Pao de Queijo (Brazillian Cheese Bread

Hey all, if you are looking for a healthy post, I'm sorry, I can't help you. This is definitely an everything in moderation scenario. Husband and I were at the farmer's market for our anniversary weekend and we stumbled across a new booth selling brazillian cheese bread. They had a HUGE sign that said GLUTEN FREE!!! so of course I had to sample and then inevitably purchase the treats. After demolishing the ones I bought in under an hour I knew I had to have them again. I went to my favorite gluten free store, Against the Grain and found that they sold the dough. So I bought that and ate it in about the same amount of time. Then I took to Google and Pinterest and found 4 different recipes for these delicious treats. I found some tapioca flour at Kitchen Kneads for a great price so it was just a matter of time. We tweaked this recipe a little by using Cojita cheese. We also were going to add diced jalapenos but decided to master the recipe first and then add the peppers. Consider it mastered. It was super easy! Thing 2 who is gluten free gobbled up 2 and a half of these things he calls cupcakes. Even super picky, super sweet niece ate one! I decided to use them as hamburger buns since we were having a 4th of July BBQ and oh my goodness. I am never eating a hambuger on a normal gluten free bun again! They even tasted better than normal buns or ciabattas! They are totally high calorie for which I apologize but it is a great gluten free alternative to a normal roll or bun or bread. 5 out of 5 stars and 2 thumbs way, way up!!! Just some advise, when it says serve warm, they mean it. Heat it in the microwave if you are eating it the next day. Also we didn't have to add any additional flour after the 3 1/2 cups.

Source: chefinyou.com

Serves: 8-12

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 tablespoons butter melted
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3-1/2 cups tapioca flour + 2 tbsp
• 2 eggs slightly beaten
• 1 cup grated farmer's cheese or any firm, fresh cows milk cheese (I used fresh Mozzarella)
• 2-3 tbsp grated cheddar cheese (optional)
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix milk, salt, vegetable oil and butter in a pot, and bring to a boil.
2. As soon as it boils, remove from heat. Stir tapioca flour into the milk and butter mixture.
3. Stir in the eggs and the cheese, and mix well.
4. Let mixture cool for 15-30 minutes, so that it will be easier to handle.The recipe mentions refrigeration for 15 minutes. But if you see the picture below with the measurement they provided it was more of a bread broth and when I added extra flour it became like this. Much better. The measurement I have provided makes it easy to roll into balls.But then as I mentioned previously add it with discretion. Its still sticky but flouring your hands make it easier.
5. With floured (tapioca flour) hands, shape the dough into small balls. and place them on a baking sheet.
6. Bake rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are puffed up and are golden. They will rise slowly and puff up mostly in the last 5 or 10 minutes. You know they are done when there is amazing aroma wafting (tapioc'ish (#!#$?) smell?), the bread puffs up with lots of cracks (looks like some dinosaur egg hatching!) and it gets this v. slight yellowish glow with flecks of yellow here and there (cheese flecks?)
7. Serve warm
               

And yes, that is mayonaise and BBQ sauce dripping from my burger. Don't judge.

Lemon Risotto with Asparagus

This meal was prepared by a guest chef and then I made it again for myself. Her's was prettier so I went with her picture. My fake mom was visiting while Husband was out of town and we scrambled around trying to find stuff to make for dinner. Luckily I had my new cooking light magazine handy so we looked in there and Fauxma was so excited to find microwave risotto that we just had to try it. We both LOVED it! Super easy super tasty and makes lots of leftovers if you don't have three helpings that night which is hard. I made it for Husband last night even though he does not like asparagus in attempt to force him to eat his veggies and he said it is probably the best asparagus dish I've made. I'll take that. The way the lemon mixes with the asparagus is really tasty and fresh and this meal is surprisingly light and doesn't sit in your stomach like rice sometimes does. Husband gave this a 4 but Fauxma and I both gave it a 5 out of 5 stars. I would rate it higher if the scale allowed!

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3 (14 1/2-ounce) cans fat-free less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups (1-inch) diagonally cut asparagus about 1 pound
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Directions

1. Bring broth to a simmer in a large saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add rice and rind; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, and cook 3 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.
3. Add 3 1/2 cups broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes). Stir in asparagus. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in cheese and juice. Sprinkle with thyme.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 307
Fat: 4.9g
Cholesterol: 6mg
Sodium: 532mg
Fiber: 2.7g
Protein: 11.7g

Chicken with Quick Chile Verde

I had high hopes for this meal because I love tomatillos. Don't get me wrong, it was good and filling but it was just so dang spicy that I couldn't enjoy it fully. Maybe if you add a very small dollop of sour cream it would tone down the spice and bring out some good flavor. Husband and I both gave this a 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 8 ounces tomatillos coarsely chopped (about 3)
• 1 large jalapeño pepper seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Grapefruit Walnut, and Feta Salad
• Herbed Corn Muffins
• Rosemary-Garlic Roasted Potatoes
• Snap Pea and Radish Sauté

Directions

1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done.
2. While chicken cooks, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, onion, and next 5 ingredients (through jalapeño); cook 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Place tomatillo mixture in a blender; add lime juice. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Pulse 10 times or until a chunky salsa forms. Spoon tomatillo mixture over chicken; sprinkle with cilantro.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 258
Fat: 8.4g
Cholesterol: 109mg
Sodium: 494mg
Fiber: 1.7g
Protein: 37g

Cheese & Spinach Stuffed Portobellos

This is out of the realm of my comfort zone but being a naturally gluten free food we went for it. Pleasantly surprised! When we started putting the kalamata olives in I was a little concerned (even though I love them!!!) but they really added a great flavor! Husband was not a fan of the texture of the mushroom but he still gave it a 4.5 out of 5 which says something about the taste. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars. I really enjoyed this one!

Source: www.eatingwell.com

Prep Time: 20 Min
Total Time: 40 Min

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 large portobello mushroom caps
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper divided
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 cup finely chopped fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese divided
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped kalamata olives
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 3/4 cup prepared marinara sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Place mushroom caps, gill-side up, on the prepared pan. Sprinkle with salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Roast until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mash ricotta, spinach, 1/4 cup Parmesan, olives, Italian seasoning and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Place marinara sauce in a small bowl, cover and microwave on High until hot, 30 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes.
4. When the mushrooms are tender, carefully pour out any liquid accumulated in the caps. Return the caps to the pan gill-side up. Spread 1 tablespoon marinara into each cap; cover the remaining sauce to keep warm. Mound a generous 1/3 cup ricotta filling into each cap and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake until hot, about 10 minutes. Serve with the remaining marinara sauce.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 201
Fat: 10 g
Cholesterol: 28 mg
Sodium: 680 mg
Carbohydrate: 13 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 14 g

Blueberry-Almond Streusel Muffins

Alright, you may notice the lack of streusel on this streusel muffin. I'm weird. Sometimes having something on top on a muffin like this makes for too much of a texture difference and I'm not a fan. I think next time I will try it with the streusel on top though. The flavor of this muffin is really good. We used an all purpose gluten free flour mixture which gave it a bit of a weird texture but it was still really good. Yours will be even better though using normal flour. We used fresh blueberries which really satisfied a craving I've been having and the almond flavor was so good with it! Make sure to spray your muffin liners as always and try heating this up for 30 seconds in the microwave before eating. I give the gluten free version of this 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup 2% low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/3 cup light ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 large egg whites
• 1 1/3 cups blueberries
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon reduced-calorie stick margarine melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk and next 6 ingredients (milk through egg whites); stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Gently stir in blueberries. Spoon batter into 18 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.
3. Combine 1/4 cup flour and remaining ingredients; sprinkle evenly over batter. Bake at 400° for 18 minutes or until done. Remove from pans immediately; cool on a wire rack.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 171
Fat: 0.0g
Cholesterol: 1mg
Sodium: 139mg
Fiber: 1.4g
Protein: 4g

Skinny Chicken Cordon Bleu

I'm curious as to why someone would make the full fat version of this meal. I am not sure I've ever had this before but I loved this version so much that I won't make it any other way! We used crushed rice chex again instead of bread crumbs to make it gluten free. I also bought honey maple ham from the deli which was a nice flavor. Both kids LOVED it and Husband and I gobbled this up! The serving size is 2 pieces but 1 filled me up just fine so I skipped the extra calories of piece number 2. All in all 5 out of 5 stars!

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 12 thin sliced (36 oz total) skinless boneless chicken breasts, 3 oz each
• salt and fresh cracked pepper
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tbsp water
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 5 oz (6 slices) thinly sliced lean deli ham, sliced in half
• 6 slices (4.4 oz) Sargento reduced fat Swiss cheese, cut in half

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Spray a large non-stick baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Wash and dry the chicken cutlets; lightly pound the chicken to make thinner and lightly season with salt and black pepper.
3. Lay the chicken on a working surface and place a slice of ham on top of the chicken, then the cheese and roll, setting them aside seam side down.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and egg whites along with water to make an egg wash.
5. In another medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.
6. Dip the chicken into the egg wash, then into the breadcrumbs.
7. Place chicken onto the baking sheet seem side down. Spray the top of the chicken with more cooking spray and bake about 25 minutes, or until until cooked.
8. Makes 12.
9. Gluten Free substitution: Use chex cereal instead of bread crumbs.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 378
Fat: 10g
Sodium: 813mg
Sugar: 1g
Carbohydrate: 8g
Fiber: 0.5g
Protein: 55g

Cheesy Jalapeno Popper Baked Stuffed Chicken

Back when I was in high school my best friend and I would always go to Jack in the Box for what we called "Things" which were actually those jalapeno popper things. We loved them. Needless to say when I found this recipe I went ballistic! Healthy "things"!!! Hooray! This recipe was good but I only put one jalapeno in them not sure if it would be too spicy and it wasn't enough. Next time I will try 2. We also used green onions instead of scallions because they are easier to find and we usually have them on hand. To make this gluten free we used crushed up chex (corn or rice) and put a little italian seasoning in them instead of bread crumbs. See that cheese oozing from the side in the picture? That for me is the best part and makes this recipe a 5 out of 5. Husband on the other hand gave it a 4 because he is not a huge fan of "things". I'll let you make it and decide.

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 slices center cut bacon cooked and crumbled
• 3 jalapeños chopped (remove seeds for milder)
• 3 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese softened
• 4 oz reduced fat shredded cheddar jack Sargento
• 2 tbsp chopped scallions
• 8 thin sliced skinless chicken breast cutlets 3 oz each
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 juicy limes juice of
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and fresh pepper
• olive oil non-stick spray

Directions

1. Wash and dry chicken cutlets, season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 450°. Lightly spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.
2. Combine cream cheese, cheddar, scallions, jalapeño and bacon crumbles in a medium bowl.
3. Lay chicken cutlets on a working surface and spread 2 tbsp of cream cheese mixture on each cutlet. Loosely roll each one, secure the ends with toothpicks to prevent the cheese from oozing out.
4. Place breadcrumbs in a bowl; in a second bowl combine olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper.
5. Dip chicken in lime-oil mixture, then in breadcrumbs and place seam side down on a baking dish. Repeat with the remaining chicken. When finished, lightly spray the top of the chicken with oil spray.
6. Bake 22-25 minutes, serve immediately.

Gluten Free substitution: Use crushed rice chex cereal mixed with italian seasoning instead of bread crumbs.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 371
Fat: 17.5g
Sodium: 355.8
Sugar: 0.6g
Carbohydrate: 11g
Fiber: 1.5g
Protein: 42.7g

Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon

The other day I had a mad craving for Alfredo so, of course, I HAD to find a healthy version. I took to Google and found this gem! Just remember portion control. The bacon makes it almost impossible to stop eating! We used gluten free fettuccine and an all purpose gluten free flour blend (Grandpa's Kitchen brand) to make this meal gluten free. I also skipped the fresh parsley to make it cheaper and didn't notice anything missing. Everyone loved this especially the kiddos! 5 out of 5 stars!

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated fresh fettuccine
• 2 slices applewood-smoked bacon chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 2/3 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.
2. While pasta cooks, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings. Add garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Sprinkle flour over garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly; cook 2 minutes or until bubbly and slightly thick, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low. Gradually add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in salt and reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add hot pasta to pan; toss well to combine. Sprinkle with bacon, parsley, and pepper.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 339
Fat: 11.7g
Cholesterol: 22mg
Sodium: 833mg
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 17.3g

Loaded Sweet Potato from Biggest Loser

So normally I watch these shows that have weird healthy recipes on them and I refuse to try them. I've watched Biggest Loser for what seems like forever and I do believe this is my first attempt at one of their recipes. That being said, Husband and I were so pleasantly surprised by this recipe! I know the picture looks a little gross but trust me it's good! We ended up splitting one big one because I could not have finished that! All in all 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Source: www.examiner.com

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) sweet potato
• 4 ounces extra-lean ground turkey
• 3/4 teaspoon all-natural salt-free fajita or Southwest seasoning,
• Olive oil spray propellant free
• 1/3 cup fresh salsa drained
• 2 tablespoons jarred all-natural roasted green salsa
• 2 tablespoons fat-free Greek yogurt

Directions

1. Using a fork, poke the potato 5 times on all sides and place it in a microwave-safe bowl or dish. Cover the dish loosely with a paper towel.
2. Microwave it on high for 3 minutes. Carefully flip the potato (it will be very hot) and continue microwaving for 2 to 4 minutes longer, or until cooked and tender.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the turkey and seasoning.
4. Place a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, lightly mist it with the olive oil spray. Cook the turkey for 3 to 4 minutes, or until no longer pink, breaking it into bite-size chunks as you do.
5. Cut an opening in the potato that stretches 1 inch from each end of the potato and deep enough to open the potato completely without cutting it in half.
6. Put it in a medium shallow bowl. Stuff the potato with the fresh salsa, then the turkey, then the green salsa. Top it with the yogurt. Serve immediately.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 342
Fat: 2g
Sodium: 304mg
Carbohydrate: 47g
Fiber: 8g
Protein: 35g

Lasagna Soup

A lot has happened since our last post but the most noteworthy is that Thing 2 and I have gone gluten free! I've lived gluten free before but it has been slightly difficult getting back into the swing of things plus adding a 2 year old's palette to the mix. So my point is all of the recipes I will post will now either be gluten free or can be made gluten free. This soup is no exception. Husband really liked this soup and I enjoyed it more and more the stuffier my nose got. It was SPICY! I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that we used cut up Italian sausages rather than turkey sausage since that is what we had on hand but I think I will cut back on the crushed red pepper next time. We used brown rice lasagna noodles and left off the bread sticks to make this gluten free. It was good and hit the spot with the freezing cold weather outside. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Source: thedeenbros.com

Course: Soup

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound Italian turkey sausage casings removed
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 4 ounces broken whole-wheat lasagna noodles about 4 noodles
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
• 8 Whole-wheat breadsticks or grissini, optional

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick saucepot or Dutch oven. Add the sausage, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is crumbled and browned, 8 – 10 minutes.
2. Add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salt, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes. Add the noodles; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly and the noodles are tender, 10 – 12 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in mozzarella, basil, and the Parmesan. Serve with the breadsticks, if using. (whole-wheat lasagna noodles take a little longer to cook.)

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 225
Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 53mg
Sodium: 826mg
Sugar: 4g
Carbohydrate: 17g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 23g

Playgroup Granola Bars

Since Husband is a full time student and I work to support the family we don't have a lot of extra funds for sweet treats and snacks and are forced to make them. I searched the web for a healthy granola bar recipe since that is a snack we will all eat and I found this one. I've always had this negative opinion on homemade granola bars for some reason but not any more. These literally taste like Oatmeal Raisin Cookies!! Hooray! I didn't have wheat germ so I called my sneaky chef sister in law and she had some milled flax seed she said I could use. It seemed to work great especially since I have never used either and wouldn't know the difference anyway. Thing 2 devoured it and thing one humored me with a bite. When I said it tasted like a cookie he fought me on it saying cookies don't have raisins they have chocolate chips. Someone needs a cookie education class. I'm definitely interested in what Husband will think of these... Anyway, these are great and made a bunch which I put in snack baggies to store for easy snacking. 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 35 Min
Total Time: 50 Min

Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup raisins optional
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 161
Fat: 5.5g
Cholesterol: 9mg
Sodium: 79mg
Sugar: 15.7g
Carbohydrate: 26.6g
Fiber: 1.4g
Protein: 2.4g

Open-Faced Hummus Sandwiches

Sometimes I am a mean wife and plan things that I know Husband won't like just because I want them and I make the meal plan. This is definitely one of those things. I had thought maybe, just maybe he might like it but alas, no dice. He couldn't even finish it. I, on the other hand, LOVED it. The whole thing ended up blowing up in my face when I could not restrain myself from eating the rest of his sandwich when he didn't finish. That'll teach me. So here's the thing about this recipe... If you like all of the ingredients you will absolutely love this if not you probably won't like it at all. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars. We won't talk about what Husband would give it...

 

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 (1 1/2-ounce) slices sourdough bread
• 1 1/2 cups quartered grape tomatoes
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 (8-ounce) container plain hummus
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

Directions

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Arrange bread on a baking sheet. Broil 1 minute or until toasted. (Or put it in the toaster like we did...)
3. Combine tomatoes and next 6 ingredients (through garlic). Spread about 1/4 cup hummus over each bread slice. Divide tomato mixture evenly among servings. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons cheese.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 358

Fat: 20.1g

Cholesterol: 7mg

Sodium: 811mg

Fiber: 4.3g

Protein: 12.3g

Copy Cat Chipotle Burrito Bowl

Ok, I totally took the wrong picture for this making it super difficult to blog. The good news: using the search bar you can find either of the recipes included in this post so it doesn't really matter. Husband is a HUGE Chipotle fan so he was on board for making it ourselves. I kept looking forward to this recipe and man did it deliver. Husband says they rival the burrito bowls of Chipotle but majorly prefers our pork carnitas to any of their meat choices. Take that Chipotle. We made the Pork Carnitas the day before on our regular crock pot day and since it always makes enough to feed a small army we planned these with the left overs. We used the rice cooker to make the rice since we are lazy and made the beans while it cooked. then we just layered, added some queso fresco and ate it with a few chips. Yum. Most definitely 5 out of 5 stars!!

Chipotle's Cilantro Lime Rice

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup extra long grain rice or basmati rice
• 1/2 lime, juice of
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
• 3 tsp vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a small heavy pot, add rice, water, 1 tsp oil and salt. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates. When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low and cover about 15 minutes. Shut off flame and keep covered an additional 5 minute.
2. In a medium bowl, combine chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice and remaining oil and toss until completely mixed.

Amount Per Serving

Servings: 4 • Size: 3/4 cup • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts

Calories: 201.0 • Fat: 3.4 • Carbs: 37.4 • Fiber: 0 • Protein: 4.0 g

Quick and Delicioso Cuban Style Black Beans

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 scallions
• 2 tbsp red bell pepper
• 3 tbsp cilantro
• 15 oz can black bean, do not drain
• 1/2 cup water or more if needed
• 1 bay leaf
• few pinches cumin to taste
• pinch oregano
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Chop onion, garlic, scallions, red pepper, and cilantro in a mini chopper of food processor.
2. Add oil to a medium-sized pot on medium heat. Add vegetables to the pot and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add beans, water, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, red wine vinegar, salt and black pepper and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cover, simmer about 15 minutes stirring occasionally (adjust water as needed). Taste for salt and serve.

Amount Per Serving

Servings: 4 • Size: 1/2 cup • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 3 pts

Calories: 113.9 • Fat: 2.9 g • Protein: 6.8 g • Carb: 19.9 g • Fiber: 6.0 g

Heart-Shaped Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes

The only thing better that breakfast in bed is when it is heart-shaped and yummy. Husband even cut my bananas like hearts. Awww.... So these are from that fantastic site mentioned in the previous post and I am still super happy with it. Luckily we had the heart shaped pancake molds already. I love the banana flavor and it makes me feel like I am living a Jack Johnson song which makes it even better. All in all 5 out of 5 stars.

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 2 pancakes • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts* 

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup unbleached white or white whole wheat flour  
• 2 tsps baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 large banana, ripe, mashed well
• 1 cup 1% milk or almond milk
• 3 larges egg whites
• 2 tsps oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
• cooking spray

Directions

1. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine milk, egg white, oil, vanilla and mashed bananas in another medium sized bowl and mix until smooth.
2. Combine wet ingredients with the dry and mix well with a wooden spoon until there are no more dry spots. Don't over-mix.
3. Heat a large skillet on medium-low heat. If you are using a heart shaped pancake mold, you will want to spray it lightly with cooking spray so the batter doesn't stick to it.
4. Lightly spray a skillet with cooking spray, place the mold on the hot skillet and pour 1/4 cup of pancake batter. Add 1 teaspoon of chocolate chips in each pancake. When the pancake starts to bubble and the edges begin to set, flip the pancakes. Repeat with the remainder of the batter.
5. Makes about 3 cups of batter which yields 12 pancakes.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 179.6 • Fat: 5.2 g • Protein: 5.9 g • Carb: 28.4 g • Fiber: 2.5 g • Sugar: 10 g
Sodium: 572.1 mg

Chicken Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

I've been craving salads and fruit and light things lately (and no I'm not pregnant) so I went searching for a good salad for dinner tonight. All in all it was pretty good. Nothing super spectacular but we would definitely eat it again. We give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups uncooked orzo rice-shaped pasta
• 3 cups chopped grilled chicken breast strips such as Tyson
• 1½ cups trimmed arugula
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
• ¼ cup chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.
2. Combine pasta, chicken, and the next 6 ingredients (through oregano) in a large bowl; toss well.
3. Combine vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 295

Fat: 7.7g

Cholesterol: 55mg

Sodium: 788mg

Fiber: 2g

Protein: 24.4g

Lazy Lasagna

Like I've said on here before I have a weakness for lasagna. The only problem I have is that I grew up as a Stouffer's girl and I prefer it to homemade. I search and search for a lasagna that can rival the amazingness that is Stouffer's and this my friends is it! It tastes almost like an exact match!! So easy, so cheap and SO yummy! Both Thing 1 and Thing 2 ate this and enjoyed it. Next time I think I will split it into 2 pans and freeze half for another time. So far my favorite lasagna. 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 9

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground round
• 1 (26 ounce) jar low-fat spaghetti sauce
• 1 (16 ounce) package fat-free cottage cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• cooking spray
• 1 (8 ounce) package precooked lasagna noodles
• 1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat mild Cheddar cheese
• Chopped fresh parsley optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook meat in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well, and return meat to pan. Add sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.
3. Combine cottage and Parmesan cheeses in a bowl; set aside. Spread 1/2 cup meat mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodles over meat mixture; top with half of cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup meat mixture, and 1/3 cup cheddar cheese. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining meat mixture over noodles.
4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheddar cheese, and bake 5 more minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 275

Fat: 6.2g

Cholesterol: 43mg

Sodium: 584mg

Carbohydrate: 26.1g

Fiber: 1.9g

Protein: 21.8g

 

Ham and Swiss Loaded Potatoes

Nothing like coming back after a long absence with something that seems super fattening but isn't. When I told people what I was having for dinner this day everyone thought I had fallen off the wagon. These are relatively easy and cheap and they are super kid friendly. Thing 1 enjoyed his dipped in ranch. 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 baking potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 cup diced 33%-less-sodium ham (about 6 ounces)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese divided
• ¹⁄₂ cup thinly sliced green onions divided
• ¹⁄₂ cup fat-free sour cream
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Pierce potatoes with a fork; arrange in a circle on paper towels in microwave oven. Microwave at high 16 minutes or until done, rearranging potatoes after 8 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.
2. Preheat broiler.
3. Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell. Combine potato pulp, ham, 1/2 cup cheese, 1/3 cup green onions, sour cream, and pepper.
4. Spoon the potato mixture into shells. Combine 1/2 cup cheese and remaining green onions, and sprinkle over potatoes. Place potatoes on a baking sheet; broil 4 minutes or until golden.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 376

Fat: 11g

Cholesterol: 51mg

Sodium: 540mg

Fiber: 3.4g

Protein: 20.1g

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

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

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