Quinoa Pizza Bites

This was an all-around "oops to yummy" recipe. 

 

I made this dish from Fit for Success and enjoyed every bite before I realized I had made a mistake. 


I went to enter the recipe into myfitnesspal to get the nutritional  information and didn't understand how my calorie count was SO far off from Fit for success'!
I went back to the original post and found my error. 

Her ingredients state: 1/2 cup of uncooked quinoa. What did I do? Used only 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa. 
If you have ever made quinoa you know uncooked quinoa more than doubles when cooked so I was defiantly lacking in amount. --I did wonder why mine didn't fill the 24 pockets of the muffin tin like hers did but I was so focused and getting these made so I could eat them I just thought I had made mine too big. In the end, this oops just means I got to eat them all.

Now not knowing I had made a significant lower calorie meal I wanted to add turkey pepperoni to my bites regardless, and man or man am I glad I did. 

However, I had originally planned to chop up the pepperoni and blend it into the original mix, but I forgot until they were half way through baking. Yet again, this oops turned into a delicious treat as I decided to top each bite with a slice of pepperoni--held on by some melted cheese--and these were like perfect mini bites of pizza--pepperoni in every bite--without the fat, grease, and heavy carbs and filled with lots of protein, and delectable flavor. 

Make them and then eat them all! 

Recipe adapted from Fit for Success
Ingredients: 
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 cup egg whites
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded 
1/2 cup onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs basil 
1 tsp oregano 
1/4 tsp garlic powder
20 slices of turkey pepperoni 


Directions: 
Preheat oven 350 F.
Spray a mini muffin tin--24 count--with olive oil spray
Mix all but the pepperoni in a bowl. 
Spoon 1 tbs of mix into 20 of the muffin compartments. 
Press the mixture down so its nice and packed in. 

Bake for 20 min or until tops have a light golden edge. 

Remove from muffin tin and  sprinkle a tiny bit of cheese on top of the hot bites and press one slice of pepperoni per bite. 
I then microwaved 10 bites for 30 sec. to make sure the cheese was good and melted and to cook the pepperoni a bit. 

Serve with a side salad and homemade marinara sauce for dipping! 

Enjoy!!!!

Nutrition Information

10 bites with pepperoni

 202 cal * 15 carbs * 10g fat*  17g protein * 3g fiber

10 bites without pepperoni 

161 cal * 15 carbs * 7g fat * 12 protein * 3g fiber

Spaghetti Squash: Coolest Veggie EVER

I was waaaaay too excited making this dish. 

Honestly, I felt like a 6th grader doing a science experiment. 

Spaghetti squash is the new "food to eat", right next to quinoa. 
I have seen countless recipes pop up over the last few months using this amazing gourd but I was skeptical about the processes and was sure my husband would not "lick" the plate like many bloggers had exclaimed theirs had.

And it was true. He didn't really like it, he ate it, but didn't get more.
 I licked the plate, and then got more. I'm hooked. 
My husband said it's because it has a "bite" to it, a "crunch" that traditional noodles don't have and he couldn't get past it, (personally, I think it was just the fact that it was pure vegetable on his plate--a VERY rare occasion) but it me, it's just another noodle version.

I know it is not supposed to be a replacement for the lovely grain, but I was still so impressed by it's magical ability to turn from gourd to string noodles and the "bite" was extra bonus. I love a good CRUNCH in my food! 

(Now, I did read that if you bake it for over an hour the "noodles" get softer, but I have yet to try it
So know, that this amazingly awesome vegetable may not suit everyone's palate, but if anything, YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT ONCE. 

Cook it and be amazed.

The following recipe is for traditional spaghetti squash noodles with homemade sauce:

Ingredients: 

Noodles
1 large Spaghetti Squash
1/2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Sauce
1 4oz can of tomato paste
4oz of water + more if you you want a thinner sauce
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 of a medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions: 
Wash the outside of the squash, then take a large knife and puncture it ~10 times around the gourd.
Place the entire squash in the microwave, reduce power level to 70% and cook for 12 min.

When done, the squash should still be firm to touch but give/leave a mark on the outside skin when pushed. 

Carefully remove squash and let cool on the counter for 10ish min. 

Start sauce.
In a sauce pan heat 1 tsp olive oil on medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté until clear. 
Add garlic and let cook for 1-2 min. Add tomato paste and water and bring to a simmer. Add in spices hen let sit for 10 min. Reduce heat to low and serve when ready. 

Once Squash has cooled to touch, cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and pulp (the darker colored strings). 
Now take a large fork and start scrapping parallel to the the squash until you can scrape no more. Noodles should be forming! 
--I did the scraping inside of a skillet because that was where i was going to place it next but you can scrape it into a bowl if that is easier-- 
Place created noodles into a skillet on low heat and drizzle 1 tsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to personal taste. 

You can either add sauce to noodles now or just top noodles with sauce later. 

Sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese and/or pair it with some turkey meatballs! 

ENJOY!!!!

Nutritional Information:  Spaghetti Squash 

1 cup 

49 cal * 10g carbs * 0g fat * 1g protein * 2g fiber

Sauce: 

1/4 cup-THICK

51 cal * 9g carbs * 0g fat * 3g protein * 2g fiber

Healthy Mexican Pizza

When I was a young girl, I loved Taco Bell's mexican pizza.
I could eat one whole paired with hard-shelled 1-2 tacos and soda. 1000+ calories without a blink of an eye. 

Thank goodness I have learned different eating habits.

But I still crave the layered beefy and bean entree. 
So using some healthier food ingredients I created this delicious alternative that tastes PHENOMENAL. 

Ingredients:
2 corn tortillas
1 tsp olive oil 
2 oz 93% or more ground beef
2 tbs salsa of choice
3 tbs black beans
1 tsp sriracha
1/8 cup shredded cheese
chopped lettuce

Directions: 

Cook ground beef to your liking (I had left overs from tacos earlier in the week)

Preheat oven to 400
Spray, wipe olive oil on both sides of the corn tortillas
Bake in oven until crispy and golden brown, turning once

Smash black beans in a bowl and mix with sriracha

When tortillas are done. Top one tortilla with warm beef, salsa, and 3/4 of the cheese.
Top the other tortilla with the smashed beans mixture. 

Microwave for 30 sec. 
Top cheese tortilla with lettuce, then place smashed bean tortilla on top of beef tortilla and top with 1 tsp of either salsa or sriracha (if you like it extra spicy) and the other 1/4 of the cheese. 

Enjoy!!!!

Nutritional Info:

all approx depending on the ingredients/brand you use. 

257 cal * 28 carbs * 4 sat fat * 19g protein* 5 fiber

Slow Cooker Chicken Quinoa Chili

I love fix it and forget it meals. 

This one in particular because it's perfect for those cool weather days, those days when you don't want do anything but snuggle under the covers, watch tv, or read a good book. 

This wasn't one of those days for me, but a girl can dream. 

However, it did turn out wonderfully delicious!

If you've been following along with my blog you've probably noticed new food addiction to quinoa. It's such a wonderful seed full of great health benefits and best of all KEEPS YOU FULL!

But the real truth as to why this recipe? 
Not that it was easy (it was), not that I could make it and forget it (I did, until the timer went off), not because it's healthy (it is!), but because I made a small loaf of french bread in my NEW bread machine and needed a good hearty soup to eat it with. 
Oh yeah!

So fix it, forget it, remember it, eat it!

Recipe adapted from Sweet Treats and More

Ingredients
2 large chicken breasts (mine were frozen!)*
1 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 can of Rotel
1 can reduced sodium black beans
1 cup of frozen corn (or 1 can or corn) 
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped (I used 3 small sweet peppers: 1 yellow, 2 red)
1-2** tsp cumin
1-2 tsp chili powder
1-2 tsp crushed red peppers
1 tsp paprika
1-2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste

* If using frozen chicken, follow directions below. 
   If using thawed chicken reduce time to 3-5 hours. 
** I used 2 tsp for everything because I love spices!
 
Directions:
Place chicken on bottom of slow cooker, dump liquids first, then solids, then seasonings. Stir. Cook on low for 5-7 hours. 
When time is up, either remove chicken and shred, or shred in  pot.
Stir well to combine. 
Top with shredded cheese, and/or a dollop of plain greek yogurt if desired!

Enjoy!!!!

Chicken Piccata W/ Greek Yogurt Cream Sauce

 

Lemon and chicken go well together, 

but what makes it even better is whole wheat pasta and a creamy sauce. 

I put this dish together in a short amount of time and it turned out wonderful. My husband even stopped before he left the room--well after his second bowl--to tell me he "really liked the dish"; and thus it is going on the blog. 

This is a multi-tasking meal prep dinner. There is no lag time. But everything is timed pretty well and ends warm and ready to be eaten. 
So put on your apron and cook away!

Adapted from Lifeasalofthouse and plainchicken.com
Ingredients:

Chicken
2 Large chicken breast or 4 small (I seriously had GIANT chicken breasts so I used 2 and cut them in half)
1 egg
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs (plain works just add oregano, basil, salt pepper, rosemary, and thyme)
1 tbs butter (I used parkay)
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Pasta
2 cups whole wheat penne pasta + 3 1/2 cups water to boil (This is more than enough for 2 people--adjust amount based on amount feeding)
*OPTIONAL 1 quarter of a chicken bouillon cube (just kicks it up a notch)

Creamy Cheesy Sauce
2 tbs butter (I used parkay)
6 tbs lemon juice (the juice from 2 lemons or just the stuff from the bottle)
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt/ pepper/ basil, to taste
1/2 cup Plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese ( I cheated here, I only had the powdered stuff that comes in the bottle and used a little more than half a cup. STILL TURNED OUT AWESOME!)


Directions:

Whisk egg in a shallow bowl
Place bread crumbs in separate shallow bowl
Heat Large on Medium skillet with 1 tbs butter and 1 tbs olive oil
Pound breasts into a fillet using your fist or a meat mallet. Approx 2 inches thick
Pat dry and then  dip in egg mixture and then bread crumbs. 
Place in skillet and cook for 4-5 min each side. NO TURNING.
-- you are welcome to cut your chicken breast in half once this time is up to make sure they are cook through (they really should be) but if not just leave  them in the pan, cover with a lid, turn the heat down, and let them "cook" while your continue the rest of the meal--

While breasts are cooking....make pasta

Bring a small sauce pan with 3 1/2 cups water to boil, add quartered bouillon cube and then pasta. 
Boil for 7 min, or al dente.

While pasta is boiling.... start sauce

Mince garlic and place in a bowl with 6 tbs lemon juice.
Measure out 1/2 cup greek yogurt set aside. 

Chicken should be done  now...turn pan to low, with lid, to keep warm or place on plate and cover with foil.

Once pasta is done, set aside 1/2 cup pasta water and then drain the rest. 

Dump pasta in a small bowl with a drizzle of olive oil to keep from sticking and cover to keep warm 

SAUCE TIME: 
In the same sauce pan that you made the pasta melt 2 tbs butter on medium high heat. 
Whisk in minced garlic and lemon juice and then add greek yogurt, salt, pepper, and basil to taste. Whisk until warm. 
Add cheese and stir until melted.--if you see your sauce thickening too much add some of the reserve water to loosen it.

ALL DONE!

Toss pasta with sauce and top with sliced chicken.

ENJOY!!!!

Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

I love this easy recipe. 

I have made it several times for lunches at work. 

This is also a very versatile recipe.

It can be a simple meal or a complex palate teaser. 

Use your imagination. 

but here's what I did: 

Ingredients: 

1 large bell pepper (or 2 small),
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1-2 olives, diced
1-2 diced cherry tomatoes 
3 tbs shredded cheese
OPTIONAL: 1 tsp sriracha (I love the spice!)
OPTIONAL: 2 tsp plain greek  yogurt (great sour cream substitute!)

Directions: 

Cut bell pepper in half and rid of seeds and ribs (the white part lining the wall)
Scoop and fill bell pepper halves with quinoa
Top with diced olives, cherry tomatoes and cheese. 

Option 1) Microwave for 30-45 sec until warmed and cheese is melted.

Option 2) Heat oven 350 degrees and bake for 10-15 min. (This option cooks the bell pepper more if you don't like it raw--i like the crunch in the raw)

ENJOY!!!!

Have any other suggestions or add-ins that you've done?

Chili Verde Enchiladas

Growing up, my mama, who learned all of her cooking from my very Hispanic grandmother, used to make this relatively easy, traditional Hispanic dish for us. 
On those days the world was a little better of-a place.
If you've read my other posts you'll have noticed I love spicy food.
I thank my mother for this.
If I can add had a zing here or there for some kick in the bite, I will do it.

So naturally this was a favorite dish of mine. 

However, as much as I love love love  my mom's full fat, deliciously cheesy and creamy dish I adjusted her recipe for this healthy-conscience foodie.

****The recipe calls for a cream of chicken, and rather than buy the processed can stuff I made my own thanks to milehimama homemade version****

Cream of Chicken:
Creates about 1 cup
2 tbs butter (I used Parkay)
2 tbs all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)
1/2 cup chicken broth (I quartered a bullion cube and melted it with boiling water)

Melt butter in a pan on Medium heat, then whisk in flour, 1 tbs at a time until paste. Slowly whisk in milk, then broth. Keep whisking and heating until desired thickness--the more you heat the thicker it gets.

Ingredients for Enchiladas:

12 corn tortillas
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked (I used 3 large)
1 can green chilies (4 oz)
1 can green enchilada sauce
1/4 cup green onion (I omitted because my husband doesn't like onion very much)
1-2 jalapeno peppers
prepared cream of chicken
salt and pepper to taste
Shredded Mexican cheese mix 
sliced Olives (optional)

Directions: 
Bring chilies, enchilada sauce, and cream of chicken to boil.
 
Meanwhile, shredded chicken with a fork or fingers

When sauce is boiling, add salt, pepper, green onion, and jalapeno. Boil for 1 min.
Turn heat to low.


Dip out 1/2-3/4 cup sauce and put aside. 


Add shredded chicken to remaining sauce and simmer 10-15min.

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Dip one side of tortilla in chicken sauce mix, lay sauce side down in a 9x13 pan. Fill non-sauce side with 2-3 spoon fools of mixture, pinch of cheese, olives--if you're having them,  and roll tortilla, seam side down. Repeat until pan is full.

Take the 1/2-34 sauce and drizzle over the top of rolled tortillas and then sprinkle with shredded cheese and extra olives if you have them.

Bake 20 min, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with some Spanish rice and top with plain Greek yogurt!

Enjoy!!!!