Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup

This hearty soup is filled with chicken, potatoes, and vegetables, and then topped with flaky puff pasty rounds.  It's a warm soup, sure to please on a cool fall day!

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole {Flashback Friday}

This delicious and easy casserole has all the components of a stuffed cabbage roll, but without the extra work!

A Trip to the Farmer's Market

One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday morning is go to the local Farmer's Market.  We are blessed to live less than 10 minutes from a large outdoor market.  Each May I look forward to the week that the market opens.  I try to go as often as possible until it closes down in November.

This year I haven't made it down as often as I'd like, but when I do get to the market, I am always thrilled with my products.  Why don't you take a little tour with me?

Buffalo Chicken & Grilled Vegetable Quinoa Salad

Grilled summer vegetables with buffalo chicken and quinoa come together in this delicious and healthy salad.

Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs

I promised a vegetable recipe this week and I aim to please! These Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs are perfect for summer grilling, and great for helping you get swimsuit ready.

I have about 15 pounds of baby weight left to lose, so I recently signed up for the 21 Day Fix through BeachBody (I'm now a coach too!).  Basically it's 21 days of clean eating, reasonable portion sizes, and effective workouts.  The results people get are incredible and I'm looking forward to starting.  My official first day is this coming Monday!

After I signed up for the challenge, I figured that there was no reason for me to wait to start eating better.  There's no better day than today!  I went shopping and bought an incredible amount of fruit and vegetables.  I love them anyway, so I knew it wouldn't be an issue for me to be able to eat them all.

Not too long ago we were at our friend's house and they served kabobs for dinner.  Mike and I really enjoyed them and wondered why I don't make them more often.  With all the delicious vegetables in the house, this was the perfect time to make some kabobs.  The great thing about these is how customizable they are!  I don't care for mushrooms and Mike doesn't like zucchini, so we traded vegetables.  You could make kabobs for each person based on what everyone likes too.  Or, get the family involved and have them make their own kabobs!

Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs

Makes 8, about 3-4 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
salt and pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 zucchini
1 onion
2 potatoes
1 pint of mushrooms

1.  Cut the chicken breasts into 1 inch pieces.

2.  Mix the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper together to form a marinade.  Add the chicken and stir to coat.  Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 1 hour, up to 8 hours.

3.  While the chicken is marinating, soak wooden skewers in water.  This will help prevent them from burning.  You can also use metal skewers if you have them.

4.  Cut pepper, zucchini, onion, and potatoes into large chunks.  Cut mushrooms in half.

5.  Thread the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers, alternating as desired.

6.  Place on a hot grill and cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 5 minutes, until the chicken is completely cooked through.

Serve hot.

Homemade Baby Food: Vegetables

Making baby food is fun for both mom and baby! It's surprisingly simple, and a good way to feed your baby wholesome foods.  This post is the second in my Homemade Baby Food series and focuses on vegetables.

My friends told me that babies just keep getting better; every stage is more exciting than the previous.  At first I didn't think that was true, what could be better than a snuggly newborn baby?  But then Summer became more alert, she started smiling at me, she learned how to roll over and how to sit up.  Then I realized, it was true, she just keeps getting better!

We're in my favorite stage so far.  Yes, it's even better than all those newborn snuggles!  Summer is sitting up, playing on her own, interacting with us, and eating meals with us.  I really feel like we're able to be more of a family now because we are able to eat together, instead of having our separate meal times.  Dinner is no longer interrupted by a hunger or tired baby.  Instead, we put Summer in her high-chair and she eats at the same time we do. 

Last week I showed you some of the basics of homemade baby food.  You'll want to check out that post to see what equipment I use for baby food preparation and storage.  I mentioned that most people recommend starting your baby on pureed vegetables before fruits.  I think this is a great idea, so the baby doesn't become so accustomed to the sweetness of fruits that they reject vegetables.  In the interest of full disclosure, we started Summer on fruits first (due to personal needs).  We have noticed that she is not a fan of vegetables.  However, because I think it is important for her to eat vegetables too, I have started mixing a cube of bananas in with her vegetables.  It helps to disguise the taste, and gets her to eat them!

Carrots and Avocados

Preparing food for your baby is easier than you might think.  In fact, you can often take a serving of what you're making and puree it for your baby.  I like to make food in advance for Summer.  I'll typically spend about an hour on a weekend preparing vegetables and fruit for the coming week.  I freeze the purees in a variety of containers, some for on the go, and some for at home.  If I freeze the food in an ice cube tray, after the food has frozen, I'll pop it out of the tray and put them in freezer bags.  Then I label the bag with the name of the food and the date it was prepared.

As far as cooking the food goes, choose a method that works best for you.  If you typically steam your vegetables, steam your baby's.  If you prefer to cook them in the microwave or on the stove top, go for it!  You will want to cook the vegetables until they are extremely soft (probably softer than how you might eat them.)  After the vegetables have cooked, allow them to cool before transferring them to your food processor or blender. Puree the vegetables until smooth.  Most vegetables have enough water in them that you won't need to add any, however I have found that carrots are easier to puree if you add a small amount of water.

After the food has been pureed, scoop it into the storage container of your choice.  Food can be stored in the fridge for 2 days, any longer and you should freeze it.  Freeze or refrigerate your food.  When you are ready to serve frozen food, remove it from the freezer and place in a bowl.  Allow it to thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or thaw in the microwave if necessary.  Most babies will eat food at room temperature, but feel free to heat it up if you want.  Just be sure to check the temperature to make sure it is safe before feeding it to your baby!  If the puree is too thick you can thin it out with a bit of water, prepared formula, or breastmilk.  You can also mix vegetables and fruits to come up with flavors your baby loves!

Below I have shared some of the vegetables I have made for Summer.  These foods are recommended as the first foods to try with a baby aged 6 months or older.  Come back next week to read about making fruit for your baby!

Some of my favorite storage containers:  Tovolo Perfect Cube Ice Trays, Fresh Baby So Easy Baby Food and Breast Milk Trays and OXO Tot Baby Blocks Freezer Storage Containers

Sweet Potatoes

1 sweet potato yields approximately 8 blocks of baby food

Cook sweet potato until soft.  Cut in half and remove potato from the skin.  Puree in the blender or food processor.

Peas

1 cup of frozen peas yields approximately 8 blocks of baby food

Cook peas until soft.  Puree in the blender or food processor.

Carrots

1 cup of sliced carrots yields approximately 10 blocks of baby food

Cut carrots into coins.  Cook until soft.  Puree in the blender or food processor.  Add water if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency.

Beans

1 cup of beans yields approximately 8 blocks of baby food

If you're using fresh beans, cut the beans into small pieces.  Cook beans until soft.  Puree in the blender or food processor.

Squash

Cook squash until soft.  Cut into cubes.  Puree in the blender or food processor.

This post includes affiliate links.

Homemade Baby Food Series
The Basics
Fruits

Spicy Cheese Dip

A creamy dip with chunks of cheese and burst of flavor from hot sauce.  Serve it with veggies or crackers for a delicious appetizer!

Mike and I bought a Groupon deal to Sam's Club last year; we'd been talking about purchasing a membership for a while and the deal was too good to pass up!  Can we just talk for a minute about how much I love saving money?  There are so many awesome deal sites out there like Groupon and Eversave, as well as rebate apps like Ibotta that give you money back on groceries.  (Check out my Facebook page this week as I will be sharing some of my favorite deal sites!)  It's the Dutch in me, but I love saving money however I can!  Now that I am only working part-time, the more ways we can save money the better!

Of course a membership to a bulk store like Sam's can be both a blessing and a curse.  Yes, we get things cheaper that in other stores, but I also end up purchasing more than I intend to!  Oh well, it all balances out.  I think....

Anyway, we like going to the club on Saturdays because they often do food samples.  Who can say no to that?! One of the last times we were there, we sampled a dip that we both loved.  Mike asked what was in it and we were told milk, mayo, cheese, and hot sauce.  4 ingredients, how could you go wrong?  Mike decided that he liked it enough we had to buy an enormous jar of mayonnaise, and that we would make this for our Christmas Eve celebration.

The dip can be adjusted to meet your preferences.  Since we didn't have measurements, just ingredients, I kind of winged it when making the dip.  We like smaller pieces of cheese, and a good amount of spice in our dip.  But feel free to make it how you want to!

Spicy Cheese Dip

Makes approximately 1 cup

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon milk
4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese
1 teaspoon hot sauce

1.  Mix the mayonnaise and milk in a small bowl.

2.  Crumble the Gorgonzola cheese and add it to the mayonnaise.

3.  Stir in the hot sauce (add more if desired).

Serve cold with vegetables or crackers.

Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie

Cheesy chicken and vegetables topped with a flaky crescent roll crust!

I love getting recipes from other people.  Then I know that the recipe is going to be good!  If it wasn't, why bother telling someone else about it?  My mom recently told me about a delicious and easy pot pie that she made for dinner.  It sound good, and simple enough to put together--even on a day that I had to work!

It helps that the majority of this meal comes from pre-made foods, just mix it all together and throw it in the oven!  I actually used a rotisserie chicken which made this meal even easier!  I only needed 6 crescent rolls to top the casserole in the dish I made it in, but depending on the size of your casserole dish, you might need all 8.  If you only use 6, just bake the other 2 according to package directions.

Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie

Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 pound bag mixed vegetables
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 pound Velveeta cheese
1 tube Pillsbury crescent rolls

1. Mix chicken breasts, vegetables, soup, and cheese in a microwave safe bowl.

2. Microwave for 2 minutes and stir to melt cheese.

3. Spread in a casserole dish.

4. Top with crescent rolls.

5. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, until crescent rolls are golden brown.

6.  Allow the dish to sit for about 10 minutes before serving to let the sauce thicken up.



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Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie is Mike's favorite hot dinner.  It's a meal that he grew up eating, and his mom often made it for him and his dad.  In nearly 3 years of marriage, I'd never made him Shepherd's Pie.  Oops!

We were talking with a friend a couple weeks ago and both he and Mike got on the subject of Shepherd's Pie and how much they loved it.  I decided that it was high time I learn how to make Mike's favorite dinner!  I didn't have a recipe to go off of, so I just put the basic ingredients together that I knew were involved.  It all worked out, because Mike loved the Shepherd's Pie.

This recipe made a large dish full of the casserole.  It was enough for our dinner, plus 3 or 4 lunches for Mike to take to work.  This meal would also freeze well if you have too many leftovers!  I put the casserole together the night before we planned to have it for dinner and stored it overnight in the fridge.  The next day I had Mike put it in the oven and dinner was almost ready when I got home from work.

Shepherd's Pie

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef, browned (drain the grease)
1 12 ounce package frozen mixed vegetables (I used Bird's Eye)
2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
5 medium potatoes, cooked and mashed
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt

1.  In a 9x13" casserole dish, combine the cooked ground beef, mixed vegetables, and Cream of Mushroom soup.

2.  Spread the mashed potatoes over the meat and vegetable mixture.

3.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, until heated through.

4.  Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on top of the potatoes and return to the oven for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Serve hot, with salt to season as needed.

Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup

This weekend was filled with adventures.  I was at a camp up north with my youth group teens for a weekend retreat.  Here are some of the "highlights":

*Driving through a horrible winter storm, taking the wrong exit, and driving out of our way.  A normally 1-1/2 hour trip took nearly 3!

*Sliding backwards down a steep hill because halfway up my car couldn't make it anymore!

*Watching the kids brave their fears and climb up an ice-wall.

*Spending one-on-one time with the kids and getting to know them better.

*Bursting out in random songs like, "I'm a Barbie Girl".  Oh yes, they did!

*The speaker making up yoga poses like the "dirty lion."

*Playing games like Family Feud and Citadel.

*Jones Soda and sour candies.

*Eating way more food in the 3 days we were there than I normally eat in a week!

We had a ton of fun, got way too little sleep, ate way too much food, laughed until our stomachs hurt, walked miles in the snow.  Most of all we grew closer to God and to each other.  We really have a great group of kids.

This soup has nothing to do with this weekend, but that's okay.  It's cold outside and that means it's soup weather.  This was another of the recipes that Alecia and I made on our freezer cooking day.  It makes enough for dinner, plus leftovers for lunch or to freeze.

Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 cups water

2 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar
2 cups frozen sweet corn
1-1/2 cup cooked ham, cubed

1.  In a large saucepan over high heat, bring water, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, salt and pepper to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, in a medium pot over low heat, melt the butter. 

 

3.  Blend in flour. 

 

4.  Add milk all at once.  Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. 

 

5.  Add cheese and stir until melted.

6.  Stir cheese mixture into the un-drained veggies and return large saucepan to burner. 

 

7.  Add corn and ham.  Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Source: Alecia

Texas Caviar

I love to get recipes from friends because that usually means that they are time-tested and loved!  I first had this dip at my friend Alecia's house.  She served it with quesadillas and I could not stop eating the Texas Caviar.  I knew I had to have the recipe!  I made this dip as my contribution to a family potluck when we were camping earlier this summer.  It was a huge hit, as most people had not had it before.

The sugar and apple cider vinegar add a sweetness that is completely unexpected from a bowl full of vegetables.  I found myself eating this dip for a snack, side dish, and as a meal itself!  Yes, it is just that good.  With football season starting up, this is a great dip for tailgating.  The dip makes enough to feed a large crowd, and if you're lucky you'll have enough leftover that you can enjoy the leftovers for lunch like I did!


Texas Caviar

1 (10 ounce) bag frozen sweet corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 colored pepper, diced,
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green onion
1 cup chopped white onion
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil

1.  In a large bowl, mix together the corn, beans, peas, pepper, celery, green onions, and white onions.  Set aside.

2.  Pour vinegar, sugar, and oil in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil.  As soon as it boils, remove from heat and let it cool.

3.  Pour cooled dressing over the vegetables.

4.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

5.  Drain excess dressing before serving.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Recipe from my friend, Alecia

Pesto Pasta with Peas and Sundried Tomatoes

It's summer time and if you're anything like me, that means a lot of grilling, outdoor eating, and get-togethers with family and friends.  It's been a while since Mike and I have had a free weekend, and our schedule doesn't appear to be opening up any time soon.  Whether we are having company over to our house, or going to someone's house for dinner, I prefer to limit my time spent in the kitchen--it's too hot to spend hours cooking! 

Salads are perfect for hot summer days.  I love a good pasta salad--it's great as a side dish, and I enjoy taking the leftovers to work for lunch.  I made this pasta salad for a work party.  We were sending our interns off and celebrating a fantastic year with them.  Because of the incredible amount of food at the party, I ended up with a good amount of leftover pasta salad.  My boss loved it so much that she asked me to bring the leftovers to work.  She enjoyed this pasta salad for lunch a couple of times!

I used sundried tomatoes from Enduring Sun in this recipe.  They were incredible--so sweet they tasted like candy!

Pesto Pasta with Peas and Sundried Tomatoes

Serves 8-10

You will need:
1 (16 oz) box whole wheat pasta shells
1 cup sundried tomatoes
2/3 cup frozen sweet peas
1/3 cup pesto
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Cook the pasta shells to al dente, following the directions on the box.

2.  Drain noodles and transfer to a large bowl.

3.  Stir in sundried tomatoes, sweet peas, pesto, olive oil, salt and pepper while the pasta is still hot.

4.  Serve the pasta immediately or chilled.

Source:  Eat Yourself Skinny

Tzatziki Sauce

I love cucumbers.  The smell and taste of them makes me think of summer.  I enjoy eating them raw, but also in salads and on sandwiches.  I'd never had Tzatziki sauce before (to my knowledge), but I knew I would enjoy it because of the cucumber.  Tzatziki can be used as a sauce on gyros, as an accompaniment to meat, or as a dip for pitas or fresh vegetables.  It has so many possibilities and it's so delicious!

As promised on Monday, this is the sauce I used for our flatbreads. I'll be sharing the rest of the filling on Friday. Patience my friends...

Tzatziki Sauce

Makes 1 cup

You will need:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 of a large cucumber
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced to a smooth paste

1.  Scoop yogurt into a small bowl and mix until smooth.

2.  Peel cucumber and grate it into fine pieces.  Place in cheesecloth and squeeze to remove the water.

3.  Add the cucumber, salt, olive oil, and minced garlic to the yogurt and mix well.

4.  Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. 

Source: Simply.Food

Sweet Potato Fries

I used to think I didn't like sweet potatoes.  It might be because the only way I'd ever had them was mashed up and covered in brown sugar and marshmallows for Thanksgiving.  Sounds like candy, doesn't it, so what's not to like?  For me, it's a texture thing.  I don't do well with mushy foods, which is why I'm not a fan of mashed potatoes either.  I'm weird...I know! 

Now that we're eating healthier, I thought I would give sweet potatoes another chance.  I love to have thick cut fries with hamburgers (made with ground turkey!), but I thought I'd try making sweet potato fries for me. Mike tried them, and thought they were okay, but he prefers regular potato fries!  I thought these were good, and I'm definitely a fan of sweet potato fries now.

Sweet Potato Fries

Serves 4
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide wedges
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

1. Line a large baking pan with foil; grease foil with cooking spray.

2.  In a large bowl, toss sweet potatoes with oil, sugar, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper.

3.  Set potatoes in a single layer on baking sheet.

4.  Bake at 425 until lightly browned around edges, about 15 minutes. Turn potatoes over and bake until softened and browned, about 20 minutes longer.

Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Source:  All You

Kung Pao Chicken

Truth be told, I'm really not a fan of vegetables.  I could live off of fruit, but a plate of veggies is a whole 'nother story!  I do like salads, but one can only eat so many salads before you start to go crazy.  I know veggies are good for you, but they're not always the most fun to eat.

In our quest to eat healthier, I've been trying to get more vegetables in our diets.  This recipe is chock-full of delicious (yes, I admitted these are delicious!) vegetables and full of flavor.  I loved how easy it was to put this recipe together, and it really tasted like I had spent hours in the kitchen, when really it was less than an hour!  Rather than serving this Kung Pao Chicken over brown rice, I opted to serve it over quinoa.  I also enjoyed the leftovers rolled in a whole-wheat flat out tortilla. 

Kung Pao Chicken

Serves 4

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp. cornstarch
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded, cut into thin strips
1 cup snow peas
4 cups broccoli florets


1.  In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, ginger, cornstarch, 2 cloves garlic and chicken broth.

2.  Pour soy sauce mixture over the chicken and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes.

3. Warm oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until tender, about 3 minutes.

4.  Add remaining 1 clove garlic and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute longer.

5.  Add broccoli and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

6.  Pour chicken and marinade into skillet and cook, stirring, until chicken is no longer pink and sauce is warmed through and thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Serve immediately, over brown rice or quinoa.

Source:  All You

Quinoa Pilaf

 

Have you jumped on board the quinoa train yet?  I finally have (better late than never!), and if you haven't, I really encourage you to give it a shot!  Quinoa is gaining popularity as a superfood because of it's amazing nutritional value.  Quinoa is a seed, but is often thought of as a grain.  It is relatively low in calories, high in protein, fiber and many vitamins.  {Source}

The first time I had quinoa was in this quinoa pilaf.  I immediately loved it and since then I've used it as a substitute for rice or pasta.  I've served it topped with apricot chicken and as a topping to a lettuce salad.  There are so many options for quinoa and I have so many more ideas for ways to incorporate it into our meals!

Oh, and on an exciting note...remember a while ago I told you that I'd do a giveaway when I reached 200 GFC followers?  Well, I hit 200 yesterday so it's time to celebrate. I want to thank all of you for reading my blog and for all your comments.  I'll be posting the giveaway later this week, so stay tuned!!!

 

Quinoa Pilaf

Serves 6

You will need:

1 Tablespoon butter
1 large shallot, peeled and chopped
8 baby carrots, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 cup quinoa
1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon salt

1.  Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add shallot, carrots, and celery and cook for 5 minutes.

2.  Add quinoa to a saucepan and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. 

3.  Stir in broth, water, thyme, and salt.

4.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Cook until liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. 

Nutritional facts per serving: 140 calories, 4g fat, 4g protein, 23g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 396mg sodium, 5mg cholesterol

Source:  Family Circle, September 2011

Zuppa Toscana

One of my favorite things to make during the cold winter months is soup.  I love to make a big pot of it, so that we have enough for our meal, plus leftovers for Mike to take to work during the week.  Plus, there's something so comforting about a bowl of hot soup on a cold wintery day!

I've mentioned before my love of Olive Garden.  Every once in a while, they'll run a special for unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks.  It makes for a delicious lunch and it's so filling.  A couple weeks ago, one of my friends posted this recipe on Facebook.  He had just made it for dinner and it sounded delicious.  After asking him a few questions about how to make it, I picked up some of the ingredients at the store and set to work.  The result was a delicious pot of soup!  It's quite filling, especially if served with my Olive Garden Breadsticks!  Mike and I both enjoyed this soup, and it tasted even better the next day.

Zuppa Toscana

Serves 4

You will need:

3 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced.

8 cups water

5 Tablespoons chicken bullion

1 pound Italian sausage, browned

handful of fresh kale, washed

1/2 pint heavy cream

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1.  In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups of water to a boil.

2.  Add in sliced potatoes and boil for 5 minutes.

3.  Add in chicken bullion, browned sausage, and kale and boil for another 5 minutes.

4.  Stir in heavy cream, garlic, and Italian seasoning and simmer for 5 minutes.

5.  Top individual servings with fresh Parmesan cheese before serving.

Recipe from Dave, inspired by Olive Garden

Spaghetti Squash

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving Day!  We really have so much to be thankful for!

Are you still stuffed from the holiday goodies you consumed yesterday?  Or, did you burn off all those extra calories out shopping this morning?  Either way, I thought a healthy recipe would be ideal for today!

Until recently, I had never had spaghetti squash.  I'm not a fan of squash in general, so I assumed that I wouldn't care for spaghetti squash.  My dad prepared some for Sunday dinner and I took a small spoonful to try it.  It was completely different from what I expected, and Mike liked it as well!  I couldn't get it out of my head so I ventured out to my local farmer's market to see if they still had an spaghetti squash, and they did!  I picked up a medium squash and brought it home to prepare for Mike and myself.  It was so easy and delicious, not to mention super healthy!

I served the spaghetti squash topped with spaghetti sauce and Parmesan as a side with pork and potatoes for dinner, but I took just the spaghetti squash and sauce for lunch to work the next day.  You can serve it either way--a side or as the main course.

Spaghetti Squash

Servings depend on the size of your squash and how you serve it.  One medium squash made 4 side-sized servings.

You will need:

1 spaghetti squash

1 Tablespoon butter

salt

Pasta sauce, optional

Parmesan cheese, optional

1.  Using a sharp knife, cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise.  Scoop out seeds and discard.

2.  Place both halves of the squash on a cookie sheet.  Put 1/2 Tablespoon of butter in the center of each piece of squash.

3.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, until squash is softened.

4.  Using a fork, scrape the inside of the squash to form strands and place in a bowl.  Salt to taste.

Serve as is, or if desired, with pasta sauce and parmesan cheese.

Pumpkin Carrot Cake Bread

Let's take a break from apple recipes for a day and focus on pumpkin instead!  When I saw this recipe, I was imediately intrigued.  I was surprised because I am not typically a fan of pumpkin.  However, this recipe just seemed so perfect for fall and now that it's finally feeling like fall up here in Michigan, I thought pumpkin would be perfect!

This bread is very dense--probably more dense than you would expect from a fruit bread.  The slightly sticky and dense texture reminded me of some meal replacement or protein bars I've had in the past.  I think some diced apples or chocolate chips, or maybe even cinnamon chips, would be an excellent addition to this bread!

 Pumpkin Carrot Cake Bread

Makes 1 loaf, about 10 slices

You will need:
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 15oz can pumpkin
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons applesauce (I substituted applesauce for oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup mix-ins: chocolate chips, diced apples, walnuts, raisins etc.

1.  In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.

2.  In a separate bowl, combine egg, pumpkin, sugar, applesauce, and vanilla. 

3.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined.

4.  Fold in grated carrots and any other mix-ins.

5.  Pour into a greased bread pan. 

6.  Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Source:  Faith, Fitness, Fun

Pinwheels

I recently had an opportunity to host a Breakstone's Sour Cream house party.  I had a lot of fun trying their  new Zesty Blends Sour Cream and Sour Cream Dips.  I made 3 appetizer recipes with the Zesty Blends and we dipped veggies, bread, and chips in the dips.  All my friends were impressed the flavors, and we loved the food. Over the next couple days I'll share some of the recipes with you.  First up, Pinwheels!

You will need: (I'm not giving you exact measuments because you can use this recipe to make just one wrap, or multiples)

BREAKSTONE'S Zesty Blends Roasted Garlic and Herb Sour Cream
Flour tortillas
Bacon bits
Lettuce leaves
Thin cut turkey breast
Tomato, diced

1.  Spread each tortilla with Zesty Blends Sour Cream.

2.  Top with 4 slices of turkey, bacon bits, lettuce, and tomato.

3.  Roll up and refrigerate until 5 minutes before serving.

4.  Remove wrap from fridge and cut into 1 inch slices, forming pinwheels.  If desired, you could just eat this as a wrap and not cut into slices.

Adapted from: Breakstone's Facebook Page