Sold! February 8, 2010

I am proud to report that after many shady encounters, fruitless inquiries and false hopes, the many items we have Craig’s-listed are officially SOLD!  This includes our 60″ monster TV, foosball table, old couch, 2 chairs, coffee table, desk w/chair, and 20 wedding vases/gems are all GONE!  It’s a huge relief to know we won’t have to store or move all this stuff that we won’t need when go you-know-where.  Plus, some extra cash never hurts!   

SO… onto other important things… dinner.  This was another new recipe I found in one of the magazine-lettes my mom gave me a couple months ago.  This little puppy has been a wealth of quick, tasty recipes!

Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta
Recipe from “Taste of Home:  Healthy Cooking”

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups uncooked multigrain bowtie pasta (I used spiral noodles)
1/2 pound turkey sausage
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups chicken broth (I used closer to 1 1/4 cups)
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
parmesan cheese and parsley to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:
-Cook pasta according to package directions
-In large skillet coated with cooking spray, saute the sausage, mushrooms, onions and garlic until turkey is done; drain and return to pan
-Stir in the broth, pumpkin, sage, salt, garlic powder and pepper
-Bring to a boil then reduce heat, let simmer for 5-6 minutes until slightly thickened
-Stir in the cooked pasta and heat through
-Serve and top with parmesan cheese and parsley

This meal came together so fast, I got to take the picture while it was still light outside!

The verdict:  I would recommend tasting this at the end and adjusting the seasoning if needed.  I found that it needed a little extra salt, sage, and garlic powder.  The parmesan really gave it another dimension of flavor, too.  I really enjoyed this… definitely different than anything I’ve ever made.  The flavors really worked well together.  I’m sold! 

BLD 4 U February 7, 2010

Using Rachael Ray terminology, “BLD” (if I remember right) refers to a meal that can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner… now that’s my kind of meal!  I found this recipe while searching for yet another possible dish to be served at our Nutrition Month open house at work.  I changed quite a few things in the recipe and was a little apprehensive, but it turned out really well!  It’s also a great way to clean out the veggie drawer in your fridge.  I’m definitely gonna add this to my collection.

Quick Crustless Quiche
Serves 4-6.  Adapted from recipe found here.

1 cup fat-free milk
5 whole eggs, beaten
4 ounces (1 cup) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
approx. 2 cups finely chopped veggies (I used spinach, red peppers, 3 green onions, and a little bit of sweet yellow onion)
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper

-Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9-inch pie pan (I used my springform pan, but make sure you line it well with foil, or it’ll leak.)
-Mix all ingredients together
-Pour into pan and bake 30-40 minutes or until center is set and slightly browned.  (Cooking time will vary, I always get impatient and end up cranking up the heat.  30 minutes at 350 did not get mine done.)

Turkey bacon, toast, and a splash of Frankie make for a complete B, L, or D. Yummo!

Slacking February 7, 2010

Oops, I’ve let a couple days go by without a post again.  To make up for it, here a couple things I made last week… stay tuned for tonight’s dinner, too! 

Whole-Wheat Pasta with Walnuts and Feta Cheese
Recipe from my girl, Ellie Krieger, found here

I made this as another “test” recipe for National Nutrition Month at work.  It was awesomely delicious!!  Once again proving that sometimes the simplest recipes taste the best! 

1/2 lb whole-wheat spiral pasta
1/2 cup walnuts (I used pecans and would definitely recommend it!)
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup red onion, diced small
1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp walnut oil (I used olive oil)
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced (or about 1/2 tsp jarred garlic)
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper

-Cook the pasta, rinse under cold water and put in fridge to cool
-Toast the pecans in the oven at 375 for a few minutes until fragrant, or in a dry saute pan.  Set aside to cool, then chop coarsely.  Do not skip this step, it makes ALL the difference!
-In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, onion, cheese, spinach and pecans
-In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and mustard
-Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss to combine
-Season with salt and pepper

Since we’re moving soon, I’m slowly trying to use up pantry and freezer items.  I’ve had this box of barley for awhile now and set off on a google search for what the heck to do with it…

Easy Greek Barley Salad
Adapted from recipe found here

1 cup quick barley and water called for on box directions
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onion (I used red onion)
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 large red pepper
1/4-1/3 cup feta cheese

-Cook barely according to package directions
-Stir together oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper; pour over hot barley (I let it cook for a few minutes longer to let some of the liquid evaporate)
-Stir in the rest of the ingredients and serve (original recipe says to cool barley to room temp and serve chilled or at room temp… I thought it was good hot or cold!)

I heart soup. February 4, 2010

After an indulgent day of birthday eating yesterday, I am back on track today.  I strategically planned this lighter soup for tonight, knowing that yesterday wouldn’t be so great.  I also have a never-ending bag of spinach that I needed to put a dent in, so this was perfect.  I seriously love soup, pretty much any kind.  It’s so warm and comforting, and usually pretty good in the calorie department.  This one was super simple and really, really good.  I know I’ll be making this soup over and over.  The bacon really gives it the smokey flavor of slow-cooked bean soup.   

White Bean and Spinach Soup
Recipe adapted from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine-lette “Heart-Healthy Living”

1 medium onion, chopped
1 slice bacon, chopped (I used 2 slices of turkey bacon)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed (removes a lot of the sodium!)
1 (14.5) oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 tsp dried thyme (I used just a sprinkle of two cuz it tends to be hard/chewy)
2 cups baby spinach

~In large saucepan, cook onion, bacon and garlic until onion is softened, about 5 mins
~Stir in beans, cook another minute or two
~Stir in tomatoes, broth, and season with salt and pepper
~Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for about 20 mins
~Mash some of the beans with a wooden spoon to thicken the soup a little
~Stir in the spinach and let wilt
~Serve with bread, toasted baguette, crackers etc.  I also added a splash of hot sauce.

My birthday and first time… February 3, 2010

taking food pictures in public!  What a great day it’s been!  It started out this morning with a light breakfast, knowing I would be disregarding calories later in the day…

2 egg whites w/spinach and salsa, pumpernickel toast w/margarine

My MOMMMYYY showed up shortly afterwards with a not-so-great story involving her cell phone and the bottom of her salty water softener.  Oops.  Before we left, I opened some pretty freakin’ awesome gifts which included a tonnn of cool foodie stuff, some sweet new beverage glasses, some cold hard cash, and best of all…. THIS…

MUST-HAVE when moving 10 hours away to complete foreign-land. Thanks, Mom!!

Our first stop was the Verizon store, for obvious reasons.  Then we were off to the mall where sweaters were purchased and a much-needed haircut was accomplished.  Tummies were growling and lunch was had at Olga’s…

Amaaazing bread thingys, white chicken chili, apple pecan salad... YUMMM!!!!

This is officially my first picture of a meal out.  Not gonna lie, I totally felt like a freak, and my mom totally laughed, but it happened anyway.  We had no idea we were each gonna get a giant cup of those AMAZING bread things, or else we would have skipped the salad.  Great lunch, though!  After some more shopping, we stopped back at the house for a bit, then we were back on the road to meet Wayne for dinner.  I was going to try to make “good decisions” about what I ate tonight… I really was!  But Wayne was ready to go all-out.  We started with an appetizer of jumbo shrimp cocktail…

***Warning:  Horrible, dark pictures ahead that were “auto-corrected” by my camera’s program and look even worse now!  But hey, I TOOK PICS OF MY WHOLE MEAL!

Half-eaten, with a tail included. Classy, right?!

There was also fresh bread and butter and the restaurant’s famous bar cheese with wheat crackers.  Ok, so I didn’t take a pic of my whole meal.  Next up was the fabulous dinner:  London broil (flank steak), mashed red-skin potatoes, green beans, and button mushrooms.  I never order beef in a restaurant, but it was my birthday damnit! 

Probably the worst picture ever taken in the history of picture-taking.

I really, truly, honestly was not planning on getting dessert.  However, apparently if you eat at Schuler’s on your birthday, you get a free Baked Alaska.  I couldn’t refuse a free dessert, and it doesn’t count if you share with 2 other people, right??

Filled with a brownie base topped with peppermint ice cream and covered in meringue and a ridiculous fudge sauce. The fudge was waaaay too much for me, so I just dug for the ice cream

After we rolled ourselves out of the restaurant, goodbyes were said and I’m back home.  One last thing… my mommmy just couldn’t bare the thought of her eldest daughter having a birthday without some sort of “birthday cake.”  She made me a Pina Colada Cake: angel food cake mix and pineapple made the base, then it was topped with cool whip and toasted coconut!  Genious!  I am waaaay too full to enjoy a full slice tonight, but of course I had a taste, and YUMMM!! 

Decorated with childhood balloons and hand-less ballerina! Dying.

Had a great, relaxing day with my favorite mommy and hubby!  Must sleep off the food now.  Toodles, loves!

Who put oatmeal in my meatloaf? February 2, 2010

First let me say how esssscited I am for my day off tomorrow (it just might be my birthday, which happened to fall on my day off for working the weekend.  I’m spending the day with my mommmmy then we’re both meeting Wayne for a nice dinner.  Yaaaaay!! 

Anyway… dinner tonight was a twist on meatloaf.  I found the recipe while blog surfing and have since seen it pop up all over the place.  I was a tad skeptical because it calls for oatmeal… and not just a little, but 2/3 of a cup.  My mom has made traditional meatloaf with oatmeal before, and I have to say, the texture was a little odd (sorry mom!!).  I decided to give this one a go, though, because we love anything “buffalo,” and all the bloggers said it was tasty.

Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf
Recipe taken from Erin’s Food Files but originally comes from The Biggest Loser Cookbook

2/3 cup old-fashioned oats (I used quick oats)
1/2 cup skim milk
1/3 cup hot sauce
1 lb. lean ground chicken
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup carrot, shredded (I used chopped carrot)
1/4 cup onion, chopped (I used red onion)
2 egg whites
salt
1/2 cup blue cheese (I used 1/3 cup feta cheese cuz blue cheese is grosssss)

- combine the oats and milk in a small bowl to soften, then stir in the hot sauce, set aside
- combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl, then add the oat mixture
- bake in a loaf pan at 350 for 35-40 min (I baked at 400-425 for quite a while…)

Meatloaf will never be pretty.

The verdict:  OK.  The flavor was really good.  However, I can’t get over the texture that the oats give it.  It just seemed very “wet” and soft.  I definitely baked it at a higher temp for at least the same amount of time.  It did seem to set up as it cooled, though.  I wish the whole pan was a big brown, crusty edge like in the picture.  It’s definitely edible, and I probably would make it again, but with breadcrumbs replacing some of the oats.  Maybe using old-fashioned oats would have made all the difference?  Anyway!!  This has turned out to be a reeeally long review of a measley meatloaf!  Toodles for now loves.

Burgers are just as tasty. February 1, 2010

Tonight’s dinner turned out a little different than expected.  The recipe is called “Spicy Black-Bean Cakes” but they didn’t really come out that way.  The picture in the cookbook showed them as cute, small, crispy, and almost appetizerish little bites.  However, the recipe made a huuuge amount, and dividing it into 8 patties like the recipe said gave me huuuge burgers instead of cakes.  They took a lot longer to get crunchy, but the final product turned out creamy inside and crunchy outside, mmm mmm!  These would definitely be a great substitute for your standard veggie burger. 

Spicy Black-Bean Cakes
Recipe from Great Food Fast: From the Kitchens of Martha Stewart Living

2 Tbsp olive oil (I used closer to 1 tsp)
4 green onions, sliced
6 garlic cloves (I used about 1 Tbsp of minced garlic from the jar)
1-2 jalapenos, finely chopped
1 Tbsp cumin
2 (15.5 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper
1 large sweet potato, peeled and grated (about 2 cups)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs

- Heat the broiler.  Sautee the oil, green onions, jalapenos, and garlic in a small skillet until softened.  Add the cumin and sautee for 30 seconds until fragrant.  Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the beans to the bowl and mash with potato masher, leaving about 1/4 of the beans whole.  Season generously w/salt and pepper.  Fold in the potato, egg, and breadcrumbs.  Divide into 8 balls and form each into a patty. 
- Grease a foil-lined baking sheet and place patties on pan.  Broil 4 inches from the heat until browned, 8-10 minutes (mine took longer).  Turn the patties over and broil on the other side until brown.  Serve with lime sour cream.

Lime sour cream
1/2 cup light sour cream (I used plain greek yogurt)
1 jalapeno, minced
2 tsp fresh lime juice
salt

Bittersweet January 31, 2010

That’s how the weekend has been…. a little bittersweet.  I worked this weekend… for the last time at my current job.  As stressful as working weekends are (being the only RD covering the whole hospital!), I would gladly continue doing it if it meant I didn’t have to move!  The buyer of our house also had it inspected this weekend.  Everything went well, which is great, but it just made everything that much more official.  It’s only a matter of time now.  Lastly, we got rid of another large Craig’s-listed item tonight… my old desk and chair that we won’t need in MN.  I love getting rid of things we don’t need, but there’s always a few seconds where I’m like “aww, my [insert item here] is gone!”  We still need to dump the monster beautiful 60″ TV and very fun foosball table that we reeeeally don’t want to haul anywhere… any takers out there??

Anyway!!  Enough Debbie Downer, right?  On the bright side… I have been sticking to my calorie-counting and getting back on the train.  Despite working all weekend, I’ve managed to plan this week’s dinners and get groceries.  Speaking of dinner… tonight’s was inspired by a recipe I found while blog-surfing.  It totally flashed me back to a dinner my mom used to make.  Actually, I’m thinking it’s just about the exact same thing.  Remember this, mom??

Sweet and Sour Chicken
Based on Chicken, Pineapple, and Peppers from So Tasty, So Yummy

1 lb. chicken breast, cubed
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper (any color), chopped (I used red)
1 T garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp ginger, minced
1/2 Tbsp worchestershire (I accidentally forgot this, but would add 1-2 Tbsp cuz I love it!)
1-2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 cup pineapple chunks, lightly drained (reserve about 3 Tbsp of the liquid and set aside)
1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
approx 1 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp cornstarch

1.  Saute chicken, onion, pepper, garlic, and ginger in large skillet until chicken is cooked
2.  Add worchestershire, soy, pineapple, tomatoes and broth – bring to a boil
3.  Stir the pineapple juice and cornstarch together in a small bowl, then stir it into the pot and bring back to a boil until thickened and a nice sauce forms.  You may need a touch more chicken broth if it gets too thick. 
4.  Serve over brown rice. 

Mmm, almost tropical looking.

Skillets of fiber January 28, 2010

Odd title, ay?  (I’m practicing my Minnesota/pseudo Canadian accent).  The skillet part refers to my dinner tonight (yes, another skillet), and the fiber part refers to an amaaaazing new breakfast bar recipe that I’m also going to share.  Two recipes, one post.  Woot woot, no?

Chicken Orzo Skillet
Recipe found in magazine “Taste of Home: Healthy Cooking” on display till Jan 25, 2010
The following is my alterations on the recipe, although I hardly made any changes. 

In a large skillet, brown and cook through:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 small onion, chopped
Italian seasoning – about 1/2 – 1 tsp
Garlic powder, salt and pepper (and/or other desired seasonings)

Stir in:
1 can (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 box (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup water (you may need a little more, depending on how much water you got out of the spinach)

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until orzo is tender and liquid is absorbed.  Stir a couple times and add a little more water if needed.  Top each serving with parmesan cheese. 

Now for the bars.  I found this recipe on one of my favorite blogs:  Peas and Thank You.  Check it out, she has the cutest kids and a great sense of humor!  At work, we’re trying to come up with ideas and recipes for our annual Nutrition Month open house.  I did not hesitate to suggest and then volunteer to ”test” this recipe… you know, just to make sure it was OK

No-Bake High-Fiber Breakfast Bars

Ingredients:
1/3 cup peanut butter (I used natural PB)
1/3 cup agave nectar, maple syrup, or combo of both (I used all agave)
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup dried apples (I subbed dried cranberries)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 hemp seeds (I omitted)
1/3 cup ground flaxseeds
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats (I used quick oats)
3/4 tsp cinnamon
2 cups high-fiber cereal twigs (All Bran) 

Instructions:
In a small bowl, combine PB, agave/maple, and applesauce.  Gently heat in microwave, stirring until smooth.  In a larger bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients.  Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix well.  Press into 8×8 pan (sprayed w/non-stick spray) and refrigerate until set.

I cut the batch into 16 squares, and with my few changes, each square contains about 113 calories.  Not too shabby!  These were reeeeally good!!  Everyone at work enjoyed them, too.  I’ll definitely be making these again.  Maybe next time I’ll get crazy and add some nuts or change up the dried fruit.

 

Homey January 27, 2010

Last night’s post was wordy enough for 2 nights… tonight I give you strictly dinner with just a few words.  This one-pot-wonder was incredibly easy to make, filling, cozy, warm, and homey.  It’s basically all the components of a cabbage roll without all the hassle.  I calculated out the calories while it was simmering, and I couldn’t believe it was only about 340 calories per serving (which is 1/4 of the pot… which is A LOTTT!!)  Score.  I totally dig large volume for little calories.  Wayne even said the words every cook dies to hear… “You should make this more often, I like it.”  !!! 

Cabbage Skillet
Recipe found HERE during a google search on what do w/my leftover cabbage. 

Ingredients:
3/4 lb extra lean ground beef (I used 1 pound)
1 medium onion
1 package zesty Italian salad dressing mix
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
8 cups shredded cabbage (I used more like 2-3 cups because that’s all I had)
1 cup water
1 cup dry minute brown rice
I also added some Italian herb seasoning

Instructions:
1.  Brown meat/onion with dressing packet in large skillet (I rec. using a large soup pot.  I had to change pans halfway through because everything wouldn’t fit in my largest skillet). 
2.  Add tomatoes and cabbage, stir to combine.  Simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes until cabbage is tender.
3.  Stir in water and rice, bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes until rice is cooked. 
4.  Top with a little parmesan cheese if desired.