Monthly Archives: April 2018

BETTER-FOR-YOU PROTEIN PANCAKES

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1/2 c quick-cooking oats

4 egg whites

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs sugar OR sugar substitute

1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Generously coat a skillet with nonstick cooking spray and warm over med heat.

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Pour the mixture onto the skillet to make either 1 jumbo pancake or 5 small pancakes. Cook until you see small bubbles forming, 2-3 minutes for the jumbo pancake or 1-2 minutes for the small pancakes. Then flip the pancake(s) over and cook until golden brown, 1-2 minutes.

makes 1 serving (270 calories)

KITCHEN GADGETS TO INVEST IN

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REFILLABLE OIL MISTER – This allows you to saute veggies, lean protein, and other ingredients without adding many fat calories to recipes. Use the gadget to coat a skillet evenly with oil or to mist your veggies or a salad. Have a few misters and fill each one with a different healthy oil, as well as balsamic or other flavored vinegars. You can use this whenever a recipe calls for nonstick oil spray. Suggested oils to use are olive oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil.

MEASURING CUPS AND SPOONS – These are essential for measuring spices, fats, flours, and other ingredients. I have quite a few sets of each in my kitchen!

BLENDER AND/OR FOOD PROCESSOR – You can literally chop minutes off food prep with either of these tools. It makes chopping, shredding, and mincing large quantities a cinch. For most people, one 4 cup to 7 cup processor does the trick, and it won’t take up too much counter or cabinet space.

IMMERSION (OR HANDHELD) BLENDER – This is great for making pureed soups or sauces because you can skip the step of transferring hot liquids to a blender in batches.

SLOW COOKER – This is a must-have for busy parents. Simply toss all of the ingredients into the slow cooker in the morning, and when dinnertime rolls around…VOILA! A delicious, wholesome meal is waiting for you. It can be used for soups, stews, and chilies.

ONION GOGGLES – Slicing an onion can be a real tearjerker. That is because the onion releases a sulfur compound that may irritate your eyes and cause them to water. (Just thinking about this is making my eyes burn and water!) A pair of onion goggles costs about $20.00 at most home-goods stores. (Budget-saving trick: if you have a pair of ski goggles lying around, they work just as well.)

CUPCAKE TINS (VARIOUS SIZES) – If you bake often, these are a great investment. Mini cupcake tins are great for bite-size treats – automatic portion control! Jumbo cupcake tins are great for large muffins and tasty frittatas. Don’t limit standard cupcake tins to just baked goods. I LOVE making mini meals in muffin tins and individually freezing them. Perfect for those (like me) who only have themselves to cook for.

SPIRAL SLICER – In several of my recipes, I use zucchini noodles (or “zoodles”) to take place of standard starchy pasta. I have also used carrot noodles and sweet potato noodles. To get perfect zoodles, I recommend a spiral slicer. There are various types at various price points. Choose one that suits your budget. And in a pinch, you can also always use a vegetable peeler to make julienned vegetable noodles.

 

 

 

POPPY SEED CHICKEN CASSEROLE

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2 c diced cooked chicken (about 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves)

1 (10.75 oz) can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 c sour cream

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)

1 tsp minced garlic (optional)

1 tbs lemon juice (optional)

2 c crushed ritz crackers

1 tbs poppy seeds

1/2 c (1 stick) butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9″x13″ baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a lg bowl, mix together chicken, soup, and sour cream. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and lemon juice, if using. In another bowl, mix together crushed crackers, poppy seeds, and melted butter and stir until butter is completely incorporated.

Spread chicken mixture on the bottom of prepared pan and top with cracker mixture. Cover pan with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes.

serves 12

 

CHICKEN AND STUFFING BAKE

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6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

2 (10.75 oz) cans cream of chicken soup

2 tsp dried parsley

2/3 c milk

1 (6 oz) box chicken stove top stuffing, prepared according to pkg directions

paprika, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9″x13″ baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Place chicken in prepared pan. In a small bowl,  mix together soup, parsley, and milk. Pour on top of chicken. Spread stuffing on top of soup mix and chicken. Cover with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20-25 more minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with paprika.

serves 6

 

COUNTRY BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

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1 lb ground sausage

1 green onion, chopped

2 c shredded cheddar cheese

6 eggs, lightly beaten

1 c water

1/2 c milk

1 (2.64 oz) packet country gravy mix

2 c frozen tater tots

6 slices bread, cubed

2 tbs butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9″x13″ pan.

Brown sausage in a lg skillet over med heat; drain off excess fat. Combine sausage and green onion, and transfer to prepared pan. Top with shredded cheese. In a med bowl, mix together eggs, water, milk, and gravy mix and pour evenly over the pan. Arrange tater tots and bread cubes on top and drizzle melted butter over everything. Bake 35-40 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes, then cut and serve.

serves 9

 

CREAMY GRAPE SALAD

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1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

1/3 c sugar

2 tsp vanilla3

2 lbs seedless red grapes

2 lbs seedless green grapes

3 tbs brown sugar

3 tbs chopped pecans

In a lg bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla until blended. Add grapes and toss to coat.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving Sprinkle brown sugar and pecans just before servings.

yield 21-24 servings

 

 

LOADED NACHO CASSEROLE

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1 lb lean ground beef

1 lg onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 (11 oz) can corn, drained

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies

1 (1 oz) packet taco seasoning or 2 tbs homemade taco seasoning (recipe below)

1 (10 oz) bag tortilla chips

2 c shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9″x13″ baking pan with  nonstick cooking spray.

In a lg skillet over med heat, cook the beef, onions, and peppers until meat is no longer pink and veggies are tender. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, corn, tomato sauce, chilies, and taco seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer 20 minutes (the mixture will be kind of thin).

Layer half of the tortilla chips in the bottom of the prepared pan, crushing slightly with your hands to make them fit. Top with half of the meat mixture. Repeat layers and then top with shredded cheese.

Bake, uncovered, 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through.

serves 10-12

HOMEMADE TACO SEASONING

1 tbs chili powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/5 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp paprika

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

 

BREAKFAST SAUSAGE STRATA

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1 lb lean turkey sausage

12 English muffins, halved

2 c shredded cheddar cheese

8 lg eggs

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 1/2 c sour cream

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9″x13″ pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Heat a skillet over med-high heat. Add sausage and cook until it is browned.

Arrange 6 of the English muffins (12 halves) in the bottom of the pan, cut sides up. Top with half of the sausage and half of the cheese. Place another layer of English muffins and add the rest of the sausage.

In a med bowl, whisk together eggs, green pepper, sour cream, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour egg mixture over the English muffins so it covers all the bread. Top with remaining cheese and let the dish rest 10 minutes. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes until cooked through.

serves 6-8

 

 

CHEESY CHICKEN QUINOA CASSEROLE

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1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 green onions, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 c chopped mushrooms

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

pinch red pepper flakes

salt and pepper, to taste

garlic salt, to taste

2 c cooked quinoa

2 c diced, cooked chicken (about 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves)

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 c chopped cilantro

1 1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9″x13″ glass pan.

In a lg skillet over med-high heat, add olive oil, garlic, mushrooms, and green onions. Saute 2-3 minutes. Add chopped tomato, tomato sauce, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and garlic salt. Stir and simmer 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine cooked quinoa, chicken, red pepper, cilantro, and 1/2 cup of the cheese in the prepared pan.

Pour warm sauce on top and mix carefully until everything is combined. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese and cover with foil.

Bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and garnish with additional green onions and cilantro, if desired.

serves 6-8

 

CREAMY CHICKEN LASAGNA

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6 uncooked lasagna noodles

1 cube chicken bouillon

1/4 c hot water

3 c shredded cooked chicken (about 1 1 /2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast halves)

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

2 c shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1 (26 oz) jar spaghetti sauce

Italian seasoning to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a lg pot of water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles 8-10 minutes, drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside. In a lg bowl, dissolve the bouillon cube in the 1/4 c hot water. Add chicken, cream cheese, and 1 cup mozzarella. Stir until well combined.

Spread one third of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9″x13″ baking dish. Cover with half of the chicken mixture and top with 3 lasagna noodles. Repeat layers. Top with remaining sauce and mozzarella. Sprinkle on Italian seasoning to taste. Bake 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

serves 8