Tuscan Bean Soup

I saw this recipe on Pioneer woman and it looked so good. Most of her recipes aren't very healthy so I was excited to see this and give it a try. The original recipe called for shrimp, but I left that out. I also didn't have fresh basil so I put a dollop of pesto on the soup once I ladeled it bowls. It was delicious!

Ingredients
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 cans (14.5 Ounce) Cans Great Northern Beans, Drained And Rinsed
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
2 teaspoons Dried Oregano
1/4 cup Tomato Paste
3/4 cups Dry White Wine
1 can (28 Ounces) Whole Or Diced Tomatoes
6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 bunch Kale (more If Desired)
Plenty Of Torn Fresh Basil or prepared pesto

Preparation Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and stir to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to cook about 2 minutes, getting lots of flavor in the bottom of the pan. Stir in red pepper flakes and dried oregano; stir and cook for another 30 seconds.
Pour in wine and whisk, scraping the bottom of the pan a bit as you go. Allow this to bubble up and reduce, cooking until the wine is reduced by half.
Add canned tomatoes. Drain and rinse beans, then add to pot. Pour in chicken broth. Stir to combine and allow it to simmer for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste.
Rinse the kale and tear it into chunks. Stir into soup. (It'll shrink quite a bit, so don't be afraid when you first add it!) Allow the soup to simmer for another 5 minutes, tasting and adding salt and pepper (or even more red pepper flakes) as needed.

Thank you Pioneer Woman!

Peanut butter banana muffins

Todd came home from tennis the other night with an abundance of bananas and peanut butter. I personally have not tried these muffins since I'm not a banana fan. James gobbled 2 down right away so they must be good! I googled "peanut butter banana muffins" and this looked good to me!

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

4 ripe bananas
1 1/4 c whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c honey
2 T melted butter
2 eggs
1/3 c unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 T creamy peanut butter
{optional: +2 tb to use as small dollops of pb on top of each muffin}

1. Mash bananas and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together honey and melted butter until smooth.
3. Add applesauce, eggs, vanilla extract and peanut butter. Whisk together until smooth.
4. Add flour, baking soda, salt & stir together until not lumpy.
5. Add bananas and mix until just combined.
6. Spoon mixture into lined muffin tin.
7. Add a small (1/4 ts?) dollop of peanut butter to the top of each muffin, and sort of press it in until it's almost covered by the muffin batter.
8. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. I stuck the toothpick in at an angle and went towards the center to avoid sticking it through the dollop of peanut butter.

Yield: 12 muffins

Lentil soup

I got this recipe is from my co-worker Kathy several years back. Her Italian mother made this frequently when she was growing up. The ingredients are so simple, but it tastes so good. I know lentils aren't everyones "cup of tea", but I love them. Warning, this makes a lot of soup!

Ingredients
Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
4-5 stalks celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 bag lentils
11 cups stock/broth of choice (maybe a little less if not adding rice or pasta)
1/2-1 cup small pasta or brown rice(tonight I used ditalini which is the cutest little pasta ever!)
Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in large soup pot. Saute onion, carrots, and celery until tender. Add garlic and salt/pepper to taste. Cook 1-2 more minutes. Add tomatoes, lentils and stock/broth. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add small pasta or rice. Cook until done. Rice will take much longer than pasta to cook.

To serve ladle into bowls, add a little olive oil and parmesan cheese. Yum!

Balsamic glazed carrots

I saw this recipe in Septembers Health magazine. I love anything with balsamic vinegar so I thought these were great!
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds(12 medium) carrots, halved lengthwise then halved crosswise. I halved then just halved the chunky top half crosswise. This made 3 segments from each carrot.
2 T olive oil
2 T water
1/2 t cumin
2 T balsamic vinegar
parsley for garnish

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Roast carrots 35-40 minutes until tender. Remove carrots and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar. Shake the pan to distribute vinegar.

Oven roasted almonds

We love to eat almonds at our house. My aunt Lynda shared this recipe/method over the weekend. It makes raw almonds taste amazing without any added flavors or salt. I can't wait to go home and roast my raw almonds(We buy them in a big bag at Costco).

All you do is put your almonds on a baking sheet and roast at 300 for 30 minutes. That's it! Let cool and enjoy. Once you try these you won't want to eat raw almonds ever again!

Enjoy!

Mozzarella stuffed bruschetta turkey burgers

These burgers were great! I found this recipe on Iowa Girls Eats. She always posts really yummy recipes. The peanut butter jar tip for making the patties worked great too! You can watch a video tutorial here.

Ingredients:
Burger:

• 1 lb 99% fat-free ground turkey breast
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, divided into 4
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar

Bruschetta mixture:

• 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Simmer balsamic vinegar in a saucepan over medium heat until it is the consistency of
thin maple syrup – about 10-15 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine turkey, salt, pepper, dried basil and parmesan cheese. Divide
turkey mixture into four, equal portions.

3. Wrap an old peanut butter jar lid with foil, then lay a sheet of plastic wrap on top.
Divide one portion of the turkey mixture in half, then press one half into the bottom of
the lid. Heap 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese into the middle, then top with the other turkey
half. Press together, then invert the patty by pulling up on the plastic wrap. Seal the edges
with your hands, then place on the grill. Continue with other turkey portions until you
have 4 patties total. Grill burgers for 4 minutes a side over medium-high heat.

4. For Bruschetta mixture: combine all ingredients, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

5. Top grilled burgers with Bruschetta mixture and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Quinoa Spinach Bake

This recipe is for all my quinoa loving friends. I know you guys are out there somewhere!! This recipe reminded me of my spinach pie, but not as cheesy. Probably a little healthier too. The recipe called for blanching the spinach but that seemed like too much work so I just cooked it with the onions after they softened. You could also sub frozen spinach too! Todd ate this for breakfast with a salsa quite a few times. YES, you heard correctly, Todd is eating quinoa and he liked it!! I'm so proud of him! Now I just need to get him to eat oatmeal! One grain at a time I suppose!

Ingredients:

1 lbs spinach

2 t olive oil

1 yellow onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T fresh thyme

1 t rosemary

1/4 t red pepper flakes

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 cup cottage cheese

salt and pepper to taste

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 8 x 8 inch glass baking dish with olive oil spray. Heat oil in saute pan. Add onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and red pepper flakes and saute for about 8 minutes. Add spinach and cooked until wilted. Remove from heat and combine with quinoa, cottage cheese and eggs. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake until edges are brown for 60-70 minutes. Serve warm or at room temp.

Zucchini pineapple muffins ** new and improved**

7/23/11 ****NEW and IMPROVED**** I made these today with a few healthier changes. I used all whole wheat flour, no brown sugar, and butter instead of oil. Not quite as sweet and a little more dense, but still just as good! All of the changes are reflected below!

FIrst posted 9/13/09

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 -3 T agave nectar
2-3 T molasses
2-3 T honey
1/2 Cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 pinch ginger
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 whole Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Cups Grated (unpeeled) Zucchini (I usually just use 1)
1 (20 Oz.) Can Crushed Pineapple In Juice, Drained

Preheat oven to 350°.To prepare muffins combine flour, sugar, coconut, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk.
Combine butter, eggs, vanilla, agave, honey, and molasses; stir well. Stir egg mixture, grated zucchini, and pineapple into flour mixture. Add to muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Vegetable Lasagna

I channelled Pioneer Woman on this recipe. I saw her vegetable lasagna a few months ago. Yum! I changed it up quite a bit, but the basic method is the same. I used less noodles, less ricotta, less egg, different veggies/herbs. Whatever you do, don't leave out the wine. This is what makes the sauce taste so good! It is my new summer lasagna.

Ingredients:
9 cooked lasagna noodles
2 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, Diced
1 eggplant, Chopped
3 squash (yellow Or zucchini), Diced
1 can (28 Ounce) crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup White Wine
1/4 cup Fresh basil, chopped
1 t fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt (more To Taste)
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
15 oz ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 cups mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Extra Parmesan Cheese, For Sprinkling

Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and lay flat on a sheet of aluminum foil.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for a minute. Add diced red peppers and saute for another minute or so. Add squash and eggplant and cook for a few minutes. Pour in wine, add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and stir.
Pour in tomatoes. Stir to combine and let simmer for 20 minutes or so. Stir in chopped basil and oregano.
In a separate bowl, combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
To assemble, spread a little of the vegetable/tomato sauce in a lasagna pan. Layer three cooked noodles in the pan, slightly overlapping them if necessary. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture on the noodles. Top the ricotta mixture with mozzarella. Spoon a little less than 1/3 of the veggie/sauce mixture over the mozzarella.
Repeat the layering two more times, ending with a large helping of vegetable sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan.
Bake at 350 degrees, covered in foil, for 20 minutes, then remove foil and continue baking for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Olive Garden's Pasta E Fagioli

I found the original recipe on crockpot 365 and it is also on my friend Maleah's blog. I don't use a full lb of beef and I decided I liked it better with italian seasoning rather than all oregano. You can use any combination of veggies that you want. You could add broccoli, squash, green beans, asparagus, corn, etc.. We all love this soup at our house!
Ingredients:
1/2 lbs ground beef, cooked and drained
1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, diced
2-14 ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups(32 oz) beef stock
1-2 teaspoons italian seasoning
salt and pepper
3-4 cups spaghetti sauce
1/2 dry pasta shell macaroni(added during the last hour of cooking)

Add all ingredients except pasta to crockpot. Cook on low 8 hours and add the pasta during the last hour.

Time saving tip: I usually assemble this in my crockpot the night before I plan on cooking it. I keep it in the fridge overnight and just have to plug in my crockpot in the morning. If I end up having a hectic morning I'm so glad I took the extra time the night before.

Balsamic & White Wine Roasted Vegetable Pasta

I have enjoyed following this blog lately and found this post that looked so good. I made it for dinner tonight and we all really enjoyed it.

Ingredients:
1 head of broccoli(cut into florets)
1 lbs brussels sprouts(halved)
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t montreal seasonings
olive oil
1/2 of a yellow onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 T butter
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
12 oz penne pasta, cooked

Preheat oven to 425. Place brussels sprouts on baking sheet and toss with a little olive oil and the garlic powder. Roast for 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes. Place the broccoli florets on another baking sheet and toss with olive oil and montreal seasoning. Add to the oven when you are turning the brussels sprouts and roast for 15 minutes. So the brussels sprouts end up roasting for 30 and the broccoli for 15. While the veggies are roasting cook the onions until soft( about 5 minutes) and then add the garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes and then add the wine, balsamic, and butter. Simmer and reduce. Add roasted veggies, sundried tomatoes to wine sauce and toss with cooked penne. Sprinkle with parmesan and enjoy!

Healthy homemade granola bars

I found this recipe here. I have been looking for good breakfast/snack items without added sugar. I used cashews for the nuts and whole flax seed(next time I will try milled). When I rolled them out they only took up about half of my baking dish so next time I think I will double the recipe.

2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. flax seed, milled
1/4 c. quinoa
3/4 c. shelled sunflower seeds
1 c. chopped nuts (any kind or combination)
1 c. shredded coconut
1/2 to 1 tsp. cinnamon (desired amount)
1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. agave nectar
1/2 c. honey
2 tsp. molasses
4 T. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
4 T. peanut butter
1 c. dried, chopped fruit (optional)

1. Mix first 8 ingredients together and place on a rimmed baking sheet. toast in a 400 degree oven for 12 minutes. Stir and let cool at least 15 minutes.
2. Bring next 4 ingredients to a simmer, stirring continuously. stir in the vanilla and peanut butter and cool for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Put the toasted ingredients and dried fruit in a large bowl and pour the liquid ingredients over it. mix very well.
4. Place parchment or wax paper in the rimmed baking sheet and butter the top side, then place the granola bar mixture in the pan. put another butter sheet of paper, buttered side down, on top of the mixture and press down. roll with a rolling pin to make it very tight, smooth, and even.
5. Let set for 2-3 hours and cut into desired bar size. makes about 20-24 bars. package in snack size bags or an airtight container. if not using within next few days, store in freezer. they keep very well, and thaw quickly. (really yummy frozen, too!)

Summer Squash and Corn Chowder

I made this recipe from the Aug 2010 Cooking Light. They suggested pairing it with tomato bruschetta. It was a great late summer meal.

Ingredients
2 slices applewood-smoked bacon
3/4 cup sliced green onions, divided
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 pound yellow summer squash, chopped
1 pound frozen white and yellow baby corn kernels
2 1/4 cups milk, divided
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan. Crumble bacon, and set aside. Add 1/2 cup onions, celery, and squash to drippings in pan; sauté 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Reserve 1 cup corn; set aside. Place the remaining corn and 1 cup milk in a blender; process until smooth. Add remaining 1 1/4 cups milk, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to blender; process just until combined. Add pureed mixture and reserved 1 cup corn to pan. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/8 teaspoon salt. Ladle about 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 4 bowls; top each serving with about 1 tablespoon bacon, 1 tablespoon remaining onions, and 1 tablespoon cheese.

Makes 4 servings at 285 calories each.

Oatmeal pancakes

Ingredients:
2 cups oatmeal
½ cup whole wheat flour
3 T honey
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 ½ cups buttermilk
2 large eggs (slightly beaten)
¼ cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon (you can add more, but James is sensitive to it so I don't add a lot.)

These are a new favorite! I adapted this recipe from one I found here. I substituted honey for the sugar and whole wheat flour for the white flour. Combine dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and let sit for 20-30 minutes, covered. Cook slowly on a griddle. Helpful tip: The pancakes are easier to flip if they are not very big.

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of ground cloves, ground ginger, ground nutmeg (you could use a little pumpkin pie spice if you had that on hand)
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups finely grated carrot (about 1 pound)
Cooking spray
honey and butter

Another Cooking Light recipe! Combine flour and next 7 ingredients (through spices) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and next 4 ingredients (through eggs); add sugar mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in 2 cups carrot.
Cook on low to medium heat and top with a little butter and honey! These are delicious and make 10-12 pancakes.

Chicken enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 of an onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Dash of black pepper
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup fat-free sour cream
3 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey
1/2 cup salsa
6 (6-inch) whole wheat flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat large skillet over medium heat until hot and add a touch of olive oil; add bell pepper and onion. Sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Combine flour, coriander, and black pepper in a medium bowl; gradually add broth, stirring with a whisk until well-blended. Add to saucepan; bring to a boil, and cook 3 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in cheese and sour cream. Combine 1 cup cheese mixture, turkey, and salsa in a bowl.

Spread 1/2 cup meat mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour remaining cheese mixture over tortillas. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Toasted Pita Panzanella

This is an Italian dish with a twist. Panzanella is widely known in Italy as a "bread salad" or "leftover salad", so the sky is the limit with this one as far as which ingredients to use. It is great for an August meal with so many fresh ingredients readily available this time of year!

Ingredients:
2 whole wheat pitas
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
1/2 of a red onion, sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta
2 T fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 t sugar
1/4 cup EVOO
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Chop pitas into 8 sections(like cutting a pie) and toast for 14 minutes, turning halfway through. Set aside and cool. Once cool break into smaller pieces.

Combine tomatoes through basil and add pita pieces. Combine lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper and slowly add the olive oil. Drizzle dressing over salad and let set at room temperature 20-30 minutes before serving. This serves 2 adults and one baby James!

Chicken Chimichangas

These have such good flavor but are not spicy so James can eat them. I'll be honest, they aren't as good as the deep fried version, but they are much healthier.
Chicken Chimichangas
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups shredded roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled queso fresco cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free refried beans
6 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas
Cooking spray
1/2 cup bottled salsa

Preheat oven to 500°.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well.

Spread 1/4 cup beans down center of each tortilla. Top each tortilla with 2/3 cup chicken mixture; roll up. Place rolls, seam sides down, on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Coat tops of chimichangas with cooking spray. Bake at 500° for 7 minutes. Serve with salsa.

French Toast

French Toast
1/4 cup mashed sweet potato
2 T milk
1/4-1/2 t cinnamon
4 eggs
4-6 slices whole wheat bread

Whisk together sweet potato and milk until you get a smooth puree. Add the eggs and cinammon. Dip both sides of bread and soak for a few seconds. Use cooking spray to avoid sticking and cook on medium heat. We enjoyed these with syrup, banana, and blueberries. James gave it 2 thumbs up!

Huevos Rancheros

I've been meaning to make these for a long time, but never did until tonight. We had some amazing Huevos Rancheros 6 years ago in Durango, CO at a quant diner on main street. We were visiting Durango for the wedding of our friends Chris and Maleah Stroud. It was a quick, easy dinner and did not disappoint! I've had some queso fresco cheese in the freezer for quite a while and was looking for a good recipe to use it for. I have a chicken chimichunga recipe that I'll post later this week that calls for that cheese too.

Huevos Rancheros

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 topped tortilla)

Ingredients
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons water
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Cooking spray
4 large eggs (a big eater,aka Todd, would want 2 eggs)
4 whole wheat tortillas
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled queso fresco cheese or any other cheese will work fine too
Avocado, sliced (optional)

Combine the tomatoes and enchilada sauce in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and juice. Set aside.

Place water and beans in a microwave-safe bowl, and partially mash with a fork. Cover and microwave at HIGH 2 minutes or until hot.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add eggs; cook 1 minute on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spread about 1/3 cup beans over each tortilla; top each tortilla with 1 egg. Spoon 1/2 cup sauce around each egg; sprinkle each serving with 1/4 cup cheese. If made with 1 egg and no avocado these are about 350 calories each.