Lentil Soup with Greens

Olive Oil
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloved garlic, minced
1 1/4 cup brown lentils, rinsed
6 cups vegetable stock
4-5 leaves of chard and/or kale, rinsed and sliced thinly
Salt and Pepper

Combine oil in a saucepan with carrots, celery, onion and garlic.  Cover and cook for 6-7 minutes.  Place veggies into crockpot.  Add lentils and stock.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  Just before serving, steam greens and add to soup.  Add salt and pepper as needed.

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Delicious and so healthy!  My kids ate it up, even my 8-month old!

Turkey Breakfast Sausage

1 lb lean ground turkey
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Combine ingredients in a bowl.  Divide into 8 small patties and cook in a greased pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side.  Serve with maple syrup over top.

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YUM!  I had no idea these would be SO easy!  Much healthier than the store-bought version, and the flavor is delicious!

Parmesan Spinach Chicken Bundles

6 chicken breasts
10 oz pkg frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 oz cream cheese
3 TB parmesan cheese (plus extra for topping)
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
Ritz crackers, crushed
Spaghetti sauce

Pound chicken until it is very thin.  In a bowl, combine spinach, cream cheese, Parm cheese and mozzarella cheese.  Spread mixture onto flattened chicken.  Roll up and secure with a toothpick.  Place beaten egg and Ritz crackers into 2 shallow dishes.  Dip chicken bundles into egg, and then roll in Ritz crackers.  Place in a greased 9x13 dish.  Sprinkle extra parmesan cheese over top and bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until cooked through.  Serve with spaghetti noodles and spaghetti sauce on top.

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These took quite a bit of work, but it was SO worth it.  YUM YUM YUM!  These were so delicious! 

Every Day Stir Fry

I eat this for lunch almost every day.  Can't get enough!!  I make a huge pan of it and eat it for a few days.  I think it tastes better the next day.

Onion
Garlic
Carrots (steam for a few minutes first, to soften)
Broccoli
Zucchini
Peas (frozen is fine)
Cabbage
Kale
Swiss chard
Brussels Sprouts, thinly sliced
Pretty much any veggies you like!  Spinach, red cabbage, celery, asparagus, sugar snap peas...it's all good!!!

Saute over med heat in some olive oil until everything is tender.  Sprinkle with desired seasoning (I like chicken seasoning) and s&p.  Serve over basmati or brown rice or over the toasted millet/quinoa.

Simple White Gravy

1 cup milk
1 TB butter

Bring to a slow boil.

Whisk in about 3 TB flour, until desired thickness.

Add s&p and serve immediately.

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My friend Staci gave me this recipe.  The best way to serve this is to toast a piece of whole wheat bread (recipe below) and place a fried or poached egg on top.  Pour gravy over top and a small pat of butter.  YUM, best breakfast ever!

Simple Whole Wheat Bread

2 1/2 cups warm water

3 tsp yeast
3 TB sugar

Combine in mixing bowl and let sit for several minutes.  Then add:

3 tsp salt
3 TB melted butter

Turn on mixer and slowly add 6 cups whole wheat flour.  Dough should pull completely away from the bowl by the end.  Let the mixer knead (or do it by hand) for about 8 minutes.

Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let rise for about an hour.  Punch down dough, divide into two loaves.  Place into greased bread pans and let rise again.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

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This is my new go-to bread recipe.  It is simple, quick and delicious!

Meaty Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb beef
1/2 onion, diced
2 cans tomato sauce (8 oz each)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
Black pepper
1/2 tsp basil

Cook beef and onion.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20-30 min.  Serve over pasta.

Secret Enchiladas

INGREDIENTS:

Nonstick cooking spray
1 Tbl olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed (about 3/4 lb)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup carrot puree OR sweet potato puree
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1 cup shredded, reduced fat (2%) cheddar cheese or part-skim mozarella, divided
6-10 whole wheat flour tortillas
1/2 cup spinach puree (I used fresh spinach...it wilts down in the oven anyway)
1/2 cup mild tomato salsa

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350
Coat 9 by 13 inch pan in nonstick cooking spray
Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
Sprinkle the chicken pieces with garlic powder and pepper
Cook the chicken in the pan 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle
Take the pan off the heat and mix in the carrot OR sweet potato puree, sour cream, and HALF the cheese in the skillet
Fill each tortilla with the chicken mixture and roll up
Place seam side down in baking dish
Dot the tops of each enchilada with the spinach puree (or sprinkle the middle with fresh spinach like I did)
Spoon the salsa over the spinach and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese
Cover with foil and bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the cheese melts and the filling is hot.

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My friend Natalie gave me this recipe.  To make the carrot puree, steam some carrots until soft, then puree in a blender with some of the steaming water.  These tasted really good!  No need for enchilada sauce, which was great because Cam doesn't like it.  My kids gobbled them up!  The "secret" carrots were never detected!  I want to try the sweet potato next.

Quinoa Turkey Chili

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
3 1/2 cups water, divided
1 lb ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 TB chili powder
1 TB cumin (I used a tad less)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cans black beans, rinsed
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 zucchini, chopped
1 chipoltle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
1 TB adobo sauce
1 bay leaf
1 tsp oregano
s&p
1 cup frozen corn

1. In a large saucepan, bring quinoa and 2 cups water to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and set aside.

2. In a large saucepan coated with cooking spray, cook turkey, onion, red pepper and garlic over medium heat until turkey is cooked.  Stir in chili powder, cumin and cinnamon and cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add beans, tomatoes, zucchini, pepper, adobo sauce, bay leaf, oregano, s&p and remaining water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Stir in corn and quinoa, and heat through.  Discard bay leaf and serve.

Baby Cereal: Millet

Millet is a highly nutritious, easy-to-digest grain not likely to cause an allergy. It's also high in iron. This recipe was created for babies 6 to 8 months old. It will make 1 cup.

 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons millet
1 cup water
Breast milk or formula as needed

Preparation

1. Blend millet 1 to 2 minutes or until it resembles fine flour. (I used my nutrimill)
2. Pour water into pan and stir in millet. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Remove from heat and let cool, stirring a few more times.
4. Add breast milk or formula as needed to achieve a smooth consistency.

Nutrient analysis per 2 tablespoons
22 calories
1 gram protein
Manganese 40%
Magnesium 10%
Vitamin B6 10%