Kale Quesadillas

I recently bought a huge bag of Kale to use for another recipe and had a ton left over. Is there a reason they only sell kale in large bags at my store? I feel like I'm missing something. :-) Anyway, I have not been successful with kale chips so I wanted to find another way to use what I had. When making my lists every week, I try to first look at what I have in my kitchen that needs to be used and go from there. It's a great way to reduce waste of food and waste of money. 

 The mixture. I added black beans to the recipe.

 I did this on the stove top and then placed them in the oven to crisp them up a bit.

With a little bit of salsa on top, it makes a perfect meal. One quesadilla is quite filling.

Salt

1 bunch kale, thick stems removed

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus additional for the quesadillas

1 onion, quartered and sliced (I probably used a quarter or so of a large white onion and it was enough.)

8 medium whole wheat tortillas

2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Optional toppings: salsa, refried beans, sour cream

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the kale. Boil, uncovered, until just tender but still emerald green, about 4 minutes or so. Drain and let cool. Squeeze out the excess liquid, then chop the kale.

2. Meanwhile, in a skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender and beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chopped kale and sauté for 2 more minutes. I sprinkled a little bit of cumin, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika.

3. Heat a griddle or heavy pan over medium heat. Brush with olive oil and add a tortilla. Top with ½ cup each of cheese and the kale mixture, followed by another tortilla. Cook the quesadilla until the cheese is molten and the tortillas are crisp and browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a board and let cool slightly before slicing into wedges.

4. Repeat the process to make a total of four quesadillas. Serve with salsa and beans if desired.

*This recipe tasted great. It just needed a little sprinkle of some additional seasoning and I felt it could use more cheese. Definite do again though!

Enjoy!

Recipe found at http://www.fitpregnancy.com/nutrition/recipes/kale-quesadillas.

Spinach Risotto with Peas

I love Pinterest. Every week I sit and try to figure out what to make and I like how it's all just there, in one place, saved for me to easily go back to or to search for and add.  I still had a decent amount of Arborio rice from the last time I made risotto so I figured I'd give it a go and try risotto again. This recipe came out great and while the kids didn't eat a ton of it, they did eat a good amount. It got two thumbs up from my husband and myself though so I will definitely make this again.

Ingredients.

 While you cook the rice, you can cut up the spinach.

INGREDIENTS

2 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth to make it vegetarian)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 cup Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)

1 bunch (8 to 10 ounces) flat-leaf spinach, trimmed, cleaned, dried, and finely chopped

1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

(optional) 2 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1

In a small saucepan, combine broth with 2 cups water. Bring just to a simmer; keep warm over low heat.

STEP 2

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally,  until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

STEP 3

Add rice; cook, stirring, until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine (or alternative liquid); cook, stirring, until absorbed, about 1 minute.

STEP 4

Add 2 cups of hot broth mixture; simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, 5 to 7 minutes. Continue adding broth mixture, 1 cup at a time, waiting for liquid to be absorbed before adding more, stirring occasionally, until rice is just tender and creamy with a little liquid remaining in the pan, 20 to 25 minutes total (you may not need all the broth mixture). I used maybe 3 cups total of the broth mixture. Cooking times are going to vary  when it comes to the absorption of the liquid. I really shouldn't take more than the 25 minutes total the original recipe says.

STEP 5

Stir in spinach (in handfuls), peas, Parmesan, and butter; cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, with more Parmesan, if desired.

**I noticed after I put the spinach in that it needed a little extra liquid so I poured just a little bit of the broth mixture in.

**Instead of the white wine, I replaced it with broth. From what I was reading, you can replace the white wine with water or broth.

Another healthy and delicious recipe added to the list.  Enjoy!

Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, and Red Lentil Soup

On chilly days, soup makes for a great meal. Although some soups take time to make, it's very much worth it. This is one of my favorites and one I don't mind taking time to make. I know it's technically still summer but we recently had some chilly days and I was in the mood for something "fallish."  I've only made it twice but it's something I will make again many times this fall and winter. It's a meal you can freeze too if you don't use it all up when you make it.

This recipe has a few steps you can prepare in advance. I mixed the seasonings and cut the vegetables earlier in the day so that when I was ready to prepare the soup, everything was ready to go. I waited to cut up the apple, however, as I did not want it to brown. This is delicious served in bread bowls or with bread on the side and topped with plain yogurt, goat or feta cheese. Enjoy!

 

Love this soup. It's healthy AND tastes great!

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup butter

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup red lentils

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

4 cups vegetable broth

plain yogurt, feta cheese, goat cheese (optional garnishes)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Place the chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, apple, and onion in the pot. Stir and cook the apples and vegetables until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir the lentils, ginger, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and vegetable broth into the pot with the apple and vegetable mixture. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.

3. Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.

4. Return the pureed soup to the cooking pot. Bring back to a simmer over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes. Add water as needed to thin the soup to your preferred consistency. 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-Potato-Carrot-Apple-and-Red-Lentil-Soup/Detail.aspx?prop24=etaf

Sun-dried Tomato Salmon Risotto

I love risotto but I've never made it before. Now that I'm more adventurous I figured I'd give it a go...and it was delicious! The original plan was to have it as a side to salmon but I chose to shred it and mix it together in hopes that maybe my little guys would eat it. It worked...a little anyway.  :-) 

Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto - recipe found on www.pioneerwoman.com. 

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/2 whole Large Yellow Onion, Diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 cups Arborio Rice, Uncooked
• 8 whole Sun-dried Tomatoes Packed In Oil, Drained And Minced
• 1 cup Dry White Wine (optional)
• 7 cups Low Sodium Chicken or Vegetable Broth
•  Salt As Needed
•  Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1 cup Parmesan, Freshly Grated
• 1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
•  Fresh Basil (optional)

Preparation Instructions

Heat broth in a saucepan or in a microwave safe pitcher. Set aside.

Heat butter and olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add dry rice. Stir to coat and cook for 3 minutes, stirring gently.

Pour in wine. Stir and cook over medium-low heat until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add in minced sundried tomatoes and stir.

Then begin adding broth, one cup at a time, stirring gently while the rice absorbs the liquid each time. Repeat this until the rice is done---it usually takes between 6 and 8 cups of broth. The rice should have a slight bite to it, but not be crunchy at all.

Remove from heat, then stir in Parmesan and heavy cream. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve as a main dish with a salad, or as a side dish with steak, chicken, or fish. 

*For the salmon, I just brushed a little bit of olive oil, sprinkled a little salt and pepper over it and baked it at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. It's ready when it easily flakes.

Slow Cooker Cheese Tortellini

Here is a recipe that is very easy and it tastes great. Not only that, you should have plenty for two nights. We had enough for my husband and myself and my two children (although my toddler didn't really eat it) and we had plenty for the next day. If you don't use meat, it's all dump and go. If you choose to add sausage, you could brown it for added flavor. Typically, they are fully cooked. Make sure to check the package. You can't get much easier than this.

Ingredients:

1 (19oz) bag of frozen cheese tortellini (I used tri-colored in my recipe.)

1 small bag of fresh spinach

2 (14.5 oz) cans of Italian style diced tomatoes, drained

1 block (8 oz) of cream cheese or Neufchatel (less fat)

1 lb. of ground sausage or chicken/turkey sausage

4 cups of low sodium chicken or veggie broth (Since I made this a meat free meal, I used veggie broth.)

Brown the sausage and put all ingredients in crockpot, chunking up the cream cheese.

Cook on low for 4-6 hrs.   Just make sure to check the tortellini, if you can, because it may be done sooner. We ate it after 3 1/2 hours and it was perfect!

*If it seems to soupy, leave the cover off for about a half hour toward the end of cooking.

3 Cheese Veggie Pizza

I love pizza. We usually make it at home once a week. It's very easy and it's a healthier option than take out. Although, a good take out pizza every now and again is exactly what I need! I occasionally like to browse through Pinterest to find some new ways to mix up our toppings. Below is a veggie pizza recipe that I found that uses lots of vegetables and pesto too, which I love. I prepared all the vegetables in advance (just the cutting, not cooking) so that when I was ready to make dinner, it didn't take much time. It tasted great and it was perfect for the kids. 

 If you buy dough, let it sit at room temperature for a while so that it will be easier for you to spread out.

 I know for me, dinner time is not the easiest time of day. Trying to make dinner with a toddler and a roaming, exploring infant can some times be challenging. This is why I am happy when there are things I can do ahead of time. (Also to save time, buy chopped broccoli from the freezer section and thaw.)

Ingredients

1 Whole Grain Pizza Crust (I buy the dough and prefer that over pre-made crust.)

olive oil

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped broccoli florets

1/2 cup thinly sliced zucchini

1/2 each thinly sliced red and yellow pepper

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp basil pesto

1/2 cup pizza sauce 

2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup light feta cheese, crumbled

*Change based on your likes and amount desired. For example, I used more cheese, less red pepper, more broccoli, etc.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450F. If making pizza dough, prepare according to recipe instructions. I let my dough sit at room temperature for a little bit so that it would be easier to flatten out. I put it in the oven for about 10 minutes.

While the pizza is cooking, spray a skillet with olive oil and heat on medium-high. Add mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, red and yellow pepper, and onion. Cook and stir over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pesto.

Spread pizza sauce over partially baked pizza crust. Top with veggie mixture, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella, and feta.

Bake in preheated oven for approximately 10 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned and cheese is melted. 

Slice and serve.

Mexican Haystacks

I'm always looking for new recipes that are healthy and taste good. Here's a great one that I will definitely make again. It took a little time to prepare but it was worth it. I made this tonight since my husband was home to keep the kids busy. If I needed to do this on a week night, all of these steps can be done in advance and then everything can be put together when you are ready to eat.

 

Mexican Haystacks

RICE
2 cups uncooked brown rice
1 bunch fresh cilantro

MEAT
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey (I had just over a pound and it was plenty.)
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
4 cups salsa

TOPPINGS
1-2 avocados, chopped
1-2 red peppers, chopped
1-2 ripe mangoes, chopped
fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Start your brown rice in a pot on the stove. Next, add ground turkey and chopped onion to a large saute pan. Add garlic powder and salt and pepper. When the turkey is browned, add 4 cups of salsa. Bring the salsa to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, chop the cilantro, pepper, avocado, and mango. When the rice is done, stir in almost all of the fresh cilantro, leaving just enough to garnish each dish, if you'd like.

This recipe will give you leftovers so it's a two night meal. I love that!

Baked Chicken Nuggets

I love chicken nuggets, however, there is so much processed stuff in the store bought brands. I came across this super easy recipe that is sure to be a hit. I'm going to list the ingredients as I have them but feel free to change the amounts. I always end up making more mixture than the recipe calls for because I feel like it's never enough. Start with what it says and work from there. Most, if not all, of these ingredients are probably already in your kitchen.

Ingredients:

Olive oil spray

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken tenders

2 tsp olive oil

Ground pepper, to taste

1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

2 tbsp panko coating

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (I use shredded and it works just fine.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. Coat with oil and pepper mixture. 

In a medium bowl, mix together breadcrumbs, panko and Parmesan cheese. Coat chicken with breadcrumb mixture and place on a baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes, turn and bake about 4 more minutes. Cook time will depend on the size of  the chicken pieces.

Spinach & Bean Burrito Wrap

Another healthy and great tasting recipe from the skinnyms.com website. 

I chose to chop up the spinach and I'm glad I did. Made for a better consistency.

I used 90 second brown rice. Saves times and it's e-a-s-y!

I skipped adding the romaine which I was okay with. I would probably spread the Greek yogurt on the wrap before placing all other ingredients. It still tasted great though. A nice alternative to sour cream.

Ingredients

• 6 cups baby spinach, loosely packed
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained (low sodium, is possible.)
• 1 cup cooked brown rice or Mexican Rice, (recipe for Mexican Rice recipe)
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, reduced-fat
• 1/2 cups chopped romaine heart lettuce
• 1/2 cup salsa (recipe), optional Pico de Gallo (Canned salsa works great.)
• 6 tablespoons Greek yogurt, fat-free
• Kosher or sea salt to taste
• 6 (8" whole grain) wraps or tortillas

Directions

To warm tortillas, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Stack tortillas, wrap in foil, place on a cookie sheet and warm 15 minutes while preparing ingredients.

Place spinach in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, or use a knife to dice leaves. In a large skillet turn to medium-heat, add black beans and spinach. Heat until spinach is wilted, approximately 3 minutes.

Evenly distribute spinach and bean mixture in the middle of the wraps (leaving about 2" on one end for folding), add 1/4 cup rice to each wrap, add lettuce, cheese, salsa and Greek yogurt evenly over wraps. Fold wraps over and under on the ends.

Shredded Chicken Casserole

I love casseroles because they are, for the most part, fairly easy to put together. Even if they take a little extra time, I don't mind because it's going to be enough for two nights. This recipe has some ingredients that you can prepare in advance (ie cutting up the onion, celery and mushrooms and even cooking the pasta ahead of time.) I would normally prepare some of this, if not all, before dinner time but luckily my husband was home and in charge of the kids. 

What I love about this recipe (other than the fact that I can eat it two nights in a row) is that it's healthy and full of vegetables. My 9 month old loved this meal. Of course he loves all meals but still. My 2 1/2 year old wouldn't touch it. So....I brought a container with some of it to his daycare the following day and he ate the entire thing. What a stinker! I tried to give him some for dinner that night and he ate some but not all. Eh, whatever. At least I know it's not that he doesn't like it.

This recipe can be made with tuna or shredded chicken. I chose to boil some chicken and then shred it. It calls for 6oz chunk tuna but I made a whole pound (plus a little) and threw it in there. It worked though since I used the whole box of pasta.

While the vegetables were cooking is when I boiled the chicken. It doesn't take long.

I used whole wheat spaghetti. Next time, I'll use rotini and I'll also mix some bread crumbs in the mixture before baking to give it a little more thickness. It was great as I made it but I'd like to try something a little different next time.

The finished product!

Sorry for the blurry photo. This was a delicious meal I will definitely make again.

Ingredients:

1. 3/4 pound whole wheat pasta

2. 1 tablespoon olive oil

3. 1 small onion, chopped

4. 2 cups celery, chopped

5. 10 ounces white mushrooms, stemmed and chopped (I bought sliced mushrooms and diced them.)

6. 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

7. 3 cups skim milk

8. 1 cup low sodium chicken broth (You can also use low sodium vegetable broth.)

9. 3/4 teaspoons salt

10. 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

11. 6 ounces chunk tuna (Or boil the chicken and shred before combining it in to the mixture.)

12. 10 ounces broccoli, chopped (Save time by buying frozen and thawing it first.)

13. 10 ounces peas (Same as with the broccoli - buy frozen and thaw first.)

14. 1/3 cup plain bread crumbs

15. 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to directions on box, drain and set aside. At this time, preheat oven to 425. 
2.  Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook onion until soft. 
3. Add in celery and cook for about six minutes.
4. Add in mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes.
5, Add flour over mushroom mixture.
6. Add milk and broth and bring to a boil.  Let simmer until broth mixture has thickened (about 7 minutes).
7. Add in salt and pepper.
8. Add in pasta, chicken, broccoli, peas and mix together.
9. Add to 9x13 pan.
10. Sprinkle bread crumbs and cheese over top of mixture.
11. Cook at 425 for about 25 minutes.

*If you want, you can double this recipe and freeze it for another time. My friend told me that she does that often. I always forget but it's such a great idea!!