#1,583: Banana Bread Waffles

One thing everyone in my family enjoys is waffles.  Especially the ones we make in our waffle maker, but we usually use the boxed mix, and just add oil and water.  I wanted to make something a little healthier for them and came across this recipe for banana bread waffles.  This looked SO simple, so I quickly whipped them up for the kids for breakfast this morning.  

This recipe literally took me less than 30 minutes from start to finish and my kids loved these!  I made extra and we are going to add these to our "lunchbox list" (healthier items to add to the kids lunchboxes!  These with fruit, yogurt and turkey sausage...healthy lunchbox idea!).  

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

I also added 1/4 c wheat bran

3/4 cup sugar (I used about 1/3 cup)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I omitted)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup smashed banana (2 to 3 small bananas)

1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce)

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Preheat a waffle iron to medium heat. Whisk together the flour, wheat bran, sugar, walnuts, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

(I put this in a large bowl and used my electric beaters to really incorporate this and mash up those bananas) Whisk together the banana, oil, sour cream, vanilla and eggs in another bowl. Fold the banana mixture into the flour mixture until just combined (it's ok if there are lumps).

Lightly spray the top and bottom of the waffle iron with oil or non-stick spray. Fill each section about three-quarters of the way full (there should still be some waffle iron showing). Close and cook until the waffles are golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. 

Dust with confectioners' sugar if you'd like.

Original Cook's Note: Freeze the waffles in resealable plastic bags for up to 1 month. Reheat in a toaster oven or 300 degree F oven until warmed through and crisp.

#1,582: Pizza-Dilla (Super fast and simple pizza quesadillas)

This is by no means a unique or complicated recipe...and one that I honestly could have come up with myself.  But, it's only fair to give credit, when it is due.  The last 2 years I've let the kids get hot lunch 95% of the time because it's so much easier for me for them to eat hot lunch and not have to deal with making lunches, remembering lunchboxes, or cleaning more containers each day.  BUT in an effort to be healthier, I know that my girls need to be bringing lunches to school instead of eating the highly processed, sugar and sodium laden school lunches.  I feed my students the same lunch that my own children are eating and I know two things: they are not healthy and a lot gets wasted.  So I went in search of healthier options and ideas to make for the girls starting in the next few weeks. 

One thing my kids do like, and is SO simple are quesadillas.  We make them often and in fact, I'm on my second quesadilla maker!  ; )  Last week I met up with my cousin, Alisa and she turned me on to these fresh (only 5 ingredient!) tortillas.  I was so excited to get these for my family and try them out.  I didn't tell them that we were using "new" tortillas and they had no idea these were any different than ones that we traditionally buy.  These are SOOOO good.  I will definitely be buying these again and again.  You have to pre-cook them, but I just pulled out my electric griddle and they were done in no time!  (They literally take 30 seconds per side.  Then I filled them with some pizza sauce and cheese and popped them in my quesadilla maker.  Simple and much healthier than what they would be getting at school.  

Only one of my kids loves pepperoni and none are veggie pizza eaters, but I do think I'm going to get the veggie sausage and add that next time for some added protein.  

The recipe below basically tells you to make a cheese and pepperoni quesadilla and then dip in marinara sauce.  That's fine...but I put pizza sauce and cheese inside the tortillas and they didn't need the dipping sauce then.  

Pizza-Dilla

1 tablespoon canola oil (I omitted)
4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas (I used the ones pictured above)
6 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 ounce turkey pepperoni (I omitted this time)
1 cup marinara or pizza sauce

I put this in my quesadilla maker so I did as follows:
Spread pizza sauce on one side of a tortilla.  Sprinkle on cheese and any desired pizza toppings.  Top with another tortilla.  Place in quesadilla maker and bake until browned.  

If following the original directions: 

Preheat oven to 400°.  Brush canola oil over a jelly-roll pan, and top with tortillas. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cheese over each tortilla, and divide the pepperoni among tortillas. Top each with 3 tablespoons cheese. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, and carefully fold each tortilla in half. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until browned and crisp, turning after 5 minutes. Serve with marinara.

#1,581: Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis

Panna Cotta is one of those recipes that look easy but seem intimidating to make.  So I decided that it was time to tackle this recipe and see if it was as easy as it seems and if I even liked it!  Turns out both are true...it is easy to make and I loved it.  Well, let me rephrase that, I loved the panna cotta itself, but wasn't as big of a fan of the coulis.  It was good, but the panna cotta didn't need it.  It reminded me of a less grainy (slightly thicker) rice pudding.  The kids enjoyed it a lot too...although Chloe only liked the coulis!  

2-1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup 2% milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Raspberry Coulis:
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 tablespoon sugar

Fresh raspberries and fresh mint leaves to garnish

In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over milk; let stand 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine cream and sugar; cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add gelatin mixture and vanilla, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved.

Divide mixture among four dessert dishes. Refrigerate, covered, 2 hours or until set.

For coulis, place raspberries, lime juice and sugar in a food processor; process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer to a small bowl. Refrigerate, covered, until cold.

To serve, spoon raspberry coulis over panna cotta. Top with extra raspberries and mint. Yield: 4 servings.

#1,580: Snickers Cookies

So these didn't turn out exactly as I had hoped, but they were still really good.  Either I used way too much dough around the snickers that the candy got completely engulfed or I should have used bigger snickers.  Maybe the bag of mini ones I got were mini-mini.  :)  (I got the unwrapped kind so that might be the case!).  These are good though!  Don't over bake these or they start to get kind of tough/crispy.  My kids loved these though...and after everyone ate one, we put the rest in a container for our siding guys and shared the rest with some neighbors.  Don't want these hanging around our house too long!

1 bag Snickers miniature candies
2 sticks softened butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter (I omitted)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour, sifted (I used 3 cups)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine butter, peanut butter, and sugars using a mixer on medium to low speed until light and fluffy.

Slowly add the eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Mix in flour, salt, and baking soda.

I’m not sure why this step is necessary.  I DID chill it overnight and it was so hard I had to let it soften to actually be able to wrap it around the snickers.  I’m not chilling it next time!  Cover and chill dough 2 to 3 hours up to a couple of days. 

Remove dough from fridge. Divide dough into 1 to 2 tablespoon pieces and flatten.

Place a Snickers Mini in center of each. Form a ball around the Snickers Mini, taking care to cover it all.

Place on cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Adjust time as needed if using more than 1 tablespoon dough. (Mine took about 18 minutes). Let cookies cool 1 to 2 minutes then remove to rack to cool completely.

#1,579: Chicken Gyros

Allison and I are huge gyro fans in this house...huge!  It's often what we both pick for our birthday meal (sad but true).  So when I found this healthier recipe for chicken gyros, I was excited to try it.  I made it all in the morning and then went out for the day.  Then when we got home, the sauce was already done and the chicken just needed to go in the oven or on the grill (grill...I always choose grill!).  

Brian said he thought this looked gross in the marinade and I wasn't sure he was going to eat it, but I'm sure happy to report that we all enjoyed it. Now with that said, only Allison and I used the tzatziki sauce (delicious by the way) but everyone else enjoyed the chicken with the pita (which we also threw on the grill).  I will definitely make this again!  And I'll top it with some grilled red onion and tomatoes...but my family was hungry and the goal was to get this on the table fast (photo was compromised b/c of it  lol).  

Tzatziki sauce:

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil

For the chicken:
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Juice of 1 lemon (2-3 Tablespoons)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

To assemble:
Pita bread
Fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
Red onion, sliced thin

Shred the cucumber or chop in food processor. Wrap in a towel a squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together the yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

To prepare the chicken, combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed well. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour. (I let mine marinate in the fridge for about 8 hours)

Cook the chicken as desired, either in the skillet or with the broiler. Once the chicken is completely cooked through, transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. (We grilled our chicken).

2015 Family Summer Bucket List

Well, compared to the last few years, our summer bucket this year is kind of lacking!  I don't know if it's because I'm running out ideas, getting lazy and tired, or just not into it this year.  The funny thing is I AM into it this year.  Just on a much smaller scale I guess.  So in no particular order, here is our summer bucket list items: 

• Spend the night in a caboose...again (8/13/15)
• Spend the night in an RV (6/7/15)
• Go to Ed Debevic's  (7/12/15)
• Make mango soft-serve ice cream (6/26/15)
• Make almond-joy banana soft serve ice cream (8/2/15)
• Create melted plastic cup art (6/26/15)
• Make movie night popcorn candy bar (we've decided to drop this one for this summer)
• Make roasted eggplant dip (7/19/2015)
• Eat at All Aboard Diner (8/4/15)
• Visit Santa Claus, Indiana (6/8/15)
• Go to Nashville, TN (6/7/15)
• Go geocaching (6/10/15)
• Make panna cotta (8/5/15)
• Tour Epiphany Farms
• Make Rolo Smores (8/1/15)
• Make Chocolate Zucchini Cake (7/19/15)
• Visit Ropp Jersey Cheese Farm
• Visit St Louis, MO (7/28/15...just the girls)
• Make Homemade Slurpees (6/20/15)
• Take an instagram photo documenting something we did EVERY day this summer (8/16/15)
• Reach 50 geocache finds (we started the summer at 32) (7/16/15)
• Read 10 books (Tracy) (6/25/15)

#1,578: Almond Joy Banana Ice Cream

I decided to put this recipe on our summer bucket list for several reasons:
1.  It's summer...and we love ice cream
2. It's healthy!
3.  It only has 6 ingredients...one of which is NOT sugar.

I took the kids with me to the grocery store and we got all of the ingredients (that we didn't already have on hand) for this recipe.  I was quite surprised that only 1 of the 3 kids liked this.  I personally thought it was good but there is nothing in this that I don't already enjoy eating.  :)  I personally would make this again...but only for myself.  

1-2 Bananas, Frozen
1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
1/8 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes
1/8 cup of sliced almonds
1 dark chocolate square or chocolate chips or any chocolate of your choice
1/8 cup of coconut milk or another milk of your choice

Place all of the ingredients into your blender and pulse until you get your soft serve consistency.  

#1,577: Green and Gold Quinoa Salad

I decided to make this recipe for lunch because I happened to have all of the ingredients already on hand! (Love those kind of recipes/meals!)  I absolutely loved this recipe.  LOVED it!  It was so simple to make and it was great as a leftover as well.  I will probably be making this when I go back to school because I can easily have it as a leftover/lunch for 2 or 3 days.  The quinoa and almonds give this a nice crunchy texture/flavor and the corn gives it a really nice sweetness.  I didn't love the parsley (I don't love parsley though) so I think next time I might try it with fresh basil instead.  Definitely a keeper recipe for me!

1 cup quinoa
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise
1 bunch  scallions trimmed, sliced crosswise
5 ears corn, kernels cut from cob
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
lemon wedges

Cook quinoa according to package directions; let cool. In skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add zucchini and scallions. Cook, stirring, until zucchini is crisp-tender, 5 minutes; let cool.

In large bowl, toss quinoa, zucchini mixture, corn and parsley; season.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Can be made 2 days ahead.) Before serving, toss in almonds. Serve with lemon wedges.

#1,576: Beef and “Rice” Stuffed Zucchini

I wasn't sure I was going to be a huge fan of this recipe because there isn't too much seasoning of the ground beef and I like my meat tasting NOTHING like meat.  LOL  Sometimes I wonder why I'm not a vegetarian...

Anyhow, this was really, really good.  It was really easy to make too because you basically have to cook the ground beef (I used turkey), then add in the remaining ingredients and then finish off in the oven.  Simple.  I loved the flavor of this as well.  

As you can see in the photo above, I made this recipe as I was supposed to ...in a "zucchini boat" form.  But this takes time to bake in the oven and after making it the first time, I was short on time and wanted to make this faster the second time (with the leftover filling).  SO...the second time I diced up half of a zucchini and placed it in a pan with a little olive oil over medium-high heat.  I sauteed the zucchini until it was almost done and then added some of the beef/cauliflower rice filling and heated it all through.  Still delicious, even easier and faster to get on the table.  

1 lb ground beef (I used ground turkey)
2 1/2 cups riced cauliflower (see below)
4 large zucchini
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Salt, Pepper, and Garlic powder, to taste (or your favorite spices) (I added some dried basil)

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Prepare the zucchini, by trimming off the ends and cutting the zucchini in half lengthwise.  Using a spoon, remove the seeds/core of the zucchini.  Dice up the core and reserve for later use.

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef until mostly cooked through.  Add the caul-rice and the core of the zucchini.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the Dijon mustard and spices.  Cook for another 1-2 minutes or until heated through.

Season the zucchini with salt and pepper and fill each zucchini with the ground beef/”rice” mixture. Bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until the zucchini is tender.  For those that eat dairy, sprinkle with cheese after uncovering.

*To make riced cauliflower, cut one head of cauliflower into florets and place the florets in a food processor or blender.  Pulse until the cauliflower is the size of grains of rice.

#1,575: Breakfast Egg and Sausage Cupcakes

I was really unsure about this recipe and my kids immediately told me they didn't like it, even before they tried it.  Then they actually tried it and all 3 LOVED it.  YES!  Plus...I used soy veggie sausage in place of turkey sausage and they had no idea!  My kids are not egg eaters at all so I was thrilled that they not only loved these, they asked me to make them again tomorrow.  The photo above shows 2 of the cups with the tops on, but I pulled the top wonton off the bottom egg cup so you could get a better idea of what it looks like on the inside. 

If you use a traditional muffin tin yours will be circular, but I used my Pampered Chef square brownie pan and they came out in squares.  Such an easy recipe and it was really, really good!!

Update: Okay I went back to the original recipe and I actually made these wrong...I was supposed to put a second layer of egg/sausage but this would have totally overfilled my pan.  Make these however you want...the flavor/taste won't change!  And I've made them both ways and my kids prefer them as a single layer without a top.  I made a batch of these and stuck them in the fridge for the kids to try as something I can put in their lunchbox when school starts and they all enjoyed them cold/cool too.  Yeah, another healthy lunchbox idea!!

Makes 8 egg and sausage cups (either double layer or with one as a top) or 16 single layer cups:

4 Turkey sausage patties (I used soy veggie sausage)
Mild Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 eggs
16 Wonton wrappers

Preheat the oven to 375 and lightly mist the cups in a muffin tin with the cooking spray.

Push a wonton wrapper into the bottom of each of the sprayed cups.

Scramble the eggs.  Add the cooked sausage, chopped into little pieces.  Add a couple of spoonfuls of the egg and sausage mixture into each cup.  Add a pinch of the shredded cheese on top of that.

Now press another wonton wrapper on top and repeat the layering steps with the remaining ingredients.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the muffin tin.

#1,574: Meltaway Cookies

Personally, I probably would not have used bright blue food coloring/icing for this recipe but we made these cookies for the men who are coming to do our siding and Allison said we needed to use a "boy color" and suggested bright blue.  LOL  The cream cheese frosting posted below was so thick I couldn't get it to spread very well.  So I added a little more powdered sugar and a little skim milk until it was thin enough that I could dip the cookie into the icing and it covered most of the cookie.  They aren't the prettiest cookies I've ever made but they are good.  Allison said, "This tastes like a Christmas cookie" and actually I have to agree.  I feel like I've had these before and it's driving me crazy that I can't place where/what I've eaten but it might just taste like a Christmas cookie that's giving me deja vu.  

Meltaway Cookie Recipe

1 C. butter
¾ C. cornstarch
¾ C. powdered sugar
1 C. flour

In a medium bowl, cream butter until fluffy.  Add cornstarch & sugar and blend well.  Beat in flour until thoroughly mixed. 

Drop by small teaspoons onto baking sheet & flatten out with the bottom of a class. (Dip glass in powdered sugar to prevent sticking). 

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Cool completely on wire rack & frost with Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below).

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (3oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 C. powdered sugar
½ t. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together.  Color with food coloring if desired.

Product Review: Puracyn Plus Wound and Skin Cleanser

Summer months, means extra time outside and for this family, it means more frequent falls.  It also means a lot more minor cuts, scrapes, rashes and insect bites!  My kids HATE getting their "ouchies" and wounds cleaned but they know how important it is to get all of the germs out as well.  It doesn't make it any easier to clean though! 

Now it can be easier!  Puracyn Plus Duo Care Wound and Skin Cleanser is a product you can find over-the-counter at local drugstores such as Walgreens and Rite-Aid, and of course, my favorite…Amazon!  Puracyn Plus is a great ONE STEP alternative to other typical cleaners such as iodine solutions, rubbing alcohol, triple biotic ointments, etc.  This is a great product not only for my kids but my husband as well who is constantly turning to “bubbly medicine” as he calls it with the kids…also known as hydrogen peroxide! 

I don’t know about your family, but my kids will let me look at their wounds and put a bandage on it, but as soon as I try to get any sort of washcloth, wipe, or cream on it, they start freaking out and thinking it’s going to hurt.  The great thing about Puracyn Plus is that it comes in a spray so it makes it so much easier to effectively cleanse, debride, and irrigate the wounds.  The Wound and Skin Cleanser is non-toxic, non-irritating, steroid free and alcohol free.  This makes it safe (and easy!) to use with everyone in the family…kids and adults!  This is the next generation in wound care!

Puracyn Plus also has a cleanser specifically for foot and leg issues such as blisters, skin abrasions & irritations, etc.  Getting minor cuts and skin issues cleaned have never been easier!

You can find out more about the line of Puracyn Plus products by checking them out online.  You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

Don’t just take my word for it though, try it for yourself!  I have a limited number of $4 off coupons to share if you are interested in trying it.  If so, fill out the Rafflecopter below and I will be choosing several readers to share these with! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I have been compensated for my review of this product, as well as given the opportunity to share $4 coupons with my readers.  

#1,573: Chocolate Pretzel Cookies

Well now here is a really easy, 3 ingredient cookie recipe!  Chloe helped me make these for the workers who are coming to put up our siding.  I let the kids split one cookie so we could try it and she claimed "Mommy these are SO good.  I could eat every one.  Like EVERY ONE."  I'd say that's a hit. 

Personally these would be better if you used real sugar cookie dough, but for a store bought easy convenience cookie, I'm okay with these.  Because I used the tube cookie dough, these are thin and really crunchy....not my favorite kind of cookie (I like soft ones),but still, definitely not bad.  I used milk chocolate chips and it would not melt easily and thinly (I figured it wouldn't) so I added a little bit of butter and milk to my chocolate chips to thin it out enough to drizzle over the tops.  

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated sugar cookies
1 cup crushed pretzels
3 oz milk chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.

Spoon and shape 14 heaping tablespoons dough into balls. Roll balls in pretzels; place 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before removing to cooling racks.

In small bowl, microwave milk chocolate chips uncovered on High, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth.  (I added ½ tbsp. butter and about 3 tbsp milk too).  Drizzle melted chocolate over cookies; let stand until set.  Store in airtight container. 

#1,572: Grilled Asparagus with Orange Butter

Now here was a veggie/side dish that I LOVED.  The orange butter on this is amazing with the grilled asparagus!  I will definitely, definitely be making this one again!!

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 lb. thin asparagus spears, trimmed
Finely grated orange zest

In a small bowl combine butter, orange juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Coat asparagus with cooking spray and grill over direct heat, turning once, until you can see grill marks, about 5 minutes.

Transfer asparagus to a serving platter and brush with butter mixture. Garnish with orange zest.

Serves 4.  According to the original recipe/website this is 1 WW Points plus per serving (6 spears)

#1,571: Berry-Nana Smoothie

Here's a simple smoothie I made for my kids to share today at lunch...they LOVED it.  I did omit the tofu (which is an optional ingredient) mainly because I figured they wouldn't love it.  I might try some other time to add it in to see if they can tell it's in there.  This was a thick and creamy smoothie and I had to add some almond milk to thin it out enough for them to drink.  I will definitely make this again for them.

1 very ripe banana (fresh or frozen)
1 cup frozen berries (I used strawberries)
1/2 cup or 1 (6-ounce) container plain, vanilla or lemon yogurt (I used plain Greek)
3/4 cup orange juice or apple juice (I used the juice of an orange + some almond milk to thin out to our desired consistency)
2 ounces soft tofu, optional (I omitted)
1 to 2 tablespoons honey, or to taste

Put everything in a blender and puree until smooth. 

#1,570: Homefried Kielbasa and Potatoes

We just got back from a road trip to Ohio and I had to get something for dinner on the table pretty quickly.  This recipe was perfect for that, and I probably had dinner ready/done in about 20 minutes.  I microwaved my potatoes first until they were almost all the way cooked through and then added them to finish cooking in the pan.  Some of our potato pieces were still not fully cooked so next time I will completely cook them in the microwave first and then just brown them up in a hot (lightly oiled) pan.  My family enjoyed this recipe and it was easy and quick.  My kind of meal.  

14-16 oz. kielbasa
4-5 potatoes
1 Vidalia onion (I omitted b/c my family would have picked it out anyways)
½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp minced garlic
⅓ tsp. Kosher salt
¼ tsp. oregano

Preheat skillet on med-high heat. Cut sausage into slices, and drop in the heated pan. Stir while frying.

As kielbasa is browning, chop the onion and potatoes.

Once the sausage has browned up a bit, and released most of the grease, scoop it out and put aside. Be careful to leave grease in pan.

Drop potatoes into the kielbasa grease to fry. Once they start to brown cut down heat to med-low, and add the remaining ingredients. Stir well.

Once the potatoes have softened, add the kielbasa back into the pan mix in and all to reheat before serving.

#1,569: Grilled Scallions with Soy-Sesame Drizzle

Here is a simple recipe I found in a recent issue of Weight Watchers.  I sadly have to add it to my "never again" category because I couldn't eat this at all.  I like grilled onions...a lot.  But this was too much for me.  The bottoms were under-cooked while some of the tops were overcooked.  The soy-sesame dressing was pretty bad too.  I'm all for eating and grilling veggies, but this one I will pass on.  

32 medium uncooked scallion(s), trimmed  
1 1/2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce  
1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil  
(I added a few sesame seeds on top)

Preheat grill to medium heat.  In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce and sesame oil; set aside.  Grill scallions over direct heat, turning once, until marked and softened a bit, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.   Transfer to a serving platter; drizzle with soy mixture.

#1,568: Better-For-You Sweet Tea

Not too long ago, I came across this recipe in a recent issue of Rachel Ray magazine. We had just come back from Nashville and I was really enjoying drinking sweet tea…which I know is not very good for you.  Since this recipe looked much healthier I decided to give it a try. 

I was not a fan of the tea with the pureed peaches only because it left pieces/bits floating in my drink…not a fan.  So I decided to strain it out and did like it better.  However it still was not sweet at all.  So I added a little bit of stevia (about 3 packets) and liked it much better.  Although definitely not as good as sweet tea, I still think this was ok. Would I make it again?  Probably not, but for a one time try, I didn’t mind it.  And I’ll definitely finish the pitcher…

1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
8 plain black tea bags
2 large peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped, or 8 oz. frozen peaches, thawed
2 tablespoons honey
8 sprigs mint

In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups cold water and the ginger to a boil. Remove from heat, add tea bags and steep 5 to 7 minutes. 

Strain three-quarters of the tea into a large ice-filled pitcher. 

Strain remaining tea into a blender; add peaches and honey. Puree and add to pitcher; stir to combine. 

Divide among 8 tall, ice-filled glasses; garnish with mint sprigs.

#1,567: Low-Fat Tangy Tomato Dressing

There are mixed reviews on this recipe in our family.  I am trying to get the girls away from liking ranch as their only salad dressing they will eat, so I'm making and trying new ones for/with them.  I thought they might like this one because it is similar to french and personally I like french dressing.  Sadly they didn't really like this recipe, but I thought it was ok.  I liked that it was much less minimally processed (and high in fat and calories) like ranch dressing is.  But I wasn't totally, totally in love with the flavor of this. It tasted like a glorified, watered down catsup a little bit.  I ended up adding some garlic, salt, pepper and a tiny bit of sugar to this.  It needs something else too but I'm not sure yet what it needs.  I'm hoping it gets better as the flavors meld and it sits in the fridge.  But for now, whether the kids like it or not, they'll be getting this with their salad for the next few days instead of their beloved ranch.  

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
I also added about 1-2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1/2 packet of stevia, and about 1 tsp minced garlic

Place all ingredients in a blender; cover and process until blended. Yield: 2 cups.

#1,566: Creamy Quinoa, Kale & Almond Milk Smoothie

As you can tell from the posts on this blog, there aren't too many recipes that we absolutely hate and end up going in to the "never again" category, but this recipe is definitely headed there.  Yuck.  This was not only not good, it was gross.  I made it for the kids and they all tried it and would not drink any more of it.  It is too liquid-y so it's almost like a watered down smoothie, yet the quinoa doesn't mix it so it makes it gritty.  Blech.  Don't waste your time (or ingredients) on this one.  

3/4 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup leafy greens (kale/spinach)
1 cup filtered water
1 cup almond milk
1/4 tsp. stevia
optional: a Tbsp. of extra-virgin coconut oil

Blend all ingredients thoroughly and enjoy. 

#1,565: Marinated Mushrooms and Asparagus Salad

I came across this recipe not too long ago and I thought it would be a perfect summer recipe to make since asparagus is so goo right now.  I've never had turnips before and although I didn't love them, I didn't mind them in this dish either.  This is a super healthy recipe that was actually quite easy to throw together.  I made it for lunch and wanted some protein so I added a little bit of crumbled bacon on mine.  It was SO good.  I will probably make this again for dinner tonight....

The recipe below is intended to be a side dish that serves 6.  

1 pound of mushrooms, quartered (I used shitake)
1 pound asparagus, bottom two inches cut off
1 turnip, waxy skin removed and then shaved thin using a vegetable peeler
1 bunch scallions chopped large
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced thin
a small bunch chives, cut one inch long (I used dried chives)
2 tablespoons capers (I omitted)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil (I omitted and use my Misto)

Fill a large pot of water for blanching and bring to a boil. Add salt until it tastes like the ocean.

While you are waiting for the water to boil, coat a sauté pan with oil and turn to high heat. Add the mushrooms to the hot pan and let them sit for a minute to gain color. Shake them every minute or two to brown them on all sides. After five minutes and when they are deeply browned, add the chopped garlic and peeled turnip. Gently toss or stir a few times, then remove from heat and place in a mixing bowl. Add the vinegar and scallions. Toss and let cool.

Blanch the asparagus in the boiling salted water for two minutes. Remove and shock in ice water. Let sit in the ice water to completely cool, about two minutes. Remove and cut each spear in thirds on a bias and add to the mushroom bowl.

Dunk the capers in the blanching water for ten seconds. Remove from water, then chop and add to the mushroom bowl.

Finally add your fresh chives and zucchini. Season with salt and pepper, and then toss one last time. Keep in the refrigerator until served. This will hold up well for three days.

#1,564: Avocado Zucchini Pasta

I really believe that in order to like this recipe you have to be a huge fan of avocado (which I am) AND a huge lover of cream sauces (which I am not).  Although I liked this recipe (and I ate it with zucchini noodles instead of spaghetti), one small bowl was definitely enough for me.  I also thought it needed more texture to it so I tried adding a little bit of cheese on top...that didn't do it.  Once I added some bacon crumbles (not in the photo above) I loved this a whole lot more.  Maybe that's why it suggests the corn in this recipe (which I omitted).  Would I personally make this again? No.  Would I eat this again if someone handed it to me though?  Yes.  

12 ounces spaghetti (I used zucchini spirals/noodles)
2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup canned corn kernels, drained and rinsed (I omitted)

(I obviously skipped this step since I didn't use spaghetti)  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.

To make the avocado sauce, combine avocados, basil, garlic and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste. With the motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, avocado sauce, cherry tomatoes and corn.  Serve immediately.

#1,563: Quinoa Avocado Spinach Power Salad

Here's another recipe that I made/tried for my friend Jaime.  This one was outstanding and I'm really looking forward to lunch tomorrow already!  The dressing is super simple to make and requires very few ingredients.  BUT I was ridiculously lazy tonight and decided to use a cranberry vinaigrette (bottled) instead.  I'm sure it lost a little of its "power" and health factor that way, but it was still SOOOOOO good.  I mean just look at it...how can that NOT be good?!?!

What else I love about this recipe is that you don't have to measure anything.  Yes the recipe below can be followed exactly, but why bother?!  I filled my bowl with spinach, used as many tomatoes that looked good enough to me, added some red onion along with the green onion, and used about 1/4 of an avocado because that's what I wanted to eat.  The photo above has about 1/2 c cooked quinoa which isn't a ton, but it sure was plenty for this salad. 

I also finally got to use my new Farberware avocado food huggers and can't wait to see if the other half of my avocado will still be fresh tomorrow.  Have you heard of these?  (See photo at right) I found a review of this in one of my magazines and couldn't wait to get it.  I waste a lot of avocados.  Yes I know you can freeze them, but mine always turn out brown still and it changes the texture.

1 cup dry quinoa
1-2 avocados
3 oz. baby spinach
8 oz. cherry tomatoes
3 green onions

For the dressing
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. salt

Cook the quinoa according to package directions.

Meanwhile, make the dressing: in a small bowl whisk together ingredients and set aside.

(I used baby spinach and just pulled the leaves off) Roughly chop the spinach and place in a large bowl.

Slice the green onions, halve the cherry tomatoes, and dice the avocado.

When quinoa is done cooking, add it to the large bowl with spinach and toss. The heat from the quinoa will lightly wilt the spinach.

Add the green onions, tomatoes, and dressing. Stir to combine. Add the avocado and lightly toss. Serve immediately or refrigerate for flavors to blend.

#1,562: Grilled Buttermilk Chicken

I found this super easy recipe for marinated grilled chicken and figured I'd give this one a try.  It was my third time making some sort of version of a grilled buttermilk chicken and we liked (but didn't love the other two) so I figured this would be our third and final attempt at a recipe similar to this. Although we hated how this looked in the bag (it looked like vomit....sorry so not appealing!), it was actually really good tasting chicken.  The paprika just gives this a terrible color/marinade mixture. 

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
8 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
6 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine buttermilk, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper.

Divide buttermilk mixture and chicken pieces between 2 large Ziploc plastic bags. Let chicken marinate in refrigerator, turning occasionally, for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Heat grill to medium-low. Remove chicken from marinade (discard marinade) and grill, covered, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center of chicken reaches 165F°, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately.