snack- 170 Calories

Tall non-fat Chai Latte....can't wait for this treat!

Dinner- 483 Calories

Coconut Chicken Curry with Quinoa

Grapefruit and Bananas drizzled with honey (This is SO good!  To make it, simply scoop out the flesh of a grapefruit and mix it with slices of bananas and drizzle with a bit of honey for sweetness.)

Total Calories = 1615

So, our grocery budget is definitely feeling strained these days...I'm curious, what are you doing to save money at the grocery store?  How do you prioritize healthy food with cheaper food?  Love to hear your comments.

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Kid Approved: Swiss and Cheddar Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Swiss and Cheddar Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Like many others, our budget is feeling crunched these days and I am constantly on the lookout for cheap meal ideas. And while I am not even close to becoming a vegetarian, we have opted for more meatless meals as a way to save some cash at the grocery store.  

I found a great deal on cheese this week so I had cheddar and swiss on hand and decided to make macaroni and cheese.  I had to combine elbow pasta with shell pasta because I didn't have enough of either, but I just pretended I did it on purpose to be creative.

My daughter LOVES macaroni and cheese so we've been eating more of it lately.  The combination of cheeses in this macaroni and cheese recipe along with the seasonings make this version of mac and cheese sophisticated enough for the adult palate without alienating the children.  


Homemade Swiss and Cheddar Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe:
Ingredients:

8 oz Elbow Pasta (Whole Wheat or Whole Grain)

1/4 tsp Salt

2 tbsp light butter

1 tbsp Whole Wheat Flour

1 tbsp Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb

1 tbsp Onions

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1 1/4 cups Skim Milk

2/3 cup 2% Milk Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup Swiss Cheese

1/4 cup Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs

Directions:

• Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions.
• In saucepan, melt butter.  Finely chop onions and saute in butter for a couple of minutes. I find the key to a good roux is to not burn your butter.  Cook over medium heat--not too high. Add Garlic and Herb seasoning and pepper.  Slowly add in flour and whisk to until all flour is absorbed.  Pour in milk and whisk.  Bring to a slow boil and stir constantly until mixture begins to thicken.  Remove from heat.  Stir in shredded cheeses.
• Transfer drained noodles to baking dish.  Pour cheese sauce over noodles and stir so cheese covers all the noodles.  sprinkle with bread crumbs.
• Bake at 350 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.

We enjoyed a side salad with Italian dressing as a light side to go with this macaroni and cheese recipe.  Here's a 1600 calorie meatless meal plan that will help you save some calories and some cents at the grocery store.

Breakfast- 358 Calories

2 Whole grain and Oatmeal Waffles

Fresh Sliced Strawberries

Powdered Sugar

Snack- 129 Calories

1 Cup Fresh Pineapple

1/4 cup reduced fat Cottage Cheese

Lunch- 390 Calories

Brown rice couscous

Chipotle Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Vegetables (Alexia's)

Snack- 114 Calories

Indoor S'more

Dinner- 603 Calories

Swiss and Cheddar Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Side Salad with Italian Dressing

Total Calories = 1595

If you are looking for more "Kid Approved Meals," check out this ebook full of 13 Weeks of Breakfast & Lunch Menus that are Kid-Tested & Mom Approved, with Categorized Grocery Shopping Lists Accompanying Each Menu. Perfect for Homeschool Families, Stay At Home Moms, and Daycare Providers.  If you have small children like me and are stuck in the peanut butter and jelly rut, this could be the perfect resource--especially with summer on its way!  Here's the link once again: Kid Approved Meals.

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You Can't Make This Stuff Up- Today's Garden Adventure

I have wanted to have a garden for a long time, but we have only had a house with a yard for the last couple of years and our yard has a lot of shade, so it has taken me a while to figure out where I can plant things so they get enough sunshine.

I love the idea of gardening, we had a garden growing up and I weeded it laboriously for years, but I have never planned a garden or been responsible for planting, growing, etc.  I have started a few herb gardens from seeds, but they seem to dry up and die on me shortly after sprouting.

The bottom line....I may be better at killing things than growing things, but nevertheless I am determined to have a reasonably sized patio garden this summer.

Today's gardening task was to simply go out to the transfer station and get some dirt to fill some containers.  It should have taken about 10-15 minutes tops.  Instead, here is what happened.

I drove to the transfer station with my two kids safely buckled in their car seats...so far, so good.  I drove around looking for this elusive dirt with a sinking feeling that I had no idea where to go....how can it be hard to find dirt?  I find what I think to be a good pile and set about my task.

I get on my gloves and get out of the van and go around to open the hatch to get my shovel and bucket.  It's locked...so I head back to unlock it.  The van is locked, the kids are inside, and the car is running.  Have you ever tried to convince a 3-year-old to get out of his carseat to unlock a door?  It's a REALLY windy day in Kansas and I am outside next to piles of yard waste and dirt.  Phone is in the van, keys are in the van, kids are in the van, shovel is in the van, bucket is in the van...you get the point.

Embarrassed, I see a fellow yard worker and ask to borrow his cell phone so my husband can come bail me out of my predicament.  Grrrr......Husband comes and lets  me in the van.  My son has peed himself cause he was stuck in the van.  Oh well.  I start to get to work and realize the pile I thought was dirt is really mulch....really Leah....are you that dense!  YUP!

I finally find a dirt pile that's kind of hard to get to and start digging.  Then the guy running the wood chipper came over and told me I was using the wrong dirt and pointed me to the compost pile.  great...now more witnesses of my idiocy.

So, I drive over to the compost pile and start digging...again.  On my second trip my bucket literally blows away and I have to chase it into a field.  I manage to get my dirt and head for home.  I must have been muttering because my son keeps saying..."This is terrible....we're having a terrible time."  I gotta learn that three year olds repeat EVERYTHING!

Anyway, my garden adventure may prove that Kitchy Mama should stick to familiar territory and keep cooking, but I'm not giving up yet.  I'll keep you posted.





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As Healthy as Possible....Blueberry Coffee Cake Recipe

This blueberry coffee cake recipe has been somewhat "healthified."   The whole grain flour, coconut oil, and real fruit are an improvement over white flour, shortening, and no fruit, so you can indulge without too much guilt!  I also try to indulge wisely by controlling portion sizes and filling up on healthier choices that pack a protein punch such as yogurt or scrambled eggs.

This is a great brunch recipe since it takes 45 minutes to bake....too long for my routine breakfast requirements, but we are on spring break this week and I had time to make this blueberry coffee cake the night before so it was ready to heat and serve when the kids got up (much too early for me to really be on vacation by the way!)  Moist and nearly overflowing with blueberries, this coffee cake will sweeten your morning!

Whole Grain Blueberry Coffeecake Recipe:
Ingredients:

2 Cups Whole Grain Flour

1/4 cup Coconut Oil

3/4 cup Skim Milk

1 egg

1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

3/4 cup Sugar

1/4 tsp Salt

2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

2 cups Blueberries

Topping

1 tsp Cinnamon Ground

2 tbsp Sugars, Brown

1 tbsp All-purpose Flour

2 tbsp light butter

Directions:

• Using a pastry blender, cut coconut oil into flour getting as many lumps out as you can.   Add baking powder and salt and stir until combined.  In a separate bowl lightly beat egg and combine with milk and vanilla.  Pour into flour mixture and stir--batter will be thick.  Carefully fold in blueberries.
• Spray a fluted pan with non-stick cooking spray and transfer batter to pan.
• Mix cinnamon, brown sugar and flour together and sprinkle over batter.  Finally, melt butter and drizzle over topping.  
• Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes then flip onto a plate.  Place another plate over the coffeecake and flip again so that coffeecake is topping side up.   
• Cut into 8 slices for a generous serving.

Enjoy this coffeecake as part of a 1600 Calorie Meal Plan:

Breakfast- 370 Calories

Whole Grain Blueberry Coffeecake

2-3 Scrambled Egg Whites

Snack- 135 Calories

1 Mango

Lunch- 384 Calories

Tuna Pita Melt with Swiss Cheese

Tomato Slices

Garden Salsa Sun Chips

Snack- 62 Calories

2 cups Air Popped Popcorn

Dinner- 586 Calories

Mushroom Pork Chops

Mashed Potatoes

Spring Salad Greens with Mandarin Oranges, Feta, and Pecans

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