Portobello "Philly Cheese Steaks"

I have had this recipe staring at me for quite a while now. I saw it pop up on my computer today and I thought that it was about time I finally made these. So glad I did! My boys loved them and so did I. I didn't have large portobellos on hand, so I used baby portobellos instead. I am sure any mushroom would work here. I served it with home made spicy oven fries and a side salad. I am stuffed thinking about it all.

Portobello Philly Cheese Steaks
Recipe slightly adapted by Eating Well Magazine

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
4 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed, sliced
3-4 cups fresh spinach
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 ounces thinly sliced reduced-fat provolone cheese
4 whole-wheat buns, split and toasted

Preparation
1.Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, spinach, bell pepper, oregano and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are wilted and soft, about 7 minutes.

2.Reduce heat to low; sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir to coat. Stir in broth and soy sauce; bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, lay cheese slices on top of the vegetables, cover and let stand until melted, 1 to 2 minutes.

3.Divide the mixture into 4 portions with a spatula, leaving the melted cheese layer on top. Scoop a portion onto each toasted bun and serve immediately.

Pumpkin Seed Pesto

I have made lots of different pestos in the past and all have been good. However, this one is really good AND less expensive than the regular version with pine nuts. It's an easy healthy meal that everyone will enjoy. I toss frozen peas and fresh broccoli in the pasta water at the end of cooking the pasta before adding the pesto. Owen loves this for his school lunch as well. The container always comes home empty when I give him this. :)


Pumpkin Seed Pesto (Makes about 1/2 cup)
recipe from www.weelicious.com

1/2 Cup Pumpkin Seeds (pepitas), hulled
1/4 Cup Parmesan
1 Garlic Clove
1 Cup Cilantro, Parsley or Basil
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/3 Cup Olive Oil

1. If using raw (green) pumpkin seeds, place them on a baking sheet and toast for 10-15 minutes in a 350 degree oven or until golden. If using toasted/roasted pumpkin seeds you can skip this step.
2. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
3. Serve on pasta, fish, chicken or a spread on sandwiches.

* For a dairy free version use 1/4 cup nutritional yeast and 1/2 cup olive oil (instead of 1/3 cup).
* To freeze, place in ice cube trays or baby food cubes and freeze for up to 3 months

Baked Eggplant Parmesean

Today ended up being 110 degrees in Santa Barbara!!! It was the wrong day to decide to turn on the oven, but I did anyway, and it was well worth it! This is a quick and healthier version of one of my favorite dishes, eggplant parmesean. It was well received by the family and I will be making this again

Baked Eggplant Parmesean
Recipe from www.wholefoodsmarket.com
Ingredients
1 large eggplant, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces (about eight)
2 eggs, beaten with a fork
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs (sun-dried tomato or plain...or make it gluten free with g.f. bread crumbs)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 (25-ounce) jar pasta sauce (roasted vegetable or any variety)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Method
Preheat oven with a baking sheet inside to 375°F. Coat eggplant slices with beaten egg, then bread with panko crumbs. Spread oil on hot baking sheet and place eggplant slices on it in a single layer. Bake 15 minutes, flip and bake another 10 minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 475°F. In an 8 x 10-inch oven proof dish, layer pasta sauce, then eggplant, and top with cheeses. Repeat, finishing with cheese. Bake until the cheese melts and turns golden in spots, about 15 minutes.

Corn Chowder

We had so much grilled corn left over from Owen's birthday BBQ that I had to find a yummy way to use it all. Our local produce place, Lane Farms, had 6 ears for $2 so I got a little carried away and bought more than enough corn on the cob. Anyway, I decided to make a low fat version of Corn Chowder and it turned out really good!

Corn Chowder
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit
4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, divided
2 cups chicken broth
3 Tb. butter
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 large shallots, chopped
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Blend 2 cups corn and 1 cup of broth in a blender until almost smooth.
Melt butter in large saucepan over medium high heat.
Add next 4 ingredients; saute 5 minutes until shallots are clear.
Add 2 cups corn, 1 cup broth, black beans, cumin, thyme and salt and pepper and pureed corn mixture.
Bring to simmer.
Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Garnish each bowl full with fresh cilantro, or chopped green onions (optional).

Chicken Taco Pizza

OK here is chicken recipe #2 for all you meat eaters out there : ) This was really easy and pretty yummy I must admit. It's a nice twist on your ordinary pizza with marinara or pesto sauce.

Chicken Taco Pizza
Recipe adapted from www.WholeFoods.com

1 whole wheat pizza crust, (I used the Trader Joes pizza dough)
1/2 cup salsa, plus more for serving
1/4 pound part-skim mozzarella, shredded, divided
1 cup no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen yellow corn, thawed
1/3 cup sliced black olives
1 organic boneless, skinless grilled chicken breast, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 avocado, diced

Method
Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange crust on a pizza stone or large baking sheet. Spread salsa over crust and sprinkle with half of the cheese. Top with beans, corn, olives, chicken and remaining cheese and bake until crust is crisp and cheese is bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and avocado, cut into 8 pieces and serve with more salsa on the side.

Salmon En Croute

The cookbook says this is easy to make. It is fairly simple, yet it does take some time and some kitchen space (which I don't have a ton of either of those things). I am posting the recipe because the salmon turned out beautifully and it was pretty tasty, even the left overs the next day straight out of the fridge.

I have been craving salmon a lot the past few weeks, so Adam brought some home from the fish market the other night and this is what we decided to do with it:

Salmon En Croute

Recipe by Nourish Cookbook

For the Crust

1 Cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

4-6 Tb. ice water

For the caper sauce

2 tsp. capers, rinsed and drained

1 Tb. minced fresh chives

1 1/4 tsp. chopped fresh dill

3 Tb. plus 1 tsp sour cream, or plain yogurt

1/4 tsp. grated lemon zest

1/8 tsp. sea salt

1/8 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

one 1 lb. salmon fillet, skin and pin bones removed

1/8 tsp. sea salt

1/8 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

2 Tb. Dijon mustard (I used a lot less than this because I didn't want it to be too spicy, but I should have just followed directions, I think I would have liked a little more mustard.)

2 Tb. minced shallots

2/3 cup spinach, washed (I added a lot more than this because it cooks down to very little)

1 large egg

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 and spray a baking sheet with canola oil.

2. For the crust, combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl and mix well. Cut the butter into the flour, using a pastry cutter until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the water 1 Tb. at a time mixing gently with a fork after each addition. the dough will begin to form a ball when enough water has been added. Gather the dough with dry hands and form it in to a ball. Let rest for 5 minutes.

3. Combine all ingredients from the caper sauce and mix well. Set aside

4. Season the salmon with the salt and pepper. Spread with mustard.

5. On a floured surface roll out the dough into an 8x12 inch rectangle. Spread the shallots and spinach over the center of the pastry. Place the salmon mustard sided down on top of the spinach so that the mustard is in contact with the vegetables. Wrap the dough around the salmon, sealing the edges, then flip the pastry upside down so that the salmon is on the bottom and the veggies are on top. Place on the baking sheet.

6. Beat the egg in a small bowl and brush over the top of pastry. With a sharp knife, score the pastry evenly.

7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

8. Cut into four equal portions and serve each portion with 2 Tb. caper sauce.

Lemon Risotto with Leeks, Peas and Tarragon

I finally cleaned out the fridge and freezer as one of the last nesting chores I had on my list! It feels good to have some organization in there!!! Naturally, I tried to find as many ingredients that needed using for as few recipes as possible. Leeks and (4 bags of OPEN) frozen peas were on the list, so a summery risotto is what became of them. It was also the night of game 7 of the Celtics/ Laker game, so I needed a recipe that was green of white of course ; ) Sadly, my color coordinated meal did not pay off for the Celtics, however, our tummies were happy at least!

Lemon Risotto with Leeks, Peas and Tarragon
Recipe Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine
4-5 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 T olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped leeks (about 2 medium)
1/2 cup chopped shallot (about 3 small)
1 cup arborio rice
3 T dry white wine
1 cup frozen peas, thawed (or fresh, blanched)
1 cup frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (2 oz)
1 tsp lemon zest
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 T freshly chopped tarragon
1 T butter (I only put in about a teaspoon and didn't think it was necessary)

• Bring chicken stock to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.
  Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add leek and shallots to pan and cook 7 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.
• Add rice and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Add wine and cook 30 seconds or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.
• Stir in 1 cup stock. Cook 4 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of stock is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total).
• Stir in peas and cook 1 minute. Stir in cheese, zest and juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in tarragon and butter.
  
  Serves 2-4

Eggplant "Fries"

I bought two eggplants the other day with no idea what I was going to do with them. I searched for some quick recipe ideas with what I had in my fridge already and eggplant "fries" was the winner!


Eggplant "Fries"
1 eggplant, peeled and cut into sticks.
1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 TB olive oil

Preheat oven to 400.
In a large bowl, combine Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs until mixed. Peel the eggplant, and slice into 1/2 inch sticks. Toss eggplant with olive oil. Place them in the bread crumb mixture bowl until coated and place on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown. Serve with a side of marinara for dipping, or just eat plain.

Quinoa and Chickpeas

It's time to hit the farmer's market tomorrow. I looked in my fridge tonight for dinner and remembered I had to use up some canned tomatoes from a recipe I used the other day. We still needed protein, carbs, and veggies however. So, I pulled out some quinoa, added water, tomatoes, spices and then got online to look up recipes to see what else I could add. As much as I love to cook, I am always a little frightened by what I come up with on my own. I am much more comfortable using a tried and true recipe from someone else. (Unless it's something sweet, simple, or a salad of some sort). Most of these ingredients you can find in your pantry or freezer without having to go to the store.

I found several recipes that were very similar in their ingredients and were exactly what I was thinking, and actually had on hand! I have to say this turned out really good and Owen ate every last bite, repeating the words, "good dinner Mommy" over and over again :) My stamp of approval has been won! I served it along with some steamed green beans tossed with lemon zest, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper and a bit of olive oil. Owen gobbled those up as well!

Quinoa and Chickpeas
Recipe adapted from several sources, including www.weelicious.com and allrecipes.com
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 cup canned chopped tomatoes (or fresh if you have them)
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tb. grape seed oil
1/2 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen
1 cup rinsed and drained chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 clove of garlic, minced
juice of one small lime
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tb. chopped fresh parsley (cilantro would be good too)

Rinse and soak quinoa for 15 minutes to help remove any bitter taste. Bring water, canned tomatoes (if you are using fresh tomatoes, don't cook them, just add them at the end instead), cumin and quinoa to a boil. Place the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to a simmer for 15 minutes until done. Stir in grape seed oil, corn, garlic, lime juice, parsley and salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy. This dish will probably taste good cold as well. I'll find out tomorrow!

Tuna Caserole

Growing up, my Mom used to make tuna caserole all the time. Now I know why...it's so easy! It's a fast healthy way to make a complete one dish meal, veggies included!

3 cups Whole grain spiral pasta, or egg noodles
1 can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
1 or 2 cans of tuna
3/4 cup grated cheese (I used a mix of mozzerella, cheddar and gouda)
1/2 cup sliced olives
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
1 cup frozen peas or any veggie you have on hand (spinach, cauliflour, broccoli, or grated carrots are all good options)
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup wheat germ

Heat oven to 350
Boil pasta till al dente, and drain.
While pasta is cooking, mix all the ingredients (except the wheat germ) in a large bowl and set aside.
Add cooked pasta to the sauce and mix until the noodles are fully coated.
Transfer mixture to a glass casserole dish and top with wheat germ.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Enjoy!

Vegetarian Bolognese

I asked Owen what he wanted for dinner and he replied "pasta" as a fairly frequent response. I remembered that I recently came accross a recipe for a vegetarian bolognese sauce that I wanted to try, so pasta it was! This meal was packed with fiber, veggies, potassium and protein. It tasted like it was from a restaurant. So Yummy!!! I even had seconds, and I rarely do. I will be soon doubling the recipe next time so I can freeze it for a quick easy dinner after baby #2 arrives!

Though you can use any noodle you prefer, I used whole wheat angel hair pasta. You can make this meal gluten free by using GF pasta. There is one I recently tried made from quinoa and it's even better than standard pasta I think!

Bean Bolognese
Recipe by Eating Well Magazine

1 14-ounce can salad beans, or other beans (I just used canelli), rinsed, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup white wine
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
8 ounces whole-wheat fettuccine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation
1.Put a large pot of water on to boil. Mash 1/2 cup beans in a small bowl with a fork.

2. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Add onion, carrot, celery and salt; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.

Add garlic and bay leaf; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds.

Add wine; increase heat to high and boil until most of the liquid evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and their juices, 2 tablespoons parsley and the mashed beans.

Bring to a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 6 minutes.

Add the remaining whole beans; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta in the boiling water until just tender, about 9 minutes or according to package directions. Drain.

4. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls. Discard the bay leaf and top the pasta with the sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan and the remaining parsley.

Garbanzo Burgers

Once again, it was 5:30 and I had no idea what I was going to make for dinner for Owen and I tonight. I went to my trusty www.weelicious.com site and made these awesome garbanzo burgers in no time. We were out of avocados, so I served it along steamed beets, sauteed beet greens, and topped our burgers with diced cucumbers in plain yogurt and lemon. Delicious, and Owen ate every bite! I made them a few months ago and really liked it, but never got around to posting the recipe. They were good enough to repeat, so here it is!

Garbanzo Burgers
Recipe from, www.Weelicious.com
1 15 Oz. Can Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Small Carrot, chopped
1 Garlic Clove
1 Small Onion, chopped
2 Eggs
1 Tsp Salt
1/3 Cup Bread Crumbs (I used whole grain)
2 Tsp Sesame Seeds
1 Tbsp Oil
*You can place these on buns, although I didn't this time.

1. Place the first 6 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined.
2. Place garbanzo bean mixture in a bowl and combine with remaining ingredients.
3. Place 1/4 cup of mixture in your hands and form into patties (I used an ice cream scooper to portion the patties-mixture will be moist).
4. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat.
5. Cook the patties for 5 minutes.
6. Turn the patties, reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes.
7. Serve.

Spinach-Dill Pie

Lets start off with saying that Adam isn't the largest spinach fan in the world. He will eat it if it is in front of him, but he would hardly choose it if he had a choice. I, on the other hand, Love it and always have. It's one of my favorite ingredients for a quiche as well. We went to farmers market this morning and got tons of veggies for the week. Dill, parsley and fresh eggs were at the top of my list so I could make this dish for dinner tonight. I served this along with roasted rosemary new potatoes, and a salad. By the end of our meal, I counted that we had over 9 different veggies in just one meal! (I usually make a pretty colorful salad with the works).

I used two overlapping whole wheat tortillas in the bottom of my pie dish for the crust, instead of the called for phyllo dough. This saved on fat, calories, time, and it tasted great. I am planning on doing this more often for my quiches that require a crust. It was easy to put together, super flavorful and delicious! Adam had two helpings if that gives you a sense of how tasty this turned out : )
Picture taken from Martha Stewart's Living. (My picture could not compete!)
Spinach-Dill Pie
Recipe Adapted by Martha Stewart's Living, April 2001

10 ounces spinach, well washed, tough stems removed (I used frozen, thawed and drained)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 onion, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
2 large whole eggs
2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 whole wheat tortillas (*to make this gluten free, try replacing with corn tortillas, a gluten free pie crust, or omit the crust completely).

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Roughly chop spinach leaves; set aside. Heat butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add spinach; cook until wilted and bright green, about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a colander to cool and drain. When mixture is cool enough to handle, press lightly with paper towels to remove excess moisture; set aside to cool.

2. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, eggs and egg whites, parsley, dill, Parmesan, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir in cooled spinach mixture; set aside.

3. Place the tortillas in the bottom of a pie dish so they are overlapping and you have a 'crust' around the edges.

4. Spoon filling into the dish, spreading it evenly. Bake until golden brown and filling is set, about 1 hour. Cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Salmon Burgers

Once again, Catherine McCord has made my life easier! She is the author of Weelicious.com, a food blog that I follow religiously. When I have nothing planned for dinner and it's just Owen and I (because Adam is at work), her blog is the first place I turn to find a fast healthy dinner recipe. Tonight was the second time I have made her salmon burgers and they couldn't be any easier and nutritious!

Salmon Burgers (Serves 4)Recipe by http://www.weelicious.com/

1 Lb. Fresh Salmon, skinned (I actually used two 6 oz cans instead of boneless and skinless wild Alaskan salmon)
1 Egg
1 Tbsp Capers
1 Tbsp Fresh or 1 Tsp Dried Dill
1 Tbsp Oil

*Note, I added some carrot pulp to my burgers tonight only because I had it and thought, why not?! Feel free to add a small amount of other veggies to the food processor, like kale, or spinach etc...

Accompaniments: Lemon Yogurt Sauce, Mayonnaise, Avocado, Tomato or Lettuce
Buns or Rolls. (I made a quick tartar sauce with sweet pickle relish, lemon and mayo tonight)

1. Place the first 5 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until just combined (you should still see tiny pieces of salmon).
2. Form into patties and place on a sheet tray lined with foil or plastic wrap (mixture will be sticky. Using wet hands will make forming the patties much easier).
3. Cover and refrigerate the salmon patties for 1 hour. (I skipped this step and it was fine)
3. Heat oil over medium/high heat in a large skillet.
4. Cook the patties for 3 minutes on each side.
5. Place on a bun and top with desired accompaniments.
6. Serve.

Thai Noodle Salad

I first discovered Thai food when I was living in New York. Brooklyn had some pretty amazing Thai restaurants with delicious food, spicy martinis, and beautiful ambiance. I was hooked after my first experience. The dishes that involved coconut milk, lemon grass or peanut sauce always kept me coming back for more. The food is simple with few ingredients usually, but it always tastes so good!

Since I can't fly to NY on a whim and eat at Planet Thailand in Williamsburg, it was time to recreate it without leaving my kitchen. By the way, you'll get 100% of your daily vitamin C with this dish! It's great cold the next day out of the fridge for lunch too.

Thai Noodle Salad
Recipe adapted by www.babyfit.com

6 oz. dried vermicelli (thin rice noodles)
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 package of extra firm organic tofu (feel free to substitute this with chicken or shrimp)
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 red sweet pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
3 green onions, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. sesame seeds for garnish
lime wedges for garnish

1. Place the tofu between two folded towels and place a heavy pot or pan on top of it for 10-20 minutes to release some of the water. Place tofu in terriayki or soy sauce marinade for a few minutes (or more if you have the time). Slice it in to cubes. Heat sesame oil in skillet on medium high heat and cook tofu until brown on all sides. About 5 minutes.

2. Cook vermicelli according to package instructions, drain and set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan, combine soy sauce, broth, peanut butter, lime juice, ginger and crushed red pepper. Cook over medium-low heat until peanut butter is melted.

4. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat evenly

5. Stir in tofu, sweet red pepper, green onions and cilantro.

6. Serve with lime wedges.

*Note, you might want to double the recipe for the sauce. Though it was fine for us, I would have preferred a bit more sauce.

Pumpkin Pasta

Once again, it was a last minute night for dinner. What are we going to have? I had a few options in my head, but I seemed to be missing one main ingredient for each meal I was hoping to make. So, I turned to the great Martha Stewart online and found this interesting and healthy dish. I wasn't too sure it was going to be tasty by reading the ingredients, I mean, baked pasta and NO cheese? Is she crazy? But we gave it a go and we were all impressed without any cheese (though I did put a little Parmesan on top before serving ; ). It's a filling meal packed with vitamins, fiber and protein. Owen had two bowls, which made me very happy!

Pumpkin Pasta
Recipe by Martha Stewart

Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound gemelli pasta, cooked and drained (I used whole wheat Penne instead)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch (about 8 ounces) kale, thick stems removed and leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces *I used 1/2 a bag of frozen spinach thawed and drained.
1 can (29 ounces) pumpkin puree, (not pumpkin-pie filling)
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
2 tablespoons jarred sun-dried tomato pesto
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
1/2 cup unblanched almonds, sliced

Directions
1.Cook pasta, and drain; reserve. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add kale; cook, stirring, until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Add pumpkin, broth, and pesto, and nutritional yeast, if using; stir to combine. Bring to a simmer. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

2.Toss pasta with pumpkin-kale mixture. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or eight individual dishes. Top with almonds. Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes.

3. Enjoy!!

Mamma's Frittata

Quiche is one of our favorite dishes, but it's loaded with fat and calories from the crust. With a frittata, you get all the good stuff a quiche has without the cream and fattening crust, and in half the time. This breakfast is a great way to start your day. It's fairly quick to make, tastes great, and it's full of veggies and protein. Feel free to use whatever vegetables or cheese you have around that need using.

Mamma's Frittata
8 eggs
1 Tb. butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black or white pepper
1-2 leeks, sliced (or you can use 1 small shallot, diced small)
5-6 small new potatoes, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, diced
8-10 asparagus spears diced
1 package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained well (or use fresh if you can)
1 tsp. dried or fresh thyme
1 cup Swiss cheese, grated

Preheat oven to broil.
Melt butter in a large cast iron (or oven proof) skillet on medium heat.
Add potatoes, red peppers and shallots or leeks and saute for 3-5 minutes.
Place a lid on the skillet for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are firm but tender.
Meanwhile, mix the eggs and milk with seasonings and set aside. I put all of my ingredients and mixed it in the blender for a few seconds.
When the potatoes are done, add garlic to the skillet and saute for 1 minute.
Add the spinach and asparagus and saute for another few minutes.
Pour egg mixture over the vegetables and stir.
Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top and cook for about 4 more minutes until the eggs start
to set.
Place in the broiler for 3-4 minutes until lightly brown and fluffy.
Let it rest for a few minutes, slice and serve.

Mini Turkey Meat Loaves

This is probably the healthiest, yet best tasting turkey meat loaf I have had yet. I only cook chicken or turkey maybe once or twice every month, so when I do make it, I am always impressed when it actually turns out. My dear meat eating husband, Adam LOVED this recipe and asked me to post this one on the blog, so here it is.

Mini Turkey Meat Loaves
Recipe adapted from, Weelicious.com

1/2 Cup Spinach, (thawed and drained if using frozen) chopped
1/2 Cup Onion, chopped
1/2 Cup Red and or yellow Bell Pepper
1/2 Cup Baby Carrots, chopped
1 Egg, beaten
1 Garlic Clove
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 pinch dried Rosemary
1 pinch dried Thyme
1 tsp. dried Basil
*1/2 Cup soft Bread Crumbs (I put a slice of whole wheat sourdough in the food processor to make mine) * To make this gluten free, you can replace the bread crumbs with ground rolled oats instead.
1/4 Cup Cheddar Cheese, white or orange, shredded
1/4 Cup Cottage Cheese
1.25 Lb. Ground Turkey (93% lean ground meat)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray a nonstick muffin tin with vegetable oil cooking spray or grease with oil.
3. Place all of the ingredients, except the turkey, in a food processor and pulse until everything is combined and the vegetables are in tiny pieces.
4. Place the ground turkey and vegetable mixture in a bowl and thoroughly combine (using your hands is the easiest way to do it).
5. Place meatloaf mixture in the muffin pans and pack down with a spoon.
6. Bake until the mini turkey loaves are cooked through or an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees F, about 40-50 minutes.
7. Cool and serve. We topped ours with organic ketchup, but is not necessary as this is really flavorful. Roasted and herbed Brussel sprouts and new potatoes were a nice side dish to this hearty meal.

Quinoa Risotto with Mushrooms and Thyme

We had a long fun day today and I had nothing planned for dinner tonight. Around 4:00 Adam got on Epicurious.com and we made the first quick thing he saw, which was a quinoa risotto. Quinoa is a super grain (actually a seed related to spinach) that is packed with complete protein and contains high levels of potassium and riboflavin, as well as other B vitamins and minerals. I am always excited to try any dish with this ingredient, and who doesn't like risotto? Right?

Turns out this dish was very easy, filling, healthy and good! Here's the recipe!

Quinoa Risotto with Mushrooms and Thyme

Recipe from, Bon Appetit January, 2010

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 8-ounce package sliced crimini (baby bella) mushrooms
6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, sliced (I used a dried mixture of mushrooms and soaked them for 20 minutes in warm water....then used the soaking water for the quinoa, but it's not necessary.)
3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
1 cup dry white wine
Grated Parmesan cheese

Bring 2 cups salted water to boil in medium saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender and water is absorbed, about 13 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until onion begins to brown, 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and thyme. Sautée; until mushrooms are tender, 6 minutes. Add wine; stir until wine is reduced and liquid is syrupy.

Mix quinoa into mushroom mixture; season with salt and pepper. Top with cheese separately.

Vegetable Lentil Soup

As you all know, we love soup in this family. Since we don't eat much meat, I am always happy to find a recipe that includes lentils. They contain high levels of protein, plenty of fiber, folate, vitamin B1, and minerals. They are also one of the best vegetarian sources for iron, which is important for growing kids and pregnant women, a win win in our house :) This soup also includes lots of veggies which we love as well. And the taste...well, you should try it, it's super hearty and full of flavor! A new favorite : ) Add some warm crusty bread and call it dinner!

Lentil Vegetable Soup
Recipe adapted by a recipe on babyfit.com

1 cup dried brown lentils
4 cups vegetable broth
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, diced
2 leeks, sliced (or you can use 1 medium onion, diced)
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
4 celery stalks (including leaves,)chopped
1 small bunch of kale, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste


1. Pour lentils in a bowl, cover with water, and allow to sit overnight. (Alternatively, you can bring them to a boil in 2 cups of water or broth, then simmer with the lid on for 25 minutes until tender, but not mushy).

2. Over medium heat, cook leeks (or onions) in olive oil in a large soup pan. Add garlic and celery. Once celery begins to soften, add carrots, tomatoes, bay leaf and vegetable stock.

3. Pour in drained lentils.

4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and allow the soup to
simmer for 30 minutes.

5. Remove and discard bay leaf and add vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!