Supper-Time Sunday

Hello friends! I hope your eats were delicious and nutritious this week. We had a crazy sort of week and so I don't have a ton of new eats for you but I have a couple. So here we go! 

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10-MINUTE STOVETOP GRANOLA

Recipe courtesy of Yes, I Want Cake

I love granola but it is expensive and a lot of time it has a ton of added ingredients that I would prefer my family not consume. However, making it at home can take several hours and I would definitely prefer spending those hours on something other than granola.

When I saw this recipe for 10-minute stovetop granola I new that I had to try it! My cute hubster LOVES granola and I was pretty sure my babies would enjoy it on their Activia yogurt as well. I was happy that it called for clean ingredients. The only added sugar is in the Craisins - I will probably use Deluxe Raisins next time so that I can enjoy the granola as well without any digestive repercussions. Unless someone knows where to buy unsweetened dried cranberries at a good price?

But back to the recipe! It really came together sooo quickly and was positively delicious! I don't think I will ever be able to make granola the long way again.

I made a few changes to the recipe. I used coconut oil instead of butter and I only had ground flaxseed on hand so I used about 1/4 cup. I used pure maple syrup instead of the honey and my unsweetened coconut is in ribbons but it worked just fine.

PIN IT!

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NAUGHTY NUTTY "NOODLES"

Recipe courtesy of Delightful Taste Buds

This is a recipe that you may have noticed has been on my meal plan for a long time. In all honesty, when it came time to make it it just didn't sound good to me so I never actually made it until today. I whipped up a batch and the kids and I sat on the floor with 3 forks and we munched away while watching Wreck it Ralph.

It turned out really good although I felt like the lemon was a bit overbearing. I love lemon, don't get me wrong, but next time I think that I will only use 1/2 a lemon to let some of the other flavors shine.

One of the best things about this recipe is its versatility. I, for once, didn't have carrots on hand so instead I grated up a fuji apple. The sweetness of the apple was a great compliment to the other flavors of the dish. I also used 1/2 green cabbage and 1/2 purple cabbage.

Some of the other changes that I made: I used reduced sodium Tamari instead of coconut aminos. You can use whatever soy sauce you have on hand. Be careful about the oil you use in the beginning. 1 tbsp of oil is too much to cook 2 eggs in a skillet. I would start with nonstick oil and then add 1 tbsp of oil when you are ready to add the onions to your pan. 

This dish tasted a lot like similar Asian noodle dishes that I have had at various restaurants and it is definitely worth a try for an easy and healthy meal!

PIN IT!

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QUESTIONS FOR MY DEAR READERS:  Have you ever made homemade granola? What is your favorite meatless meal?

Loves...Shayla

Spicy Vegan Peanut Butter Tofu Rice Bowls

I have made this recipe several times and every single time it gets rave reviews. Cute hubster loves it and my boy {N} always eats his entire bowl. My girl [A] is skeptical of sweet potatoes and so she kind of picks through her bowl - mostly eating all of the tofu pieces she can find. Am I a mean mom for insisting she keep trying sweet potatoes each time we have them? I don't force them down her but I always insist that she try everything once!

This recipe is based off of the sauce and technique of Kalyn over at Kalyn's Kitchen. You can view her recipe here. The picture right below here belongs to her as well. I have to use alternative pictures wherever possible because I don't have my own camera - I only have my Android smartphone. Sorry for my sloppy pictures but at least you can get the idea!

SPICY VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER TOFU RICE BOWLS
Original idea by Kalyn at Kalyn's Kitchen
Arranged by Shayla Bentley
Makes a VERY large amount (at least 8 servings)
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14-16 oz. extra firm tofu (you can also used cooked, shredded chicken if you don't like tofu)
1 T sesame oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2-3 T diagonally sliced green onions (for garnish, optional... I never remember)

2 cups uncooked brown rice (for the perfect technique on cooking brown rice that has NEVER failed us check out this site here)

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded

2 cups green or red cabbage, sliced

1 - 2 cups eggplant or mushrooms

Sauce Ingredients:
6 T reduced sodium soy sauce (or Tamari if you need to keep it gluten free)
6 T rice vinegar (not seasoned rice vinegar, can substitute white vinegar)
4 T smooth natural peanut butter (or 6 T crunchy)
2 T pure maple syrup (or agave)
4 T vegetable stock or water (I always use water)
Sriracha to taste (only if you like things spicy!)

Make sure to get your brown rice started first if you aren't using leftover rice. The rice takes at least 40 minutes to cook! 

Once rice is cooking and about 10 minutes into cooking time heat sesame oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Prep your tofu by removing from package and squeezing as much moisture as you can out between a thick layer of paper towels. Chop tofu into small pieces. 

Add garlic to skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tofu to skillet, sprinkle with ground ginger, and cook until nicely browned. Turn skillet to low.

Mix all sauce ingredients together and add to skillet. Your peanut butter will most likely start out a little chunky still but as it heats everything will blend together nicely. 

Turn your oven on to high broil. When the rice has about 8 minutes left spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray and place sweet potatoes, cabbage, and eggplant (or mushrooms) on the sheet. Toss together and heat in the oven for 5-7 minutes. You do NOT want it to burn and you do not want the veggies to get totally soft. A little bit of crunchiness does WONDERS for this dish.

Once the rice is finished toss it in the skillet with the sauce and tofu. Fold together well trying not to destroy your tofu until the rice has a nice even layer of the sauce. Serve by putting a few scoops of veggies in the bottom of a bowl and add the rice/tofu mixture on top. *Note: if you let the hot rice mix sit atop the veggies for a few minutes they will soften even more. You can also add green onions and add the Sriracha to individual portions for those that like things spicy. 

Enjoy!

This is my I-am-about-to-shovel-this-deliciousness-in-my-mouth picture. Notice how the Sriracha bottle is sitting by my bowl? Yeah... I like spicy!

QUESTION FOR MY DEAR READERS: Do you like tofu? Have you ever tried it? 

Loves...Shayla

Supper-Time Sunday!

Zucchini & Yellow Squash Spaghetti

RATING: A-

What a fantastic way to use up all of those zucchini and squash people have coming out of their ears at this time of year! This light and refreshing dish had a wonderful zip of flavor and was loved by the whole family. It is a bit more intensive to have to make... I only had a box grater to grate my zucchini and squash and it took a decent amount of time. Make sure that when you do yours that you grate all around the outside and leave the seeded part in the middle. It will make it SOOO much easier to grate and tastier too. I wish I had known that when I started! I also didn't want to buy fresh basil so I just used dry. The conversion ratio is 1 tsp dried = 1 tbsp fresh. I used whole wheat noodles and we will most likely make this one again.

LINK:  http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2012/07/zucchini-yellow-squash-spaghetti.html

Supper-Time Sunday!

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Rating: A+

Okay, maybe I am a bit biased but my all-time favorite "guilty" dessert is banana pudding. Why? I have no idea. Something about the flavor combination. Is this a healthy dessert? No. However, you can improve the recipe in many ways. When using a boxed cake mix the oil can be completely replaced with unsweetened applesauce. I have done it twice now and both times it turned out the most gorgeous boxed cake I have ever made. Secondly, if you whip your own whipping cream you get to control the amount of sugar that goes into it and it won't have a bunch of yucky additives like high fructose corn syrup. I added a layer of freshly sliced bananas between the pudding and whipped topping and it was soooo delicious. Everyone raved about this dessert at my baby boy's birthday party. Yummy!

Link: http://www.thecountrycook.net/2012/06/banana-pudding-poke-cake.html

Pasta with Cilantro-Peanut Pesto

Rating: F

No, I am not kidding. This dish was terrible. The lime zest was completely and totally overwhelming - So badly that you couldn't even taste anything else (and there are a lot of other ingredients that should have strong flavors!) This was bad enough that we rinsed off the noodles to try and save dinner and we could STILL taste the lime. Wow. Steer clear of this one. 

Link: The site is down right now so I can't get the link but if you really want to try this one here is the link to my pin on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pin/206954545347039565/

Zucchini Lasagna

Rating: A+

This meal was so tasty and I thought it tasted a lot like normal lasagna. I didn't miss the noodles at all and, even though the cute hubby wouldn't admit it, I don't think he did either. It came out with the most amazing pops of flavor. I used ground chicken instead of shredded and I ran out of zucchini and so I used part yellow squash. Ironically, we liked the yellow squash best. It takes on an almost cheesy taste to it. We will absolutely be making this dish again.

Link: http://munchercruncher.blogspot.com/2011/05/seasons-are-lil-bit-different-in-sunny.html

Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Candy Bars

Rating: A- on flavor and texture

Sound healthy? Surprisingly, they are very respectable for a dessert. All natural ingredients and no added sugars except for honey (which isn't processed nearly as heavily as white sugar) and whatever sugar might be on your dried cranberries. These had a very rich and creamy flavor and texture and a little bit goes a long way. Unfortunately, a long way isn't very long for me when it comes to sweets and even after just a little bit my body went into "sugar shock" and I felt sick to my stomach for the rest of the night. *Sigh* So even though these were delicious I probably won't make them again. I bet you would enjoy them though!

Link: http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.ca/2010/05/best-recipe-ive-ever-messed-up.html

Oatmeal Breakfast Cookie

Rating: B

I really like the concept of this "cookie" and it turned out pretty good. I made a blueberry version and did agave instead of maple syrup. I also didn't have vanilla yogurt and so I added a tsp of 100% vanilla whey protein powder and just used plain, nonfat yogurt. It was tasty and I enjoyed it, however it didn't keep me feeling full for very long. That is a deal breaker for me and breakfast so I won't make this one again for me but maybe for my kids?

Link: http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/?p=2583#.UAlqqbRDwrc

Oreo Puddin' Poke Cake

Rating: A+ according to my husband

I have to confess... I didn't actually eat this one. My baby sister turned 7 yesterday and specifically requested a "Special Shayla Dessert" and she wanted chocolate cake. I knew that she would love this cake although I don't personally eat Oreos. Once again, you can replace the oil in the cake mix for unsweetened applesauce 1:1. My sister had 2 BIG pieces of this cake and my husband went on and on and on about how good it was. He doesn't normally like cake but he said this one was so perfectly moist and the perfect amount of sweet without being overbearing. I added a layer of whipped topping on top of the pudding after it had completely set (8 ounce container) and I think that that is what balanced the sweetness out. 

Link: http://www.thecountrycook.net/2011/07/puddin-poke-cake.html

Tijuana Tortas

Rating: A+

I cannot possibly say enough to praise this meal. It comes together in no time at all (like 5 minutes) and is incredibly tasty. I think I had it for 4 or 5 meals over the course of 2 days because we loved it so much. The avocado mixture is really what makes it. The limey, oniony creaminess is just a burst of flavor. I didn't want to search for pickled jalapenos so I used chopped banana peppers instead. I am actually planning on making this again tonight. Really. We also didn't hollow out our whole wheat sub rolls - we just ate these like sandwiches. I know that that is cheating and not really a torta but they were fantastic, nonetheless. And meatless too!

Link: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/tijuana_torta.html

Supper-Time Sunday!

So I have come to a decision. I really don't have time to be a regular blogger. I just don't. I have 2 very busy children and I am about to go back to school and I am working. So here is the new game plan. I am going to post every Sunday about recipes that I have made throughout the week that are non-original. I will post a picture, include any changes that I made, give it a rating and include a link to the recipe where you can find it. All other recipes posted on this blog will be original recipes, created by me, whenever I so happen to make something original. Sound good? Okay. Here we go:

Easy Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

Rating: A+

We absolutely loved these. Really. We had them like 3 days in a row because the recipe makes a LOT. The recipe says 7-8 large patties but I made almost 24 smaller patties, not kidding. Jake liked his with a little bit of Greek yogurt ranch or mustard but I ate mine plain. I couldn't find tahini anywhere so I used a mixture of all natural peanut butter and toasted sesame oil. You use 3 parts peanut butter to every 1 part sesame oil in place of the tahini. I also baked mine in the oven instead of frying them in a pan. It took about 30 - 40 minutes at 350 and then I broiled them for just a few minutes. A few of the reviewers said that the patties easily fell apart so I added 1 egg to my batch. They kept together excellently. They reheat really well too so you can make a bunch and eat them later or the next day. This one is going in our permanent file!

Link: http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2012/02/easy-sweet-potato-veggie-burgers-with.html

Lemony Pesto Pasta with Edamame & Almonds

Rating: B-

This dish has a lot of good elements too it but I wasn't a huge fan of it. I love every ingredient individually but the dish relies heavily on the lemon for most of the flavor and then you get a few kicks of pesto in the mouth. It isn't one that I think we will make again.

Link: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-pesto-pasta-with-lemon-145783#

Spinach and Parmesan Omelet

Rating: A+

I love this meal. I really really really do. I think I could eat it every single day for breakfast. The Tabasco sauce is a MUST and the Parmesan cheese is totally optional. This entire breakfast is part of Fitness Magazine's Fat-Fighting 300-calorie breakfasts.

Link: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/you-can-do-it/fat-fighting-low-calorie-breakfast-recipes/

Mini Chocolate-Chip Breakfast Cookies

Rating: A 

First off, make no mistake about the size of these - they are VERY mini. One big bite or two smaller bites at the most. And they don't turn out looking a whole lot like a normal cookie; however, they have an excellent taste and texture and they are certainly ones that I would make again. I love that they are healthy as well. I didn't have raspberries on hand so I used Craisins and 70% dark chocolate chunks in mine. Yummy!

Link: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/04/16/mini-chocolate-chip-breakfast-cookies/#

Amy's Spicy Beans and Rice

Rating: A+

I made quite a few changes to this recipe. I drained the beans completely and rinsed them off. I added a can of diced tomatoes (15 ounce) that I mostly drained and about 1 1/2 cups frozen corn. I also used banana peppers in place of the jalapeno. I think I sprinkled a little bit of crushed red pepper in there too... we like things spicy here! We served it over gluten free Multigrain chips and myself and my husband absolutely loved it. It is definitely one that we will make again. This is a really low calorie and low fat meal.

*Just as a side note... I don't know how good the original recipe would be... just a warning!

Link: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Amys-Spicy-Beans-and-Rice/Detail.aspx

Chef Meg's Orange Chicken

Rating: B-

Orange chicken is not supposed to be friend with a slight hint of an orange flavor - this is more of an authentic version. Unfortunately, unless you REALLY like orange flavor, this dish isn't for you. It is very strong and the orange is very powerful. My family loved it but it wasn't really my cup of tea and not one that I would make again. (Since I am the one cooking). I followed the advice of a reviewer and added 2 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger, a few splashes of low sodium soy sauce and some crushed red pepper to my marinade. I also added 1 tsp cornstarch to the sauce.

Link: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=871143

Secret Detox Drink

Rating on Taste: D.. ish

Why do I drink this if it tastes bad? Look at these amazing health benefits (source HERE):

Apple Cider Vinegar is full of enzymes and good bacteria. It contains acetic acid which has been shown to lower blood pressure up to 6%. It can also help eat up the starches if you do eat grains in your diet.

Lemon juice helps balance blood sugar and has an alkaline effect on your body helping to regulate ph. It contains, Vitamin C. 

Cinnamon is one of the best anti-oxidants on the planet. It is the number one herb/spice for balancing blood sugar.

Cayenne Pepper has been shown to drop blood pressure, increase metabolism.

Stevia is an all natural sweetener made from the stevia plant and it is a great replacement for any artificial sweeteners. 

It really isn't as bad as you might be thinking. The biggest problems are the cayenne and the cinnamon. They hit the back of your throat pretty strongly and it can be hard to get the cinnamon down. The apple cider/lemon/water/stevia mixture really isn't bad at all. I would probably give it a B on taste. It is just the cayenne and cinnamon... oh man! But I have already felt the benefits of it in the 1 day I have been trying it so I will continue my love-hate relationship with this drink. 

Link: http://www.draxe.com/recipe/secret-detox-drink/

Penna Rosa

This is a wonderful meatless pasta dish that is pretty healthy and very delicious - 367 calories per serving and a whopping 15 grams protein! It is also incredibly easy to make - not to knock my husband's amazing cooking skills, but he did a great job making this one while I was working. It has a great combination of flavors and not too much of any one thing. The original recipe calls for shrimp so if you want some meat go ahead and add shrimp or chicken.

I'm not sure why I didn't take a picture of this... It was probably on a night that I was trying to eat quickly. Who knows? Oh well. The original recipe and picture are courtesy of Back to Her Roots and can be found at this site HERE.

PENNE ROSA

Adapted from Back to Her Roots

Servings 6

Nutritional Information per serving (calculated on MyFitnessPal.com): Calories 367, Carbs 62, Fat grams 5, Protein 15

• 12 ounces whole wheat penne
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes (we will definitely increase this next time)
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 medium tomatoes (about 1/2 lb.) chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 cups fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup marinara sauce
• 1/3 cup 0% plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Cook penne according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet with a lid, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add in garlic and red pepper flakes, cook for 2 minutes or until garlic begins to soften.
3. Add in mushrooms, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, or until mushrooms begin to release their water.
4. Remove from heat, add in spinach and cover skillet. Let spinach wilt for 2 minutes.
5. Remove lid and place skillet back over low heat. Add the penne, Greek yogurt and pasta sauce. Stir until sauce is mixed well and all pasta and veggies are coated. Heat until just warmed through. Divide into pasta bowls and serve topped with parmesan cheese.

Cheesy Quinoa Mac and Cheese

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and was really interested in it because we don't eat mac and cheese normally. I have wanted to try quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) for a while and this was a great opportunity!

We really loved this meal! Since we have a small family a 9x13 dish feeds us for a few meals - my husband took this to work two days in a row and LOVED it. All by itself it isn't extremely flavorful so I would strongly recommend adding your favorite hot sauce or salsa. Our favorite is the Louisiana brand.

I also didn't saute my veggies - I roasted them. There are few things that we love more than roasted broccoli. If you go this route all you have to do is toss your veggies with a little bit of olive oil and salt and pepper and roast at 425 for 15 - 20 minutes. I did this while I was waiting for the quinoa to cook. I used broccoli and green pepper this time but I think it would be fabulous with red pepper, asparagus or cauliflower as well.

Also, if you are new to cooking quinoa you use 2 cups of water or broth for every 1 cup of quinoa. It is suggested that you rinse and drain the quinoa before using it but before it is cooked it is VERY small and slips through a strainer. Make sure you use a very fine mesh sieve. Bring water and quinoa to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, covered for 15 minutes or until all water has been absorbed and you can see a small "thread" on the quinoa. Remember that quinoa expands to about 4x its size when you cook it so 1 cup dry will yield 4 cups cooked.

This one will definitely be a repeat in our house! We all loved it!

This recipe is courtesy of Around the Table: Loving Food in RI & Beyond... and can be found at this site HERE.

CHEESY QUINOA MAC AND CHEESE

From Around the Table

Serving Size: 8

Nutritional Information per serving (calculated on MyFitnessPal.com): Calories 280, Carbs 31, Fat grams 11, Protein 14 (Calculated without veggies added)

• 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
• Veggies of your choice (optional) (I used broccoli and green pepper)
• good pinch of salt
• a few grinds of seasoning salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup soy milk or non-fat milk (I used the non-fat milk)
• 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese, more for sprinkling (I used a mix of cheddar and mozzarella)
• Optional- Crushed Red Pepper, Panko Bread crumbs for topping
• Toppings (optional)- salsa, hot sauce, sour cream, scallions

1. Lightly saute any veggies you would like in this dish. 
2. Cook quinoa to packaged instructions until fully cooked. (About 15 minutes)
3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat 13x9 inch dish( or 8 individual ramekins) with cooking spray.Whisk together eggs, milk and seasonings in large bowl. Fold in quinoa mixture and cheese. Stir very well and let some of the cheese melt.  Transfer to prepared baking dish and if using Panko Crumbs or Bread crumbs add now and bake 30-35 mins, until bread crumbs are browned. 

Avocado Pesto Pasta

Okay so I debated and debated about putting the nutritional information on this recipe - please don't freak out! Yes, the numbers are a lot higher than most of the things that I post on here. But you have to remember that a GOOD deal of that is from the avocados. Avocados are high in calories and in fat but they are really good for you. They are packed with good for you monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) that are really good for your heart. This is information from http://www.avocado.org/nutrition/:

"Avocados provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid. They also act as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha and beta-carotene and lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit."


See? Lots of benefits. But still, if you are on a diet or watching/counting calories you will want to be moderate about your avocado intake. And if you want a comparison:

Source: http://www.avocado.org/nutrition/

Okay, so back to my recipe. This recipe contains NO cheese and NO butter and it was amazing. It was creamy and delicious and my husband absolutely went gaga over it. I loved the texture that the avocados contributed - you would have sworn that I made this dish with all different kinds of creams or cheeses. And it is also meatless! It comes together in the time it takes to boil your noodles. Really. I didn't add the tomatoes this time around but I would love to try it with some sundried tomatoes. It doesn't NEED it but it would be yummy. They have a great brand that you can find that are dried sundried tomatoes - not packed in oil. Fantastic meal! Try it!

This recipe and picture are courtesy of Chef Chloe and can be found at this site here: http://chefchloe.com/entrees/avocado-pesto-pasta.html

AVOCADO PESTO PASTA

From Chef Chloe

Servings 6

Nutritional Information per serving (calculated on MyFitnessPal.com): Calories 432, Carbs 55, Fat grams 19, Protein 11 (Calculated on whole wheat linguine and Classico Traditional Basil Pesto)

• 1 pound linguine (I used 13.25 ounces of whole wheat linguine)
• *1 bunch fresh basil, reserve some leaves for garnish
• *½ cup pine nuts
• 2 avocados, pitted and peeled
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• *3 cloves garlic
• *½ cup olive oil
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or sliced sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

*All of these ingredients can be replaced with 1/2 of an 8.1 ounce jar of Classico Traditional Basil Pesto. That is what I did because I didn't want to buy the rest of the ingredients individually.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, make the pesto by combining basil, pine nuts, avocados, lemon juice, garlic, and oil in a food processor. Process until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper. 

Toss pasta with pesto. For an extra touch of color and flavor, top pasta with cherry or sun-dried tomatoes. Divide pasta among serving bowls and garnish each serving with a basil leaf.

Spicy Bean and Rice Burritos

Well, it does happen occasionally. We didn't like this one. I even added the juice of a whole lime and about 16 oz of sweet corn. It tasted spicy and that was about it. The adobo sauce could have had a lot more of a presence and the cayenne didn't add anything to this dish - it just took away. All of the other reviewers on the recipe did like this one and said it was the "perfect amount of spice." I disagree, but maybe you want to give it a shot? I didn't like it enough to try it again and try to "fix it."

My husband did try one of his burritos with cheese (we don't normally eat a lot or any cheese) and he said it made a big difference in the taste. Good luck if you try it!

*UPDATE 4/15/12: Okay.... so I couldn't just leave it alone. This recipe makes a TON and we had so many leftovers that I just didn't want to see going to waste. Besides the corn I added originally, I browned a pound of ground pork and mixed it with a can of tomato sauce, about 1/4 cup Greek yogurt and 1 1/2 tsp paprika. I added this to everything we had leftover (which was most of the recipe) and it tasted SOOO much better! We had it for dinner last night and again for lunch today. And there are STILL leftovers. I told you it makes a TON!

Follow this link to see the recipe, courtesy of Tasty Kitchen: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/spicy-bean-and-rice-burritos/

Spicy Garlic-Ginger Noodles

Okay people. I have now made this recipe 5 times. In a month. No I am not kidding. When recipes are this easy and this delicious they MUST be repeated. Multiple times.

I have made this recipe with regular spaghetti noodles, whole wheat spaghetti noodles, and special rice noodles that I bought from this cute little Asian market. It is fantastic every single way. If you are looking for the most nutrition - go with the whole wheat.

The measurements are a bit odd on this since the original recipe calls for 250 grams of spaghetti. I used 400 grams of rice noodles tonight and doubled everything else and it was perfect. If you double the recipe don't completely double the noodles and go to 500 grams. At most I would use... 12 ounces of spaghetti noodles.

If you do not like spicy things you can still make this dish. Don't use the sriracha at all. If you have no idea what that is it is available in every grocery store and looks like this:

It is HOT. I never double this when I double everything else and it is still quite a spicy dish. You can also cut back on the amount of jalapeno you use.

We love this dish. Even my 3 year old ate a whole bowl with a whole jalapeno and a tsp of sriracha in the dish! Yum. Yum. Yum!!!

This recipe and picture are courtesy of Poppytalk and can be found at this site here: http://poppytalk.blogspot.com/2012/03/simple-addiction-spicy-garlic-ginger.html

Spicy Garlic-Ginger Noodles
Adapted from Poppytalk

Makes 6 Servings
Nutritional Information per serving (calculated on MyFitnessPal.com): Calories 334, Carbs 57, Fat grams 8, Protein 10 (Based on using whole wheat noodles) 

400 grams (about 12 ounces) spaghetti (whole wheat or 100% buckwheat soba is fine)
1 ½ tablespoons butter
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
1 large red pepper, sliced thinly (or use 2 carrots julienned, or 1 or 2 bulbs baby bok choy, sliced)
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (remove seeds and membrane if you want less heat)
4 tablespoons soy sauce (1/4 cup)
3 - 4 tablespoons honey or agave syrup
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce (optional but I have never left it out)
1 teaspoon sriracha
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoon sesame seeds + additional for serving

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add in noodles. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter and add in onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté over medium heat. Let this get soft but not browned. Add in the red pepper and jalapeno.

In a small dish, stir together the soy sauce, honey, hoisin, sriracha, and sesame oil together. Set aside.

Drain pasta when cooked to al dente, add to pan with the onion-pepper mixture and pour over the sauce. Toss well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve. Garnish with additional sesame seeds.

Spinach, Feta and Sundried Tomato Egg Sandwiches

It should be of no surprise to anyone that knows me that I LOVED this sandwich. I love all of the ingredients called for in this sandwich and I love how the flavors combine together. It came together very quick and very easily and I didn't change a single thing about the recipe except for the kind of sundried tomatoes that we used. Make this one. You will love it!

This lovely picture and source of the recipe are courtesy of Smells Like Home and can be found at this site here: http://smells-like-home.com/2012/03/spinach-feta-and-sundried-tomato-egg-sandwiches/

Spinach, Feta and Sundried Tomato Egg Sandwiches
source: Smells Like Home original

§  2 tsp olive oil

§  2 cups fresh spinach, stemmed

§  4 sundried tomatoes, rinsed, drained, and chopped (I just used sundried tomatoes that came in a nice little bag from Smith's. They are already dry and chopped and so I added about 1/2 cup.)

§  2 eggs beaten with a dash a water

§  Pinch of garlic powder

§  1/4 tsp dried oregano

§  Freshly ground black pepper

§  1 oz crumbled feta

§  2 English muffins, toasted and buttered (optional)

1.      Heat oil in a 10″ or 12″ nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add spinach and cook until wilted; stir in the sundried tomatoes and heat through, about 2 minutes.

2.      Stir the eggs into the spinach and sundried tomatoes and add the garlic powder, oregano, and a little black pepper.  Using a spatula, stir the eggs until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the feta.  Divide the eggs between the English muffins and serve hot.

Potatoes Plus

This was a delicious vegetarian meal that was fairly easy to make. The only problem that I had was that we had a hot spot on our barbecue that I didn't know about... one of our packets got severely burned after cooking as it says. Just keep a close eye on your flame. Make sure it isn't licking one packet more than the others. You may want to rotate the packets when turning as well.

Also, if you don't want this to be a meatless meal you can easily add sliced sausage or another meat of your choice.

This picture and recipe are courtesy of Taste of Home and can be found here: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Potatoes-Plus

POTATOES PLUS

From Taste of Home

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• 4 medium red potatoes, cubed
• 1 medium onion, cubed
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon each dried basil, dill weed and parsley flakes
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed

Combine vegetables and seasonings; divide among four pieces of heavy-duty foil (about 12 in. square). Dot with butter. Fold foil around vegetables and seal tightly.

Grill, covered, over medium heat for 15 minutes on each side. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape. Yield: 4 servings.