Real Bagels

We had some good friends over for breakfast this morning so we decided to give these a whirl last night. We didn't have enough bread flour so we used all purpose. We also didn't have the barley malt syrup so we left it out. We were very nervous at first, ok I'll be honest, we were nervous the whole way through, but they actually turned out pretty good. The boiling is weird but gives them that outer crust. A few tips. Don't use the wax paper. It sticks to the bottom. And we had to broil them for a minute or so to get them slightly golden. All in all they tasted like bagels which in my mind is a success. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water (100° to 110°)
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 28 ¹⁄₂ ounces bread flour divided (about 6 1/2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon barley malt syrup (omit if you cannot find)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Cooking spray
• 12 cups water
• ³⁄₄ cup sugar

Directions

1. Combine 2 cups warm water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook; let stand 5 minutes or until bubbles form on the surface. Weigh or lightly spoon 28.13 ounces flour (about 6 1/4 cups) into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add flour, syrup, and salt to yeast mixture. Mix dough at low speed 6 minutes. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead 2 minutes or until smooth and elastic; add enough of remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 30 minutes.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 12 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), shape each portion into a ball. Make a hole in the center of each ball using your index finger. Using fingers of both hands, gently pull dough away from center to make a 1 1/2-inch hole. Place bagels on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat bagels with cooking spray; cover with plastic wrap. Let rise 10 minutes (bagels will rise only slightly).
3. Preheat oven to 450°.
4. Combine 12 cups water and 3/4 cup sugar in a Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Gently lower 3 bagels into pan. Cook for 30 seconds. Transfer the bagels to a wire rack lightly coated with cooking spray. Repeat the procedure with remaining bagels, working in batches of 3. Divide the bagels between two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 450° for 7 minutes. Rotate pans, and bake for 7 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.
5. Note: Omit barley malt syrup if you can't find it.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 255

Fat: 1.1g

Cholesterol: 0.0mg

Sodium: 322mg

Fiber: 1.7g

Protein: 8.3g

Happy Thanksgiving!

This year when you get together with your family for Thanksgiving remember the food pyramid:

In all seriousness, enjoy what this holiday is all about and be thankful. I am thankful for my health and will attempt to only go over my daily allotted calorie intake by 1,000 calories which will put me at 2,200. Here is some food for thought when considering how many plates to have in front of you tomorrow:

The average American will consume more than 4500 calories and 229 grams of
fat on Thanksgiving Day alone.

A 160 lb. person would have to run at a moderate pace for four hours, swim for
five hours or walk 30 miles to burn off a 3000-calorie Thanksgiving Day meal.


Don't deprive yourself and enjoy but be smart. Easier said than done....

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Tortellini Tuscan Stew

Another school night crock pot recipe. Sadly Husband didn't get to try it before he left so you only get one opinion on this one. I came home to a fantastic smell which made me super excited to eat! The veggies were great (my favorite was the green beans) and the tortellini was even better. I think this makes more like 7 or 8 servings because it was SO much food and all 5 of my tupperwares were full to the brim. I was stuffed. Other than the enormous serving which may appeal to some I thought it was a really good meal. I give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Good Housekeeping

Serves: 6 (more like 7 or 8)

Ingredients

• 1 (2-pound) butternut squash peeled and seeded, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 large zucchini cut in 1-inch chunks
• 1 large yellow summer squash cut in 1-inch chunks
• 1 large onion diced
• 1 large red bell pepper cut in 1/2-inch dice
• 4 ounce(s) thin green beans trimmed and cut in 2-inch lengths
• 1 can(s) (28-ounce ) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can(s) (14 1/2-ounce) chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoon(s) fresh oregano chopped
• 1.5 teaspoon(s) chopped garlic
• 0.75 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 package(s) (9-ounce) fresh cheese tortellini
• 1 bag(s) (5-ounce) baby spinach
• 3 tablespoon(s) grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients, except tortellini, spinach, and Parmesan cheese, in a 5-quart or larger slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 3 hours or low 6 hours.
2. Uncover; turn slow cooker to high and stir in tortellini. Cover: continue to cook 15 minutes, or until pasta is almost tender.
3. Uncover; gently stir in spinach and Parmesan. Cover; cook 5 minutes until spinach is cooked down and tortellini is tender.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 254

Fat: 5g

Carbohydrate: 48g

Protein: 12g

Tomato-Provolone Sandwiches with Pesto Mayo

This was another "what do we have in the kitchen" recipe. We used our homemade pesto and the honey-oatmeal wheat bread and although it tasted great I think it would be even better on sourdough as the recipe says. Husband and I gobbled this up pretty quick so it must have been a 5 out of 5 stars and super easy to make.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons organic canola mayonnaise (such as Spectrum)
• 5 teaspoons refrigerated pesto
• 8 (1 1/2-ounce) slices sourdough bread
• 4 (1/2-ounce) slices provolone cheese
• 1 cup arugula leaves
• 8 (1/4-inch-thick) tomato slices
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Combine mayonnaise and pesto in a bowl, stirring well.
3. Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil bread 2 minutes or until toasted. Turn bread over; place 1 cheese slice on each of 4 bread slices. Broil 1 minute or until cheese is bubbly. Spread about 2 teaspoons pesto mixture over each cheese-topped bread slice. Arrange 1/4 cup arugula and 2 tomato slices over pesto mixture; sprinkle tomato slices evenly with pepper and salt. Spread about 1 1/2 teaspoons of remaining pesto mixture evenly over one side of each remaining bread slice; place 1 slice, pesto-side down, on top of each sandwich.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 329

Fat: 16.7g

Cholesterol: 16mg

Sodium: 630mg

Fiber: 2.9g

Protein: 11g

Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins

I don't have much to say about these besides yummy. My advice is to warm them up before eating them because it makes the top softer. Husband and Thing 1 approved. 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking light

Serves: 18

Ingredients

• ¹⁄₂ cup packed dark brown sugar
• ¹⁄₄ cup chopped pecans
• 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¹⁄₄ cup butter softened
• ¹⁄₂ cup egg substitute
• 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ³⁄₄ cups all-purpose flour (about 7 3/4 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon baking soda
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
• Cooking spray
• 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 3 teaspoons fresh orange juice
• Dash of salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients; set aside.
3. Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes). Add egg substitute; beat 3 minutes. Beat in sour cream, water, and vanilla.
4. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture; add sour cream mixture. Stir just until combined.
5. Place 3 tablespoons brown sugar mixture in a small bowl; set aside. Sprinkle surface of batter with remaining brown sugar mixture. Gently fold batter 4 times.
6. Place 18 paper muffin cup liners in muffin cups; coat liners with cooking spray. Spoon batter into prepared cups. Sprinkle batter evenly with reserved brown sugar mixture. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pan immediately; place on a wire rack. Cool 10 minutes.
7. Combine powdered sugar, juice, and dash of salt in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Drizzle powdered sugar mixture evenly over muffins.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 182

Fat: 5.7g

Cholesterol: 14mg

Sodium: 176mg

Fiber: 0.6g

Protein: 2.9g

Chicken Tamale Casserole

Ok, ignore the mass amounts of sour cream in the picture. Please use less. Husband loves sour cream and I could do without entirely. That being said Husband fell in love with this meal AND Thing 1 ate almost an entire serving. We love these 8 serving casseroles because we split them in half and put one in the freezer for later. Works great for when you have too much going on to get to the store or you just don't feel like cooking. Husband made this and added a little fresh pico de gallo since we had it and it would have eventually gone bad in our fridge. Less spicy than expected but great flavors. 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese divided
• ¹⁄₃ cup fat-free milk
• ¹⁄₄ cup egg substitute
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
• 1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles drained
• Cooking spray
• 1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
• ¹⁄₂ cup fat-free sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 354

Fat: 14.1g

Cholesterol: 58mg

Sodium: 620mg

Fiber: 2.5g

Protein: 18.9g

Honey-Oatmeal Wheat Bread

This is definitely one of those recipes where if I can do it you can too. On my quest for the perfect sandwich bread I found this and since we had everything for it already I decided to give it a whirl. When adding all the ingredients I kept thinking "there is NO way this will taste good" with molasses and honey and oats but I am happy to report this was REALLY good. Thing 1 and I split a piece and he begged for more so it is definitely kid friendly. Husband gobbled up the bread butt so fast I could tell he wasn't lying when he said he loved it. It is a little more calories than I would hope for in a piece of bread but I figure with all the good stuff baked in to it I'd rather this than a piece of wonder bread. 5 out of 5 stars from everyone in the house.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water (100° to 110°)
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast
• 3 cups all-purpose flour divided
• 2 ¹⁄₂ cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup uncooked regular oats
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ¹⁄₄ cup honey
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Vegetable cooking spray

Directions

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a 2-cup glass measuring cup; let yeast mixture stand 5 minutes.
2. Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oats, and salt.
3. Beat yeast mixture, 1 cup all-purpose flour, honey, and olive oil at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until well blended. Gradually add whole wheat flour mixture, beating at low speed until a soft dough forms.
4. Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface, and knead 9 minutes, adding additional all-purpose flour (up to 6 tablespoons) as needed. (Dough will be slightly sticky.) Place dough in a large bowl sprayed with cooking spray, turning to grease top of dough.
5. Cover bowl of dough with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
6. Punch down dough, and divide in half. Roll each portion into a 13- x 8-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Roll up each dough rectangle, starting at 1 short side, jelly-roll fashion; pinch ends to seal. Place loaves, seam sides down, into 2 (8 1/2- x 4 1/2-inch) loaf pans sprayed with cooking spray.
7. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until almost doubled in bulk. Remove and discard plastic wrap.
8. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped and are golden. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove loaves from pans, and cool on wire racks.
9. Note: If you don't have a heavy-duty electric stand mixer, you may mix dough by hand with a wooden spoon.
10. This recipe makes two loaves, so freeze one after cooling to help it stay fresh longer. Slice first, if desired; then wrap the loaf in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and place in a zip-top plastic freezer bag. Keep frozen for up to 1 month.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 150

Fat: 2.4g

Cholesterol: 0.0mg

Sodium: 297mg

Fiber: 2.4g

Protein: 4g

No-Knead Overnight Parmesan and Thyme Rolls

 

This was my latest attempt at bread making and it was fun! Anything that involves bread and cheese is good by me. Thing 1 helped me make these and was very interested in the process which was fun. There are a lot of strong flavors especially the thyme so make sure you like thyme before you make this recipe. I liked this a lot the night I first had it but it was even better the next day when I put it in the microwave for 30 seconds and paired it with our yummy potato soup leftovers. That made it a 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons warm water (100° to 110°)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ¹⁄₃ cup 2% reduced-fat milk
• ¹⁄₂ cup (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese divided
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg lightly beaten
• 1 ¹⁄₁₀ ounces whole-wheat white flour (about 1/4 cup)
• 5 ³⁄₅ ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups) divided
• Cooking spray
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Dissolve yeast in 2 tablespoons warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add thyme to pan; cook 1 minute or until bubbly and fragrant. Add thyme mixture and milk to yeast mixture, stirring with a whisk; add 1/4 cup cheese, sugar, salt, and egg, stirring well.
3. Weigh or lightly spoon whole-wheat white flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Using a wooden spoon, stir whole-wheat white flour into yeast mixture. Weigh or lightly spoon 4.5 ounces (about 1 cup) all-purpose flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add all-purpose flour to yeast mixture, stirring well. Add enough of remaining all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to form a smooth but very sticky dough. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Dough will not double in size.)
4. Remove dough from refrigerator. Do not punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a floured surface; sprinkle dough lightly with flour. Roll dough into a 12 x 7–inch rectangle. Brush dough with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese evenly over dough; sprinkle with pepper. Beginning with a long side, roll up dough jelly-roll fashion. Pinch seam to seal (do not seal ends of roll). Cut roll into 8 (1 1/2-inch) slices. Place slices, cut sides up, on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until rolls have risen slightly.
5. Preheat oven to 400°.
6. Place pan in oven, and immediately reduce heat to 375°. Bake rolls at 375° for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 161

Fat: 6.3g

Cholesterol: 32mg

Sodium: 246mg

Fiber: 1.3g

Protein: 6.3g

 

Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole

Another slow cooker masterpiece. I had no idea you could do so many different things with a crock pot. This was one of those "we have a lot of the ingredients and not a lot of money recipes" so I wasn't sure how it would taste. We were pleasantly surprised! We used green enchilada sauce because that is what we had and Husband and I both agreed that we think that actually made it better. Next time we plan to double everything but the cornbread part because the cornbread was pretty overpowering. We would have to play around with the serving size though. I also don't think it needs the sour cream and the cilantro on top. The sour cream distracts from the other flavors (Husband disagrees) and there is already cilantro in the dish so the flavor becomes a little too strong if it is also on top. With these minor adjustments it would be a 5 but for now it gets a 4.9 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons diced green chiles divided
• ¹⁄₂ cup salsa
• ¹⁄₄ cup chopped green onions
• ¹⁄₄ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 (11-ounce) can corn with red and green peppers drained
• 1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce
• ¹⁄₂ cup egg substitute
• 1 (8 1/2 ounce) package corn muffin mix
• 2 tablespoons chopped bottled roasted red bell peppers
• 1 ¹⁄₂ cups (6 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican blend or cheddar cheese
• 6 tablespoons low-fat sour cream
• 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons thinly sliced fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Place 2 tablespoons green chiles and next 6 ingredients (through enchilada sauce) in a 3 1/2-quart electric slow cooker; stir well. Cover with lid; cook on low-heat setting 4 hours.
2. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon green chiles, egg substitute, muffin mix, and roasted bell peppers in a bowl. Spoon batter evenly over bean mixture in slow cooker. Cover and cook 1 hour or until corn bread is done.
3. Sprinkle cheese over corn bread. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Top each serving with sour cream; sprinkle with cilantro.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 385

Fat: 13g

Cholesterol: 23mg

Sodium: 1129mg

Fiber: 5.1g

Protein: 16.6g

Baked Potato and Broccoli Soup

Husband is such a big fan of potato soup that I knew we had to have this when we split a 40 lb bag of potatoes with my sister in laws. I normally don't love soup but this had more the consistency of a stew with the potatoes being more chunky than in a normal potato soup. We immediately separated the pot of soup into 5 tupperwares and 2 bowls to make sure we got the correct serving size. Just FYI a serving size is 2 ladles full. It was perfectly filling and actually was one of those meals for me that left me happier after eating it. We paired it with half a piece of home made bread which was great dipped in the soup. Husband gave it a 4 out of 5 and actually added salt to his bowl of soup which at our house is pretty much a slap in the face to a recipe since we don't EVER use our salt and pepper shakers. I found the flavors to mesh perfectly with the best stand out flavors being the bacon and the green onions. Since there was a difference in opinion I will give this recipe 2 different ratings. Husband gives it a 4 out of 5 but I give it 5 stars.

 

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 7

Ingredients

• ¹⁄₄ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 (14 1/4-ounce) cans low-sodium fat-free chicken broth divided
• 3 cups peeled cubed potato (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• 2 cups broccoli florets chopped
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 ¹⁄₄ cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1 (8-ounce) block 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese shredded
• 7 teaspoons shredded 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
• 7 teaspoons fully cooked bacon pieces
• 7 teaspoons chopped green onions

Directions

1. Whisk together flour and 1/3 cup chicken broth until smooth.
2. Combine remaining chicken broth and next 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Cook, stirring often, 5 minutes.
3. Stir in milk and 8 ounces shredded cheese. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Top each serving of soup with 1 teaspoon cheese, 1 teaspoon bacon pieces, and 1 teaspoon chopped green onions.
4. Note: We recommend freshly shredded cheese (versus the preshredded variety) for additional creaminess and even melting.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 223

Fat: 7.9g

Cholesterol: 31mg

Sodium: 667mg

Fiber: 2.6g

Protein: 17.3g

Rustic White Bread

Bread attempt number 2 = successful! This recipe was much easier/quicker and turned out much better for sandwiches which is what I was looking for. This one is kneaded by hand which as a non-bread maker I didn't have a clue how to do so once again I took to Google and found this You Tube video which was quite helpful. Thing 1 ate the end piece ( or as we affectionately refer to it in our house, the bread butt) and his response was "That's a yummy bread Mom." I think I am almost ready to tackle a sourdough so be looking for that in the future. For now, enjoy this bread that is a 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
• 3 cups bread flour divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Cooking spray
• 1 teaspoon cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1 large egg white lightly beaten

Directions

1. Dissolve the yeast in 1 cup warm water in a large bowl, and let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 2 3/4 cups flour and salt to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).
3. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press 2 fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)
4. Punch dough down. Cover and let rest 5 minutes. Shape dough into a 6-inch round; place on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Lightly coat surface of dough with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
5. Preheat oven to 450°.
6. Uncover dough. Combine 1 teaspoon water and egg white, stirring with a whisk; brush over dough. Make 3 (4-inch) cuts 1/4 inch deep across top of dough using a sharp knife.
7. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until bread is browned on bottom and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 128

Fat: 0.6g

Cholesterol: 0.0mg

Sodium: 201mg

Fiber: 1g

Protein: 4.6g

Pumpkin Waffles

This is how we do Halloween in our house. Actually Halloween in our house usually involves more spook and cuteness but pumpkin has been on my mind lately so I used Halloween as an excuse. I saw pumpkin waffles paired with cranberry butter in one of my (no joke) 7 or 8 halloween cooking magazines. Since the calories were more than I was willing to stomach I took to Google to find a more figure friendly version. I found these. And because I couldn't get over the thought of cranberry butter I threw some dried cranberries in mine. They were great! Even Thing 1 has been eating them and actually asking for them in the mornings. (It helps that there was a movie on called spookley the square pumpkin and I have been calling them Spookley waffles. I swear kids will eat anything if you give it the right build up.) Any left overs can be saved in the fridge or freezer and thrown in the toaster for a quick breakfast the rest of the week. I think this would be a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ³⁄₄ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
• ¹⁄₂ cup Pumpkin Puree
• ¹⁄₄ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large egg lightly beaten
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 4 ingredients (flour through cloves) in a large bowl, and make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk and next 4 ingredients (milk through egg) in a bowl, and add to flour mixture. Stir just until moist.
2. Coat a waffle iron with cooking spray; preheat. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter per waffle onto hot waffle iron, spreading the batter to the edges. Cook 5 to 7 minutes or until steaming stops; repeat procedure with remaining batter.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 255

Fat: 5.7g

Cholesterol: 57mg

Sodium: 372mg

Fiber: 2g

Protein: 7.4g

Crusty French Boules

I decided to take on the challenge of bread making since I have been scared of it for so long. Don't ask me why I picked a recipe that takes like 2 days to kick off my bread making practice, temporary insanity maybe, I just did. Surprisingly it wasn't awful. Not wonderful, but not awful. Normally Husband helps me with the cooking and actually does the majority of it but I took such ownership over this recipe about the only things I let him do were rip the plastic wrap and spray the bowl. I'm glad too because once this came out of the oven I had such a sense of accomplishment. I know, normal people make bread all the time but for me this was a triumph and the start of something hopefully fantastic. This was a pretty good recipe but I was expecting something a little different to come out of the oven. The loaves were very thin and flat so they didn't make great sandwich bread like I was hoping. The flavor and texture were good so that was a plus. I left the pâte fermentée in the fridge for just under 3 days (supposedly 48 hours is best) and it was just fine. I think I will attempt another bread and see which one I like better. Ok, maybe a few more. All in all a 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 5 ⁶³⁄₁₀₀ ounces all-purpose flour divided (about 1 1/4 cups)
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon active dry yeast
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₂ cup warm water (100° to 110°)
• Cooking spray
• ³⁄₄ cup warm water (100° to 110°)
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
• 4 ounces bread flour (about 2/3 cup)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal

Directions

1. To prepare the pâte fermentée, weigh or lightly spoon 4.5 ounces (about 1 cup) all-purpose flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine 4.5 ounces all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon yeast, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1/2 cup warm water, and beat at low speed until mixture is thoroughly combined. Add enough of the remaining 4 tablespoons flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough just begins to pull away from sides of bowl. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat for 2 minutes. Place dough in a small bowl coated with cooking spray. Place a piece of plastic wrap coated with cooking spray directly on dough. Refrigerate 48 hours or up to 3 days.
2. Remove pâte fermentée from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
3. To prepare the dough, place 3/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon yeast. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes or until bubbles form. Add pâte fermentée to yeast mixture; let stand 10 minutes. Weigh or lightly spoon 9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups) and 4 ounces bread flour (about 2/3 cup) into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add flours and 1 teaspoon salt to bowl; beat at low speed until flour is incorporated. Increase mixer to medium speed, and beat for 6 minutes. (Dough should form a ball.)
4. Place the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; lightly coat dough with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm, dry place, free from drafts, for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down, and divide into 2 equal portions. Knead each portion for 1 minute. Shape each dough portion into a 5-inch round by pulling the sides down, pinching and tucking them under the bottom center of dough, forming a smooth, taut surface on the top. Place dough rounds on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Lightly coat surface of dough with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 1 hour and 15 minutes or until doubled in size.
5. Place a small ovenproof saucepan with 3 inches of water directly on the floor of oven. Preheat oven to 450°.
6. Uncover dough. Spray dough lightly with water. Make 4 (4-inch) cuts 1/4 inch deep in dough to form a grid across top of each loaf using a sharp knife. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes. Remove water pan from oven. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when bottom is tapped. Cool on a wire rack. Cut each boule, crosswise, into 12 slices.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 82

Fat: 0.3g

Cholesterol: 0.0mg

Sodium: 148mg

Fiber: 0.6g

Protein: 2.5g

View recipe at plantoeat.com

Pesto Lasagna with Spinach and Mushrooms

 

Don't be fooled by the picture, I promise this is really good. I have a major soft spot for lasagna as is evident by how many lasagna recipes are on this blog already. What could make lasagna better? How about pesto, mushrooms, spinach, left overs AND the fact that you can do it in the crock pot. The ease of this recipe makes it by far my favorite lasagna so far. I have literally been eating it all week for lunch thanks to the fact that it makes 8 servings. We used just regular plain old mushrooms and they were fine as well as store bought pesto. I am pretty sure you could do any lasagna using the crock pot technique but I would just go ahead and make this one because it's a 5 out of 5 stars!

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 4 cups torn spinach
• 2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
• ¹⁄₂ cup commercial pesto
• ³⁄₄ cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• ³⁄₄ cup (3 ounces) shredded provolone cheese
• 1 (15-ounce) carton fat-free ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg lightly beaten
• ³⁄₄ cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese divided
• 1 (25.5-ounce) bottle fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• Cooking spray
• 1 (8-ounce) package precooked lasagna noodles (12 noodles)

Directions

1. Arrange the spinach in a vegetable steamer; steam, covered, 3 minutes or until spinach wilts. Drain, squeeze dry, and coarsely chop. Combine spinach, mushrooms, and pesto in a medium bowl, stirring to combine; set aside.
2. Combine mozzarella, provolone, ricotta, and beaten egg in a medium bowl, stirring well to combine. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan, and set aside. Combine the pasta sauce and the tomato sauce in a medium bowl.
3. Spread 1 cup pasta sauce mixture in the bottom of a 6-quart oval electric slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over pasta sauce mixture; top with 1 cup cheese mixture and 1 cup spinach mixture. Repeat the layers, ending with spinach mixture. Arrange 3 noodles over spinach mixture; top with remaining 1 cup cheese mixture and 1 cup pasta sauce mixture. Place remaining 3 noodles over sauce mixture; spread remaining sauce mixture over noodles. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Cover with lid; cook on LOW 5 hours or until done.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 398

Fat: 18.2g

Cholesterol: 56mg

Sodium: 1036mg

Fiber: 2g

Protein: 22.2g

Pecan-Topped Pumpkin Bread

Let me start out by saying how much I LOVE pumpkin. It's probably one of my biggest temptations this time of year so don't be surprised if you see plenty of pumpkin recipes on here. That being said this pumpkin recipe certainly did not disappoint. I cut back on the nutmeg a bit since even just smelling nutmeg gives me heartburn and all we had in the way of all spice was Jamaican all spice. It smelled fine so we used it and didn't notice any strange flavors. The spices in this are full of flavor and you can almost taste every spice in every bite. It is super moist and yummy and the best part is the second loaf in the freezer! A great cheaper alternative to my usual protein bar for breakfast and roughly the same number of calories. 5 out of 5 stars and delicious.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 3 ¹⁄₃ cups all-purpose flour (about 15 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ¹⁄₂ cup egg substitute
• ¹⁄₂ cup canola oil
• ¹⁄₂ cup low-fat buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• ²⁄₃ cup water
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• Cooking spray
• ¹⁄₃ cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through allspice) in a bowl.
3. Place sugar, egg substitute, oil, buttermilk, and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add 2/3 cup water and pumpkin, beating at low speed until blended. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Spoon batter into 2 (9 x 5-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle pecans evenly over batter. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.
4. Note:
5. This recipe makes two loaves. Freeze the extra bread, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to one month. Omit the nuts or substitute chopped walnuts, if you prefer. Check the bread after 50 minutes of baking--you may need to cover the loaves with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes to prevent overbrowning.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 198

Fat: 6.6g

Cholesterol: 18mg

Sodium: 287mg

Fiber: 1.2g

Protein: 3.4g

Slow-Cooker Black Bean-Mushroom Chili

Since Husband has class one night a week we have to try to come up with meals that are quick when I get home from work. We've decided to revisit our crock pot with this meal and we were not disappointed!! There were so many good flavors in this dish that you do not even notice the lack of meat. I would say the strongest flavor is the adobo but this dish is very mild and full of great flavor. The best part... Lots of left overs! 5 out of 5 stars!

Source: Eating Well

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried black beans (2 1/2 cups), rinsed
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ¹⁄₄ cup mustard seeds
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons cumin seeds or ground cumin
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon cardamom seeds or ground cardamom
• 2 medium onions coarsely chopped
• 1 pound mushrooms sliced
• 8 ounces tomatillos (see Ingredient Note), husked, rinsed and coarsely chopped
• ¹⁄₄ cup water
• 5 ¹⁄₂ cups mushroom broth or vegetable broth
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1-2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (see Ingredient Note)
• 1 ¹⁄₄ cups grated Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese
• ¹⁄₂ cup reduced-fat sour cream
• ¹⁄₂ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 limes cut into wedges

Directions

1. Soak beans overnight in 2 quarts water. (Alternatively, place beans and 2 quarts water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour.) Drain the beans, discarding soaking liquid.
2. Combine oil, mustard seeds, chili powder, cumin and cardamom in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven. Place over high heat and stir until the spices sizzle, about 30 seconds. Add onions, mushrooms, tomatillos and water. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are juicy, 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover and stir often until the juices evaporate and the vegetables are lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Add broth, tomato paste and chipotles; mix well.
3. Place the beans in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the hot vegetable mixture over the beans. Turn heat to high. Put the lid on and cook until the beans are creamy, 5 to 8 hours.
4. Garnish each serving with cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. Stovetop Variation: Total: 4 1/2 hours In Step 2, increase broth to 81/2 cups. Omit Step 3. Add the beans to the Dutch oven; cover and simmer the chili gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the beans are creamy to bite, about 3 hours.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 306

Fat: 10 g

Cholesterol: 20 mg

Sodium: 415 mg

Carbohydrate: 40 g

Fiber: 13 g

Protein: 18 g

Baked Ziti and Summer Veggies

This was a surprisingly good, fresh recipe. The cheese and veggies were great together. We used a green heirloom tomato but I think it would have been prettier with a red one. Husband loves crushed red pepper so I think he may have heavy handed it a little for my taste which gave it an unexpected kick. Husband says 4 and I say 5 so 4.5 our of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 ounces uncooked ziti
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups chopped yellow squash
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• ¹⁄₂ cup chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped tomato
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• ³⁄₄ teaspoon salt divided
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ¹⁄₄ cup (2 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg lightly beaten
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. 2. Preheat oven to 400. 3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan. Add squash, zucchini, and onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomato and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. 4. Combine ricotta, remaining salt, and egg. Stir into pasta mixture. Spoon into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until bubbly and browned.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 301

Fat: 12.1g

Cholesterol: 65mg

Sodium: 640mg

Carbohydrate: 32.8g

Fiber: 4.1g

Protein: 16.5g

Monkey Bread

This does not look or taste healthy but if you question it look at the comparison at the bottom of this post. I believe this was the first time I ever made dough from scratch and it wasn't too bad. I think I kneaded it a little too long in the kitchenaid and my sister in law suggested I try finishing the kneading by hand next time to make sure it doesn't get too dry. Agreed. That was really the only flaw to this. It was really fun to make rolling the little dough balls and then waiting for it to rise. I will definitely make this again but I will eat it right out of the oven because it was better when we popped it in the microwave for a bit. All in all a fantastic Sunday breakfast or Saturday night dessert! Somewhere between 4.5 and 5 stars (the half a star would only be because of the dry-ish dough so the recipe actually gets a 5 and my execution gets a 4.5.)

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 13 ¹⁄₂ ounces all-purpose flour (about 3 cups)
• 4 ³⁄₄ ounces whole-wheat flour (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 package quick-rise yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 cup very warm fat-free milk (120° to 130°)
• ¹⁄₄ cup very warm orange juice (120° to 130°)
• ¹⁄₄ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• Cooking spray
• ¹⁄₂ cup granulated sugar
• ¹⁄₂ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4 ¹⁄₂ tablespoons fat-free milk divided
• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• ¹⁄₂ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, salt, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached; mix until combined. With mixer on, slowly add 1 cup milk, juice, honey, and 2 tablespoons butter; mix dough at medium speed 7 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.)
2. Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a shallow dish. Combine 3 tablespoons milk and 2 tablespoons butter in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk.
3. Punch dough down; divide into 8 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), roll into an 8-inch rope. Cut each dough rope into 8 equal pieces, shaping each piece into a 1-inch ball. Dip each ball in milk mixture, turning to coat, and roll in sugar mixture. Layer balls in a 12-cup Bundt pan coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining 7 dough ropes. Sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture over dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until almost doubled in size.
4. Preheat oven to 350°.
5. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until golden. Cool 5 minutes on a wire rack. Place a plate upside down on top of bread; invert onto plate. Combine powdered sugar, remaining milk, and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Microwave at HIGH 20 seconds or until warm. Drizzle over bread.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 234

Fat: 3.4g

Cholesterol: 9mg

Sodium: 184mg

Fiber: 1.9g

Protein: 4.5g

Classic Monkey Bread                                         This Monkey Bread

556 calories per serving                                                    234 calories

960 mg sodium per serving                                              184 mg sodium

13 grams saturated fat                                                    2 grams saturated fat

Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas with Ranchero Sauce

This was a very interesting meal. First off, I was able to find the dried ancho chiles at Sunflower  market with a little help and they were not what I expected. I think next time I come across an ingredient I am unfamiliar with I will call upon my good friend "google images." Once I found the chiles I realized this was going to be a very different taste than I was expecting as they smelled a little like raisins. I was pleasantly surprised with the flavor though. It ended up pretty close to an authentic mole sauce (as much as we remember since the word authentic and mole haven't been used in the same sentence since we left California) with a yummy sweet flavor. Not too much spice and we actually did not miss the meat at all. We opted not to use the oregano just because but I think next time I will add a little cilantro on top. We also split this into two 8 x 8 pans and froze one for next time. 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 dried ancho chiles stemmed and seeded
• 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 5 garlic cloves sliced
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups organic vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans rinsed and drained
• 2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican-blend cheese divided
• 3 thinly sliced green onions divided
• Cooking spray
• 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 6 tablespoons light sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine chiles and 2 cups water in a saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Drain chiles in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
3. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add onion; saute 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium; add garlic and salt. Cook 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Add broth and next 3 ingredients (through cumin); cook 8 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
4. Pour onion mixture into a blender; add chiles and reserved liquid. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in lid. Blend until smooth; stir in lime juice and red pepper.
5. Combine the beans, 1 cup cheese, and half the green onions in a bowl. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 3 tablespoons bean mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place, seam-side down, in prepared dish. Pour remaining sauce over filled tortillas. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with remaining green onions; serve with sour cream.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 302

Fat: 12.9g

Cholesterol: 32mg

Sodium: 574mg

Fiber: 6.4g

Protein: 17.3g