This is a "repeat post" but I think it is a great salad to add to your Thanksgiving table!  



Ingredients:

1-8 oz bag of spinach
1-5 oz container of reduced fat blue cheese, I used about 3-4 oz.
1-5 oz container of vanilla or honey greek yogurt, I used Dannon's Honey Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup of white wine, I used [yellow tail] Reisling
1 cup of fresh or dried cherries or dried cranberries, halved and pitted 
Optional-your favorite nut; walnut, pecan, or almond


Directions:

-Rinse Spinach and place in a medium size bowl.  Add the blue cheese and cherries/cranberries and toss.
-Place yogurt in a small bowl.
-Add the wine and mix until blended together nicely, then set aside.
-You can either mix in the yogurt dressing into the salad until everything is coasted nicely OR serve it on the side, so everyone can add their own.
-If you add the nuts into the salad.  I suggest having the nuts on the side because if they are mixed into to the dressing they may get soggy.  The nuts provide a great crunch and should be sprinkled on top, they also provide a great presentation.



Healthy Eatings, 

Rachel

Yesterday was a balmy 45 degrees at my house, perfect time to find the deep freezer in need of defrosting.  I suddenly found myself knee deep in meat and ice and wondering, what should I fix for dinner?  Naturally I chose pork chops, but unlike the Brady's we did not have "porkchops and applesauce".   This recipe uses a nut free pesto that provides great flavor and a gluten-free side, that is also very tasty.

Please note: If you click on the links below to the Frieda's products, please note that the prices are for multi-unit packages and the prices at your local store will vary.



Ingredients:

4-6 pork chops, thawed
1-2 jars Frieda's Tomato Pesto
1 package Frieda's Sun Dried Tomato and Garlic Polenta


Directions:

-Place pork chops in a marinating container or glass pan.  Cover with the pesto, place lid or saran wrap on the container, then place in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.
-Turn oven to broil or preheat your grill.
-Cut polenta into slices
-Place pork pesto side up on foil covered grill or on in a pan in the oven
-Flip after about 7-8 minutes, cooking to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees
-Place polenta on grill or in oven, flip after about 4 minutes until golden brown and soft
-Transfer to a serving plate with the polenta placed on top of the pork chops.



Healthy Eatings,




Rachel

I made these on vacation for some friends because I wanted something that would taste great without a lot of work or extra pressure to get it just right.


Ingredients:

1 bottle of beer-I used Bud Light
4-6 steaks-I used Top Sirloin Filets
McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning
6 oz feta cheese
3 portabello mushroom caps, de-gilled, and diced


Early in the day:

Place steaks in a container and pour beer over top until the steaks are covered.  Sprinkle about a table spoon of the seasoning on top.  Place lid or cling wrap over the container and refridgerate for at least 3-5 hours.



Directions:

-Grill the steaks to you preferred temperature.
-Place mushrooms in a small sautee pan with a bit of olive oil or butter.  
-Sautee until soft 
-Reduce heat to low and add the feta cheese until it is soft and melting.

Serve the steaks with the mushrooms and cheese on the side or on top.


I paired this recipe with broiled garlic asparagus (recipe below) and boiled baby yukon potatoes.

Garlic Asparagus:

-1 bunch asparagus placed in a baking dish.
-Spread about a tablespoon of butter over the asparagus
-Use a clove of fresh pressed garlic and spread over top
-Broil about 5-8 minutes, flipping the asparagus every couple of minutes







Healthy Eatings,




Rachel

Ever have those days or weeks where nothing goes right??  In the past few weeks I have been in such a cooking rut and to top it all off, I had lost my newest issue of Food Network Magazine.  I was really struggling because I wanted to post a new recipe, but had nothing to post.  A couple of good friends brought to my attention that maybe I was so excited for my upcoming vacation that my heart wasn't in it and could post some healthy tips when I have "cookers block" (my version of writers block).  So, in addition to some new recipe posts I am going to be infusing some quick health tips into the blog.  I really hope that you enjoy these posts in addition to enjoying my recipes.  I am also hoping to gain some "southern inspiration" while on vacation in Tennessee and North Carolina.



Healthy Eatings,


Rachel

One of my favorite meals that my grandma and my mom used to make was chicken and rice. However, I could never perfect the rice and I wanted a version with less sodium.  This is one of those recipes that has taken me years to perfect into something that I would eat again because it was just not where I wanted it.  I was not overly positive that this recipe was going to turn out because I was starting to get frustrated by not being able to "perfect" it.


A side note...The rice I used in this recipe is on the pricier side (and my youngest thought it was birdseed at first :) ).  I feel the health benefits outweighs the higher price, as it is higher in dietary fiber and protein than regular white or brown rice.  Also, this is a gluten free rice option for families who have special dietary needs. With that being said, if your budget does not support this rice or it is not available at your local grocery store, you can substitute what works best for you.  Coupons are also available through the Lundberg website, linked in the Ingredients section.

I have listed some very specific ingredients because they are what I used and I really liked the result.


Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/2 pounds of chicken pounded thin and as uniform as possible
16 ounces of Lundberg Wild Rice Blend, cooked to the package directions.
1 Teaspoon of Mrs. Dash Onion and Herb Blend Seasoning
1 can Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 container Philadelphia Cooking Creme
3-4 cups brussel sprouts, steamed for 4-5 minutes depending on size of sprouts.
1/2 cup milk




Directions

-Broil the chicken for about 6-8 minutes (3-4 minutes on each side)
-In a large bowl mix together the cooked rice, soup, cooking creme, brussel sprouts, milk and seasoning
-After the chicken is finished, cut it up into pieces (how big is up to you) then add to the rice mixture
-Spread everything into the pan, cover with foil and bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees
-Remove foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes if needed.



Healthy Eatings,

Rachel

I love eggs for breakfast.  But lets face it, on busy weekday mornings it is hard to cook eggs for the whole family and get out of the door on time.  My mother in law had a great recipe for a breakfast casserole, but I wanted to make it my own--easy to remember, and toppings my family would enjoy.  This recipe is great to make the night before and cook in the morning (it does take about an hour to bake) or to make over the weekend and just re-heat during the week.  So here it is:



Ingredients:

1/2 loaf of wheat bread-I love to use home made or artisan wheat bread because it is heartier
10 eggs
1 cup of heavy cream-you can use milk, I just like the thickness of the cream.
2 cups shredded cheese-I like to use a colby jack or whatever I have in the fridge.
Toppings (whatever you like):
My usual toppings included:
Zucchini
Red Peppers
Portabella Mushrooms
Spinach
9x13 pan




Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Grease 9x13 pan
-break bread and spread it evenly across the bottom of the pan, and set aside
-in a bowl break eggs and whisk them about 30 seconds
-add cream and 1 cup of cheeses to the eggs and whisk together, then set aside
-chop you toppings then layer them on top of the bread
-pour the egg mixture over the bread and veggies
-Let the pan sit for a couple minutes to allow the egg mixture soak into the bread
-Cover and place in the oven for about 45 minutes
-Uncover and spread the remaining cheese on top, place back in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the middle is firm.


I hope you enjoy this great breakfast with your family!!


Healthy Eatings,

Rachel

I love corn and we had some left over ears that we had to get eating right away, so here is a great recipe to use up those last few ears of corn or in the winter when you need a hearty meal and you can substitute frozen corn.


Ingredients:

Jumbo Shells-I used about 1/2 of the box or about 20 shells)
1/4 to 1/2 cup of white wine-I used a Pinot Gris
2 eggs
16oz of  tomatoes-I used cherry and baby heirloom tomatoes
12 oz can of tomato paste
1 cup cooked spinach
Italian seasoning
15 oz of Ricotta cheese
4 ears of corn (or about 2 cups)
8 oz feta cheese
8 oz Italian or mozzarella cheese
1 jar of artichoke hearts
9 x 13 pan lightly greased


Directions:

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees
-Cut the tomatoes (how small you cut them depends on how chunky you want your sauce) and the artichokes then place in a large bowl.
-Add the white wine to the bowl with the tomatoes and artichokes and set aside.
-Set 2 pots to boil, 1 for the corn and 1 for the shells (Add a little olive oil to the pot for the shells).  After they are brought to a boil, add the corn and shells and cook until tender.
-Mix the ricotta cheese, feta cheese, eggs and spinach together in a bowl and set aside.
-Take the tomatoes and artichoke mix and simmer in a pot until the tomatoes are soft, then add in the tomato paste and Italian seasoning to taste and mix until it bubbles, then remove from heat.
-drain the corn and use a sharp knife to remove the corn from the cob (I use a Kyotsu knife).  Add the corn to the cheese mixture.
-Drain and rinse the shells
-Spread a soup ladle nor two worth of sauce on the bottom of the pan.
-Stuff the shells with approximately 2 Tablespoons (I did not really measure it out, just eyeballed it) worth of the cheese, spinach and corn mixture and place in your pan
-Cover the shells with the remaining sauce
-Cover with foil and place in the oven for 30 minutes
-Remove the foil, sprinkle with shredded cheese and place back in the oven for 30 more minutes.



Healthy Eatings, 

Rachel

Hard to believe that my last post was in July!!!  The summer is filled with such great vegetables and fruits, just ripe for recipe creating and experimenting (that was supposed to be a bad joke, it is okay to laugh a little to yourself).  I guess I got carried away with all the eating and creating I forgot to post.  That will change today!!  I will be posting some of my latest and greatest (or at least my family thinks they are great) throughout the rest of this week.




Thanks for your patience...


Healthy Eatings,

Rachel

I had some leftover steak from a cookout. I am not a huge fan of leftover steak, so I wanted to think of something I could do to use that steak in a whole new way.  While thumbing through a cooking magazine, I found a recipe that I thought was good, and made it a little better.  What I came up with was Steak Oscar Pasta.




Ingredients:
8oz pasta-I used Barilla Plus Elbows
Steak-I used an Angus Sirloin, grilled to medium the day before.  
Asparagus, about 1 pound, cut
Green onions, one bunch, chopped
Crab Meat-I used about 6 oz
1/2 cup mayo-I use Kraft Mayo with Olive Oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Mrs Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning-I used about a 1/4 tsp-1/2 tsp of seasoning


Directions:
-Cut up the steak and place in large bowl (I kept my steak cold, you can have it warm or cold)
-In a separate bowl, mix mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese together
-Add the seasoning and crab meat, and mix well then set aside
-Cook pasta according to the directions.
-For the last 2 minutes add the asparagus and green onion to the pasta water.
-Drain and place in the large bowl with the steak, add sauce and mix well.







Healthy Eatings,

Rachel