Taco Pizza

This recipe was inspired by the Pioneer Woman's Taco Pizza. My sister and brother n' law spent the night at our apartment on Friday night since we headed down to College Station bright and early on Saturday morning for the Texas A&M game. When they got to our apartment we decided to cook in since we were going to be eating on the road most of day on Saturday. My sister said they really like to make the Pioneer Woman's taco pizza so that is what we made and it was FABULOUS! YUMMO! So, this week we decided to make something similar to it. We used corn tortillas for the crust and added some ground turkey for a little bit more protein. It ended up being fabulous as well, so we hope you all enjoy just as much as we did!!

Ingredients

• 1 package of corn tortillas
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 package of lean ground turkey (93/7)
• 1 small can (1/2 cup) of low-sodium corn, drained
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 bag of shredded lettuce
• 1 container of light sour cream
• 1 jar of mild salsa
• 2 tablespoons of canola oil + more for drizzle
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
• Salt and pepper
• 1 package of low-fat mexican cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small saucepan, add 1 can of black beans (not drained), 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, and a pinch ground black pepper and bring to a boil. Once they begin to boil, turn the stovetop down to medium-low. With a potato masher, mash the black beans, leaving a few chunks. Continue to simmer (they should be somewhat of a thick consistency). Leave the stove on low until ready to assemble.

2. While the black beans are simmering, add the ground turkey to large non-stick skillet. Season turkey with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, a dash of salt, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder. Once the meat is cooked through (no longer pink), add the drained corn, diced tomatoes, and chopped cilantro and stir until the mixture is combined. Turn the stove down to low until ready to assemble.

3. Cut about 6-8 corn tortillas into small strips. On a large cookie sheet, add corn tortilla strips, 2 tablespoons of canola oil, salt and pepper. With your hands, combine all the ingredients. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, flipping half way in between. They should be slightly brown and crispy when they are done. Transfer to a bowl when they are finished cooking.

4. On the same cookie sheet, lay down 2-4 whole corn tortillas (depending on how many people are eating). Drizzle them with canola oil, salt and pepper and bake for about 10-12 minutes, flipping in between until they are crispy. Note: This will be the base for your pizza.

5. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of sour cream and 1/2 cup of salsa and stir until combined.

6. To assemble, start with the whole corn tortilla on the bottom and top with smashed black beans, shredded lettuce, turkey mixture, cheese, drizzle of sour cream/salsa mixture, and tortilla strips. Enjoy!!

Here are some pics of the Pioneer Woman's Taco Pizza that we made last weekend.....

Gluten Free: Socca Pizza with Roasted Vegetables, Chicken, and Pesto

Thank you Lindsay McDaniel for introducing us to Socca bread! We had never heard of socca but Lindsay let me try some she made and I loved it! Socca is made out of garbanzo bean (chick pea) flour and water and you can basically season and add whatever you'd like to it. The first time we made it we sort of goofed it up but the second time it turned out great! We decided to add some veggies and chicken on top to add more protein and fiber and it was so yummy. I love new creations like these and it was super easy to make.  Socca is sold as a street food south of France...it would be interesting to see what is tastes like there...maybe one day! Hope ya'll enjoy!

Ingredients

Socca Dough

• 1 cup of garbanzo bean flour (We used Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 cup of water
• 1 1/2 tsp of fresh rosemary
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Roasted Vegetables

• 2 cups of broccoli florets
• 1 yellow squash, cubed
• 2 zucchinis, cubed
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Garlic powder

Chicken and other vegetables

• 1 container of white button mushrooms
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• Olive oil
• 2 cups of cooked grilled chicken
• 1/4 cup of store bought pesto
• Low-fat mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to broil. Combine all of the ingredients for the socca except for the olive oil in a large bowl and whisk together until smooth. Spray 2 round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to each pan (swirl the olive oil around so it covers the entire pan). Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans (there should be a thin layer of batter in each pan). Bake in the oven for about 6 minutes, or until the top is brown and edges are crispy. When the socca is finished baking place them on a plate to cool.

2. For the roasted vegetables preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add 2 cups of fresh broccoli florets to a cookie sheet, drizzle olive oil over the top, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. On another cookie sheet, add the cubed squash and zucchini, drizzle olive oil over the top, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until the vegetables are brown and crispy. Set aside once they are finished roasting.

3. In a medium saute pan add the mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper. Cook on medium high heat until they are carmalized (about 8-10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper when they are finished cooking.

4. In a large bowl combine the roasted vegetables, sauted vegetables, and grilled chicken. Add 1/4 cup of pesto and stir until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

5. Cut the socca bread into triangles. Place one triangle on a plate and top with the vegetable mixture and mozzarella cheese. Enjoy!!

Quinoa with Roasted Butternut Squash, Walnuts, and Ground Turkey

I have always wanted to cook with butternut squash but I never knew how to cook it or what to cook with it, so I came up with a recipe and it tasted like all the components of Thanksgiving in one! I will not lie, cutting this gigantic butternut squash into small cubes took me about 20 minutes and man was it a workout (I probably need to hit the weights more), but it was worth it in the end! On another note, QUINOA, this is a funny little grain, it is gluten free (read more here: http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/stories/quinoa-nutrition-facts), and it is a good source of protein and fiber! This is a wonderful, healthy recipe that will definitely give you all the great flavors of Thanksgiving! Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of dry quinoa, rinsed
• 1 large butternut squash, cut into cubes for roasting
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 pound of lean ground turkey
• 2 slices of low sodium turkey bacon, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 cup of walnuts, chopped and toasted
• 2 Tablespoons of fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons of olive oil (for roasting)
• 1 Tablespoon of olive oil (to saute)
• 2 tsp. of dried rosemary
• 1 tsp. of salt
• 1 Tablespoon of ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. of garlic powder
• 1 cup of parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the cubed butternut squash on a large cookie sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of fresh, chopped rosemary. Use your hands to incorporate all of the ingredients together. Roast in the oven for about 30-35 minutes (you may need to flip them with a spatula half way through if they are getting crispy on the bottom).

2. Placed rinsed quinoa in a medium pot and cook according to the directions on the back of the bag (usually 1:2 quinoa to water). When it is finished cooking, remove from heat and set aside.

3. Add chopped bacon to a non-stick skillet and cook until it is crispy. Remove bacon from the skillet when it is finished cooking (leave the grease in the pan) and place in a small bowl to the side. Add the diced onion and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and saute until the onions are lightly browned. Remove the onions from the pan and put them in the small bowl with the bacon to the side.

4. Add the ground turkey to the same skillet you cooked your bacon and onion in and cook on medium-high heat until the turkey is no longer pink (about 8-10 minutes). When the turkey is finished cooking, add the bacon and onion back into the skillet and stir to combine all of the ingredients.

5. In a large bowl, add the roasted butternut squash, cooked quinoa, ground turkey mixture, and toasted walnuts and sitr until the mixture is well incorporated. Season with dried rosemary, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir in 3/4 cup of parmesan cheese.

6. Use the remainder 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top of each dish. Enjoy!!

Pan Fried Salmon Patties on a Bed of Couscous

Here we go again with salmon, except cooked totally different than the first time! In this recipe I used canned salmon which has all the omega-3 fatty acids that fresh salmon has and is loaded with all of the good for you nutrients. I got this recipe idea from Kel's mom who makes these alot at home (and probably better) so all the credit goes to her for creating this recipe!

Ingredients:

• 2 14.75 oz. cans of Bumble Bee Pink Salmon, drained and bones removed
• 1 3/4 cups of plain dry bread crumbs
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 1 Tbsp. of canola oil -to saute the veggies
• 2 tsp of ground black pepper
• 2 tsp of garlic powder
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of paprika  
• 4 Tbsp. of canola oil -to pan fry
• Couscous (we like the Near East brand in parmesan flavor)

Directions:
1. Drain the salmon and remove any remaining small bones. Transfer the salmon into a large mixing bowl and add the plain dried bread crumbs.

2. In a small bowl, crack open the eggs and the egg whites and whisk together. Add the eggs to the salmon mixture and stir to combine all of the ingredients together.

3. In a medium pan, saute the onion and bell pepper in 1 tablespoon of canola oil for about 8-10 min on medium-high heat or until the vegetables are translucent. Once they are finished cooking, combine them with the salmon mixture.

4. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley, ground black pepper, garlic powder, salt, and paprika until all of the ingredients are well incorporated. The mixture should be slightly wet but not liquidy (if so, you may need to add more bread crumbs).

5. Form the mixture into 1/2 inch patties (should make about a dozen patties). Add 4 tablespoons of canola oil to a large saute pan and saute the patties on medium to medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes per side or until they are browned on each side.

6. Prepare couscous according to the directions on the back of the box. Serve patties on top of couscous. Enjoy!!

Yield: about 12 patties (you can half this recipe if you do not want to make as many)

*You can also serve these on toasted whole wheat buns or english muffins**

Whole Grain Pumpkin Walnut Muffins

Oh how I LOVE the smell of pumpkin baking in the oven! It reminds me of the Fall, cold weather, fires, and sweaters! Not only does pumpkin taste amazing but it is very nutritious as well...lots of vitamin A! Whenever I make breads/muffins I try and use half white flour and half whole wheat flour because it usually comes out dry if I use only whole wheat, but with this recipe I used only whole wheat and the muffins turned out amazing!

Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cup of whole wheat flour
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp of nutmeg
• 1 cup of canned pumpkin
• 1/3 cup of water
• 1/3 cup of cinnamon applesauce
• 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts
• 2 tsp of chia seeds (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper muffin cups and spray the cups with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Mix until all of the ingredients are incorporated (about 30 seconds).

3. Add the canned pumpkin, water, and applesauce and mix on medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth, without lumps (about 1 minute).

4. Lastly, stir in the chopped walnuts.

5. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Poke the middle of the muffin with a toothpick or knife to check if they are finished cooking. If they are done the toothpick should come out clean.

Yield: 12 muffins

Baked Salmon with Carmelized Onions and Mushrooms

Lately we have been trying to eat more foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids like salmon, tuna, mackerel, walnuts, canola, soybeans, flaxseed, etc. The body does not make omega-3 fatty acids so we have to get them through our diet. Omega-3 fatty acids play a very important role in reducing inflammation and have many other known health benefits (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fish-oil/NS_patient-fishoil/DSECTION=evidence). Our favorite food that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids is baked salmon. You can make it in so many different ways but so far this is my favorite!

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. fillet of wild alaskan salmon cut into 4 pieces
• Drizzle of olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Garlic powder
• Paprika
• Pinch of salt
• 1 small carton of white button mushrooms
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly into half moons
• 1 Tablespoon of olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place salmon fillets, skin side down, in a greased baking dish. Lightly drizzle the fillets with olive oil. Season the fillets with ground black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the salmon is cooked through (it should flake apart easily with a fork when it is done).

While the salmon is baking, add the olive oil, mushrooms, and onions into a medium skillet and saute on medium-high heat for about 10-15 minutes or until they are a carmel color. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

When the salmon is finished cooking, place one fillet on each plate and top with mushroom and onion mixture. Enjoy!! 

Need a snack??

Have you ever hit 4 PM and thought "I'm so hungry, what am I going to have for a snack to hold me over until dinner?" I know I do every day and there's nothing better than satisfying a growling tummy! We all know it is no fun when you come home grumpy or overeat at dinner all because you missed your snack. Here are a few healthy snack ideas that I love and I hope you enjoy them to!

• Homemade Trail Mix - In a large bowl mix together Cheerios (plain or honey nut), raw almonds, Annie's chocolate bunnies, Annie's cheddar bunnies or cheddar goldfish, and a bag of dried cranberries or raisins. Very kid friendly!

• Apple slices dipped in almond butter - Slice a small gala apple and dip in a tablespoon of almond butter.

• Luna bar - These bars have a great source of iron, calcium, vitamin D, and folic acid!

• Baby carrots dipped in light ranch dressing or Laughing cow cheese spread. One triangle of Laughing cow cheese only has 35 calories and they come in all different flavors!

• Z Bars - These bars are kids cliff bars but I love them because they have about half the calories of a regular cliff bar and they are delicious! They come in all kinds of flavors including: Smores, chocolate chip, peanut butter, blueberry, and chocolate brownie!