Cheese Tortellini with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1 bag of frozen cheese tortellinis
• 3.5 oz. bag of sundried tomatoes
• 1 lb of lean ground chicken
• 2 medium zucchinis (chopped into small pieces)
• 2 medium yellow squash (chopped into small pieces)
• 1 small package of sliced white button mushrooms
• 1 medium yellow onion (sliced thinly)
• Olive oil
• 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese + 1/4 cup for garnish
• Salt and pepper
• 1.5 tsp of garlic powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add chopped zucchini and squash to one baking sheet and add mushrooms and onions to another baking sheet. Pour approx. 2 tablespoons of olive oil over each baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. With your hands, mix the vegetables, oil, and salt and pepper together so that each vegetable is well seasoned. Bake for 20-30 minutes (flip the veggies half way through so they browned on both sides).

2. Add ground chicken to a large saute pan and cook on medium-high until the meat is no longer pink. Turn off burner once it is finished cooking.

3. Fill a large pasta pot with water and bring water to boil. Once the water is boiling, pour the pasta in reduce to heat to medium. Tortellinis will take 5-10 minutes to cook (once they all rise to the top of the water they are done).  Drain  the pasta and then place in large bowl.

4. Add the roasted vegetables (zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions) and the cooked ground chicken to the large bowl of tortellinis. Next, add the sundried tomatoes and 3/4 cup of shredded parmesan cheese. Stir all of the ingredients together. Season with garlic powder and if needed, add more salt and pepper to taste.

5. Spoon pasta into serving bowls and garnish with remained parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

White Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Oreos + Pretzel Kisses

Ingredients (Oreos)

• 1 package of Oreos
• 1.5 bags of white chocolate chips
• 3 peppermint candy canes, crushed into small pieces

Directions:

1. Pour half a bag of white chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and melt in the microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. **Be very careful not to burn the chocolate chips....it may take less than 2 minutes to melt the chips depending on your microwave**

2. Dip half of the oreo into the melted white chocolate and place on a non-stick baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with wax paper.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the rest of the white chocolate chips and the oreos.

4. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy canes on top of the white chocolate. Allow the oreos to sit for a couple of hours so the chocolate hardens.

Ingredients (Pretzels)

• 1 bag of windowpane pretzels
• 1 bag of Hershey kisses
• 1 bag of M&Ms (you can use what ever kind you like)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees.

2. Place pretzels on a large baking dish (do not overlap the pretzels). Place one Hershey kiss in the center of each pretzel. Bake for 4-6 minutes (you do NOT want the chocolate melted, you want it to be just a tad bit soft).

3. Once they are finished baking, place one M&M on top of each Hershey kiss and press down very gently. Cool for one hour or until the chocolate has hardened. Enjoy!!

Spinach Bean Burgers

Oh how I love reading food and fitness blogs! Seriously, it has become one of my new hobbies...I don't know if that is good or not? Anyway, this recipe is from one of the food blogs that I read called The Daily Crumb. It was a very cheap, easy, and delicious recipe, and it made about 8 burgers! I served them on a Whole Foods Seduction Bread Roll and a spinach salad on the side. You really don't miss the meat in this recipe either....very satisfying!! Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 can (15 oz.) of cannelloni beans (white beans), drained and rinsed
• 8 oz. of chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 cup of fat free ricotta cheese
• 1 egg + 1 egg white
• 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
• 1 cup of plain bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, mash the cannelloni beans with a fork, leaving some small chunks.

2. In a medium bowl, add the ricotta cheese and eggs and whisk together until smooth and well incorporated. Next, stir in the thawed spinach, breadcrumbs, and garlic powder.

3. Add the mashed beans to the cheese and spinach mixture and season with salt and pepper.

4. Take about 1/4-1/2 cup of the mixture and form into burger patties. Saute on a large non-stick griddle pan or skillet for about 5 minutes (just until they are browned on the outside). Then place them on a large non-stick cookie sheet and bake them for about 15-20 minutes.

5. Serve on a bun or on top of a spinach salad. Enjoy!!

You can also find this recipe at: http://www.thedailycrumb.com/2011/11/30/baked-spinach-ricotta-cakes/

Not Another Egg Sandwich

This recipe is so easy and very yummy!! We have made these sandwiches several times for dinner and for breakfast and they are very satisfying. I don't know about you, but everytime we go out to eat I usually end up leaving and telling Kel that we could have made something better at home. Not to make much of myself, but only to say that restaurant food is not all it is made up to be, especially when it comes to a sandwich! You can eat this sandwich by itself or pair it up with a small fresh fruit bowl and you will be getting all of your major food groups in one meal! Hope you enjoy and God bless! :)

Ingredients: (makes 2 sandwiches)

• 4 slices of whole grain bread (any kind of bread works)
• 2 teaspoons of dijon mustard
• 2 slices of mozzarella or provolone cheese
• 2 tablespoons of feta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 roma tomato, thinly sliced
• 8-10 baby spinach leaves
• 2-3 low sodium turkey bacon slices

Directions:

1. Lay out the bread slices on a cutting board. Spread 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard on 2 slices of the bread and on the other 2 slices, add the sliced cheese and crumbled feta.

2. In a medium non-stick skillet, fry 2 eggs (just the way you like them- we like ours cooked through). Once the egg is finished cooking, place it on top of the slice of bread that has the cheese on it.

3. In the same skillet, add 2-3 slices of bacon (Kel likes 2 pieces and I only like 1, so you can do as many as you would like) and cook them through. Add the slices of bacon on top of the egg.

4. Lastly, add the baby spinach leaves and the sliced tomato on top of the egg and then place the other bread slice (with the dijon on it) on top.

5. Place the assembled sandwiches either in the panini maker or on a large non-stick griddle pan (if you don't have either of these you can use a large non-stick skillet) and toast until the cheese is melted and both sides of the sandwich are toasted. Note: if you are using a griddle pan or a skillet, you can use the bottom of another skillet to smash the sandwiches down or you can just use the spatula. Enjoy!!  

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!!