Sugar & Spice Cake

This cake is perfect to enjoy with your late morning coffee or afternoon tea. It's delicious, moist, and so simple and tasty.

Sugar & Spice Cake
Serves: 12
Adapted by: http://www.livebetteramerica.com/recipes/sugar-and-spice-cake/f765d897-ac89-4f7e-990e-ac05d165597d?nicam2=Email&nichn2=Core&niseg2=LBA&nicreatID2=LBA_10_31_2012

Ingredients
3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon lite salt
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup fat free plain yogurt or light sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs

Directions
-Heat oven to 350 degrees.
-Grease bottom and sides of a 9-inch round pan; lightly flour.
-In a mixing bowl, combine the flours, sugar, cinnamon and salt.
-Cut in shortening, using a pastry blender or two forks to make the shortening combine with the dry ingredients. It will look like little peas when it is ready. Reserve 1/3 cup of this mixture.
-Stir in the remaining ingredients into the flour/shortening mixture until well blended.
-Pour into pan and sprinkle the reserved flour mixture over the batter.
-Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
-Best when served warm out of the oven

Enjoy! :)

Taco Quesadilla Pizza

Here is a fun spin on a Mexican-style pizza. It's absolutely delicious and I think  you will really enjoy this recipe.

Taco Quesadilla Pizza
Serves: 2 quesadilla pizzas or 4 servings
Adapted by: http://www.ziplist.com/recipes/666188-Taco_Quesadilla_Pizzas

Ingredients
1/2 pound lean ground beef OR ground turkey breast
1 tablespoon homemade taco seasoning OR 1/2 store bought packet (try to use reduced sodium kind)
1/4 cup water
4 8-inch tortillas (we use low carb, wheat tortillas)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or mexican style cheese, preferably reduced-fat
1/2 cup refried beans (we use the 98% fat free kind)
3/4 cup salsa
1 tomato, diced
4 green onions, sliced

Directions
-Brown hamburger meat in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until finished and drain all grease.
-Mix in seasoning and water with the cooked meat. Heat for about 8 minutes.
-Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese over two tortillas followed by some hamburger mixture and 1/4 cup of salsa.
-Spread the refried beans on the remaining two tortillas and place them on top of the meat covered ones, with bean sides down.
-Place each taco quesadilla in a large skillet and heat until cheese has melted and tortillas are golden brown.
-Spread the remaining salsa over the prepared taco quesadillas, sprinkle on additional cheese, and diced tomatoes and green onions.
-Serve hot

Enjoy! :)

Sausage Topped Baked Potatoes

Here is a simple and delicious meal that is incredibly filling and so quick to make.

Sausage Topped Baked Potatoes
Serves: 4
Adapted by: http://recipesplusmore.blogspot.com/2012/10/sausage-topped-baked-potatoes.html

Ingredients
4 baking potatoes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 green bell pepper, chopped
16oz fully cooked sausage crumbles (we used turkey sausage crumbles to make these healthier)
1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese

Directions
-Wash and pierce potatoes with a fork. Place in microwave and bake for 12 -15 minutes or until all potatoes are tender and cooked.
-In a large skillet, add the olive oil. Add onions and peppers and saute until tender, or about 5 minutes.
-Add sausage to the skillet and heat through.
-Add shredded cheese to skillet and stir until cheese is melted and all ingredients combined.
-Cut open baked potato and fluff with a fork. Top each with sausage mixture.
-Serve hot

Enjoy!

Corn & Chicken Chowder

The past 3 or 4 days have been in the high 70's and low 80's, but now the weather has suddenly turned cold and very blustery. Soup is the first thing I think of on colder days. This chowder recipe is perfect to warm you up and is so filling that you don't need anything else with it.

Corn & Chicken Chowder
Serves: 6
Adapted by: http://bunsinmyoven.com/2011/02/18/corn-and-chicken-chowder/

Ingredients
30 oz can of corn or 30oz bag of frozen corn (we always prefer frozen over canned)
6 slices of center-cut, lean bacon, chopped
8 scallions, sliced thin, separating the green parts from the white parts
3 medium to large potatoes, peeled and chopped into small chunks
2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour OR all purpose flour
3 cups of reduced-fat milk
2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4oz can chopped green chiles
2 cups of cooked chicken, shredded or chopped into bite size pieces
salt and pepper, to taste
Reduced-fat, grated cheddar cheese, for garnish

Directions
-In a large stock pot or dutch oven, cook bacon on medium  heat until crisp. Remove from pan but leave grease drippings in for flavoring purposes. Set aside.
-Place potatoes and white portion of scallions in the stock pot/dutch oven and cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
-Sprinkle in flour and cook 1 additional minute, stirring or whisking constantly.
-Pour in milk, chicken stock, old bay, thyme, parsley, cayenne, salt and pepper, and stir well. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
-Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are nice and tender. Add corn, chicken, and green chiles. Stir well.
-Cook an additional 5 minutes or so.
-Spoon chowder into soup bowls and top with grated cheese and green parts of scallions, if desired.
-Serve hot

Enjoy! :)

Honey-Soy Carrots & Sugar Snap Peas

This is an unusual veggie side dish that is extremely tasty. It has an asian flair to it and goes well with teriyaki pork chops and some veggie fried rice.

Honey-Soy Carrots & Sugar Snap Peas
Serves: 3-4
Adapted by: http://www.janssushibar.com/honey-soy-carrots-sugar-snap-peas/

Ingredients
1 cup carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch coins
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon pure, raw honey
1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
-Place carrots in a small skillet with the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook until carrots are tender-crisp, or about 3 minutes.
-Add sugar snap peas and cook until peas are cooked and most of the chicken broth is cooked away, or another 3 minutes.
-Reduce heat to low and add the soy sauce and honey.
-Toss all veggies together with the sauce until evenly glazed.
-Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.

Enjoy! :)

Crockpot Stuffed Bell Peppers

Another great all-in-one dinner that is made in the crockpot! Perfect for those busy weeknights when you just want something home cooked and simple.

Crockpot Stuffed Bell Peppers
Serves: 4
Adapted by: http://www.katrina-runs.com/sweet-peppers

Ingredients
4 large bell peppers (I used green but you could use any color you prefer)
1 pound lean ground beef OR ground turkey breast (I used ground turkey breast to be healthier)
1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained but reserve the juice
1 cup whole kernel corn (can be canned or frozen, just make sure to drain well)
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup black beans, drained
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 cup shredded, reduced-fat cheese (any kind you prefer, we used sharp cheddar)
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
-In a large saucepan, ground the beef or turkey until cooked through. Drain all grease.
-Pour half of the tomatoes into the saucepan.
-Add corn, rice, beans, spices, and cheese to the saucepan.
-Heat through.
-Cut the tops of the peppers and remove the core/seeds.
-Pack meat mixture into each of the peppers, filling all the way up.
-Pour the remaining tomatoes and the juice in the bottom of the crockpot.
-Place each bell pepper into the crockpot.
-Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
-Top each stuffed pepper with additional shredded cheese, if desired.
-Serve hot

Enjoy! :)

Mustard Rosemary Chicken w/Potatoes & Carrots

I love all in one dinners, where you don't have to worry about any sides, unless you really think you need anything additional. This one dish dinner is so delicious and perfect for the chilly fall weather.

Mustard Rosemary Chicken w/Potatoes & Carrots
Serves: 4 - 6
Adapted by: http://www.macaroniandcheesecake.com/2009/11/mustard-rosemary-chicken-with-carrots-potatoes.html

Ingredients
6 whole carrots, washed and peeled, cut into thirds
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon, extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon lite salt
1/4 cup dijon mustard
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus 3 sprigs
4 skinless boneless chicken thighs
4 to 6 skinless drumsticks
8 yukon gold or red potatoes, halved
1 lemon
black pepper

Directions
-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
-In a small bowl, toss together carrots, 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1/8 tsp lite salt. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
-In another small bowl, combine mustard, garlic, rosemary, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, and 2 tsp olive oil.
-Rub mustard mixture on all of the chicken pieces.
-Toss remaining oil and potatoes in a bowl.
-Remove baking sheet from oven and add potatoes and chicken pieces. Also, add sprigs of rosemary.
-Bake in oven until chicken is golden brown or about 45 minutes.
-Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of the entire baking sheet when completely cooked.
-Serve hot

Enjoy! :)

Cherry Almond Vanilla Cupakes w/Cherry Almond Butter Frosting

Cupcakes are one of my favorite desserts to make from scratch. They are so easy to make and you can literally make so many different flavors/frostings. These are one of my absolute favorite cupcake recipes that I make from time to time.  Since cupcakes make a lot, I always have Bryan take some to his coworkers and I do the same.

Cherry Almond Vanilla Cupcakes
Serves: 24 cupcakes
Adapted by: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cupcakes/cherry-almond-vanilla-cupcakes/

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
4 egg whites
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon lite salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup maraschino cherry juice
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
12 maraschino cherries, halved
1 recipe Cherry-Almond Butter Frosting - to follow

Directions
-Allow butter and egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
-Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
-In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
-In a 2-cup measuring cup, combine buttermilk and cherry juice; set aside.
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
-Add sugar, vanilla and almond extract; beat until combined. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating after each addition.
-Add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, alternately, beating on low speed until combined.
-Spoon batter into lined muffin cups.
-Press a cherry half into batter in each muffin cup.
-Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until completely cooked. Cool on wire rack until completely cooled.
-Frost with desired frosting or frosting recommended below.

Cherry Almond Butter Frosting

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice or milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions
-In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, beating well after each cup.
-Beat in maraschino cherry juice and almond extract.
-If frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk until desired consistency is reached.
-Frost all 24 cupcakes and serve

Enjoy! :)

Turkey Marsala

Have any of you ever tried Turkey Marsala before? I had never eaten any marsala dish before that didn't contain chicken. This was a welcome change and we enjoyed the meal thoroughly. We had this turkey recipe with some skinny buttermilk garlic mashed potatoes and oven roasted carrots.

Turkey Marsala
Serves: 4
Adapted by: http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?recipe_id=67265

Ingredients
1 package Honeysuckle white thin cut turkey breast slices or cutlets
1/2 teaspoon lite salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour OR all purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Marsala wine, divided, or chicken broth
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 can (8oz) sliced mushrooms, drained

Directions
-In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
-Coat each turkey breast or cutlet until covered completely with flour mixture.
-In a large saucepan, add butter and melt over medium high heat. Brown all the turkey cutlets, turning once to cook evenly on each side. Cook until done.
-Add 1/4 cup Marsala wine and cook on high for 1 minute.
-Remove turkey from the pan and place on a plate to keep warm.
-Add the remaining Marsala wine and chicken broth into saucepan. Scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Add mushrooms and boil for 1 or 2 minutes.
-Pour marsala glaze over turkey cutlets and serve.

*This would taste great over any kind of pasta

Enjoy! :)

Quick Italian Peas

I've discovered a new love for peas lately. I am not sure if it is because I am pregnant or what, but we have been eating them a lot more than we used to. This is a quick and easy side dish that would pair well with just about main course.  We had this pea side dish with some oven baked ham and whole grain cornbread.

Quick Italian Peas
Serves: 6
Adapted by: http://www.budgetsavvydiva.com/2012/04/quick-italian-peas-recipe/

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
16oz bag frozen peas
2 tablespoons reduced sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
-In a large saucepan, add oil and shallots over medium heat. Saute for 5 or 6 minutes.
-Add minced garlic and cook 1 additional minute.
-Add frozen peas, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Stir together well.
-Cover saucepan and cook for 10 minutes.
-Serve hot.

Enjoy! :)

Ham, Veggie & Cheese Breakfast Quesadillas

We usually have one meal each week where we use whole wheat flour tortillas. I always end up wondering what to do with the leftover tortillas, so that they don't go bad. Most of the time I just scramble up some eggs with assorted veggies and have breakfast tacos. Every now and then I get less lazy and cook up breakfast quesadillas. These breakfast quesadillas are a wonderful breakfast that fills you up. You can honestly fill them with just about any toppings, to include assorted veggies, spinach, cheeses, breakfast meats, etc...

Serve these up with a nice tall glass of fresh orange juice and you have a quality breakfast.

Ham, Veggie & Cheese Breakfast Quesadillas
Serves: 2
Adapted by: http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2011/04/breakfast-burrito-quesadillas.html

Ingredients
4 whole eggs
1/4 teaspoon lite salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons skim milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
4 whole wheat flour tortillas OR whatever tortillas you prefer
4 oz shredded colby/pepper jack cheese OR whatever cheese you prefer
3 green onions, sliced thin
1/2 cup lean ham, diced

Directions
-In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, salt, pepper, and milk. Whisk together until combined.
-Add half of the butter to a saute pan and melt over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and bell pepper. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to push eggs from one side to the other, until cooked or about 2 minutes.
-Divide egg mixture between two of the tortillas, laying the egg mixture on top, followed by cheese, onion, and ham. Top each tortilla with each of the remaining tortillas.
-In a skillet, add the other portion of butter and melt over medium heat. Add one quesadilla at a time to the pan and cook until golden and brown. Should take 3 to 4 minutes per side, flip and repeat.
-Repeat process for remaining quesadillas.
-Cut into 4 or 6 wedges and serve warm.

Enjoy! :)

Veggielicious Turkey Burgers

I love grilled burgers but with the weather changing rapidly, it looks like the days of grilling are almost over. We had some nice weather and decided to try these turkey burgers. I love all the veggies that are incorporated into the burgers and the flavor you get from them being there. We had these healthy and delicious turkey burgers on whole wheat hamburger buns and some sweet potato fries on the side. It was the perfect meal.

As always, you could swap out ground turkey breast for ground beef.

Veggielicious Turkey Burgers
Serves: 5 or 6
Adapted by: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/veggilicious-turkey-burgers/

Ingredients
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 small zucchini, grated and all excess water removed
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 pound lean ground turkey breast
1 whole egg
1/3 cup wheat breadcrumbs OR whatever breadcrumbs you use
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lite salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
whole wheat hamburger buns
Your favorite condiments for on top of burgers - we added bbq sauce and some center cut bacon that we cooked up and made these like bbq bacon burgers

Directions
-In a large mixing bowl, combine the onion, garlic, bell peppers, zucchini and rosemary and mix well.
-Add the ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
-Make 5 or 6 turkey burger patties.
-Grill turkey burgers on a preheated grill or on a george foreman grill inside. Cook until no pink and juices run clear. It took about 15 minutes total to cook our burgers.
-Serve hot with your favorite condiments.

Enjoy! :)

Garlic Cilantro Lime Rice

Chipotle is on the list of my favorite places to eat out. I think this rice recipe reminds me a lot of the rice they serve at Chipotle. We cooked this rice dish up with some sauteed chicken strips with peppers and onions and I heated some black beans up. We made chicken and rice bowls and they were delicious. Do what you wish with this rice side dish. It would be just as tasty on its own.

Garlic Cilantro Lime Rice
Serves: 8
Adapted by: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/garlic-cilantro-lime-rice-recipe/index.html

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups brown long-grain rice
1/2 teaspoon lite salt
3 to 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
juice of 3 limes
chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions
-Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onions and cook for 4 minutes.
-Reduce heat to low and add rice and salt. Brown the rice for 3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking/burning.
-Add 2 cups of broth and the juice of 2 limes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until rice is done. Add more chicken broth, if needed to finish cooking the rice.
-Just before serving, stir in additional juice of 1 lime and chopped cilantro. Stir together and serve hot.

Enjoy! :)

Sparking Cider Pound Cake w/Glaze

This dessert recipe is scrumptious. It isn't heavy like a traditional pound cake and it has a slight difference in taste with the cider. This could be enjoyed with a glass of nice hot apple cider with a cinnamon stick.

Sparking Cider Pound Cake w/Glaze
Adapted by: http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/08/sparkling-cider-pound-cake-with-sparkling-cider-glaze/

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cut shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon lite salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sparking cider

Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup sparking cider

Directions
-In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, shortening and sugar, until blended and smooth.
-Beat in eggs, one at a time.
-In a small bowl, combine salt, baking powder and flours together.
-Add flour mixture to the wet mixture until blended.
-Add sparking cider and blend well.
-Pour batter into a greased and floured loaf pan.
-Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and then transfer to a baking rack to cool the rest of the way.
-While cake is cooling, mix powdered sugar and cider to create a glaze.
-Once the cake is completely cooled, pour glaze over it.
-Slice and eat

Enjoy! :)

Irish Beef Stew over Mashed Potatoes

Another great fall/winter food is beef stew. This is another dish that everyone probably makes completely different. This beef stew dish is scrumptious, especially when served on top of a bed of buttermilk mashed potatoes or whole grain rice. This dish is extremely filling and you won't need any additional sides...trust me.

Irish Beef Stew over Mashed Potatoes
Serves: 4 to 6
Adapted by: http://www.laurenslatest.com/irish-beef-stew-mashed-potatoes/

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound lean stew meat
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1 large bay leaf
2 cups reduced sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup frozen green peas

Make your favorite mashed potato dish just before serving this dish for dinner.

Directions
-In a large stock pot or dutch oven, add oil and heat over medium high heat. Add beef stew pieces and brown all sides.
-Pour in onions, carrots, garlic and spices. Cook about 5 minutes.
-Deglaze pan with the beef broth.
-Bring to a boil, reduce to low heat, and simmer for 2 to 4 hours, or until beef is tender.
-When ready to serve, remove bay leaf.
-In a small bowl, combine flour and and softened butter and stir together. Add to beef mixture. This will cause mixture to get thick. Stir together. Add peas.
-Heat for a few additional minutes and then serve over hot mashed potatoes.

Enjoy! :)

Healthy Navy Bean & Ham Soup

The weather is going to turn this week and it's going to be quite chilly the next few days. So, this means that soup is going to be on the dinner menu a few nights this week. We really enjoy soup in our household, but we always prefer homemade over canned versions. We usually just make some crusty wheat baquettes and have buttered bread and soup. This bean and ham soup is really great with some homemade cornbread as well.

Healthy Navy Bean & Ham Soup
Serves: 8 to 10
Adapted by: http://danicasdaily.com/a-healthy-holiday-conclusion-soup-leftover-ideas

Ingredients
1 pound dried navy beans
1 cup chopped ham
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
32 oz reduced sodium chicken broth
15oz diced tomatoes with green chiles - Rotel
1 leftover ham bone or ham hock (optional, but recommended)
salt and pepper, to taste
Garnishments: cooked, crumbled bacon or fresh parsley, optional

Directions:
-Sort and wash navy beans; place in a large dutch oven and cover with water. Soak overnight. If you need to do a quick soak method, you will cover with water to 2 inches above the beans; bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 1 hour. Drain beans and use them.
-Heat olive oil in a large stock pan over medium heat and add ham. Cook ham for 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Saute 10 minutes or until browned.
-Stir in chicken broth. Add tomatoes and beans. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer 1 hour or until beans are tender.
-If you used a ham bone/ham hock, please remove to cool. Remove any ham pieces and chop up and add to soup.
-Serve up a bowl and top with bacon pieces and parsley.
-If you want it to be more creamy, take 2 cups of the bean soup and blender with a blender or immersion blender and puree until creamy. Add back to soup pot and stir together.

Enjoy! :)

Healthy & Easy Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Spaghetti is just one of those meals that is so easy to make and never fails you. I've been craving carbs my entire pregnancy, so I try to make sure that the carbs I am eating are healthy and if I am eating bread or pasta, I try to always have whole grain/whole wheat varieties. This simple spaghetti dish was just what I needed. Since spaghetti is a heavier dish, we just served this up with some fresh steamed green beans with a little pepper and garlic on them.

Healthy & Easy Spaghetti w/Meat Sauce
Serves: 4
Adapted by: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/spaghetti-quick-meat-sauce-00000000011465/index.html

Ingredients
12 ounces whole wheat or whole grain spaghetti (about 3/4 box)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 pound very lean ground beef or ground turkey breast (we used ground turkey breast to make it healthier)
1/2 teaspoon lite salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup reduced-fat grated parmesan cheese

Directions
-Cook pasta according to directions on box.
-While pasta is cooking, take a skillet over medium heat and add oil. Add the onions, carrots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for about 8 to 10 minutes.
-Turn heat to medium-high heat and add the beef, salt and pepper and cook, breaking meat up with a spatula and cooking until meat is cooked through. Drain any fat/grease from pan.
-Add tomatoes to meat mixture and simmer until sauce thickens, which is usually about 5 minutes. Add in parsley.
-Serve meat sauce over cooked pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese

Enjoy! :)

Beef Tips with Peppered Mushroom Gravy

Fall weather instantly makes me crave comfort foods that are rich and warm the body. I also love these kinds of foods because you don't have to eat a lot to get full and feel satisfied. This is one of our favorite comfort foods we make a lot in the fall and winter. It's quite simple to make and tastes amazing.

Beef Tips w/Peppered Mushroom GravyServes: 4
Adapted by: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/steak-tips-with-peppered-mushroom-gravy-10000001949742/

Ingredients
2 cups uncooked egg noodles
nonstick cooking spray
1 pound top sirloin steak, cut into 3/4'' pieces
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots or yellow onion
8oz presliced baby bella mushrooms
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon lower sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons white whole wheat flour OR all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups lower sodium beef broth
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon lite salt
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves - optional

Directions
-Cook egg noodles according to directions on package. Drain.
-While noodles are cooking, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with nonstick cooking spray and add steak. Saute steak for 5 minutes, making sure to brown all sides. Remove from pan and cover to keep warm.
-Melt butter in pan and add shallots and mushrooms. Saute for 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds. Stir in soy sauce.
-Gradually add flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add beef broth, stirring constantly.
-Add pepper, salt and thyme sprigs. Bring mixture to a boil and cook until thickened or 2 minutes.
-Return beef to pan and cook through for a few minutes. Remove thyme sprigs.
-Serve beef mixture over egg noodles.

Enjoy! :)