When I first got married, my husband stated he wanted to entertain and have a welcoming house. Um! GASP! What? Now, give me a little credit. When I first got married I knew how to cook a total of three meals. THREE! My poor husband lived off of Lasagna, Spaghetti, and this dish called Joe's Special for three years. That's if you don't count the dinner of grilled chicken (courtesy of my hubby), protein shakes or cereal. :) I would literally have a mini panic attack when he would announce so and so was coming over for dinner.
Fast forward 9 years and you have me today. I still frantically clean before company comes and often worry about how the food will turn out but I no longer freak out about cooking and I love having people over. We have a CRAZY life schedule (who doesn't these days!) so our dinner invites are less than what we like but I am always on the search for meals I can try out on company...or maybe a little bit before hand. Often I am a little lenient on what I cook, knowing that most families are not as strict with what they put in their mouths as mine. But I also don't bend my food values just because company is coming. Thus, I do have a few tried and true company meals that are also CLEAN and YUMMY!
Here are some of my favorites (and a few that I am dying to try):
Appetizers:
- Fruit!-I will often have a fruit platter of strawberries, apples, grapes...really whatever I have on hand for snacking. I normally don't even bother putting anything with it or on it cause fruit itself tastes SO AMAZING! Sometimes though, I will go and get some vanilla Greek yogurt and use that for dipping. I rarely ever have fruit left over if I do this.
- No Bake Energy Bites- I actually have these on my snack list but I have so many of my friends ask for them that I often will make them for get togethers. I have seen this recipe floating around the internet everywhere but I received mine from a friend, who I think found it somewhere on bodybuilding.com.
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/3 cup honey
1 tap vanilla extract.
1/2 cup flaxseed
Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter together. Add remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until moldable (about 30 min) and then form into one inch balls. Makes about 15-20.
- Turkey Bison Balls- These fall under the category of "dying to try". I have had this in my recipe binder for awhile now to try but for some reason I haven't found a good reason yet. It looks so yummy I thought I would share.
1lb ground bison (or turkey or beef)
1 pkg turkey bacon
1 green bell pepper, cut into small cubes
1/2 onion chopped
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp. seasoning of your choice
1 tsp lemon and lime juice
1-2 fresh jalapeños
1 wedge of the Laughing Cow cheese
1/4 cup guacamole
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine bison, bell pepper, onion, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, seasoning and citrus. Either allow to marinate or start making the balls right away. Roll bison mixture into small balls and set aside. Slice jalapenos to desired thickness and place on slice onto each ball, as well as one small chunk of cheese and a dollop of guacamole. Wrap each ball with a slice of turkey bacon, pinning it all the way through with a toothpick. Bake the balls in an 8" x 8" or larger glass dish for 15 to 18 minutes, checking the center once in a while.
Sides:
Sides are my weakness!!! I tend to do the same ol' same ol' sides all the time. I am currently trying to branch out so any suggestions of AMAZING sides would be appreciated.
- Greek Salad-This is my "go to" side. My hubby loves it and so do I so I make it whenever I have all the ingredients. Just throw some lettuce or a salad mixture into a bowl and top with feta, tomatoes (I normally use cherry ones), sliced red onions, and black olives. Voila! My favorite salad!
- Flatbread- Every time I make this for company I get compliments and "oh my gosh this is good". One time I had two husbands approach me afterwards asking me to give their wives the recipe. The downside to this recipe? It does take some prep work and a couple more steps than I would like. The upside? It only has a few basic ingredients that most people have on file. Enjoy!
1.5 Cups Warm Water
2.5 tsp Yeast
1 Tblsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus extra for spreading
1 tsp Salt plus extra for sprinkling
4 Cups Flour plus extra for rolling
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add in the olive oil and salt. Let sit and wait for bubbles to form (roughly 10 minutes). Add the flour gradually and form just until mold-able but not quite hard. Place in a warm place for about an hour until it doubles. Divide into 8 pieces and roll each piece flat. Tip: After you roll them place a paper towel in between each piece so they don't stick together. Spray olive oil or a non stick spray on a griddle heated to medium high heat. Heat each piece for 30-45 seconds on each side (until the bread starts to bubble). Pull off and set aside (it should not feel cooked yet). Heat a grill and put on just long enough to spread olive oil over it and sprinkle A LITTLE bit of sea salt on each side. THEN ENJOY...cause they won't last long!
They don't look like much, but believe me....they taste good!
- Baked Potato Wedges- I don't even remember where I got this recipe but I love fries, wedges or regular so I had to find a clean version pronto! This one is one of my favorites!
2 large potatoes
8 small garlic heads, minced
3 Tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1/2 tsp Chili powder or paprika
1.5 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
Salt to taste
Water
To prepare garlic infused oil, heat olive oil in a pan, just until it turns warm. Add garlic and switch off the stove. Keep aside until required. Boil the potatoes for about 10-12 minutes. Make sure it doesn't become soft and mushy. Let it cool and cut into wedges. Transfer the wedges into a large bowl. Add the olive oil (discard the garlic), paprika, black pepper, garlic powder and salt. Gently mix using your fingers to uniformly coat the wedges with the spices.
Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Arrange the potato wedges on the prepared baking tray, without overlapping. Bake for about 30-40 minutes until the wedges turn golden brown and crisp on the outside.
Dinners:
- Chicken-Made anyway. I normally will throw some seasoning or marinade on it and grill them! Easy, quick and painless. Sometimes if I feel more inclined I will cut it into cubes, add some veggies like cherry tomatoes, green peppers, red onions, and mushrooms and then put them on skewers and grill those. Chicken (or steaks) are one of the EASIEST clean eating dinners to make.
- Crockpot Chicken Tacos- This is one of my newest favorite recipes but it's OH SO GOOD! So I can't pass it up at all. And seriously, it's a crock-pot meal that you just throw in the ingredients and practically forget about it. Who can complain about that? I found the recipe through the following link but since you have to go through a couple of hoops to get to it I have provided it below also. The only thing else I can say about this recipe is YUM! http://www.iheartnaptime.net/taco-bowl/
4 Large Chicken Breasts
1/4 Cup Water
1 Cup Fresh Salsa
1 Tsp Chili Powder
3/4 Tsp Ground Cumin
1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
1 Clove Garlic Minced
1 Can Black Beans, Drained
1 Can Corn (I used frozen and measured it out with the black beans can)
1/2 Lime Juiced (or 1/2 Tbsp)
Toppings: Shredded Cheese, Guacomole, Sour Creme
Put all the ingredients in the crockpot. Stir the best you can. Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or until the chicken shreds easily.
I will make a pot of brown rice and dish both up into a bowl with toppings of my choice. It is AMAZING!
- Kung Pao Chicken- I recently had a friend, who is just as enthusiastic as me (if not more) about clean eating, have myself and my two kiddos over for lunch and she made this for us. Technically, I have not made this yet but I have had it and LOVED IT! and now its on my "to make someday" list so I thought I would share with you guys. It seems fairly easy to make and fairly inexpensive to. I don't remember where she told me she got the recipe from but I do remember she tweaked it to how she liked it anyways.
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
12 oz Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast (cut into 1 inch cubes)
1/4 Cup Raw Unsalted Peanuts
2 Tbsp Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
1 Clove Minced Garlic
1 Tsp Ground Ginger
2 Tsp Rice Vinegar
2 Cups Cooked Brown Rice
Optional: Pineapple chunks
In a large skillet on medium-high heat the oil. Add pepper flakes, chicken, and peanuts and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Stir in soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and vinegar (and pineapple if using). Bring to a simmer and cook until chicken is no longer pink. Serve with rice.
Desserts:
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies-These are my MOST REQUESTED dessert when I have family or friends over. My sister-in-laws will often request I have a batch of these made when they so graciously watch my kiddos for me if I need to go out somewhere alone. I got the original recipe from the Clean Eating Magazine but have tweaked it to my personal ingredients and taste buds. Note: Follow the cooking and cooking times EXACTLY as they are outlined. These do not look or feel done until they are cooled completely.
The link to the original recipe:http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/recipes/under-45-minutes/almond-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies/
1 Cup Peanut Butter (all natural)
1/2 Cup Truvia Baking Blend
1 Egg
1/4 Tsp Sea Salt
3 oz dark chocolate chips (the darkest you can find)
Set oven at 350. Stir all ingredients together. Drop by spoonful's onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes. Cool on bakers rack for 15 minutes. NOW you can eat them. :)
- Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes- These are currently my favorite clean eating dessert. However, I have made them for my family before and they were not loved. These are meant for clean eaters who LOVE chocolate.
1 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/2 Cup Truvia Baking Blend plus 1/8 Cup Truvia
1/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 Tsp Sea Salt
1/4 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Cup Low Fat Sour Creme
1/3 Cup plus 2 Tsp Nonfat Milk
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Whole Egg plus 2 Egg Whites
1 oz Dark Chocolate
Set oven to 350. Line a muffin pan with 12 liners. Mix cocoa powder, 1/2 cup truvia, salt, and baking soda. In a separate bowl whisk sour cream, 1/3 cup milk, oil, vanilla, and the whole egg. Combine together mixing well. Using a clean, dry bowl mix egg whites until they begin to foam. Add remaining truvia and whip until you can get peaks (never could do this so I just whip for awhile). Fold the whites into the cake batter. Fill each muffin tin 3/4 of the way up. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Remove from oven and let cool. Meanwhile combine chocolate and remaining milk. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir until the chocolate is all melted and smooth. Spread 1 tsp on each cupcake.
- Carmel Corn- I am not a popcorn lover but I live in a household FULL of popcorn lovers so when I saw this recipe it instantly went to my "have to make someday" pile. If you happen to try it let me know if you like it. I originally saw this in one of my older magazines of Clean Eating.
1/2 Cup Popcorn Kernels
1 Tbsp Coconut Butter
2/3 Cup and 2 Tbsp Raw Honey
2 Tbsp Crunchy Almond Butter
2 Tbsp Peanut Butter
1 1/4 Cup Raw Nuts of your choice
Pop corn kernels using an air popper or stovetop. If you are popping over the stovetop, ad the coconut butter during the cooking process.; if air popping, top with coconut butter after the popping is complete. In a small saucepan set over medium low heat, bring honey to a low simmer. Add nut butters, whisk with a fork and remove from heat. Add raw nuts to popped corn. Immediately pour honey mixture over popped corn, tossing occasionally to combine. Place popcorn in a glass container and refrigerate 30 minutes. Once set, spoon caramel corn into cellophane bags or small jars.
Pop corn kernels using an air popper or stovetop. If you are popping over the stovetop, ad the coconut butter during the cooking process.; if air popping, top with coconut butter after the popping is complete. In a small saucepan set over medium low heat, bring honey to a low simmer. Add nut butters, whisk with a fork and remove from heat. Add raw nuts to popped corn. Immediately pour honey mixture over popped corn, tossing occasionally to combine. Place popcorn in a glass container and refrigerate 30 minutes. Once set, spoon caramel corn into cellophane bags or small jars.
Well, that's my clean eating for company items. Do you have some? Please feel free to share. I seriously do add recommendations to my food binder to try later. You never know what is going to become a new favorite.
