Bacon and Egg Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions and Arugula

I was incapable of waiting for dinner so I heated up left overs but Husband was excited to have this so he made it for himself. I insisted he give me a bite so I could try it and rate it and it was pretty good. He used white bread instead of wheat since it's what we had on hand but wheat would be good too. To make this recipe kid friendly we just left out the onion and arugula. I liked this sandwich because it didn't taste super egg-y but the decision on rating was ultimately up to Husband. He gave it 5 out of 5 stars and was making yummy noises while eating it so you know he meant it.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 4 slices center-cut bacon
• 2 cups thinly sliced onion
• 1 tablespoon water
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon Mexican hot sauce (such as Cholula) or Tabasco
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Dash of sugar
• Cooking spray
• 4 (1/2-ounce) slices whole-wheat bread
• 2 large eggs
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup arugula

Directions

1. Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp (about 8 minutes). Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings; drain on paper towels. Add onion, water, and hot sauce to drippings in pan; cover and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in butter and sugar; cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover and cook for 5 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Set aside; keep warm.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place bread in pan, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Set aside, and keep warm.
3. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Crack eggs into pan, and cook for 2 minutes. Gently turn eggs, one at a time; cook 1 minute or until desired degree of doneness. Sprinkle evenly with salt and black pepper.
4. Place one bread slice on each of two plates; arrange onion mixture evenly over bread. Place 1 egg, 2 bacon slices, and 1/2 cup arugula over each serving; top with remaining bread slices. Serve immediately.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 277

Fat: 13.9g

Cholesterol: 205mg

Sodium: 622mg

Fiber: 3.8g

Protein: 14.7g

Buffalo Chicken Thighs and Buttermilk-Blue Cheese Smashed Potatoes

Ok, tonight you get a 2 for 1. We'll start with the chicken and work our way down.

Chicken

This is a good recipe but I think the serving size is WAY off. After one I was stuffed and didn't end up eating the other. We've tried various buffalo chicken recipes and out of all the healthy ones this has been the best. Husband was have trouble with the chicken and various nasty things like veins and stuff so he wants to try boneless next time. Works for me. Thing 1 was refusing to try it but once we bribed him into taking 1 bite he ate the rest and liked it. 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4 (but not really...)

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground red pepper
• 8 bone-in chicken thighs skinned
• 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
• 3 tablespoons hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; seal. Shake to blend. Add half of chicken to bag; seal. Shake to coat. Remove chicken from bag, shaking to remove excess flour mixture. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add flour-coated chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Transfer browned chicken to a jelly-roll pan. Repeat procedure with the remaining uncooked chicken, flour mixture, and oil. Discard remaining flour mixture. Bake chicken at 375° for 8 minutes or until done.
3. Combine hot sauce and butter in a microwave-safe dish; microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds or until butter melts, stirring to blend. Place chicken in a shallow dish; drizzle with butter sauce. Toss to coat.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 318

Fat: 17.8g

Cholesterol: 106mg

Sodium: 474mg

Fiber: 0.4g

Protein: 28.4g

Potatoes

Confession time... I undercooked the potatoes. I didn't even check them before dumping the water. Oh well, the flavor was still really good and even thought they could have been better they were good. Husband doesn't typically like blue cheese but he says that it's not too overpowering and it actually adds good flavor. 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound small red potatoes
• ¹⁄₃ cup buttermilk
• ¹⁄₄ cup crumbled blue cheese
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Place potatoes in a saucepan; cover with cold water to 2 inches above potatoes. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 15 minutes or until tender; drain. Return potatoes to pan. Add buttermilk, blue cheese, salt, and pepper to pan; mash with potato masher to desired consistency.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 117

Fat: 2.9g

Sodium: 277mg

*Note: the labels on this recipe are for both so pay close attention. If it says dairy free it could be just one. Let me know if there are any questions on the specific recipe.

Thai Chicken Pizza

This was Thai peanut goodness. Wouldn't change a thing and especially love the dough. Not much to say but yum. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

 

Source: Eating Well

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 20 ounces prepared whole-wheat pizza dough (see Shopping Tip)
• ¹⁄₄ cup smooth natural peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, trimmed and diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 4 scallions thinly sliced
• ²⁄₃ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Place oven rack in the lowest position; preheat to 450°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Roll out or stretch dough on a lightly floured surface into a rough 16-inch oval. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake on the bottom rack until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, whisk peanut butter, water, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger and garlic in a small bowl until well combined.
4. Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring, until cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add bell pepper, scallions and 1 tablespoon of the peanut sauce to the chicken; toss to combine.
5. Remove the crust from the oven; spread evenly with the remaining peanut sauce. Top with the chicken mixture, then sprinkle with cheese. Return the pizza to the oven and bake on the bottom rack until the crust is crispy and golden and the cheese is melted, 11 to 13 minutes.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 355

Fat: 9 g

Cholesterol: 29 mg

Sodium: 447 mg

Carbohydrate: 42 g

Fiber: 3 g

Protein: 20 g

Beef & Bean Chile Verde

If you like spicy you will probably love this. I struggled through it and ate a few too many tortilla chips to compensate for the heat. We added a small tablespoon of sour cream and a dash of tapatio (which added even MORE spice.) The green salsa was a great base flavor and if you can get past the flames on your tongue it actually tastes pretty good. 4 out of 5 stars. 

Source: Eating Well

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound 93%-lean ground beef
• 1 large red bell pepper chopped
• 1 large onion chopped
• 6 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
• 1 16-ounce jar green salsa green enchilada sauce or taco sauce
• ¹⁄₄ cup water
• 1 15-ounce can pinto or kidney beans rinsed

Directions

1. Cook beef, bell pepper and onion in a large saucepan over medium heat, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin and cayenne; cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in salsa (or sauce) and water; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in beans and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 307

Fat: 8 g

Cholesterol: 64 mg

Sodium: 516 mg

Carbohydrate: 29 g

Fiber: 6 g

Protein: 27 g

Green Pizza

We saw a pizza like this in the Whole Foods "food court" at Trolley Square and when I found the recipe we decided to try it. It worked out perfect since we just made a pesto out of our basil plant. We got the dough from Sunflower Market but for those of you that are lucky enough to live in California I suggest the pizza dough from Trader Joe's. I had never cooked fresh broccoli before (yes you read that right) so I was nervous to cook it for the first time. We've decided that next time we will try to steam it so it is not so wet when we put it on the pizza but it was still good. We had some fresh mozzarella left from another recipe so we used that and it took it up a notch. We also had some left over spinach so we did half spinach, half arugula instead of straight arugula and I will definitely do that again. The best part about this pizza was discovering that Thing 1 has a love of broccoli. He ate this up! He did enjoy it dipped in ranch but it didn't really matter to him if he dipped it or not since he liked it so much. 4.75 out of 5 stars.

 

Source: Eating Well

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound prepared pizza dough preferably whole-wheat
• 2 cups chopped broccoli florets
• ¹⁄₄ cup water
• 5 ounces arugula ,any tough stems removed chopped (about 6 cups)
• Pinch of salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• ¹⁄₂ cup prepared pesto
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Position oven rack in the lowest position; preheat to 450°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to about the size of the baking sheet. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook broccoli and water in a large skillet over medium heat, covered, until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in arugula and cook, stirring, until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Spread pesto evenly over the crust, top with the broccoli mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until crispy and golden and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 323

Fat: 13 g

Cholesterol: 19 mg

Sodium: 511 mg

Carbohydrate: 33 g

Fiber: 3 g

Protein: 15 g

Classic Pesto

We found a basil plant at sunflower market a few weeks ago and since "he" needed to be pruned we decided to try to make a pesto. There's really not much to this but it tastes really good. I did add an extra clove of garlic because my mama taught me you can "never have too much garlic" and she was right. 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 3

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts or pine nuts
• 2 garlic cloves peeled
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups basil leaves (about 4 ounces)
• ¹⁄₂ cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Drop nuts and garlic through food chute with food processor on; process until minced. Add oil; pulse 3 times. Add basil, cheese, and salt; process until finely minced, scraping sides of bowl once.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 58

Fat: 5.3g

Cholesterol: 3mg

Sodium: 125mg

Fiber: 0.6g

Protein: 2.1g

Quick Snack Mixes

My Cooking Light magazine came yesterday and this was the first thing I saw. They had pictures of 5 kid-friendly (and adult-friendly) snack mixes and each had the ingredients and the calorie count and everything. When I went online to find them I found 5 more that were not pictured. I let Thing 1 choose from the pictures and he, of course, chose the sweet tooth mix which he says is a 5 (looks like he may be starting to understand the rating system.) I chose the Crunch-Crunch-Crunch Mix and I also give it 5 stars. It's a nice light snack when you measure out a 1/2 cup and is actually quite filling. I think we will try making all of these. Let me know what you and your kids think if you try them.

Source: Cooking Light

 

Sweet-Tooth Mix:
2 cups pretzel sticks, 2 cups Multigrain Cheerios, 1 cup mini marshmallows, 1/2 cup milk chocolate M&M's, 1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup mix = 106 calories, 1.1g fiber

Crunch-Crunch-Crunch Mix:
1/2 cup dried cherries, 2 cups whole-grain Rice Chex, 1/2 cup roasted unsalted pistachios, 3 cups Kashi Go Lean Crunch Cereal
1/2 cup mix = 119 calories, 3.3g fiber

Cheese-Freak Mix:
2 cups whole-grain cheddar goldfish, 2 1/2 cups cheddar-flavored mini pretzel twists, 1 cup dried apple rings, 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1/2 cup mix = 120 calories, 2g fiber

Wild-Animal Mix:
2 cups animal crackers, 3/4 cup dried blueberries, 3/4 cup roasted pecan halves, 2 1/2 cups air-popped popcorn
1/2 cup mix = 104 calories, 2.4g fiber

Young Gourmand Mix:
 2 cups whole grain cheddar Goldfish, 2 cups dried apple chips, 1/2 cup roasted walnut halves, 1 1/2 cups Quaker oatmeal cereal squares.
1/2 cup mix = 119 calories, 1.9 g fiber

S’more Please Mix:
 3 cups air-popped popcorn, 1 cup Golden Grahams, 1 cup mini marshmallows, 1/2 cup milk chocolate M&M’s, 1/2 cup raisins.
1/2 cup mix = 95 calories, 1.1 g fiber

Nuts & Bolts Mix:
1/2 cup mixed nuts, 2 cups pretzel sticks, 2 1/2 cups Multigrain Cheerios, 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries, 1/2 cup raisins.
 1/2 cup mix = 109 calories, 1.8 g fiber

Nut-Free and Sweet Mix:
2 cups pretzel sticks, 3 cups Honey Nut Cheerios, 1/2 cup milk chocolate M&M’s, 1/2 cup craisins.
1/2 cup mix = 103 calories, 1.2 g fiber

Sweet Wheats:
2 cups Triscuit whole wheat thin crisps, 2 cups Golden Grahams, 1 1/4 cups mini marshmallows, 1/4 cup milk chocolate M&M’s, 1/2 cup raisins.
1/2 cup mix = 109 calories, 1.3 g fiber

Salty-Sweet Mix:

1 1/2 cups Post Honey Nut Shredded Wheat, 1 cup dried mangoes, 3 cups Triscuit whole-wheat thin crisps, 1/2 cup roasted almonds.

1/2 cup mix = 125 calories, 2.2g fiber

Tex-Mex Taco Salad

 Tonight's dinner was not super impressive by any means. It was just ok. I actually don't really know what to say about it. Uninspiring. We make a different taco salad that we like much better so I think we will stick with that from now on. 3 out of 5 stars and just kind of average. Prove me wrong if you like.

 

Source: Eating Well

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• ¹⁄₂ cup prepared salsa
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon canola oil
• 1 small onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 8 ounces lean ground beef or turkey
• 1 large plum tomato diced
• ¹⁄₂ cup canned kidney beans rinsed (see Tips for Two)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon salt or to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• ¹⁄₄ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Combine salsa and sour cream in a large bowl.
2. Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add beef (or turkey) and cook, stirring often, until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomato, beans, cumin, chili powder and salt; cook, stirring, until the tomato begins to break down, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in cilantro and 2 tablespoons of the salsa mixture.
3. Add lettuce to the remaining salsa mixture and toss to coat. Divide the lettuce between 2 plates, top with the cooked meat and sprinkle with cheese.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 343

Fat: 13 g

Cholesterol: 81 mg

Sodium: 851 mg

Carbohydrate: 26 g

Fiber: 8 g

Protein: 32 g

Orzo Salad with Spicy Buttermilk Dressing

In case you couldn't tell we are totally on an orzo kick right now. This is a good inexpensive meal with lots of flavor. It mixes cool and spicy and every bite tastes a little different but so yummy. The only thing I would change is probably leaving out the parsley next time. We love this so much that I had to go to the store after work today to pick up more black beans to make another batch! So send us any orzo recipe you find because this, like the other orzo recipe we have, is a 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked orzo
• 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn thawed and drained
• 12 cherry tomatoes quartered
• 3 green onions sliced
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans rinsed and drained
• ¹⁄₄ cup low-fat buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro divided
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons light sour cream
• 2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon black pepper
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 peeled avocado cut into 8 wedges
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse; drain well. Place orzo, corn, and next 3 ingredients (through beans) in a large bowl; toss.
2. Combine buttermilk, 2 tablespoons cilantro, and next 8 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle over orzo mixture; toss. Top with avocado; garnish with remaining cilantro and parsley.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 424

Fat: 15.3g

Cholesterol: 6mg

Sodium: 607mg

Fiber: 10.1g

Protein: 12.7g

Ham and Swiss Egg Sandwiches

We actually did this breakfast sandwich for lunch today. I was expecting great things and was a little let down. The english muffin was a little dry which made the sandwich difficult to eat. Husband suggested he spray them with cooking spray before broiling them and I think if we make these again we will. The thing that makes these sandwiches worth it is that Thing 1 ate it and liked it. It was a little fat for his little hands and mouth so his bites ended up being huge. We made mine with just egg whites since I think I may be mildly allergic to the egg yolk and after my first bite was lacking in flavor I grabbed a few leaves of fresh basil and put them on it. I think the basil did add a nice touch but still couldn't make me love this dish. I give it a 3 out of 5, husband gave it a 4 out of 5 and when Thing one was asked how much he liked it he said "40 minutes". So 40 minutes out of 5 stars it is.

 

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 4 ounces thinly sliced lower-sodium deli ham
• 4 large eggs
• 4 English muffins split and toasted
• 4 (1-ounce) slices Emmentaler or Swiss cheese

Directions

1. Preheat broiler to high.
2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add ham to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Crack eggs into pan. Cover and cook for 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat.
3. Place 4 muffin halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Top each half with 1 cheese slice. Broil for 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Divide ham among cheese-topped muffin halves; top each with 1 egg and 1 muffin half.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 344

Fat: 14.7g

Cholesterol: 250mg

Sodium: 553mg

Fiber: 0.0g

Protein: 23.5g

Open-Faced Chili Dogs

For those of you that want to hide the fact that a meal is healthy from your spouse or teenage children this is for you. This is one of Husband's favorite meals now and it's pretty easy. The chili dog pictured was left in the broiler a touch to long but it still tasted great. Rather than boil the hot dogs we throw them on the Foreman grill. I'm sorry but to me the only thing grosser than eating a boiled hot dog is the nasty hot dog water left in the pot. 5 out 5 stars.

Source: The Juan-Carlos Cruz Calorie Countdown Cookbook

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 small onion
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 15 ounce can black beans with liquid
• 2 tomatoes diced
• 4 low-fat turkey dogs
• 2 hot dog buns separated to make 4 halves
• ¹⁄₂ cup shredded low-fat cheddar

Directions

1. 1. Preheat the broiler.
2. 2. Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and chili powder. Cook until well blended, about 30 seconds. Add the black beans. Cook until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat. Cook until the chili thickens, 10-15 minutes.
3. 3. While the chili is simmering in a medium saucepan, cover the hot dogs in water. Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 4 minutes or until heated through. (Or use Foreman grill)
4. 4. Remove 1 hot dog from the saucepan and place on 1 bun half on a baking sheet. Top with one-quarter of the chili and one-quarter of the cheese. Repeat for remaining 3 hot dogs. Place hot dogs in the broiler for about 1 minute, until cheese begins to melt. Serve hot.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 314

Fat: 12 g

Cholesterol: 44 mg

Carbohydrate: 35 g

Fiber: 9 g

Protein: 18 g

Summer Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Panini with Balsamic Syrup

We actually made this quite a while ago and never blogged it but it's probably better that we waited and could perfect the process before posting. We LOVE this sandwich. Everything on it is super flavorful. Be careful when reducing the vinegar because if you do it too long it gets gross. Don't judge based on time but on amount. We used only the grill pan the first time we made it and the cheese didn't melt completely so the next time we wrapped it in foil and put it in the oven at 300 degrees for 10 minutes before using the grill pan for 5 minutes. It turned out perfect. 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• ¹⁄₂ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 (8-ounce) piece Cuban bread cut in half horizontally
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 large basil leaves
• 5 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese thinly sliced
• 2 medium tomatoes thinly sliced
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Bring balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until reduced to 3 tablespoons (about 8 minutes). 2. While vinegar reduces, brush cut side of top half of bread with oil. Top evenly with basil, cheese, and tomatoes. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Brush cut side of bottom half of bread with reduced vinegar; place on top of sandwich. Invert sandwich. 3. Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add sandwich to pan. Place a cast-iron or heavy skillet on top of sandwich, and gently press to flatten. Leave skillet on; cook 3 minutes on each side or until cheese melts and bread is toasted. Cut sandwich into 4 equal pieces.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 325

Fat: 13.4g

Cholesterol: 28mg

Sodium: 726mg

Carbohydrate: 37.4g

Fiber: 2.5g

Protein: 13.6g

Bacon-Corn Chowder with Shrimp

We had this for dinner tonight and we were very pleasantly surprised. Neither of us has ever had chowder of any kind so we had no idea what to expect. We left out the celery and the shrimp and I didn't even miss it. Husband on the other hand keeps not-so-slyly hinting that he "likes shrimp" so I think next time we will have to make it according to the recipe minus the celery. I also think I will try adding a few chunks of avocado since you really can't go wrong with that. One of the best things about this recipe is that it gets a kid-friendly badge. Thing 1 is going through one of his picky stages so he didn't eat it although I know he normally would have but when he refused to eat it we threw his portion in the blender and gave it to 8 month old Thing 2. He gobbled it up and actually cried when I waited too long in between bites. Gotta love those dishes that appeal to the masses. 5 out of 5 stars.

 

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 6 slices center-cut bacon chopped
• 1 cup chopped onion
• ¹⁄₂ cup chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels thawed
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• ³⁄₄ pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
• ¹⁄₃ cup half-and-half
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bacon to pan; saute 4 minutes or until the bacon begins to brown. Remove 2 slices bacon. Drain on paper towels. Add onion and next 3 ingredients (through minced garlic) to pan, and saute for 2 minutes. Add corn, and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth; bring to a boil, and cook for 4 minutes.
2. Place 2 cups of corn mixture in a blender. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape), and secure lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in the blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Return pureed corn mixture to pan. Stir in shrimp; cook 2 minutes or until shrimp are done. Stir in half-and-half, pepper, and salt. Crumble reserved bacon over soup.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 294

Fat: 7g

Cholesterol: 144mg

Sodium: 547mg

Fiber: 4.3g

Protein: 26.8g

Mixed Greens with Berries & Honey-Glazed Hazelnuts

We did this salad a few nights ago and it turned out pretty good. We didn't have the greens so we used romaine lettuce which I don't really recommend. I think the greens would have taken it up a notch. Also this batch of blackberries was a little tart so the flavor was overpowering. I didn't use all of the dressing and I should have. It just looked overdressed but I was deceived. The best part of this salad was the honey glazed walnuts. So yummy. We gave it a 4 out of 5 stars but next time I will try the right greens and use raspberries.

 

Source: www.eatingwell.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ¹⁄₄ cup chopped hazelnuts or walnuts
• ¹⁄₃ cup raspberries blackberries and/or blueberries
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small clove garlic crushed and peeled
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon honey
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon salt or to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
• 10 cups mixed salad greens (about 8 ounces)
• 1 cup blackberries raspberries and/or blueberries
• ¹⁄₂ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese (4 ounces)

Directions

1. To prepare nuts: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. Combine oil and honey in a small bowl. Add nuts and toss to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and bake, stirring from time to time, until golden, 10 to 14 minutes. Let cool completely.
2. To prepare dressing: Combine berries, oil, vinegar, water, mustard, garlic, honey, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in shallots.
3. To prepare salad: Just before serving, place greens in a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the greens and toss to coat. Divide the salad among 4 plates. Scatter berries, cheese and the glazed nuts over each salad; serve immediately.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 232

Fat: 17 g

Cholesterol: 17 mg

Sodium: 349 mg

Carbohydrate: 15 g

Fiber: 6 g

Protein: 7 g

Kid-tastic Pizzadillas

I'm not gonna lie, I have yet to try this recipe. It's not really my cup of tea. That being said this recipe satisfied the pickiest kid eater I know so you know it's a winner. Beware of the cook times given in the recipe because they are far too high. Instead of 5 minutes on each side once it's folded I did 3 and it came out perfect. Since I didn't eat it I can't rate it so I have to trust my sweet picky niece who said "100 out of 5" stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
• 1 ¹⁄₂ cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 ounce turkey pepperoni
• 1 cup marinara sauce (such as McCutcheon's)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Brush canola oil over a jelly-roll pan, and top with tortillas. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cheese over each tortilla, and divide the pepperoni among tortillas. Top each with 3 tablespoons cheese. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, and carefully fold each tortilla in half. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until browned and crisp, turning after 5 minutes. Serve with marinara.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 308

Fat: 15.5g

Cholesterol: 37.3mg

Sodium: 849mg

Fiber: 11g

Protein: 17.6g

Rocky Road Brownies

We haven't made a dessert in a while so of course our sweet teeth were driving us mad! I didn't want to go to the store so I searched for recipes of healthier desserts that used ingredients that I have on hand and this is what I found. I had to borrow some marshmallows because Thing 1 depleted my stash a while ago but we had everything else. We only had a little less than a cup of cocoa powder left and a little more than a teaspoon of vanilla so we were worried these would lack in flavor. Not so. We didn't even notice anything missing. We didn't have a ton of walnuts but when we started putting them on it looked like there were tons on there so we went a little light on them anyway and we regretted it. You could hardly taste the nuts and it would have been much better with the full amount. I asked Thing one how much he liked them and he said "Three Much" which I think is more than too much. Just make sure that you separate out the servings immediately and ONLY EAT ONE. That means you husband... 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: www.eatingwell.com

Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 1 cup less 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon baking powder
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• 4 ¹⁄₂ tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¹⁄₂ cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder preferably natural (see Note)
• 1 ¹⁄₄ cups sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 8 regular-size marshmallows
• ²⁄₃ cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
• ¹⁄₃ cup chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate or large chocolate chips

Directions

1. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper or foil coated with cooking spray. (Leave enough of an overhang to be able to lift the brownies out of the pan later with the liner.) If you don’t plan to let the batter rest at the end of Step 3 before baking, position a rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F.
2. Thoroughly whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan until sizzling. Remove from the heat and stir in cocoa, then sugar. (The mixture will look like a mass of very dark brown sugar.) Add egg, egg whites and vanilla. Stir briskly until smooth and glossy. Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Then stir briskly for about 50 strokes. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. The batter will be very shallow in the pan. If you have time, cover the pan and refrigerate for a few hours or up to 12 hours. (This hydrates the cocoa powder and flour and brings all the flavors into sharper focus.) Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking; preheat oven to 350°F.
4. Quarter marshmallows with an oiled knife. Distribute the pieces over the batter, pressing them in. Distribute nuts and chocolate (or chips) around the marshmallows.
5. Bake the brownies until the marshmallows are golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes. (If you can find a place to test for doneness where there is no melted chocolate or marshmallow, a toothpick should come out with some moist, gooey batter clinging to it. Brownies in a metal pan will bake faster than those in a glass pan; if you’re unsure, bake a few minutes longer to make sure the brownies are done in the middle.) Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for about 2 hours. Lift the ends of the pan liner and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 16 brownies.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 190

Fat: 8 g

Cholesterol: 22 mg

Sodium: 60 mg

Carbohydrate: 29 g

Fiber: 2 g

Protein: 3 g

Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo

This was only my second time trying orzo and I really like it. It's a lighter way to do pasta and doesn't leave you feeling weighed down like some other pasta. We didn't have the fresh marjoram so we just left it out. I didn't notice anything missing. The only other change I would make is either cut the artichoke hearts smaller or use a little less. I love artichoke hearts but they were a little overpowering to the other flavors in this dish. Thing 1 loved the "rice noodles" and gobbled them up so that puts a lovely "kid friendly" stamp on this one.  4.5 out of 5 stars.

 

Source: www.eatingwell.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 8 ounces orzo preferably whole-wheat
• 1 cup water
• ¹⁄₂ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), divided
• 1 plum tomato diced
• 1 clove garlic peeled
• 3 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram divided
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil divided
• 4 boneless chicken breasts skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (1-1 1/4 pounds)
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts thawed
• ¹⁄₂ cup finely shredded Romano cheese divided

Directions

1. Cook orzo in a large saucepan of boiling water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
2. Meanwhile, place 1 cup water, 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, plum tomato, garlic, 2 teaspoons marjoram, vinegar and 2 teaspoons oil in a blender. Blend until just a few chunks remain.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden outside and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
4. Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Measure out 1/2 cup sauce to a small bowl. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes to the pan along with the orzo, artichoke hearts and 6 tablespoons cheese. Cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide among 4 plates.
5. Slice the chicken. Top each portion of pasta with sliced chicken, 2 tablespoons of the reserved tomato sauce and a sprinkling of the remaining cheese and marjoram.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 457

Fat: 12 g

Cholesterol: 68 m

Carbohydrate: 54 g

Fiber: 10 g

Protein: 36 g

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

We make a bunch of different muffins but this is absolutely the best. Thing one devoured several in one sitting so you know they are kid friendly! The greatest news is that they are also the lowest calorie count of all the muffins we make. They are super moist and taste like a yummy banana bread. I think next time I would do walnuts instead of chocolate chips and while I was eating them I actually thought blueberries would be good in them. We will definitely make these a lot!!! 5 out of 5 stars!

 * Again, as with any muffins, make sure you spray the liners before filling them.

Source: www.food.com

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• ³⁄₄ cup mashed ripe banana (about 1-1/2 medium bananas)
• ¹⁄₂ cup granulated sugar
• ¹⁄₄ cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¹⁄₂ cup low-fat plain yogurt or 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
• ¹⁄₄ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. 1 Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. 2 Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
3. 3 In a large bowl and using an electric mixer, beat together bananas, sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla until well mixed.
4. 4 In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and baking soda; stir flour mixture into banana mixture.
5. 5 Stir in yogurt.
6. 6 Fold in chocolate chips.
7. 7 Divide among prepared muffin cups.
8. 8 Bake in centre of oven for 15 minutes or until a tester inserted in centre of muffins comes out clean.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 153.0

Fat: 6.2 g

Cholesterol: 15.9 mg

Sodium: 147.7 mg

Carbohydrate: 22.7 g

Fiber: 0.7 g

Protein: 2.3 g

Barbecued Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

"The next day was Sunday again. The caterpillar ate through one nice green leaf, and after that he felt much better."

We did it!!! This is the LAST of the very healthy caterpillar recipes and we saved a good one for last! This is a recipe we had while staying with one of the best cooks ever in California! We begged her for the recipe and had to make it ourselves. There are some slight alterations I would make. First of all I would use butter lettuce since I'm not a huge fan of iceberg. I think next time I will either leave out the orange zest or at the very least cut back A LOT! I also used just plain old mushrooms rather than shitake, added a lot of water chestnuts since they are fantastic and ate it with the home made peanut sauce from this recipe. You really can't screw this up though. It's good and it's healthy. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Source: www.foodnetwork.com (discovered by Nancy Costa of Santa Rosa, CA)

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups shitake mushrooms fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 1 ¹⁄₃ to 1 ¹⁄₂ pounds thin cut chicken breast or chicken tenders
• 2 tablespoons light colored oil such as vegetable oil or peanut oil
• Coarse salt and coarse black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 inch ginger root finely chopped or grated, optional
• 1 orange zested
• ¹⁄₂ red bell pepper diced small
• 1 small sliced water chestnuts 6 to 8 ounces, sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 3 scallions chopped
• 3 tablespoons hoisin Chinese barbecue sauce, available on Asian foods aisle of market
• ¹⁄₂ large head iceberg lettuce core removed, head quartered
• Wedges of navel orange -- platter garnish

Directions

1. Remove tough stems from mushrooms and brush with damp towel to clean, Slice mushrooms. Chop chicken into small pieces.
2. Preheat a large skillet or wok to high.
3. Add oil to hot pan. Add chicken to the pan and sear meat by stir frying a minute or 2. Add mushrooms and cook another minute or two. Add salt and pepper to season, then garlic and ginger. Cook a minute more. Grate zest into pan, add bell pepper bits, chopped water chestnuts and scallions. Cook another minute, continuing to stir fry mixture. Add hoisin Chinese barbecue sauce and toss to coat the mixture evenly. Transfer the hot chopped barbecued chicken to serving platter and pile the quartered wedges of crisp iceberg lettuce along side. Add wedged oranges to platter to garnish. To eat, pile spoonfuls into lettuce leaves, wrapping lettuce around fillings and squeeze an orange wedge over.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 182

Fat: 8

Carbohydrate: 10

Protein: 13