Making eating our protein easier...

Thanks for sharing these ideas! Very much appreciated!

I still have a difficult time with meat but have found my slow cooker to be my best friend to make meat nice and tender.  The best one is to cook a small whole chicken in the slow cooker.  I throw it in frozen in the morning, add a little savoury and 1 or 2 tsp of margerine, salt and pepper.  Let it cook all day, take it out and make a gravy if you wish.  The chicken is soooo tender it melts in your mouth.  I have no trouble eating it that way at all and yet it gives me troulbe when I bake or BBQ it sometimes.

I also make a lazy man cabbage roll casserole in my slow cooker.  I will cook it until the cabbage and hamburger is very well done and again, it goes down so easily!  I don't know what it is about anything tomatoey but it seems to be easier to eat.

Nancy D

I just wanted to say this is a great thread. I have a lot of great ideas from this. Thanks.

I agree!!!!!!  thanks everyone!  Protein is sooooo important and having everyone share their "tips" is GREAT!

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Curried Chicken Salad

1 lb. chicken meat, skinned, boned and diced
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1/2 cup shredded carrot
4 scallions, chopped 
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp. curry powder 
Salt and pepper
8 ounces mixed baby greens
2 tbsp. mango chutney
1 tbsp. white vinegar
3 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Combine meat, celery, red grapes, carrot and scallions in a large bowl. Blend in yogurt and curry.  Add salt and pepper to taste. In a measuring cup, combine chutney and vinegar. Whisk in oil. In a second bowl, pour dressing over mixed baby greens. Toss. 
Layer the bottom of individual serving containers with salad greens and then place one or two ice cream scoops of chicken salad on top. Garnish with almonds.

Like the above recipe for chicken salad without mayo, the following chicken salad recipes are nice served on a bed of lettuce or on a bagel or bun.

Chicken Salad (with Apples & Curry)

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 lb skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 tbsp. curry powder
1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 green onions, sliced

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken pieces and cook, stirring frequently until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add onion and coo****il translucent. Add 2 tablespoons of curry powder and continue to cook and stir for a few more minutes. If you find the curry sticking to the bottom of the pan or if the mixture gets dry simply add a little more olive oil. Add raisins and cook for another minute or two.

Combine raisin and onion mixture with the cooked chicken. Mix well coating all the chicken pieces with the curry infused olive oil. Refrigerate until cool in a large bowl or container. This recipe is best made the day before with the apple, green onions and cilantro added fresh to the individual portions the next morning.

Pesto Chicken Salad

1 cup diced cooked chicken
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup purchased pesto
4 bagels or buns, split

In large bowl, combine chicken, celery, tomatoes, onion and pesto. Mix well.

Balsamic Chicken Salad

3 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 cup apple, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
5 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, mix together chicken, apple, celery, onion and walnuts. Using a measuring cup, whisk together vinegar and oil and pour over salad. Mix well. Let sit for approx.15 minutes, then toss and chill until ready to spread on sandwiches or package in individual containers."