Heather's Healthy Journey

Greek Salad Bites

2012-01-04T12:09:00.000-08:00

Individually made appetizers are things I generally tend to shy away from. I love making dips and simple fair for parties and gatherings. Years ago I came across the recipe for Greek Salad Bites on the Cooking Light BB and my attitude towards appetizers changed a bit. Everyone in the CL community raved about this recipe, originally posted by jilliniowa, and I had to try it. Truly tasting like a Greek salad, this appetizer has been gobbled up time and time again. My family and I were back in Chicago celebrating Christmas with my parents David and Teresa. Our wonderful friends and neighbors the Haley's invited us over for a holiday party on the 23rd and I knew this recipe would be the one to select and share. It was an absolute hit. I received numerous compliments and was asked for the recipe. Kylie, my stepdaughter ate about half of them herself, so I know what to make her next time she and her girlfriends are over and need something to much on. Greek Salad Bites are easy to make, enjoyed by everyone, and highly recommend.

-Heather

Greek Salad Bites
Better Homes and Gardens, Quick and Easy Comfort Cooking

Ingredients
1 cup crumbled feta (4 ounces)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 Tbs. oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 1/2 medium cucumbers
1/4 cup finely shredded fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives

Instructions
1. In a small bowl stir together the cheese, sour cream, parsley, tomatoes, garlic, and pepper. Cover and chill for at least two hours.

2. Bias-slice cucumbers into 1/4 inch slices. Spoon 1 1/2 tsp. cheese mixture onto each cucumber slice. Arrange on serving platter.

3. In a small bowl, stir together basil and olives. Spoon some of the mixture over each cucumber slice. Serve immediately.

In a small bowl stir together the cheese, sour cream, parsley, tomatoes, garlic, and pepper. Cover and chill for at least two hours.

Bias-slice cucumbers into 1/4 inch slices.

Spoon 1 1/2 tsp. cheese mixture onto each cucumber slice. Arrange on serving platter.

In a small bowl, stir together basil and olives. Spoon some of the mixture over each cucumber slice. Serve immediately.

Creamy Corn and Vegetable Soup

2011-10-30T17:17:00.000-07:00

Ellie Krieger is an excellent cook who develops creative and interesting ways to make healthy foods taste great. I have two of her books and have yet to be disappointed with her recipes. I have made her Creamy Corn and Vegetable Soup several times with great success. My good friends Sarah and Kristen were coming over for a girls lunch and since Sarah is vegan, I decided to make a vegan version of this soup.

Creamy Corn and Vegetable Soup

Adapted from Ellie Krieger

Ingredients

4 cups fresh corn kernels or 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen, thawed
2 cups nonfat milk (I subbed 2 cups of vegetable broth)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium zucchini, (about 1/2 pound) diced
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
3/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

Put 2 cups of the corn and the milk (in our case, the first two cups of vegetable broth) into a blender or food processor, blend until smooth. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over a medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and zucchini and cook, stirring until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups of corn and the broth and bring to a boil. Add the pureed corn and tomatoes and cook until warmed through, but not boiling. Add the salt and season with pepper. Serve garnished with the basil ribbons.

Put 2 cups of the corn and the first two cups of vegetable broth into a blender or food processor, blend until smooth. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over a medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and zucchini and cook, stirring until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the remaining 2 cups of corn and the broth and bring to a boil.

Add the pureed corn and tomatoes and cook until warmed through, but not boiling.

Add the salt and season with pepper. Serve garnished with the basil ribbons.

My vegan take on Ellie Krieger's Creamy Corn and Vegetable Soup turned out very well. I personally enjoy the original version a bit more, but my friend Kristen who has had both said she could not tell a difference between the two. I served this with a big loaf of crusty bread and a large green salad with tons of chunked up fresh vegetables. The lunch was beautiful and it was so nice to relax and have some good old fashioned girl talk. Don't get me wrong, I love watching sports with the guys, but there is just something really special about some great food, wine and conversation with your girls.

-Heather

Gingery Turkey Meatballs with Noodles

2011-10-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

My goal each weekend is to prepare food that can be cooked, frozen fully, and then defrosted easily for meals during the week. Meatballs always freeze well so I have been on a search for some unique new recipes. Traditional meatballs eaten with pasta and red sauce are great, but it’s always nice to change it up a bit. Cooking Light’s Gingery Pork Meatballs with Noodles seemed like a great new take on the meatball. Because I have a freezer full of ground turkey and am not a huge pork fan, I will be changing the recipe to Gingery Turkey Meatballs with Noodles.

Gingery Turkey Meatballs with Noodles

(Adapted from Cooking Light's Gingery Pork Meatballs with Noodles)
September, 2010.

Ingredients

Meatballs:
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean turkey (CL called for ground pork)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Noodles:
8 ounces uncooked whole wheat fettuccine (CL called for wide rice noodles)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 cup red bell pepper strips
1 cup julienne-cut snow peas
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

Preparation

1. Place a foil-lined jelly-roll pan in oven. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl; stir gently just until blended. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Divide pork mixture into 20 equal portions; shape each portion into a meatball. Arrange meatballs in a single layer on preheated pan. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until done.
3. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Rinse noodles under cool water; drain. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, peas, salt, and crushed red pepper; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add noodles; toss. Place 1 3/4 cups noodle mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 5 meatballs. Sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons green onions.

Nutritional Information Per Serving
(According to CL's original recipe including the pork and rice noodles and omitting the turkey and whole wheat fettuccine.)

Calories: 506
Fat: 15.4g
Saturated fat: 5.1g
Monounsaturated fat: 6.2g
Polyunsaturated fat: 3.3g
Protein: 30.6g
Carbohydrate: 58.8g
Fiber: 3.7g
Cholesterol: 138mg
Iron: 3.4mg
Sodium: 700mg
Calcium: 81mg

Place a foil-lined jelly-roll pan in oven. Preheat oven to 450°.

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl; stir gently just until blended. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

Divide pork mixture into 20 equal portions; shape each portion into a meatball. Arrange meatballs in a single layer on preheated pan.

Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until done.

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Rinse noodles under cool water; drain. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, peas, salt, and crushed red pepper; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add noodles; toss. Place 1 3/4 cups noodle mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 5 meatballs. Sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons green onions.

OMG....Gingery Turkey Meatballs with Noodles are amazing!! We absolutely loved this. The meatballs came together easily and the pasta was a cinch. Slicing the snow peas gave them a great texture and shape. I adapted this recipe from Cooking Light and it originally called for ground pork. Ground turkey is an excellent substitute and I look forward to making this recipe again and again. I will double the recipe next time so that I can have a start to an easy weeknight dinner waiting for me in the freezer.

-Heather

Chicken Poblano Casserole

2011-09-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

There are meals that are ideal for weeknights and also meals which are more labor intensive and only suited to weekends (in my humble opinion.) Usually I am drawn to recipes which come together quickly, but Cooking Light's Chicken Poblano Casserole naturally caught my eye because I love Mexican food and anything that comes in casserole form. The first day of school was a minimum day so I knew I would have plenty of extra time in the kitchen, what better time to give this a try?

Chicken Poblano Casserole
Adapted from Cooking Light, September, 2006

Ingredients

3 poblano chiles (about 12 ounces)
1 large red bell pepper (about 8 ounces)
3 ears shucked corn
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk (I used skim)
3 cups (12 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided (I used cheddar)
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15-ounce) carton part-skim ricotta cheese
Cooking spray
18 (6-inch) white corn tortillas
3 3/4 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
1 cup thinly sliced green onions, divided

Preparation

Preheat broiler.

Cut poblanos and bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place poblanos and bell pepper, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Place corn on baking sheet. Broil 10 minutes or until poblanos and bell pepper are blackened and corn is lightly browned. Place poblanos and bell pepper in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and coarsely chop; set poblanos and bell pepper aside separately. Remove corn kernels from cobs.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a large saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook over medium heat until slightly thick (about 12 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Combine 1 cup milk mixture and poblanos in a blender; process until smooth. Stir pureed poblano mixture into remaining milk mixture.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine bell pepper, corn, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup Mexican cheese, red onion, cilantro, eggs, and ricotta.

Coat bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in bottom of dish. Arrange 6 tortillas over sauce, overlapping slightly. Spread half of ricotta mixture over tortillas; top with half of chicken. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup green onions and 2/3 cup Mexican cheese. Pour about 1 cup sauce over cheese. Repeat layers with 6 tortillas, remaining ricotta mixture, remaining chicken, 1/3 cup green onions, 2/3 cup Mexican cheese, 1 cup sauce, and 6 tortillas. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas. Coat 1 side of foil with cooking spray. Place foil, coated side down, over casserole. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Uncover; sprinkle with remaining 2/3 cup Mexican cheese and 1/3 cup green onions. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 15 minutes.

Nutritional Info Per Serving

Calories: 369
Calories from fat: 29%
Fat: 11.9g
Saturated fat: 6.1g
Monounsaturated fat: 2.9g
Polyunsaturated fat: 1.2g
Protein: 33.1g
Carbohydrate: 33.8g
Fiber: 3.6g
Cholesterol: 98mg
Iron: 1.8mg
Sodium: 594mg
Calcium: 536mg

Place poblanos and bell pepper in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes.

Peel and coarsely chop; set poblanos and bell pepper aside separately.

Remove corn kernels from cobs.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a large saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook over medium heat until slightly thick (about 12 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Combine 1 cup milk mixture and poblanos in a blender; process until smooth.

Stir pureed poblano mixture into remaining milk mixture. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine bell pepper, corn, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup Mexican cheese, red onion, cilantro, eggs, and ricotta.

Coat bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in bottom of dish. Arrange 6 tortillas over sauce, overlapping slightly.

Spread half of ricotta mixture over tortillas; top with half of chicken. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup green onions and 2/3 cup Mexican cheese. Pour about 1 cup sauce over cheese.

Repeat layers with 6 tortillas, remaining ricotta mixture, remaining chicken, 1/3 cup green onions, 2/3 cup Mexican cheese, 1 cup sauce, and 6 tortillas. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas.

Coat 1 side of foil with cooking spray. Place foil, coated side down, over casserole. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Uncover; sprinkle with remaining 2/3 cup Mexican cheese and 1/3 cup green onions. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 15 minutes.

Cooking Light's Chicken Poblano Casserole is pretty darn good...not out of this world...but pretty darn good. It was similar to many of the other tortilla based casseroles that I have come across. The roasted pablano sauce was really tasty but the final product needed a little more heat. Fortunately we had some leftover spicy avocado sauce from a local Mexican market so we added a little to our portions. I prepared this casserole a day before and then did the baking portion the night we ate it. I will try this again in the future and play with the ingredients a little. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to create this dish, it is not a dinner for weeknights!

-Heather

Mozzarella, Ham, and Basil Panini

2011-08-31T17:19:00.000-07:00

I am very aware of most people’s ability to make sandwiches without a recipe. Often I pass right by these types of recipes because they seem a little silly to me. I had bought a large amount of black forest ham when my parents were in town (Dad’s favorite). We planned on making sandwiches to bring into the Angels vs. White Sox game but ate such a late lunch that we didn’t even bother. I certainly didn’t want the ham to go to waste so when I found Cooking Light’s Mozzarella, Ham and Basil Panini in the September 2010 issue that I was deconstructing, it seemed like a perfect recipe to try.

Mozzarella, Ham and Basil Panini

David Bonom, Cooking Light, September 2010

Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) loaf ciabatta, cut in half horizontally
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
12 basil leaves
8 ounces sliced 33%-less-sodium cooked deli ham (such as Boar's Head)
2 sweetened hot cherry peppers, sliced
1 large plum tomato, thinly sliced
Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Brush cut side of the bottom bread half with mustard; brush cut side of top half with vinegar. Top bottom half with mozzarella, basil, ham, peppers, and tomato. Top with remaining bread half.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sandwich to pan; top with another heavy skillet. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Cut sandwich into 6 wedges.

Nutritional information per serving

Calories: 371
Fat: 12.5g
Saturated fat: 6.1g
Monounsaturated fat: 5g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.6g
Protein: 20.2g
Carbohydrate: 44.9g
Fiber: 1.8g
Cholesterol: 46mg
Iron: 3mg
Sodium: 976mg
Calcium: 220mg

Brush cut side of the bottom bread half with mustard; brush cut side of top half with vinegar. (I had some nice whole wheat rolls so I used them in place of the ciabatta.)

Top bottom half with mozzarella, basil, ham, peppers, and tomato. (I had pepperoncinis so I chose to use them instead of buying the hot cherry peppers.)

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sandwich to pan; top with another heavy skillet. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Cut sandwich into 6 wedges. (I used my griddler but have used this suggested method many times before with great success.)

Yum, yum, yum. This was a great sandwich, it honestly would have never occurred to me to use balsamic vinegar, an addition that put it over the top. The basil leaves added freshness and the pepperoncinis that I replaced the cherry peppers with added a nice spice. I had some leftover whole wheat rolls that I used instead of the ciabatta bread. The cooking method suggested in the directions is one that I have used often times before with great success. You can also cover a brick with foil and use that to weigh down the sandwich in your pan. I used the Cuisenart Griddler that I treated myself to a few holiday seasons ago to press my panini. CL’s Mozzarella, Ham and Basil Panini is simple to make and much more special than your typical sandwich.

-Heather

Creamy Parmesan Orzo

2011-08-30T19:29:00.000-07:00

I've noticed that I am a one pan type of girl when it comes to cooking. Casseroles and pasta dishes seem to be my go-to items. When I do prepare meals that have different components I seem to find lots of great protein and vegetable recipes, but I need to acquire a few more starch recipes. I came across Cooking Light's Creamy Parmesan Orzo from March 2004 during my quest to purge my extensive magazine collection. It seemed as simple as they come, so I gave it a try.

Creamy Parmesan Orzo
Adapted from Cooking Light, March 2004

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 cup orzo
1 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons pine nuts, toasted

Preparation

Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add orzo, and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and orzo is done (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in cheese, basil, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with the pine nuts. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Info Per Serving

Calories: 236
Calories from fat: 24%
Fat: 6.4g
Saturated fat: 3.2g
Monounsaturated fat: 1.8g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.8g
Protein: 9.9g
Carbohydrate: 34.8g
Fiber: 1.7g
Cholesterol: 12mg
Iron: 1.8mg
Sodium: 412mg
Calcium: 82mg

Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add orzo, and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir in broth and water; bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and orzo is done (about 15 minutes).

Remove from heat; stir in cheese, basil, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with the pine nuts. Serve immediately. (I omitted the basil and pine nuts because I did not have any on hand.)

In one week, I have made CL's Creamy Parmesan Orzo three times! I initially served it with rosemary lemon chicken kabobs and the Green Beans and Red Onion with Warm Mustard Vinaigrette recipe from my last post. This pasta side dish is fantastic, it doesn't call for very much cheese, but the flavor of the Parmesan comes through sharply. We enjoyed it so much the first time that we experimented two days later with whole wheat orzo, and it was just as tasty. When my parents flew into town from Chicago for cousin Timmy's wedding, I made this a third time because I knew they would love it. CL's Creamy Parmesan Orzo would compliment any main dish well; steaks, burgers, grilled fish or chicken would all benefit from being served along this delicious side.

-Heather

Green Beans and Red Onion with Warm Mustard Vinaigrette

2011-08-18T13:45:00.000-07:00

Organizing my home has been my top priority lately. I am trying to de-clutter as much as possible so that my transition from super-fun summer to super-lame school year can be a smooth one. Stacks and stacks of cooking magazines were found in my closet and I have been going through them, ripping out recipes to try. Our best friends Stephen and Christy and their little guy Andrew were coming over for dinner yesterday and I knew I wanted to grill some Lemon Rosemary chicken kabobs. From my giant new pile of to-try recipes, I chose Green Beans and Red Onions with Warm Mustard Vinaigrette from Cooking Light, December 2003 as our vegetable side.

Green Beans and Red Onion with Warm Mustard Vinaigrette
Adapted from Cooking Light, December 2003

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
1 cup vertically sliced red onion
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

Cook green beans in boiling water for 6 minutes or until crisp-tender, and drain. Combine the green beans and onion in a large bowl.

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and black pepper; cook over medium heat 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated, stirring vinaigrette constantly with a whisk. Drizzle vinaigrette over bean mixture; toss well to coat. Serve immediately.

Nutritional info per serving

Calories: 69
Calories from fat: 38%
Fat: 2.9g
Saturated fat: 0.4g
Monounsaturated fat: 1.8g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.4g
Protein: 2.6g
Carbohydrate: 10.4g
Fiber: 4.3g
Cholesterol: 0.0mg
Iron: 1.5mg
Sodium: 232mg
Calcium: 54mg

Cook green beans in boiling water for 6 minutes or until crisp-tender, and drain. (I steamed mine for 7 minutes.)

Combine the green beans and onion in a large bowl.

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and black pepper; cook over medium heat 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated, stirring vinaigrette constantly with a whisk.

Drizzle vinaigrette over bean mixture; toss well to coat. Serve immediately.

WOW. CL's Green Beans and Red Onion with Warm Mustard Vinaigrette is awesome! I haven't been this excited about a vegetable side dish in quite some time. This recipe is very easy to make and the sauce is made from pantry staples that most people always have on hand. I actually steamed the green beans earlier in the day and just nuked them in the microwave for two minutes before adding the sauce. It really couldn't be more simple. All of the vegetable eaters at the table gave these green beans two thumbs up, and Christy asked me to send her the recipe. This recipe is already on the menu for next week when my parents come to town.

-Heather

Stir-Fried Shrimp with Garlic and Chile Sauce

2011-08-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

During these warm months, softball has ruled our lives as it usually does...Our largest trip this summer to date was to the Denver Colorado area. This trip was important to me because I really got a chance to bond with the players and parents on our team, especially with Cathy, my softball BF. We watched a lot of softball, took in some beautiful scenery, and there was even time to catch a Rockies vs. White Sox game. I was extremely stoked about this because we all know that the White Sox are my second favorite team. Although I have thoroughly enjoyed watching Kylie do her thing on the mound, on first base and in the batters box, I have really missed my time in the kitchen. We had almost a whole week at home with no games so I have been going through my "to-try" pile of recipes. Since I had some frozen shrimp in the freezer, I chose Cooking Light's Stir-Fried Shrimp with Garlic and Chile Sauce for an easy Monday night dinner.

Stir-Fried Shrimp with Garlic and Chile Sauce

Adapted from: Cooking Light, January, 2009

Ingredients

1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine) or dry sherry
2 teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup (1-inch) slices green onions
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

2. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add canola oil to pan. Add shrimp to pan; stir-fry 1 minute or until shrimp begin to turn pink. Add garlic, ginger, and jalapeño; stir-fry 1 minute. Stir in broth mixture; cook 1 minute or until shrimp are done and sauce is thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in onions and sesame oil. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional Information (per serving, as written in the original CL recipe)

Calories: 244
Fat: 7.1g
Saturated fat: 0.9g
Monounsaturated fat: 2.9g
Polyunsaturated fat: 2.4g
Protein: 35.4g
Carbohydrate: 6.8g
Fiber: 0.8g
Cholesterol: 259mg
Iron: 4.5mg
Sodium: 371mg
Calcium: 109mg

Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk (I made an extra half batch of the sauce to coat the extra vegetables I added to the recipe).

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add canola oil to pan. Add shrimp to pan; stir-fry 1 minute or until shrimp begin to turn pink (I only used 3/4 pounds of shrimp but also added in about a cup of cooked, shredded chicken).

Add garlic, ginger, and jalapeño; stir-fry 1 minute.

Stir in broth mixture; cook 1 minute or until shrimp are done and sauce is thickened, stirring constantly.

(At this point I added about a cup and a half total of steamed broccoli and sauteed red pepper and mushrooms).

Remove from heat; stir in onions and sesame oil. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Cooking Light's Stir-Fried Shrimp with Garlic and Chile Sauce, was served over a bed of oven baked brown rice. It was simple to make and absolutely delicious. This dish is reminiscent of a popular menu choice at Yang Ming Restaurant in Orange, which I absolutely adore. Of course I made some changes because for whatever reason, I can rarely make a recipe as written. Terry is getting used to eating shrimp and seems to like it, but I didn't want to overwhelm him so I cut the shrimp amount in half and added around a cup of shredded, pre-cooked chicken. Because I am such a vegetable lover it was natural for me to add in some extra veggies, but they could have easily been served along side. About a cup and a half total of steamed broccoli and sauteed red pepper and mushrooms were added after the sauce was poured into the pan and thickened. To coat the vegetables I made an extra half batch of the sauce. The jalapeno called for in the recipe did not add much heat, I may add two next time. Lunch the past two days has been leftovers and this recipe seems to improve more and more as the flavors meld together. This one will work it's way into our rotation...that is once we have a regular rotation again...dare I say I am excited for school to start?

-Heather

BBQ Chicken Pizza with Blue Cheese

2011-08-08T22:12:00.000-07:00

My first experience with BBQ chicken pizza was at my best friend Christy’s house. We were having a last minute and low key dinner. Christy threw together what she had on hand; she made a nice salad and warmed some frozen pizzas in the oven. I was shocked by how much I enjoyed it, always assuming that BBQ sauce would be a little too sweet for my liking on a pizza. My favorite homemade Memphis BBQ sauce was hanging out in my freezer so I decided to try a BBQ pizza at home for myself and Terry on a lazy summer evening. I went online and found Cooking Light’s BBQ Chicken Pizza with Blue Cheese.

BBQ Chicken Pizza with Blue Cheese
Adapted from Cooking Light, August 2011

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) prebaked thin pizza crust (such as Mama Mary's)
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion
1/2 cup coarsely chopped yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced (about 1/4 pound)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 500°.

2. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spread sauce over the crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with chicken and remaining ingredients. Bake 10 minutes or until cheese melts and crust is crisp. Cut into 12 wedges.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

Calories: 252
Fat: 8.5g
Saturated fat: 3.1g
Monounsaturated fat: 2.2g
Polyunsaturated fat: 2.7g
Protein: 16.7g
Carbohydrate: 27.4g
Fiber: 1.8g
Cholesterol: 38mg
Iron: 1.6mg
Sodium: 494mg
Calcium: 92mg

Preheat oven to 500°. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet (I prebaked my own homemade whole wheat dough).

Spread sauce over the crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border.

Top with chicken (I coated the chicken with a little more BBQ sauce and at this point I also added 3/4 a cup of Mozzarella cheese).

Top with the remaining ingredients (at this point I also added 1/4 cups red pepper slices and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro). Bake 10 minutes or until cheese melts and crust is crisp. Cut into 12 wedges.

My adaption of Cooking Light’s BBQ Chicken Pizza with Blue Cheese was an excellent change of pace from the usual pizzas that I make. I think that the quality of the finished product will rely heavily on the BBQ sauce that you use. The changes that I made were creating my own whole wheat crust from scratch, coating the chicken in a small amount of BBQ sauce, adding about ¾ cups of Mozzarella cheese, adding red peppers along with the yellow ones and finally sprinkling a small handful of cilantro over the pizza before baking. I had two slices and a chopped salad and Terry had...half of the entire pizza. We enjoyed leftover slices the following day by reheating them in a sauté pan in order to preserve the crispness of the crust. This pizza will be made again the exact same way.

-Heather

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

2011-03-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

One of the many aspects of California that I never quite get used to is the abundance of citrus trees. A few of my friends have these trees on their property and I am always trying to find ways to incorporate this fresh, free fruit into our meals. I have made Ellie Krieger’s Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup countless times and it is absolutely delicious. Honesty, I wasn’t sure how I felt about adding lemon juice to chicken soup, but after consuming the results I was completely impressed. The use of eggs to thicken this soup is very interesting to me; the broth has a wonderful creamy texture. Besides doubling the vegetables I make this recipe exactly as written and serve it with salad and bread. After giving this recipe a try I can assure you that it will work its way into your winter meal rotation.

-Heather

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Ellie Krieger, The Food You Crave

4 teaspoons olive oil
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into small chunks
Pinch of salt, plus more to taste
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 stalks celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium carrot, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup orzo, preferably whole wheat
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the salt, add it to the pot, and cook, stirring, a few times, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a dish and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and thyme and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 5 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and let simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Turn the heat down to low to keep the soup hot but not boiling.

Warm the remaining 1 cup broth in a small saucepan until it is hot but not boiling. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Gradually whisk the lemon juice into the eggs. Then gradually add the hot broth to the egg-lemon mixture, whisking all the while. Add the mixture to the soup, stirring well until the soup is thickened. Do not let the soup come to a boil. Add the cooked chicken to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Makes 4 servings
Serving size: 1 1/2 cups

Per serving:
Calories 280; Total fat 10g (Sat fat 2g, Mono fat 6g, Poly fat 1g); Protein 26g; Carb 22g; Fiber 2g; Cholesterol 139mg; Sodium 291mg

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the salt, add it to the pot, and cook, stirring, a few times, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a dish and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and thyme and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add 5 cups of the broth and bring to a boil.

Add the orzo and let simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Turn the heat down to low to keep the soup hot but not boiling.

Warm the remaining 1 cup broth in a small saucepan until it is hot but not boiling.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs.

Gradually whisk the lemon juice into the eggs. Then gradually add the hot broth to the egg-lemon mixture, whisking all the while.

Add the mixture to the soup, stirring well until the soup is thickened. Do not let the soup come to a boil.

Add the cooked chicken to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Asian Noodle Bowls

2011-03-11T10:19:00.000-08:00

I have been working my way through Ellie Krieger’s Book, So Easy. The internet is my go-to source for recipes, but every once in a while it is nice to curl up with a cookbook, a blanket and the puppies. EK’s Asian Noodle Bowls is a quick and simple recipe that can be adapted many ways. I chose to leave out the baby corn because we don’t care for it and I added some chili garlic sauce at the end because it needed some spice. Any combination of your favorite meat and vegetables can be added to this recipe and will yield great results.

-Heather

Asian Noodle Bowls

Ellie Krieger, So Easy

530 calories, 8g fat, 38g protein

4 servings

Ingredients

8 oz. soba noodles or whole wheat spaghetti

2 tsp canola oil

1 bunch scallions, sliced

1 Tbsp minced, peeled, fresh ginger

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced

1 15 oz can baby corn, drained

1/2 lb broccoli florets (3 cups)

1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1/3 c low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 c low-sodium soy sauce

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Directions

1. Cook noodles according to package directions.

2. Heat the canola oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the scallions and ginger and cook, stirring until fragrant, but not brown, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Add the baby corn, broccoli, peppers, broth, and soy sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5-6 minutes. Add the noodles and sesame oil. Toss to combine.

Cook noodles according to package directions.

Heat the canola oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the scallions and ginger and cook, stirring until fragrant, but not brown, about 30 seconds.

Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 4-5 minutes.

Add the baby corn, broccoli, peppers, broth, and soy sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5-6 minutes.

Add the noodles and sesame oil. Toss to combine.

Italian Beef Stew

2011-02-24T09:19:00.000-08:00

On Presidents’ Day I found myself with a lot of time to spend in the kitchen thanks to a much needed day off from school. The weather was cool and comfort food seemed perfect. I had wanted to try Cooking Light’s Italian Beef Stew after I saw the recipe reviewed on their website. People were singing its praises and it seemed like a nice variation on the traditional slow-cooker beef stew. I had the time to spend on its semi-lengthy preparation process so I gave it a try. I replaced the fresh herbs with dried except for the parsley because that is what I had on hand. The recipe calls for fresh tomatoes, which I used, but I may try canned tomatoes in the future for convenience. Several members of Cooking Light’s Bulletin Board mentioned that they used canned tomatoes and enjoyed the finished product. Garlic mashed potatoes were served on the side of this thick stew; I may try egg noodles next time. The results of this Italian Beef Stew were outstanding. The meat was tender and the tomatoes created a sweetness that was really quite different from the typical beef stew flavor. I enjoyed this the following day for lunch and found it to be just as delicious, if not better.

-Heather

Italian Beef Stew

Other Time: 2 hours, 40 minutes minutes
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients
7 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into cubes
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup dry red wine
3 3/4 cups chopped seeded peeled plum tomato (about 2 pounds)
1 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 (8-ounce) package cremini mushrooms, quartered
3/4 cup (1/4-inch-thick) slices carrot
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Directions
1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Add onion and chopped carrot; sauté 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté for 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from pan.

2. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Add half of beef to pan; sauté 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure.

3. Add wine to pan, and bring to a boil, scraping pan. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 5 minutes). Return meat and the onion mixture to pan. Add tomato and next 6 ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, and stir in sliced carrot. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour or until meat is very tender, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, basil, and parsley.

CALORIES 334 ; FAT 13g (sat 3.9g,mono 0.8g,poly 6.6g); CHOLESTEROL 86mg; CALCIUM 51mg; CARBOHYDRATE 12.2g; SODIUM 387mg; PROTEIN 40.6g; FIBER 2.4g; IRON 4.1mg

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Add onion and chopped carrot; sauté 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic; sauté for 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from pan.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; dredge in flour.

Add half of beef to pan; sauté 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure.

Add wine to pan, and bring to a boil, scraping pan. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 5 minutes).

Return meat and the onion mixture to pan.

Add tomato and next 6 ingredients.

Bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Uncover, and stir in sliced carrot.

Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour or until meat is very tender, stirring occasionally.

Discard bay leaf. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, basil, and parsley.

Easy Mushroom-Chicken Quesadillas

2011-02-23T09:18:00.000-08:00

Some foods really don’t require a recipe. Quesadillas have always been that type of food in my eyes. I have been relying heavily on Ellie Krieger’s book, So Easy lately and came across a recipe for Easy Mushroom-Chicken Quesadillas. The picture looked amazing and the ingredients included many of my favorites so I decided to use the recipe to make this very simple type of food. My decision was a great one, these were wonderful. Terry deemed them too “vegetablely” but for me they were perfect. The chicken, mushrooms, spinach and spices tied together perfectly. The only change that I made was in the construction on the quesadillas. Instead of placing one flat tortilla over another one, I filled half of each one and w rapped the rest of the tortilla over the top of itself. This just seems to make more sense to me and the pre-cooked quesadillas seem easier to handle. We ate our Easy Mushroom-Chicken Quesadillas with sour cream, salsa and as usual, Terry’s guacamole. These will be repeated often and the filling will be frozen for quick meals.

-Heather

Easy Mushroom-Chicken Quesadillas
(Adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
8 ounces white button mushrooms, (about 3 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked chopped skinless, boneless chicken breast (1 breast half)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups baby spinach leaves, sliced into ribbons
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
4 (10-inch) whole-grain flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese mix or Cheddar
1/2 cup salsa (optional)
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream (optional)

Directions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the mushroom water is evaporated and they begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add chicken, cumin, chili powder and oregano and stir until all spices are incorporated. Add spinach, salt and pepper and cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.

Lay 2 tortillas on a flat work surface and sprinkle half of each with 1/8 cup shredded cheese. Spoon 1/4 chicken and vegetable mixture on top of cheese on each tortilla, then top with an additional 1/8 cup cheese. Fold each tortilla in half over itself. Heat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray over medium heat. Carefully place 2 quesadillas in the pan and cook 3 minutes. Using a large spatula, gently flip quesadillas and cook an additional 3 minutes until lightly browned and cheese is melted. Repeat with the remaining two quesadilla. Slice each quesadilla into quarters. Place 2 quarters on a plate with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 2 tablespoons salsa if desired.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the mushroom water is evaporated and they begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Add chicken, cumin, chili powder and oregano and stir until all spices are incorporated.

Add spinach, salt and pepper and cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.

Lay 2 tortillas on a flat work surface and sprinkle half of each with 1/4 cup shredded cheese.

Spoon 1/4 chicken and vegetable mixture on top of cheese on each tortilla, then top with an additional 1/8 cup cheese.

Fold each tortilla in half over itself.

Heat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray over medium heat. Carefully place 2 quesadillas in the pan and cook 3 minutes. Using a large spatula, gently flip quesadillas and cook an additional 3 minutes until lightly browned and cheese is melted. Repeat with the remaining two quesadilla. Slice each quesadilla into quarters. Place 2 quarters on a plate with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 2 tablespoons salsa if desired.

Cracked Pepper Baked Potato Chips

2011-02-21T19:07:00.000-08:00

Chips are one of my favorite snacks; since they are not the healthiest option to munch on I have dabbled in making my own baked versions of the classics. I have successfully made pita and tortilla chips and decided to give potato chips a try. I looked to Ellie Krieger’s book, So Easy. I made her Cracked Pepper Baked Potato Chips to go along with Cooking Light’s Turkey Meatball Reuben Subs. These chips turned out really well. I baked them a few minutes longer than called for, and used a mandolin to create even chip widths. I salted them generously after removing them from the oven and they were tasty both warm and at room temperature.

-Heather

Cracked Pepper Baked Potato Chips
Ellie Krieger

Ingredients
3 large russet potatoes (2 1/4 pounds total) sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
Salt

Directions
Toss potatoes in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of oil, and pepper until well coated. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Arrange potato slices in 1 layer on 2 cookie sheets. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until chips are crisped and lightly browned. Remove from oven, season with salt and cool.

Toss potatoes in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of oil, and pepper until well coated. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Arrange potato slices in 1 layer on 2 cookie sheets.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until chips are crisped and lightly browned. Remove from oven, season with salt and cool.

Turkey Meatball Reuben Subs

2011-02-17T13:58:00.000-08:00

Sauerkraut might be the food that I dislike most in the world. Anytime my Mom would make it I would run to the neighbor’s house and hide out because even the smell was too much for me to bare. I suppose this is the reason that I have never tried a Rueben sandwich. While paging through the December issue of Cooking Light at the gym I saw the recipe for their Turkey Meatball Reuben Sub. The picture was appetizing and a quick glance at the ingredients showed no sign of sauerkraut. This turned out awesome! It will work its way into our monthly rotation. I baked my own wheat rolls and made my own Thousand Island sauce. I replaced bottled garlic with fresh and omitted the coriander because I didn’t have any. We served our sandwiches with Ellie Krieger’s Cracked Black Pepper Baked Potato Chips, and thoroughly enjoyed this meal.

-Heather

Turkey Meatball Reuben Sub

Alyson Haynes, Cooking Light, December 2010

Total: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Ingredients

2 teaspoons paprika, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 pound ground turkey

Cooking spray

4 (3-ounce) wheat submarine rolls (such as Cobblestone Mill)

1 1/3 cups packaged coleslaw

1/4 cup reduced-fat Thousand Island dressing

4 (1-ounce) slices Swiss cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, coriander, and next 6 ingredients (through turkey). Shape into 16 meatballs (about 1 heaping tablespoon each). Place meatballs on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray, and broil for 8 minutes or until done, turning once.

3. While meatballs cook, hollow out bread, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell, and reserve torn bread for another use. Combine the coleslaw, dressing, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Arrange 4 meatballs and 1 cheese slice inside each roll. Place the sandwiches on broiler pan, and broil for 1 minute or until cheese melts. Divide slaw among sandwiches.

Nutritional Information

Calories:428

Fat:16.8g (sat 7g,mono 5.5g,poly 1.1g)

Protein:31.5g

Carbohydrate:40g

Fiber:4.1g

Cholesterol:76mg

Iron:3.7mg

Sodium:723mg

Calcium:308mgs

Preheat broiler. Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, coriander, and next 6 ingredients (through turkey).

Shape into 16 meatballs (about 1 heaping tablespoon each). Place meatballs on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray.

Broil for 8 minutes or until done, turning once.

While meatballs cook, hollow out bread, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell, and reserve torn bread for another use.

Combine the coleslaw, dressing, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika.

Arrange 4 meatballs and 1 cheese slice inside each roll.

Place the sandwiches on broiler pan, and broil for 1 minute or until cheese melts. Divide slaw among sandwiches.

Cold Noodle and Carrot Salad

2011-02-16T08:58:00.000-08:00

The weather in Southern California has been beautiful lately and my poor family back in Chicago has been hit with terrible blizzards. My Crazy Cousin Bud (CCB for short) loves taunting our family over Facebook by reminding them of how gorgeous and sunny it is here while they are busy shoveling out their cars to get around town. I am not so evil, but I did want to take advantage of this unseasonably warm weather by cooking something a bit more suited to summer. I decided on an Asian inspired grilled chicken with Cold Noodle and Carrot Salad and garlic and ginger steamed broccoli. The meal was delicious and the Cold Noodle and Carrot Salad was phenomenal, Terry couldn’t stop raving about it. It was extremely simple to make, nothing more than cooking pasta, a little chopping and a little mixing. I made it during the afternoon and we enjoyed it that evening. The leftovers also held up very well.

-Heather

Cold Noodle and Carrot Salad

(Adapted from The kitchn)

8 ounces whole wheat angel hair pasta
3 large carrots
1 bunch (about 6) scallions
1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger

2 tablespoons sesame oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Cook the noodles for 6-8 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain and toss with just a drizzle of sesame oil to keep them from sticking together. Put in the refrigerator to cool.

Peel the carrots and shred or shave with a peeler. You should have about 2 cups of loose carrot shavings. Chop the scallions into small pieces.

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for a few minutes until they become fragrant; watch to be sure that they do not burn.

Whisk the sesame oil, vinegar, and soy sauce together and taste. Adjust for taste. Toss the carrots, scallions, ginger, chilled noodles and sesame seeds together and serve.

Cook the noodles for 6-8 minutes, or according to package directions.

Drain and toss with just a drizzle of sesame oil to keep them from sticking together. Put in the refrigerator to cool.

Peel the carrots and shred or shave with a peeler. You should have about 2 cups of loose carrot shavings. Chop the scallions into small pieces.

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for a few minutes until they become fragrant; watch to be sure that they do not burn.

Whisk the sesame oil, vinegar, and soy sauce together and taste. Adjust for taste.

Toss the carrots, scallions, ginger, chilled noodles and sesame seeds together and serve.

Taco Pizza

2011-02-15T10:53:00.000-08:00

A fond memory that I have from high school is stopping at Taco Bell with my friends Marie and Mike and eating Mexican Pizzas. We laughed and came up with some of our most hilarious inside jokes in that little fast food restaurant. Obviously this was not the picture of healthy eating, but back in those days I could eat anything I wanted and get away with it. Being much more health conscious now, but still enjoying fast food-style treats, I toyed with a Taco Pizza recipe from Pampered Chef and really enjoy the results. My recipe makes three pizzas at a time. I always make double the amount of food that we need so we have leftovers for lunch. Terry eats an entire Taco Pizza at each sitting and I eat half of one. We served sour cream, bottled salsa and Terry’s guacamole on the side. I used fat free flour tortillas from Sprouts and ground turkey can easily be substituted for the ground beef. This recipe has been repeated often and really hits the spot when you are in the mood for something a little bit bad and don’t want to have to work it off at the gym.

-Heather

Taco Pizza

(Adapted from Pampered Chef’s Kitchen is the Heart of the Home)

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef or ground turkey cooked and seasoned with1 batch All Recipe’s Taco Seasoning or 1 envelope taco seasoning mix

6 (10-inch) flour tortillas

1 14 oz can fat free refried beans

1 cup diced tomato

1 bunch green onions sliced

1 cup sliced pitted ripe olives

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Cooking spray

Bottled or fresh salsa (optional)

Sour Cream (optional)

Guacamole (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cover two large baking pans with tin foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Layer two tortillas on one pan and one tortilla on the other pan. Divide the refried beans into thirds and smear onto each tortilla. Divide the cooked beef or turkey into thirds and sprinkle onto each tortilla.

2. Divide a half cup of the cheese into thirds and sprinkle on top of the beef, then top with the remaining three tortillas. Divide the remaining cup of cheese into thirds and top each tortilla. Divide the tomatoes, green onions and olives into thirds and sprinkle on top of the cheese. Bake for 10 to15 minutes, until the edges of the tortillas begin to lightly brown. Top with salsa, sour cream and guacamole if desired.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cover two large baking pans with tin foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Layer two tortillas on one pan and one tortilla on the other pan. Divide the refried beans into thirds and smear onto each tortilla.

Divide the cooked beef or turkey into thirds and sprinkle onto each tortilla.

Divide a half cup of the cheese into thirds and sprinkle on top of the beef, then top with the remaining three tortillas. Divide the remaining cup of cheese into thirds and top each tortilla. Divide the tomatoes, green onions and olives into thirds and sprinkle on top of the cheese.

Bake for 10 to15 minutes, until the edges of the tortillas begin to lightly brown. Top with salsa, sour cream and guacamole if desired.

Healthy Chicken Fried Rice

2011-02-09T12:13:00.000-08:00

Bacon is truly one of my favorite indulgences, but besides that, we are really not pork eaters. I don’t know exactly why, my Mom always made delicious pork roasts and Dad always grilled killer pork chops. Whatever the reason, I typically find myself replacing the pork called for in recipes with good ol’ boneless skinless chicken breasts. I like to poach or bake a large amount, shred, and then freeze in dinner sized portions. This process helps weeknight dinners come together much more quickly then they would without this resource. The recipe for Cooking Light’s Almost Classic Pork Fried Rice caught my eye so I made my usual substitution and we were off and rolling. This is a nice meal, not a “wow” but a filling healthy take on fried rice that I will make again. I have creatively titled it Healthy Chicken Friend Rice. Steamed broccoli and leftover grilled vegetables were tossed with some ginger and garlic and served on the side.

-Heather

Healthy Chicken Fried Rice
(Adapted from Cooking Light's Almost Classic Pork Fried Rice, January 2011)

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 2 cups)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons peanut oil or olive oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 to 1 pound cooked and shredded boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green onion bottoms (white part)

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

3 cups cooked, chilled long-grain brown rice

1 large egg

3 tablespoons mirin (I subbed rice vinegar with a pinch of sugar mixed in)

3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups fresh bean sprouts

1/4 cup canned diced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained (I omitted)

1 cup chopped green onion tops

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add carrot and celery to pan, and sauté for 2 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, heat chicken in the microwave for one minute. Add carrot mixture to the warm chicken.

2. Add remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil to pan, swirling to coat. Stir in green onion bottoms, garlic, and ginger; cook for 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Add rice, stirring well to coat rice with oil; cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Stir rice mixture, and cook, without stirring, an additional 2 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Make a well in center of rice mixture. Add egg; stir-fry for 30 seconds or until soft-scrambled, stirring constantly.

3. Return the chicken mixture to pan. Stir in mirin, and cook for 1 minute or until mirin is absorbed. Stir in the salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper. Remove from heat, and stir in bean sprouts and water chestnuts. Sprinkle with green onion tops.

CALORIES 408 ; FAT 12.4g (sat 2.6g,mono 5.4g,poly 3.6g); CHOLESTEROL 82mg; CALCIUM 79mg; CARBOHYDRATE 49.3g; SODIUM 627mg; PROTEIN 21g; FIBER 6.5g; IRON 2.4mg

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add carrot and celery to pan, and sauté for 2 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, heat chicken in the microwave for one minute.

Add carrot mixture to the warm chicken.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil to pan, swirling to coat. Stir in green onion bottoms, garlic, and ginger; cook for 15 seconds, stirring constantly.

Add rice, stirring well to coat rice with oil; cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Stir rice mixture, and cook, without stirring, an additional 2 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

Make a well in center of rice mixture. Add egg; stir-fry for 30 seconds or until soft-scrambled, stirring constantly.

Return the chicken mixture to pan. Stir in mirin, and cook for 1 minute or until mirin is absorbed.

Stir in the salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper. Remove from heat, and stir in bean sprouts and water chestnuts. Sprinkle with green onion tops.

Chicken Fajitas

2011-02-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

BEER…makes everything better, including fajitas. Cooking Light’s January 2011 issue is dedicated to quick chicken dinners and the Chicken Fajitas recipe was absolutely outstanding. The recipe calls for marinating the chicken for just one hour. I thought it would be much more flavorful marinated overnight so I threw the marinade together quickly after returning from the Superbowl party at my best friend Christy’s house and set it in the fridge for the next day. I didn’t have any dark Mexican beer so I used Sam Adams lager and added a bit more lime juice to the marinade to compensate. The chicken was sliced very thin so it cooked in the allotted two minutes per side on my grill pan. Peppers are one of my favorite foods so I added sliced green peppers to the red and the yellow called for in the recipe. I also added in sliced tomatoes because I love them in fajitas. We served CL’s Chicken Fajitas with bottled salsa, sour cream and Terry’s guacamole. As a side I had some leftover salad from the Superbowl party and Terry had more fajitas. This recipe is a definite repeater and I can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch.

-Heather

Chicken Fajitas
Cooking Light, January 2011
Total: 1 hour, 32 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

3/4 cup dark Mexican beer
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut across grain into 1/2-inch-thick strips
1 cup sliced onion
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
Salsa (optional)
Reduced-fat sour cream (optional)
Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine first 6 ingredients, stirring well. Place chicken in a zip-top plastic bag. Add 3/4 cup beer mixture to bag; seal. Reserve remaining beer mixture. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour, turning occasionally. Combine onion, bell peppers, and remaining beer mixture in a zip-top plastic bag, and seal. Marinate for 1 hour at room temperature.
2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and black pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook for 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Remove onion and bell peppers from bag, and discard marinade. Add onion mixture to pan; cook for 6 minutes or until tender, turning after 3 minutes. Toast tortillas in pan, if desired. Place 2 tortillas on each of 4 plates, and divide chicken mixture evenly among tortillas. Divide onion mixture evenly among servings. Garnish with jalapeño slices. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and cilantro, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 377
Fat: 9.4g (sat 1.5g,mono 4.7g,poly 2.3g)
Protein: 31.6g
Carbohydrate: 39.8g
Fiber: 4.3g
Cholesterol: 66mg
Iron: 1.9mg
Sodium: 668mg
Calcium: 67mg

Julianna Grimes, Cooking Light, JANUARY 2011

Combine first 6 ingredients, stirring well.

Place chicken in a zip-top plastic bag. Add 3/4 cup beer mixture to bag; seal. Reserve remaining beer mixture. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour, turning occasionally. (I decided to marinate overnight.)

Combine onion, bell peppers, and remaining beer mixture in a zip-top plastic bag, and seal. Marinate for 1 hour at room temperature.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and black pepper.

Add chicken to pan; cook for 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Remove onion and bell peppers from bag, and discard marinade. Add onion mixture to pan; cook for 6 minutes or until tender, turning after 3 minutes.

Toast tortillas in pan, if desired.Place 2 tortillas on each of 4 plates, and divide chicken mixture evenly among tortillas. Divide onion mixture evenly among servings. Garnish with jalapeño slices. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and cilantro, if desired.

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

2010-03-31T07:55:00.000-07:00

It really seems like life gets away from you sometimes. I have already made these Buffalo Chicken Wraps three times and we love them. If you are look for a true replacement for Buffalo chicken these may not be for you, but if you are satisfied with a healthy substitute that tastes almost like the real thing, you will be a fan of this recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Wrap

Adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients

2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce, such as Frank's RedHot
3 tablespoons white vinegar, divided
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound chicken tenders
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
4 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas
1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
1 cup sliced celery
1 large tomato, diced

Preparation

Whisk hot pepper sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken tenders; cook until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add to the bowl with the hot sauce; toss to coat well.
Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl. Stir in blue cheese.
To assemble wraps: Lay a tortilla on a work surface or plate. Spread with 1 tablespoon blue cheese sauce and top with one-fourth of the chicken, lettuce, celery and tomato. Drizzle with some of the hot sauce remaining in the bowl and roll into a wrap sandwich. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Nutrition

Per serving: 275 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 55 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 24 g protein; 3 g fiber; 756 mg sodium; 266 mg potassium.

Whisk hot pepper sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken tenders; cook until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Add to the bowl with the hot sauce; toss to coat well. I chopped the chicken into bite sized pieces.

Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl. Stir in blue cheese.

To assemble wraps: Lay a tortilla on a work surface or plate. Spread with 1 tablespoon blue cheese sauce and top with one-fourth of the chicken, lettuce, celery and tomato. Drizzle with some of the hot sauce remaining in the bowl and roll into a wrap sandwich. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Eating Well's Buffalo Chicken Wraps are really good, and deliver the hot sauce, Buffalo wing flavor that I usually avoid due to the high calorie content of the real thing. I load up on the veggies and Terry goes for the strictly meat and sauce option. Oven fries or roasted potatoes have both accompanied these wraps with great success. I usually double or triple the recipe so we have lots of left overs. The next day the chicken is excellent over a bed of lettuce with the remaining chopped vegetables and the sauce as a dressing.

-Heather

Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese

2010-02-03T12:22:00.000-08:00

It feels like I have been waiting fifty years for the new season of Lost to start. I LOVE this show. Terry and I didn't even get into it until the middle of the second season when our friend Kevin insisted that we borrow his copy of the first seasons DVDs and give them a try. Terry and I literally immersed ourselves into the first season and were hooked, we watched the first half of the second season on the internet and then we became regular watchers. Last night we invited over our fellow Lost worshipers, my cousins, Timmy and CCB (crazy cousin Bud) for dinner and to watch the sixth and last season premier. These boys really appreciate my cooking so I decided to indulge them and pull out the recipe for Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese. I first became acquainted with this recipe when Joe reviewed it on his blog, Culinary in the Desert, and it got rave reviews on the CLBB.

Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese
(Adapted from Joe and from Rachel Ray)

16 ounces dry cavatappi pasta
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 jalapeño chiles, seeded, ribs removed and thinly sliced
2 serrano chiles, seeded, ribs removed and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups milk
8 ounces cream cheese, sliced into cubes
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
8 ounces (about 2 cups) shredded Mexican-blend cheese

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and place back into the pot off heat.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Stir in jalapeños, serranos and garlic - cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add to the pot with the drained pasta.

Preheat the broiler.

In the same saucepan, add milk, cream cheese and onion - heat over medium-low, stirring, until very smooth, about 5 minutes. Pour in to the pot with the pasta and add the cheese - season with salt and fresh ground black pepper, tossing well to coat. Scoop mixture into a casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Place under the broiler and bake until lightly browned on top, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove and let cool slightly before serving.

Makes about 6 servings.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and place back into the pot off heat.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Stir in jalapeños, serranos and garlic - cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add to the pot with the drained pasta (I forgot this step and left it in with the next step.) Preheat the broiler.

In the same saucepan, add milk, cream cheese and onion - heat over medium-low, stirring, until very smooth, about 5 minutes.

Pour in to the pot with the pasta and add the cheese - season with salt and fresh ground black pepper, tossing well to coat.

Scoop mixture into a casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Place under the broiler and bake until lightly browned on top, about 3 to 5 minutes.

First off, Lost was AMAZING, as I imagined it would be, just like our Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese! It seems like it would be a tedious recipe, but it is not at all. There are very few steps and those steps foster delicious results. It really does taste like a pasta version of the Jalapeno Popper football snacks that we all know and love. In my photos I made a mistake and left the jalapenos in the pot with the cheeses, but it still turned out great. Before sticking the dish under the broiler I added some Panko bread crumbs and a light spray of cooking oil to create a crunchy topping. Between the four of us we ate almost the entire thing, and it was served as a side dish! I have already thrown this one into the "winner" pile and I am sure I will return back to it many times in the future.

-Heather

Stuffed Pizza Sticks

2010-02-02T12:19:00.000-08:00

Saturday night was spent having a fabulous time with great friends, it sure was fun but I am not used to staying out so late anymore. Being ridiculously tired from the festivities of the weekend, I was not in the mood to cook dinner at all on Monday night. I even skipped the gym. Just when I was about to ask Terry to pick up some take out on his way home I remembered a really simple recipe that I had seen recently on Joe's blog, Culinary in the Desert, for Stuffed Pizza Sticks. They seemed easy enough, and I had the ingredients on hand, so I gave them a try.

Stuffed Pizza Sticks

(Adapted from Culinary in the Desert and Rachael Ray)

16 ounces prepared whole-wheat pizza dough (I used Joe's recipe from Culinary in the Desert.)
6 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup pepperoni, chopped
Diced green pepper

Diced red onion

Cooking spray Marinara sauce for dipping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Evenly divide dough into 4 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll each piece of dough into a large rectangle. Scatter the top of each rectangle, keeping one long edge clean, with the shredded cheese, basil, chopped pepperoni, green pepper and red onion. Fold the ends of the dough in on each rectangle, then starting with one long side (the one opposite of the clean side), roll dough up, jelly-roll style, pinching seam to seal.

Transfer logs to a parchment-lined baking sheet, pinched seam side down. Lightly coat the sticks with cooking spray. Place pan into the oven and bake until the logs are golden, about 18 to 22 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly. Serve with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

Makes 4 servings.

Evenly divide dough into 4 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll each piece of dough into a large rectangle.

. Scatter the top of each rectangle, keeping one long edge clean, with the shredded cheese, basil, chopped pepperoni, green pepper and red onion.

Fold the ends of the dough in on each rectangle.

Starting with one long side (the one opposite of the clean side), roll dough up, jelly-roll style, pinching seam to seal.

Transfer logs to a parchment-lined baking sheet, pinched seam side down. Lightly coat the sticks with cooking spray. Place pan into the oven and bake until the logs are golden, about 18 to 22 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly. Serve with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

Stuffed Pizza Sticks were a great change of pace for Terry and me. Although I enjoy the elaborate dinners that I often try to throw together it was really nice to make something that was simple, easy and delicious. I thought that rolling them into their baking shape might be difficult, but I found it more simple to do than transferring a thin pizza crust onto a pizza stone. I made my own WW dough, but you could certainly just buy some prepared dough from your local grocery store. These pizza sticks can be stuffed with anything under the sun, just don't fill them too full or you might see some ingredients oozing out of your dough. A side salad accompanied my pizza stick and Terry had his with, well, more pizza sticks. Both of us really liked dipping them into the warm marinara sauce. I am pretty pumped to try some new flavor combinations inside of the sticks. These would be a blast to serve at a small sports party...I would recommend trying them the next time you feel like having a little fun in the kitchen.

-Heather

Steak Tips with Peppered Mushroom Gravy

2010-02-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

It is an extremely rare event when Terry and I deicde to stay in on a Friday night. Last Friday we chose to take it easy and go to bed early so we would be ready to help our friend Stephen celebrate his 30th birthday the following evening. Since we were doing things we normally wouldn't do to start with, I continued the theme when I picked out a recipe with steak in it. We very rarely eat red meat and besides ground beef, I am a little intimidated by working with this versatile protein. The recipe for Cooking Light’s Steak Tips with Peppered Mushroom Gravy has been lingering around the CLBB as of late. Top sirloin steak was on sale at Von's so the stars seemed to be aligned, it was time to give this one a go.

Steak Tips with Peppered Mushroom Gravy
Adapted from Cooking Light, JANUARY 2010

2 cups uncooked egg noodles (I made brown rice instead)
Cooking spray
1 pound top sirloin steak, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 (8-ounce) package presliced baby bella mushrooms
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 fresh thyme sprigs (I used dried)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, optional

1. Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
2. While noodles cook, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steak; sauté 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan; cover.
3. Melt butter in pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Stir in soy sauce. Sprinkle flour over mushroom mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Add pepper, salt, and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thickened. Return beef to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Discard thyme sprigs. Garnish with thyme leaves, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup beef mixture and 2/3 cup noodles)

CALORIES 344 ; FAT 12.5g (sat 5.3g,mono 4.2g,poly 1.2g); CHOLESTEROL 95mg; CALCIUM 28mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28.7g; SODIUM 538mg; PROTEIN 27.3g; FIBER 1.7g; IRON 4.3mg

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steak; sauté 5 minutes, browning on all sides.

Remove from pan; cover.

Melt butter in pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds.

Stir in soy sauce. Sprinkle flour over mushroom mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly.

Add pepper, salt, and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thickened.

Return beef to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Discard thyme sprigs. Garnish with thyme leaves, if desired.

This was SUPER good. I was nervous that the steak would be chewy, but it remained tender. I didn't have any fresh thyme, so I sprinkled in some dried thyme instead and the flavor of the herb was still easily detected. We enjoyed some pasta the night before, so instead of egg noodles I made brown rice to accompany CL's Steak Tips with Peppered Mushroom Gravy. This recipe pulled together very quickly, I think it took me longer to cut and trim the steak than it did to cook the meal. The next time that I prepare this dish I will definitely serve it with a side of some sort of green vegetable. I am also looking forward to to smothering some egg noodles rather than brown rice to see which starch works the best. I would strongly recommend giving this recipe a try, it will be especially good during these cooler months.

-Heather

Beef, Cheese, and Noodle Bake

2010-01-29T08:27:00.000-08:00

I’m BAACCCKKK! To make a very annoying and lengthy story short: I have been taking classes rather than blogging for the past couple of months. Without going on an angry rant, I can just say that I have reached the last column of my school district’s pay scale (even though I already earned those units years ago, but again, we will end it there)!

I am back in action and ready to document my cooking adventures. I started with something very simple, Cooking Light’s Beef, Cheese and Noodle Bake from the January 2006 issue. I actually prepared this meal the night before and just popped it in the oven last night to finish the baking portion of the directions. For something so simple, we were extremely surprised and delighted with our end results.

Beef, Cheese, and Noodle Bake
Adapted from Cooking Light, January 2006

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package small elbow macaroni
Cooking spray
1 cup prechopped onion
1 cup preshredded carrot
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 pound lean ground sirloin (I used ground turkey)
1 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fat-free milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I omitted the nutmeg)
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) 2% reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and carrot, and sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add ground beef; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add tomato sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates.

Add pasta to beef mixture in pan, stirring to combine.

Place milk, flour, nutmeg, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan; stir with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add 1 cup cheese, stirring until smooth.

Pour cheese mixture over pasta mixture; stir.

Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top evenly with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Yield
8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 283(24% from fat); FAT 7.7g (sat 4.2g,mono 2.4g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 22.3g; CHOLESTEROL 46mg; CALCIUM 209mg; SODIUM 622mg; FIBER 2.1g; IRON 3.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 30.1g

Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and carrot, and sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute.

Add ground beef; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.

Add tomato sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates.

Add pasta to beef mixture in pan, stirring to combine.

Place milk, flour, nutmeg, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan; stir with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk.

Add 1 cup cheese, stirring until smooth.

Pour cheese mixture over pasta mixture; stir.

Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Top evenly with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

As you can see from the picture above, Terry couldn’t wait to dive into this casserole. I Used ground turkey instead of beef and I omitted the nutmeg. The original instructions seemed to add an extra step so I changed those as well and am excited about the finished product. This dish was surprisingly flavorful. I did not have very high hopes because it just seemed too simple. Cooking Light’s Beef, Cheese and Noodle Bake is not quite dinner party food, but it is hearty and great for a weeknight family dinner. The leftovers reheated wonderfully for lunch today and I think the flavor actually improved a bit overnight. I have a feeling this one is going to sneak its way into our monthly rotation.

-Heather

Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce

2009-08-25T14:43:00.001-07:00

Terry and I took a trip to the river with our good friends Paul and Rachel last weekend. As we huddled under a covered patio area waiting for the rain to subside, Paul told me an amusing story about Rachel (which will not be repeated here) that involved spaghetti. I haven't been able to get spaghetti off of my mind since the trip (sort of like the "ice cream and cake" commercial), so I decided to make Ellie Krieger's Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce. I have made the meatballs from this recipe in the past, but had used some homemade sauce that I had in the freezer, as I was too lazy at the time to try Ellie's sauce.

Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Ellie Krieger, The Food You Crave

Serves 6

For the Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 ½ cups)

4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons)

3 tablespoons tomato paste

One 28-ounce can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, with their juices

1 teaspoon finely minced canned chipotle chile, in adobo sauce, or more to taste

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 sprig fresh rosemary

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

¼ cup torn fresh basil

For the Meatballs

Cooking spray

1 pound lean ground turkey meat

1 slice whole-wheat bread, crusts removed and pulsed into crumbs in a food processor

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan

½ cup finely grated carrot

½ cup finely chopped onion

2 large cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme

1 large egg, lightly beaten

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

For the Spaghetti

One 16-ounce box whole-wheat spaghetti

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Directions

To make the sauce, in a 4-quart saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring a few times, until translucent, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, chipotle, oregano, and rosemary, bring to a low boil, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the liquid has evaporated slightly, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

While the sauce is cooking, make the meatballs. Preheat the broiler. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl. Form into 2 ½-inch balls and place on a baking sheet. Broil until browned and almost entirely cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the rosemary sprig from the sauce and stir in the basil. Add the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and cook until the sauce has slightly thickened and the meatballs have absorbed some of the sauce, about another 10 minutes.

While the meatballs are cooking, cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and meatballs, toss together, and heat through over medium heat. Divide evenly among 6 pasta bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan, garnish with parsley, and serve.

To make the sauce, in a 4-quart saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring a few times, until translucent, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, chipotle, oregano, and rosemary, bring to a low boil, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the liquid has evaporated slightly, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

While the sauce is cooking, make the meatballs. Preheat the broiler. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Combine the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl.

Form into 2 ½-inch balls and place on a baking sheet.

Broil until browned and almost entirely cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the rosemary sprig from the sauce and stir in the basil.

Add the meatballs to the sauce.

Cover, and cook until the sauce has slightly thickened and the meatballs have absorbed some of the sauce, about another 10 minutes.

While the meatballs are cooking, cook the spaghetti according to package directions.

My spaghetti desire has been fulfilled! Terry absolutely raved about each aspect of Ellie Krieger's Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce, I however thought the sauce was just OK. The first time I gave this recipe a whirl I used regular ground turkey, not the extra lean stuff. I could tell a slight difference, the regular turkey meatballs were a bit more tender due to their fat content. Either type of meat would yield a wonderful tasting meatball. Although Terry was hesitant about the shredded carrots in the meatballs, and accused me of trying to "sneak in" vegetables, he was pleasantly surprised and requested that I make this dish again soon. What he didn't know was that I had already doubled the recipe for the freezer so that it can be taken out and enjoyed on our first busy school night (which will probably be Monday!)

Enjoy,

Heather