Kellie, Author at The Right Plan Nutrition Counseling & Kellie Hill Nutrition

About Kellie

Kellie focuses on real food weight loss - no supplements, boxed foods, or nutrition bars. Kellie's philosophy is that due to bio-individuality (each one of us is different) most diets will work for some people and not for others so it's important to understand our own body and it's needs in order to lose weight effectively, safely, and permanently. Read More â†’

July 9, 2020 by Kellie Leave a Comment

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas or Enchiladas Suiza?

My family always called this recipe chicken enchiladas but when serving it one day a friend told me it was called enchiladas suiza. Huh? I have no idea how the name Enchiladas Suiza came about. I know I could Google it, but I’m good with this being a mystery in my life (there’s not enough of those anyway). Plus, I think Suiza means Swiss, so how did anyone think the Swiss made enchiladas? Is this some sort of old-timey fusion meal?

Anyway, I don’t know and truly, I don’t care. I’ve messed with this recipe long enough to know that I just love it. Maybe the Suiza just means cheesier and creamier? One of my best friends, who is Mexican, constantly is dismayed by the amount of cheese American’s put on their “Mexican” food. So, maybe the Swiss do to? I also think Suiza is supposed to include tomatoes and onions. But, over the years I’ve found I like tomatillos better; onions optional. Whatever, my family loves it so call it whatever makes you happy. We go with Chicken Enchiladas.

Substitutions for Chicken Enchilada recipe

Let’s talk a few minutes about substitutions in this chicken enchiladas recipe.

Bone-in, skinless chicken breasts – go with what you have available. Skin on is fine it’s just usually a bit more grease in the reserved liquid. Make sure you remove the skin before shredding. Also, boneless is fine. Cook about 5 minutes less. I prefer the flavor of bone-in, plus more minerals are absorbed.
Tomatillos – if these aren’t available you can use tomatoes. Personally, I don’t think it has the same great flavor but it does work.
Onions – if you’re an onion lover, chop some up and cook with the tomatillos and chiles. I’ve also waited and added chopped onions at the blender level. Both are good and gives a wonderful savory addition. In the final product I liked the focus on the tomatillos so I left the onions out.
Chilies – really you can use any chili that has a bit of a kick. Choose your chili based on how much kick you’d like. In the mild realm, I’ve used anaheim, poblano, and ancho with great success. Overall ancho is my favorite for a mild sauce. In the moderate realm, I’ve used jalapeno and serrano with great success. Overall serrano is my favorite for a medium sauce. Obviously you can go hotter but be careful not to overpower the flavor of the tomatillos with just heat.
Oil – chicken enchiladas don’t require any particular oil for cooking the tomatillo-chili mix down. I like the depth of flavor or ghee; it adds a real richness. But, any neutral flavor, higher heat oil will work fine with this recipe so don’t go purchase anything special. Just don’t use a high flavor oil like peanut or toasted sesame; stick with the neutrals.
Diary – since chicken enchiladas, or suiza here, includes cheese you probably don’t need a dairy alternative but if you do, anything with the consistency of Greek yogurt of sour cream will work great. Personally, my family has come to like the richness of sour cream over yogurt but if rich flavors aren’t your thing than go with yogurt.

And Now . . . The Recipe

Chicken Enchilada Ingredients:

1 ½ pound bone-in, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, peeled
10 peppercorns
1 pound tomatillos, husked
2 ancho or serrano chilies
¼ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil or ghee
¼ cup yogurt, non-dairy yogurt, or sour cream
8 corn tortillas
1 ½ oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Directions:

Place chicken in a large saucepan. Add enough water to cover by at least one inch. Add 1 tsp salt, 2 of the garlic cloves and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer; cover. Simmer 15-20 minutes. Remove chicken from liquid. Once cooled enough to touch, pull meat from bones and shred; set aside.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. While chicken cooks, place tomatillos and chiles in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and boil over medium heat about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving ½ cup liquid. Transfer tomatillos and chiles to a blender. Add cilantro and remaining 2 cloves of garlic; blend until smooth. Add reserved liquid if necessary.
Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add tomatillo-chile puree; reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring constantly or until sauces reduces to about one cup (about 10 minutes).
Reduce heat, add yogurt or sour cream and remaining 1 tsp salt. Stir for one minute; set aside.
Place tortillas on racks in oven and warm for 1-2 minutes until pliable but not stiff. Wrap in cloth towel to keep warm while assembling enchiladas.
Spread 1/3 of the sauce in a 9” baking dish.
Divide shredded chicken evenly among tortillas and roll up. Arrange each enchilada in a single layer in the baking dish, seam side down.
Cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake until the cheese starts to brown, about 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Make Ahead for Enchiladas

The sauce in this Chicken Enchiladas recipe is great for to make ahead so if you need something a bit faster, try my Enchilada Sauce. Use some store bought rotisserie chicken, left over chicken or even make the shredded chicken ahead. Through it all together the same way and dinner is served in about 45 minutes with only about 15 minutes of work that day.

As always I highly advocate Meal Planning. Learn how to plan with this link. It’s the key to success. I have no idea how I’d ever get food on the table around the whole family’s schedule if I didn’t know exactly what we’re having for dinner each night. So a little make ahead for the Chicken Enchiladas makes this a much faster and easier meal. Plus, unless you’re a big family there’s almost undoubtedly left over enchiladas for someone’s lunch.

Enjoy!

May 4, 2020 by Kellie Leave a Comment

Crustless Quiche

No Crust Quiche

A few years ago I found out I needed to remove gluten from my diet in order to lower a cancer marker. If you’ve read my health journey then it comes as no surprise that I didn’t want to increase my risk of cancer on top of everything else! So – no gluten. And, for the most part I haven’t really missed it. Today there are so many gluten free options that it’s pretty easy to make substitutions. But, I’ve never really liked a quiche. I feel like the crust just gets in the way of all the deliciousness. Obviously making a crustless quiche was on my agenda.

Now, with a bit more free time, I’ve really enjoyed creating a delicious no crust quiche. So, I decided it was time to share the recipe.

Cooking Notes

A few notes are in order when it comes to making a no crust quiche.

First, you don’t need as much moisture as a traditional quiche. If you try to just substitute a regular quiche recipe it’ll probably end up too runny.

Second, load up with any vegetables you like. Personally I found that using frozen spinach or asparagus was easiest year round. But, the best crustless quiche uses fresh ingredients. So, when in season chop up fresh veggies. I’ve also found zucchini very tasty. Don’t feel stuck with a red pepper . . . no crust quiche doesn’t mean no flavor quiche, so use a pablano or green pepper. Enjoy whatever fresh veggies you have available.

Third, any milk alternative works fine. Personally, my body doesn’t like cows milk so I tested out a number of different options in the milk alternative world. If you prefer a thinner consistency of milk alternative (like rice) maybe use a bit less than 1/2 cup. If you prefer a thicker consistency of milk alternative (like coconut) use the full 1/2 cup. The no crust quiche even works using water in place of the milk. The point is to beat the eggs and liquid so they are super fluffy making a beautiful crustless quiche. The flavor will suffer a little with water though.

Fourth, don’t forget to let those chopped onions and minced garlic sit before cooking in order to bring out all the health benefits. If you’re going crustless you’re looking for healthy so don’t skip the easy health benefits. If this is a new concept to you, check out this post that explains the science behind letting onions and garlic rest.

Fifth, cheese is really optional with a crustless quiche. I think the heaviness of a regular quiche with crust lends itself to needing a heavier top, like cheese, for balance. But a no crust quiche doesn’t need the extra weight. So, if you’re watching your calories, skip the cheese and trust me, you won’t miss it.

Crustless Quiche Recipe

Ingredients

1 Tbs coconut oil
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
8 brown mushrooms
1 red pepper
1 package (10 oz) organic, frozen spinach or asparagus
2 eggs
3 egg whites
1/2 cup milk or milk alternative
1/4 cup shredded raw cheese (optional)
salsa (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Chop onions and mince garlic. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
Slice mushrooms and chop red pepper.
Thaw spinach or asparagus by placing in strainer and running water over it until thawed. If spinach, use the back of a spoon to squeeze out most of the liquid. If asparagus, roll in paper towels. Chop asparagus.
Beat eggs and egg whites with the milk until light yellow and frothy.
Heat oil over medium heat in a 10″ skillet. Add the onion and mushrooms. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Add garlic and red peppers. Cook, stirring, for another minute.
Stir in spinach or asparagus.
Reduce heat to low.
Pour egg mixture over spinach in skillet. Cook for 5-7 minutes without stirring. Mixture should be cooked on the bottom and almost set on top.
Sprinkle with cheese if using.
Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Eggs should be set and cheese melted.
Serve topped with salsa.

December 30, 2019 by Kellie Leave a Comment

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November 21, 2019 by Kellie Leave a Comment

Holiday Meal – Avoiding the Guilt and Anxiety

Planning the Holiday Meals

Holiday meals can mean holiday headaches. Unfortunately we don’t all live in a Hallmark movie and every holiday meal isn’t filled with perfect moments.

But, you can enjoy the time with a few decisions prior to the big meal.

Breakdown the Holiday Meal

First, take a moment to sit and reflect on your holiday meals. What foods will be present? Which foods are triggers for you? What will the full day look like? Will you be moving or exercising or just sitting around?

Second, think about which foods really mean something to you during a holiday meal. Is there no holiday meal without pumpkin pie or grandma’s cranberries? Holiday meals don’t need to be a reason to overindulge but they are a reason to enjoy the foods that have a special place in our person history.

Third, think about how to overcome any issues. Can you go for a walk before or after the holiday meal? Can you bring a healthier substitute?

Before the Holiday Meal

It’s always best to have a game plan when it comes to holiday meals. Try not to show up hungry. Have a small but nutrient dense meal or large snack before arriving. This way all those guilty pleasures won’t be so appealing. If you aren’t sure about the menu, offer to bring a dish to share. Your dish will ensure that your dietary needs are met. If you’re in a hurry, pick up a shrimp cocktail platter or vegetable tray at a grocery store. These are high quality, low calorie appetizers.

Sacred Dishes

Most families have recipes that have been passed down for generations. Often these additions to the holiday meal tend to be high fat, high calorie recipes. I’m just going to be honest here, unless you’ve worked through the recipe and found ways to make it healthier and just as tasty, I feel these sacred dishes should be left alone. Trying to give a beloved family recipe a healthy makeover usually means it just doesn’t live up to original – or worse, the memory. Since holiday meals are rare, just honor the original recipe and savor a few bites. Usually the first bite or two are all you need to enjoy.

Stick to the Basics

The basics of holiday meals – roast meats, sweet potatoes (without added sugar), vegetables grilled, steamed or baked – these are all very healthy. Try to make your first plate during holiday meals full of vegetables. Unfortunately holiday meals can be a time when well-intention people try to push foods on us or question our choices. It’s okay to say no . . . and you don’t owe them an explanation.

Possible Substitutions for Holiday Meals

If you’re the cook, test out a few healthier options ahead of the holiday meals. But, again, careful with any sacred dishes. A quick 30-second blanched spinach is much healthier than creamed spinach. Some people like mashed steamed cauliflower in place of mashed white potatoes. Roasted vegetables or baked sweet potatoes instead of sweet potato casserole. Skip the green bean casserole and for quick sauteed green beans. I probably don’t need to write anything about whatever that can of “cranberry sauce” is, please try cranberry relish. Stuffing doesn’t have to include bread (especially white bread); try whole grain bread or wild rice stuffing. Sparkling water spritzers or kombucha can replace beer or wine. Cinnamon spice tea, one of my all time favorites, may be able to take the place of hot chocolate. Baked apples could replace apple pie. Pumpkin custard could replace pumpkin pie.

Holiday Meals are Only ONE Meal

Remember the most important part of holiday meals is enjoying the time with people; the holiday meal is just the avenue. Holidays are supposed to be fun! It’s okay to appreciate a few favorite dishes in moderation and skip the other items. One meal will never totally derail your nutrition plan.

Give yourself permission to enjoy holiday meals without regret. Even if you do overindulge, get back on track with the next meal.

October 30, 2019 by Kellie Leave a Comment

Healthy Dessert Recipes – Pecan Cookies

Pecan Ball Cookies

Healthy dessert recipes seem to usually taste like cardboard. And then I just end up throwing it all away while my family makes a bakery store run.

These pecan cookies are the healthy dessert recipe we needed and are a staple during the holiday season in our home. Everyone loves these pecan balls and I love that I can make the dough ahead of time. Make the dough, cover and chill at least 2 hours, but as long as you need to fit healthy desserts into your busy end-of-the-year scheduling. Then, when you want a pecan cookie (or two) or a whole batch, just heat the oven, roll out the dough and 10 minutes later you’re enjoying a delightful treat.

Healthy Desserts = Coconut Sugar

Part of what makes these pecan ball cookies healthier is coconut sugar. There is a caveat here though – the only truly healthy dessert is one with NO sugar. But, if your family is anything like mine, during the holidays fruit just isn’t going to cut it for a dessert. So, enter healthier sugar alternatives such as coconut sugar and stevia. I’ve written many times about the healthy benefits of coconut sugar so I won’t repeat it here. If you are new to coconut, read this article.

Coconut sugar is the traditional sugar made from the sap of coconut flowers. It is boiled down to create either dry sugar blocks (which have to be grated), a soft paste, or granulated form. Coconut sugar has a light taste without excessive sweetness. It almost tastes like it has just a tad of maple syrup or caramel in it. Coconut sugar is low on the glycemic index, so it’s a better sugar for diabetics. It is also full of minerals. Coconut sugar is produced by a natural process of heat evaporation with no preservatives added. Many ethic markets carry the paste form which is easy to cook with. Many health food stores carry the granulated form as it’s rising in popularity. It can easily be substituted for sugar in recipes although depending on the amount of sweetness you are used to you may have to add 1/2 again as much coconut sugar. For example: if the recipe calls for 1 Tablespoon of sugar, you may need up to 1 1/2 Tablespoon of coconut sugar. Personally, I find that most foods could use less sweetness and start with a 1:1 substitution.

Coconut sugar also makes great pancakes, muffins, chocolate cookies, and so much more (links for more healthy dessert recipes). It’s very versatile and gives this healthy desserts a sweet boost without the big insulin swings.