New Year, Old Recipe

I have to apologize for my lack of blogging over the past few months. Life has been so busy that blogging kept getting pushed down the "To Do" list until life settled down. For those of you who have been worried about Jason the last few months, you can rest assure that he has had a full belly of delicious and nutritious foods. Two years have come and gone faster than I could have ever imagined. The last month has been full of significant life events.

Dec.4 - Last day of my dietetic internship (wahoo!!)
Dec. 13 - Graduation from my Master's program
Dec. 19 - We signed our new lease in Appleton, WI
Dec. 23 - Move in day!
Now - Studying for the R.D. (Registered Dietitian) Exam

Now that life has settled and I am focusing on finding a job and studying for the RD exam, I am able to schedule in some much needed food blogging. Here is a recipe from a few months ago that was so delicious that I kept it at the top of my "Recipes to Blog List." This burger recipe stretches the meat, adds protein and nutrition, and is absolutely delicious - I promise, you won't be disappointed!

Black Bean Turkey Burger

Ingredients

- 20 ounces ground turkey

- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

- 1 c. frozen corn, thawed

- 1 small onion, finely diced

- 2 TBSP whole wheat bread crumbs

- 2 tsp chili powder

- 1 tsp black pepper

- 1 ounce low-fat cheddar or part-skim mozzarella cheese

- Fresh Spinach

- Sliced tomatoes

- Kraft Olive Oil Mayo (optional)

- Whole Wheat Hamburger Bun Recipe

Directions
1. Preheat oven (or grill) to 350F
2. In a large bowl, mix the first 7 ingredients together. Form into about 8 burger patties.
3. Bake for for 25-30 minutes, until the internal temperature reads 165F.
4. Serve on a whole wheat bun with a slice of cheese, spinach, tomatoes, and olive oil mayo.

That pasta salad in the recipe was just a hog-pog recipe that I threw together. Since it was a few months ago I cannot remember exactly what I did. It is likely similar to the Cucumber Relish Pasta Salad I made this past summer. As a general rule of thumb, I take whatever vegetables I have on hand, dice them all into different sizes/shapes, add cooked and cooled whole wheat pasta, and toss them with a salad dressing or oil, balsamic vinegar (my favorite), and herbs. There is no right or wrong recipe - just be sure to taste the dressing you are making before you add it to the vegetables and pasta. Enjoy!

EASY Homemade Yogurt

This is probably the coolest thing I have ever done with my slow cooker! Yes, that is right, I made yogurt in my slow cooker. I am so excited to tell everyone about this!

I found the recipe at A Year of Slow Cooking. It is a blog documenting a woman's challenge to use her slow cooker everyday for a year. I think this is the coolest thing ever, since we are all so busy and rarely ever have time to cook good family meals. Plus, the slow cooker is much cheaper to run than an over - it only costs about 2 cents per hour!

Now, on the yogurt, The recipe is for whole milk (AKA vitamin D milk, which by the way has no more vitamin D in it than regular milk) but anyone who knows me knows that I would probably never even consider of purchasing whole milk. At the end of the recipe, Stephanie (the author of the blog mentioned above) mentions you can use unflavored gelatin with a lower fat milk. She also mentions you can strain runny yogurt with a cheesecloth or coffee filters. We had skim milk in the house (of course) so despite all of the warnings on her website about using whole milk for your first time, I decided I try the recipe with skim milk and unflavored gelatin.

The result was a little runny, so I let it sit overnight in a colander lined with coffee filters that I put into a big bowl. If you do this you want to make sure that the colander is not touching the bottom of the bowl - if it is, the liquid won't be able to go anywhere! If the colander is too big for the bowl, your yogurt may strain into your refrigerator; you could place the colander on a smaller bowl and then place all of this into a larger bowl to catch any extra liquid.

I did loose about 1-2 cups of liquid, so the skim milk version does not make all 8 cups. If you really wanted to stick to skim milk, you could add some powdered milk and/or more gelatin to the recipe. This should help thicken the liquid up.Regardless, this is WAY cheaper than purchasing yogurt at the store. We buy 32oz plain yogurt tubs at Aldi's for $1.60, which is an amazing deal (it would be $3 or so at Jewel Osco). We buy 1 gallon of milk for $1.89 at Aldis and the gelatin was about 25 cents a packet. Basically, we got about 2 tubs of yogurt for $1.15. I am going to try this with 2% milk next time; I think it will get a much higher yield.

Ingredients

• 4-6 qt crock pot
• 8 cups (half-gallon) of milk
• 1 packet unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 2 bath towels

 Directions

1. Turn your crockpot on low and add the milk. Cover and cook on low for 2 1/2 hours.
2. Unplug the crockpot after the 2 1/2 hours and let sit for 3 hours.
3. Remove 2 cups of milk from the crockpot and replace the lid. Pour the milk into a bowl and add 1 packet of unflavored gelatin (if using low-fat milk) and 1/2 cup yogurt. Whisk well and pour back into crock pot. Whisk everything in the crockpot well and replace the lid.
4. Cover the crockpot with towels. Let stand 8-9 hours.
5. If the yogurt is runny, line a colander with coffee filters or a cheesecloth. Place this into a bowl or pot so that the calendar is not touching the bottom. Scoop the yogurt onto the filters. Let stand in the refrigerator until it reaches the desired consistency. The yogurt closest to the filters will be thicker than the yogurt on top, so you can mix it together for an intermediate consistency.
6. Scoop into containers and store in the refrigerator for 7-10 days. Reserve 1/4 cup for your next batch.

Another Lasagna Idea!

A few weeks ago I posted on the super easy lasagna recipe I made in the slow cooker. That recipe was a little meaty for me, so I wanted to try a little variation. I added vegetables and cut back on the cheese a little too (this recipe yields more, so while the cheese looks about the same in the recipe, it is spread out over more servings). The results – perfect! Jason said it was just as good as the other one…and there were no strings attached on his answer, I promise! The icing on the cake for this recipe is that you do not have to get one pan dirty in the process…that’s right, no stove needed!

Ingredients

• ½ bag frozen spinach, thawed
• Roasted Red Peppers, 2 large halves, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2/3 cups frozen peas, thawed
• 8-10 whole wheat lasagna noodles, broken to fit the crock pot
• 1 jar spaghetti
• 1 cup of water
• Garlic, per your preference
• ¾-1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Mix the spaghetti sauce, water, and garlic together in a bowl. Scoop 1 cup of sauce mixture into the 4 qt crock pot. Top with a layer of noodles. 
2. Top the noodles with sauce, vegetables, and cheese. Add more noodles and repeat with sauce, vegetables, and Parmesan cheese until it is as high as you'd like (reserve the rest of the mozzarella cheese for the top). Be sure to end with sauce and cheese on top. 
3. Cook on low 4-5 hours*.

*I (accidently) left it for about 6 hours and the top cheese was starting to brown. Be sure to take it out before that happens!

Apple Crisp

Again, life is crazy busy and I have no pictures to share with you. I can tell you that every person who has had this dish enjoyed it and I have made it 3 times in the past 3 weeks! Usually I leave my apple peels on for added nutrition, but I eat so well already, I figured why not just peel them for the full apple crisp effect. Apple crisp is one of the healthiest fall desserts if you make it right. Plus, the main ingredient is apple, so you are getting a fruit serving (or two) in with each slice!

Ingredients

• 7 or so medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced (they don't all need to be perfect slices)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, divided
• Cinnamon, apple pie spice, and nutmeg to taste
• 1/2 cup regular oats
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2-2 tbsp butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9" x 9" square baking dish and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, toss apple slices, spices, and 2 tbsp brown sugar*. Pour into prepared dish.
3. In a small bowl, mix flour and oats together. Add remaining sugar and additional spices, if desired. Cut in butter until it resembles a coarse meal. To use as little butter as possible, start with 1 TBSP and add more if needed.
4. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

I just found out that Jason likes his hot with ice cream but if there is no ice cream, he likes it cold...talk about high maintenance! ;)

*the apples are sweet already so you don't really need sugar in the base. If you want, you can omit the sugar (I have done this and it still tastes great) and either remove it all together or add it to the topping for an extra sweet crunch.

Quick Whole Wheat Lasagna - is it possible??

I definitely doubted it. How could lasagna ever be quick; especially the kind made with whole wheat noodles? Normally a pan of lasagna takes me at least 45 minutes to prep. When you boil whole wheat noodles, I usually do 3 at a time and each pot takes 8 minutes or to get just soft enough. If there is meat in the lasagna, it needs to be browned. To maximize flavor, I usually saute the vegetables first as well. Needless to say it is a wonderful afternoon in the kitchen if I am in the mood to cook, but is a hassle when I'm crunched for time...until now.

I was reading my monthly Food and Family when I saw a recipe for slow cooker lasagna. I had heard of it before, but had never tried it. Life has been busier than ever lately, so I figured, why not? The results - amazing!! It tastes like something from a restaurant and took a total of 15 minutes to prep the night before! I don't know if I will ever go back to the traditional method!

Slow Cooker Lasagna
From Kraft Food and Family

Ingredients

• 20 ounces ground turkey
• 1 small onion, diced
• 6-8 whole wheat lasagna noodles, broken to fit the crock pot
• 1 jar spaghetti
• 1 cup of water
• Garlic, per your preference
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Any vegetables you like!

Directions

1. Brown the ground turkey with the diced onion. Remove from heat.
2. Add the spaghetti sauce, garlic, and one cup of water to the pan (I put the water into the spaghetti jar so that I could get all of the sauce out). Mix well. 
3. Scoop 1 cup of sauce mixture into the 4 qt crock pot. Top with a layer of noodles.
4. Top the noodles with sauce and cheese. Add more noodles and repeat until it is as high as you'd like. Be sure to end with sauce and cheese on top.
5. Refrigerate overnight*. Cook on low 4-6 hours.

*I refrigerated it, but it isn't necessary. The original recipe calls for plain white noodles, so it is possible that if you don't refrigerate it you will need to cook it for longer than you would if you had let it soak overnight.

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

I found a fabulous recipe in the Oct issue of Cooking Light - a healthy version of a cinnamon roll. I had never made real cinnamon rolls before. Sure, I've made the Pillsbury rolls that come out of that cardboard carton that pops when you open it, but I had never made the real thing.

I tweaked the recipe just a bit by adding whole wheat flour to make the roll even healthier. They are especially delicious warmed up with hot glaze on top.

Be sure you have about 3 hours set aside to make these. I started them at 6:30pm thinking I had tons of time, but at 9pm I was just putting them into the oven! The final product is well worth the work, just be sure you know what you are getting into before you get started.

Cinnamon Rolls
Cooking Light, Oct 2009

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm, fat-free milk (100-110F)
• 3 tbsp melted butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 package quick-rise yeast (I used my bread machine rapid rise yeast. There is a conversion on the jar)
• 1 1/4 cup bread flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Cooking spray
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 3 tbsp very soft butter (you can melt it, but don't need to)

Directions

1. Combine milk, 3 tbsp melted butter, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, and yeast. Let stand 5 minutes.
2. Add egg and remaining sugar to the bowl. Mix well.
3. Mix the two types of flour together in a separate, small bowl. Stir 1 cup of the flour mixture into the yeast-milk bowl. Let stand 10 minutes.
4. Add 2 1/2 cups of flour and salt to the yeast-milk mixture. Stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Add some of the flour mixture to the dough (only a tbsp or two to coat the dough) and begin kneading. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes.  Continue to add flour as needed.
5. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray. Turn the dough to coat and cover with a towel. Let stand in a warm place that is draft free for 35 minutes (an oven, off of course, works well).
6. Gently press the dough with 2 fingers. If the indentation remains, the dough has doubled in size. Punch down the dough, cover, and let rise again for 35 minutes.
7. Punch down dough and let rest for 5 minutes.
8. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
9. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and roll into an 11" x 8" rectangle.Spread the softened butter over the dough and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Be sure to use a lot!
10. Beginning at the long side, roll the dough tightly like a jelly roll. Pinch the seam to seal.
11. Cut dough into 18 - 20 1" slices. Arrange 9-10 rolls on a greased cookie sheet or baking dish.
12. Cover and let rise 35 minutes, or until doubled in size.
13. Preheat oven to 350F (be sure the rolls aren't rising in here...)
14. Uncover rolls and bake for 22 minutes or until lightly browned (I did mine for 22 minutes and 1 pan was quite brown, so I think 15-20 minutes is a good point to check them).
15. Let cool on a wire rack. Store in a sealed container.

Serve with vanilla icing. I used a quick method from good old Betty Crocker. Here is what I did:

• Mix 5 tbsp powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla together. Stirring with a fork, slowly add milk 1 tbsp at a time, until a thin liquid forms. Refrigerate until use. Microwave before using.

Here is their icing recipe:

• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Combine butter and cream. Stir with a whisk. Add vanilla and gradually add powdered sugar. Stir until blended. Serve warm.

Delicious

So, I have been totally M.I.A again...I hate how the semesters take away from my precious blogging time.My goal is at least once per week for the next 13 weeks...yes that is right, 13 weeks until graduation (or 93 days, but who is counting). After that I'll have to come up with another excuse as to why I haven't been posting ;)

I made these cookies a few weeks ago and they are by far the BEST cookies I have ever eaten. Even better then the ooey-gooey cookies from those quaint little family-owned cookie shops that use recipes passed down from generations. The best part of this recipe is the tart cranberries with the crispy outside and chewy inside. The walnuts at just a touch of crunch to finish it off. Needless to say these did not last long.

Oatmeal-Cranberry Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cups oats
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup crushed walnuts

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350F.
2. Mix flours, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs; mix well.
4. Slowly add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low. Beat until well mixed (and then place the beaters on high to get the rest off).
5. Add oats, cranberries, and walnuts and mix well with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
6. Drop dough onto a cookie sheet; leave about 2" apart.
7. Bake 8-10 minutes, until edges are golden.

Potato Bake

This recipe received a 10/10 from Jason. I don't know if I have ever made something he liked so much before...ever. He usually hates scale ratings. I always asked him to rate things on a scale of 1 to 10 and it usually ends with him changing the subject so I forget he never rated what I asked. This time, however, he said "10" instantly. This recipe is super easy and delicious. It is too heavy for me for summer, so I plan to make it again once things cool down here in IL in a few months.

Ingredients
- 4 baked potatoes, cooked and NOT peeled
- 3 TBSP butter
- 1/4 cup skim milk
- salt
- pepper
- 1 c. frozen peas, thawed
- 1/2 large zucchini, thinly sliced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
- 6 oz. marble cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9" baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. In a large bowl, mash the potatoes. Add the butter and milk and whisk with an egg beater on high until highly whipped. Stir in the vegetables and seasonings.
3. Pour mixture into the sprayed dish. Smooth out with a rubber spatula. Top with bread crumbs and cheese.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and the edges are starting to brown.

Camping

I am a little late to post (sorry!). We went camping last weekend with Kathryn and Brandon and had a blast. We cooked over the camp stove for breakfast, ate no-cook food for lunch, and cooked over the fire for dinner. Here is a picture of us all from the last night (Kathryn, Brandon, Me, and Jason):

Don't mind our sticky look...Jason and I showered that day with a bucket by the water fountain (in our swim suits, of course) because there were no showers. It was kind of fun, acutally. We hiked for an hour and a half and got pretty sweaty after that. Needless to say, I don't think any of us were sporting our "smile for the camera" look.

The first night we ran into a minor problem that was fixed by some quick thinking. I was grilling turkey burgers and two veggie burgers on our tripod over the grill. I was lowering or raising the grate when all of a sudden a hook slipped loose and the entire grate fell down into the fire. Luckily it fell in the direction it was hanging and we were able to salvage 5 of the 7 turkey burgers. Sadly, the veggie burgers did not make it :( I settled for pasta salad and a delicious baked potato (which we made both nights by stabbing a potato with a fork, wrapping it in tin foil, and throwing it in the fire pit around the outside of the flames...45 minutes later you have a perfect baked potato).

The second night we went for an easier option - foil dinners. Kathryn and I assembled them while the boys made fire (what is it about boys and fire?). These are simple meals that can be pretty much prepped before camping. I cut the veggies ahead of time and stored them in individual containers in the cooler. Usually we put potatoes in them, but opted for baked potatoes again (since they were so good) and stick with chicken and veggies in the foil dinner. I didn't wear a watch all weekend so I have no idea how long they took - I am guessing 30 minutes.

Ingredients:
- Chicken, cubed
- Carrots cut into matchsticks
- Zucchini, quartered and sliced
- Onions, diced
- Green Peppers, chopped
- Mrs. Dash
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper

Directions:
1. Cut a piece of HEAVY DUTY (not the normal flimsy stuff) tin foil about the size of a piece of paper. place the chicken in the center and top with the desired veggies. Season liberally with the above mentioned seasonings.
2. Fold the edges up to make a box opening. Roll the edges down like a brown-bag lunch. Place in the fire or on a tripod (we placed them on the tripod). If you place them in the fire, keep them in an area where you would be comfortable reaching in to grab them with metal tongs.

**Most recipes call for a splash of water. We did this and it made the dinner soupy. I omitted the water because the raw chicken, onions, and zucchini will all let off enough water to steam the dinner. If you are putting potatoes in and/or precooked meat, add a little water.

Banana Bread

Strangely, I have never liked banana bread. It seems everyone in nutrition LOVES banana bread, so I set out to find a recipe that I could attempt to enjoy. I got lucky this past spring when I stumbled across the recipe at The Kitchen Sink Recipes. This recipe is so good that I didn't even have to try to make myself like it - I loved every last bite of it and then made some more! It is sweet, but not overally sweet and is extremely moist. I don't have a picture of the bread, but once I make another loaf I will update this post with a picture. You can also refer to the link above for a peak.

Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 ripe bananas
- 2 egg whites
- 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 1/4 cup plain, non-fat yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 cup whole wheat pastry flour*
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

*If you can't find this, you can do half white, half wheat, or all wheat. If you do all whole wheat, you may need to cover the pan with tin foil and cook for any extra 15-30 minutes.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F and spray loaf pan.
2. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl together until light and fluffy.
3. Whist together mashed bananas, egg whites, buttermilk, yogurt, and vanilla in a small bowl.
4. Whisk the remaining dry ingredients into a small bowl.
4. Alternating between bowls, add the contents of the banana bowl and flour bowl into the sugar. Be sure to mix between additions on low.
5. Mix until just combined...do not over mix.
6. Pour into the loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes.

Coconut Chicken Curry

Since I went to India two years ago I have periodically craved curry and mangoes. Curry for obvious reasons. Mangoes because it was the first time in my life I had ever REALLY tasted a mango. They were so ripe we could peel them with out hands and they were so juicy wiping your hands was pointless. Occasionally I will find a mango that comes close to the flavor but close is as close as it gets...if you have tried a mango like this you know exactly what I mean.

Because I got my mango fix last week I also needed to satisfy my curry fix. We had a can of coconut milk in the pantry as well as some curry paste, so I figured I'd whip some curry together. This turned out delicious - we ran out of rice so I just ate the left over curry as-is :)

Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 2 large carrots, halved and cut into slices
- 2 chicken breasts, chunked
- 1 big handful of pea pods
- 1 full stalk of broccoli, cut into florets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 3/4 to 1 cup peanuts
- 1/4 can coconut milk
- 1/4 cup skim milk
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1/4 cup mild curry paste

Directions
1. Prepare the rice as directed on the package. Instead of water you can use vegetable or chicken broth.
2. In a small bowl and the milks and curry. Whisk until well combined. Add more coconut milk if you want it really thick. Whisk in the cornstarch. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet heat the oil and garlic over medium heat. Add the diced chicken breasts and cook until no pink is visible. Add the carrots and continue to cook for 2-4 minutes. Add the pea pots and broccoli, continuing to stir. You don't want to add these too soon or they will get mushy before the carrots are done.
4. Once the broccoli is bright green add the sauce. Stir well and let stand until it begins to bubble. At this point lower the heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened. Add more milk or curry if needed.
5. Stir in the peanuts just before serving.
6. Serve over rice. Use a ladle to cover in sauce.

Vegetable and Bean Soup

I have never met someone who loves soup more than Jason. The year before we were married and he was living with some friend in Oshkosh, WI, he would bring soup for lunch every single day. While I enjoy soup, I usually only like to have one bowl a week. Since we have been married, we have stopped buy canned soup (unless it is the low-sodium version and is on sale for $1 per can). Instead, once the first chill of fall comes I start up the crock pot and begin making batch after batch of soup and chili. One crock pot usually makes 4 large yogurt containers worth of soup (we eat a lot of yogurt, so we save the containers). I will keep two in the refrigerator and two in the freezer for later. Soup is fool-proof and works well with pretty much any items we have on hand. I try to always use fresh ingredients, but this is not always possible, so I usually keep extra cans of diced tomatoes, beans, and frozen vegetables on hand. If you use dry beans, be sure to soak them overnight before using them. This well help get some of the gas out and prepare them for cooking. Since the weather finally seems to be turning around (55F and sunny today!) I decided it was a good day for one last batch of soup. Soup can really be anything you want, so if you don't have or like some of these ingredients, feel free to substitute something else.

Vegetable and Bean Soup

Makes about 1 gallon of soup

Ingredients

• 2 cans of petite diced tomatoes (I used an onion and green pepper seasoning and garlic, oregano and basil seasoning)
• 2 cans of water (use the tomato cans)
• 4 stalks of celery
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cups of frozen corn
• 1 1/2 cups of frozen peas
• 1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed well 
• 1 can of great northern beans, drained and rinsed well 
• 2 tsp garlic
• 1/2 tsp pepper
•  1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin

Directions

Place all of the ingredients in a 4-5 quart crock pot. Stir well. Cover and cook on the LOW setting for 5 hours. If you use dry beans, you may need to cook it longer. 

Veggie Pot Pie

Growing up, chicken pot pies from the freezer were my favorite treat. Imagine my surprise in early college when I learned that some people actually make their own pot pies from scratch! It was an amazing revelation and since then I try to make them every few months. While the one's from the freezer have biscuit all around, mine usually just have a biscuit topping. I try to limit the breads in meals like this since it seems we always eat too much bread. Also, too much biscuit fills me up so I can't enjoy all the delicious filling. This is a vegetable  pot pie, but you could add any meat you want. I have clarified in the directions when you should add the meat.

Veggie Pot Pie

Adapted from the "Turkey Pot Pie" recipe at EatingWell.com

Serves 6

Filling Ingredients

• 1 tbsp canola oil, divided
  
• 1 cup onions, diced
  
• 1 cup diced carrots
  
• 1 cup frozen corn
  
• 2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth, divided
  
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
  
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Biscuit Topping Ingredients

• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
  
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 2 teaspoons sugar
  
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
  
• 1 cup buttermilk or equivalent buttermilk powder
  
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

Directions

1. To prepare filling: Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add onions and carrots; cook, stirring, until golden brown and tender, about 7 minutes. 

2. Add 2 cups broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Mix cornstarch with the remaining 1/2 cup broth; add to the pan and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Stir in and meat (if using), peas, corn, salt and pepper. Transfer the filling to a 2-quart baking dish.

3. To prepare biscuit topping & bake potpie: Preheat oven to 400° F. 

4. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and thyme in a large bowl. Using your fingertips or 2 knives, cut butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly. Add buttermilk and oil; stir until just combined. 

5. Drop the dough onto the filling in 5 or 6 even portions. Set the baking dish on a baking sheet.

6. Bake the potpie until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes; serve.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

I realized I had a long list of recipes in my "Recipes to Blog" folder that were naked. That is, I had no picture to show off their deliciousness. I contemplated keeping them there until I cook them, but have decided to post them anyway. There are about 6, so this week one will pop up everyday. As I have said in the past, if anyone cooks any of these recipes, fell free to send me the picture and I would love to post it and your information.

This recipe is from 101cookbooks. I never have all of the ingredients that Heidi has on-hand, so I usually have to alter the recipes from their perfection. Luckily, it has tended to work out for me in the past (Spinach-Rice Gratin was a real hit!) and this recipe is no different. The original can be found here. I am sure her's is delicious as well, so try this one, that one, or both!

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Recipe from 101Cookbooks.com "Roasted Pumpkin Salad Recipe"

Served 4 meals or 6 side dishes

Ingredients

• 3 cups of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes 
  
• extra-virgin olive oil
  
• fine grain sea salt
  
• 3 medium red onions peeled and diced
  
• 2 cups cooked long grain rice
  
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds
  
• 1/3 cup olive oil
  
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 tablespoon honey
  
• 2 tablespoons warm water
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
   
2. Toss the sweet potatoes, onion, and slivered almonds in olive oil along with a couple pinches of salt. 
3. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and pour vegetable mixture onto the baking sheet. Roast for about 45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, or until the vegetables are brown and caramelized. 
4. Cook the rice.
5. When the mixture is done, place the rice and the mixture in a large,  heated skillet. Add the remaining ingredients and saute for 5 minutes until well mixed. 
6. Serve warm or cold.

A Mexican Twist on Lasagna

The other day I asked Jason what he would like for dinner, because I was out of ideas at the time. He said lasagna and then it came to me; make a lasagna with Mexican-based ingredients. Jason sounded a little skeptical, but went with it, like he usually does. The result - AMAZING! Jason finished off 4 slices easily and wanted t more...he decided to stop since he knew we had delicious chocolate candies from my parents that we would have later for dessert.

This is slightly different than lasagna because it has minimal cheese. Jason and I don't like ricotta and I didn't feel like grating cheese when I prepared this in the morning. The only cheese is on the top, but it still tastes great!


Mexican Lasagna
Ingredients
-8 to 10 whole wheat lasagna noodles (depending on your pan size - you will need enough to make 2 layers)
-20 oz container of ground turkey
-1 large onion
-1 can black beans (if fresh, make sure they are soaked, rinsed, and boiled already)
-1 cup of frozen corn
-Jar of spaghetti sauce
-Jar of Salsa
-Mozzarella cheese
-Mild cheddar cheese

Directions

1. In a large pot, bring about 10-12 cups of salted* water to a boil (if you cover the pot it will boil faster since less heat is escaping). Place 3-4 lasagna noodles in the pot and boil for 4-6 minutes, or until slightly soft. Remove from the pot and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Watch out...they are VERY hot! Place on a dish towel to cool. Repeat the process.
2. In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey. Once fully cooked, add the onion. Since ground turkey is lean and there is little fat that come off of it, I like to just cook the onion in the fat that is there instead of going through the extra steps just to swap out a few grams of saturated fat for unsaturated fat (normally you would need to drain and rinse the meat, set in a separate bowl, wipe out the pan, add oil, heat oil, and then add the onion - this saves me 5 minutes!). Cook the onion for 5 minutes and turn off the heat. Leave the skillet on the burner. Add the frozen corn (still frozen). The heat from the pan will thaw the corn. Once thawed. Add the black beans.
3. Spray a 13 X 9" baking pan. Add one layer of noodles to cover the bottom. Top with half of the meat and vegetable mixture. In a back-and-forth motion, top with about 1/3 cup of spaghetti sauce and 1/3 cup of salsa. I didn't measure when I did, so add as much as you think is needed. Top with the rest of the noodles. Top those with the rest of the meat and vegetable mixture. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce and work into the meat mixture using a spatula or spoon.
4. At this point you have two options: you can place the lasagna in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before you bake it, or you can bake it right away.
5. Once you are ready to bake, heat the oven to 400F. Don't add the cheese yet!
6. Bake for 30 minutes in the center rack.
7. Remove from the oven and top the lasagna with your choice of cheese. We used about 1/3 of a block of mozzarella and 1/3 of a block of mild cheddar.
8. Place back in the oven on the center rack and bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

*salted water - many people say that you salt water to make it boil faster. This is incorrect. When you add salt to water it raises the boiling point, so the water will take longer to boil, but will boil at a temperature higher than normal. In turn, this makes your food cook faster. Think about this - this is why they use salt on ice outside; it 

lowers the freezing point, causing the ice to melt at 32F and below!

Homemade Pizza

Once you have homemade pizza crust, other pizzas just don't taste the same. I made my first homemade pizza crust 2 years ago and I can only remember buying pizza once since then! I got the crust recipe from The Big Book of Vegetarian. It is great because it makes four crust that can be frozen for later use, so you don't need to make a new crust every time.

Here is a brief lesson in baking with yeast. Yeast eats sugar to ferment, so never omit sugar, no matter how "health conscious" you are trying to be. Also, sugar substitute will not work. Salt kills yeast; a little is good because it keeps the yeast "in-check" and prevents over proofs. However, too much will kill the yeast completely. The water temperature is VITAL for the yeast. If it is too cold, the yeast won't ferment. If it over 115F, the yeast will die. I suggest temping the water every time you are making something with yeast.

Pizza is one of those foods that everyone seems to think is forbidden, when in actuality, it can be quite healthy. This crust is half white, half wheat and the pizza is loaded with veggies and topped with a little cheese. While it is not like the triple cheese and meat pizza from your local chain pizza joint, it taste 100% better and is 100% guilt free :) My guess is that each slice has 1/2 - 1 serving of veggies, so eat up!

Wheat Crust (from The Big Book of Vegetarian)
[My notes are in italics]

Ingredients
-1 1/4 cups of warm water (105-115F)
-1 envelope or 1 scant tbsp of active dry yeast
-1 tsp sugar
-3 cups all purpose flour
-2 cups whole wheat flour
-2 large eggs
-2 tsp salt

* The original recipes is 3 cups of all-purpose flour and 2 cups of whole wheat flour; however, I have made it with 3 cups of whole wheat and 2 cups of all-purpose flour and it is has turned out. The only downfall is when you freeze the latter dough and thaw it at a later date, it doesn't roll out as well.

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix the water, yeast and sugar; let stand for 10 minutes, or until foamy. I usually heat the water in a glass measuring cup and then just add these items to the measuring cup to save dishes.
2. In a food processor, combine the all-purpose and whole wheat flours, eggs, and salt. Pulse to mix. With the motor running, pour in the yeast mixture through the feed tube in a steady stream. Process until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and then process for 45 seconds longer (this takes the place of the kneading), or until the dough is smooth and elastic. I do not have a food processor big enough for this, so I do it in the old fashion way. I mix the flours and salt together in a large bowl, add the egg and mix well. I then add the yeast mixture and stir together. once 3/4 of the flour is incorporated with the yeast mixture, I take it out of the bowl and and work in the remaining flour. I then knead for 5-8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
3. Put the dough in a large, oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free location for about 1 hour or until doubles in volume. I usually place this in the oven (obviously when it is off). I have had the yeast double in as little as 45 minutes.
4. Punch down the dough and divide into 4 equal parts. shape the pieces into balls, lightly cover with dough with a kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes (the dough will NOT double in volume). Again, I usually stick this in the oven.
5. Roll each dough out. If you plan to save the dough for later, roll it out large enough to fit into a freezer bag (but don't put it in yet). Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and then put into a freezer bag. You can freeze the dough for up to 3 months or you can refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days.

If you plan to make the dough now, continue reading below...

Pizza Recipe

Ingredients
-1 thin crust pizza dough (see above)
-Olive oil
-Pizza sauce of spaghetti sauce
-Toppings of your choice
-Cheese of your choice, grated*

*If you are looking for a health option, choose low-fat, part-skim mozzarella cheese. White cheeses are lower in fat than orange cheeses.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Spray or coat a baking pan with olive oil. Roll out the dough to fit in the pan and place into the pan. Fold the edges over to form a small crust, if desired. Lightly coat the crust with olive oil.
3. Bake the crust for 5 minutes on a lower-middle rack to crisp it up slightly.
4. In a skillet, saute any vegetables you are using for the pizza in olive oil. Season as desired.
5. When the crust is done, remove from the oven and lightly coat with pizza sauce. Pour some on the crust and spread with a spoon to evenly distribute. Top with vegetables (and any other topping you are using), followed by cheese.
6. Bake the pizza for 5-7 minutes on the lower-middle rack. Let cool and cut into 12 pieces.

Turkey Chili

Jason loves this recipe and it is extremely easy to make.

Ingredients

• 10oz of ground turkey, browned
• 15oz can of kidney beans or 1 cup dried beans, soaked
• 24oz can diced tomatoes
• 15oz can stewed tomatoes
• 1 cup whole wheat elbow noodles, not cooked*
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup spaghetti cause or tomato sauce

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients into a 3-4 serving crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent the side from burning.

*It is okay to put the uncooked noodles in directly because the water and heat will cook them. If you do not like mushy noodles, add them when there is 2 hours left.

Traditional Hamburger Helper

I really think this hamburger helper takes just about the same amount of time as the boxed version but tastes much better.

Ingredients

• 10oz of ground turkey (double this recipe if you are using the entire package. I use half the package for chili and half for this, which is why it is only 10oz)
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 tbsp flour
• 6 oz low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 cups whole wheat elbow noodles
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions

1. In a medium sauce pan, bring water to a bowl and cook the noodles.
2. While the water is getting started, place the ground turkey in a pan and brown it. Do not drain the fat (it will only be about 1-2tbsp) and add the onion. Cook the onion until it is tender and then turn off the heat, but leave the meat and onion in the skillet.
3. Measure 1/4 cup of milk and add the flour to the measuring cup. Stir until the chunks are gone and then add the remaining 3/4 cup of milk. This is a slurry method for a white sauce and is much lower in calories and fat than a traditional white sauce, which is what we want since we will be adding cheese to it.
4. Add the milk mixture to a small or medium skillet and heat over medium high heat. Continuously still with a spatula to prevent clumping. Bring to a boil and boil for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat, but leave the skillet on the warm burner. Add the cheese and stir until well blended.
5. By this point the noodles should be cooked and ready to be drained. Drain and add them to the meat mixture. Pour the cheese mixture over the top and stir until well combined.
6. Serve and enjoy! You will never want to buy the box again!

Cranberry Sauce

Two years ago I began cooking for Thanksgiving with my family. We usually would have the traditional gel-cranberry sauce and as a kid, I loved it! However, now that I am older and have more of an appreciation for food, I did not think cranberry sauce was really meant to come from a can, so I decided to make my own. This is the first recipe I ever made and it is still the recipe I always use. The orange juice adds a great touch. Absolutely delicious!


Ingredients
-1 12-oz package of fresh cranberries
-1 cup orange juice
-1/2 cup water
-1 1/2 cups sugar (more if needed for taste)


Directions

1. Place cranberries in a bowl of clean water. Pick through, discarding stems and rotten berries.
2. Drain berries and place them in a medium sauce pan with the water, orange juice, and sugar.
3. Bring to a boil. reduce heat so still boiling, but not rapidly and cook for 5 minutes. The berries will pop, so don't get scared! Be sure to watch them, or it WILL boil over.
4. Taste periodically to see if sugar is needed.
5. Continue to cook until the berries are popped to your liking. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Creamy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes

These are the creamiest, easiest, and tastiest mashed potatoes I think I have ever had! I was watching food network one day while I was at the gym (since we don't have cable here) and the host was talking about how he loves creamy mashed potatoes and people often ask him if he lightens them ever. He said, "No, never. This is how I like my mashed potatoes and I would rather have them they way I like them and maybe have a little less instead of needing to eat three pound of 'light' potatoes just to feel satisfied." I think this is so true! If you have troubles stopping with just a serving, try putting the serving of potatoes on your plate and then putting the rest in the refrigerator. This little trick could help a lot, because if you really aren't hungry, you probably won't go through the hassle of warming up more potatoes. For me, if the tasty food is sitting on the table in case someone wants seconds, I will pick at it even if I am full...if it is in the refrigerator, I usually never go for seconds. Just a thought :)



Ingredients
-2 pound of red potatoes, halved, NOT peeled
-1 cup of fat free sour cream
-1 tbsp Dijon mustard
-2 tsp garlic
-pinch of salt and pepper


Directions
Toss the potatoes in the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl. Add to a 3-4 serving crock pot and cook on low for 4-5 hours, or until the potatoes are soft enough to mash. Mash with a potato masher and enjoy!