Have a HEALTHY & HAPPY Holidays everyone!!

Remember everything in moderation!!

Great articles from Health.com

50 foods You Shouldn't Eat This Holiday Season (or at least in moderation):
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20440821,00.html

25 days of Healthy Holiday Treats:
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20324208,00.html

Barley Chili in 30min flat

Need to make a quick & hearty stew, but don't have the time?
Bought a box of barley for my beef & barley stew and they had this recipe on it so decided to try it out yesterday and it was fabulous!

4cups chicken, beef or veggie broth
2cups of pureed/crushed tomatoes or salsa
1 can of petite diced tomatoes
a few bay leaves
1cup quick cooking barley
spice it up with: chili powder, cajun, cayenne pepper, cumin
   (everyone has their own heat levels, so that's why I don't put measurements!)
1 green zucchini, diced
1cup carrots, diced
(you can also add diced celery or any other veggies on hand: peppers, mushrooms, onions, etc)
1 can corn
1 can black or pinto beans.
1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed
salt and pepper to taste

In a dutch oven or pot, combine the first 6 ingredients until they just come to a boil. While they are heating up, saute the veggies in some olive oil with a little salt & pepper until they are tender, about 5min. Add to pot, hopefully things are simmering in there, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20min. You will also need to stir from time to time so that your barley does not settle to the bottom of the pot & burn. (This allows it to thoroughly cook). Then add in your corn, beans, garlic, salt & pepper simmer for another 5-10min until barley is tender. That is it! All done, serve with tortilla chips or corn bread. Top with reduced-fat sour cream and cheddar cheese for an added delight!

You can also add rotisserie chicken or turkey (if you have some left-over from the holidays) or cubed chicken breast to add a protein punch!

2 ingredient Beet Salad...got your attention??

The 2 main ingredients for this salad...you guessed it: boiled beets and pickles!

• I don't consider olive oil, sea salt and crackled black pepper ingredients because we add a sprinkle there, a splash here (plus they are used so frequently in most recipes)! 

• This is a knock off on the traditional Ukrainian "Vinaigrette Beet Salad" where some also add boiled potatoes, kidney beans, or even mushrooms.

I am keeping it simple and QUICK

• I boil the beets in water for about an hour until I can easily pierce them with a knife. (I scrub the beets prior to boiling, and peel them after).
• After they cool, I grate both the beets and pickles. Season them with sea salt & pepper then drizzle some olive oil. Mix until well combined. Chill and Enjoy :)

Home-Made Ricotta Gnocchi

mixing the ingredients

rolling out the dough

boiling the gnocchi

must add some pesto

 

'healthy' frying it the next day

Ingredients (for 2):

250 g Ricotta

1 egg yolk (M-L)

1/4-1/2 tsp fine sea salt

30 g Parmigiano (or Pecorino), freshly grated

50-75 g all-purpose flour, extra for dusting the dough/board

serve with tomato sauce or any kind of pesto

Instructions: 

Discard any excess liquid that the Ricotta’s packaging may contain, then add Ricotta cheese, egg yolk, salt and freshly grated Parmigiano into a large bowl. Mix well with a wooden or regular spoon. Now add the flour and stir in briefly, just until combined – the dough will still be quite sticky. (Of course you can add more flour at this point, but keep in mind, that the more flour you use, the denser the gnocchi become in the end. And you want them to be as light & fluffy as possible, with a velvet-like texture.)

Forming these gnocchi is the slightly tricky step, this is the technique that works best for me: Generously flour a board, take a big tablespoon of the dough and scoop it onto the board. It gets dusted with flour (dust your hands generously, too!), before rolling it into a finger-thick roll. Cut it into little pillows (stick the knife’s blade into the flour to prevent it from sticking to the dough). Then place each gnocchi on a floured board or parchment paper lined baking tray. Continue quickly with the next step, otherwise they will get soggy and stick to the paper/board anyway.

Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a generous pinch of salt and reduce heat until the water bubbles lightly. Add the gnocchi and stir once, so they don’t stick to the bottom – then let cook until they start floating on top. Depending on their size this may take 2 to 4 minutes. Take out with a skimmer and serve immediately. I like to serve them either with a simple tomato sauce or pesto & olive oil.

recipe taken directly from http://www.deliciousdays.com/archives/2009/05/19/15-minutes-to-fame-gnocchi-for-beginners-and-braggarts/

Waldorf Salad

A great apple recipe and a refreshing salad!

 

• 1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (you can add if you want some protein)
• 1 medium red apple, diced
• 1 cup halved red or green grapes
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted if desired (see Tips), divided

1. Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice and salt in a large bowl. Add chicken, apple, grapes, celery and 1/4 cup walnuts. Stir to coat well. Serve topped with the remaining 1/4 cup walnuts.

That's it, just one step :) Makes about 4 servings

recipe from eatingwell.com

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Loaf

I took the healthy pumpkin loaf recipe from Spark Recipes and added a low-fat cream cheese layer!

Tastes way better than the one from Starbucks!

1 cup margarine

3 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 1/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
4 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2/3 cup water
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup nuts

this will make 2 loaves...make one with cream cheese and one without!

1. Cream together margarine, sugar, and eggs.

2. Combine all dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture alternately with water and pumpkin.
3. Beat well.
4. Pour into 2 well greased loaf pans or makes 24 muffins. ***for cream cheese center
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minute (for loaves)or until toothpick comes out clean.

**for cream cheese center

1 pkg. (8 oz.) reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature

1 egg white

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

-whisk ingredients together until smooth

-Spoon half the pumpkin batter into 9x5-inch nonstick loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray; cover with cream cheese layer and top with remaining pumpkin batter.



What could be better than breakfast in bed??

Broccoli 'n Cheddar Soup....PANERA style

Panera Bread has a great selection of soup, especially their creamy Broccoli and Cheddar.
I wanted to make a healthier version of all the copycat recipes and it turned out great!!

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 medium chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups carrot, julienned
• 1/2 cup melted heart healthy margarine
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 cups low-fat milk, with a couple of tablespoons of reduced-fat sour cream
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3/4 lb fresh broccoli
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
• 12 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper--to taste 

1. Saute onions in olive oil until transparent, add julienned carrots. You may need to add more olive oil to prevent burning. Saute both on medium heat for a few minutes, set aside. 
2. Cook melted margarine and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes (use the pot that you are going to make the soup in). Stir constantly and add milk and sour cream mixture. Continue to stir until  your mixture starts to thicken.
3. Add chicken broth and simmer for 20 min. Occasionally stirring with whisk.
4. Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
5. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg...I added a clove of minced garlic for flavor!

Serve with grated cheese and crusty bread!!

3 Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine

This is one of my favorite recipes to make when inviting company for dinner!

The pasta comes out perfect every time....extremely creamy

(and no one needs to know that there is no heavy cream!). You can alter the recipe with putting in different veggies, cheese or even adding shrimp!

Oh and add garlic for more flavour!

So ooey-gooey...you must try this recipe!!

Veggie Mixture

Three Cheese Mixture

Adding it all together: veggies, cheeses and chicken (while the pasta boils)

For the recipe click --> http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/three-cheese-chicken-penne-florentine-10000001160622/

Pita Chip Coated Chicken Tenders

YUM, YUM, YUM.....these turned out GREAT!!

Had some stale pita chips laying around, and remembered seeing a recipe that coats chicken tenders in broken pita chips and created my own little recipe

For 6 chicken tenders I used:
1cup crushed pita chips
cajun seasoning
black pepper and salt
a few sprinkles of parmesean cheese

1. Put ingredients above in a ziploc bag and give it a good shake, then pour out onto sm. plate
2. Crack an egg open and beat in a bowl.
3. Give your chicken out (I always marinate it for a few hours in light mayo and Italian dressing).
4. Dip your chicken in the egg, then roll it around in the chip mixture.
5. Place your chicken tenders onto a greased baking sheet.
6. Bake at 400F for 15min or until done

Comes out moist and crispy!

Perfect BBQ Ribs and Smashed Potatoes

In a large casserole pan put your ribs in and completely cover with water; add BBQ sauce, ketchup, and any other spices you like (I added cajun, black pepper, and seasoning salt). Put in the oven at 350F for 2hrs. They will cook slowly and remain juicy. When they are done, pour the water out and slather in your favorite BBQ sauce....now they are ready to be thrown on the grill to get crispy and that great smokey flavor!
Grill for about 5 min until they get those black grill marks and are crisp to your perfection! Thats it!
This is how it is done in most restaurants and your ribs stay moist, tender and have been BBQ-ed!

For the smashed potatoes: boil small red potatoes for about 18-20min until tender. Smash them with a masher lightly, add sour cream, and any cheese you like. I add asiago cheese, which gives it a lovely tangy taste. You can add garlic, dill or any other herbs you have on hand. Season with salt and pepper.
This is quickly becoming my favorite side dish!

Zucchini Bread

Not sure what do with those zucchini in your fridge?? Make zucchini bread :)

This makes 2 loafs:

3c. flour
1 1/2tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. canola oil (or what I did was 1/2c. oil, 1/4c. applesauce & 1/4c. light mayo)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 c. finely shredded zucchini
1/2c. chopped walnuts + 1tsp. flour

Directions:
1. Mix together dry ingredients from flour to salt, set aside.
2. In another bowl beat sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla, mix well.
3. Add zucchini to sugar/egg mxiture.
4. Fold in flour mixture until lumpy, add walnuts. Hand stir until uniform.
5. Pour batter inside greased loaf pans.
6. Bake at 350F for 1hr & 10min, until golden brown and inserted toothpick comes out clean


Hawaiian Pizza with Home-made Thin Crust Dough

right before going in the oven!

Homemade Thin Crust Pizza Dough

4 1/4c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 c. cornmeal (may substitute for regular flour)

1 1/2 tsp. active yeast

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4c. extra-virgin olive oil

1 3/4c. warm water.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer: combine flour, cornmeal, yeast and salt. Add the oil and water. Mix slowly with dough hook attachment until the dough comes together, and then mix vigorously on med.-high speed for about 5 min. The dough should stick to the bottom of the bowl as your are mixing, but needs to come away from the sides. If you are kneading by hand, knead until you get tired or about 10min. If dough too sticky: add flour, if to dry: add water. Form the dough into a big ball and rub it with a bit of oil. Place in a large bowl in a warm place and covered to rise for 1 hour. Punch down the dough when it has doubled its size.

You can either have 2 large pizzas or 6 small ones with this amt of dough.

I froze the other half and used it later down the road!

This pizza dough is great because it is thin, textured, delicious and sturdy!

Recipe by Heidi Swanson from Cook 1.0

Now the toppings are endless!

I used applewood smoked bacon, canned pineapple, and sauteed mushrooms with lots of mozzarella cheese

Mongolian Beef

I was in a beef mood and wanted to use my slow-cooker, and this is what was born:

MONGOLIAN BEEF!

Click for recipe--> http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/slow-cooker-mongolian-beef/Detail.aspx

(I used stewing beef cubes, and it turned out fine! I also sauteed some veggies on the side and added to the sauce when the beef was done. I used oyster mushroom and bell peppers)

Eggplant & White Bean Soup

I love the cooking blog STONE SOUP....it has great recipes with only 5 ingredients, every time!

And if you sign up for her emails, she will send you 2 free e-cookbooks !!

You forget how simple and delicious recipes can be, as long a you have quality ingredients.

This soup was great, not to mention quickly prepared. It almost tasty meaty (minus the meat). I did add sauteed portabello mushrooms to it. Lots of garlic and black pepper.

If nothing else, check out the website, her pictures of this dish are amazing! .

http://thestonesoup.com/blog/2011/04/vegetarianism-for-carnivores-a-simple-idea-for-healthier-eating/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+stonesoup%2FzQie+%28stonesoup%29

Roasted Veggie Meatloaf with Balsamic Glaze

This was my first time attempt to make meatloaf and I wanted a healthy recipe with lots of veggies in the mix. I used ground turkey, colorful veggies and a delicious balsamic glaze.

It was a hit, very moist and flavorful!

Right before brushing on the glaze and going into the oven

Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf with Balsamic Glaze on the Food Network <-click on link for recipe

Eggplant Parmesan

I set out to make Eggplant Parmesan and was very happy with the results!
I coated the eggplant in panko and baked it in the oven, traditionally it is fried but this way its a lot healthier.
I added mushrooms and roasted rep pepper to the recipe, just to increase the veggie content, and I omited the ricotta cheese, because my husband is not a big fan.

Eggplant Parmesan <--link to recipe

looks fried, but NOT :)

layering the toppings

cheesy yumminess

MMMM MUESLI

After trying muesli on our fall cruise and at Richtree Marketplace, I am hooked. It a good breakfast for the warmer weather that will soon be upon us. You make it the night before so that the oats soak and eat it cold.

Bircher Muesli:

2c. rolled oats (the old fashion kind, not instant)

1/4c. ground flaxseed (opt.)

1/2c. raisins or cranberries

another handful of other chopped dried fruit in your pantry

1/4c. sunflower seeds

1/4c. any other nuts you desire

1/2 shredded apple per portion, washed and unpeeled

cinnamon

Add all the dry ingredients in tupperware or jar. This mixture will keep for up to two months in an airtight container. The night before measure out 1/3c serving with 1/2 shredded apple (that is for one person), add milk to cover and about 2tsbp plain yogurt or Greek yogurt. Put in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning add cinnamon, and more milk or yogurt if mixture too dry.You can also add fresh berries (or frozen berries the night before) or 1/2 a banana. Experimenting is great, with different nuts and fruit :)



Asparagus Pesto

Oh Asparagus, how I love that you are in season!

I am also a huge PESTO fan, I put it on everything: in my sandwiches, pasta, rice

Spring time calls for asparagus because you guessed it...it's in season! I was looking for asparagus recipes and stumbled on this one, where you make a pesto out of asparagus. What a perfect combination.

This is the link to the recipe, it has great step by step pictures (or you can just look at my pics ;):
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/asparagus_pesto_with_pasta/

A very productive stove-top.. love it when it looks like this!



I saved the tips of the asparagus as a garnish with some sauteed mushrooms & asiago cheese

I paired it along with broiled herbed sole and garlic bread

Great Spring Salads

BROCCOLI   BACON   SALAD

Picture by Laura Rebecca

I love to make this salad for pot-lucks and family gatherings! Quick and easy to make:
Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4c. EACH reduced fat mayo and sour cream
4c. finely chopped broccoli crowns
1 red and yellow pepper, finely chopped (optional but it adds color)
1c. cucumber, finely chopped (optional)
3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
3 Tbsp. dried cranberries
salt & pepper to taste

1. Chop veggies, add mayo, sour cream, bacon, cranberries, salt, pepper and garlic.
2. Mix until uniform
     serves: about 6 ppl

CRANBERRY APRICOT ALMOND COUSCOUS

3/4c. couscous
1/2c. dried apricots, thinly sliced
1/4c. dried cranberries
1tsp cinnamon
1/4c. all spice
1/2 orange zested
1c. chicken stock
1/2c. orange juice
2Tbsp. olive oil
1tsp sea salt
1/2c. slivered almonds, toasted
1/3c. green onions
1/4c. chopped fresh herbs (cilantro, mint and parsley)
1/2c. crumbled feta

1. Combine couscous, apricots and spices in large bowl; set aside
2. Combine liquids, oil and sea salt; bring to boil
3. Add boiling water to couscous, cover immediately and let stand 5min until liquids absorb.
3. Fluff couscous with fork, add almonds, green onions, and fresh herbs; season with salt & pepper to taste
4. Garnish with feta cheese; if to dry add olive oil or lemon juice

CARROT CRANBERRY SALAD

Pictures by Olya Drozd, thanks for the recipe!

depending on how big you want your salad:
2-4 shredded carrots
1/4-1/2c. cranberries
1/4-1/2c. chopped walnuts
1/4-1/2c. plain yogurt
1/4-1/2tsp cinnamon
1-2Tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
honey- if you want some sweetnes
garlic- if you want it more savoury

Add all ingredients together until uniform!

Vegetarian Mexican Lasagna

Lately I have been turned off by meat and feel like I have been turning to more vegetarian options. I like to call myself a flexitarain...one who is a semi-vegetarian, but includes less meat than a typical diet, eating meat occasionally (brought to you by wikipedia ;) So I came up with this recipe:

VEGGIE MEXICAN LASAGNA

Ingredients:

1/2 of each: red, yellow and green bell pepper, cut into strips

1/2 red onion, cut into strips

1c. mushrooms, sliced

1c. zucchini, halved and cut into strips

1 can dk kidney beans

1 can 10oz tomato sauce (save 1/4c for bottom of casserole)

1/2c. salsa

2c. fresh spinach, cut thinly

1-2c. shredded cheddar cheese

chopped cilantro and parsley

salt & pepper to taste, if you want some heat add cayene pepper

sm. corn tortillas 6-12, depending how large of a portion you want

Directions:

1. Saute bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms until soft

2. Add beans, tomato sauce, and salsa bring mixture to simmer

3. Add spinach until wilted, and herbs & spices

4. I used a round casserole dish so I only needed one tortilla per layer, may use 9x13'' dish-->use 3 tortillas spread out per layer (don't forget to double the veggies then!)

5. Pour the reserved tomato sauce on bottom of casserole. Layer your ingredients: tortilla, then veggie & bean mixture, then cheese: REPEAT, ending with veggie & bean mixture. I do not add the cheese ontop until the last 5min of baking, that way your cheese is nice and melted and not hard and chewy!

6. Put casserole uncovered into a preheated oven 350F for 20min, add some cheese ontop and let bake for 5 more min. Let cool 5-10min before serving. Goes great with cilantro and lime rice :)

veggie and bean mixture

layer the ingredients

casserole right before the oven



PANINIs

I LOVE PANINI SANDWICHES....the options are endless, and its such ooey-gooey goodness!

My beloved Panini Grill (Cuisinart)

The important parts of a Panini sandwich:

1. good crusty bread: ciabatta, foccacia, french loaf

2. the spread: pesto mayo, chipotle mayo, hummus, eggplant relish, tomato sauce

3. the moisture from: roasted red pepper, tomatoes, artichoke

and of course the meat & cheese:

anything your lil' heart desires:

herbed turkey breast, grilled chicken breast, pastrami, salami, smoke Montreal beef,

vegetarian options: grilled zucchini, pepper, onions, mushroom, eggplant

cheeses: provolone, mozzarela, aged cheddar, brie, asiago...basically anything that melts!

Layer that up...PREGO (as they would say in Italy)....lunch is served!!

I have also done a breakfast panini:

Natural peanut butter, jelly, and banana.....what more do you need??