Throwback Thursday: Sausage Roll-ups

This may truly be one of the ugliest photos I ever took.  BUT this was one of my very first recipes I made/reviewed/posted on a different blog and we hardly ever eat these anymore, but whenever I make them, my family devours them!  They look like cigarettes, which is not appealing as I look at this photo, but the kids (and hubby) love these and I like that it requires only 3 ingredients:

1/2 small onion diced (sometimes I just used the dried minced onion flakes)

1 lb bulk pork sausage

1 package of phyllo dough sheets 

Take the phyllo dough out of the freezer the night before you need it and put it in the fridge to thaw. 

In a pan, brown the sausage and onion. Break up the sausage into small, crumbled pieces as it cooks. Drain off the excess fat when done. (I always do this the night before so it's ready to go when I get home!)

Take 3-4 sheets of phyllo dough and cut it in half width-wise. Put about 3 tbsp or so of the mixture onto each roll and roll up around the sausage mix. (I really don't measure this.  I just eye ball it).  Put on a lightly greased baking sheet...or save yourself the clean up time and put it on some parchment paper! Spray the tops of the roll-ups with buttered (or whatever you have!) cooking spray. 

Continue rolling up sausage in sheets of phyllo dough until you have used up all of your filling.  I can usually get about 6-8 roll-ups depending on how much sausage filling I put in each one.  

Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 12 minutes or until golden brown. 

#1,317: Nutella Banana Popsicles

We may be back in school and technically summer is over for us, but that didn't stop me from trying to squeeze in another summer bucket list item!  (Summer isn't officially over yet for a few more weeks, so this counts right?!).  I made Nutella Banana popsicles for 2 of my kids, and a Peanut butter banana popsicle for Allison who has a tree nut allergy.

The kids LOVED these, and I loved that I got a protein and dairy into them all the while they were thinking they were having dessert.  

These are so easy to make, but the original recipe suggest swirling the ingredients together...that's one more step that I don't think is needed.  So I threw everything into a blender and combined it all.  The kids really loved these so we will definitely be making these again!

Four 5.3-6 oz containers Vanilla Greek Yogurt (I thought this was A LOT of yogurt, so I used about 1 cup total)

1 overripe banana, mashed (1 used 2 bananas)

½ c chocolate hazelnut spread (like Nutella)

In a small bowl, combine two of the containers of Greek yogurt and the mashed banana, and stir until thoroughly incorporated.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining two containers of Greek yogurt and the chocolate hazelnut spread, and stir until thoroughly incorporated.

Fill popsicle molds or small paper or plastic cups by layering the two yogurt mixtures (swirl with a knife, skewer or chopstick, if desired), or, to create swirls, place alternating large dollops of the yogurt mixtures in a large plastic storage bag, cut off the corner for about a ½-3/4 inch opening, and pipe into the molds or cups.

Insert sticks and place in freezer several hours, until frozen.

#1,316: Beer Can Chicken

Although my kids really enjoyed this dinner, this was not my favorite meal and I personally ate very little.  If you like the skins off chicken though, this just might be the recipe for you!  I am not a fan of the skins and had to get it away from my plate because I kept sneaking pieces of it (it was so good).  Last week I made a chicken in the crockpot and personally, I think that is easier to make, easier to get the meat off the bones, and more flavorful.  Plus, my chicken fell over at one point and started to scorch.  It is much easier to throw it all in a crockpot and let it do it's thing for an entire day.  This recipe/version is definitely faster though.  :) 

Would I eat this again?  Yes.  Would I make this again for my family?  Probably not.  Although we have a lot of shredded chicken leftover now for another meal, so at least we got 2 dinners out of one bird/meal/recipe. 

1/3 c brown sugar
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp paprika
2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Can of beer or root beer with about 4 oz in the can
1 whole chicken  (about 3 lbs)

Clean chicken (rinse with water and pat dry).  In a small bowl combine all of the seasonings.  Place about 1 tbsp of seasoning inside the chicken cavity.  Rub the rest of the seasoning on the outside.  Place the can of beer with 4 oz of the liquid inside the chicken so the chicken can stand up on its own.  Place on a preheated grill, which should be around 400 degrees.  Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees.  Remove from grill and let sit for 10 minutes.  

#1,315: Paleo Banana Chocolate Shake

I've been looking for some easy, fast, healthy breakfast ideas for the kids and I came across this recipe for Paleo Banana Chocolate Shakes.  Chloe (age 5) loved making this with me and being my non-smoothie drinker, drank the most of any of the kids.  I took a tiny sip of this and immediately fell in love.  Chloe has already requested this again for breakfast tomorrow!  

2 frozen bananas
1 1/2 tsp dark cocoa powder
1/2 c coconut milk (I used unsweetened chocolate almond milk)
1/2 c cold water (I omitted)

1 tbsp almond butter (I used nutella)
pinch of cinnamon

In a blender combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth.  Add water if necessary to reach desired consistency.  Serve immediately.  

#1,314: Cake Mix Banana Bread

Do not judge this recipe by the extreme over-doneness of this cake/bread.  I'm going to blame my mom for this one!  I was talking to her on the phone and completely forgot that this was in the oven.  I wasn't sure my kids would eat it because it is obviously over-done, but they loved this cake.  Unfortunately as you can see from the photo, the chocolate chips (minis) all sank to the bottom.  That's okay though because the kids were not complaining!  

I tried the tiniest piece of this cake so that I could review it and I thought it was very, very good.  I love banana bread though AND I'm not eating carbs so I'm sure I loved it just because it was a cake/bread/carb.  :)  

I had to cut the kids off after their second piece and promise them they could eat more for breakfast tomorrow.  This recipe makes 2 of these loaves, so we are sharing one with Matthew's daycare friends tomorrow.  

1 box Betty Crocker™ cake mix (I used a yellow cake mix)
1/3 cup oil (I used vanilla flavored Greek yogurt instead)
3 eggs
1 ½ cups mashed bananas (3 to 4 medium)
½ c mini chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350°F. Generously spray 2 (8x4-inch) loaf pans with cooking spray. .

In a large bowl, beat all ingredients until well mixed. Divide batter evenly between pans.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of loaves comes out clean and inside of cracks do not look wet. 

Cool 15 minutes in pans on cooling racks. Remove loaves from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 2 hours, to prevent crumbling when slicing. For easier slicing, store loaves tightly covered 24 hours. Cut with serrated knife, using a light sawing motion.

#1,313: Balsamic Green Bean Salad

I have a huge love/hate relationship with fresh green beans.  I think I'm probably just bad at cooking/steaming them because one meal I love them and the next I end up throwing the whole batch out.  So I was super leery about making this recipe.  The picture really doesn't do it justice, it was SO good.  This called for crumbled feta on top, which I would have absolutely loved, but am not eating at this time.  Feta would be great to give it that salty/creamy texture and flavor.  But, I practically licked the bowl clean with this one.  The fresh green beans, tomatoes (from my garden) and red onion with the balsamic dressing were to die for.  I can't wait to eat this for lunch tomorrow!  

1 lb. green beans
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/2 small red onion, diced
Feta cheese (I omitted)

{For the dressing}
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt/pepper


Make the dressing: in a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients.

Trim ends off green beans and rinse. Steam (or boil) for about 3-4 minutes until crisp-tender. In a colander, rinse well with cold water to stop cooking, then pat dry. Cut green beans into 1 to 2 inch pieces.

Place onion and green beans in a bowl. Drizzle dressing over top and toss to coat.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to marinate.  When ready to serve, add in tomatoes and feta and lightly toss.

#1,312: Veggie Loaded Sloppy Joes

As you can tell by the many sloppy joe recipes I post, this is a meal/main dish that I enjoy making and eating.  As a family we have two favorite versions that we gravitate towards often (Diet Coke Sloppy joes and Myrtyle's Sloppy Joes), but this one might be my new favorite one.  I say that with 100% certainty that my family will not touch this recipe/meal.  I however am loving eating this over zucchini noodles instead of on a hamburger bun or roll (which would be good too).  I loved this one!!  

1kg mince (ground beef) (I used 1 lb ground turkey)

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 large leeks, washed and finely chopped (I omitted)

3 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped

2 celery spears, finely chopped

250g mushrooms, finely chopped (I used about 4 small baby portobello mushrooms)

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 tsp each ground cumin, coriander and cloves

2 tsp paprika

2 tins chopped tomatoes (I used about 15 cherry tomatoes from my garden)

1 tbsp tomato paste (I used more like 2 1/2 tbsp)

1 1/2 cans of beef stock 

2 tsp sugar (I omitted)

salt and pepper to taste

To serve (I omitted)

Fresh bread rolls, toasted

grated cheese

Fry the mince (ground beef or turkey) in a large, hot pot until browned all over. Remove from the pot and set aside.

In the same pot, fry the onion, leeks, carrots and celery until soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and garlic and fry for another 5 minutes before adding the spices and tomatoes and tomato paste.

Allow to simmer for 5 minutes before adding the mince back into the pot with the beef stock and sugar.

Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes covered.

If the sauce looks very watery, remove the lid from the pot and turn up the heat. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes uncovered until the sauce has reduced slightly. Season to taste.

Serve the mince on the toasted bread rolls with some grated cheese.

#1,311: Grilled Sweet Balsamic Steak Bundles

My weightloss/life changing coach does not like me eating much pork or beef.  Typically I try to stay away from it.  I hadn't intended to eat much of this recipe, but once I took a bite of one, I couldn't stop eating these.  Holy cow were these good!  My text to my coach at the end of the night also noted "even if I don't lose tomorrow, this meal was worth it!"  I don't think he liked that one.  It sure was good though!  

Sweet Balsamic Marinade
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground

Combine all the ingredients in a large Ziploc bag with your meat and or veggies. Allow to marinade for several hours in the refrigerator before grilling. While grilling, brush the marinade over the meat and or veggies for extra flavor.

For Bundles:
Thin Slices of Steak (Flat Iron or Flank recommended)
Toothpicks
1/2 Red, Yellow, Green Pepper, cut into thin strips
12-13 Asparagus Spears, cut into thirds.

Begin by marinating your steak in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours (or even overnight) in Sweet Balsamic Marinade in a large Ziploc bag.

When you are ready to cook, remove the steak from the marinade and cut into slices large enough to wrap around your veggies.

Lay each slice of steak out on your cutting board, place your veggies in the middle, wrap the steak around the veggies, and then secure with a toothpick.

Preheat your grill and spray grill rack with non-stick spray. Place all steak bundles on the grill and rotate to cook evenly. Remove when cooked thoroughly.

#1,310: Spinach and Avocado Dip

This recipe was so easy to make and I loved eating it for lunch a few days this week!  It is healthy and I loved eating it with carrots and celery.  I will definitely be making this again to take with me for my lunches.  I think the dip would also be good on top of some taco meat (and taco salad). 

5 cups raw spinach
1 Large avocado
1/2 onion
1 - 2 clove garlic, freshly crushed
1/2 teaspoon pink himalayan salt (I used kosher salt)
1  lemon, freshly squeezed

Optional
pinch organic cayenne powder (I used a few dashes of hot sauce)

Put all ingredients into a food processor and process until well combined and creamy.

#1,309: Princess Punch (and Summer Bucket List Item)

This recipe was sitting on our summer bucket list so the girls were excited to help me make it (I think they were more excited by the name than the fact it was on our bucket list!).  The kids really enjoyed this punch and I will definitely make it again...especially for a crowd because it makes a ton! 

46 oz can pineapple juice
6 oz frozen pink lemonade
2 1/2 c water
3 (28 oz) bottles of ginger ale
1 quart strawberry ice cream (I used raspberry sorbet)

Mix all ingredients and stir until all frozen ingredients dissolve.  

#1,308: Bacon Avocado and Tomato Lettuce Wraps (Or salad...)

I came across a recipe for Bacon Avocado and Tomato Lettuce Wraps...I think the recipe is pretty self explanatory.

Lettuce wraps/leaves
Cooked, chopped bacon
Diced avocado
Chopped tomatoes

But I decided to make this recipe as a salad and grabbed some kale from my garden.  I also felt it needed a little dressing so I poured some balsamic vinegar on it too.  It was delicious, but nothing super special.  BUT this is a great low-carb meal that I can prep mostly ahead of time and take to work for my lunches.  (That's win!)

#1,307: Peruvian Grilled Chicken

Typically I like chicken marinade recipes that I can just mix in a bowl and then pour over the chicken.  This one requires heating up the mixture to bring out the flavor and I had a very hard time pouring a hot marinade over the raw chicken breasts and then letting it sit for 8+ hours in the fridge.  So I did not heat this up and just mixed it all together and poured over the chicken instead.  Although this was very good, I think it lost some of the flavor/heat by not heating it up first.  If I make this again, I will heat up the marinade, but then let cool to room temperature before pouring over the raw chicken.  

Overall, my family really enjoyed this recipe though and the photo above was all that was left by the time I got back from the gym and sat down to eat dinner.  :)  That's always a good sign.

juice of 2 medium limes
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup (I used honey)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
1½ Tablespoon organic virgin coconut oil
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder (I omitted)
1 teaspoon mexican chili powder
4 pounds chicken parts, on the bone (I used 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

In a large bowl, combine lime juice, apple cider vinegar, salt and maple syrup. In a small saucepan, combine garlic, coconut oil (doesn't need to be liquid), smoked paprika, cumin, ancho chili powder and mexican chili powder. Heat over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly until fragrant and well combined. Combine garlic mixture with lime juice mixture and whisk until well mixed.

Use a fork to puncture fork holes into chicken pieces and place chicken in a ziploc bag. Pour marinade over. Seal and massage marinade around until well covered. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours but no longer than 24 hours.

Remove chicken from fridge about 30 minutes prior to grilling. Set grill to medium heat. Cook for 32 to 34 minutes (if using bone-in chicken!), turning at least once or until internal temperature of 165F.

#1,306: Slow Cooker Lasagna Rolls

This recipe was so easy to make, and honestly the worst/hardest part was pre-boiling the noodles (I usually by the no-boil kind).  This recipe does not make this a meat filling, but next time I will probably add some cooked ground turkey to make this even more lasagna-y, rather than just a cheese lasagna.  My family really enjoyed this one!

The recipe calls for 12-13 noodles, which I cooked, but then you cut them in half.  I got about 16 roll-ups out of the filling so I had extra cooked noodles.  Of course I couldn't throw them away, so I whipped up another batch of the filling and made and 8x8 pan of lasagna to throw in the freezer.

Also, I under cooked the noodles a little bit since I knew it would continue cooking in the crockpot.  I think that was a good idea.

Yep, I will definitely make this one again.  

12-13 lasagna noodles (Since you cut these in half this makes a lot)

15 oz container ricotta cheese

2 cups shredded cheese

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

2 eggs

Italian seasoning grinder

1 cup shredded cheese

2 jars of spaghetti sauce (I only used about 1 1/4 jars)

Cook 12-13 lasagna noodles (depending on what size your Crock Pot is) according to the instructions on the box.

Mix together ricotta cheese, eggs, shredded cheese and parmesan.

Pour one jar of spaghetti sauce in the slow cooker and turn on low. (I did not need that much on the bottom.  I only used about 1/3 - 1/2 a jar)

Lay the lasagna noodles on a cutting board a couple at a time. Spread 2 ½ to 3 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.

Roll up the lasagna noodles and carefully cut them in half.  Place the lasagna rolls in the sauce in the slow cooker. Continue until the slow cooker is full.  Top with 1 cup shredded cheese.  Cook on low for 4-6 hours.  Most of the sauce is soaked up while cooking so serve with more spaghetti sauce.

#1,305: Tater Tot-Chos

I have been dying to try this recipe, even though I can't and don't eat tater tots (or any carbs) right now. Brian was leery of eating this because he doesn't like mixing his foods, so he did not eat this recipe as described.  The girls however, loved this.  If I was eating carbs, I would have loved this too!  It looked so good, even with the girls just eating cheese and sour cream.  There is great potential for this recipe especially if you like traditional nacho toppings such as olives, tomatoes, guacamole, etc.

4 c frozen mini tater tots (I used regular ones)
1 lb ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
2/3 c water
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
2 c shredded lettuce
1/4 c slice ripe olives
1/4 c taco sauce
1/2 c sour cream

Bake tater tots according to package directions.  Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain.  Stir in taco seasoning and eater.  Bring to a boil, cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened.

To serve, top tater tots with beef mixture, cheese, lettuce and olives, or other desired "nacho" toppings.  Serve with taco sauce and sour cream.   

#1,304: Cola Burgers

A little surprisingly, my family really enjoyed these burgers.  The girls both asked for seconds and Chloe almost never finishes an entire burger. I only had a few bites because I wanted to try it and be able to review it but it wasn't something that was really on my plan so I couldn't eat the whole thing.  This will be a recipe our family makes again!
1 egg
1/2 c cola, divided
1/2 c crushed saltines
6 tbsp french dressing, divided
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
hamburger buns

Combine the egg, 1/4 c cola, saltines, 2 tbsp dressing, parmsaan and salt.  Add the ground meat and mix well.  Shape into 6 patties.

In a bowl combine the remaining cola and dressing.  Grill patties uncovered for 3 min per side Brush with cola mixture.  Grill 8-10 minutes longer, or until juices run clear, basting and turning as needed.  Serve on buns.

#1,303: Chipotle Bacon Sliders

I was for sure that I would absolutely love this recipe, but shockingly I was not a fan at all.  I don't know if it's because I used turkey bacon instead of delicious regular bacon, but it was just too much meat flavor and not enough flavoring in the burgers.  Thumbs down for me with this recipe.  

1 large yellow onion, sliced into thin rounds
2 TBS butter, ghee, or coconut oil
1 pound ground meat (I used ground turkey)
4 strips of precooked bacon
1 tsp unrefined sea salt
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 TBS butter, ghee, or coconut oil for cooking burgers
1 avocado
lime juice
unrefined sea salt

OPTIONAL: a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce
lettuce for garnish

To make carmelized onions: Melt the ghee, butter, or coconut oil on medium heat.  Add onion rounds and saute slowly until golden brown.  Push the onions around a bit to make sure they cook evenly.  You can add a tablespoon of water if they begin to stick to pan (20-25 minutes).

Mash together avocado, lime, and salt in a small bowl.  Add optional hot sauce for some heat. Set aside.

Combine ground meat, chopped bacon, salt, and spices in a medium bowl.  Mix to combine.  Form into 9 small patties.

Heat 1 tbsp of fat of choice in skillet on medium to medium high heat.  Cook patties 4-5 minutes on each side, or until cooked the way you like it.

Serve over a bed of fresh lettuce.  Top with caramelized onions and avocado.

August Dinner Menu Plan

Back to school means back to freezer cooking!  The last two weeks I've been slowly making my dinner menu for the rest of August and early September, and have also been making as much ahead of time to have ready in the freezer.  As you can see by the list/calendar below, almost all of our meals are super simple ones and ones we've had before.  We also keep spaghetti and breakfast for dinner in our rotation weekly to keep our grocery bill down just a little.  Sadly, I can't/won't/don't eat most of these meals so I've also got veggie burgers, chicken burgers, and taco meat in the freezer for me to pull out as a protein if needed.  And it will be needed since I can't eat the dinner's I'm preparing for the next 3 nights!  I'm ok with that though...staying on my food plan is more important (i.e. weightloss!).

As you can also see I have a few meals already ready for the 2nd week of September as well.  That week Brian and I both have birthdays, so we will probably eat out on those nights, and I'm sure some of the menu items for August will get bumped to another night if we have a lot of leftovers after a particular dinner.  So hopefully I'm ready through mid-September at least! 

Fortunately I don't have to plan for breakfasts b/c the kids eat at school, Brian eats cereal every morning and I only eat fruit.  That makes it simple.  I also have a separate menu for lunches, but that varies by my mood each week and what I have in the house.  Brian either takes a sandwich or leftovers, M eats at daycare (food provided), and the girls will do hot lunch almost every day.  So really I only have to plan lunches for me and that pretty much consists of protein and veggies so no point in making too detailed of a menu/list. 
  

#1,302: Homemade Crockpot Garden Spaghetti Sauce

I  planted a garden for the first time this summer and it is doing very well, especially my cherry tomatoes.  I eat as much as I can, I give away a bunch, but sometimes I still have a ton to eat/use.  So I searched the internet for a super easy way to make spaghetti sauce when I came across this recipe that required me to put everything in a crockpot and then blend it when done.  I didn't even have to peel the tomatoes.  I am loving this sauce...BUT since I didn't peel the tomatoes there are some long tomato skins throughout this recipe.  It doesn't bother me in the least, but this is not a recipe I could give to my family without them picking those pieces out.  So for me, this is a good recipe, for my family, I need to keep searching for another one.

6 cups diced tomatoes, skin left on or taken off (I used large cherry tomatoes and threw them in the crockpot whole, with the skins on...so easy!)
4 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 large red onion, diced
1/4 c fresh basil
2 t dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
crushed red pepper to taste
3-6 oz tomato paste (to thicken sauce if needed)

Combine all the ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Place all ingredients in a high speed blender.  Blend until well combined.  If you blend longer it will make a thinner, smoother sauce.

#1,301: Yum Yum Chicken

I hate when I make a recipe with a stupid name.  This is one of those recipes because I'll never remember this recipe since I can't find it without the tag "yum yum."  Although the name is forgettable, this is a recipe I will be making for my family again.  I wasn't sure they were going to enjoy this one because of the "creamy" mixture in the middle, but they loved it.  Allison had thirds of this recipe I think and Brian wanted me to save the leftovers for lunch the next day (always a very good sign).  I used a rotisserie chicken and chopped up the meat ahead of time.  Then I froze the chicken until we were ready to make this recipe (I defrosted it over night in the fridge).  This is such an easy, prep ahead of time meal (at least the chicken part) and then whip together the night you are ready to make it.  

1 to 1 ½ lb. chicken, cooked and cut up (I shredded one rotisserie chicken)
8oz sour cream
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 can Cream of Celery soup
1 box Cornbread stuffing, uncooked (Stove Top)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 stick melted butter

Preheat oven to 350.

In 9x13 baking dish, lay chicken in the bottom of the dish.  In separate bowl, mix together the cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup and sour cream. Spread over the chicken.

Sprinkle the uncooked stuffing over the soup mixture, (note: if herb packet is not mixed with stuffing mixture, top stuffing with herb packet).  Mix together the broth and the melted butter and pour evenly over all.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Family Bucket List: Frozen Olaf Paint

The only thing missing from this "recipe" was the glitter, and that's because I didn't feel like running to school to pick it up.  So I added a tiny bit of blue food coloring into this shaving cream/glue mixture for the kids.  The kids had been bugging us for weeks to make this one, so I'm glad we finally had a chance to get it done.

Frozen Olaf Paint

Family Bucket List: Go to the beach

No explaination needed for this bucket list item.  This was a kid's request, as being on a beach is sort of like a personal hell.  I hate sand.  I hate the feel of it on my skin, the mess it makes, how it sticks to everything....blech!  But Chloe told me "This was the BEST bucket list item!"...so it made the day totally worth it! :) 

Go to the Beach

#1,300:Raw Corn and Zucchini Salad

A co-worker of mine asked if we wanted some freshly picked sweet corn.  Of course I could not turn that down as my kids love corn on the cob.  We have been thoroughly enjoying having it with dinner the last couple of nights.  I wanted to use the corn in a new recipe though too, so I went to my pinterest boards to see what was waiting to be made.  I realized that I pretty much had all of the ingredients for this recipe, and I didn't have to cook the corn (bonus!).

First, I need to make a disclaimer, that my cilantro was bad so I had to omit it.  I love cilantro so I think it would have made this salad better, and next time I will be adding it in.  Secondly, you have to enjoy raw zucchini if you are going to like this recipe.  I DO like zucchini, but I prefer mine slightly cooked, so next time I'm going to sautee it in a pan for a few minutes first.  

Other than that, this salad was really good.  It's should be called "From Your Garden" salad because it was so fresh and everything COULD have been found in your garden...or at least in ours.  :) 

Serves 4
3 ears of corn, husks and silks removed
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
With a sharp knife, cut off kernels of corn.  Discard cobs.  Transfer kernels to a medium bowl.  Add zucchini, lime juice, olive oil and cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.  

#1,299: Clean Eating Turkey Meatballs

Oh how I love most meatballs.  This one was really, really good and I've been enjoying eating them for lunch w/a salad.  These were super easy to make too as I pretty much had all of the ingredients on hand.  I will definitely be making these little babies again! 

1 1/2 lbs lean ground turkey 
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg lightly beaten
1 cup Ezekiel bread crumbs
2 tbsp fresh parsely, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh oregano finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.In a large bowl place egg and breadcrumbs.  Add spices and mix well.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Using an ice cream scoop make meatballs and place on prepared cookie sheet.  Place in hot oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

#1,298: Beast (Paleo) Meatloaf (Weird name...not sure why)

Sorry for the odd photo...I wasn't home yet when the family dug into this!

I have a pound of ground turkey sitting in my freezer and I'm itching to make some more turkey burgers...but I figured my family might enjoy something different for a change.  We haven't had meatloaf in quite a while, and since this one is on my current eating plan, I figured it would be a great one to serve for the family (w/a side of mashed cauliflower!).  The girls and I really enjoyed this meatloaf and asked for leftovers the next day.  Brian however was not a fan and claimed all he could taste was salsa.  I personally would definitely make this again.  He however requests we don't.  :) I say try this one! 

2 lbs of lean ground turkey
1 cup all natural mild salsa
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (I used Ezekiel bread)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper (to taste)
Fresh chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine turkey, salsa, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper in large bowl.  Press mixture into 9x15 inch loaf pan. 

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until center is no longer pink and meat is cooked through.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Cut into 8 slices and serve garnished with parsley.

#1,297: Cucumber Noodles with Spicy Sesame Soy Dressing

Here's what I love about this recipe: it's a different spin in a "salad", you can make most of it in advance, and it once you have all the dressing ingredients on hand, you pretty much might always have everything on hand (I almost always have carrots in the house...cucumber might be the only thing I would need to get).

Although this recipe was good, it had way too much dressing (my error on pouring too much) so between the excess dressing and the natural liquid draining from the veggies, this was swimming in liquid.  Even after letting it sit in a collander for a while, it was still really wet.  It also needed a texture, like crushed nuts on top.

Would I eat this again, yes...with way less dressing.  Would I make this again for myself....not with this dressing.  Soy is not my friend.  So I need to find a balsamic dressing or something to add to it instead.  I do like the idea of the carrot, zucchini and cucumber noodles though. 

This makes a large salad.  If making for one person (a large salad) I use 1 carrot, 1 small zucchini and half a cucumber w/the seeds removed. 

3 medium to large cucumbers
2 large carrot, peeled
I also added a zucchini

For the dressing:
1 clove of garlic
Juice from half a lime
½ tbsp mirin
½ C soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 - 2 tsp sriracha
1 tsp honey
Cilantro for garnish
Red pepper flakes for garnish

(I didn't do any part of this step...I threw it all in my food processor!)  Using a julienne peeler, slice the cucumbers and carrots. Do this by laying the cucumber and carrots down lengthwise and running the peeler across the top of the cucumbers and then carrots. For the cucumbers, once you get near the seeds, rotate it and repeat the process. Place the cucumber noodles in a bowl.

Make the dressing by whisking the remaining ingredients, minus the cilantro and red pepper flakes, together in a jar. You probably won't need to use all of the dressing but you can store it in the refrigerator in an air tight container for 7 days.

Toss the noodles in your desired amount of dressing and serve in bowls. Garnish with the cilantro and red pepper flakes if desired.

#1,296: Not your ordinary chocolate cookie...Egg-less and Fudgey!

The actual name of this recipe is "Jane's Favorite Chocolate Cookie," but I knew that might not be intriguing enough to make someone want to check this recipe out.  I had my 5 year old eagerly helping me make these cookies.  These were so simple to make and the batter (since it is eggless we tried it) is just as good as the cookies themselves!  These almost didn't make it into the oven.

The cookies do get more of a chewy/crispy texture once baked and cooled, but they have a great fudgey taste.  We loved them!  I made these to take with me to book club, hopefully the girls will like them too. 

This made slightly more than 2 dozen cookies.  I learned a few things about this recipe:
1. spray the cookie sheet with non-stick spray.
2.  These do not thin out when baked so you can squeeze a few more onto each tray.  

3 Tbs. butter

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup flour

1 cup pecans (halved or chopped)

Melt butter, chocolate chips and condensed milk in a double boiler on the stove until smooth and shiny.  Stir constantly and don't overheat.  

Remove from stove and quickly fold in flour and pecans.  Scoop with a cookie scoop onto a cookie sheet, two inches apart.  Let sit for 15 minutes in a cool place.  

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.  Cool on a rack before eating.

#1,295: Crunchy Paleo Cabbage Salad

I think I may have a new favorite salad/lunch recipe.  I love this recipe because I can buy a bag of shredded coleslaw mix, layer all the other ingredients in a mason jar the night before, and make the dressing ahead of time too.  I took this recipe to my sister's house when I was meeting her and a friend for the day.  My salad literally took me 1 minute to throw together.  It was so simple.  I loved this! And I added some ground turkey taco meat on top for a complete, no-carb dinner.  Delish!  

1 pound cabbage, shredded or finely sliced
½ pound bacon (I used turkey bacon)
2 green onions, finely chopped
½ cucumber, diced
¼ cups toasted, slivered almonds (I used cashew pieces)
¼ cups sunflower seeds (I omitted)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (I omitted)
Optional: dried cranberries and/or diced apple

Balsamic Dressing (Makes about 1 cup):
¼ cups balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon honey
½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
⅛ teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon herbs of choice (oregano, basil, thyme, tarragon)
½ cups olive oil, extra-virgin

Finely slice or shred your cabbage, toss into a salad bowl along with the other salad ingredients.

Make your dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference.

Toss the salad with the dressing, to taste. Start with less, you can always add more!