Here's another faboulous recipe that I found in my low carb search.I found this on the Whole Foods app on my phone.My husband, who is not a ground turkey fan, asked if I would make this again soon.He loved the taste and the texture that the turkey had in this meal???I served it with roasted asparagus and big salad.
Yum! Try it. I can’t wait to hear your reviews!
Ingredients
Adapted from whole foods.
1 pound ground turkey, formed into a patty
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 small onions, sliced
2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen 365 Everyday Value Organic Green Peas ( I forgot to add these)
Swiss Cheese
Directions
Lightly season patty with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add patty and cook until golden brown on the first side, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip patty, move to one side of skillet. Add onions, mushrooms, salt and pepper to cleared side of skillet and cook until softened and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add peas and cook for 1 minute more, checking to ensure patty is cooked through. Sprinkle patty with cheese and transfer to a plate. Spoon hot mushroom mixture on top and serve.
I’ve been struggling a bit with which food direction I would like to go.I would like to lose a few extra pounds and achieve my long desired muscle definition goal.Most research says to dump the carbs and “beef” up proteins in order to kick your metabolism into gear.WELL…I grew up in an Italian family and asking me to give up carbs is like asking me to cut off a limb.So, in short I’m making a few tweeks to our diet.I hope you guys enjoy the ride with us and maybe get a bit closer to your fitness goals too.
Our favorite First Grade teacher shared a Low Carb lasagna recipe with us and to say I was excited to make it would be putting it mildly.I made a few changes to the recipe, actually only the sauce.I/we loved this recipe, even Kerri, our favorite seventh grade teacher, who is not a zucchini fan loved it.And I will have to admit, although don’t tell my mom, I didn’t miss the pasta.
Low Carb Zucchini Lasagna
Recipe adapted from: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Low-Carb Meals
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 (15oz.) can tomato sauce(I made a marinara with turkey sausage and ground turkey which can be found HERE)
1 clove garlic, minced (I used Chimichurri instead and that can be found HERE)
1 tsp. basil
2 tsp. rosemary
1 ½ c ricotta cheese
½ c grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 ½ lb. zucchini, cut lengthwise into ¼ inch slices
4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Brown ground beef in a large skillet and drain.
Stir in tomato sauce, garlic, basil and rosemary.
Heat to boiling.
Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes.
Mix ricotta, ¼ c Parmesan and egg in small bowl.
In 9x13 inch greased baking pan, layer zucchini, cheese mixture, meat sauce, and mozzarella.Repeat.Sprinkle ¼ grated Parmesan on top.
This is a quick and straightforward recipe that can easily be modified to take on very different tastes.I will admit that I was more that a little skeptical that this would be any good.How can a burger taste good with no meat, I mean REALLY!My Friend Kerri loves them and I trust her taste buds so I gave it a try.My warning is this; when I was handling the burger mix, shaping them into patties, it just didn’t feel right. I did initially make them way too thick, just as I would a beef patty.Thank God Kerri was home with us and said “Uh, Cass those are just too thick.”.Anyway, if you get over the fact that you want these burgers to act, feel and taste like meat then they are wonderful!We topped ours with a salad (olive Oil dressing) and chimichurri salsa.My kids actually loved them with just mustard and ketchup.They all wanted them for lunch the next day and my first grader even took one in his lunch box to school.Give it a try!Change up your spices and have fun with them!
Veggie Burgers
Recipe from Kerri who got it from Teri who got it from a vegetarian cookbook!
This is an older recipe of mine that I use so often that I thought I would share another version of it.I usually make these with leftovers, like chili, but this time I made a quick lentil soup instead.You can use pie crust or puff pastry whichever you have on hand; they are both yummy and quick.
I used chimichurri salsa to season my soup, but you can use fresh parsley if you have it.
After our holiday eating and recovering from some kind of stomach flu we have been working on eating healthier.I think for the most part we have a good diet but there is always room for improvement.I found this recipe in Family Circle and it seemed like the perfect meal to work into our weekly menu.Lots of veggies and still very taste too.The only MAJOR change I made was to use mini Penne instead of Linguine.I didn’t really use exact measurements but very close.Anyway, this is a great dish, easy to make, fast with a processor and low cal too.I included the nutritional facts just so you could see how low cal it truly is.
Adapted from Family Circle, Jan 2010
Ingredients
3 medium-size carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 package (20 ounces) sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes
3/4 cup milk
1 box (13.25 ounces) low-carb linguine (such as Dreamfields)
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Directions
1. Pulse carrots, celery and onion in a food processor until finely chopped.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetable mixture and cook, stirring, 6 minutes. Rinse food processor bowl; set aside. Crumble sausage into skillet and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add wine to skillet; bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Drain tomatoes and save the liquid. Add tomatoes to food processor bowl; pulse until finely chopped. Add tomatoes and their liquid to skillet; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium; cook for 30 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in milk and cook another 8 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions in salted boiling water, about 12 minutes. Serve pasta with sauce, and Parmesan, if desired. Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 289
Total Fat (g) 6
Saturated Fat (g) 1
Cholesterol (mg) 38
Sodium (mg) 536
Carbohydrate (g) 39
Fiber (g) 3
Protein (g) 17
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
I’d love to call this hummus but really it's not.Whatever it is, it is truly very yummy and not so bad for you either.It would be great on a sandwich too.
Ingredients:
Fresh Black-eyed Peas
Garlic
Green Onion
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Dash of Cumin
Sprinkle of Paprika
1 tsp Red Pepper flakes
6 ozs of plain homemade Yogurt (can substitute with store bought if you must)
Directions:
Boil Peas until they are tender.
Combine all ingredients, except the yogurt, in a food process and blend until creamy.
Add more oil if you think it is still too thick.
When it's the consistency you like, add the yogurt and blend until fully combined.
It’s been quite a bit of time since I last posted for Barefoot Bloggers.Barefoot Bloggers are a community of bloggers that twice monthly make, taste, review and post about Ina Garten recipes. Michelle ofWelcome to the Club selected this month’s recipe.Michelle picked Stuffed Mushrooms.I have been making stuffed mushroom for a long time so I decided to do my best to following Ina’s directions and break out of my comfort zone. At first glace the recipe seems to have a lot of unnecessary fat added.I don’t “normally” add sausage or mascarpone cheese (Italian sour cream).I joined the Barefoot community to expand my cooking mind so… I basically stuck to the recipe.
My review?Well... I will go back to my regular recipe.I do think that Ina’s were delicious but I still think you can get the same flavor without all the extra calories.If you don’t mind the extra calories nor have a recipe you love, give these a try.They are Yummy!
Ina Garten recipe
Ingredients
Any changes I made will be in red.nocoupons
16 extra-large white mushrooms (I used smaller mushrooms so the kids eat them easier)
5 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons Marsala wine or medium sherry(I used Vigne Nuove Italian wine)
3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings
6 scallions, white and green parts, minced
2 garlic cloves minced
2/3 cup panko crumbs
5 ounces mascarpone cheese, preferably from Italy
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them finely. Set aside. Place the mushroom caps in a shallow bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and Marsala. Set aside.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, crumbling it with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it's completely browned. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in the scallions and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the panko crumbs, stirring to combine evenly with all the other ingredients. Finally, swirl in the mascarpone and continue cooking until the mascarpone has melted and made the sausage mixture creamy. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste, Cool slightly.
Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture. Arrange the mushrooms in a baking dish large enough to hold all the mushrooms in a snug single layer. Bake until the 50 minutes, until the stuffing is browned and crusty.
This is my husband’s favorite appetizer and I love to make them this time of year.The hardest step is standing in line at the deli counter in Central Market.
Ingredients:
Thinly Sliced Imported Prosciutto
Carrots
Balsamic Vinegar
Directions:
Shred carrots.
Mix carrots with vinegar until the carrots are well coated but not saturated.
Place a stack of shredded carrots on the end of a slice of prosciutto and roll it up.
As most of you know, I’m a bit of a ravioli nut.I love everything about ravioli.I love it so much that it’s the one and only food that I can eat and not think once about the number of calories in each bite.I love to see flour all over my kitchen, my 7-year-old turning the crank on the pasta press, the smell of the dough, the way they float to the top of my pot and the versatility of fillings.My blog dream is 30 days of ravioli.I could go on and on but I’ll spare you the bore and get to the recipe.
Pasta
1 ¼ C All purpose flour
¾ C Semolina
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Olive Oil
4 tbls Warm Water
2 Eggs
Directions:
I dump all the ingredients into my food processor equipped with the dough hook and let it do its thing.
Allow the dough to sit for 30 minutes before shaping.
Add salt, pepper, oregano, and breadcrumbs and stir until heated and fully combined.
Add the cheese and sour cream stir and remove from the heat.
Wipe the inside of the boats dry with a paper towel and fill them with the meat mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees until the skin is tender.
Sunday Pancakes Turned Spooky
As you guys already know, my children celebrate Pancake Sunday each and every Sunday. This past Sunday my soon to be 5-year-old ate 8 pancakes and still wanted more. That same little boy will be celebrating his birthday on the 16th of October. When I asked him what he wanted for his special dinner he said “ how about pancakes!”. So in honor of his birthday I’m sharing our pancakes with you guys. Ingredients
½ c Whole Wheat Flour
½ c All- Purpose Flour
1 tbsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Baking soda
¼ tsp Salt
3 tbsp Sugar
1 Egg
3 tbsp oil
½ C Buttermilk
½ 2% Milk
Directions
Mix all ingredients together, don't over mixPour onto a hot skillet.
It’s Barefoot Bloggers day. Jill, of My Next Life, selected today’s recipe. This recipe was fabulous and really hits the spot on cold and rainy days. It’s hard for my children to manage keeping soup on their spoons all the way to their little mouths so I made some fried Chicken breast strips to go with our soup. I was thinking that the kids could use the chowder as a dip. They ended up eating all their chicken then all their chowder. The thick consistency made it much easier for them to manage. Luckily, this recipe makes enough to feed a small army so we have tons in our freezer. I did make a few changes after reading some of the recipe reviews. I used less stock, no butter, more bacon, mashed the potatoes, added nutmeg and thyme. I would make this again exactly the way I did this time. Enjoy.
Directions In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter to the fat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain. (If using frozen corn you can skip this step.) Add the corn to the soup, then add the half-and-half and cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with a garnish of bacon.
Bagel Eyes My family enjoys waking up to these eyes staring at them from their plates.
I received a cookbook in the mail from Carnation and thought I’d share one of the recipes with you all. My gang loved it. This casserole would be great to take to a football game or other fun gathering. And like all great casseroles, you can make it ahead and then even freeze it.
Recipe adapted from Carnation.
Ingredients: 8 Medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes. I used baby red potatoes so that I would not have to peel them. 1 C Evaporated Milk. We like our mashed potatoes creamy so I added more milk. ½ C Sour Cream 1 tsp Kosher Salt ½ tsp Black Pepper 2 C Cheddar Cheese, Shredded 6 Slices of Bacon 6 Green Onions, chopped
Directions: Boil potatoes until tender. Drain the water from the potatoes; add milk, sour cream, salt and pepper and mash. Stir ½ the cheese, ½ the bacon and ½ the onions. Spread into a greased casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees or until heated through. Top with the remaining cheese, bacon and onions and bake a few minutes more or until the cheese is melted.
Sweet Ghosts For Your Sweets These take just a few minutes but they are always a big hit.
Ingredients: 6 pears Craft Sticks or wood skewers cut in half 10-12 oz Almond Bark Chocolate Chips
Directions: Push the sticks into the top of the pears. Melt almond bark in a glass-measuring cup. Hold the pears by the stick and roll them in the melted almond bark. Let cool slightly and place the chocolate chips on the coated pear for eyes. Place in the refrigerator for a few minutes to set.
It time for me to post my blogger find of the month.This find is actually one that I came across a few months ago and LOVE.It’s so simple and so yummy!I found this recipe at Taste With The Eyes, home of amazing chief, photographer and blogger Lori Lynn.Please go visit her, you’ll instantly want to stay for dinner.
I’m going to post the link to Lori’s site and to the recipe so you all can go check them out.Mine was yummy but not as beautiful as hers.
When I was a kid my mom made only one casserole, which I still remember.She continues to make it and so do I.It’s always a hit and always yummy.There is a bit of prep work but with our modern kitchen conveniences it makes short work of it.This casserole is my go to meal whenever I want to bring a meal to someone, as we did this week for our sweet neighbor who had her second baby a few weeks ago.I make this because I can leave it unbaked and then the family can either bake it then or freeze it to eat later.The recipe comes from my mom’s 1974 Southern living Casseroles Cookbook.I’ll give my adapted version that is 35 years in the making.OH, and by the way I remember her telling us she was making this for the first time.She had a small mutiny on her hands…until we all tasted it.
Zucchini Rice Casserole
Adapted from Southern Livings Casseroles Cookbook.
Circa 1974
Ingredients:
This will make two casseroles.So if you don’t want to give or freeze one then cut the recipe in half.
3 C cooked rice
2 Lbs. Ground beef, I’ve used ground turkey and it tastes the same.
1 onion
Lots of Oregano, I use fresh.
Salt/Pepper
6 large zucchini, sliced
2 large tubs or large curd cottage cheese
4 Cans of cream of mushroom soup
Breadcrumbs
Directions:
Cook rice.I actually cook mine in the microwave so that I can reduce my amount of prep time.
While the rice is cooking brown the beef with the onion and oregano and set-aside until the rice if done cooking.
Wash, cut and cook the zucchini.Leave it a bit al dente as it will bake again and you don’t want it mushy.Again, I use the microwave to do this step.
While the zucchini is cooking mix the beef and rice together.I just dump the rice into the cooling pan with the beef.
After the zucchini is cooked it's time to start layering the casserole.
After a small impromptu BBQ this weekend we found ourselves with too many leftovers.With some of the leftover corn on the cob we made delicious lasagna.It took almost no time to cook and was such a great way to change up the leftovers.
Ingredients:
Grilled Corn on the Cob, removed from cob
Ricotta cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Onion
Spinach
Lasagna noodles, cooked until slightly tender
Sweet Italian Sausage
Salt/pepper
1 egg
1 can of chopped tomatoes
Fresh Parsley
Directions:
Combine Corn, onion and salt and pepper and allow to sit for at least an hour in the refrigerator.
Mix ricotta, egg, mozzarella, salt and pepper until combined.
Layer in casserole dish as follows.Pasta, corn mix, cheese mix then another layer of pasta.Repeat this process until the cheese and corn are all in the dish.Then layer spinach and mozzarella cheese topping with the sausage tomato mix.
Have you ever had one of those nights where cooking was more of a chore than a joy.Well Last night started that way for me.My husband was working late (again), the kids were well GRUMPY and the grocery fairy was a no show (again).
I had a pound of ground beef thawed out, no plan and no real desire for anything.My first thought was to go with my dad’s old stand by recipe, gruel.Gruel is ground beef mixed with cream of mushroom soup served over mashed potatoes or rice.Gruel was a favorite of mine as a kid and my kids like it but it seems so heavy and it’s 100 degrees here in Texas.So here is what we ended up having.
Ingredients:
1lb Ground beef
Basil Pesto
Salt/pepper
Garlic
½ a Red Onion, chopped
Fresh Green Beans
Fresh Baby Bellas, sliced
Edam Cheese for topping
1 lb Whole wheat spaghetti
Directions:
Boil salted for the pasta. Add Pasta when the water boils.
Mix the beef and pesto in a bowl and roll into mini meatball.I ended up with about 20 meatballs.
Brown the meatballs in a splash of olive oil.
Add the onion, green beans and mushrooms then simmer over low heat, cover until the pasta is al dente.
Drain the pasta and mix with the meatball veggie mixture.
Grate the cheese on top and serve.
My 6-year-old had three helpings and I had very little clean up.A 20-minute meal and one happy family.
I’m finally posting my Barefoot Bloggers recipe from last week.I love, love, love the recipe that was chosen for last weeks challenge.I know your saying to yourself “ if she loves it so much then why didn’t she post on time?” well, good question.We make this recipe at least once a week and sometimes the kids want it so much that we’ll have it more than once.The recipe is for Pizza.That’s right. How simple? Pizza.This recipe was picked by Andrea of Nummy Kitchen.The recipe is White Pizza with Arugulaand it can be found in Back to Basics on page 82. For those of you who have not seen the posts “around town” Barefoot Bloggers are a community of bloggers that make and post reviews of Ina Garten recipes twice monthly.Now back to the pizza.
What I love about this recipe is the dough.Each and every time I make this recipe the dough turns out perfect.I have made the dough with all-purpose flour, Whole-wheat flour and ½ all-purpose ½ whole-wheat.No matter what you choose this is a very good and very easy dough recipe.Ina suggests to make a garlic/pepper infused oil to spread on the dough.I agree the oil makes the difference between a good pizza and a great pizza.Again, we play with different flavors for the oil.Sometime rosemary/garlic, sometime pepper/garlic and other times just garlic.Have fun with the flavors of the dough and the oil. The only other change we made to her recipe is to grill it.If you have never grilled a pizza, DO!
There is nothing better than grilled pizza.OH and I almost forgot.This pizza dough is a great way to use up leftovers or things that need to be used in your refrigerator.Again, HAVE FUN!
Finally, unfortunately I don’t have a picture of our arugula pizza but the lemon with the Fontina cheese is so very summery and refreshing.
11 ounces creamy goat cheese, such as montrachet, crumbled
For the vinaigrette:nocoupons
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces baby arugula
1 lemon, sliced
Directions
Mix the dough.
Combine the water, yeast, honey and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. When the yeast is dissolved, add 3 cups of flour, then 2 teaspoons salt, and mix on medium-low speed. While mixing, add up to 1 more cup of flour, or just enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with the flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the bowl.
Knead by hand.
When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead it by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic.
Let it rise.
Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Make garlic oil.
Place 1/2 cup of olive oil, the garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook for 10 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn't burn. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. (Be sure your oven is clean!)
Portion the dough.
Dump the dough onto a board and divide it into 6 equal pieces. Place the dough on sheet pans lined with parchment paper and cover them with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Stretch the dough.
Press and stretch each ball into an 8-inch circle and place 2 circles on each sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (If you've chilled the dough, take it out of the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes ahead to let it come to room temperature.)
Top the dough.
Brush the pizzas with the garlic oil, and sprinkle each one liberally with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the pizzas evenly with fontina, mozzarella and goat cheese. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon more of the garlic oil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the crusts are crisp and the cheeses begin to brown.
Make the vinaigrette.
Meanwhile, whisk together 1/2 cup of olive oil, the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Add the greens.
When the pizzas are done, place the arugula in a large bowl and toss with just enough lemon vinaigrette to moisten. Place a large bunch of arugula on each pizza and a slice of lemon and serve immediately.
TIP: Make sure the bowl is warm before you put the water and yeast in; the water must be warm for the yeast to develop.
TIP: Salt inhibits the growth of yeast; add half the flour, then the salt, and then the rest of the flour.
TIP: To make sure yeast is still "alive," or active, put it in water and allow it to sit for a few minutes. If it becomes creamy or foamy, it's active.
I love to cook and I love to have my children in the kitchen with me.Having time and something entertaining enough to keep the kids from making me crazy can be a challenge.The other day my son and I made a pasta salad with Fava beans, which worked out well for a rushed weeknight meal.I love the cumin/mint combination.After the pasta had marinated overnight, my 4 year old and I made chicken nuggets while my 6 and 2 year old worked on a salad.My 4 year old was so impressed that his mom could teach him how to make chicken nuggets.I hope I’m his hero for the rest of his life or at least the rest of the week.Having the yummy pasta ready gave me time to invest in my children.
Pasta salad with Fava Beans
Ingredients:
1 lb Acini Di Pepe Pasta
Fava Beans (hulled, boil and skins peeled)
Cumin
Fresh Mint (chopped)
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil
Sherry Vinegar
Directions:
Cook the pasta, combine all the ingredients and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
OH! My Best Friend stop over today.
She gave us this special treat to make our weekly celebration of Pancake Sunday a bit easier and funner!
Thank you and you know we love you! Remember that always(especially as you see this and your picture)!
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