Whew! I have been so busy this past weekend, I almost forgot to post a new recipe this week. As you may know, it is Monday, so that means another recipe for the 365 Recipe Challenge. Today I am sharing my recipe for breakfast casserole. I love breakfast casserole...love, love, love it. I love it so much I forgot to take a picture before we ate it all.
You will need:
6 medium red potatoes (you can sub frozen hash browns)
3 eggs + 1/4 cup milk (or 3/4 cup egg substitute + 1/4 milk)
1 pack ground breakfast sausage (regular or spicy)
1 block cream cheese (I use the 1/3 less fat)
1-2 cups shredded cheese
bread- any kind (I have even used hot dog buns in a pinch)
salt and pepper (or cajun seasoning if you live in our house)
9x12 baking dish
cooking spray
Instructions:
Bake or boil your potatoes until cooked through. This time, I decided to toss all the potatoes into my microwave and used the handy baked potato button- it worked like a dream. Alternately, I have made this with store bought hash browns so if you have those, just cook them to the package directions. Set the potatoes to the side and allow to cool. Spray your baking dish with cooking spray. Tear the bread into bite size pieces and cover the bottom of the baking dish. Brown the sausage on the stove. Once it is cooked add the package of cream cheese to the sausage. Stir until the cream cheese melts into the sausage. Sneak a taste- it is amazing. Spread the cream cheese and sausage mixture over the bread. It doesn't have to be smooth, just attempt to distribute it evenly. Cut your potatoes into bite size pieces and spread them over the sausage mixture. Spray lightly with the cooking spray, and then season liberally with the seasoning of your choice. In a large measuring cup, mix together the eggs and milk. Pour evenly over the potatoes. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the shredded cheese of your choice. Return to the oven until the cheese is melted. Serves 12
That's what's for dinner...or breakfast!
Monday, September 24, 2012
Monday, September 17, 2012
Cincinnati Style Chili- 365 Recipe Challenge
Hey guys! This 365 Recipe Challenge is certainly forcing me to keep up with this blog (however, I did forget to take a picture this week). They say it takes 21 days to create a habit, so hopefully after a year of posting I will be in the regular habit of posting a recipe every week! I am really trying to vary the recipes that I post, so if there is anything you would like to see, please comment below. You can give me a particular meal or ingredient and I will see what I can make happen.
For this week, I am posting an old recipe that I have made new again. Cincinnati Chili. In case you don't know what it is, Cincinnati Chili is chili that is served over spaghetti. I know what you are thinking- chili on spaghetti? Let me tell you, it is fantastic! I questioned it at first too, but then I decided it would probably be similar to a tomato sauce with ground meat in it, and it is...but so much better! I originally found this recipe as part of a 5 meals for $50 article. I have changed it a little to fit my family's tastes. Usually, Cincinnati Chili doesn't have beans in it, so if you hate them, leave them out. But, as the article suggested, adding beans increases the fiber (I always love an opportunity to add fiber), but the big reason I add them is for cheap protein. You can get a can of beans for .69 cents (dried beans are even cheaper!). That one can of beans makes your chili go so much further which means less money per serving. If you are a vegetarian (or on a tight budget), you could leave out all the meat and just add more beans (and maybe some lentils?)!
Now that we have discussed beans vs. meat, I am going to drop another culinary experiment on you. Spaghetti Squash instead of pasta. I'm sure your considering not even continuing to read, but hear me out. It is a great source of fiber, super low in calories (you can eat a truck load and not feel guilty), and it is a great way to hide a vegetable. Tell your kids it is pasta, unless they see you make it, they will never know the difference. For full disclosure, my husband can tell the difference, especially since he takes out the trash and therefor sees the skins in the bin. It isn't his favorite food, however he appreciates how much you can shovel in for so few calories. He just requests a really flavorful sauce on top...hence the chili.
So what have we learned today? 1. Chili over spaghetti is delicious. 2. Beans added to chili add fiber and additional servings. 3. You should lie to your children or spouse and feed them squash instead of pasta. Okay...maybe lie is too strong of a word. Let's move on!
You Will Need:
1 package ground meat (I used 99% lean Turkey- we are watching our fat intake)
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 box low sodium stock (I used chicken because it is what I had, but beef is good too. Vegetarians could substitute vegetable broth.)
1 bag frozen corn, pepper, onion and black bean mixture (optional- I got overly excited at the store)
2-4 TBSP Chili Powder (I like a lot)
1/2 TBSP Cinnamon (I know you are questioning my insanity- but do it, I promise it is good.)
1 TBSP Cumin (check your chili powder first- it might already be in there)
2 TBSP Cajun Seasoning (optional- can sub Salt and Pepper for a milder version)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Large Spaghetti squash (or pasta if you must)
Skillet
Crock pot or large pot, sprayed well with cooking spray
Instructions:
Brown your meat in a skillet. While it is cooking, season it well with the cajun seasoning. Drain the meat and transfer to your crock pot. Add the remaining ingredients, except salt, pepper, and the spaghetti squash to the crock pot and mix well. Set the crock pot to 6 hrs on high.
1 hour before you want to eat prepare your spaghetti squash. If you buy one at the store, there is usually a sticker that tells you how long to cook it. If you get yours from a CSA like me, they don't come with the sticker (trust me, I was actually surprised not to see it- and then I felt like an idiot). Cut the squash in half length wise and scoop out the seeds. Sprinkle well with salt and pepper and place cut side down on a greased baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. The skin will brown and you will be able to squeeze it when it is done. Scrape out the inside with a fork to make spaghetti!
While you're waiting on your squash, now would be a good time to taste your chili. We haven't added any salt or pepper yet because we used a lot of processed ingredients* that already contained salt. Taste it now and add salt and pepper if you need it. I usually end up adding a good amount of both, but it really depends on the ingredients you started with. You might also want to add other things depending on your preference (like more chili powder or crushed red pepper to give it a kick!)
Now, this is one of those meals where you will have leftovers of somethings but not the others. The chili (with the beans) will make 8 servings. One large spaghetti squash will easily serve 2 adults and 1 child, possible 3 adults who aren't super hungry. I usually split a squash with my husbands because we like to eat, but we usually don't clean our plate. If you are diligent, you could probably scrape out enough for 2 adults and 2 small children.
Nutritional Information for 1 serving of chili with half a spaghetti squash:
Calories: 214
Carbs: 44 (30 come from the squash)
Fat: 1
Protein: 21
Fiber: 11
Sugar: 14 (12 come from the squash)
Nutritional Information for 1 serving of chili:
Calories: 131
Carbs: 14
Fat: 1
Protein: 18
Fiber: 5
Sugar: 2
I know your wondering what I am going to do with the left over chili, right? Well I will tell you. I found this gem on Pinterest and I have been waiting to try it until I had some leftover chili. Well now I do. Yum!
That's what's for dinner tonight AND tomorrow night.
*A word about processed foods...
I know some people never like to use canned or frozen foods. Yes, fresh is best. We even joined a CSA this year so we would have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. It didn't fit our lifestyle. We could never eat the fresh food before it went bad, and half the time we didn't have what we needed or we had too much of one thing. I did end up freezing a lot of things for later use, but my point is, fresh isn't always an option. If you can, make your own stock, use dried beans and chop fresh veggies. If it is a choice between going through the drive through on your way home from car pool or using canned/ frozen veggies that have already been prepped for you-use the canned/frozen stuff. A canned bean is better than a french fry any day of the week. Don't get so caught up in all the hype against processed foods that you give up. Just read the ingredients and buy the product with the shortest list and least salt.
For this week, I am posting an old recipe that I have made new again. Cincinnati Chili. In case you don't know what it is, Cincinnati Chili is chili that is served over spaghetti. I know what you are thinking- chili on spaghetti? Let me tell you, it is fantastic! I questioned it at first too, but then I decided it would probably be similar to a tomato sauce with ground meat in it, and it is...but so much better! I originally found this recipe as part of a 5 meals for $50 article. I have changed it a little to fit my family's tastes. Usually, Cincinnati Chili doesn't have beans in it, so if you hate them, leave them out. But, as the article suggested, adding beans increases the fiber (I always love an opportunity to add fiber), but the big reason I add them is for cheap protein. You can get a can of beans for .69 cents (dried beans are even cheaper!). That one can of beans makes your chili go so much further which means less money per serving. If you are a vegetarian (or on a tight budget), you could leave out all the meat and just add more beans (and maybe some lentils?)!
Now that we have discussed beans vs. meat, I am going to drop another culinary experiment on you. Spaghetti Squash instead of pasta. I'm sure your considering not even continuing to read, but hear me out. It is a great source of fiber, super low in calories (you can eat a truck load and not feel guilty), and it is a great way to hide a vegetable. Tell your kids it is pasta, unless they see you make it, they will never know the difference. For full disclosure, my husband can tell the difference, especially since he takes out the trash and therefor sees the skins in the bin. It isn't his favorite food, however he appreciates how much you can shovel in for so few calories. He just requests a really flavorful sauce on top...hence the chili.
So what have we learned today? 1. Chili over spaghetti is delicious. 2. Beans added to chili add fiber and additional servings. 3. You should lie to your children or spouse and feed them squash instead of pasta. Okay...maybe lie is too strong of a word. Let's move on!
You Will Need:
1 package ground meat (I used 99% lean Turkey- we are watching our fat intake)
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 box low sodium stock (I used chicken because it is what I had, but beef is good too. Vegetarians could substitute vegetable broth.)
1 bag frozen corn, pepper, onion and black bean mixture (optional- I got overly excited at the store)
2-4 TBSP Chili Powder (I like a lot)
1/2 TBSP Cinnamon (I know you are questioning my insanity- but do it, I promise it is good.)
1 TBSP Cumin (check your chili powder first- it might already be in there)
2 TBSP Cajun Seasoning (optional- can sub Salt and Pepper for a milder version)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Large Spaghetti squash (or pasta if you must)
Skillet
Crock pot or large pot, sprayed well with cooking spray
Instructions:
Brown your meat in a skillet. While it is cooking, season it well with the cajun seasoning. Drain the meat and transfer to your crock pot. Add the remaining ingredients, except salt, pepper, and the spaghetti squash to the crock pot and mix well. Set the crock pot to 6 hrs on high.
1 hour before you want to eat prepare your spaghetti squash. If you buy one at the store, there is usually a sticker that tells you how long to cook it. If you get yours from a CSA like me, they don't come with the sticker (trust me, I was actually surprised not to see it- and then I felt like an idiot). Cut the squash in half length wise and scoop out the seeds. Sprinkle well with salt and pepper and place cut side down on a greased baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. The skin will brown and you will be able to squeeze it when it is done. Scrape out the inside with a fork to make spaghetti!
While you're waiting on your squash, now would be a good time to taste your chili. We haven't added any salt or pepper yet because we used a lot of processed ingredients* that already contained salt. Taste it now and add salt and pepper if you need it. I usually end up adding a good amount of both, but it really depends on the ingredients you started with. You might also want to add other things depending on your preference (like more chili powder or crushed red pepper to give it a kick!)
Now, this is one of those meals where you will have leftovers of somethings but not the others. The chili (with the beans) will make 8 servings. One large spaghetti squash will easily serve 2 adults and 1 child, possible 3 adults who aren't super hungry. I usually split a squash with my husbands because we like to eat, but we usually don't clean our plate. If you are diligent, you could probably scrape out enough for 2 adults and 2 small children.
Nutritional Information for 1 serving of chili with half a spaghetti squash:
Calories: 214
Carbs: 44 (30 come from the squash)
Fat: 1
Protein: 21
Fiber: 11
Sugar: 14 (12 come from the squash)
Nutritional Information for 1 serving of chili:
Calories: 131
Carbs: 14
Fat: 1
Protein: 18
Fiber: 5
Sugar: 2
I know your wondering what I am going to do with the left over chili, right? Well I will tell you. I found this gem on Pinterest and I have been waiting to try it until I had some leftover chili. Well now I do. Yum!
That's what's for dinner tonight AND tomorrow night.
*A word about processed foods...
I know some people never like to use canned or frozen foods. Yes, fresh is best. We even joined a CSA this year so we would have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. It didn't fit our lifestyle. We could never eat the fresh food before it went bad, and half the time we didn't have what we needed or we had too much of one thing. I did end up freezing a lot of things for later use, but my point is, fresh isn't always an option. If you can, make your own stock, use dried beans and chop fresh veggies. If it is a choice between going through the drive through on your way home from car pool or using canned/ frozen veggies that have already been prepped for you-use the canned/frozen stuff. A canned bean is better than a french fry any day of the week. Don't get so caught up in all the hype against processed foods that you give up. Just read the ingredients and buy the product with the shortest list and least salt.
Monday, September 10, 2012
BBQ Chicken Taco Bites- 365 Recipe Challenge
Today I have got another recipe for the 365 Recipe Challenge. Since I did a dessert last week, I thought I would do a main dish. I have been in the mood for all things BBQ Chicken so I decided to make bite size tacos. One of my favorite foods are BBQ nachos, and these are pretty close. Also, by using scoop size tortilla chips, these are portion controlled! You can follow my recipe for poached chicken or swap in any leftover chicken you have on hand.
You Will Need:
1 Poached Chicken Breast (recipe below)
1 small jar diced green chilies
1/4 cup Stubb's BBQ sauce (more or less, depending on how saucy you like your tacos)
1 Bag Tostitos Scoops Corn chips
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Muffin Tin
Instructions:
With 2 forks, shred the poached chicken in a large bowl. Add the green chilies and BBQ sauce and mix well. Fill each chip with a spoonful of the chicken mixture. Top with a small amount of shredded cheese. I like to place each chip in a muffin tin so they don't tip over. Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is browned and bubbly. Top with plain yogurt or sour cream. Makes 48 bite size tacos or 4 servings
My husband loved these so much that I made him a buffalo chicken version the next night. I left out the green chilies and swapped the BBQ sauce for hot sauce. Instead of topping them with plain yogurt, we used ranch dressing.
Nutritional Information Each:
Calories: 25
Carbs: 2
Fat: 1
Protein: 1
Sugar: 0
Fiber: 0
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 295
Carbs: 24
Fat: 14
Protein: 13
Fiber: 2
Sugar: 2.5
Poached Chicken
I make this chicken whenever I need shredded chicken for a recipe but don't have any leftover chicken. It works great in soups, tacos, enchiladas, etc. Also, you can set on a back burner of the stove and just ignore it.
You Will Need:
1 pound of chicken
1 red onion (your chicken might take on a grayish hue from the purple onion. If this bothers you, use a different type of onion)
4 stalks of celery
a few cloves of garlic
Salt and Pepper
Water
A large stock pot
Instructions:
Roughly chop the onion, celery, garlic and chicken into large chunks. Place the veggies and chicken in large pot of water heavily seasoned with salt and pepper. Bring the water to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cover with a lid and let if cook for at least 1 hour. The chicken will no longer be pink in the center and easily shred with 2 forks when it is done.
That's what's for dinner! Enjoy!
 |
| Sorry for the crappy picture- I was so hungry! |
You Will Need:
1 Poached Chicken Breast (recipe below)
1 small jar diced green chilies
1/4 cup Stubb's BBQ sauce (more or less, depending on how saucy you like your tacos)
1 Bag Tostitos Scoops Corn chips
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Muffin Tin
Instructions:
With 2 forks, shred the poached chicken in a large bowl. Add the green chilies and BBQ sauce and mix well. Fill each chip with a spoonful of the chicken mixture. Top with a small amount of shredded cheese. I like to place each chip in a muffin tin so they don't tip over. Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is browned and bubbly. Top with plain yogurt or sour cream. Makes 48 bite size tacos or 4 servings
My husband loved these so much that I made him a buffalo chicken version the next night. I left out the green chilies and swapped the BBQ sauce for hot sauce. Instead of topping them with plain yogurt, we used ranch dressing.
Nutritional Information Each:
Calories: 25
Carbs: 2
Fat: 1
Protein: 1
Sugar: 0
Fiber: 0
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 295
Carbs: 24
Fat: 14
Protein: 13
Fiber: 2
Sugar: 2.5
Poached Chicken
I make this chicken whenever I need shredded chicken for a recipe but don't have any leftover chicken. It works great in soups, tacos, enchiladas, etc. Also, you can set on a back burner of the stove and just ignore it.
You Will Need:
1 pound of chicken
1 red onion (your chicken might take on a grayish hue from the purple onion. If this bothers you, use a different type of onion)
4 stalks of celery
a few cloves of garlic
Salt and Pepper
Water
A large stock pot
Instructions:
Roughly chop the onion, celery, garlic and chicken into large chunks. Place the veggies and chicken in large pot of water heavily seasoned with salt and pepper. Bring the water to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cover with a lid and let if cook for at least 1 hour. The chicken will no longer be pink in the center and easily shred with 2 forks when it is done.
That's what's for dinner! Enjoy!
Monday, September 3, 2012
Peanut Butter Chocolate Oatmeal Bars - 365 Recipe Challange
O.M.G. These are to die for. Not exactly low calorie, but they are made with ingredients you can feel good about. Also, they are so satisfying, you wont eat the whole pan in one sitting- although you will want to. I created this recipe as part of a 365 recipe challenge I am doing with some friends. There are 7 of us, and we each post a recipe every week. My goal is to try new things instead of old favorites. Peanut butter and chocolate is definitely an old favorite, but this is the first time it remotely feels healthy.
You will need:
2 cups rolled oats (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats)
1 can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and pureed
1/2 cup raw (local if you can get it) honey
1/2 cup natural peanut butter. (I used MaraNatha Organic Creamy Peanut Butter with Sea Salt)
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 chocolate chips (I think I went a little overboard, so use your judgement)
Instructions:
Puree your can of chickpeas, adding only enough water for the blender to get things really smooth. I think I added about 1/4 cup to mine, but I recommend adding it about a tablespoon at a time. Combine the chickpeas, peanut butter and honey and half of the oats in a large bowl. Grind the rest of the oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt into oat flour. I used my coffee grinder, but I blender works too. Add the oat flour and vanilla to the bowl and mix well. Now for the chocolate chips. I added a cup of chocolate chips to the mix and sprinkled 1/2 a cup on top once the batter was in the pan. To be honest, 1 1/2 cups is a lot of chocolate, but the batter isn't too sweet so it works. That being said, these could be less sweet and I would still like them. Next time I may add 1/2 cup to the batter and 1/2 cup to the top.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes until the edges brown. Allow the bars to cool in the pan before you cut into them. You wont want to wait, but you will just have to eat them out of the pan with a spoon if you don't give them a chance to rest. Makes 24.
Nutritional Information per Bar:
Calories: 150
Carbs: 22
Fat: 6
Protein: 5
Sugar: 12
Fiber: 3
You will need:
2 cups rolled oats (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats)
1 can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and pureed
1/2 cup raw (local if you can get it) honey
1/2 cup natural peanut butter. (I used MaraNatha Organic Creamy Peanut Butter with Sea Salt)
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 chocolate chips (I think I went a little overboard, so use your judgement)
Instructions:
Puree your can of chickpeas, adding only enough water for the blender to get things really smooth. I think I added about 1/4 cup to mine, but I recommend adding it about a tablespoon at a time. Combine the chickpeas, peanut butter and honey and half of the oats in a large bowl. Grind the rest of the oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt into oat flour. I used my coffee grinder, but I blender works too. Add the oat flour and vanilla to the bowl and mix well. Now for the chocolate chips. I added a cup of chocolate chips to the mix and sprinkled 1/2 a cup on top once the batter was in the pan. To be honest, 1 1/2 cups is a lot of chocolate, but the batter isn't too sweet so it works. That being said, these could be less sweet and I would still like them. Next time I may add 1/2 cup to the batter and 1/2 cup to the top.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes until the edges brown. Allow the bars to cool in the pan before you cut into them. You wont want to wait, but you will just have to eat them out of the pan with a spoon if you don't give them a chance to rest. Makes 24.
Nutritional Information per Bar:
Calories: 150
Carbs: 22
Fat: 6
Protein: 5
Sugar: 12
Fiber: 3
**Update: My math was wrong when I originally calculated the nutritional information for these. The new information is now listed.**
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