Eggplant Rollups

Ingredients:

• 2 large purple eggplant
• 3 Tablespoons of red onion, diced
• 15 oz. part skim ricotta cheese
• 8 oz. bag of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup of fresh basil, chopped
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 20 oz. of lean (93/7) ground turkey meat
• 4 oz. of marinara sauce (this is about 1/2 of a regular size jar)
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Slice the eggplant vertically into 1/4-1/2 inch slices (the slices are not circles they are long and rectangular). Add the eggplant slices into a large bowl and drizzle 1/4 cup of olive oil over the top along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir together with your hands so that each piece has some olive oil on it. Heat a non-stick grill pan (or you can use your grill outside) to medium-high heat and place 2-3 eggplant slices on the grill at a time. Each side should take about 3-5 minutes to grill. Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices.

3. In the mean time, heat a large non-stick skillet to medium-high heat and add the ground turkey meat. Cook the ground turkey until it is no longer pink and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. When the turkey is finished cooking take it off the burner and set aside to cool.

4. In a large bowl, add the 3 tablespoons of diced red onion, 15 oz. container of ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil, 1 teaspoon of oregano, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of ground pepper and stir. Add the cooked ground turkey once it is slightly cooled and stir into the cheese mixture until it is well incorporated.

5. Pour about 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom of a large casserole dish. Assemble the eggplant rollups by placing about 3 tablespoons of your cheese/turkey mixture on one half of the eggplant slice and then take the other half of the slice and fold it over the top (sort of like a sandwich). Place the eggplant roll up in the casserole dish and repeat with the remaining eggplant.

6. Once all the eggplant rollups are in the dish pour the remaining 1/2 cup of marinara sauce over the top of the eggplants along with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Enjoy!!!

Kid Friendly Crescent Dogs

Ingredients:

• 1 package of reduced-fat crescent rolls (containing a total of 8 rolls)
• 1 package of Oscar Mayer Turkey Hotdogs with "No Nitrates or Nitrites"
• 1 cup of low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
• Light ranch for dipping

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the crescent dough and divide it into 8 separate triangles (this should already be done for you). Add a sprinkle of cheddar cheese onto each triangle and top with a hot dog. Fold the crescent dough over the hot dog until the entire hot dog is covered with crescent dough like a blanket (this may take some stretching of the dough and working with your hands). Place the crescent dogs on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or until they are golden brown on top. Serve with a side of light ranch of honey mustard. Enjoy!!

For more information on Nitrates and Nitrites go to: http://www.ead.anl.gov/pub/doc/nitrate-ite.pdf

Not Your Ordinary Green Beans

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. bag of green beans (microwavable in the bag/steam fresh) http://www.walmart.com/ip/Green-Beans/14053328
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced into thin strips
• 1/4 cup of chopped pecans
• 1 Tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

Steam the green beans in the mircowave according to the directions on the back of the bag. In the mean time, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat in a large saute pan and add the bell pepper and onion. Saute the bell pepper and onion until they are soft and slightly carmelized. Add the green beans to the bell pepper and onion. Season the mixture with garlic powder, black pepper, oregano and pinch of salt. Remove the green beans from the heat and add the chopped pecans, stir until all of the ingredients are well incorporated. Enjoy!!!

Quick & Easy, Low Fat Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

• 3 medium bananas, sliced 1/4" thick
• 1 large box (5.1 oz.) of sugar free/fat free Jell-O instant vanilla pudding, made according to package directions
• 1 box of Nilla Wafers
• 8 oz. container of light cool whip

Directions:

In a medium bowl, prepare the Jell-O pudding according to the directions on the back of the box (whisk until it is a thicker consistency). In a trifle bowl or tupperware bowl, layer the ingredients starting with half of the pudding on the bottom, topping it with half of the Nilla wafers and half of the sliced bananas. Repeat once more and then top the final product with the light cool whip. If you have left over cookies, you can crush them up and sprinkle them on top for presentation. Enjoy!!!

Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients:

• Two 14 oz. bags of frozen broccoli florets
• One 10.75 oz. can of 25% less sodium cream of mushroom soup
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 cup of reduced-fat cheddar cheese 
• 1/2 cup of crushed reduced-fat wheat thins  

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the broccoli florets. Once the broccoli is in the boiled water turn the heat down to low and let them cook for about 10 minutes. Drain the broccoli once it is finished cooking and place it back into the pot.

2. Season the broccoli with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add the can of cream of mushroom soup and shredded cheddar cheese and mix all of the ingredients together. Place the broccoli mixture in a medium sized baking dish.

3. Add the wheat thins to a large ziplock storage bag and crush them with a pounder. Once they are a bread crumb consistency add them to the top of the broccoli. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the casserole is lightly brown on top and bubbly. Enjoy!!

Beef Tostadas

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of lean (93/7) ground beef
• 1 package of whole wheat tortillas, such as Mission Life Balance Tortillas
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can of yellow corn, drained and rinsed
• 4 small roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 4 oz. can of green chilies
• 1 Tablespoon of fresh lime juice using 1/2 of a lime
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 medium avocado, sliced
• 1 bag of baby spinach, chopped in small pieces (or you can use shredded lettuce)
• 8 oz. bag of reduced-fat shredded mexican cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the tortillas on a greased cookie sheet (if you are cooking for more than 2 you may need more than 1 cookie sheet). Once the oven is preheated, put the tortillas in the oven for about 5-7 minutes, flipping them half way through (they should get lightly brown and crispy - an air bubble may form in the middle but it will go down).

2. In a large non-stick skillet add the ground beef, chopped green bell pepper and onion. Cook until the beef is no longer pink and vegetables are translucent. Season the beef/vegetable mixture with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and cumin. Let it simmer on low heat.

3. In a small-medium sized bowl, add the full can of drained & rinsed corn, 1 cup of black beans (reserve the other half of the black beans), chopped tomatoes, chopped cilantro, and can of green chilies. Stir the ingredients together and season wtih 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Set aside.

4. In a small bowl, add the remaining black beans and smash them with a potato masher or a fork until they are a smooth but sticky consistency.

5. Assemble the tostada by spreading the smashed black beans on the toasted tortilla and topping it off with the chopped spinach or shredded lettuce, beef mixture, corn/bean mixture, sliced avocado, and shredded cheese. Enjoy!!