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Who am I? Wife. Mother of 2. "Newbie" to fitness. Personal Trainer-in-training. Lover of health. Fitness. Religion. Family. Gluten and refined sugar intolerant. Welcome to my journey. Learn with me.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Cranberry-Oatmeal Bars

I was looking for a dessert recipe that wouldn't "break the calorie bank" for a Family Home Evening treat one night and I came across this one. I was on a serious orange craving kick and the combination of flavors intrigued me. They were pretty easy to make although it may have been more difficult without a grater for the orange zest and a juicer for the orange juice... but overall I still think it was pretty easy. They are pretty strong tasting but I loved them and will be making them again. This would be a great holiday dessert! And don't be taken off guard about the fact that you are supposed to cut these bars into 24 pieces... they are rich and you don't need a whole lot to feel satisfied. If you have a sweet tooth, however, the great thing about Cooking Light recipes is that you can eat 3 or 4 and still be in an okay range.

The picture and original recipe are courtesy of MyRecipes.com and can be found at this site here: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cranberry-oatmeal-bars-10000001853985/

CRANBERRY-OATMEAL BARS
Adapted from Cooking Light
Serving Size 24
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4 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
Click to 1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
Click to see s1/4 teaspoon salt
Click to see savin1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Click to see savi1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Click to see savin6 tablespoons butter, melted
Click to see savi3 tablespoons orange juice
Click to see savinCooking spray
    Click     
    Filling:
1 1/3 cups dried cranberries (about 6 ounces)
Click to see savin3/4 cup sour cream (I used fat free)
Click to see s¼ cup honey
Click to see savin2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Click to see saving1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Click to see saving1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
Click to see savin1 large egg white, lightly beaten 
Click to

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. To prepare crust, weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through cinnamon) in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle butter and juice over flour mixture, stirring until moistened (mixture will be crumbly). Reserve 1/2 cup oat mixture. Press remaining oat mixture into the bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. To prepare filling, combine cranberries, sour cream, granulated sugar, and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well. Spread cranberry mixture over prepared crust; sprinkle reserved oat mixture evenly over filling. Bake at 325° for 40 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

CALORIES 135 (31% from fat); FAT 4.6g (sat 2.6g, mono 0.8g, poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 1.7g; CARB 21.5g; FIBER 1.3g; CHOL 13mg; IRON 0.7mg; SODIUM 68mg; CALC 27mg (Based on using ½ cup sugar instead of ¼ cup honey)

Cherry-Oatmeal Bars: Substitute dried cherries for the dried cranberries and lemon rind for the orange rind in filling.
Maple-Date-Oatmeal Bars: Substitute chopped pitted dates for the dried cranberries. Omit granulated sugar from filling, and add 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 2 tablespoons brown sugar.

Kathy Farrell-Kingsley, Cooking Light
NOVEMBER 2008

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Honey-Glazed Pork with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Broccoli

This delicious meal is a Prevention.com recipe. It is a restaurant quality meal that takes advantages of some very different flavors, techniques, and textures. We loved the glaze on the pork although I think I cooked ours a little bit too long and it got pretty sticky. Just make sure you leave it a bit liquid like and don't turn it into a thick syrup and you'll be fine. Also, the garlic mashed potatoes were pretty strong on the garlic so if you aren't a big garlic fan I would tailor the recipe a bit. As always, the roasted broccoli is AMAZING! If you haven't tried this method of cooking broccoli you MUST!

This recipe is courtesy of Prevention.com and can be found at this site here: http://recipes.prevention.com/Recipe/honey-glazed-pork-with-garlic-mashed-potatoes--roasted-broccoli.aspx

Honey-Glazed Pork with Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Roasted Broccoli
From Prevention, Eat Your Way Thin!
WORK TIME: 25 MINUTES / TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES / SERVINGS: 4
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1/2 c apple juice
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed
1/4 tsp cayenne
4 c broccoli florets
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 lb Yukon gold potatoes
1/2 c reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 c chopped parsley

1. HEAT oven to 400°F. Combine apple juice, honey, soy sauce, and half of the garlic in small bowl. Sprinkle pork with cayenne.
2. TOSS broccoli with 1 tablespoon of the oil on baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
3. HEAT remaining 1 tablespoon oil in medium ovenproof frying pan over high heat. Add pork and cook, turning once, until browned, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour juice mixture over pork and transfer to oven along with the pan of broccoli. Bake until pork and broccoli are done, 25 to 30 minutes.
4. PUT potatoes in medium pot while pork and broccoli cook and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
5. LEAVE broccoli on baking sheet and transfer pork to cutting board. Return frying pan to high heat and cook juice mixture until a thick glaze forms, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
6. DRAIN potatoes and return to pot. Add sour cream, parsley, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining garlic. Mash until smooth.
7. SLICE pork and put on plate. Drizzle with glaze and serve with mashed potatoes and broccoli.

NUTRITION (per serving) 481 cal, 42 g pro, 46 g carb, 7 g fiber, 15 g fat, 4.5 g sat fat, 560 mg sodium

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Pesto Stuffed Shells

This is a wonderful meatless recipe that is deliciously tasty and super easy to make. It is a lot like manicotti only not as hard to make. Change it up with your favorite spaghetti sauce.

And the best part? This recipe is from Budget Bytes. Check out their great site for lots of ways to save money on dinner. This particular meal comes in at $8.51 per recipe/$1.42 serving.

Check out their site and the source of the recipe and picture here: http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2010/03/pesto-stuffed-shells-851-recipe-142.html


PESTO STUFFED SHELLS
From Budget Bytes
 
12 oz jumbo shells
15 oz part-skim ricotta cheese
4 oz (1 cup) shredded mozzarella
½ cup basil pesto
1 large egg
2 cups fresh spinach (optional)
1 tbsp cooking oil
3 cups (1 jar) pasta sauce

STEP 1: In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, pesto and the egg (the egg keeps the filling from getting too runny when cooked). Roughly chop the spinach and stir it into the cheese mixture. Refrigerate the filling until you are ready to use it.

STEP 2: Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box (boil for 12 min.). I added 1 Tbsp of cooking oil to the boiling water to keep the shells from sticking to each other and the pot. You will still need to gently stir a few times during cooking. Be careful not to over cook the pasta or else it will rip easily and be too mushy after cooking with the filling and sauce. Drain the pasta and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process. Let the pasta drain.

STEP 3: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. The shells roll up tight when they are cooked so use the fingers on one hand to hold them open as you spoon about 3 Tbsp of pesto cheese mix into the center of each. There should be enough pesto cheese mix to fill the shell so that it stays open just slightly (the edges should be about 1/2 inch apart). Fill as many shells as you can with the cheese mix.

STEP 4: Spread one cup of pasta sauce in the bottom of a glass baking dish. You want to pack them in tightly in a single layer. If you space them too far apart, they will dry out during the cooking process. Place all of the shells in the baking dish as close together as possible and pour the remaining 2 cups of sauce over top. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until the sauce is bubbling up around the edges.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Cinnamon Apple Pancakes with Apple Cider Syrup

This is a wonderful recipe for Fall that is very easy to make and a treat for breakfast, lunch or dinner! I made these one night even though I had something else planned because they sounded really good and they were quick and easy. They definitely didn't disappoint. My whole family loved them - especially my daughter.

I substituted the sugar for honey in this recipe and it still turned out excellent.

*Fun suggestion for people with kids: Pancakes can be a bit hard for little kids to eat and we parents usually have to cut the pancakes up into small pieces. To avoid this all you have to do is pour your batter through a funnel onto your griddle and make Pancake Sticks. They are easy for little hands to hold and dip in the syrup. I think my little girl easily ate twice as much as normal because she was having so much fun dipping her sticks!

Thanks to the wonderful Real Mom Kitchen for this fantastic recipe and picture. It will be a staple at our house! You can see her original post at this site here: http://realmomkitchen.com/8472/cinnamon-apple-pancakes-with-apple-cider-syrup/

Cinnamon Apple Pancakes with Apple Cider Syrup
From Real Mom Kitchen
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CIDER SYRUP:

·         1/2 cup sugar (or substitute with honey)
·         1 Tbsp cornstarch
·         1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
·         1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
·         1 cup apple cider or juice (I used 100% apple juice)
·         2 Tbsp butter
·         1 Tbsp lemon juice

PANCAKES:

·         2 cups complete pancake mix (the kind that you only add water to)
·         1-1/2 cups apple juice or cider (again, I used 100% apple juice)
·         1 apple, finely diced
·         1 tsp ground cinnamon

1.      Start by preparing the syrup. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar (or honey), cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg.
2.      Add the cider in and stir until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
3.      Reduce heat to a simmer and cook while stirring for 2 minutes longer. Stir in butter and lemon juice until butter is melted.
4.      In a medium bowl, whisk together the pancake mix and cinnamon. Add juice and whisk just until moistened.
5.      Fold finely diced apple into the batter. 
6.      Pour batter onto a greased hot griddle using a 1/4 cup measuring cup; turn when bubbles form on top. Cook until second side is golden brown.
7.      Serve the pancakes with cider syrup. Makes 12 pancakes and 1-1/4 cups syrup.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Super Bean Burritos

I love love love love this recipe!!!!!!! Some of the highlights for you: 1) It is easy to make. 2) None of the ingredients are abnormal. 3) It makes enough to feed an army. 4) It is versatile. 5) It has a great flavor. 6) It is healthy. 7) It is meatless but doesn't have to be. (But it really doesn't need the meat.)

Are you convinced yet that you MUST make this recipe? What if I told you that I am making this again tonight? What if I told you that you and your husband and even your kids will have dinner today and lunch tomorrow and you might STILL have leftovers that you can continue to enjoy after that? Or there are even directions for freezing these if you want. What if I told you that I might have even had these for breakfast one day....

So, needless to say, these are excellent. I do have to add one disclaimer: if you don't like onions this is not the recipe for you. It calls for a LOT of different onions. We love onions so that is not a problem for us.

And, like I said, this is a healthy recipe; however, if you want to make it even more healthy you can use brown rice, serve it on whole grain/whole wheat tortillas, use black beans instead of pinto, don't smother it in sour cream and cut back on the cheese. I didn't put cheese on mine at all and didn't feel like it was missing anything. I love eating mine with green salsa; the hubby loves his with red salsa. Like I said, it is versatile.

I also used a whole 8 oz can of tomato paste the first time I made this by accident but I didn't feel like it was a problem at all. In fact, I plan on doing it again tonight!

Thanks a MILLION to Real Mom Kitchen for the picture and recipe. You can visit her fantastic site here: http://realmomkitchen.com/1087/super-bean-burritos/

Super Bean Burritos
From Real Mom Kitchen
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  • 1 cup brown or white rice (or 2 cups already cooked rice)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed, finely diced (can substitute 1 can of green chiles which is what I did)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cans (15 oz. each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed (I used black beans)
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 (10 oz) package frozen corn or 1 can whole kernel corn, drained (I personally would recommend the frozen corn)
  • 6 green onions, white and green parts finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 16 burrito-sized (10-inch) flour tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (or whatever kind of cheese you have)

  1. Cook rice; set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, jalapeno and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and golden, being careful not to let the garlic burn. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
  2. Add one can of beans and mash gently in the pan (a potato masher or fork works great here). Add the second can of beans and the water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10-12 minutes, being careful not to let the mixture stick to the bottom of the pot. Add corn; cook to heat through, 2-3 minutes. Stir in onion and garlic powders. Remove from heat; stir in green onions and cooked rice.
  3. Heat tortillas in microwave for about 30-45 seconds or until all are warmed through.
  4. Fill each tortilla with about 2/3 cup bean and rice mixture and 1/4 cup cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold, and hold in sides. Starting from filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly roll into a bundle. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down, and prepare remaining burritos.
  5. Serve warm immediately, with salsa and sour cream if desired — or, to freeze for later consumption.
For enchilada style:I put 5 burritos in a baking dish. Then I poured a (10 oz.) can of green enchilada sauce. You can use more enchilada sauce if you like. The 10 oz can just gave them a light coating. Make sure that the sauce completely covers the burritos, you can use a spoon to help spread it around. Then sprinkle with 1 cup or so of shredded Monterrey jack cheese. Turn oven to broil. Place baking dish on middle rack of the oven (not the top) and broil until the cheese is nice and melty.

To Freeze: Put burritos on a baking sheet in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, or until very cold so that they don’t come apart in the wrapping process. Remove them from the freezer and wrap each burrito individually in plastic wrap and place all the wrapped burritos in a freezer-safe resealable bag and freeze up to three months.

To reheat from frozen:
Remove plastic wrap from the burrito. Poke holes in the top several times with a fork. Microwave on high for two minutes. Gently poke a few more holes in the burrito and microwave for another minute. Be careful as the burrito will be piping hot!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Portobello Burgers

I will be the first to admit that I am not a big mushroom fan. So the idea of making this recipe pretty much terrified me. But I am not about to turn away from new adventures and experiences so I decided to give it a try. Plus, the red pepper mayo sounded really good.

They turned out MUCH better than I expected. They have that weird mushroom texture but it was manageable. One thing you will want to be sure of is to eat these on full buns, not thin ones. These get really messy and the thin buns get soggy too fast.

A typical Ruby Tuesday Veggie burger has 952 calories, 53 g fat and 95 g carbohydrates. This burger recipe, as written (per serving) has 370 calories, 16 g fat (4 g saturated) and 540 mg sodium. If you want to cut that back even further cut down on the cheese and load up your burger with more veggies.

This picture and recipe are courtesy of Cook This, Not That and can be found at this site here: http://cookthis.menshealth.com/recipes/cook-mushroom-melts

PORTOBELLO BURGERS
From Cook This, Not That

2 Tbsp mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped roasted red peppers
1 clove garlic, minced
4 large portobello caps, stems removed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
4 slices red onion
4 potato rolls or whole-grain buns
A few handfuls of mixed greens, arugula, or other lettuce

How to Make It:
*Heat a grill or grill pan. Combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, red peppers, and garlic. (For a uniformly red mayo, puree in a food processor.)

*Rub the mushrooms with the olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Grill, top side down, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the mushrooms are fully cooked. While the mushrooms are cooking, grill the onions until browned and toast the buns.

*Top each bun with greens, grilled onions, mushrooms, and the red pepper mayo.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Ultimate Beef Stroganoff (Slow Cooker)

I grew up eating wonderful beef stroganoff that my mom would make for Sunday dinner on occasion. The biggest problem with my mom's original recipe is the amount of time and effort that it takes to make. This recipe is a slow cooker recipe that allows for much less effort; however, my mom would never make this recipe because it calls for mushrooms and onions. If you don't like mushrooms and onions than this probably isn't the recipe for you but if you do it is great!

The picture and recipe are courtesy of Mel's Kitchen Cafe and can be found at this site here: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2008/04/the-ultimate-beef-stroganoff.html

The Ultimate Beef Stroganoff
from melskitchencafe.com

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Ingredients:
2-3 pounds stew meat (or a 3-pound chuck roast, cubed)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 medium yellow onion, diced
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ cups beef broth or stock
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/3 cup flour
6-7 tablespoons apple juice or water
4-8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup light or regular sour cream

Directions:
Place the stew meat, salt, pepper and onion in the slow cooker. Stir to distribute the seasonings and onion. In a small bowl, combine the garlic salt, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth and ketchup. Pour over the meat. Cook for 7-9 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high. About 30 minutes before serving, combine the flour and apple juice in a small bowl, whisking vigorously to combine well. The roux should be thick but still pourable so add a tablespoon of apple juice or water at a time to thin, if needed. Pour the flour mixture into the slow cooker, whisking quickly to mix in the roux with the stew meat and juices and to avoid lumps. Add the mushrooms and stir. Cook on high for 30 minutes. Stir in ½ cup sour cream right before serving. Serve over pasta, rice or baked potatoes.

*Freezable Meal: The leftovers of the stroganoff can be frozen. I store the leftovers in a freezer-safe container and then thaw in the refrigerator (usually takes about a day) and reheat over medium-low heat in a saucepan on the stove.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Kielbasa and Potatoes

This is a very basic "meat and potatoes" recipe that is easy to make. I am not going to post the nutritional information for the original recipe because it has WAY too much unnecessary fat in it. Just a few simple changes make this so much better for you and those changes are reflected in my recipe below. Also, the original cooking time is WAY too long. Keep a close eye on it and it will be great!

You can also add additional spices if you like - a little garlic or seasoned salt instead of normal salt would taste great! I would also recommend replacing one of the green peppers with a red pepper.

This picture and recipe are from Allrecipes.com and can be found at this site here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/polish-meat-and-potatoes/detail.aspx

Kielbasa and potatoes
From Allrecipes.com
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·         4 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
·         1 onion, chopped
·         2 green bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
·         1/2 teaspoon onion powder
·         1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
·         1/2 teaspoon salt
·         1/4 teaspoon black pepper
·         1  - 2 tbsp olive oil
·         1 (16 ounce) package light kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I would also recommend turkey sausage if you can find it)

1.      Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sautee the thinly sliced kielbasa until it is nicely browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove sausage to a warm platter. Cook onions and potatoes for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce flame to medium and stir in bell pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cover, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in kielbasa, cover, and cook until onions are caramelized.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Krispie Treats

I don't usually make things that are quite this... sinful. But I needed a dessert to take to a party and these are so easy to make and SO extremely delicious. The krispies are a perfect texture compliment to the gooey peanut butter and chocolate. And although these little delights are sinful they are pretty rich so I would be surprised if anyone could get down more than 1 or 2 bars. I had 1/2 of a bar and it was plenty for me although they were really good and I wish my sugar meter wasn't quite so short sometimes.

I doubled this recipe for the party and put my concotion in an 11x17" pan. They were completely gone by the time dinner was almost over. Completely. That is how delicious these are!

This lovely recipe and picture are courtesy of Jamie Cooks it Up and can be found at this site here: http://jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com/2011/09/peanut-butter-and-chocolate-krispie.html

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Krispie Treats
www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com
Time: 15 minutes + 30 minutes for chocolate to set
Yield: A 9x9 pan, cut as small or large as you like

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1 C sugar
1 C light corn syrup
1 C peanut butter (I used creamy)

4 1/2 C rice krispie cereal
1 t vanilla
2 C chocolate chips (I used semisweet)

1. Pour your rice krispies into a large bowl and set it aside.
2. Into a medium sized sauce pan pour the corn syrup and sugar. Mix it together and bring it to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Let the yummy concoction boil for 1 minute, then remove it from the heat.
3. Add the peanut butter to your sauce pan and mix it all in.
4. Stir in a splash of vanilla.
5. Pour the peanut buttery, sugary concoction of bliss over the top of your rice krispies. Use a wooden spoon to stir it until all of the cereal is coated nicely.
6. Spray a 9x9 pan with cooking spray and pour the coated cereal into it. Spray your hands with cooking spray and use them to press the peanut buttery goodness to the sides and corners of the pan.
7. Pour your chocolate chips into a glass bowl or measuring cup. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir it. Heat it for another 30....stir it. Heat it again for 30 seconds and stir until smooth. You don't want to get the chocolate too hot, here. It will turn pasty and chalky and all your dreams will crumble into ruins right before your eyes. Just heat it slowly and life will be swell.
8. Pour the chocolate over the top of the yummy cereal and spread it evenly. Pop the whole pan in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes, to allow the chocolate to set up. If the bars are left in the fridge for an extended period of time, they will get hard enough to break a butcher knife. Okay, maybe not that hard but I made this mistake and they were REALLY hard! But don't worry about it! Leave the pan on the counter until the bars have reached room temperature and the texture will be just perfect.
9. Once the chocolate has set, remove the pan from the fridge and cut into bars.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

This is an incredibly easy and tasty side dish that goes well with so many meals! We have these at our house a lot. They are flavorful and filling and much better for you than normal fries or even other potatoes. YUMMY!

The picture is courtesy of For The Love of Cooking and can be found at this site here: http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2009/03/roasted-sweet-potatoes.html

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES
From Shayla's Kitchen

2 large sweet potatoes
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Your favorite dipping sauce (ketchup, bbq sauce, fry sauce, etc,)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the sweet potatoes into cubes. (You can peel them first if you wish but I didn't.) Toss cubes with olive oil and cinnamon. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes. Serve with dipping sauce available. (We prefer Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce)

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Black Bean Burgers

My first experience with a black bean burger was at Costco with an obliging sample cart. My mom and I decided to give it a try and were so impressed with how delicious they were! Ever since that time I was determined to have them again and was thrilled when I stumbled across a recipe for them on Sweet Treats and More that looked so easy.

I will admit that the recipe was a little harder to make than I expected, but it wasn't bad. And the burgers were so delicious. My whole family loved them and gobbled them all down. Whether you are a meat lover or meat hater, this is a recipe that all will enjoy!

The picture and recipe are courtesy of Sweet Treats and More and can be found at this site here: http://www.sweettreatsmore.com/2010/06/black-bean-burgers.html

Black Bean Burgers
From Sweet Treats and More

1 16 oz. can of black beans, drained well
1/2 c. frozen corn kernels
2 pieces of bread crumbled
1 egg white
2 tbs. flour
3 tbs. chunky salsa
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. onion salt
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil (for cooking)
Tomato, Avocado, and Lettuce for toppings, OroWheat Sandwhich Thins for buns.

1. Drain black beans then mash until almost smooth using large fork or potato masher.
2. Mix in all other ingredients and shape into 4 medium size patties.
3. Heat a large pan with thin coat of olive oil on bottom. Cook patties on medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes each side.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

I am not a big soup fan but I like soups that are chock full of ingredients. Hearty and thick and less liquidy. I am a big fan of taco soup and this recipe was a good change up from our normal. It wasn't drastically different but it had a good flaovr to it and it is a really easy way to use up leftoever turkey if you have some in a few weeks!

This recipe and picture are from Sweet Treats and More and can be found at this site here: http://www.sweettreatsmore.com/2010/11/i-hope-you-all-had-great-thanksgiving.html

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
From Sweet Treats and More, Adapted from 
allrecipes
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2 c. chicken broth
1 10 oz. can enchilada sauce
1/4 c. sour cream
1 (16oz) can diced tomato
1 (4 oz) can diced green chili
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken tenders (2 breasts OR abt 2 cups shredded turkey)
4  corn tortillas

Place everything but the tortillas in the crock pot, stir together, and cook on high for about 3 hours (or low for 6-8 hours). (I ALWAYS aim low!)

Shred corn tortillas into small squares and stir into soup 5-10 minutes before serving.  Garnish with cheese, avocado, and additional sour cream if desired.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Fresh Strawberry and Lemon Mousse Trifle

I understand that strawberries are out of season. I understand I am probably being really cruel to post about this now that the season is over. But, in all fairness, I did make this when the season had ended anyways. Strawberries are not impossible to find quite yet so run out and get yourself some today so that you can make this dessert! Trust me, you WANT to make this dessert.

I am not a big fan of angel food cake. It just doesn't do it for me. So strawberry shortcake is a dessert that I can take or leave. But this? This dessert takes the concept of strawberry shortcake to a whole new level of awesome deliciousness that just cannot be ignored. This is one of my new favorite desserts. Seriously. The amount of lemon flavoring is just perfect and the danish dessert makes the shortcake the perfect amount of moist.

And trifles are gorgeous. This turned out so pretty that I felt like a professional chef. It broke my heart to scoop it out of the trifle dish and ruin the appearance but my woes were quickly forgotten when I took my first bite.

And in case you are wondering about my picture.... I forgot to mix the lemon zest into the mousse before putting it in the trifle dish. So instead I just sprinkled it on top.

This recipe is courtesy of Real Mom Kitchen and can be found at this site here: http://realmomkitchen.com/6475/fresh-strawberry-and-lemon-mousse-trifle/

Fresh Strawberry and Lemon Mousse Trifle
From Real Mom Kitchen

·         1 (4 3/4 oz) pkg. Strawberry Danish dessert (found by the gelatin)**
·         2 1/2 cup cold water
·         1 lb. fresh strawberries, sliced
·         1 1/2 cups whipping cream
·         1/2 cup milk (I used skim)
·         1 (3.4 oz) instant lemon pudding
·         zest of 1 lemon
·         1 (14 oz) angel food cake, cut into about 1 inch cubes
·         extra strawberries for garnish (optional)

1.      In a large microwave safe bowl, whisk together the danish dessert and cold water.  Cover the bowl with a piece of waxed paper and microwave for 6 minutes, stirring every two minutes.

2.      Remove from the microwave and allow danish dessert to cool for 1 hour.

3.      In a large bowl, whip the whipping cream and milk until soft peaks form.  Add the dry pudding to the cream mixture and  beat until stiff peaks form.  Then fold in the lemon zest.

4.      Once the danish dessert has cooled for the 1 hour fold in the fresh strawberry slices.  It will look like a strawberry sauce.

5.      In a trifle bowl or large glass bowl, layer 1/2 of the cake cubes followed with 1/2 of the strawberry sauce and the 1/2 of the lemon mousse.  Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients.  You can pipe on the last layer of lemon mousse to make it decorative.  Chill for at least 3-4 hours before serving. Serves 10-12.

** Strawberry Pie Glaze may be substituted.  The danish dessert does have a more gelatin-like consistency after refrigeration, but strawberry pie glaze will work just as good.

This recipe is a Real Mom Kitchen original!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Mediterranean Feta Egg Scramble

I love all kinds of breakfast foods and I am always excited to find a new and delicious breakfast recipe that is easy to throw together. This meal absolutely didn't disappoint. The feta cheese adds a savory saltiness to the eggs that is so good. The first time we made this meal I didn't have the roasted red peppers and they were still very good. But trust me, they are even better with the peppers. And you don't have to roast them yourself. You can purchase a jar of them next to all of the other peppers in your local grocery store.

Also, the first time we had this we wrapped the egg mix in warm flour tortillas and it was delicious. The second time I made this I put it on an open faced piece of Double Fiber & Honey toast and it was fabulous. I am sure wrapping it in crepes would be delicious as well.

This wonderful recipe and picture are courtesy of Our Best Bites and can be found at this site here: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/07/quick-fix-mediterranean-feta-egg-scramble-wraps-optional/

Mediterranean Feta Egg Scramble {Breakfast Wraps Optional}
Recipe by Our Best Bites

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6 eggs
1/4 c. light sour cream
1/4 tsp. kosher salt (I just used regular)
A few cracks of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dry basil
1/2 tsp. dry oregano
3/4 c. crumbled feta cheese, plus more for topping (optional)
2 Tbsp. diced roasted red peppers
2 Tbsp. minced green onions
Crepes or warm flour tortillas (optional)

Preheat a skillet over medium heat.

Whisk the eggs, sour cream, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and garlic powder together. Gently add in the crumbled feta cheese. When the skillet is hot, add 1 tsp. butter and then add the eggs and allow them to begin to set up and then scrape the bottom of the pan to allow the liquid parts to cook. Stir in the roasted red peppers and green onions. Cook eggs until the desired doneness is reached. Serve immediately. If desired, sprinkle with a little extra feta cheese and wrap the scrambled eggs in a crepes or warm flour tortillas.