While I normally almost never consume red meat, this past weekend Brandon and I were at our local grocer and picked up some of Laura’s Lean Ground Beef. The difference from regular meat? No antibiotics or hormones and the animals are raised in a humane way! I’m all about it!

I have to give Brandon all the credit for making this dish though. I wanted to squeeze in a workout before we started dinner, but he was too impatient to wait. So, while he was the mastermind in the kitchen, I toned and tightened my derrière.  I finished just in time to help him in the assembly line; dip the tortilla, sprinkle cheese, add a little meat, roll up, place in prepared pan. We make a great team, if I do say so myself!

Straight off the website: "Laura's Lean Beef cattle are raised on family farms, on all natural grains and grasses with no animal by-products, without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones.

Sautéed onions are my favorite!!

Check out the finished product! Do these make your mouth water??

Well, they SHOULD!!

Oooey, gooey, cheezy...a medley of flavors in my mouth!

Easy, Breezy, Beefy Enchiladas by The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients: with only a few MINOR changes to make them slightly healthier

FOR THE SAUCE:

• 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
• 1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour
• 1 can (28 Ounce) Enchilada Or Red Sauce
• 2 cups Chicken Broth
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ½ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley OR Cilantro

FOR THE MEAT:

• 1-½ pound LEAN Ground Beef 
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 2 cans (4 Ounce) Diced Green Chilies
• ½ teaspoons Salt

FOR THE TORTILLAS:

• 10 whole (to 14) Corn or flour Tortillas (I prefer flour…)

TO ASSEMBLE:

• 3 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• ½ cups Chopped Black Olives
• 1 cup Chopped Green Onions
• ½ cups Chopped Cilantro

Preparation Instructions

For The Sauce
Add oil and flour in a large skillet and whisk together until you make a paste, cooking for about one minute. Pour in the enchilada sauce (or red sauce), chicken broth, cilantro, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes. WARNING: This will make your kitchen smell amazing!!

On To the Meat
Sauté the onions in a skillet, add meat and cook until browned. If you use lean meat, there won’t really be any fat to drain (yay!). Stir in 2 cans diced green chilies and season with salt. Set aside.

Assembly Line Time!!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have your partner lather about a ½ cup of red sauce in bottom of a baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Have them spread the sauce out evenly. Then it’s your job to dip the tortillas in the red sauce and then remove to the pan. Have your partner add meat, a little grated cheese, a few black olives, and green onions in the center of each tortilla. Now you roll them up and place in the baking pan. Repeat until you use all the tortillas! Pour the extra red sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese (make your partner do it…you deserve a break).

Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle cilantro over enchiladas before serving. Add salsa and sour cream as you like! Oh and…DIG IN!!

sizzling!

SUNSCREEN CHALLENGE: It’s going to be a bright sunny day!! Lots of SPF for me!! Have you taken the challenge yet??

Now on to the recipe stuff. After spending an unnecessary amount of time on the car ride home last night, I was STARVING for dinner. Earlier this week I found a recipe for Mediterranean Rice Casserole over at Diet, Desserts, and Dogs. This woman has some engaging posts and she is one of my new favorite blogs!! Just saying. You should check her out. Anyway, this recipe looked AWESOME and I could not wait to try it! Me + Mediterranean food is ALWAYS a match made in food heaven.

Looks yummy doesn't it?? Don't be fooled...

Well I started out with good intentions. I halved the recipe because you just never know with new recipes. I’m so glad I did because it flopped. Don’t you hate it when you screw up someone else’s recipe? Ug. I should have followed the recipe precisely but instead I tried my hand at making minor substitutions. Maybe it was that I was in a hurry and did not measure properly or I just don’t know how to substitute ingredients. Either way, the balsamic was WAY too over bearing and the dried cherries were overwhelmingly sour.

 I WILL be trying this recipe again though because it definitely has promise and I even brought the leftovers for lunch today (wasn’t THAT bad…see??).  Ok ok, I just HATE throwing away food…good or bad. Can anyone else relate?

The bright side? I paired it with a super foodie, colorful salad…another thing I did for my skin yesterday…bright colors = sunscreen protection!!

Strawberries, raisins, broccoli, onion, tomatoes, spinach, romaine, a little blue cheese...superb!

Mediterranean Rice Casserole adapted from Diet, Desserts, and Dogs

• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 T E.V.O.O
• 2 T walnuts, chopped
• 2 T dried cherries
• 1/2  large onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ~1 1/2 T fresh lemon juice
• 1 T Balsamic Vinegar
• ~1 cup fresh spinach
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Do not follow this recipe…Go to Diet, Desserts, and Dogs for her version!!

 SUNSCREEN CHALLENGE: Have you dedicated yourself to the challenge yet?? I covered up in SPF 50 for my face and neck today. I applied an SPF 30 for my arms and hands. One key place that I think ALOT of people miss is their EARS!! Don’t forget those little guys. So cover up!! What did you do for your skin today!!??

I HAVE A PROBLEM! Sweets are good; period. The End.

The second step is asking for help.

HELP! I’m addicted!!!

The third step is actually doing something about it…??

BAKE!!!???? Instead of completely fighting it, I would rather just practice moderation and so I present to you…the creation of French Toast Crumble.

Sweet, cinnamon, luscious, sugary, delectable, lovable, delightful, palate pleasing, decadent, wicked, dynamite....are those enough describing words? Thesaurus.com

 I’ve always wanted to make a French toast casserole but I just never got around to it. Well, yesterday God must’ve been giving me a kick in the rear because as I was searching through the Pioneer Woman’s site I stumbled upon a French toast casserole recipe that literally had me salivating and I wanted to create my own!!

Making French toast is one of the best ways to get rid of old bread. There’s nothing like crusty bread dipped in a cinnamony egg wash, sizzled on the skillet. SUPERB! We had a half loaf of $.79 Italian bread that I just couldn’t bring myself to waste (you would think I grew up in the Depression).

The Healthy Apron’s French Toast Crumble was born and let me tell you it was super rich and sinful (without the whole milk, heavy cream, and 3/4 cup of butter!!). Even my own sweet tooth could barely handle this one. I couldn’t believe Brandon went back for seconds! My suggestion? Pair a reasonable serving with an ice cold glass of skim and a bowl of fruit. Moderation after all.

Would you like a slice???

Fresh pineapple, strawberries, blackberries, and banana slices!!

French Toast Crumble

Serves 6

• 1/2 loaf of crusty bread…whether it be $.79 Italian or a $6 whole grain loaf from Great Harvest…just make sure it’s hearty!
• 4 eggs OR lighten it up by using 2 eggs and 4 egg whites (we didn’t have that many eggs!!)
• 1 1/4 cup 1% milk
• 3 T granulated sugar
• 1 T Pure vanilla extract

Spray an 8 x8 ” glass baking dish heavily with cooking spray and cut up loaf into 1 inch cubes. Throw the cubes into the dish. Meanwhile, mix together eggs, sugar, milk, and vanilla and pour over the bread. Set in fridge overnight or for at least an hour! While that is in the fridge, let’s put together the crumble!!

• 2 T Flour
• 2 T whole oats
• 2 T oat flour
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1-2 T COLD unsalted butter

Mix all ingredients together and cut in the butter until crumbly. I originally used too much butter (2-3 T) and it turned out less crumbly and more like a paste. So my BEST suggestion is to start with LESS (1-2 T) and add until you get a crumbly consistency. Set aside.

Once you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and sprinkle the crumble over the egg/bread mix. Give the top one more sprinkle of cinnamon and bake in the oven for ~45 minutes!

I think next time I would try to sprinkle some crushed pecans!! Just for some extra decadence!! You could also add a layer of fresh fruit! Use your imagination!!

Nutritional Profile (per serving): 286 calories, 10 g fat (4.4 g sat), 42 g carbohydrate, 1.7 g Fiber, 21 g Sugars, 10.4 g protein, 197 mg cholesterol

 I am NOT considering this a healthy dish BUT as long as you don’t make this every weekend, I don’t see why you can’t go ahead and indulge a little. Trust me, you won’t regret it!

MMmmmMMmm Good.

QUESTION:  What is your favorite breakfast indulgence and are you going to try this!!!!!!????????

As promised, I wanted to share pictures from my birthday celebration last weekend. I feel that there is no better way to spend a birthday than with your family.  My parents always make me feel extra special and even have little ”birthday parties” for me.  My mom always makes a delicious cake and has birthday presents to open. I literally feel like a kid again. Is there anything your family still does for you that makes you feel like a kid??

While I was growing up, the only variety of cake  I would touch was strawberry. Perhaps it was the fact that it was pink…I don’t know. But even now that I like all different kinds, my mom knows that strawberry is STILL my favorite.  The cake pictured above was a two-layer, strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting. Yum! My mom has a dynamite recipe and I cannot even begin to describe how dense and moist this cake is! Done to perfection!

Dinner was a huge assortment of foods. I did not get a picture because by the time I remembered; only scraps were left. A few of the menu items?  BBQ chicken, red roasted potatoes, a big veggie salad, fresh Italian bread, and a tomato, zucchini, and caramelized onion gratin.

A LOADED veggie salad...my own contribution to the evening fare.

Everything was extremely tasty! The gratin was inspired by Pam at For The Love Of Cooking. She has some wonderful recipes to share and this one in particular really sparked my interest. The dish was all kinds of flavorful and the parmesan gave it a buttery bite. You can bet I will be making this again! Thanks to Pam for a recipe that was such a hit!

Tomato, Zucchini, and Caramelized Onion Gratin adapted from For The Love of Cooking

• 3-5 large Roma tomatoes, sliced
• 1 large zucchini (or 2 small ones), sliced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup of FRESHLY grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 2-3 leaves of parsley or basil, chopped for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray an 8 x 8 ” dish with cooking spray. Slice tomato, zucchini, and onion into thick slices, and mince garlic.

Sliced and ready to go!

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and then sauté onion slices for ~20 minutes or until golden brown and caramelized, seasoning with salt to taste. Add garlic and continue to sauté for ~1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool.

Layer tomatoes and zucchini in the bottom of your baking dish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Then add the caramelized onion and garlic. Top with another layer of zucchini and tomato. Be sure to season each layer with a tiny bit of salt and pepper. Top with the remaining parmesan cheese and sprinkle with the dried basil. Cover with foil and bake 20-25 minutes. Remove the foil and broil for another 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on top. Let cool a couple minutes and garnish with fresh parsley or basil! Then eat up!!!

"Practically perfect in every way..."

When we headed back to Toledo the following day, Brandon wanted to take me out to dinner at our FAVORITE seafood restaurant. Mancy’s Blue Water Grill is quite the “fine dining” experience and I was really excited to get dressed up! Brandon also had a little birthday surprise for me!

I love shiny little boxes with big bows! Don't you!!???

I was so surprised to get a new ring for my right hand! Good job hubby!! I was beaming and we still had dinner to get to! Check out the menu!

Always start the evening with a salad

I'm not one who skips the bread basket, I actually ate two of these!

Maple Glazed Salmon with Butternut Squash Ravioli

As you can tell, there was no room for dessert ,but we had a wonderful time and it was such a memorable birthday.

CHEERS!

I am sad to see such a fun weekend come and go. We went out with friends both Friday and Saturday night and just had a blast. On Sunday we caught up on chores, got in a grocery shop, and watched the movie The Blind Side. I loved Sandra Bullock in this film. Anyone else think she had an outstanding role??  I was teary throughout the whole thing!

ANYWAY, I have some fantastic recipes coming up this week and I hope you will keep checking back! What’s on the menu??

• Monday: Asiago Salmon with baked sweet potatoes and salad
• Tuesday: Eating at The Happy Badger with a friend (Review time!!)
• Wednesday: Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesadillas
• Thursday: Whole Wheat Baked Crispy Chicken
• Friday/Saturday/Sunday: TBD

All the recipes I am using this week are courtesy of Jessica from How Sweet It Is. She has a marvelous site that provides lots of recipes, nutrition, and fitness tips! Be sure to check it out!

In the meantime, the following recipe is one that was recommended by a friend earlier last year. Since I’ve been trying to have both Brandon and I eat more vegetarian meals, this recipe was perfect! Beans are one of my favorite substitutions for meat!

 This Two-Bean Tamale Pie has lots of terrific flavors that mesh beautifully! I even found a whole wheat corn muffin mix to add an extra boost of nutrition.  Hope you try it out! You will not regret it!!

“Beans Beans the musical fruit, the more you eat em’ the more you…!”

Anyone else watch any good movies this weekend??

Two Bean Tamale Pie (courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens)

Makes 6 main dish servings

• 1 cup chopped green sweet pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 T Olive oil
• 1 (15 oz) can kidney or black beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 (6 oz) can vegetable juice
• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chile peppers, undrained
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 (8.5 oz) package corn muffin mix (I used whole wheat variety)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley

Directions:

Spray a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Set Aside.

In a skillet, cook the green pepper, onion, and garlic in hot oil until tender. Stir in both kinds of beans, vegetable juice, chile peppers, chili powder, and cumin; heat through. Spoon the bean mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Now, prepare the corn muffin mix per package directions. Fold in cheese and cilantro, stir until just combine. Spoon the cornbread mixture evenly over the bean mixture and bake (uncovered) for 25 minutes at 400 degrees.

Serve with salsa and sour cream, if desired.

Nutritional Profile (1 serving): 359 calories, 10 g Fat (2 g sat.), 10 mg cholesterol, 842 mg sodium, 57 g carbohydrate, 9 g Fiber, 15 g Protein, 17% Iron, 61% Vitamin C

*I used no added salt, organic beans which probably alters the sodium content!

     I have come a long way since then and find myself eagerly looking for new challenges in the kitchen. I explore cookbooks and websites in search of new recipes to try and ponder ways to make them healthier. Since I knew Brandon loves tuna noodle casserole, I was on a quest to find a unique recipe.  I found a new twist on traditional tuna noodle casserole on my tried and true favorite recipe site; CookingLight.com.  It was phenomenal!  Without the use of cream of mushroom soup, the sauce was still rich, thick, and creamy!  Not a lot of conversation went on as we happily savored every bite with lots of mmm’s and yums.
    A small warning; the Dijon mustard was potent, so if you do not care for Dijon I might suggest using a little less. I also used whole wheat egg noddles for some extra added fiber. The portions are generous and I served it with warm, homemade garlic bread. The perfect ending to a relaxing day. Comfort food at it’s finest and healthiest!   mmmm

Tuna Noodle Casserole:

CookingLight
Makes 6, 1 1/3c. servings

8oz whole wheat wide egg noodles
2 T olive oil
1/2c. chopped yellow onion
1/3c. chopped carrot
2 T flour
2 3/4c. 1% milk
1/2c. softened cream cheese
2 T Dijon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 c. frozen peas
1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided
2 (5oz) cans albacore tuna

Directions:
Preheat broiler. Cook noodles according to package directions, drain.

Heat a skillet, add oil to pan; add onion and carrot, cook 6 mins.

Sprinkle in flour, cook ~1 min, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in milk, cook ~5 mins, stirring constantly with a whisk until slightly thick. Stir in cream cheese, mustard, salt, pepper, and tuna, cook ~2 mins, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Stir in noodles, peas, and 1/4c. parmesan cheese. Spoon into a 9 x 9″ dish coated with cooking spray and top with remainder of cheese (I saved a little for topping once served). Broil 3 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Nutrition per serving:
422 calories, 16.5g fat (7g saturated fat, 6.3g mono, 1.8g poly), 27.4g protein, 40.6g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 88mg cholesterol, 2.4 mg iron, 756mg sodium, 293 mg calcium
Omega 3 fatty acids should be a regular part of a balanced diet. Recent research suggests consuming two servings of fatty fish to meet your omega 3 quota a week. Albacore tuna, as used in this recipe, is a great source of omega 3′s!  Some other great sources include Wild Alaskan Salmon, pollock, catfish, and shrimp.

    The greatest challenge in making lasagna healthy is that there is just SO much filling in the layers and layers of pasta. How can you possibly leave a layer topping-less to cut fat and calories? It just doesn’t work. So I thought about nixing the lasagna noodles altogether and opting for whole wheat egg noodles and also cutting back on the meat. The idea was planted, now I just had to put it in to practice.

    I kept the sauce the same as the original recipe, I mean come on I’m no Italian Mama, but I did cut way back on the meat!  As the sauce simmered, the flavors all blended to create a chunky marinara that was both sweet and tangy from the balsamic vinegar and cayenne. Yum! I could not wait to put the dish together!

    I mushed together the ricotta, spinach, parmesan, and one egg white. The egg white made the cheese mix a lot more spreadable. I decided to mix the noodles with the ricotta spread and then layer with mozzarella. The end results? A lusciously cheesy blend of good old Italian food! I was so pleased with the taste and the fact that I cut just over 200 calories, 16 grams of fat, and shed 40 minutes off the baking time!! Impressive? Why yes… if I do say so myself!
 Let me know what you think!! My husband and I both loved it and this is one meal I can’t wait to eat for leftovers tonight!  

Three Cheese “Lasagna” Bake!
Adapted from Three Cheese Lasagna from The Noshery
Makes 9 servings

Sauce:
1/2 T Olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
7.5oz diced tomatoes
7.5oz tomato sauce (I used Meijer Organic Tomato Sauce)
2 T Fresh Parsley
1 T Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 tsp dried Oregano
Couple dashes of Cayenne pepper
1 Jennie-O Turkey Sausage link, casing removed

Add Olive oil to a skillet over medium heat and add onion and garlic. Sauté until softened and then add the sausage link; sauté until cooked through and crumbled (~5 minutes). Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the flavors blend.

Pasta:
4oz wide whole wheat egg noodles (~4 cups uncooked)
7.5oz part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh spinach leaves
1 large egg white
3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, combine ricotta, parmesan, and spinach, seasoning with a dash of salt and pepper. Mix in egg white. When pasta is finished cooking, drain and combine with ricotta mixture until blended well.

To assemble the dish, in a 9 x9″ dish coated with cooking spray, add a thin layer of sauce to the bottom of the pan and then add half the pasta mixture, a thin layer of sauce, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Then add the second half of the pasta, pour the remaining sauce over the top, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese. Bake ~35-40 minutes. Makes 9 servings.
 
Nutritional Profile: 180 calories, 7.5g Fat (3.8g Sat.), 406mg sodium, 17.2g Carbohydrate, 2.6g Fiber, 12.5g Protein

Nutritional Comparison to Three Cheese Lasagna: 443 calories, 23.8g fat (11.3g sat.) 696mg sodium, 27.5g carbohydrate, 2.2g Fiber, 27.7g Protein

    After carefully reading through the instructions, I realized that the frozen broccoli needed to be thawed. Luckily I noticed this about an hour before I needed the casserole to be done because since I did not have a dish big enough to fit all the broccoli in the microwave at once, I had to go in shifts. 30 minutes later, the broccoli was thawed. Shish. I wish I would have just put the bag in the fridge in the morning *side note…do this!*

    Then I got distracted by my cat while the milk was in the saucepan and it started to curdle. *side note: when it says to “stir CONSTANTLY,” DO IT!* So after I stirred out some of the lumps (ug), I removed the pan from heat and added the rest of the ingredients. Maybe I should have started over but come on, a little curdled milk never hurt anyone.  Right? At least I sampled it first before giving some to Brandon!

    The sauce had a unique, cheesy flavor and the onion added a sort of sweetness. Good enough for me! So I poured the cheese mix over the broccoli. It was so thick that it just sort of stayed on the top. hmmm.

    I also tweaked the breadcrumb topping a bit by using a combination of wheat bran,  flax, and Italian breadcrumbs. It turned out to be a nice combination!

    I baked the casserole for just over 25 minutes and upon careful consideration, thought it tasted fantastic. I know I was negative but I ended up really liking it! Brandon, however, thought it was okay and did not jump at the opportunity to take seconds. I brought it in for leftovers though, as I showed in my LUNCHBOX.

    Definitely something different! Let me know if you try it out! Oh and I changed my mind since this morning. This broccoli casserole is hitting the spot for lunch!

 
Zesty Broccoli Casserole
Adapted from Cooking Light.com
 
3 (10 oz) packages frozen broccoli florets, THAWED
Cooking Spray
1 1/2 cups 1% milk
2 1/2 T all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup (4oz) 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/2 cup Hellman’s Olive oil Mayonnaise (the original recipe called for 1 cup fat-free mayo)
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup breadcrumbs (I used 3 T wheat bran, 1 T flax, 3 T Italian breadcrumbs when I HALVED the recipe)
2 tsp melted butter
OMITTED: 1 (8oz) can water chestnuts, rinsed, drained, sliced…just didn’t have any on hand.

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat 375 degrees.
 
Arrange broccoli, THAWED in 11 x 7″  baking dish coated with cooking spray.
 
Combine milk, flour, salt, and pepper in a large saucepan over medium heat, STIR CONSTANTLY until boils. Cook 1 minute or until thick and remove from heat. Add cheddar and cream cheeses, stir until smooth. Stir in mayo and onion. Spoon evenly over broccoli.
 
Place breadcrumbs in a small dish and mix with melted butter. Sprinkle over casserole and spray bread crumb top lightly with cooking spray. Bake 25 minutes or until mixture begins to bubble.
Nutritional Profile (with 1 cup of fat-free mayo instead of 1/2 cup Hellman’s Olive Oil Mayonaise): 141 calories, 4.9g fat (2.6g sat, 2.6g mono, 1.3 g poly), 17.9g carbohydrates, 484mg sodium, 8.6g protein, 4.1g Fiber, 173 mg Calcium

     After creating this “paella” and comparing the ingredients to the actual definition, I realized that I did not really create “paella” at all. Saffron? no check, Shellfish? no check check, and chicken? Does turkey sausage count?

    Hmm. so what’s a cook to call this? Paella sounds so much closer to “gourmet” than something like “Erin’s Healthy and Delicious Rice and Beans.” Any ideas?

      Without dwelling on the definition any longer, just know that we thoroughly enjoyed this creation. I started with an easy paella recipe from Martha Stewart. Is there nothing this woman cannot do? My Grandma loves her and indeed CRIED when she was sentenced for that whole stock market scandal. Anyway, I tweaked the recipe as my cupboard and fridge saw fit and the recipe below is what I came up with.

     The dish was full of flavor and the aroma from the pan filled our apartment. Brandon couldn’t wait to dig in when he came home. We were delighted with every bite and although I could hardly finish a 1/2 cup ( it basically expands in your stomach and then it hits you almost instantly that you are FULL ), for what I did eat, it tasted excellent!  Oh and we also had a spinach salad and garlic bread to compliment. Yum! I love bread!

    There is nothing bland about this combination of foods and it has such an awesome nutritional profile! The addition of tumeric gives it a great boost of nutrition. In fact, tumeric has been shown to have natural anti-inflammatory properties (helping those with arthritis), speed up the wound healing process, and it might possibly aid in fat metabolism. Seems to be worth an addition to the diet!

    This could easily simmer in the crockpot for the day and make for a quick dinner!

   “Paella” The Healthy Apron’s Way
Makes 4 generous servings! Probably roughly 1 1/2 cups!
Adapted from “Easy Paella” by Martha Stewart
1 T Olive Oil
8 oz of Turkey Sausage or lean beef (antibiotic and hormone-free preferred): OPTIONAL…great without!
1/2 a large onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
3/4c long grain brown rice
1 cup black beans or 1 (15 oz) can if you are going sans meat! (rinsed and drained or no salt added variety)
1/8 tsp paprika
1 tsp tumeric
7.5 oz canned diced tomatoes
1 (14.5oz) can low sodium chicken broth
salt/pepper to taste (I used just a dash of each)
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Directions:
1. Add 1 T olive oil to a large saute pan and add sausage. Cook at medium heat until just beginning to brown and then add onion and cook until translucent, stirring frequently (~3-4 minutes). Add the garlic and rice and stir until rice is translucent (~1-2 minutes).
2. Stir in paprika, tumeric, diced tomatoes, black beans, and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover and cook until most of the liquid has absorbed  (~45-60 minutes). Stir in peas and cook 1 more minute. Serve immediately.
*I would guess 3-4 hours in the crockpot would suffice OR 8 hours if it was on a very low setting. I have not tried this though so use your best judgement and let me know how it turns out!
Nutritional Profile (per serving): 260 calories, 8.1g fat (1.9g sat, 0.6 poly, 2.6 mono), 40mg cholesterol, 27.5g carbohydrate, 6.7g fiber, 19.8g protein, 3.1 g sugars, 239mg sodium, 335mg potassium

20% Vitamin A, 20% Vitamin C, 22% Folate, 12% Phosphorus,  16% Thiamin

 I have to say that I am obsessed with Cooking Light’s recipe selection.  I have never tried a recipe from that site or magazine that has failed me. I feel as though I could go on and sing their praises for paragraphs but instead of sounding like an infomercial, I will just suggest that if you haven’t yet perused their site or subscribed to their magazine…you are missing out.  You will find countless, healthy recipes that can be used by even the most amateur of cooks. I admit some of the recipes require lots of ingredients that could seem intimidating but if you could even try one recipe, your taste buds will thank you and you will improve your cooking skills!

     The following casserole recipe will hit the spot on any night of the week. As long as you plan ahead and pick up some extra ingredients, this casserole is 100% worth the extra few minutes to prepare. I tried this recipe one night a couple weeks ago and Brandon and I were absolutely floored by the rich and creamy texture we found in every layer. Oh and the crunch from the little tortilla chips on top is superb! With a dollop of sour cream and a couple tablespoons of salsa you have yourself a healthy and delicious meal to enjoy!
Mexican Chicken Casserole (from cookinglight.com)

1 cup, 33% less sodium chicken broth
2 (4.5oz) cans chopped green chiles, divided
1 3/4lb skinned, boneless chicken breasts
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1 cup Monterey jack cheese
1/4 cup light cream cheese
1 (10oz) can enchilada sauce
12 (6″) corn tortillas
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1 oz Multi grain tortilla chips, crushed

Directions:
1. Combine broth and 1 can of chiles in a skillet and bring to a boil. Add chicken and reduce heat, simmer 15 mins or until chicken is cooked through (turn the chicken once). Remove the chicken from the liquid (reserve the liquid); cool chicken and shred.
2. Preheat oven 350 degrees
3. Heat oil in the same skillet you prepared the chicken. Add the other can of chiles and chopped onion, saute ~3 minutes. Add the reserved liquid, milk, jack cheese, cream cheese, and enchilada sauce; stir well. Add the shredded chicken and cook another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Place 4 tortillas in a 2 qt casserole dish coated with cooking spray. (Do not worry if the tortillas don’t cover the entire bottom or layer).  Spoon 2 cups of the chicken mix over the tortillas. Repeat layers twice, ending with the chicken mix on the top. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and crushed tortilla chips. Bake ~30 minutes.
 Nutritional Information:

8 servings (1 cup each)
369 calories, 11.4g fat (5g sat., 3.8g monounsaturated,  1.4g polyunsaturated), 35.6 g protein, 31.3g carb, 3g Fiber, 79mg cholesterol, 2.4 mg iron, 479mg sodium, 360mg calcium