Okay, sorry I didn't post this last week, but life is crazy. I have more "healthy" recipes I'll try to post soon, and I'll try to find some 5 ingredient ones, but I always make things too complicated and honestly don't think I have anything with only 5 ingredients! :) In the meantime, here's a yummy muffin recipe that I found that is actually pretty good considering how healthy it is, and the kids love them! They're MUCH better the next day than they are right out of the oven...I know, seems backwards, but it's true! :)
Banana Bran Muffins
1/2 c. natural applesauce (sweetened with apple juice...I used cinnamon flavored)
1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
3 very ripe bananas
1/4 c. milk (I used 1%)
1 t. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour (we have a mill, so I ground my own...you could use the stuff from the store, though)
1/4 c. wheat germ ( I buy this in bulk at WinCo...TONS of fiber and filling)
1/4 c. crushed bran flakes ( I crushed it until it was all crumbs and then measured 1/4 c. crumbs)
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
Preheat oven to 375 for regular muffins or to 400 for mini muffins ( I made mini muffins because they're a great size for my kids)
Grease muffin tins or spray with PAM or line with liners
Beat bananas, applesauce, and brown sugar until smooth. Add vanilla, milk, and eggs and mix well.
Mix dry ingredients together and add to wet ingredients, beat until smooth. Add nuts if desired (walnuts might be yummy).
Pour into prepared tins
For regular sized muffins, bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. For mini muffins, bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes.
Let cool on a rack and then place completely cooled muffins in a gallon sized ziploc bag overnight.
Hope you like them if you try them...I think they're pretty good, the kids love them, and Todd took one bite and spit it out! :)
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Easy Enchiladas
These beef enchiladas are super easy and pretty quick to make.
1 packet Western Family (or whatever brand) Enchilada sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 c. water
1 lb. hamburger
2-3 c. cheese
corn tortillas
Cook the hamburger and while you are cooking the hamburger combine the tomato paste, water, and sauce packet in another pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Combine 1/2 the sauce with the hamburger and about 1 c. cheese. Put a few spoonfuls of sauce in the bottom of a 9x9 pan. Fill the tortillas with the meat mixture, roll them, and place them in the pan seam down. If the tortillas are tearing, just rip them and layer tortillas and the meat in a lasagna fashion. Then top with the remaining sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.
1 packet Western Family (or whatever brand) Enchilada sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 c. water
1 lb. hamburger
2-3 c. cheese
corn tortillas
Cook the hamburger and while you are cooking the hamburger combine the tomato paste, water, and sauce packet in another pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Combine 1/2 the sauce with the hamburger and about 1 c. cheese. Put a few spoonfuls of sauce in the bottom of a 9x9 pan. Fill the tortillas with the meat mixture, roll them, and place them in the pan seam down. If the tortillas are tearing, just rip them and layer tortillas and the meat in a lasagna fashion. Then top with the remaining sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.
Cori's Favorite Rice
Really I'm not to sure when My name became involved in the name of this recipe but for as long as I can remember it has been called this and I love this rice. My mom always made it with meatloaf, and now so do I. I love the fact that you can put both the meatloaf and rice in the oven at the same time!!! My sister Laura isn't so big on the meatloaf so she makes it with barbecued chicken. Whatever you make with it, it so yummy!!!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3 cans of Campbell's beef broth ( 10.5 oz)
3 cans of Campbell's beef consomme (10.5 oz)
3 heaping cups of rice
1 onion chopped
4 tablespoons of butter ( slice it and let it float around on the top)
Mix all together in a 9x13 pan, dot with butter last. Cover and bake for 1 hour.
You can make a smaller recipe, 2 cans of each soup and 2 cups of rice, or even go down to one. But this rice is also great the next day as left overs for lunch.
This recipe also works good in a dutch oven. We have done a few times while camping. So yummy!!!! Enjoy
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3 cans of Campbell's beef broth ( 10.5 oz)
3 cans of Campbell's beef consomme (10.5 oz)
3 heaping cups of rice
1 onion chopped
4 tablespoons of butter ( slice it and let it float around on the top)
Mix all together in a 9x13 pan, dot with butter last. Cover and bake for 1 hour.
You can make a smaller recipe, 2 cans of each soup and 2 cups of rice, or even go down to one. But this rice is also great the next day as left overs for lunch.
This recipe also works good in a dutch oven. We have done a few times while camping. So yummy!!!! Enjoy
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Dari's Picante Chicken
So here is yet another one from the Biggest Loser Cookbook. It's one we like and it only has 4 ingredients!
1/3 + 1/2 c. salsa
4 medium boneless skinless chicken breast, trimmed of visible fat
6 Tbs. light cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. finely shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350. Spread 1/3 c. salsa in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Set aside.
Lay chicken breast on a cutting board. Use the flat side of a meat mallet to pound the chicken breast to a uniform thickness.
Spread the chicken evenly with the cream cheese. Lay the chicken, cream cheese up, in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Spoon the remaining 1/2 c. salsa evenly over the breasts. cover the pan with tin foil.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the tin foil. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the breasts. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until no longer pink. Serve immediately.
Erin, UT
1/3 + 1/2 c. salsa
4 medium boneless skinless chicken breast, trimmed of visible fat
6 Tbs. light cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. finely shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350. Spread 1/3 c. salsa in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Set aside.
Lay chicken breast on a cutting board. Use the flat side of a meat mallet to pound the chicken breast to a uniform thickness.
Spread the chicken evenly with the cream cheese. Lay the chicken, cream cheese up, in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Spoon the remaining 1/2 c. salsa evenly over the breasts. cover the pan with tin foil.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the tin foil. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the breasts. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until no longer pink. Serve immediately.
Erin, UT
Monday, April 27, 2009
Easy Pleasing Meatloaf
I never had meatloaf until I was older. It quickly became one of my favorites. This is by far my very favorite meatloaf recipe. Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce makes all the difference. I'm a Weight Watcher so if no one minds, I'm going to start including the points for the recipes I add.
Total WW points: 56 if you eat the whole thing
Serves: 8
WW points per serving: 7
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 6oz pkg. stove top stuffing for chicken mix
1 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup, sweet baby ray's BBQ sauce divided
Heat oven to 375. Combine, meat, stuffing mix, water, eggs and 1/4 cup sauce just until blended in bowl. Shape into loaf in a 13x9 baking dish. Top with remaining BBQ sauce. Bake for 1 hour.
Ta Da! So easy and yummy. I recommend getting the leanest meat you can so that it's not too greasy when it bakes. You can really use just about any size pan you want to make many small loaves. What ever suits your fancy.
Calories:290 Fat:11g Sat. Fat: 4g Carbs:21g Fiber: 1g
Total WW points: 56 if you eat the whole thing
Serves: 8
WW points per serving: 7
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 6oz pkg. stove top stuffing for chicken mix
1 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup, sweet baby ray's BBQ sauce divided
Heat oven to 375. Combine, meat, stuffing mix, water, eggs and 1/4 cup sauce just until blended in bowl. Shape into loaf in a 13x9 baking dish. Top with remaining BBQ sauce. Bake for 1 hour.
Ta Da! So easy and yummy. I recommend getting the leanest meat you can so that it's not too greasy when it bakes. You can really use just about any size pan you want to make many small loaves. What ever suits your fancy.
Calories:290 Fat:11g Sat. Fat: 4g Carbs:21g Fiber: 1g
Chicken Rice Casserole
This is a family favorite, my kids LOVE it, its simple and easy to do it! ( I know it looks like more then 5 ingredients but I didn't count the water or the margarine... they don't count ;)
Chicken Rice Casserole
7 cups of water
6 chicken bouillon cubes
2 skinless boneless chicken breast ( I don't like a lot of meat you can add more)
3 heaping cups long grained white rice
1 T margarine
½ onion chopped fine
1 cup or handful of grated medium cheddar Tillamook cheese
Simmer chicken breast in water with bouillon for at least twenty minutes. Meanwhile chop onion and saute in margarine until onion starts to look clear. You can do this in the pan you intend to bake the casserole in. While the onion is sauteing, gather the rice and cheese in an 9 x13 baking dish. As soon as the chicken is cooked, drain it (fork it out of the broth, reserving broth),
Eliminate any fat or gristle and chop it up and put it in the casserole with the rice, cheese and onion. Toss with a fork and add 6 cups broth that the chicken cooked in. It may need some water added to make it 6 cups exactly.
Cover tightly with tinfoil. Bake 1 hour at 375 degrees.
Chicken Rice Casserole
7 cups of water
6 chicken bouillon cubes
2 skinless boneless chicken breast ( I don't like a lot of meat you can add more)
3 heaping cups long grained white rice
1 T margarine
½ onion chopped fine
1 cup or handful of grated medium cheddar Tillamook cheese
Simmer chicken breast in water with bouillon for at least twenty minutes. Meanwhile chop onion and saute in margarine until onion starts to look clear. You can do this in the pan you intend to bake the casserole in. While the onion is sauteing, gather the rice and cheese in an 9 x13 baking dish. As soon as the chicken is cooked, drain it (fork it out of the broth, reserving broth),
Eliminate any fat or gristle and chop it up and put it in the casserole with the rice, cheese and onion. Toss with a fork and add 6 cups broth that the chicken cooked in. It may need some water added to make it 6 cups exactly.
Cover tightly with tinfoil. Bake 1 hour at 375 degrees.
Yakisoba Noodles
This is probably my favorite thing to eat right now because my kids will eat the vegetables, and I can cook it without meat and it still tastes great (I'm pregnant right now and do not like the sight of or smell of meat). So this recipe doesn't exactly have 5 ingredients--you can put as many in as or as little as you want. It's a lot like a stirfry, but I like the noodles better than rice and that way I don't have to be picking up rice after my 2 year old for days afterwards.
Cube and cook 2 chicken breasts. When cooked, add in some Yoshida sauce. Simmer on low, stirring once in awhile. Add carrots, broccoli, celery, peppers, onions. Cover and cook until the desired texture on the vegetables. Add 1 bag of Yakisoba noodles (you can buy these at Costco in the meat department). Add more Yoshida sauce to taste.
Enjoy!
Cube and cook 2 chicken breasts. When cooked, add in some Yoshida sauce. Simmer on low, stirring once in awhile. Add carrots, broccoli, celery, peppers, onions. Cover and cook until the desired texture on the vegetables. Add 1 bag of Yakisoba noodles (you can buy these at Costco in the meat department). Add more Yoshida sauce to taste.
Enjoy!
This weeks theme
This weeks theme for recipes is 5 ingredients or less. So lets get out our recipes that will be so yummy but hopefully nice to the pocket books!! I think that if your recipe calls for 2 cans of cream of mushroom or something like that we will count that as only one ingredient. Happy Cooking!!
Friday, April 24, 2009
Frozen Gramwiches
Since no one has posted today I thought I would add one I am planning on making very soon. Another one from the Biggest Loser Cookbook
Graham Crackers
Fat free whipped topping
Break each graham cracker in half. Spread 2 TBS. of whipped topping on half of graham cracker, then top with the other half. Freeze at least 2 hours. I like to freeze it for a few days, because the crackers get soft like an ice cream sandwich. You even use chocolate graham crackers.
One serving is two sandwiches
150 calories, 2 g. protein, 28 g carbs, 4 g fat (2 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, less than 1 g fiber, 150 mg sodium
Graham Crackers
Fat free whipped topping
Break each graham cracker in half. Spread 2 TBS. of whipped topping on half of graham cracker, then top with the other half. Freeze at least 2 hours. I like to freeze it for a few days, because the crackers get soft like an ice cream sandwich. You even use chocolate graham crackers.
One serving is two sandwiches
150 calories, 2 g. protein, 28 g carbs, 4 g fat (2 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, less than 1 g fiber, 150 mg sodium
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Crockpot Italian Chicken
This one is one our family favorites. I love it cause it is so easy, and my family loves the taste. I found it off the Spark People (a place to help you get started on a healthy life style. lots of cool resources) recipe page.
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half (I always put my chicken in frozen so I don't cut them in half until they have been cooking for an hour or two)
1 can cream of chicken soup ( can use the healthy request reduce fat version)
1 8oz package of cream cheese cubed into 8 pieces ( can use reduced fat version)
Says it serves 12 we never get more then 6-8
Fat 7.2 g Carbs 4 g Calories 210.5 protien 29.5 ( it will be less if you you reduced fat soup and cream cheese)
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half (I always put my chicken in frozen so I don't cut them in half until they have been cooking for an hour or two)
1 can cream of chicken soup ( can use the healthy request reduce fat version)
1 8oz package of cream cheese cubed into 8 pieces ( can use reduced fat version)
1 package of good seasoning dressing ( found on the salad dressing isle, usually close to the ranch dip mixes. There are a few different flavors, the recipe calls for the Italian one but we have used the herb and garlic one and it so yummy)
4 cloves of garlic diced
Cut chicken in half, cover chicken with cubed cream cheese. Mix garlic, good seasoning mix, and soup. Pour over the chicken. Put in the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.
Serve over brown rice or egg noodles!!
** the sauce stays pretty thick if you like thinner sauce add a little water, or chicken broth to the soup mix**
4 cloves of garlic diced
Cut chicken in half, cover chicken with cubed cream cheese. Mix garlic, good seasoning mix, and soup. Pour over the chicken. Put in the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.
Serve over brown rice or egg noodles!!
** the sauce stays pretty thick if you like thinner sauce add a little water, or chicken broth to the soup mix**
Says it serves 12 we never get more then 6-8
Fat 7.2 g Carbs 4 g Calories 210.5 protien 29.5 ( it will be less if you you reduced fat soup and cream cheese)
Penne Macaroni with Peppers and Grilled Chicken
I got this recipe off of a Penne pasta box and my family has loved it. We have been trying to do more recipes with whole wheat and this one is a good one. I don't know about you, but when I hear whole wheat in a recipe I automatically think yuck, but I promise it is really good in this recipe. Give it a whirl!
Ingredients:
13.25 oz. Whole Wheat Penne
1/3 cut extra virgin olive oil
1 cup sweet onion, diced
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 oz. fresh basil, chopped
1 cup(8oz.)chicken, grilled and sliced into strips
1 cup roasted red peppers, diced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook the Penne according to package directions. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat; add onions and garlic, cook until onions are transparent. Add basil, chicken(already grilled) and red peppers. Cook 2 more minutes. Add chicken broth and hot Penne to skillet and toss together until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately.
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
13.25 oz. Whole Wheat Penne
1/3 cut extra virgin olive oil
1 cup sweet onion, diced
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 oz. fresh basil, chopped
1 cup(8oz.)chicken, grilled and sliced into strips
1 cup roasted red peppers, diced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook the Penne according to package directions. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat; add onions and garlic, cook until onions are transparent. Add basil, chicken(already grilled) and red peppers. Cook 2 more minutes. Add chicken broth and hot Penne to skillet and toss together until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately.
Serves: 4-6
Frozen Yogurt Pie
This is one of my favorite summer treats and I don't feel guilty eating an extra slice. I am not sure on the nutritional facts, but do you really want to know on yummy treats? :)
Ingredients:
1 tub of cool whip(fat free)
1 32 oz container of your favorite yogurt
1 graham cracker crust(I just buy it from the store, but you could make your own)
(Makes two pies)
Directions:
In a large bowl mix the cool whip and the yogurt together until it is mixed well. Pour into the crust and then put it into the freezer until it is frozen. It is super easy, but I love it. I hope you will enjoy this frozen treat!
Ingredients:
1 tub of cool whip(fat free)
1 32 oz container of your favorite yogurt
1 graham cracker crust(I just buy it from the store, but you could make your own)
(Makes two pies)
Directions:
In a large bowl mix the cool whip and the yogurt together until it is mixed well. Pour into the crust and then put it into the freezer until it is frozen. It is super easy, but I love it. I hope you will enjoy this frozen treat!
New-Fashionsed Meat Loaf
This is another one from the Biggest Loser Cookbook (I think most people in my family have it, hence Cori and I both sharing from it).
Also I hope you guys aren't losing interest already we just started. Maybe the healthy recipes aren't ones we have a lot of. I hope to see the rest of the contributors back.
So here is the recipe
2/3 c. old fashioned oats
1/2 c. fat free milk
1 lbs. 96% lean ground beef
1/2 c. chopped fresh spinach leaves
1/4 c. minced onion
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 Tbs. prepared horseradish (I usually leave this out because I don't like it)
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. mushrooms, finely chopped (this is something that isn't in the original recipe, and my kids have no clue they are eating them)
1/3 c. reduced-sugar or unsweetened ketchup (I usually use normal but that will affect the nutritional info)
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray a bread pan with cooking spray.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine oats and milk. Let stand for 3 minutes. Add the meat, spinach, onion, egg whites, horseradish, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and mushrooms. Mix well. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Press into the pan, patting the top flat. Spread the ketchup over the top.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 160 and the meat is no longer pink. Let sit for 10 minutes. Cut into 8 slices. Serve immediately.
224 calories, 29 g protein, 14 carbohydrates, 5 g fat (1 g saturated) 91 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 552 mg sodium
Erin, Utah
Also I hope you guys aren't losing interest already we just started. Maybe the healthy recipes aren't ones we have a lot of. I hope to see the rest of the contributors back.
So here is the recipe
2/3 c. old fashioned oats
1/2 c. fat free milk
1 lbs. 96% lean ground beef
1/2 c. chopped fresh spinach leaves
1/4 c. minced onion
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 Tbs. prepared horseradish (I usually leave this out because I don't like it)
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. mushrooms, finely chopped (this is something that isn't in the original recipe, and my kids have no clue they are eating them)
1/3 c. reduced-sugar or unsweetened ketchup (I usually use normal but that will affect the nutritional info)
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray a bread pan with cooking spray.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine oats and milk. Let stand for 3 minutes. Add the meat, spinach, onion, egg whites, horseradish, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and mushrooms. Mix well. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Press into the pan, patting the top flat. Spread the ketchup over the top.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 160 and the meat is no longer pink. Let sit for 10 minutes. Cut into 8 slices. Serve immediately.
224 calories, 29 g protein, 14 carbohydrates, 5 g fat (1 g saturated) 91 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 552 mg sodium
Erin, Utah
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Better Blueberry Pancakes
This recipe is one of my kids favorites, they love pancakes!! I got it from my Biggest Loser Cookbook. I ordered a huge box of frozen blueberries from my grocery store last September and those work great in this recipe.
1/2 cup reduced-fat buttermilk
1/2 whole grain oat flour
1 large egg white lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fresh or frozen( not thawed) blueberries
In a small bowl combine the buttermilk, flour, egg white, baking soda, vanilla and salt. Whisk until just blended. Stir in the blueberries. Let stand fro 10 minutes. In the mean time heat your skillet, when the 10 minutes is up pour the batter in 1/8th cup dollops. Cook and top with your favorite pancake topping. If you are wanting to keep with the healthy theme serve with low cal, low sugar syrup, and use I cant believe it not butter spray. It is still so yummy!!!
** this recipe makes 8 pancakes. We always double for my family of 5!! **
1 serving = 4 pancakes
140 calories , 8 g protein, 20 g carbs, 3 g fat ( less then 1 g saturated) 3 g fiber.
1/2 cup reduced-fat buttermilk
1/2 whole grain oat flour
1 large egg white lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fresh or frozen( not thawed) blueberries
In a small bowl combine the buttermilk, flour, egg white, baking soda, vanilla and salt. Whisk until just blended. Stir in the blueberries. Let stand fro 10 minutes. In the mean time heat your skillet, when the 10 minutes is up pour the batter in 1/8th cup dollops. Cook and top with your favorite pancake topping. If you are wanting to keep with the healthy theme serve with low cal, low sugar syrup, and use I cant believe it not butter spray. It is still so yummy!!!
** this recipe makes 8 pancakes. We always double for my family of 5!! **
1 serving = 4 pancakes
140 calories , 8 g protein, 20 g carbs, 3 g fat ( less then 1 g saturated) 3 g fiber.
Sugar Free Hot Cocoa
I know this is out of season, but I"ll post another one later.
Who doesn't love a nice cup of hot chocolate when your cold? Well we do, but recently my husband found out he was diabetic so normal hot chocolate mix he shouldn't do, and lets face it it would be a lot better for all of us in our family. We looked around for options at the store, but sugar free anything isn't always the cheapest and can be hard to find. So we found a recipe online, which we have adapted a little. Here is a heads up though, it's not your rich and creamy chocolaty hot chocolate we are used but still good. And since you are saving calories you feel a little better adding a handful of marshmallows. We found that it tastes best when you use chocolate and vanilla pudding, originally the recipe just calls for vanilla but felt like it was missing something. We just use a blender when we make it but we have to do two batches so we do half the ingredients with one pkt of pudding and then the other half with the other and then mix them together in the container we are storing them in.
Sugar Free/Fat Free Hot Cocoa Mix
6 c. nonfat dry milk powder
2 c. splenda
1 c. cocoa
1 (1 oz.) pkg sugar free instant vanilla pudding
1 (1 oz.) pkg sugar free instant chocolate pudding
Mix together in a food processor or blender.
To make use 1/4 c. of mix with 1 c. water
Erin, Utah
Who doesn't love a nice cup of hot chocolate when your cold? Well we do, but recently my husband found out he was diabetic so normal hot chocolate mix he shouldn't do, and lets face it it would be a lot better for all of us in our family. We looked around for options at the store, but sugar free anything isn't always the cheapest and can be hard to find. So we found a recipe online, which we have adapted a little. Here is a heads up though, it's not your rich and creamy chocolaty hot chocolate we are used but still good. And since you are saving calories you feel a little better adding a handful of marshmallows. We found that it tastes best when you use chocolate and vanilla pudding, originally the recipe just calls for vanilla but felt like it was missing something. We just use a blender when we make it but we have to do two batches so we do half the ingredients with one pkt of pudding and then the other half with the other and then mix them together in the container we are storing them in.
Sugar Free/Fat Free Hot Cocoa Mix
6 c. nonfat dry milk powder
2 c. splenda
1 c. cocoa
1 (1 oz.) pkg sugar free instant vanilla pudding
1 (1 oz.) pkg sugar free instant chocolate pudding
Mix together in a food processor or blender.
To make use 1/4 c. of mix with 1 c. water
Erin, Utah
Monday, April 20, 2009
So this is more of a request than a recipe post, but I'm wondering what everyone's favorite healthy recipes are. I love those recipes that are healthy but you wouldn't guess it because they taste so good! I'll be posting a few of my favorites sometime this week, but wanted to pick your brains as well. Try to make one of the labels applicable to how the recipe is "healthy"...("low-fat", "low-carb", etc.) Hope everyone has a great week!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Honey Mustard Chicken Fingers
I don't think it comes easier than this recipe! Amounts don't really matter it is all just how much you want to make so I usually do:
2-3 chicken breasts cut into strips
2 parts honey (about 1/4 cup)
1 part mustard (big squirt to cover the honey)
bread crumbs
Mix the honey and mustard together and dip the chicken pieces in.
Then roll the chicken in the bread crumbs.
Fry at 350 (in a deep fryer) for 5-7 minutes or bake at 350 in the oven for about 20 minutes.
Then mix together more honey and mustard for a dipping sauce!
If there are leftovers you can use on a salad or make a "snack wrap" like McDonald's or add some mozzarella cheese and whatever else you would like for a sandwich.
2-3 chicken breasts cut into strips
2 parts honey (about 1/4 cup)
1 part mustard (big squirt to cover the honey)
bread crumbs
Mix the honey and mustard together and dip the chicken pieces in.
Then roll the chicken in the bread crumbs.
Fry at 350 (in a deep fryer) for 5-7 minutes or bake at 350 in the oven for about 20 minutes.
Then mix together more honey and mustard for a dipping sauce!
If there are leftovers you can use on a salad or make a "snack wrap" like McDonald's or add some mozzarella cheese and whatever else you would like for a sandwich.
Eady Cheesy Chicken Bake
One of my aspirations in life is to be able to create my own recipes. Unfortunately, my brain just doesn't think that way and I end up always using a recipe from family, friends and the back of labels.
This one came from the back of the Kraft Stovetop for Chicken and has turned into one of our little family favorites.
1pkg (6oz) Stovetop Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1-1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed or shredded (however you like it in casseroles)
1 bag (14oz) frozen broccoli florets, thawed, drained
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Jex family touch: 1 cup frozen peas and 1 cup frozen corn. I don't ever thaw or drain the frozen veggies and never have had a problem with soggy or watery casseroles. If anything, it helps the peas not turn to mush!
1. Preheat oven to 400. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package; set aside.
2. Mix chicken and veggies in 13x9-inch baking dish. Stir in soup, milk and cheese ( I like to mix these together in a separate bowl before hand so that it's all blended); top with the prepared stuffing.
3. Bake 30 min or until heated through.
My husband has a thing for on the verge of being burned main dishes so I let mine bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the stuffing on the top is looking crispy. Can't get much easier.
Enjoy!
Shannon Jex
Black Diamond, WA
This one came from the back of the Kraft Stovetop for Chicken and has turned into one of our little family favorites.
1pkg (6oz) Stovetop Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1-1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed or shredded (however you like it in casseroles)
1 bag (14oz) frozen broccoli florets, thawed, drained
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Jex family touch: 1 cup frozen peas and 1 cup frozen corn. I don't ever thaw or drain the frozen veggies and never have had a problem with soggy or watery casseroles. If anything, it helps the peas not turn to mush!
1. Preheat oven to 400. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package; set aside.
2. Mix chicken and veggies in 13x9-inch baking dish. Stir in soup, milk and cheese ( I like to mix these together in a separate bowl before hand so that it's all blended); top with the prepared stuffing.
3. Bake 30 min or until heated through.
My husband has a thing for on the verge of being burned main dishes so I let mine bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the stuffing on the top is looking crispy. Can't get much easier.
Enjoy!
Shannon Jex
Black Diamond, WA
Low Fat Granola
This is one we like at our house and I happened to make a fresh batch this week. The kids love and I love it. Just having a bowl of granola with milk, or with yogurt or just to snack on. This is a recipe I got from my mom and the great thing about it there is no oil in it, and most of the stuff are things you would have around your house. and besides the nuts it only cost a couple dollars to make. I hope you like it as much as as we do.
Granola
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. water
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. vanilla
7 c. oats
3-5 c. add ins (sesame seeds, nuts, coconut, etc.)
Preheat oven to 275
Combine brown sugar, water and salt in a small pot and heat up and stir until most of the brown sugar is dissolved. Stir in vanilla.
In a large bowl combine oats and add ins (if you want to add raisins or any other dried fruit, do that after it bakes). Stir in the liquid. Pour onto 2 cookie sheets sprayed with cooking spray. Cook for an hour stirring every 15 minutes and rotating pans half way through. I usually just put everything on one pan, for less dishes and I stir it every 30 minutes and bake it for 90 minutes.
Let cool and then put in a container to store (if you don't have a big enough container I usually put mine in the old 2 lbs. oatmeal container, one recipe fills it up)
Erin, Spanish Fork, Utah
Granola
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. water
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. vanilla
7 c. oats
3-5 c. add ins (sesame seeds, nuts, coconut, etc.)
Preheat oven to 275
Combine brown sugar, water and salt in a small pot and heat up and stir until most of the brown sugar is dissolved. Stir in vanilla.
In a large bowl combine oats and add ins (if you want to add raisins or any other dried fruit, do that after it bakes). Stir in the liquid. Pour onto 2 cookie sheets sprayed with cooking spray. Cook for an hour stirring every 15 minutes and rotating pans half way through. I usually just put everything on one pan, for less dishes and I stir it every 30 minutes and bake it for 90 minutes.
Let cool and then put in a container to store (if you don't have a big enough container I usually put mine in the old 2 lbs. oatmeal container, one recipe fills it up)
Erin, Spanish Fork, Utah
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Favorite Recipe This Week: Chili's Southwestern Egg Rolls and Tomatillo Cilantro Dressing
Wow, was that a long enough title or what??!! ;)
So Todd and I love going to Chili's for their Southwestern Egg Rolls. We found a copycat recipe on allrecipes.com and altered it a little. I can't remember where we got the dressing recipe...I think from one of Todd's sisters. I made these when we were living in Spokane once, and it became a tradition for the married siblings in Todd's faimily to come over for these and a game night...lots of fun! I prefer them fried, but when I was dealing with Gestational Diabetes I made these with the Mission Carb Balance tortillas, sprayed them with Pam and baked them. This is one of our favorite recipes, and after you've made it once or twice, it's actually pretty quick.
Egg Rolls:
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded
1/2 c. minced green onion
1 bell pepper (I prefer red, but green is fine too), minced
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. frozen chopped spinach, drained (I squeeze to get rid of all the moisture BEFORE measuring, and then measure it "packed", if that makes sense)
1 (4 oz.) can of diced jalapenos if you like things spicy, or 1 (4 oz.) can of diced green chilis if you like things more mild
1/4 c. finely chopped cilantro (we use a lot because we love cilantro...you could use less if you want)
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. chili powder
1 1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. cayenne pepper (optional...add to taste)
3 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
20 flour tortillas (the smaller ones)
Directions:
Saute green onion and red pepper in about 1 T canola oil until tender. Add in all other ingredients except for the cheese (and tortillas, of course!) and cook until heated through.
Stir in the cheese until mostly melted.
Heat tortillas a few at a time in the microwave wrapped in a moist towel until they are pliable.
Divide the filling evenly among the tortillas, making sure not to over-fill...probably about 1/3 c. filling per tortilla. Fold in tortilla ends and roll to close them completely. Secure with a couple of toothpicks. You can wrap them in tin foil at this point and freeze them in plastic bags for later use...just thaw most of the way and cook.
To fry them, you can either deep fry frozen egg rolls at 375 for 10 minutes (we don't have a deep fryer, so I've never personally tried this), or you can just fry the fresh or thawed egg rolls in about an inch of oil over medium to med-high heat, turning and cooking until golden brown. Serve with Tomatillo Cilantro Dressing (recipe follows).
Tomatillo Cilantro Dressing:
1 (0.4 oz) Pkg. Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix
Directions:
Throw all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. This will be nice and thick at first, but gets runny after sitting in the fridge, so I usually make it up just before I start making the egg rolls so that it has time for the flavors to blend, but so it's still thick.
UPDATE!!
I made these this week and only used enough filling for what we needed for our family. We still had about half of the filling left, so I've been keeping it in my fridge and making them up for lunches...Today I tried baking them...sprayed both sides with Pam and baked at 425 for 15 minutes, flipping them at 8 minutes. they turned out great! Much healthier this way, especially if you use a high-fiber tortilla!
So Todd and I love going to Chili's for their Southwestern Egg Rolls. We found a copycat recipe on allrecipes.com and altered it a little. I can't remember where we got the dressing recipe...I think from one of Todd's sisters. I made these when we were living in Spokane once, and it became a tradition for the married siblings in Todd's faimily to come over for these and a game night...lots of fun! I prefer them fried, but when I was dealing with Gestational Diabetes I made these with the Mission Carb Balance tortillas, sprayed them with Pam and baked them. This is one of our favorite recipes, and after you've made it once or twice, it's actually pretty quick.
Egg Rolls:
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded
1/2 c. minced green onion
1 bell pepper (I prefer red, but green is fine too), minced
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. frozen chopped spinach, drained (I squeeze to get rid of all the moisture BEFORE measuring, and then measure it "packed", if that makes sense)
1 (4 oz.) can of diced jalapenos if you like things spicy, or 1 (4 oz.) can of diced green chilis if you like things more mild
1/4 c. finely chopped cilantro (we use a lot because we love cilantro...you could use less if you want)
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. chili powder
1 1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. cayenne pepper (optional...add to taste)
3 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
20 flour tortillas (the smaller ones)
Directions:
Saute green onion and red pepper in about 1 T canola oil until tender. Add in all other ingredients except for the cheese (and tortillas, of course!) and cook until heated through.
Stir in the cheese until mostly melted.
Heat tortillas a few at a time in the microwave wrapped in a moist towel until they are pliable.
Divide the filling evenly among the tortillas, making sure not to over-fill...probably about 1/3 c. filling per tortilla. Fold in tortilla ends and roll to close them completely. Secure with a couple of toothpicks. You can wrap them in tin foil at this point and freeze them in plastic bags for later use...just thaw most of the way and cook.
To fry them, you can either deep fry frozen egg rolls at 375 for 10 minutes (we don't have a deep fryer, so I've never personally tried this), or you can just fry the fresh or thawed egg rolls in about an inch of oil over medium to med-high heat, turning and cooking until golden brown. Serve with Tomatillo Cilantro Dressing (recipe follows).
Tomatillo Cilantro Dressing:
1 (0.4 oz) Pkg. Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix
1 C. Buttermilk
1 C. Mayo
1 to 2 tomatillos
1/2 to 1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 to 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 t. lime juice (or more to taste...I always give a generous squeeze!)
1/2 to 1 small jalapeno, seeds removed!
Directions:
Throw all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. This will be nice and thick at first, but gets runny after sitting in the fridge, so I usually make it up just before I start making the egg rolls so that it has time for the flavors to blend, but so it's still thick.
UPDATE!!
I made these this week and only used enough filling for what we needed for our family. We still had about half of the filling left, so I've been keeping it in my fridge and making them up for lunches...Today I tried baking them...sprayed both sides with Pam and baked at 425 for 15 minutes, flipping them at 8 minutes. they turned out great! Much healthier this way, especially if you use a high-fiber tortilla!
My Husband was Craving Lasagna.....
Last week my husband was carving lasagna. I did not have a recipe that I was impressed with. I have some issues with lasagna. In my head if my lasagna layers do not stay together on my plate then I think its a failure even if it taste great. Then I found this recipe. It title is "Worlds best lasagna". I don't know if I would go that far, but we really liked it. And you know what the layers stayed. I have learned the trick with lasagna is to let is sit after it comes out of the oven for at Least 15 minutes. That way it wont be falling apart on your plate. This sauce is from scratch and it takes a while to cook, but really I was able to do other things while it cooked and just stir it once and while!! It was really good the next day as well!!!
Ingredients
* 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (I didn't have any and it was fine with out)
* 3/4 pound lean ground beef
* 1/2 cup minced onion
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
* 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
* 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
* 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
* 1 tablespoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* 12 lasagna noodles
* 16 ounces ricotta cheese
* 1 egg
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
* 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes( I just soaked mine In hot tap water for 10-15 minutes, it just is easier). Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!!!!
Cori Rexburg Idaho
Ingredients
* 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (I didn't have any and it was fine with out)
* 3/4 pound lean ground beef
* 1/2 cup minced onion
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
* 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
* 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
* 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
* 1 tablespoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* 12 lasagna noodles
* 16 ounces ricotta cheese
* 1 egg
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
* 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes( I just soaked mine In hot tap water for 10-15 minutes, it just is easier). Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!!!!
Cori Rexburg Idaho
Chocolate Chip Cookies
I just fixed these yesterday! I got this recipe from our Home teacher, His wife would send him with cookies, they always looked and tasted so good. Which has always been a problem with recipes I have used in the past either they tasted good or looked good but NOT both. So here you go. This is my FAVORITE chocolate chip cookie recipe!!!!!!
1 1/2 cups butter or margarine
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups (2 regular sized bags) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 2. Mix butter, sugars, vanilla, and eggs in large bowl 3. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt 4. Stir in chocolate chips 5. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 mins. (the Sister that gave me this recipe says it only took 8 min, in her oven it took 12 in mine) This recipe make alot!
Happy baking! Let me know if you try it and what you think!
Laura Jex
The First!!!
Ok so I thought our first Topic could be an easy one. How about if we do " Your favorite recipe you have made in the last week". If you can, tell us where you got this recipe or if there is any fun story to go along with it. And then any tricks you have learned to make the recipe turn out perfect!!! Also make sure to sign your name at the end so we all know who its from and maybe what city and state since we are all spread out!!! I am so excited to see what you guys have been cooking this last week!!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Here we go....
Ok all of you out there who are wanting some new recipes. Here is your way, we are just getting started. So check back in a few days and see if things are up and running. Until then get your favorite recipes ready!!
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