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About Kirby's Healthy Cooking


Welcome! My name is Kirby Miller and I am a home chef, self taught cook, lover of reading food blogs and cookbooks, teacher of in home healthy cooking classes, and a writer of my own healthy recipes. Along with this I am also a wife to a wonderful husband, a mom of two dogs, and a Kindergarten teacher!


Friday, March 30, 2012

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches


BBQ Chicken Sandwiches




Ingredients:

Ingredients (per sandwich):
1 chicken breast  
1 cup BBQ Sauce 
2 slices pepper jack cheese  
1 hamburger bun  


Defrost and marinate the chicken with the BBQ Sauce. 



Cook in oven at 325 for 22 minutes (or cooked all the way through).

Layer the cheese slices on top of the chicken. Return to oven for 2 minutes.




 Cook the bacon on a skillet until crispy. About 3-4 minutes. Toast the hamburger bun. Assemble the Sandwich with the chicken and cheese and top with bacon.



BBQ Chicken Sandwiches


Ingredients (per sandwich):
1 chicken breast  
1 cup BBQ Sauce 
2 slices pepper jack cheese  
1 hamburger bun  

Directions:
Defrost and marinate the chicken with the BBQ Sauce.

Cook in oven at 325 for 22 minutes (or cooked all the way through).

Layer the cheese slices on top of the chicken. Return to oven for 2 minutes.

 Cook the bacon on a skillet until crispy. About 3-4 minutes. Toast the hamburger bun. Assemble the Sandwich with the chicken and cheese and top with bacon.

Greek Pita Pizza


Greek Pita Pizzas


Ingredients:

Pita Bread:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves - minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parlsey
3 pita breads

Toppings:
3 tablespoons pesto sauce
1 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup feta cheese
1 chicken breast
1 tomato
1/4 cup chick peas
1 tablespoon dried oregano







Coat the chicken in olive oil and oregano. Cook on the George Forman grill for 5 minutes or until done. Cut into slices.
 Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Sate the garlic for 1 minute. Then add the parsley.



Spread the olive oil mixture over the pita breads. Heat pita bread in 400 degree oven for 5 minutes.




Saute the tomatoes for 30 seconds and then add the chickpeas until heated.


 Layer the pita bread with your choice of toppings. I did pesto, chick peas, tomatoes, and the cheeses for mine. Mike's have grilled chicken, pesto, and cheese. 

Turn the oven to broil and put the pizzas back in for 4 minutes (until cheese is melted and the pita bread is crispy). Take out and enjoy!





Greek Pita Pizzas

Servings: 2 
Ingredients:
Pita Bread:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves - minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parlsey
3 pita breads

Toppings:
3 tablespoons pesto sauce
1 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup feta cheese
1 chicken breast
1 tomato
1/4 cup chick peas
1 tablespoon dried oregano

Coat the chicken in olive oil and oregano. Cook on the George Forman grill for 5 minutes or until done. Cut into slices.
 Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Sate the garlic for 1 minute. Then add the parsley.


Spread the olive oil mixture over the pita breads. Heat pita bread in 400 degree oven for 5 minutes.

 Saute the tomatoes for 30 seconds and then add the chickpeas until heated.


 Layer the pita bread with your choice of toppings. I did pesto, chick peas, tomatoes, and the cheeses for mine. Mike's have grilled chicken, pesto, and cheese.
Turn the oven to broil and put the pizzas back in for 4 minutes (until cheese is melted and the pita bread is crispy). Take out and enjoy!


Thursday, March 29, 2012

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

These are a great party appetizer and will be sure to make any man happy! (Warning- these aren't the healthiest things in the world!)
These were part of our "appetizer party" last weekend.


Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

Ingredients:
½ lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
4 slices pepper jack cheese
4 slices thick turkey bacon
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350

Slice each slice of bacon into 3 slices. Slice each slice of cheese into 4 and fold in half.

Put a slice of cheese on top of each shrimp. Wrap a sliver of bacon around each shrimp and cheese.

Spray a cookie sheet with canola oil. Cook Shrimps for 20 minutes. Flipping over at 10 minutes.

Heat a skillet with cooking spray on medium heat. Place each bacon wrapped shrimp on the skillet. Turn after about two minutes to cook the bacon through on each side.

Vegetarian Sloppy Joes



I don't really have a good picture for these because I didn't think about taking one until after we ate them... So here is a picture of the leftovers getting packed for Mike's lunch. This is the sloppy joe mixture - serve on a toasted hamburger bun. It is a very easy weeknight meal, only takes about 20 minutes to make! : )

 
Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:
2 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
1 ½ tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon bbq sauce
onion powder – dash
salt and pepper
1 cup mushrooms, washed and stems removed
¾ cup carrots
1 ½ cup Morningstar farms veggie crumbles
1 tablespoon oiive oil
hamburger buns

Directions:
 In a food processor, pulse the mushrooms and carrots.
Heat a large sauce pan on the stove. Add ½ cup water, olive oil, mushrooms and carrots. Heat on medium for 5 minutes.
Add veggie crumbles. Stir in pan for 4 minutes.
Toast buns and top with sloppy joe mixture. Enjoy!!

Spinach Fettucini with Kale Pesto and Veggies



Ingredients for Kale pesto sauce:
½ bunch kale, washed and chopped – big stems removed  
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup white wine
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
2 tablespoons milk

Ingredients for Roasted Tomatoes:
10-12 cherry or grape tomatoes
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste


Ingredients for sauted vegetables:
Use any veggie you have on hand. I used mushrooms and zuchinni.

½ box of fettucini noodles
 
Directions:

Roast Tomatoes:
In an oven safe dish drizzle tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast them on 275 for about 35 minutes.


To make the pesto cream sauce:
Chop the garlic in the food processor.
Steam kale in large pot with ½ cup water. On medium, cover, and stir occasionally
For about 4 minutes.  Drain and add to food processor.
Add lemon juice and pulse. Add olive oil and pulse until smooth. Add white wine and pulse a few more times.

In a skillet on low melt butter. Stir in the flour for two minutes. Add milk and stir for one minute. Add half of the kale pesto sauce and cook on low for 7 minutes- stirring constantly.


 Boil the noodles, drain, and rinse. Return to pot.


Spray a pan with cooking spray. Heat on medium heat and add veggies, salt, and pepper. Saute the vegetables on the stove for about 5 minutes or until tender.

Mix all the ingredients together and top with shredded parmesan cheese. Enjoy your yummy pasta!! 






Spinach Fettucini with Kale Pesto and Veggies

Ingredients for Kale pesto sauce:
½ bunch kale, washed and chopped – big stems removed  
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup white wine
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
2 tablespoons milk

Ingredients for Roasted Tomatoes:
10-12 cherry or grape tomatoes
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste


Ingredients for sauted vegetables:
Use any veggie you have on hand. I used mushrooms and zuchinni.

½ box of fettucini noodles


Directions:

Roast Tomatoes:
In an oven safe dish drizzle tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast them on 275 for about 35 minutes.


To make the pesto cream sauce:
Chop the garlic in the food processor.
Steam kale in large pot with ½ cup water. On medium, cover, and stir occasionally
For about 4 minutes.  Drain and add to food processor.
Add lemon juice and pulse. Add olive oil and pulse until smooth. Add white wine and pulse a few more times.

In a skillet on low melt butter. Stir in the flour for two minutes. Add milk and stir for one minute. Add half of the kale pesto sauce and cook on low for 7 minutes- stirring constantly.


 Boil the noodles, drain, and rinse. Return to pot.


Spray a pan with cooking spray. Heat on medium heat and add veggies, salt, and pepper. Saute the vegetables on the stove for about 5 minutes or until tender.

Mix all the ingredients together and top with shredded parmesan cheese.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Pizza Mushrooms


Mike and I went to downtown Bryan two weekends ago as a part of our one year wedding anniversary celebration. We went to Messina Hof winery and Cafe Capri for dinner (where we got engaged : )) We had a great time! We went to the antique store while we were there and I found some really pretty china appetizer/dessert plates. 



So obviously I was dying to use them!! We had an "appetizer party" last Saturday night which consisted of bacon wrapped shrimp (recipe to come!), pizza mushrooms, roasted garlic hummus, carrots and pita bread for dipping, Zucchini Chips with ranch dressing, and wine of course. 



Here is the recipe for the Pizza Mushrooms!


Pizza Mushrooms

Ingredients:
1 container white mushrooms
1/3 cup tomato basil marinara sauce
3 tablespoons reduced fat crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon chopped flat italian parsley
drizzle of olive oil
sprinkle of salt

Heat oven to broil

Wash and de-stem mushrooms.

Place in baking dish open side down. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Broil in oven for 3 minutes.

Take out of oven and turn mushrooms over. Fill with marinara sauce, cheese, and parsley. Heat in oven for 4-5 minutes. Serve warm. Goes great with ranch dressing!


Zucchini Chips

These are an awesome appetizer and they are healthy! Your dinner guests will be amazed! Serve warm from the oven with ranch dressing or marinara sauce.

Zucchini Chips

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups sliced zucchini (about 2 small zucchinis)
¼ cup Homemade bread crumbs – 2 slices wheat or whole grain bread, chop in food processor, cook low on skillet stirring occasionally until hard (about 8 minutes)
heaping ½ cup Whole wheat flour
1 cup cold Low fat milk
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tsp vinegar
¼ cup Finely grated parmesan cheese  

Directions:
-       Preheat oven to 425 degrees
-       In a medium bowl combine breadcrumbs, cheese, and black pepper - stir
-       In a separate bowl combine flour, milk and vinegar – stir
-       Spray baking sheet with cooking spray
-       Dip zucchini slices in flour mixture and then dredge in breadcrumb mixture
-       Place coated zucchini slices on a baking sheet and bake for 20-24 minutes

Italian Chicken

This is a really easy weeknight chicken and can be served with any veggies/ pasta combination. I buy the frozen chicken strips from HEB and defrost them in room temperature water for about 8 minutes. So simple! Marinate the chicken in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before cooking and you will get a great flavor! This is what I served with the Creamy Kale Pesto Barley Salad with Roasted Tomatoes.


Italian Chicken

Ingredients:
1 chicken breast or 2 chicken tenders
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
½ tablespoon dried or fresh oregano
½ tablspoon dried or fresh basil

Marinate chicken with all the ingredients.

Heat olive oil in skillet on medium heat. Put chicken in skillet. Flip every 4 minutes. Cook for about 12 minutes. Cut in the middle to make sure the chicken is not pink. If it is cook for about 1 more minute.

Creamy Kale Pesto Barley Salad with Roasted Tomatoes




Ingredients for Kale pesto sauce:
½ bunch kale, washed and chopped – big stems removed  
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup white wine
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
2 tablespoons milk

Ingredients for Roasted Tomatoes:
10-12 cherry or grape tomatoes
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for Barley:
¾ cup barley
1 and ½ cup water

Ingredients for kale salad:
½ bunch kale, washed and chopped – big stems removed
½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook Barley:
In large pot boil the water and barley. Cover and simmer for 35 minutes.

Roast Tomatoes:
In an oven safe dish drizzle tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast them on 275 for about 35 minutes.


To make the pesto cream sauce:
Chop the garlic in the food processor.
Steam kale in large pot with ½ cup water. On medium, cover, and stir occasionally
For about 4 minutes.  Drain and add to food processor.
Add lemon juice and pulse. Add olive oil and pulse until smooth. Add white wine and pulse a few more times.

In a skillet on low melt butter. Stir in the flour for two minutes. Add milk and stir for one minute. Add half of the kale pesto sauce and cook on low for 7 minutes- stirring constantly. Mix the sauce into the barley

Steam the rest of the kale and drain.

To assemble the salad:
Lay a bed of the steamed kale then the barley and pesto cream sauce. Top with tomatoes and grated parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy!