Vegetable Sesame Noodles

I made a variation of this tonight. It is really good! You can use whatever vegetables you have... it's a great way to use them up!!

Ingredients:
6 oz. whole wheat pasta
1 c. frozen shelled edamame
1/4 c lite (low sodium) soy sauce
1 T oil (I used grapeseed)
1 T sesame seed oil
1 T seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp Sriracha sauce
4 c chopped veggies, such as
------2 c radishes
------1/2 c each celery, green beans, red bell peppers and broccoli

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. (Chop your veggies in the meantime.) Put frozen edamame in a colander and drain the pasta over the edamame. (I was skeptical of this un-freezing the edamame but it totally worked!)
Whisk together the liquids. Add pasta, edamame and other veggies. Mix with your hands.
You can sprinkle with sesame seeds if you want but I was hungry and forgot!!
Makes 8 cups.

Nutritional Information: (2 cups)
Calories: 300
Fat: 9g
Saturated fat: 0.8g
Carbs: 42g
Fiber: 3.5g
Protein: 12g

Crispy Parmesan Asparagus

Here is the original recipe for the asparagus I made tonight. Oh. Em. GEE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Defreakinglicious.

Ingredients:
1 bunch asparagus
1 egg
1/8c grated parmesan
1/8c flour
1/2c panko bread crumbs

Directions:
Snap the ends off the asparagus. I also cut mine into thirds after that. Dredge first in the egg and then in a mixture of parmesan, flour and bread crumbs. Place on a greased wire wrack placed atop a baking sheet.
Bake at 425 for 10-15 min until golden and crispy.
Enjoy!

Nutritional Information: (2 servings)
I would say I used only 2/3 of the dredging materials (both wet and dry):
Calories: 135
Fat: 3.5g
Saturated: 1.5g
Carbs: 19g
Fiber: 3.5g
Protein: 9g

Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup

Original recipe is here

Ingredients:
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (basil, garlic & oregano), with juice
3/4 c diced celery
1/2 c diced carrots
onion powder to taste
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 T basil
2 c vegetable broth
1/4 c flour
1/4 c butter (Blue Bonnet light)
1/2 c Parmesan cheese
1 c milk, warmed in microwave
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
Place tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion powder, oregano, basil and broth in crock pot. Cook on low 5-7 hours on low. (Or you know, on high for shorter, or whatever.)
About a half hour before serving, melt butter on low and stir in flour. I actually pureed my soup in a food processor at this point because I don't enjoy the tomato chunks. Mix 1/2 c soup into the flour/butter mixture. Then mix in another 1-1/2c. Transfer back to the crock pot. Stir in milk and cheese and season to taste (I added salt, pepper, and garlic powder.)
Cook for another 30 min on low and enjoy!

Nutritional Information: (Let's call it 4 servings for nutritional purposes, but I didn't measure how much it made LOL)

Calories: 182
Fat: 9g
Saturated: 3.5g
Carbs: 15g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 8g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4.5
Dave: Not home from work yet :-P

Cinnamon Sugar Squares

Found this tonight and my sweet tooth was calling. These are really good with coffee. Mmmmmm...

Ingredients:
1/2 c butter (Blue Bonnet light)
2 c sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil (use applesauce next time!)
2 eggs
1/2 c milk (1%)
1 tsp vanilla extract (I was out...)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c sugar
1/2 T cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Beat the butter, sugar, oil (applesauce), eggs, milk and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
3. Continue beating and add salt, baking soda and flour. Mix until just combined.
4. Pour the batter into a 9"x13" baking pan sprayed with cooking spray and spread evenly using a spatula. Mix the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter and bake for 25-30 minutes.
5. Cut into 24 squares.

 Nutritional Information: (values if made with applesauce in parentheses)

Calories: 195 (157)
Fat:  7g (2.5g)
Saturated: 1g (0.5g)
Carbs: 31g (32g)
Fiber: 0.5g (0.5g)
Protein: 2.5g (2.5g)

Broccoli Cheese Soup

I got this recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything. I think she credits someone else with it as well. Here's my version. It is hands down the best soup I have ever made. Perhaps even the best soup I have ever eaten. Really. It's that good.


Ingredients:
1-3/4 c vegetable broth
1/3 c all-purpose flour
4 T butter
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 c milk
1-1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese, preferably sharp or extra sharp
1/2 c shredded Swiss cheese
1 bunch of broccoli, chopped


Directions:
In the microwave, heat milk and veggie broth (I think I heated mine about 2 min each.) Also cook the broccoli in a glass bowl covered with saran wrap for 3-4 min.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a pot and then add flour, salt and pepper. Cook together, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, and then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium heat until soup starts to thicken, about 5-8 minutes. Add warmed broth and continue to stir until well blended.
Add cheeses and stir until completely melted. Stir in cooked broccoli.
Makes about 6 cups.

Nutritional Information:
I don't want to know.

Ratings:
Kristen: 5!!!! 6!!!!
Dave: 4

Tortellini and Garden Vegetable Bake

Orignal recipe found here. I changed it just a bit to make it vegetarian and take out the yucky tomatoes.

Ingredients:

18 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini

1 medium carrot, thinly sliced

1-1/2 c sugar snap peas, halved crosswise
1 T butter
1 c sliced fresh mushrooms
1/3 c vegetable broth
1-1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 c milk
8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, cubed
1 T lemon juice

1 green pepper, chopped

Directions:

1. Cook tortellini according to package directions, adding the carrot during the last 5 minutes of cooking and the sugar snap peas during the last 1 minute of cooking; drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat butter in a 12" skillet. Add mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet.

3. Shake together veggie broth, oregano, flour, garlic salt, and pepper in a sealed container until smooth. Add to skillet along with milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; add cream cheese. Cook and stir until cream cheese is smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Add pasta mixture and green pepper. Toss to coat. Turn into an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking dish or shallow 3-quart casserole.

4. Bake, covered, in a 350 degrees F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through. Stir.

If desired, top with parmesan cheese.

The recipe says it makes 12 servings but I sure don't think we got that many out of it!

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare as directed but don't bake it. Instead, cover and chill up to 24 hours. Bake, covered, in a 350 degrees F oven about 55 minutes or until hot.

Nutritional Info: (Not my calculation-- from website based on 12 svgs with chicken) 

Calories: 247

Fat: 12g

Saturated: 5g

Carbs: 17g

Fiber: 1g

Protein: 15g

Ratings:

Kristen: 3

Dave: 3

Yeah, we thought this one was just okay. Didn't take a picture.

Calzone

I made a calzone for dinner tonight. I'm only blogging it because it's pretty. :) It's just a store-bought Pillsbury pizza crust with filling. You can put whatever you want inside! I used pizza sauce, mozzarella, and green pepper, plus pepperoni in Dave's half. I got the idea to make it pretty here (found on pinterest).