My Eating Clean Journey

You are here: Home / Archives for OmniDrops

Cinco de Mayo Roundup with #Foodelicious – Spaghetti Squash Taco

Are you following the Omni Drops Program or another low-carb diet and wondering what you’re going to enjoy on Cinco de Mayo (May 5th)?  This recipe is phase 3 friendly.  I love Mexican food and have really missed eating it while following this plan.  Last week a friend of mine shared this recipe with me and I knew I had to make it.  If you haven’t tried Spaghetti Squash yet, you must.  I love it and it’s a great alternative to spaghetti or just any carb in general. In this dish I layer the spaghetti squash, taco meat, tomatoes, onions, peppers and pepperjack cheese.  Enjoy and please let me know if you make this and what your opinion was.  I love comments.  ðŸ™‚

Also, don’t forget to check out the other great Mexican inspired dishes below.

Spaghetti Squash Taco

Spaghetti Squash Taco
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with this Mexican inspired low-carb dish
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1 Spaghetti Squash
  2. 1lb Ground Beef
  3. 1 Tomato, diced
  4. 1/2 Onion, diced
  5. 1/2 cup, Pepperjack cheese, shredded
  6. Jalapeno pepper (or other type of pepper), diced
  7. 2T Taco Seasoning
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the spaghetti squash on a cookie sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for about 15 minutes or until it's cool enough to handle. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Using a fork, shred the squash into threads that look like spaghetti.
  2. Cook the ground beef in a pan until browned. Add in the taco seasoning and 1/4 cup of water. Mix well and remove from heat.
  3. Layer the squash, taco meat, tomatoes, onions, peppers and cheese. Top with Cilantro (optional)
My Eating Clean Journey http://www.myeatingcleanjourney.com/

cinco clip art

My #Foodelicious friends and I all got together to show you some other great Mexican dishes you can enjoy on Cinco de Mayo.  Be sure to jump along to and visit all of them.  Friend them on facebook, follow them on Pinterest or sign up for their newsletters to stay in touch with them and their other delicious recipes they share.

Beef Carnitas – Mooshu Jenne
Tequila Sunrise Jello Shots – I Love My Disorganized Life
Shrimp Stuffed Poblano Peppers – Little Family Adventures
Roasted Vegetable Chili – Foody Schmoody
Spaghetti Squash Taco – My Eating Clean Journey
Potato Tostadas – Lydia’s Flexitarian Kitchen

 

 

Spicy Orange Chicken

Today’s recipe is for a Spicy Orange Sauce that I serve with diced chicken but you could substitute a white fish, shrimp or even sliced beef for the chicken.

spicy orange chicken

 

Spicy Orange Sauce 

½ orange rolled and slightly juiced with rind

½ lemon slightly juiced with rind

½ cup water

1 tablespoon minced green onion

1 clove crushed garlic

¼ teaspoon ginger powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Pinch of orange and lemon zest

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Stevia to taste 

In a small saucepan add slightly juiced orange with rind and ½ lemon with rind to water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer adding water as needed. Simmer until the pulp comes out of the rinds. Scrape out the pulp and discard the rinds. Continue stirring and reducing down the liquid by half until desired consistency is reached. Add onion, stevia and spices. Add chicken, white fish or beef and sauté or pour spicy orange sauce over desired cooked protein. Serve with remaining orange slices for garnish.

I chose sauteed spinach as my side.  I love spicy food so I sprinkled some dried red peppers on my spinach.

Chicken Chili

chicken chili labeled

 

Chicken Chili
Serves 8
Phase 2 Omni Drops Program
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1 large can diced tomatoes (undrained) - look for organic with no added sugar or
  2. preservatives and low sodium (Can also use fresh tomatoes you stew yourself)
  3. 1/2 onion finely chopped
  4. 3-4 stalks celery, finely chopped (can use leaves if desired)
  5. 1 small can tomato paste - look for organic and no added sugar or preservatives
  6. (All the veggies together should add up to less than 2 pounds because the tomatoes
  7. are cooked)
  8. 2 lb ground cooked & drained chicken (phase 2) or turkey (phases 3&4) or even beef
  9. (2 pounds is the pre-cooked weight)
  10. 1/3 cup tex-mex spice - look for no added sugar, carbs, or preservatives
  11. Chili powder to taste
  12. 1 tsp garlic powder
  13. 1 tsp chili flakes
  14. 1 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
  1. Cook in slow-cooker, stirring occasionally on low for 6- 8 hours.
  2. Cool and then divide into 8 equal portions (approximately 7 ounces each).
  3. or
  4. Throw all ingredients into a pot and cook on the stove for 30 minutes.
Notes
  1. This freezes really well. Make ahead of time and use as a quick dinner or bring to work for your lunch.
My Eating Clean Journey http://www.myeatingcleanjourney.com/

 

Chicken Creole Gumbo #Phase3 #OmniDrops

Oh my goodness, this was so tasty and we’re looking forward to making it again when we hit phase 3 and have the ability to add in more vegetables.  Feel free to substitute the chicken for shrimp to make Shrimp Creole Gumbo.

chicken gumbo

 

Chicken Creole Gumbo
Phase 2 for Omni Drops Program. Can also use Shrimp instead of Chicken.
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 4oz shrimp or 4oz ground chicken
  2. Dash of onion powder
  3. Dash of garlic powder
  4. 1 tablespoon minced onion
  5. 1 clove of garlic crushed and minced
  6. Cayenne pepper to taste
  7. 2 cups vegetable broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup broth)
  8. Tomatoes chopped
  9. 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  10. 2 tablespoons green or white onion
  11. 2 cloves of garlic crushed and minced
  12. 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  13. Dash of Worcestershire sauce
  14. Cayenne pepper to taste
  15. Salt and pepper to taste
  16. Liquid smoke hickory smoke flavoring to taste
Instructions
  1. Mix the Dash of onion powder, Dash of garlic powder,1 tablespoon minced onion,1 clove of garlic crushed and minced, and the Cayenne pepper with the ground chicken. Cook the chicken in a pot; until cooked through. Add onions and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
  2. Add tomato paste, tomatoes, and broth. Mix well. Add the remaining spices and vinegar. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Serve hot and garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
  1. Phase 3 modifications: Add additional mixed protein ingredients like crab, chicken, and sausage. Add additional vegetables such as okra, celery, and bell pepper. Enjoy with a dollop of sour cream.
My Eating Clean Journey http://www.myeatingcleanjourney.com/

Mexican Chicken Soup

This week has been all about the soup.  I went on a soup binge and started making it every night for supper.  I’m playing a little catch-up on my blog tonight, so I’ll be posting all three soup recipes.  My fans over at Instagram, are asking – and so they will receive the recipes.  ðŸ™‚

mexican chicken soup

 

Mexican Chicken Soup
Serves 4
Phase 2 Recipe for Omni Drops Program
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Cook Time
30 min
Cook Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 6 cups chicken broth
  2. 1 sm onion, chopped (about 4oz total)
  3. 2 cloves garlic -- minced
  4. 2 tsp cumin
  5. 2T chili powder
  6. 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped (about 4oz)
  7. 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional, this isn't an approved food item but many use it with no problems)
  8. 4oz celery, diced
  9. 1 lb Chicken breasts, diced
Instructions
  1. Sautee the garlic and onion on a large pot until softened (about 3 minutes)
  2. Add remaining ingredients. Mix.
  3. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until chicken is completely done and no longer pink.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
My Eating Clean Journey http://www.myeatingcleanjourney.com/

 

 

Beef Bourguignon with Cabbage Rice

I seriously am loving all the food we’ve been eating on the Omni Drops Program.  Last night we had Beef Bourguignon and it was rich and so full of delicious flavor.  This traditional french meal is usually made with pearl onions and mushrooms but this time around I by-passed the onions.  You could definitely add them if you were on phase 3 of the program.

Beef Bourguignon with words

Beef Bourguignon
4oz beef, cubed
1 cup beef broth or water
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 clove garlic crushed and sliced
Pinch of dried thyme
Pinch of marjoram
Salt & pepper to taste
Lightly braise beef cubes with onion and garlic. Combine all ingredients in small saucepan. Add liquid ingredients and spices. Slow cook for a minimum of 30 minutes or until beef is tender.  Add additional water as needed to achieve desired consistency.  Makes 1 serving for Omni Drops Program Phase 2.
Phase 3 modifications: Add ½ cup red wine, whisk in cold butter and add additional non-starchy vegetables (like mushrooms).

To go with the Beef Bourguignon, I decided to make some “Cabbage Rice”.  Just put the cabbage in a food processor and pulse until it’s broken down into itty bitty pieces about the size of rice.  Place in a bowl and microwave for 2 minutes.  Serve the Beef over the “rice”.

Beef Bourguignon with rice

 

Weight loss update:  I’m down 42 pounds and my husband is down 50 pounds.  I’ll be starting phase 3 on Saturday!

Bangkok Chicken Stir-Fry

One thing I can say about all of the food that we’ve been eating is that it’s so flavorful.  If you don’t cook with spices, I really challenge you to start.  Start with a small amount of spice, like a tsp and then work your way up to more.  I almost never measure my spices, I just sprinkle them in.  In the case of the chicken dish below, I sprinkled the chicken with the Bangkok Blend from Penzey’s Spice Company until it was well coated and then I even added additional spices after I added in the vegetables.  It had a nice kick but wasn’t too spicy for my taste buds.

If you’ve never heard of Penzey’s Spice Company, I highly recommend them.  Their prices are great and they offer a great variety of spices and spice blends, like the Bangkok Blend.  This isn’t a sponsored post and I’m not getting anything from Penzey’s for this shout out – just a good place to do business with.  They have some stores around the country, none here in Vermont though so I order online.  Free shipping if you order $30 worth.

What spice could you not live without?

bangkok chicken

 

Bangkok Chicken Stir-Fry

4oz Chicken, sliced
2oz Celery, sliced
2oz Onions, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
Penzey’s Bangkok Blend
1 tsp Fresh Cilantro
1 tsp Fresh Basil

Sprinkle Bangkok Blend on chicken. Cook chicken in a medium skillet until cooked. Splash water into the pan to keep it from sticking. Add in garlic, celery and onions. Add about 1/4 cup of water and saute in the pan for about 5 minutes. Vegetables should be softened. Sprinkle the mixture with additional Bangkok Blend, if you’d like. Mix in cilantro and basil. Remove from heat and serve.

Omni Drops Program – Phase 2 Recipe

Chicken Stuffed with Stuffing

Guess what happened today? I hit a BIG milestone in my weight loss journey – the big 4 – 0. Yup, I’ve lost 40 pounds so far since I started the Omni Drops Program. I am so excited. Yesterday I slipped on a pair of jeans that I bought 6 years ago and had high hopes on fitting in when I was trying to lose weight back then. You can imagine the feeling I got when I fit into them and then I wore them proudly with a big smile on my face, all day long.

Tonight I was looking for something different to eat to celebrate the big 40 and decided to try and make something to stuff inside my chicken. I went with a stuffing made out of Wasa crackers, celery, onions and spices. It was so delicious and just like an old-time homecooked meal.

If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a comment. I’m hoping all of these recipes are helping some of you out and I love to hear from you. Leave me a comment below or drop by my facebook page and leave a comment there. Also, if you are looking for any particular recipe for Phase 2 of the Omni Drops Program, let me know and I might have one up my sleeve for you.

stuffed chicken

 

Stuffed Chicken
(recipe is only for one so double or tripe if you need to feed more)

4oz chicken breast
1/2oz celery, chopped
1/2 oz onion, chopped
1 Wasa cracker
dash of ground thyme
dash of salt and pepper
3 Tablespoons chicken broth

Pound the chicken breast so it’s thin and place on a cookie sheet. Grind your cracker in a mini food chopper/processor and place the cracker crumbs in a bowl. Add the celery, onion and spices. Mix well. Add the broth and Place the stuffing in the middle of the chicken breast and roll the chicken closed. Secure with a toothpick. Bake in a 375 oven for 20 minutes.

 

Teriyaki Chicken with Marinated Cabbage

I finally did it.  I made the move from blogger.com to my own hosted blog.  Sorry that my blog was unavailable for the last few days.  We’re back up and running now!  Thanks Jenne for the great job on the redesign.

Today’s recipe was posted on Instagram last night when I made it and I received a few comments for the recipe.  First, there is quite a bit of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos in this recipe and that has a high sodium content.  If you’re sensitive to Bragg’s, be cautious.  The recipe cooked four portions of phase 2 chicken and I had leftovers.

This is a phase 2 recipe but if you omitted the orange juice, it would be phase 3 friendly also.

teriyaki sauce

Teriyaki Sauce

½ cup beef or chicken broth
¼ cup Bragg’s liquid aminos
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Orange juice (Juice from 3 segments)
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely minced onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon powdered ginger or grated fresh ginger
1 clove finely minced garlic
Lemon and/or orange zest to taste
Stevia to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until liquid is reduced. The longer you simmer the richer the flavors. As the liquid reduces, deglaze the pan with a little water or broth to intensify the flavors. Enjoy as a glaze or sauce with chicken or beef.
I used  my Teriyaki Sauce to cook my chicken in.  I didn’t have any time to marinate it so I cooked it in the sauce and kept adding it as it cooked down.  I highly suggest cooking the chicken until the pan dries out and then use the sauce to scrape the bits off the bottom of the pan to make the sauce even richer.  
chicken teriyaki a
I had additional sauce leftover and it’s in the refrigerator for another meal.  My husband marinated the cabbage and I’m not exactly sure what he used.  He said something about beef broth, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and dried onions on top.  Our grill outside is snowed in so we couldn’t use it last night but I’m sure these cabbage wedges would be wonderful on the grill.

Zucchini Pizza Boats

 
Zucchini Pizza Boats
 
4 zucchinis, cut in half
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 sweet bell pepper (I used a red one)
cheese, of your choice (I used cheddar)
pizza seasonings
sugar-free pizza sauce
 
Preheat your oven to 350.  Cook your ground beef, onion and bell pepper in a pan.   Add in the pizza seasoning and mix well.
Place your zucchini halves on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.  Spread some pizza sauce on each zucchini half and then top with the cheese and hamburg mixture.  Bake approx. 15 minutes.
 
I didn’t hollow out the zucchini but next time I’ll take a spoon and scoop some of it out and mix it in with the hamburg mixture.  These were really good.
 
Serves 4
 
Phase 3 – Omni Drops Program