Lemony Pasta with Zucchini and Pine Nuts

Here's the original recipe. I just omitted the chicken for mine.

Ingredients:
4 oz pasta, shape of your choice
1/2 T olive oil
1 zucchini, halved lengthwise, sliced into 1/2" thick pieces
onion powder
2 T pine nuts
1-1/2 T lemon juice
Sprinkle of red pepper flakes


Directions:
Prepare pasta according to package directions.
Heat oil in a small skillet. Add zucchini, onion powder, pine nuts, and red pepper flakes and saute until zucchini is nicely browned (about 5 min).

Reduce heat and add lemon juice.
Serve over pasta.

Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 309
Fat: 10.5g
Saturated: 1g
Carbs: 45g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 8.5g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4
Dave: 4

Ginger Mushroom Chicken/Tofu

Got this recipe from a Light & Tasty magazine. It can also be found online. Now, if you are a normal person, and don't constantly forget to make the rice for a recipe, you could eat this over rice. If you're me, you realize at the last minute that you didn't make the rice, then stub your toe really hard (unrelated, but ever more frustrating), and decide to eat it without rice. *shrug* Take your pick. This makes 4 servings. I only made 2.

Ingredients:
1 c fresh snow peas
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
3/4 c milk (unsweetened silk)
1 lb chicken or 4 svg extra firm tofu
3 tsp grapeseed oil
1/2 lb sliced baby portobello mushrooms
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Directions:
Place snow peas in a small saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; boil for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, salt, pepper and milk until smooth; set aside.
In a large non-stick skillet or wok (I just used the same saucepan I boiled the peas in), stir-fry chicken/tofu in 1 tsp hot oil. Remove and keep warm.
In the same pan, stir-fry mushrooms and ginger in remaining oil for 2 min. Add peas, stir-fry for 2 min longer.
Stir cornstarch mixture and stir into mushroom mixture.
Return chicken/tofu to pan. Bring to a boil; cool and stir for 2 min or until thickened.
Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Tofu (no rice):                    Chicken (no rice):
Calories: 153                     Calories: 163
Fat: 8g                               Fat: 4.5g
Saturated: 0.5g                  Saturated: 0.5g
Carbs: 7.5g                       Carbs: 5.5g
Fiber: 2.5g                        Fiber: 1.5g
Protein: 12g                      Protein: 26g

Ratings:
Kristen: 3
Dave: 3

Cinnamon Pancakes

Original recipe, courtesy of sparkpeople.com. (I made half of this.)

Ingredients:
1.25 c whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 T sugar
1 c soy milk
6 T warm water + 2 T ground flax seed (or 2 eggs)
1 T vanilla
2 T cinnamon


Directions:
Add 2 T flax seed to 6 T warm water. Cover and let sit 5 minutes.
Mix together flour, baking soda and sugar. In another bowl, mix together milk, flax seed mixture and vanilla.
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Add cinnamon last.

Make pancakes. :)
Makes 6 medium pancakes.


Nutritional Information:
(per pancake)
Calories: 135
Fat: 2g
Saturated: 0.5g
Carbs: 26g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 5g


Ratings:
Kristen: 3.5
Dave: 3.5


The cinnamon was good, but I probably won't use this pancake recipe again. I'll add cinnamon to my other pancake batter!

Asparagus & Mushroom Pasta

Original recipe is here, courtesy of SparkPeople.

Ingredients:
2 servings pasta, shape of your choice
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
8 spears asparagus, ends trimmed, and chopped
3/4 fresh mushrooms, pieces or slices
1/4 cup vegetable broth
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Also in Dave's serving:
4 oz cooked chicken (I just baked it in the oven)
1/3c chopped tomato

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a small skillet. Add asparagus and mushrooms; saute for 1-2 minutes.
Add chicken broth and cover pan; cook until asparagus is crisp tender.
Drain pasta and return to pot. Stir in asparagus/mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
If adding chicken, do so now and incorporate until warm.
If using tomatoes, sprinkle on top of pasta after it's plated.
Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional Information:                        Ratings:
(no chicken or tomatoes*)                        Kristen: 3.5
Calories: 255                                            Dave: 4
Fat: 3.5g
Saturated: 0.5g
Carbs: 45.5g
Fiber: 3.5g
Protein: 9.5g

*Chicken and tomatoes adds 105 calories, 1g of fat, 4g of carbs and 23g of protein.

                                  (Dave's was prettier!)
               

Artichokes with Dill Sauce

My mom always made this recipe when we are growing up. It's one of my very favorites!!!!

Ingredients:
2 artichokes, stems chopped off
butter, vinegar and dill weed to taste*We like ours heavy on the vinegar, especially Dave! Start with a tablespoon or 2 of butter, and add vinegar until you like the taste. Maybe 1/2 tsp of dill. Usually I would use whatever kind of margarine. Tonight I used Bestlife Buttery Spread. It's the

Directions:
Boil artichokes, covered, in a large pot for about 30 minutes. Check for doneness by taking off an outside leaf. If you can scrape off the fleshy part with your teeth, it's done. If not, boil longer!
To make the sauce, melt butter in a small saucepan. Add vinegar and dill weed to taste. Serve in individual ramekins or small mugs.
If you have never eaten a whole artichoke before and aren't sure what to do, here is a page that explains it very well!!
Serves 2.

Nutritional Information:

Obviously this totally depends on the size of your artichokes and how much butter you use, but here's an estimate:
Calories: 75
Fat: 1.5g
Saturated: 0.5g
Carbs: 13.5g
Fiber: 7g
Protein: 4g

Ratings:
Kristen: 5
Dave: 4

*We like ours heavy on the vinegar, especially Dave! Maybe start with a tablespoon or 2 of butter, and add vinegar until you like the taste. Maybe 1/2 tsp of dill. Usually I would use whatever kind of margarine. Tonight I used Bestlife Buttery Spread. It's the first time I've noticed a taste difference when using this product. (It's soy-based.) Taste-wise, it blended kind of strangely with the vinegar, I think, for an almost... spicy (?) sort of taste? It wasn't bad, just different.

Sweet Sesame Cashew Tofu (or Chicken)

I took this recipe from my friend Holly's blog.

Ingredients:
2 servings (79g each) Nasoya extra firm tofu, cubed and drained, OR 8 oz chicken tenderloins
1 T grapeseed oil (or any other oil of your choice)
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp sesame seeds
1/4 c cashews, chopped
1/4 c vegetable broth
1 T cornstarch
2 T pancake syrup
2 T seasoned rice vinegar
1 T ketchup
1/2 T low sodium soy sauce
8 oz can water chestnuts, sliced
1 c uncooked rice


Directions:
1. Cook rice according to package directions.
2. Heat oil in a skillet. Add tofu, garlic, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and cashews. Saute until tofu is lightly browned; remove from skillet.
3. Whisk together broth and cornstarch until combined. Add syrup, vinegar, ketchup, and soy sauce. Heat until mixture thickens.
4. Add water chestnuts and tofu mixture; heat through.
Serve over cooked rice. Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Tofu:                               Chicken:                             Ratings:
Calories: 553                  Calories: 563                             Kristen: 4
Fat: 23g                          Fat: 19.5g                                  Dave: 4
Saturated: 2.5g               Saturated: 2.5g
Carbs: 69g                      Carbs: 67g
Fiber: 4g                         Fiber: 3g
Protein: 17.5g                 Protein: 31.5

                          

Sesame Tofu Stir Fry

The original recipe is from Fitness Magazine and can be found here.

Ingredients:
2 servings (79g each) Nasoya extra firm tofu, cubed and drained OR 8 oz boneless pork loin, cubed
(Or, if you are a vegetarian who is married to a meat-eater, 1/2 of each!) :)
1 T cornstarch
1/8 c finely chopped peanuts
1/2 T sesame seeds
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/16 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tsp grapeseed oil (or any other oil you wish)
8 oz frozen stir-fry vegetables
1/3 cup bottled General Tso's sauce (Next time I make this I'm going to use 1/2 c)
1 c uncooked rice
(I was planning on using brown rice, but I forgot all about making the rice until the rest was almost done, so I made white rice because it's faster!)

Directions:
1. Cook rice according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, lightly coat tofu with cornstarch. In a bowl, combine 1/2 T of the peanuts, the sesame seeds, ginger, and red pepper. Add tofu; toss gently.
3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add tofu mixture to skillet. Cook briefly, stirring gently, until sesame seeds are toasted and tofu begins to brown (until pork is cooked through).
4. Remove tofu. Add vegetables to skillet; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes, or until heated through. Add General Tso's sauce; cook and stir gently until mixture is bubbly. Stir in tofu; heat through. Sprinkle with remaining peanuts. Serve over rice.
Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Tofu:                                                          Pork:
Calories: 471                                             Calories: 501
Fat: 14.5g                                                  Fat: 13.6g
Saturated: 1.5g                                          Saturated: 2.5g
Carbs: 66.5g                                              Carbs: 64.5
Fiber: 5.5g                                                 Fiber: 4.6g
Protein: 17.5g                                            Protein: 30.5g

      Forks:
      Kristen: 4.5
      Dave: 4.5

Burger-Dilla

This is a Hungry Girl recipe. I made some changes. Here's the original recipe. It's a swap for a similar Chili's recipe.

Ingredients:
1 T dairy free ranch dressing
1 tsp taco sauce
1 Boca burger
2 small flour tortillas
1 T salsa
1/3 avocado, sliced
1/4 cup shredded lettuce

Directions:
1. To make the sauce, combine ranch dressing with taco sauce in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
2. Prepare burger patty on the stove in a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray. (Refer to package instructions for exact temperature and time.) Set aside and allow skillet to cool.
3. Lay one tortilla flat on a dry surface and spread with sauce. Top with avocado, salsa, lettuce, and cooked patty. Top with other tortilla.
4. Re-spray skillet and gently place quesadilla burger in it. Bring to medium-high heat on the stove. Cook until outsides are lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side, flipping carefully (yeah, there is no way to do this neatly!!) and pressing down with a spatula.
Makes 1 serving.

*Note: For Dave's, I used 1 T ranch dressing, 1 tsp taco sauce, a 4 oz burger (extra lean), 2 small flour tortillas, 2 T salsa (he doesn't like avocado), 1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese, 1/4 c shredded lettuce, and a few bacos.

Nutritional Information:
(Kristen  --------------------     Dave)
Calories: 335                           512
Fat: 13g                                   25g
Saturated: 2g                           8.5g
Carbs: 40g                              33.5g
Fiber: 7.5g                               2.5g
Protein: 18.5g                          37g

Forks:
Kristen: 4
Dave: 4

Pasta with Veggie Garlic Butter Sauce

This is more of a method than a recipe. I make pasta with garlic butter sauce for myself ALL the time. I used to eat it sprinkled with parmesan cheese. You wouldn't think this would add so much to it, but I find without the parmesan cheese it's really boring. So I've been adding veggies to the mix. Here's what I made tonight.

Ingredients:
2 oz pasta of your choice
1 T butter (I used Bestlife Buttery Spread)
1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped
onion powder
Sliced/chopped veggies of your choice (Tonight I used zucchini and mushrooms, about 2 oz each)

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, saute veggies in a small skillet sprayed with non-stick spray. Sprinkle with onion powder.
Remove veggies from pan and reduce heat. When cooled, saute garlic in butter.
Drain pasta. Just before serving, add veggies back to skillet just to warm through. Pour veggie/butter sauce over pasta.
Serves 1.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 300
Fat: 7g
Saturated: 2g
Carbs: 47g
Fiber: 3.5g
Protein: 9.5g

Forks:
Kristen: 5

Savory Bean and Kale Soup

Original recipe is here, courtesy of Fitness Magazine.

Ingredients:
42 oz vegetable broth (mine's homemade!)
15 oz tomato puree
15.5 oz great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c uncooked rice
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bunch of kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped (or spinach!)

Directions:
In a crockpot, combine vegetable broth, tomato puree, beans, rice, onion powder, basil, salt, pepper, and garlic.
Cover; cook on low 5 to 7 hours or on high 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours.
Just before serving, stir in kale.
Makes 8 (1 cup) servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 93
Fat: 0.5g
Saturated: 0g
Carbs: 17g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 5g

DELICIOUS! :)
***FORK SYSTEM!!! (Back by popular demand!!)
Kristen: 5

Curried Chickpea Cakes

I found a vegan blog I like a lot called go vegan meow! I got this recipe there. Here is the original recipe. I changed it a little based on what I had. Also I only made half of the recipe I'm posting.

Ingredients:

15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

onion powder

1/3 c unsweeted soy milk

2 tsp sugar

2/3 c breadcrumbs

1 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cumin

2/3 c cooked rice

1/2 tsp salt

4 T grapeseed oil (or any oil) for pan searing

 

Directions:

In a food processor, combine the chickpeas and onion powder. Pulse until combined. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Add the milk, sugar, breadcrumbs, curry powder, nutmeg and cumin. Stir together with a wooden spoon until well combined. Stir in the rice and salt. Mold into 12 mini patties.

In a saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chickpea cakes to the pan in batches and saute until there's a nice golden sear on the bottom. Flip and sear on the other side as well. Continue with the remaining cakes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Makes 6 servings (2 cakes each).

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 200

Fat: 6.5g

Saturated: 0.5g

Carbs: 30g

Fiber: 3.5g

Protein: 6g

Serving Suggestion:

Serve in a warmed flour tortilla with lettuce, diced cucumber and salsa.

I used Mission Flour Tortillas, 1/2 leaf of lettuce, 1/8 of a cucumber, and 1T salsa 

for each serving.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 349

Fat: 9.5g

Saturated: 1.5g

Carbs: 55.5g

Fiber: 5g

Protein: 10.5g

Great Green Bean Casserole

This recipe also came from Meatout Mondays. Original recipe is here. I made 1/4 of the recipe so I made it in little ramekins.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 lbs green beans
10 oz mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
cayenne pepper, generous pinch
2 T flour
3/4 c vegetable broth
3/4 c unsweetened soymilk
1-1/2 slices whole grain bread (Koepplinger's Whole Grain White Bread)
1 T margarine (Bestlife Buttery Spread)
salt & pepper (to taste)

Directions:
Boil green beans and drain.
Chop mushrooms into pieces.
Spray non-stick pan with non-stick spray; add the mushrooms, garlic, cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste; cook until mushrooms are very soft and exude their juices.
Whisk the flour into the vegetable broth and add to mushrooms.
Simmer, stirring, until mixture thickens; add soymilk and simmer until thick, about 5 to 10 minutes; adjust the seasonings and stir in the beans.
For the topping, put bread, margarine, salt, and pepper into a food processor and pulse until crumbly.
Put green beans into an oiled casserole dish and top with bread crumbs.
Bake at 425F for about 15 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 78
Fat: 1.5g
Saturated: 0.5g
Carbs: 11.5g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 3.5g

Hearty Holiday Nut Loaf

I get a weekly email called Meatout Mondays. This recipe came about a month ago. I made 1/4 of the following recipe.

Ingredients:
1 c finely chopped celery
onion powder
3/4 c bread flour
2/3 c chopped walnuts
2 T ground flax seed
2 c canned chickpeas, drained
1 c water
2 T low-sodium soy sauce
1 t salt
1/8 t garlic powder
1/2 c water
parsley (optional - for garnish) 

Directions:
Sauté the celery until tender.
Place in a bowl with flour, nuts, and flax seed; blend next five ingredients together in a food processor or blender until smooth, then add to the bowl with the celery mixture.
Rinse food processor/blender with last ½ cup water and then add to mixture and mix well.
Spoon into 8"x 8" baking dish lined with baking parchment or sprayed with non-stick spray; bake covered for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Uncover and bake 15 minutes more. Garnish with parsley if desired. Serve with mushroom or cashew gravy.

Makes 16 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 94
Fat: 4g
Saturated: 0.5g
Carbs: 12.5g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 3g

Potato Skins

Ingredients:
2 potatoes
1 tsp butter (I used  Bestlife Buttery Spread)
cheddar cheese (20g of cheddar style Teese for mine/shredded cheddar for Dave's)
1/2 c broccoli, finely chopped

Directions:
Bake potatoes in the microwave, and then allow them to cool enough to handle.
Preheat oven to 425F. Cut potatoes in half and scoop out the insides.
Melt butter in microwave and brush over the insides of the potatoes. Fill the potatoes with cheese and broccoli.
Bake for 15 minutes. Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional Information*:
Calories: 237
Fat: 5.5g
Saturated: 2g
Carbs: 42g
Fiber: 5.5g
Protein: 5g

*For one whole potato (including scooped out part) using teese (cheese slightly more)

Baked Zucchini Fries

Last month we had a rewards assembly at school and as part of it each kid got a Kid Approved: Healthy Snacks cookbook from PE-Nut (part of the Michigan Nutrition Network). Anyway, I got a cookbook too and that's where this recipe came from.

Ingredients:
1 zucchini, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1-1/2 T italian bread crumbs
1-1/2 T balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 475F.
Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour vinegar into a small bowl and breadcrumbs onto a small dish. Dip the zucchini strips first into the vinegar, and then coat with breadcrumbs before placing them on the baking sheet.
Bake 5 minutes, turn strips over, and bake until crumbs are lightly browned, about 5 more minutes.

Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 34
Fat: 0.5g
Carbs: 7g
Fiber: 1.5g
Protein: 1.5g

Baked Mushrooms

This is from a Light & Tasty Magazine (Aug/Sept 2005).

Ingredients:
1/2 lb mushrooms (I used white)
1 celery rib, chopped
nonstick cooking spray
1/4 c veggie broth (or white wine)
salt, pepper, and onion powder to taste

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Place mushrooms in a small baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. In a nonstick skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, saute celery. Stir in the broth or wine, salt, pepper, and onion powder; heat through. Pour over mushrooms.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
Makes 3 servings.

Nutritional Information:(1/2 cup)
Calories: 21
Fat: 0.3g
Saturated: 0g
Carbs: 3.5g
Fiber: 1.5g
Protein: 2.5g

The recipe was presented in the magazine as a side dish. It's kind of eh for a side dish, but I ate mine mixed in with ramen noodles (oriental flavor), which was good. It would also be good served over rice.

Apple Pie

I got this recipe from my mom. Well, I changed it just a little.

Ingredients:

CRUST:
2 c flour
3/4 c Crisco (or any combination of crisco and butter, or just butter)
1/4 tsp salt
8-10 T ice cold water

PIE FILLING:
6 apples (assorted), cored and chopped (no need to peel)
1/2 c sugar
4 tsp flour
1/4 tsp each nutmeg and cloves
3/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Pulse crisco, flour, and salt in a food processor until crumbly (or cut together with knives). Add the water 1 T at a time until the mixture becomes more doughy (but not too doughy). [Note: When I have made this before I've cut the flour/salt and crisco together with knives and used 8-10T of water. This is the first time I've made it with a food processor and I think it only took 4T of water.] Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour. (This makes 2 pie crusts... a top and a bottom. If you only need 1, like for pumpkin pie, halve the recipe. I divide it in 2 before refrigerating.)

Mix together all filling ingredients.

Roll out pie dough and place in pie pan. Pour in filling, and top with the other crust. (Leave as one whole piece, or cut into strips for a lattice crust.)

Wet the top crust slightly with cold water (use your fingers) and add additional sugar/cinnamon/nutmeg/cloves.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 and continue baking for 45 more minutes.

Makes 8 slices.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 380

Fat: 18.5g

Saturated: 4.5g

Carbs: 51g

Fiber: 3g

Protein: 3.5g

Mushroom Gravy

This recipe is from the side of a Tofurky box!

Ingredients:
4 oz mushrooms, sliced (I used white mushrooms but you could use other kinds)
2 tsp + 1 T oil
1/4 c unbleached white flour
2 c vegetable broth
1/2 T soy sauce
Pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.

Directions:
Lightly saute the sliced mushrooms in the 2 tsp oil. In another pan, combine and bubble the flour and 1 T oil together over low heat for 1 minute. Whisk in the broth along with the soy sauce, black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Cook until thickened, whisking out any lumps. Stir in the mushrooms and serve.
Makes about 2-3/4 c.

Nutritional Information:(per 1/4c)
Calories: 30
Fat: 2g
Saturated: 0.5g
Carbs: 2g
Protein: 0.5g

Stuffing

This is the stuffing that Dave makes me for Thanksgiving. It is about my favorite food on the planet- no joke. He makes the best stuffing ever- just like his grandma! He makes his also with onions, and chicken broth. I can't tell the difference between the vegetable broth and chicken broth at all. Neither could any of my family when we took this to Thanksgiving at my aunt's yesterday.

Ingredients:
1 loaf of bread (this year we used Bimbo brand, which is 60 cal/slice- obviously the bread you use is going to determine how many calories... but white bread is a must)
2 c chopped celery
1/2 c butter, melted (I used Bestlife Buttery Spread, 60 cal/T)
2 cans (14.5 oz each) vegetable or no-chicken broth
onion powder, paprika, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper

Directions:
Tear the bread into small pieces in a large bowl. Add chopped celery. Pour in the melted butter and the broth and mix well. Pour into a baking dish and bake at 350, covered, for an hour and a half. Uncover and continue to bake for an additional 15-30 minutes.
Makes 8 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 250
Fat: 7.5g
Saturated: 2g
Carbs: 37g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 6g

Veggie Pasta Salad

I got this recipe from a Light & Tasty magazine (Aug/Sept '06). I changed it just a little by putting in onion powder instead of green onions, garlic powder instead of garlic, and omitting the parmesan cheese. (I have made it with the cheese in the past, but I honestly liked it better without!) The recipe also calls for tomatoes, which I include, but in the form of cherry/grape tomatoes, so that I can easily pick around them without having to have yucky tomato bits in my salad. :) I'm not including them in this recipe & nutritional info since I don't eat them. :) I took this to my aunt's house for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it.

Ingredients:
8 oz tricolor spiral pasta
1 c each chopped celery, green pepper, zucchini, and carrots
3 T balsamic vinegar
2 T olive oil
1 T sugar
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
garlic powder & onion powder to taste

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; stir into vegetable mixture.
Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours prior to serving.
Makes 10 (1 cup) servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 130
Fat: 3g
Saturated: 0.5g
Carbs: 22g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 3g

Veggie Cavatini

This is based on a family recipe. I've made some changes to my grandma's cavatini!! Hopefully that's not a mortal sin... ;-) I used vegan "sausage" instead of real sausage, omitted pepperoni and cheese, and added extra veggies. Feel free to use whatever sounds good to you! I just chose from what I had on hand.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 c pasta (I used rotini, but use whatever shape you want!)
4 oz Gimme Lean Sausage
3 oz mushrooms
3 oz green pepper (1/2 of a green pepper)
3 oz zucchini (1/2 of a small zucchini)
2 oz artichoke hearts
1-1/2 c pasta sauce (I used Meijer Naturals Tomato Basil sauce, which was delicious!)
Season as you wish (I used garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350.
Cook pasta as directed.
Meanwhile, brown the sausage. Add the vegetables and saute, seasoning to taste.
Mix together the cooked pasta, sausage/veggie mixture, and pasta sauce.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 180
Fat: 2.5g
Carbs: 30g
Fiber: 6g
Protein: 9.5g

Pita Pockets

This recipe came with my bread machine. It's very simple and very good!

Ingredients:
1-1/3 c warm water
2 T + 2 tsp olive oil
1 T + 1 tsp sugar
1-1/4 tsp salt
2 c bread flour
1-1/2 c whole wheat flour
1-3/4 tsp bread machine yeast (or Red Star Quick Rise yeast, or 2-1/2 tsp Red Star active dry yeast)

Directions:
Put all ingredients in bread machine on dough program. When finished (mine takes 1:20), place on a lightly floured surface. Divide into 10 pieces and shape each piece into a smooth ball.
Place 5 balls on a large baking sheet. Place the remaining 5 balls on another baking sheet. Let rise 20 minutes. With fingertips, flatten each ball into a 6" circle.
Bake at 500F for 5 minutes until puffed and tops begin to brown.
Makes 10 pita rounds.

Nutritional Information: (one whole pocket)
Calories: 140
Fat: 4g
Saturated: 0.5g
Polyunsaturated: 0.5g
Monounsaturated: 2.5g
Carbs: 24g
Fiber: 2.5g
Protein: 4g

Tu-Nut Sandwiches

This is supposed to be a vegan version of a tuna sandwich. It's not supposed to TASTE like tuna, but have the same texture. I have NEVER liked tuna sandwiches, but this is good. Original recipe is here.

Ingredients*:
1 c raw unsalted almonds
1/4-1/2 c reserved water
1/2 c marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 T liquid from marinated artichoke container
1 T grape seed oil
3/4 T maple syrup (or agave)
Season as you wish: I used salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and parsley
1/4-1/2 c celery bits


Directions:
Soak your almonds overnight - at least 6 hours. Add a few pinches of salt to the soaking water.
When you are ready to process the almonds, add 1 cups of the soaked nuts to a food processor. Add about 1/4 cup of the soaking water as well. Next add the maple syrup, grape seed oil, garlic powder and a pinch of the salt and pepper.
Blend on medium/high until the mixture becomes blended into fine flaked scraps. Add more water if too dry. You do not want to over-process the nuts for this recipe because you want them to resemble a flaky tuna-inspired texture.
Next, add in the artichokes and artichoke marinade liquid. 
Blend the almond/artichoke mixture until you are happy with the texture. Pulsing is a good food processor setting to use. Do a taste test and adjust salt/pepper/sweetness/spices/water to your taste buds.
Serve in pita pockets.
Makes about 2 cups.

Nutritional Information: (per 1/2 c serving)
Calories: 256
Fat: 21.5g
Saturated: 1.5g
Polyunsaturated: 7g
Monounsaturated: 12g
Carbs: 12g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 8g


*The original recipe called for marinated mushrooms, but my store didn't have any. The artichokes were good and mushrooms would be equally good.
The mixture was a little sweet for my liking. Next time I make it I will omit the maple syrup.
You could use any type of oil in place of the grape seed oil- olive/sunflower/canola oil would be fine. Peanut oil might also be really good.
That said, it was very good!

Vegetarian Stew

Original recipe is here. I changed it slightly just based on what I had. Here's what I did.

Ingredients:
2 c apple cider
2 c vegetable broth
1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped into large chunks
4 apples, cut into large chunks
1 parsnip, sliced
4 ribs of celery, sliced
2 potatoes, chopped into large chunks
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks
5 small carrots, peeled and sliced
1 red onion, sliced into large chunks
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours.
Makes 12 1-cup servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 152
Fat: 0.3g
Carbs: 38g
Fiber: 5g
Sugar: 6g
Protein: 3g

I also sprinkled my individual bowl with cinnamon and nutmeg. Yum!

Garlic & Roasted Veggie Ravioli with Veggies & Tomato Sauce

Welcome to edition 1 of "What I Had For Dinner Tonight". Some things aren't so much recipes as just putting things together. Here's how I spiced up frozen ravioli tonight. (Amounts are included just for calorie count, use whatever amounts you like!)

Ingredients:
1/2 c Rising Moon Organics Garlic & Roasted Veggies Ravioli
3/8 c Meijer Organics Tomato Sauce
Fresh mushrooms, green pepper, and zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
Non-stick spray
Seasoning (I used salt, pepper, and onion powder)
1 tsp Vegan Grated Topping, Parmesan Flavor

Directions:
Cook ravioli according to package directions. Meanwhile, spray a small skillet with non-stick spray and saute the veggies. Season to taste. Add tomato sauce and heat through.
Serve sauce and veggies over ravioli and top with grated topping.
Makes 1 serving.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 312
Fat: 1g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Carbs: 64g
Protein: 13g
Fiber: 6g

Zippy Three-Bean Chili

Recipe from Taste of Home's Light & Tasty magazine, October/November 2004.

Ingredients:
1c chopped fresh mushrooms
1c chopped green pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2c water
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained (I used Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes)
1 envelope taco seasoning (Ortega is vegan, many other brands that I looked at contained milk)
1 can (15.5 oz) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15.5 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained (I used kidney beans)
1 can (15.5 oz) pinto beans, rinsed and drained


I made 2 versions of this. One, as listed above. The recipe called for 3 other ingredients, which I used in Dave's version only (I used only half of this, for obvious reasons):
1 lb extra lean ground beef
1/2 c chopped onion
8 T shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Directions:
[In a large saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.]
Add the mushrooms, peppers, and garlic; cook and stir 3 minutes longer or until vegetables are almost tender. Stir in the water, tomatoes, and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Add beans; simmer 30 minutes longer.
[Sprinkle each serving with 1 T cheese.]
Makes 8 servings (1 cup each).

Nutritional Information: (w/o beef, onions, and cheese)
Calories: 170
Fat: 0.9g
Carbs: 29g
Fiber: 7.7g
Protein: 9.2g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4

Pasta with Artichokes, Sundried Tomatoes and Arugula

Original Recipe

Ingredients:
3 oz oil-packed artichoke hearts, drained, 1/2 T oil reserved
3 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, 1/2 T oil reserved
1/6 c white wine
3 c arugula leaves
4.4 oz dry pasta, shape of your choice
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
1. Coarsely chop artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes; set aside.

2. Heat oil from artichokes and oil from tomatoes in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes, and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine, and cook 3 minutes, or until most of wine has evaporated. Stir in arugula, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until wilted.

3. Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Return drained pasta to pot with reserved cooking liquid, and stir in artichoke mixture. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 399*
Fat: 13.2
Saturated: 1.1g
Poly: 1.3g
Mono: 5g
Carbs: 54g
Fiber: 5.6g
Protein: 11.8g


Ratings:
Kristen: 4
Dave: 3.25


*I'm not totally sure about the calorie count, because the nutritional info for the artichokes does, I believe, include the oil it is packed in, but the tomatoes do not. I used the information on the jars of the artichokes and tomatoes and added information for 1T of olive oil (for the 1/2T + 1/2T reserved oil). So it may actually be less calories than this. Either way, it was really good and totally worth it! :)

Pot Pie

Original recipe courtesy of Ellen! This was supposed to be vegan pot pie, but as it turned out, two of my ingredients were not vegan. Oops.

Ingredients:

1 T olive oil
onion powder
1 cup celery, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
4 T flour
16 oz bag frozen peas and carrots
2 cups no-chicken stock or strong vegetable broth
2 cups Morningstar Farms meal starters chik'n strips (I used chik'n in mine and actual chicken in Dave's!)
1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (Oops, this is not vegan. It contains lard!)
Melted vegan butter as needed (I used 1 tsp of Bestlife Buttery Spread. This is also not completely vegan. The company says that the vitamin D3 that they add to it is sometimes from animal sources. It is REALLY good though. For future reference, Earth Balance IS completely vegan.)

Directions:

Using a small stock pot, heat oil and sauté onion and celery until translucent. Add garlic and sauté two minutes more. Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until well incorporated.
Pour in stock and stir. Simmer until filling has thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add peas, carrots, and chik'n/chicken and stir.

Roll out pie crust and cut it about 1/2 an inch larger than the dish(es) you are using. I ended up using 3 small ramekins for mine and a small stoneware casserole for Dave's.
Place filling in dish(es) and top with pie crust. Rub top side of crust with a little melted butter.
Bake in preheated 420° oven for 15-20 minutes until crust is golden brown.
Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information: (With chik'n)
Calories: 280
Fat: 12g
Saturated: 4g
Poly: 1.5g
Mono: 5.5g
Carbs: 31g
Fiber: 3.5g
Sugar: 3.5g
Protein: 11.5g

Ratings:
Kristen: 3.5
Dave: 3.5

Spaghetti Squash

I've been wanting to try to make spaghetti squash for a looooong time, and I finally did! It takes some time to get it ready, but mostly cook time, not prep time!

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash
Pasta sauce of your choice

Directions:
Cut squash in half lengthwise. Discard the pulp- save seeds to roast!!
Put 1c of water into a pan with sides. Place the squash halves flesh-side down in the pan. Cook in the oven at 350F for about an hour, until you can pierce the squash with a fork. (Check periodically to make sure there is still water in the pan-- I didn't have to add any more.)
Let cool for 10 minutes and then scrape the strands out with a fork.
Serve with your favorite pasta sauce.

Nutritional Information: (Per 1 cup of spaghetti squash, not including sauce)
Calories: 42
Fat: 0.4g
Carbs: 10g
Fiber: 2.2g
Sugar: 3.9g
Protein: 1g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4.5
Dave: 1

Broccoli Cheese Soup

I got this recipe from a Light & Tasty magazine. Here's a link to the original recipe.

Ingredients:
1/2 c celery, diced
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 T flour
1-3/4c vegetable broth
4 c fresh broccoli, chopped
1/4-1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp black pepper
1-1/2 c milk (1%)
1 c shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a nonstick saucepan coated with cooking spray, saute celery until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Add the broccoli, tarragon, thyme and pepper; return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until broccoli is tender. Add milk; cook, uncovered, 5 minutes longer. Add cheese; stir until just melted.
Serves 4.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 163
Fat: 7.3g
Saturated Fat: 4.6g
Carbs: 13.6g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 13.1g


Ratings:
Kristen: 3
Dave: 2.5

*I wouldn't call this broccoli CHEESE soup. Yeah, it has cheese in it, but you really can't taste it. More like a cream of broccoli soup. The seasoning makes it better than a run-of-the-mill cream of broccoli though. It was still pretty good, just not cheesy. Dave added some more cheese to his, which he said took it from a 2.5 to a 3. It is very filling though! I had planned on having something else with it, but I am full!
*I'll upload a picture later.

Broke Bean Stew

Trying out some Biggest Loser recipes from their book "6 Weeks to a Healthier You". So far, they're great!

Ingredients:
1 T EVOO
1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
28 oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (Muir Glen)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper
3 (15.5 oz) cans chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, or white beans, rinsed and drained, or 4-1/2 c cooked beans (I used chickpeas, great northern beans, and red beans)
4 c fat-free, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (mine's homemade!)
1/4 c cilantro
3 c fresh baby spinach leaves or 3 c chopped kale or swiss chard (I used kale)

Directions:
In a 4-qt saucepan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Do not brown the garlic.
Add the tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, and crushed red pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups (2 cans) of the beans and 3-1/2 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.
Meanwhile, place the remaining 1-1/2 c of beans and 1/2 c of broth in a food processor or blender. Add the cilantro and puree or blend until smooth.
Add the puree to the stew. Add the greens and heat just until wilted. Stir well and serve hot.
Makes 10 (1 cup) servings.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 145
Fat: 2.2g
Saturated: 0.2g
Poly: 0.3g
Mono: 1g
Carbs: 22.7g
Fiber: 6.9g
Sugar: 4.3g
Protein: 7.7g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4
Dave: 3

Dave said he rated it a 3 because it was bland. He ate it as soon as it was ready but I didn't eat any until several hours later. Maybe letting the flavors blend for a little while longer helped. I am SHOCKED that I even liked this at all, because I normally don't like tomatoes OR onions, and there are lots of both in this. But it was really good! The onions and tomatoes did not bother me in the least.
Note: Any leftovers should freeze just fine. I'm planning on freezing about 6 cups.

Roasted Garlic Guacamole

Ingredients:
1 avocado (~100g)
2 cloves of garlic
1T chopped fresh cilantro
a squeeze of fresh lime juice

Directions:
Place unpeeled garlic in a small dry skillet over medium heat; cook, turning occasionally, until soft and blackened in spots, 10 to 15 min. Cool, then slip off the skins; finely chop.
Scoop avocado flesh into a bowl. Add the garlic, cilantro and lime juice to taste, and mash everything together with a fork. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 44.3
Fat: 3.9g
Saturated: 0.5g
Poly: 0.5g
Mono: 2.5g
Carbs: 2.8g
Fiber: 1.7g
Sugar: 0.1g
Protein: 0.6g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4

Lime Orzo

Here's the original recipe.

Here's how I made it:
Ingredients:
2 T EVOO
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 c orzo pasta
1/2 zucchini, shredded (80g)
1 small summer squash, shredded (90g)
1 carrot, peeled and shredded (70g)
kale, torn into medium-sized pieces (45g)
14.5 oz stewed tomatoes, undrained
14.5 oz vegetable broth (homemade!)
Italian seasoning, basil, parsley, salt and pepper to taste
zest and juice of one lime

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and uncooked orzo pasta; cook and stir until pasta turns a light, golden color, about 5 minutes. Stir in zucchini, squash, and carrots; cook until vegetables soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, basil, salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium. Cover, and simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add kale in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Stir in the parsley, lime zest, and lime juice. 
Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 432.7
Fat: 8.6g
Saturated: 1g
Poly: 1.1g
Mono: 5g
Carbs: 74.6g
Fiber: 5.1g
Sugar: 10.8g
Protein: 12.2g


Ratings:
Kristen: 4.5
Dave: 3.5


Just wanted to comment... this is a really nutritious dish. Yes, it's a little high on the calorie side, but it also has vegetables included, so you don't really need much in terms of a side dish. It's moderate in terms of fat, and most of it is the good fats. It's got decent fiber, 95% of your daily value of vitamin A, 35% of your vitamin C, and 40% of your folate! You could easily add chicken or sausage as well. I give this one an A+!
Now if  only I could find whole wheat orzo... that'd be even better.

Chewy Raspberry Almond Bars

I got this recipe from my cousin. They were actually supposed to be Chewy CHERRY Almond Bars, but I got raspberry preserves instead.

Ingredients:
1 c butter, softened
2 c packed brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 tsp almond extract
2 c all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
2 c regular rolled oats
1/2 c sliced almonds
1-12 oz jar (1 c) cherry preserves (My jar was 11 oz, raspberry preserves)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 13x9x2" baking pan with foil, extending foil over the edges of the pan. Grease foil; set pan aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and almond extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour, the oats, and almonds.
Remove 1/2 cup of the dough and set aside. Press the reamining dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Spread with preserves. Crumble the remaining dough evenly over preserves layer.
Bake in the preheated oven  about 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Using the edges of the foil, life the uncut bars out of the pan. Cut into bars.
Makes 36 bars. (I only cut mine into 20, but they are pretty big. 30 would have been better.)
To store: Place bars in a single layer in an airtight container (mine are in 2 layers separated by wax paper); cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days of freeze for up to 1 month.

Nutritional Information: (20 bars first, then 30, b/c next time I make them I'm going to cut them into 30.)

Calories: 290, 193
Fat: 10.9g, 7.3g
Saturated Fat: 5.8g, 3.9g
Carbs: 54.5g, 36.4g
Protein: 3.4g, 2.2g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4
Dave: 4

Easy Vegetarian Collard Greens

Original recipe comes from food.com

Ingredients:
1 lb collard greens (I had -and used- 8.4oz collard greens and 5.5oz beet greens)
2 garlic cloves
1-1/2c vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
hot sauce and/or red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions:
Wash greens well, submerging in a sink full of cold water to remove any dirt and grit. Drain well. Cut off the stems right where the leaf starts. Stack about 5-8 leaves on top of each other, then roll lengthwise. Cut rolled up leaves into 1" slices widthwise. Repeat until all the greens are done, and add to a large pot.
Add all other ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes or until greens are extremely tender. Serve hot, using a slotted spoon to drain the liquid from the greens.
Serves 4

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 45
Fat: 0.1g
Carbs: 8.6g
Protein: 2.7g

Ratings:
Dave: 4.5

Quinoa Chard Pilaf

Original recipe is here.

Here's how I made it:
Ingredients:
1/2 T EVOO
onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c uncooked quinoa (Ancient Harvest Inca Red Organic Quinoa)
1/2 c lentils *see note
4 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 c vegetable broth
1 bunch swiss chard, stems removed, torn into pieces (Mine was a little over 100g after I tore it)

Directions:
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion powder- saute until garlic is lightly browned. Mix in quinoa, lentils and mushrooms. Pour in the broth. Cover, and cook 20 minutes.
Remove the pot from heat. Gently mix chard into the pot. Cover and allow to sit 5 minutes or until chard is wilted.
Serves 4

Nutritional Information: 
Calories: 254
Fat: 5.7g
Saturated Fat: 0.3g
Carbs: 41.8g
Protein: 9.4g

Ratings:
Kristen: 3.5
Dave: 2

*Note: I found Tasty Bite Lentil Magic in my grocery store in the rice aisle. It's pre-cooked and pre-seasoned lentils in a vacuum packed bag. The original recipe calls for canned lentils, which I didn't find. Of course you could just cook your own lentils, but I did this once with less-than-favorable results and the premium on the price for this one is totally worth it to me!!

Cheesy Turnips and Carrots

Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
3 c diced peeled turnips
2 c sliced carrots
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 c water
1 tsp salt, divided
1/2 c chopped onion (onion powder)
1/2 c diced celery (normally I'd use this but I didn't have any so I used celery seed)
3 T butter
3 T all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp pepper
1-1/2 c milk
1 c shredded cheddar

Directions:
In a saucepan, combine turnips, carrots, ginger, water and 1/2 tsp salt. Cover and cook over medium high heat for 10-15 min or until vegetables are tender; drain and reserve liquid. Set vegetables aside.
In a skillet, saute onion and celery in butter until tender; stir in flour, pepper and remaining salt. Add milk and the vegetable liquid; bring to a boil. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in cheese until melted; stir in the vegetables and heat through.
Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 294
Fat: 18.5g
Saturated Fat: 11g
Carbs: 22g
Protein: 12g

Ratings:
Kristen: 3.5
Dave: 3

Harvard Beets

First of all, don't ask me why these are called Harvard beets!! The recipe is from grouprecipes.com.

Ingredients:
15 oz can of sliced beets, drained, reserve juice (I used 2 fresh beets, boiled until tender)
2 T sugar
1 T cornstarch
3 T vinegar
1 T butter
1/4 tsp salt, if desired (I omitted this)

Directions:
In a medium saucepan combine the sugar and cornstarch. Measure the beet liquid- you need 3/4 c- add water if necessary to bring the amount of liquid to this level. (I reserved cooking water for this.) Gradually stir the liquid into the saucepan, stirring to dissolve the cornstarch. Add the vinegar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. When the mixture boils, add the drained beets and the butter. Simmer for about 5 minutes to tone down the vinegar, and blend the flavors. Serve hot.
Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 74
Fat: 2.8 g
Saturated Fat: 1.8 g
Carbs: 12 g
Protein: 0.7g

Ratings:
Kristen: 2 (I'm not a fan of beets)
Dave: 3

Braised Kale, Potatoes and Mushrooms

This recipe is from food.com (formerly recipezaar).
Here's the original recipe (halved), with my amounts noted.

Ingredients:
1/8 c water
1/2 lb kale, stemmed and torn into large pieces (5.5 oz)
1/2 c diced uncooked red potatoes, with skin (4.9 oz idaho potatoes)
1/2 T EVOO
1/2 c portabella mushrooms, sliced (2.2 oz baby bellas)
1 medium shallots, minced (8 g red onion, chopped)
1 garlic clove, minced
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Place potatoes in medium saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and summer until tender, 7-10 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large, wide skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, shallots and garlic and cook, stirring often, until shallots are soft and mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add kale to mushroom mixture and cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Add water and cooked potatoes. Cover and cook until kale is bright green, about 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 115
Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
Carbs: 19 g
Protein: 4 g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4
Dave: 2 (He thought it was bland.)

Baked Chard Stems

Original Recipe

Ingredients:
Stems from one bunch of chard (mine was red chard)
Salt
2-1/2 T butter
3/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese (I used this instead of the parmesan in the original recipe)

Directions:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil while you wash and trim the chard stems. Boil the stems for 8 minutes while the oven preheats to 400F.
Layer the chard stems in a small casserole dish- one layer of chard, dotted with butter, sprinkled with cheese. Repeat until all the ingredients are used up. *Place the chard in the dish in opposite directions with each layer.
Bake at 400F for 25 minutes.
I'm going to call this 3 servings- could be more or less!

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 175
Fat: 14 g
Saturated Fat: 9 g
Carbs: 2.5 g
Protein: 9g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4
Dave: 4

Swiss Chard & Mushroom Squares

Had some swiss chard in our produce box this week and made this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 bunch swiss chard, stems cut out and cut into thin ribbons and then chopped (mine was 126g after stemming) (can also use other greens)
*don't throw away the stems!! I should have a recipe on here in the next day or two for those.*
dash of salt
dash of red pepper flakes
onion powder, to taste
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 lb mushrooms, diced into small pieces
1/2 T EVOO
1/2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1/2 c shredded mozzarella
1/4 c bread crumbs
4 eggs, beaten


Directions:
Bring a pot of water to a boil while you stem the chard. Wash and chop the chard. Add the chard, salt and red pepper flakes to the boiling water. Boil about 10 minutes, until chard is softened and cooked through. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Preheat oven  to 350 F.

Heat olive oil in a small skillet. Saute garlic over medium heat about 2 minutes; add mushrooms and soy sauce and saute 5-7 minutes, or until mushrooms are softened and liquid is evaporated.

Squeeze water from drained chard and place into large plastic bowl. Add mushroom mixture, shredded cheese, bread crumbs, and beaten eggs, and mix together. Spray 9 X 9" casserole dish or pie plate with non-stick spray. Pour in egg mixture.

Bake 20-25 minutes, until firmly set but not hard, and slightly browned.

Serves 4, or can be cut into 9 squares for appetizers.  

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 168

Fat: 9.3g

Saturated Fat: 3.1g

Carbs: 9g

Protein: 12.3g

Ratings:

Kristen: 4

Dave: 4

Fruit Smoothie

Made this smoothie tonight!

Ingredients:
6 oz Meijer Organics strawberry low fat yogurt
1/2 c Almond Breeze Milk, Original
1 c frozen berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries & blackberries)

Directions
Combine ingredients in blender and blend.

Nutritional Information: (whole recipe, but Dave and I split it)
Calories: 300
Fat: 3.5g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Carbs: 62g
Protein: 8g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4.5