Spaghetti with Healthy Meatballs

This recipe is from the Biggest Loser Family Cookbook. This was also my first time creating meatballs...needless to say they turned out well. Everyone in the house was happy. Score!

Spaghetti with Healthy Meatballs
Adapted from The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook

Ingredients

2 egg whites
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup skim milk
1/2 cup fresh chopped Parsley
1 T dried minced onion
1/2 t Oregano, ground
1/2 t Garlic powder
1 pound ground beef (96/4)



Directions

Preheat to 400. Lightly coat cooking sheet with cooking spray.

In medium bowl using fork, combine egg whites, oats and milk until well combined. Add parsley, onion oregano, garlic powder. mix well. mix in turkey until well combined.

Make 32 uniform meatballs, each about 1 1/4" in diameter (use a cookie scoop for ease) roll into balls and place on baking sheet, not touching. Bake 7-10 min, or until no longer pink inside.

Broccoli Chicken Casserole

I love the fact that I can cook one meal and eat for days! This casserole dish was no exception...simple, healthy and good!


Broccoli Chicken Casserole
Adapted from Casserole Recipes, pil publications

1.5 pounds cooked, cubed chicken breast
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I used Heart Healthy to lower the sodium content)
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese (I used Cabots 75% Fat Free)
1 10-oz package frozen broccoli
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 t dried basil
1 t black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375, lightly grease a 13x9 baking dish; set aside
2. Cut chicken into small cubes and cook until no longer pink
3. Combine chicken, soup, milk, cheese, broccoli, green onions, basil and pepper in large bowl; mix well. Spread in prepared baking dish. Bake 50 minutes, until bubbly. Refrigerate leftovers immediately.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

While I was scoping out the kitchen for leftover veggies...I decided that I wanted to use my asparagus and create a side with with it wrapped in bacon. Yum!

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Ingredients

1 Bunch of Asparagus (I used the small asparagus so I could wrap several)
Center Cut Bacon (I sliced these in half)
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper


Ingredients

Turn the oven to broil.


Rinse the asparagus and trim the tough ends of the asparagus

For wrapping the asparagus,starting from the stem,use half a slice of bacon and circles asparagus all the way to the top. Since these asparagus were small I combined a small handful of them to wrap.

Place the wrapped asparagus in a baking dish, remember to put the end of the bacon wrap side down. Drizzle some olive oil, small pinch of salt, and some freshly ground pepper.

Transfer to the oven and cook till the bacon turned slightly brown on all sides, turning to cook evenly.

Cacciatore Noodle Casserole

This was a delicious dish that we were able to eat for a few days due to how many servings it consisted of. The best part is that each serving is around 1.5 cups and only 233 calories. That's a lot of pasta!

Cacciatore Noodle Casserole
Adapted from Casserole Recipes, pil publications

Ingredients
2 Cups Prego Garlic and Herb sauce
3/4 cup water
1 cup frozen broccoli cuts
1 jar sliced mushrooms, drained
3 cups cooked, cubed chicken, or 2 cans canned white chunk chicken 98% fat free
3 cups medium egg noodles, cooked and drained
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Stir spaghetti sauce, water, Italian vegetables, mushrooms, chicken and noodles in a 2.5-quart casserole

2. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot. Stir

3. Sprinkle with cheese

Number of Servings: 6

Fried Oreos

These didn't turn out exactly how I wanted them to...but they tasted fantastic...so who cares!

Fried Oreos

Ingredients
2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
1 large egg
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup pancake mix
1 (18 ounce) package cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo®)
Directions
1.Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2.Whisk together the egg, milk, and 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the pancake mix until no dry lumps remain. Dip the cookies into the batter one at a time, and carefully place into the hot frying oil. Fry only 4 or 5 at a time to avoid overcrowding the deep fryer. Cook until the cookies are golden-brown, about 2 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate before serving.

Fried Pickles!

So yes...its been a while since my last posting...Thanks for the reminder sis =)

One night I was in a crazy mood for some fried food and we didn't leave many foods untouched in our deep frier. The fried pickles were the major winner here.

Fried Pickles

Ingredients
1 pint sliced dill pickles, undrained
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons ground red pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
Vegetable oil
Directions
Drain pickles, reserving 2/3-cup pickle juice. Press pickles between paper towels. Combine 2/3 cup pickle juice, egg, 1 tablespoon flour, and hot sauce. Stir well and set aside.


Combine 1 1/2 cups flour with ground red pepper, garlic powder, salt, and paprika. Blend well. Dip pickles in egg mixture, then dredge in flour mixture. Fry coated pickles in 375-degree oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Crab and Corn Enchilada Casserole

I've declared...a week of casserole based dishes! I found some nifty dishes to try and we'll just make a short marathon out of it. My apologies for the non-seafood crowd. This was delicious...it makes a HUGE casserole too. I always can handle some good leftovers! The Spicy Tomato Sauce was amazing and can definitely be utilized for any pasta dish as the sauce. Enjoy!

Crab and Corn Enchilada Casserole
Adapted from Casserole Recipes, pil publications

Spicy Tomato Sauce (Recipe Below)
10 to 12 ounces fresh crabmeat or flaked or chopped imitation (Yep...I was a cheapo...I chopped imitation)
1 package (10-oz) frozen corn, thawed and drained
1.5 cups shredded reduced fat Monterrey Jack Cheese (I used my trusty FF Shredded Cheddar)
1 can diced mild green chiles
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 lime, cut into 6 wedges

1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare Spicy Tomato Sauce.

2. Combine 2 cups Spicy Tomato Sauce, crabmeat, corn, 1 cup cheese and chiles into medium bowl. Cut each tortilla into 4 wedges. Place one third of tortilla wedges in shallow 3-4 quart casserole, overlapping to make solid layer. Spread half of crab mixture on top. Repeat with another layer of tortilla wedges, remaining crab mixture and remaining tortillas. Spread remaining 1 cup Spicy Tomato Sauce over top; cover

3. Bake 30-40 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese; bake uncovered 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Squeeze lime over individual servings.


Spicy Tomato Sauce

2 cans (15-oz each) no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained or 6 medium tomatoes
2 t olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 T minced garlic
2 T chili powder
2 t ground cumin
2 t dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1/4 t ground cloves (Didn't have this)

1. Place tomatoes with juice in food processor or blender; process until finely chopped. Set aside.

2. Heat oil over medium-high heat in large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add onion and garlic. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, red pepper flakes and cloves. Cook and stir 1 minutes. Add tomatoes; reduce heat to medium-low. simmer uncovered 20 minutes or until sauce is reduced to around 3-3.25 cups.

Individual Seafood Quiche

So if you like seafood...and you are looking for something packed with protein...look no further! These individual quiches have only 107 calories each and have 15 grams of protein. This means...you WILL stay fuller longer! Pair with a salad, fresh fruit and you have a super low calorie meal that will keep you satisfied.

Individual Seafood Quiche
Adapted from Casserole Recipes, pil publications

1 can (6-oz) crabmeat, drained
1 can (4.25-oz) baby shrimp, rinsed and drained
1 cup fat-free half-and-half
1/2 cup egg substitute or 1 egg and 2 egg whites
2 t salt-free seasoning blend (I changed it up and used Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle...I have to have a little more kick!)
1/2 t minced garlic
2 slices fat free swiss cheese, torn into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 375. Lighly coat 4 individual ramekins or jumbo (3.5 inch) muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. Combine crab, shrimp, half-and-half, egg substitute, seasoning blend and garlic in large bowl. Stir in cheese.

2. Divide mixture among ramekins. Bake 15-20 miutes or until eggs are set and the tops are lighly browned.

Southern Macaroni and Cheese

So, I love some Mac-n-Cheese and I've been dying to do a "healthier" version of it. I found these recipe and it is delicious! The flavors are great...who knows that its better for you than traditional macaroni and cheese? Love it!


Southern Macaroni and Cheese
Adapted from Casserole Recipes, pil publications

1.5 Cups uncooked whole wheat or multigrain elbow macaroni
2 t all-purpose flour
1 T dry mustard
1/2 t black pepper
1/2 t salt
1 cup fat-free skim milk, divided
1/2 cup plus 1 T shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese (I used Cabots 75% fat free sharp cheddar inside and used 1 T of Fat Free Shredded Cheddar for the topping)
1 egg white
1/8 t paprika
1 T panko (Japanese Breadcrumbs)

1. Preheat oven to 325. Spray 1 quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Cook Macaroni according to package directions. Drain macaroni in colander under cold water to cool slightly; shake off excess liquid. Set aside in bowl.

3. Mix together flour, mustard, pepper and salt in a small saucepan. Add 1/2 cup milk and whisk. Place over medium heat, stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk. Continue to cook, stirring constantly until bubbly and thickened. Remove from heat, let cool 2-3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese and mix until melted.

4. Add egg white to slightly cooled macaroni and mix. Add cheese sauce to macaroni mixture and mix. Spoon macaroni mixture into prepared baking dish.

5. Mix together 1 T cheese, paprika and panko. Sprinkle mixture on top of macaroni. Bake until bubbly and lightly browned for 15-20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Favorite Find - Trader Joes Chile Lime Chicken Burgers

I have been hearing about these famous chicken burgers for years through people looking to lose weight. I had not yet been to Trader Joe's (Believe it or not...) and while passing through southeast Charlotte decided it was time. I picked up these burgers with the whole wheat buns and spent about $5. Good deal...delicious meal! We loved them!! We will definitely be picking these up again sometime soon. =)

Fried Squash

If I had to choose one food to be the only food I could eat for the rest of my life...fried squash is having a head to head battle with french fries. I hadn't made these yet this year and I recieved some yellow squash in my produce basket and decided it was time to break it out! This was one of the first things my mom truly taught me how to make.


Fried Squash

Ingredients

Yellow Squash, Sliced into 1/4-in slices
Yellow Cornmeal
Oil (I prefer to use Crisco, but used regular vegetable oil this time around)


Directions

1. After slicing squash, batter up those babies with cornmeal. Make sure to give them a good shake to remove excess meal. Too much meal will cause your skillet to fill with meal pieces and it makes it more difficult to cook

2. Fill the bottom of the skillet with oil. This is a "touch" thing...you want just enough oil that you are not sauteing the squash but too much will cause your squash to oversaturate. Typically I like to have enough to where the squash is barely floating in the oil. You can always add more oil to your skillet.

3. Turn to medium heat and allow oil to become hot before putting in the squash. If you want to make sure your oil is ready for frying, take a teaspoon of water and drop it in. If it sizzles you are good to go!

4. Fry it up! Depending on how you like your squash fried, I tend to like mine a little more on the crispy side. Once you get your desired crisp amount, flip over and allow the opposite side to fry.

5. Enjoy! =) Try not to eat tooooo many while cooking...I tend to have a little problem with that

Do you Fondue?

So, we ate a fabulous dinner at The Melting Pot and the whole time all I could think of is..."How can I do this at home?!". My mom had brought a fondue pot and I decided that I would take my try at creating a fondue meal in substitution of "Appetizer Sunday". I think we've found a new Sunday thing!

The Meat:

2 pounds chicken breast, cubed and seasoned with onion powder and Old Bay seasoning. Cover fully as most of your seasonings will fall off while you cook your meats in the fondue pot.

Dipping Sauces:

Buffalo
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1/4 cup Buffalo Sauce, Frank's
1 t garlic powder

Ranch
1 small container fat free sour cream
1/2 packet of ranch seasoning dressing


Spicy Sauce
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/8 t cinnamon
1/8 t cayenne
1/8 t ground cumin
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t salt
1 t lemon juice

My Fondue Broth:

Fill Fondue pot 3/4 with Chicken Stock (or vegetable if you use multiple meats, we only used cubed chicken)
1 stalk green onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
dash of onion powder
1/2 t oregano


Allow the fondue pot to come to a boil and then back down the heat to a low boil

Take your fondue stick and allow meat to sit until cooked. In the meantime, allow your vegetables to boil. We used mushroom caps and broccoli which take around 4 minutes or so in a fondue pot to become tender. This is all a timing thing and once you get your system of throwing in vegetables and allowing meat to cook its much quicker to consume.

Chicken typically takes 2-3 minutes to cook, most steaks and seafood will only be around 1-2 minutes.

Dip in your prefered sauces and enjoy! What a fun eating experience!

Simple Salsa - Magic Bullet

I was super determined to finally use our magic bullet for salsa. Very simple...yum!

Ingredients
1/4 regular sized onion (about 1/4 cup)
1/6 to 1/4 jalapeno pepper
8-10 cherry tomatoes or 1 regular size tomato (about 1/2 cup)
1-2 cloves garlic
small sprigs of cilantro (optional)
salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Directions
Place all ingredients, in the order they are listed into the 'Tall Cup'. Twist on Cross blade and place the cup onto the Power Base. Give it several quick pulses. Be careful not to over process. Repeat pulsing until you achieve a blended yet chunky texture."