Whole Wheat Shells with Asparagus, Spring Peas, Shallots, and Garlic in a Fresh Lemon and Olive Oil Vinaigrette with Slivered Almonds, Fresh Parsley, Chives, and Mint

Ingredients:

Ingredients

• 1 box Whole Wheat Medium Shell Pasta
• 3 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 4 Shallots, finely chopped
• 1 lb. Asparagus, cut in 1/2 inch slices
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 c. Spring Peas
• 1/2 c. Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
• Zest from 1 Lemon
• Juice from 1 Lemon
• 1 c. Mixed Herbs, chopped (I used parsley, chives, and mint)
• 1/2 c. Slivered Almonds
• Sea Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Red Pepper Flakes, to taste

Instructions:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain, leaving around 1/2 cup of water in the pot
• Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large pan.  Add shallots and saute until soft and fragrant, 4-5 minutes
• Add asparagus and garlic, and saute 3-4 minutes
• Add peas and saute for another 2-3 minutes
• Add the vegetable mix to the pasta and stir over low heat until a "sauce" forms
• Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl
• Add the parmigiano-reggiano, lemon zest, lemon juice, rest of the olive oil, herbs, almonds, and spices and toss to coat

Vegetable Lasagna

Lasagna is pretty much the definition of comfort food.  Usually comfort food comes with a connotation of being bad for you.  However, sometimes it's possible to make a comfort food that's actually not all that bad for you.

I will preface this post by stating that I normally do not even look at recipes by Rachael Ray because, frankly, I can't stand the woman.  Her personality irritates me and I've heard on several occasions from friends and strangers, that she is just not nice in person.

I stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest, and it happened to be one of hers, so I put down the hater-ade, adapted it a little, and made it, and it really was one of the most delicious creations I've ever cooked.  I ate it for lunch and dinner for an entire week.

Ingredients:

• 2 Medium Eggplants
• 2 Medium Zucchini
• 4 tsp. Minced Garlic
• 1 c. Ricotta Cheese
• 1 c. Reduced Fat Ricotta Cheese
• 2 c. Freshly Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (leftover from my risotto!)
• 1 lb. Fresh Mozzarella, roughly shredded (I used a low-sodium version)
• 2 tbsp. Fresh Mint, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. Fresh Thyme, finely chopped
• 2 Egg Whites, beated
• 1, 28oz. can San Marzano Tomatoes
• a few Basil Leaves
• 3 tbsp. Red Onion, grated
• 4 small Yukon Gold Potatoes, sliced 1/2" thick
• 1/2 tsp. Stevia in the Raw
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil for brushing

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees
• Peel the eggplants, leaving some skin on (so they look striped) and slide crosswise 1/4" thick
• Slice the zucchini 1/4" thick on an angle
• Pat the eggplant and zucchini dry and divide between 2 baken sheets.  Brush with olive oil and roast until slightly golden, 10-15 minutes
• Combine the ricotta with 1 c. each of Parmigiano-Reggiano and Mozzarella, the mint, parsley, and egg; season with salt and pepper
• In another bowl, combine the rest of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and Mozzarella
• Place the tomatoes and their juices in a food processor (I used my Magic Bullet) and puree with the minced garlic, the basil leaves, onion, and Stevia; season with salt and pepper
• Reduce the oven temp to 400 degrees
• Spread half of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a baking dish (I used a disposable foil pan because cleaning up after lasagna can be a pain)
• Layer in half of the eggplant and zucchini, then dollop 1/3 of the ricotta mixture on top
• Next, shingle half of the potatoes on top and season with salt and pepper and sprinkling of the rosemary and thyme
• Top with another third of the ricotta mixture
• Layer with th eremaining eggplant, zucchini, ricotta mixture and potatoes; season with the remaining rosemary and thyme
• Top with the remaining tomato sauce and Parmigiano-Reggiano mixture
• Cover the lasagna with greased parchment and wrap with foil; bake on a baking sheet for 40 minutes
• Uncover and bake until deeply golden, 30-40 minutes
• Let stand for 15-20 minutes before slicing

I forgot to take a photo after I cut it, but here's what it looked like fresh out of the oven!

Butternut Squash Risotto...truly something to be thankful for

Well, here's another throwback recipe from this past Thanksgiving.  I adapted this recipe for Butternut Squash Risotto from something I saw on Skinnytaste, and I can't even believe how delicious it was.  I love all things butternut squash related, but my husband normally won't touch it, and he gave this the seal of approval!

As is, this recipe will make 4 servings...I had to triple it to feed my Thanksgiving crowd, but as long as you use a big enough pot, it will turn out perfectly!

Ingredients:

• 3 c.  Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth
• 1 c. Butternut Squash Puree (I boiled about 1/2 lb. squash in 1 c. of broth and then pureed and re-measured a cup.  You can also use a pre-made butternut squash soup if you want to skip this step)
• 1 tsp. Coconut Oil (Cold-pressed, extra-virgin!)
• 3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1/4 c. Shallots, chopped
• 1 c. Arborio Rice
• 2 oz. Dry White Wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc)
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Sage, minced
• 1/4. c Freshly Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

• In a pot, mix vegetable broth with pureed squash and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and maintain over low heat
• In a large, heavy saucepan, heat coconut oil until melted.  Add shallots, garlic, and rice and saute until the rice is well coated (~3 minutes).  Add wine and sage and stir until absorbed
• Add a ladle of the simmer stock and stir continuously until it is absorbed.  Continue to add stock by the ladleful and stir until absorbed
• Continue until the rice is creamy and al dente and all the stock is used (should take around a half hour).  Add the grated cheese, stir and remove from heat
• Serve immediately

 

 

 

Avocado Zucchini Burgers

My sister-in-law gave me a great recipe for Avocado Zucchini cakes.  I decided to clean it up a bit, make it higher in protein, and make it a main dish rather than a side dish, so I turned it into burgers.  You can make these whatever size you prefer.  I made 4 large burgers, and the nutrition stats are pretty great.  I bought Florida avocados this time around rather than Hass, because the store didn't have any ripe Hass.  The sticker on the avocado caught my eye, and I'm not entirely sure I buy into it, but who knows.  This avocado was called a Slimcado and boasts half the fat and 1/3 the calories of Hass avocadoes.  That's pretty awesome if that's the case.  Read more about it here:  http://www.brookstropicals.com/slimcado/.  Using the Slimcado and making this into 4 large burgers, each burger has 275 calories, 11g of fat (again, all from the avocado), 9g of fiber, and 12g of protein.  YUM.  Today I cut one up and ate it on top of a Baby Kale salad with some fat free dressing.  SO GOOD!

Ingredients:

• 1 Florida Avocado, mashed
• 2 Medium Zucchini, coursely grated
• 1 c. Quinoa
• 1 tbsp. Flaxseed
• 1/2 c. Liquid Egg Whites
• 2 tsp. Spicy Mustard
• Spices to taste including NuSalt, Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper, Oregano, and Garlic Powder

Instructions:

Mash the avocado in a large bowl

Coarsely grate the zucchini into the big bowl

In a Magic Bullet or food processor, pulse the quinoa and flaxseed until it resembles a coarse flour

Add the  mixture to the bowl

Add the spices

Mix together until well blended

Use your hands to form into patties of whatever size you choose, and place on a baking sheet sprayed lightly with cooking spray

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then flip and bake another 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Roasted Pepper Salsa

I've been wanting to make my own salsa for awhile, and rather than go the traditional tomato route, I decided to make sweet peppers the primary ingredient.  I bought a huge bag of mini sweet peppers at Costco, and roasted them with a bit of olive oil...so delicious!  Next time I do this, I will also roaste the tomato and jalapenos myself, but for those of you who want a quick option for a healthy appetizer, the canned varieties are perfectly delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb. bag of Mini Sweet Peppers
• 2 tbsp. and 2 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
• 1, 28 oz. can Diced Tomatoes (low sodium variety), drained and rinsed
• 1, 4 oz. can Diced Chilies, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 c. Balsamic Vinegar
• Spices to taste - black pepper, cilantro, garlic powder, NuSalt

Instructions:

Rinse the peppers thoroughly and allow to dry

Place peppers in a ziplock bag and toss with 2 tsp. olive oil

Spread peppers out on baking sheet covered with foil and sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake at 400 degrees for ~20 minutes, turning after 10 minutes.  Cook time may vary based on the size of the pepper, so check for softness

Whlie the peppers are roasting, put the diced tomatoes and chilies in a large bowl

Allow the peppers to cool before handling them

Roughly dice the peppers, removing all seeds

Add to the large bowl

add the vinegar, remaining olive oil, and spices, and stire to combine

Enjoy with pretzel crisps, veggies, tortilla chips, on top of chicken, etc.

Easy Minestrone Soup!

Cold winter days are perfect for making homemade soups.  I decided on a hearty Minestrone soup, and the result was fantastic.  I adapted the recipe from a blog post I saw by Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Medium Onion, chopped
• 3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
• 6 Baby Carrots, diced
• 2 Stalks of Celery, diced
• 2 Large Zucchini
• 1 c. Cut Green Beans (fresh or frozen)
• 28 oz. can of Diced Tomatoes in juice
• 4 c. Vegetable Broth (I used Greenway Organic)
• 2 c. Hot Water
• 15 oz. can Chick Peas (I used Goya Low Sodium)
• 1 c. Whole Wheat Elbow Mac
•  1/2 tsp. Dried Orgegano
• 1 tsp. Dried Basil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

In a large stock pot, saute onions, garlic, carrots, and celery in olive oil for 5 minutes

Add Zucchini, Green Beans, Diced Tomatoes, Broth, and Water and Bring to a boil

Add Chick Peas, Macaroni, Oregano and Basil and simmer until tender, about 35 minutes.  Season if needed and serve!

Definitely a cure for a chilly day :)

Green and Proteiny

My dinner tonight is a Veggie and Quinoa Stir Fry...completely delicious, and for those of you Weight Watchers enthusiasts, it's only 5 points for that whole dish!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Quinoa
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 large green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup frozen green beans
• 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
• Spices to taste - garlic powder, paprika, black pepper

Spray the bottom of a large pan with cooking spray.  Add garlic, onion, and green bell pepper and saute over medium heat for 7-8 minutes.  Add all other vegetables and continue to saute another 5-6 minutes.  Add vegetable broth and quinoa and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cover and let simmer for 15 minutes until all water is absorbed.

ENJOY!