For cold, chili nights

Gnocchi with white beans

I am not a big fan of gnocchi, but this still tasted ok.

1 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 TBSP olive oil

1 pkg (16 oz) potato gnocchi

1 pkg (6 oz) baby spinach

1 can (15 oz) white kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14-1/2 oz) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

3 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add gnocchi; cook and stir for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. Stir in spinach; cook until spinach is wilted.

2. Add the beans, tomatoes and pepper; heat through. Sprinkle with cheeses; cover and remove from the heat. Let stand for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted.

This ones for my daughter

Baked Mostaccioli

My daughter requests to eat pasta everyday. She loved this meal! I couldn't find whole wheat mostaccioli pasta. Any pasta will do really, so choose whatever kind of pasta you want. Whole wheat will just make it that much more healthy.

8 oz uncooked mostaccioli

1/2 lb lean ground turkey

1 small onion, chopped

1 can (14-1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

1/3 cup water

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

2 cups (16 oz) fat-free cottage cheese

1 tsp dried marjoram

1-1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook mostaccioli according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook turkey and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain if necessary.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese, and marjoram; set aside. Drain mostaccioli.

4. Spread 1/2 cup meat sauce into an 11x7 in baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer with half of the mostaccioli, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Top with cottage cheese mixture. Layer with remaining mostaccioli, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (dish will be full).

5. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.

Slice of Heaven

Enchilada Pie

Crock pot style, love it!

1 lb lean ground beef (omit or substitute)

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

2 tsp canola oil

1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (16 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained

1/2 cup water

1-1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp pepper

6 whole wheat tortillas (8 in)

2 cups (8 oz) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1. Cut three 25-in x 3-in strips of heavy-duty foil; crisscross so they resemble spokes of a wheel. Place strips on the bottom and up the sides of a 5-qt slow cooker. Coat strips with cooking spray.

2. In a saucepan, cook meat, onion and green pepper in oil until vegetables are tender. Stir in both cans of beans, tomatoes, water, chili powder, cumin and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

3. In slow cooker, layer about 3/4 cup bean mixture, one tortilla and 1/3 cup cheese. Repeat layers five times. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until heated through.

4. Using foil strips as handles, remove the pie to a platter. (I just served mine out of the crock pot).

Pizza Pizza

Homemade Chicken Alfredo Pizza

I did not love the steps and the amounts of ingredients given, but it turned out to be my husbands favorite pizza ever! I thought there was too much of some things but I made it work.

1 pkg (1/4 oz) quick-rise yeast

1 cup warm water

1 tsp sugar

1-1/2 tsp salt, divided

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 TBSP cornmeal

1 TBSP olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 TBSP butter

1 tsp dried parsley flakes

1/4 tsp pepper

4-1/2 tsp all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups 2% milk

3 cups cubed cooked chicken breasts

2 large tomatoes, chopped

2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach

4 cups (16 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and 2-1/2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).

2. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic; about 6-8 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

3. Sprinkle cornmeal over huge or 2 small pizza pans coated with cooking spray. On a floured surface, roll into a circle. Transfer to prepared pan(s). Build up edges slightly. Prick dough thoroughly with a fork; brush with oil. Bake at 425 degrees for 5-8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

4. In a small saucepan, saute garlic in butter until tender. Stir in the parsley, pepper and remaining salt. Combine flour and milk until smooth. Stir into pan. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.

5. Spread over crust(s) (I thought there was too much sauce so I didn't use it all); top with chicken, tomatoes, spinach, cheeses and Italian seasoning. Bake 10-12 minutes longer or until crust(s) are lightly browned and cheeses are melted.

oink oink

Teriyaki Pork

Next time I am going to make this dish with chicken instead of pork.

3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided

1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 TBSP red wine vinegar

2 tsp honey

2 tsp garlic powder

1 lb boneless pork loin chops, cut into thin strips

1 TBSP canola oil

2 cups fresh broccoli florets

3 medium carrots, sliced

4 cups shredded cabbage

6 green onions, sliced

1 TBSP cornstarch

Hot cooked brown rice

1. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup broth, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and garlic powder. Pour 1/3 cup marinade into a large resealable plastic bag; add the pork. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.

2. Drain and discard marinade. In large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry pork in oil for 2-3 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.

3. In the same pan, stir-fry broccoli and carrots in reserved marinade for a few minutes. Add celery; stir-fry for a couple more minutes. Add cabbage and green onions; stir-fry for a few minutes longer or until vegetables are crisp-tender.

4. Combine starch and remaining broth until smooth; stir into vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened. Return pork to the pan; heat through. Serve with rice.

Soup for the Soul

Zesty Hamburger Soup

WARNING: May be too spicy for kids.

1 lb. lean ground beef

2 cups sliced celery

1 cup chopped onion

2 tsp minced garlic

4 cups hot water

2 medium red potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cups frozen corn

1-1/2 cups uncooked small shell pasta

4 cups V8 juice

2 cans (10 oz each) diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 to 2 Tbsp sugar

1. Cook the beef, celery, and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic, cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in the water potatoes, corn and pasta.

2. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir in the remaining ingredient. Cook and stir until heated through.

Good way to start the day

Whole Wheat Pancakes

These are so filling! Top them with anything you want and they will still be yummy.

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups buttermilk

1 TBSP canola oil

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, wheat germ, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until blended.

2. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot griddle coated with cooking spray; turn when bubbles form on top. Cook until the second side is golden brown.

Bon Appetit

So I have decided to start this little blog to share healthy recipes with family and friends. I will try to post every week but I can't make any promises. Bon Appetit!

Healthy Snack Mix

This snack is good for dads who need a little snack at work, great for moms on the go, and kids will love it! I took a bag of this stuff to work and a guy loved it so much he wouldn't give the bag back and finished the rest off. It's good!

3 cups Corn Chex

3 cups Rice Chex

3 cups Wheat Chex

3 cups Multi Gran Cheerios

1 cup salted peanuts

1-1/2 cups pretzel sticks

1/3 cup olive oil

4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp seasoned salt

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1. In a bowl, combine cereal, peanuts, and pretzels. In another bowl, combine remaining ingredients; pour over cereal mixture and toss to coat.

2. Transfer to two 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container after cooling.