Spinach & Artichoke Macaroni and Cheese

My husband loves macaroni and cheese and would eat it every week if I made it for him. I happen to enjoy it as well but know it's really not the healthiest dish to eat. When I do make it, I try to add veggies or come up with ways to make it more nutritional. This spinach and artichoke mac n cheese sounded delicious and I knew I had to try it out. We had this with some baked spicy buffalo chicken breasts.


Spinach & Artichoke Macaroni and Cheese
Serves: 8
http://cassiecraves.blogspot.com/2010/07/spinach-and-artichoke-macaroni-and.html

Ingredients
1 pound whole grain/whole wheat penne or elbow pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons light butter
1 large onion, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic, finely diced
3 tablespoons white whole wheat flour or all purpose flour
1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
2 cups skim or reduced fat milk
1 10oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained of all liquid
1 can chopped artichoke hearts, drained
2 cups reduced fat italian cheese blend, shredded
1 cup reduced fat grated parmesan cheese

Directions
-Cook pasta according to directions on box. Drain and set aside.
-Place a stockpan over medium heat with olive oil and butter. Add onion and garlic and saute for about 10 minutes, or until softened.
-Turn heat to medium high and add flour. Cook for 1 minute and then whisk in the chicken broth. Cook 1 more minute.
-Add milk and whisk entire mixture together until boiling and bubbly.
-Add veggies and salt and pepper to the bubbly mixture. You want the mixture to be thick so it takes a few minutes.
-Add cheeses to the mixture and stir together until melted and combined.
-Add cooked pasta and stir until all combined.
-Serve hot

You may wish to add additional grated parmesan on top when it is done.

Enjoy! :)

Spicy Jalapeno Chicken Sausage w/Orzo

Al Fresco makes some of the best "all natural" chicken sausage that you can find in stores. Trader Joe's also has some really good chicken sausage, but because it is a little bit of a drive to get there, we usually buy Al Fresco in our town. The spicy jalapeno is our favorite kind but we really haven't had one that we didn't like yet. Feel free to use any kind of chicken sausage you can find or you prefer.

This chicken sausage was delicious with some whole wheat orzo and veggies. It was a complete meal so no sides were necessary.

Spicy Jalapeno Chicken Sausage w/Orzo
Serves: 4-5
Adapted by: http://lifeatthequarry.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/spicy-jalepeno-chicken-sausage-with-orzo/

Ingredients
1 package spicy jalapeno chicken sausage
2 ripe vine tomatoes
1 yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup whole wheat orzo
8oz sugar snap peas

Directions
-Cook 1 cup of orzo according to package instructions.
-In a large nonstick skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and turn heat to medium  high.
-Slice tomatoes and peppers and toss in the heated olive oil.
-Cut sausages into 1/2 inch thick pieces and add to skillet.
-Cook until sausage is mostly heated through.
-Add shredded carrots and snap peas. Cook until those are crisp tender.
-Add cooked orzo to the skillet and combine all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.
-Serve

Enjoy! :)

Green Chile & Corn Casserole

This corn casserole is slightly different because it combines green chiles in it, which gives it some mild heat. We enjoyed this corn casserole with some oven baked greek chicken and mandarin oranges.

Green Chile & Corn Casserole
Adapted by: http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/green-chile-corn-casserole/

Ingredients
1 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup reduced fat or skim milk
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 4oz can diced green chiles
16 oz can of corn, drained well - we used frozen corn and just steamed it a bit
1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
seasoned italian bread crumbs
1 tablespoon light butter

Directions
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Spray nonstick cooking spray in a 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish.
-In a mixing bowl, whisk sour cream, milk and thyme together.
-Add green chiles, corn and cheddar. Season with salt and pepper and combine thoroughly.
-Pour mixture into the casserole dish.
-Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of the dish and top with little pieces of the butter.
-Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly
-Serve hot

Enjoy! :)

Grilled Crack Burgers

Homemade grilled burgers are simply the best burgers in the world, in my opinion. Yes, you can find some pretty tasty burgers at restaurants, but there is just something about home grilled burgers. We had these grilled burgers on whole wheat hamburger buns. They were filling burgers so we just sliced some fresh pineapple and ate that with the burger.

Grilled "Crack" Burgers
Serves 4
Adapted by: http://www.plainchicken.com/2012/08/crack-burger.html#more

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey breast - we used organic, grass-fed lean beef
3 tablespoons light sour cream
2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing mix
1/3 cup cooked and crumbled bacon pieces - we used center cut, reduced-fat bacon
3/4 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese - we used white cheddar cheese

Directions
-Combine all ingredients and form into 4 large hamburger patties.
-Grill burgers on grill to desired temperature. We cook our burgers medium well.
-These burgers are super moist so be careful when you flip them, so they stay together and don't crumble apart.
-Serve hot burgers on a toasted bun with desired toppings. We topped our burgers with a little bbq sauce, sliced red onions, and dill pickles.

Enjoy! :)

Cheesy Ham & Pasta Bake

We were going through our freezer and cleaning it out/re-organizing it this weekend. We realized we had a small bag of frozen smoked ham from a few weeks ago. We decided to make a cheesy ham and pasta bake with it and we loved it. It was easy and it was creamy and delicious. It was a super filling meal as well. If you use whole wheat/whole grain pasta, this dish is actually quite healthy, as long as you stick with the serving size.

Cheesy Ham & Pasta Bake
Serves 6 to 8
Adapted by: http://thecuttingedgeofordinary.blogspot.com/2010/04/cheesy-ham-pasta-bake.html

Ingredients
1 pound of whole wheat/whole grain penne, cooked al dente
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 shallots, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly chopped
2 ½ cups broccoli florets
2 cups diced ham
1 – 8oz pkg provolone cheese, sliced
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese (plus a little more for topping)

For the sauce:6 tablespoons light butter
5 tablespoons heaping flour (I used white whole wheat flour)
3 cups nonfat milk
4 oz shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Spray nonstick cooking spray in a shallow baking dish - I used a 13x9 dish.
-Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente stage.
-In a nonstick skillet, add olive oil and cook shallots and onions until tender. Add broccoli florets, cover and let steam until slightly tender.
-In a saucepan, melt the butter and add flour. Cook for 1 minute and then add 2 cups of milk whisking frequently to get rid of lumps.
-Bring saucepan to a boil and add remainig milk. Whisk in the mustard and salt. Simmer for a few minutes. Add the cayenne pepper and cheese and stir to combine.
-In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta with the cheese sauce. Stir in shallots, onions, ham and cheeses. Pour into greased baking dish.
-Cover dish with foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes.
-Cool for 10 minutes before serving

Enjoy! :)

Quick & Easy Skillet Lasagna

Bryan and I love homemade lasagna but realize that it takes quite a bit of effort to make it for dinner during the week. I had mentioned to Bryan that I needed to make lasagna because we had leftover lasagna noodles and ricotta cheese that needed used up but I didn't feel like making a big lasagna just for the two of us. The solution was to make this absolutely delicious recipe that was posted just a few days ago. We had this skillet lasagna with some steamed broccoli and cauliflower on the side.

Quick & Easy Skillet Lasagna
Serves: 4
Adapted by: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/08/quick-easy-skillet-lasagna/

Ingredients
8 oz whole wheat lasagna noodles, broken into thirds
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 sweet onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon lite salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound very lean ground beef OR ground turkey breast - we used organic beef
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced or shredded
1/2 cup light ricotta cheese
8 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

Directions
-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
-Prepare a large pot of water for the lasagna noodles and cook for 5 minutes.
-Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter and then add the onions with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic and cook 1 additional minute.
-Season ground beef and add to the skillet. Cook just until browned, stirring occasionally. Drain any fat that has accumulated.
-To the skillet, add tomatoes with remaining butter and 3 tablespoons of basil. Add in lasagna noodles and fold the beef and sauce over all of the noodles.
-Add mozzarella on top and add scoops of ricotta cheese.
-Bake in the oven for 10 minutes and remove immediately.
-Top with shredded fresh basil and top with parmesan cheese and serve hot

Enjoy! :)

Summer Vegetables w/Sausage & Potatoes

This dish is the perfect one pot meal when you don't want to have a lot of fuss making dinner. It's got your protein, vegetables, and the potatoes for your starch. All you would need on the side is a small salad and some fresh fruit. We had this dish with some fresh watermelon on the side and it was perfect. The weather was even nice enough that we could sit outside and enjoy dinner on the patio.

Summer Vegetables w/Sausage & Potatoes
Serves: 4
Adapted by: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/07/summer-vegetables-with-sausage-and.html

Ingredients
1 pound baby red potatoes, cut in quarters
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon lite salt
fresh cracked pepper
1 pound italian chicken sausage, sliced in 1'' thick slices
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 orange bell pepper, diced in small chunks
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced in small chunks
1 red bell pepper, diced in small chunks
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary or thyme
2 cups chopped zucchini, 1/2'' thick slices

Directions
-Place oil and potatoes in a large nonstick skillet with a lid on high heat; season with garlic powder, salt and pepper.
-When skillet is very hot, reduce heat to low and cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Make sure to shake the skillet frequently to prevent potatoes from sticking/burning.
-Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes, still covered.
-Remove potatoes and place on a dish on the side.
-Add sausage to the skillet and cook on medium low until browned or about 10 minutes.
-Season vegetables with salt and pepper. Add onions, peppers, garlic and rosemary to the skillet of sausage and mix well.
-Cook until onions and peppers become slightly browned. Add zucchini and cook an additional 5 minutes or until everything is cooked to your preference.
-Return potatoes to skillet and stir together one more time. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes.
-Serve immediately

Enjoy! :)

Baked Tandoori Chicken & Whole Wheat Naan

I've just started experimenting with Indian food at home. We don't eat it very often, but are trying to learn to like it more. This was a simple Indian recipe that tasted great. We had the naan and chicken with some fresh steamed mixed vegetables.

Baked Tandoori Chicken
Serves: 5
Adapted by: http://www.jocooks.com/healthy-eating/baked-tandoori-chicken/

Ingredients
5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cut into large pieces
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/4 teaspoons red chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lite salt
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used plain Greek yogurt)
1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
juice of one lemon
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lite salt

Directions
-Wash and dry chicken breasts. Cut each breast into 3 large pieces, with a slit in each of the pieces.
-In a small mixing bowl, combine the red chili powder, paprika, lemon juice, and lite salt. Smear the rub on all of the chicken breasta and making sure to get some in the slits of the chicken pieces.
-In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, ginger, garlic paste, chili powder, pepper, garam masala, coriander, cumin, juice of lemon, olive oil and salt.  Place chicken in the bowl and marinade well. You can cover and place in the refrigerator for a few hours.
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Line a baking sheet with foil and place a baking rack on top of the baking sheet. Place chicken over the rack.
-Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. After 15 minutes of baking, brush some melted butter over each piece. Turn chicken over and continue to bake another 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
-Garnish with lemon slices and chopped green onions

Whole Wheat Naan
Serves: 8 naan
Adapted by: http://inthelittleredhouse.blogspot.com/2010/06/whole-wheat-naan.html

Ingredients
1/2 cup warm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup bread flour, plus extra for rolling
1/2 teaspoon lite salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 large egg
melted butter or olive oil, for frying

Directions
-In a large mixing bowl, stir together the water, yeast and sugar and let stand for 5 minutes or until foamy.
-Stir in the flour, salt, oil, yogurt and egg and stir together.
-Knead dough mixture until it is soft and pliable. Place back in mixing bowl and cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour.
-Divide dough into 6 or 8 pieces and on a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a thin circle or oval.
-Cook each naan in a hot skillet drizzled with butter or oil. (just a little drizzle, not a lot). You will cook until it looks blistered and cooked, flipping as necessary.
-Serve hot

Enjoy! :)

Pork Ginger Potstickers w/Asian Dipping Sauce

I've been on an Asian-inspired food kick lately and I just can't help it. These pork potstickers were so incredibly delicious. We almost always do chicken but we opted to try the pork and were pleasantly surprised. We had these pork potstickers with some steamed edamame w/sea salt and brown rice.

Please don't go to the freezer section and buy ready made potstickers. They are so simple to make at home and they are much healthier than anything in the freezer section. Trust me! If you have leftover potstickers, you can freeze them and then just reheat them when you want to enjoy some.

Pork Ginger Potstickers w/Asian Dipping Sauce
Serves: 4 to 6
Adapted by: http://allinthenameoffood.com/?p=464

Ingredients
1/4 cup green onion, minced
5 whole mushrooms, minced
5 leaves cabbage, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced OR 2 teaspoons dried ginger
1 pound ground pork (lean if the option is available)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons sesame oil
4 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
12oz package round potsticker wrappers
1 tablespoon canola oil, for cooking

for sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons asian sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon lite salt

Directions
-Mince all vegetables, making sure to mince everything small and evenly minced.
-Mince caggage, ginger and garlic really small and even.
-In a bowl, add the ground pork, onions, mushrooms, cabbage, ginger and garlic in the bowl. Add the cornstarch, sesame oil, soy sauce and pepper. Combine all ingredients until mixed thoroughly.
-Put water in a small bowl and set out a pastry brush.
-Set wonton wrappers on a dry surface and place 1 to 2 teaspoons of filling in the middle of each wrapper. Brush edges with water and fold edges so the potsticker has a flat bottom and everything is sealed.
-Take a large nonstick skillet and add the oil. Heat over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, place about 12 potstickers in the pan. The pan will sizzle if the oil was hot enough.
-Cook potstickers for three to four minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. Do not stir or toss them around.
-Add 1/2 cup water to the pan and put a lid over it.
-Turn heat to medium high and don't touch the pan for 6 to 7 minutes. This will allow the potstickers to steam and finish cooking. You may have to add additional water if they are not cooked all the way.
-Serve hot with dipping sauce.

Enjoy! :)

Easy Strawberry Napoleon

Summer is the perfect time to use lots of fresh fruit. Fresh fruit is a great way to enjoy delicious desserts without all the guilt. Don't get me wrong, you can definitely have unhealthy fruit filled desserts, but there are lots of options that are indeed healthy. This strawberry napoleon recipe isn't super healthy, but if you eat small portions of it, it isn't that bad. It tastes absolutely delicious and is so light and fluffy, which is great for those hot nights.

Easy Strawberry Napoleon
Serves: 3 servings
Adapted by: http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/02/easy-strawberry-napoleon-recipe.html

Ingredients
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (a 17oz package has two sheets)
1 3.4oz package instant sugar free vanilla pudding mix
1 cup reduced fat milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup whipped topping - I use the lite whipped topping
2 cups sliced strawberries
1/3 cup sliced almonds
powdered sugar, for garnish

Directions
-Heat oven to 400 degrees.
-Thaw puff pastry for 20 minutes. Open sheet and cut along folds to make three equal strips; Halve each strip to make six rectangles. Space apart on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until browned and baked through. Let cool on a cooling rack.
-In a bowl, combine the pudding mix, milk, and extract and whisk for 2 minutes; fold in whipped topping and blend together. Cover and refrigerate.
-Carefully split each piece of cooked puff pastry in half horizontally. Cover the bottom halves with almonds, then some pudding mixture and sliced strawberries, dividing equally. Cover with pastry tops and dust with powdered sugar.
-Serve

Enjoy! :)