Oatmeal...but better!

In continuing my quest to incorporate the 30 healthiest foods into the meals I make for my family, I decided to go for a breakfast item. Oatmeal. To make it more interesting, I added another super food, all natural peanut butter. Peanut butter and oatmeal? Oh yes! I wish I could take credit for this brilliant combination, but I got the idea from my Mom. It is a winner!

Here's the recipe:

Oatmeal with Peanut Butter

Super foods:

Oatmeal: Loaded with fiber to keep you full. It is also beneficial in controlling your cholesterol, which will help prevent heart disease.

All Natural Peanut Butter: Nuts have monounsaturated fats that are healthy for your heart. There is also a great amount of protein in peanut butter. It is important to look at the ingredients on the jar. Try to get peanut butter that only contains nuts and salt. You don't need any added sugar!


Old fashioned Oats (cook according to the instructions on the box)
1 tablespoon of peanut butter
1 teaspoon of Brown sugar
raisins to taste

Stir together and enjoy!

The Healthiest Foods

How many of you rotate the same 8 or 9 meals over and over because that is what you are comfortable cooking? I am very guilty of this, and bless my husband, he doesn't complain. In fact, it bothers me way more than it does him. So I'm always looking for new things to try to spice up my culinary life.

That being said, I was overjoyed when I picked up the February issue of Real Simple Magazine. The cover article was all about the 30 Healthiest Foods. This list of foods was compiled by several food experts, and I did a little of my own research, so I decided that I would try to find a way to incorporate all of these foods in the meals I cook for my family. Luckily the majority of the things on the list are common items for me to have on hand, but there are a few that I will really have to stretch my imagination to get my kiddos to eat. (sardines, for example)

I'm going to keep track of all the new recipes I come up with and share them on this site. If you would like to read the article and get the list here is the link.

Recipe number one:



Whole Grain Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes


Super foods:

Whole Grain Pasta: Contains 3 times the amount of fiber as normal pasta. *Note: be sure to use whole grain pasta and not multigrain pasta.

Spinach: Spinach is full of iron, folate, and antioxidants. *note: I love spinach, so I will be using this ingredient alot in the forth-coming recipes.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb of whole grain thin spaghetti
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
3 oz baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
2oz goat cheese

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to the package instructions, drain and set aside. In the meantime, heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add garlic. cook garlic until it's fragrant and add spinach. As the spinach begins to wilt, add the 2 kinds of tomatoes and the artichoke hearts. When all the vegetables begin to heat through, add wine and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. About 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the goat cheese until it melts and makes a creamy sauce. Toss with the pasta in the pan and divide into four serving bowls. Enjoy!

I made this last night and LOVED it! ( it was also great for lunch today)

Buffalo Lettuce Wraps

Who likes hot wings??? My husband does. In fact, they are one of his favorites. Unfortunately hot wings are full of calories. Did you know that buffalo sauce is made with butter? Then the wings, covered in butter-based sauce are deep fried. ugh...my arteries are clogging just thinking about it.

Because this is one of my hubby's favorite meals, I decided to find a healthy alternative. Thus the buffalo lettuce wraps. Here is the recipe:

Turkey Mixture:

1 lb Ground Turkey
3/4 cup carrots, chopped or grated
1 cup celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper
1 head of iceberg lettuce, leaves removed to form cups
blue cheese crumbles

Buffalo Sauce:

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp hot sauce ( I use Louisiana red hot)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth

Brown the ground turkey along with the carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. In the mean time combine the ingredients for the sauce. When the turkey is cooked through, add sauce to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until most of the sauce is absorbed by the turkey mixture. This will take around 7 to 10 minutes. To make the lettuce wraps, spoon the turkey mixture into the lettuce cups and sprinkle blue cheese crumbles over the top. Wrap and enjoy!

Let me know how you like them!!

Small Victories at Dinnertime

I got a little bit of validation the other night at the dinner table. My husband got to come home from work early so all four of us sat at the table for dinner together. I made a chicken,artichoke and spinach bake, and do you know which part my daughter picked out and ate first? The spinach! What 18 month old chooses the spinach over everything else on her plate? I did a little victory dance in my head and enjoyed dinner with my family. I'm so excited that my darling girl likes healthy food!

Here is the recipe for the Chicken Artichoke and Spinach bake. It's one of my favorites.

2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 10 ounce box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
1 15 ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup light sour cream
1 cup fat free mayonnaise
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

combine chicken, spinach and artichoke hearts in a large bowl and set aside
combine remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.
Take half of the cheese mixture and combine it with the chicken mixture.
Pour the chicken mixture into a casserole dish and spread the remaining cheese mixture over the top evenly.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is brown and bubbly.

Enjoy!

*I serve this with brown rice.

Baby Trail Mix

I had a moment of panic the other day...I was out of snacks for the kiddos! As any Mommy knows, snacks are VERY IMPORTANT to a toddler. Usually I have graham crackers or fruit snacks, but I was waiting for the weekend to go grocery shopping so the pantry was out of stock. (gasp) As I was frantically foraging for anything the kids could carry around in their little snack bowls, I came across a box of multi grain cheerios and a bag of marshmallows...hmmmm. A little more rummaging produced a bag of raisins, and presto, baby trail mix! It's pretty nutritionally sound also with the multi grain cheerios and the really healthy raisins. The marshmallows are there just to entice the kids to eat it. Of course my daughter picks those out first and once they are gone will suffer with the healthy stuff. You want to know the best part though?  It is really easy to vacuum up off of the floor! It is quickly becoming a favorite around my house for several reasons.

Do you have any other snack ideas that have helped out in a pinch?

Pasta Fagioli Soup

I love Italian food and I love soup so an Italian soup just drives me crazy! I got the original recipe from my Aunt but I've made a few changes to make it more figure-friendly. It is still so yummy! It has finally gotten cold enough for me to make it.

Here is the recipe:

1 lb lean ground beef, browned

2 14 oz cans Great northern beans
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 10 oz cans diced tomatoes with green chiles (I use Rotel)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried basil
3 to 5 dashes of liquid hot pepper sauce (depends on how hot you like it!)
3 cups of low-sodium beef broth

2 cups water
1 cup dry small pasta (optional)

Combine all ingredients except for the pasta in a slow cooker. cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Cook pasta separately and add to soup just before eating.

If you don't have a slow cooker, you can simmer it on low on the stove top for 2 hours and it comes out great. Also, omitting the pasta is a great way to cut calories out without sacrificing taste.

Here's the finished product without the pasta:

Mmmmmm!

Mmmmm...Marinara Sauce

So I channeled my inner domestic goddess the other day and made home-made marinara sauce. My house smelled so good!! It is a bit of work, but well worth it. I use Giada De Laurentiis' recipe and it is so yummy! I double it and store the rest in the freezer for future fabulous meals.

I learned a really cool trick about storing sauces and soups in the freezer not too long ago. Measure the sauce into 2 cup portions into freezer zip-top bags and lay them down flat to freeze. Once they are solid, you can stand them upright and they don't take up as much space in the freezer. They are easy to defrost this way also, just throw them into warm water for a few minutes. These type of things appeal to my type-A organizer personality.

By the time It got done simmering the kiddos had gotten up from their nap, so all I did with it for dinner was put it over some penne and add some Parmesan cheese. I think it was a hit though.

I think I'm going to make some healthy baked ziti with the marinara sauce this week. Here is what I put in it:

1 lb ground turkey

1lb penne pasta, cooked and drained)

1 10oz box frozen spinach ( thawed and squeezed dry)

2 cups mozzarella

1/2 cup Parmesan

4 cups marinara sauce

1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce (optional)

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Mix all of the ingredients together, reserving 1 cup of the mozzarella and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan.

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-fat cooking spray and pour in pasta mixture.

Level the top and sprinkle with the reserved cheeses.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned.

This recipe is a family favorite in my house. It's a great way to sneak in all of those healthy vegetables!

Enjoy!