Archive for Quick Dinner Ideas

Because Baby It’s Cold Outside!

November 30, 2010 · Filed under Quick Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Turkey · Tagged , , ,

What can I say, when it is cold outside I COOK!   I turn up the Christmas music and hunt for recipes that warm my house, smell good, and bring us all to the table for a hot meal.

Here is another EASY GEM!  I make this one the night before and then just throw it in the oven around 5pm!  Delish!

 Brown Rice Meatloaf, by Tosca Reno

 

  • 1 lb lean ground turkey or chicken or bison

  • 1 cup cooked brown rice *(when I make brown rice I make extra and put in a ziplock.  Works great here, or added to soups, chili, stews. So instead of making rice just for this recipe, make something the night before with brown rice on the side and then you are doing double-duty!)

  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup low fat yogurt (yogurt cheese)
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped red, green, or yellow bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup celery
  • 1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp crumbled dried oregano
  • 1 tsp crumbled dried basil
  • Cooking spray

    *first place 4 sheets of cheesecloth (or a clean, thin, dish towel) in a strainer and put in plain yogurt to drain overnight in frig…or about 1 hour before making the meatloaf.  I do it a whole container at a time because the consistency is like cream cheese, so we eat it on bread, or I add to it to make dips.  Pretty much anywhere you would use cream cheese or sour cream, you can use the MUCH healthier yogurt cheese.  You can even add powdered sugar and get a sweet treat with no fat! Perfect for frosting cake or cookies!

  • You can just add the yogurt, but it holds to better when it is thicker as in yogurt cheese.
  • Preheat Oven to 350
    In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients with clean hands. Place in a loaf pan that has been prepared with a light coating of nonstick cooking spray. Bake for about one hour.
  • I add ketchup on top (no this is not clean eating, but it IS MEATLOAF) about 10 minutes before it is done
  • Remove from oven and let stand for ten minutes before cutting.Serve with a big yummy salad!

 

Every single time I have made this it has been devoured…yes by the kids too!  I always make it thinking I will treat myself to a meatloaf sandwich the next day…to date, there have been no leftovers to work with!  Don’t let the Brown Rice deter you, it is just a healthier filler than white, processed bread crumbs!

The 411 on Brown Rice Meatloaf  Calories 149 per slice/Fat 1g/Protein 20g/Carbs 12g/ Fiber 1 g 



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Tortilla Soup.

October 28, 2010 · Filed under Quick Dinner Ideas, Soups & Chilis · Tagged , , , , ,

Easy. Healthy. Fun.

Tortilla Soup

1 Tbsp olive oil (could omit completely)
3 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp dried onion
1- 4 oz. can of chopped green chilis
1- 15 0z. can of beef broth
2- 15 oz. cans of chicken broth
2- 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1- 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen sweet corn
1 tsp each of ground cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper
1 Tbsp steak sauce
1 cup water
1 1/2-2 cups of shredded chicken

Toppings:
grated cheddar cheese
baked tortilla chips
fat free sour cream

And kids love it!

In a large dutch oven, saute onion and garlic in oil. Add rest of the ingredients (except for toppings) and let simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours.   Or place it all in a Slow Cooker in the morning and simply leave it on warm.

To serve, top with chips, grated cheese and sour cream/greek yogurt.

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Jessica’s Tostada

October 27, 2010 · Filed under Kid Tip, kids, Quick Dinner Ideas, Turkey · Tagged , , , ,

Well luckily her book had not been released yet, or one might think I stole her idea!  I turned on Oprah last night to see Jessica Seinfeld is out with a new cook book (this one appears to have less pureeing, blending, and overall work in general) and one of her recipes was an easy Tostada for kids!  Jessica, great minds think alike!  So here is another variation on the quick,  healthy tostada for dinner.  We have served this in our house for a long time, and it NEVER fails!

Jessica Seinfeld's take on the Tostada

Servings: Serves 4

Ingredients

20-Minute Turkey Tostadas Recipe
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 small red onion , chopped
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 can (15.5 ounces) pinto beans , rinsed
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • Salsa and lettuce and avocado and cheddar cheese and sour cream for serving

Directions

Heat the oven to 400. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the turkey and cook, crumbling with the back of a spoon until no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour 2 tablespoons of oil on to a sheet pan and coat the tortillas. Bake, flipping the tortillas halfway through, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir the tomatoes, chili powder, salt and pepper into the skillet and simmer, about 3 minutes. Make a well in the middle of the turkey mixture. Add the beans and mash with the back of a spoon. Continue to cook, stirring, until heated through.

Top the warm tortillas with the turkey mixture and add salsa, lettuce, avocado, cheddar cheese and sour cream to taste.

http://www.oprah.com/food/20-Minute-Turkey-Tostadas-Recipe

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The Tostada! Simple. Healthy. 15 minutes.

October 20, 2010 · Filed under Quick Dinner Ideas, Turkey, Veggies · Tagged , , , ,

15 minutes, start to finish

A Healthy Twist On The

Tostada

So perhaps your experience with Tostada’s is like mine, and dates back to college, and late night Runs to the Border!  What did we love about the Tostada?  We loved that it was a giant CHIP that carried all the yummy stuff right to our mouths!  DELISH!

Well this GIANT chip can also carry wholesome, healthy ingredients to our mouths, and they are FAST, easy and fun!

I put a base of black beans and avocado right on the shell:

  • Open and rinse one can of black beans, dump into a mixing bowl
  • Dice up one avocado and add to the bowl

  • microwave for 10 seconds and then mash (I use a potato masher, can buy them at Safeway or any kitchen store)

Now take that mixture and cover your Tostada’s!

Does this look pretty, no!  But no worries, we are going to cover it up!  But right here, if you added nothing else but the cheese, look at what your kids are eating…BLACK BEANS and AVOCADO!  Two pretty perfect foods.  Healthy protein, healthy fats – Omega-3′s, calcium, iron, Vit A, Vit C!  Not bad! 

Now my kids will take this and be fine with melted cheese on top, nothing else.  However I can also get chicken, or ground turkey on there if I have it.   So if adding any other meat put that on now!  These (below) have chicken on them.

Sprinkle with cheese and broil for about 2 minutes!  That works for me, but you know your oven, so do what you need to do to melt the cheese and not burn the Tostada.

Now each family member can have it THEIR WAY!  Things that you can add:

  • Greek yogurt/sour cream
  • Salsa
  • Diced green/red onion
  • Diced jalapeno
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Diced olives

Top and SERVE!  15 minutes (start to finish) and you can have a pretty healthy dinner on the table!  Plus Mom and Dad get a Corona with lime, and can think about warm vacation spots!

This may not look like a lot of food, but remember we have been conditioned to eat WAY TOO MUCH!  The Tostada shell alone is 80 calories.  So adding beans, avocado, chicken, cheese, yogurt/sour cream, and veggies will easily get you up there in the calories.  My husband thought he would need two, he didn’t-one did the trick!  But if a 2nd is needed, it will take you about three minutes to whip it up!

Jennifer's Tostada

Michael's Tostada

The Kid's Tostada

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Cure for the Common Thursday

October 13, 2010 · Filed under Advice from the Experts, Quick Dinner Ideas · Tagged , ,

Cure for the Common Thursday (click this link for the 411).

If you have these 6 ingredients, you have DINNER DONE RIGHT!

1. Whole Wheat Pasta
2. Quinoa
3. Frozen Spinach
4. Canned or Frozen Artichokes
5. Eggs
6. Onions

Jennifer is a GENIUS!  And no, I do not mean me (though there is a case to be made here too)!  I am talking about Jenny Rosentrach who writes one of my new favorite BLOGS, http://www.dinneralovestory.com/

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zucchini spaghetti

October 8, 2010 · Filed under Products I can't live without, Quick Dinner Ideas, Veggies · Tagged , , , ,

You may remember how I feel about Spaghetti Squash, DELISH!  That find saved our family numerous calories and insulin spikes as we ate almost NO pasta last winter, and made Spaghetti Squash our new staple.  Well this fall my new find is Zucchini Spaghetti!  I think as far as flavor and texture it might be a runner-up to Spaghetti Squash, but when you factor in prep time it definitely takes the lead!

Personally, I have never cared for zucchini.  I think I always wanted it to be a cucumber when I took a bite, and was just left feeling a bit letdown.  Zucchini Spaghetti has changed all that and now my veggie drawer is overflowing with these super healthy little delights!

Prep 

You will need a Spiral Slicer, which can be used for many MANY things besides making your zucchini into spaghetti.  I bought an inexpensive one for around $20, and it works great!

Joyce Chen Spiral Slicer

Step 1

Peel your zucchini if it is not organic, otherwise leave the skin on and spiral slice.  1 zucchini takes about 2 minutes.

Step 2

Place into bowl

Step 3

Add Sauce

And you have the perfect base to add the protein of your choice!  Voila, a low-cal, healthy and YUMMY dinner!

This is my quick & dirty version of getting something healthy to the table!  If you “Search” Zucchini Spaghetti recipes you will find tons of recipes! 

The 411 on a Zucchini:  1 Cup has 20 calories, 1g fiber, 2g protein, Iron, Calcium, Vit A, & Vit C

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Q and A for Tracy!

February 17, 2010 · Filed under 411, Costco, Food, Fruit, kids, Organics, Quick Dinner Ideas, Reference/Books/Help, Trader Joe's · Tagged

My friend Tracy watched Food Inc. a few days ago and I am so impressed!  Instead of burying her head in the sand she is being PROACTIVE!  Go GIRL!

She emailed me some Q & A, so here is my 411!

Do you buy all organic?  

I do not buy all organic.  If I am not sure whether or not something needs to be organic I google it and do some reasearch.  I try to buy organic when it is something my kids consume a lot of.  I also go by the rule of buying organic when the “skin is thin”. 

Go organic: apples, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, grapes, pears, nectarines, peppers, celery, potatoes, and carrots

Save your cash: avocados, eggplants, pineapples, bananas, corn, kiwi, mangoes, papaya, sweet peas, oranges, grapefruit, and squash

Go organic: all lettuces and greens such as kale, collards, mustard, swiss chard, and spinach

Save your cash: broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, cauliflower, eggplant, melons, and sweet potatoes 

Go organic: milk, yogurt, and cheese (milk and yogurt I am firm on.  String cheese I also buy organic because my kids eat a lot of it.  I buy regular cheese for sprinkling on chili or a quesadilla because we eat soooo little of it.)

You can also buy a lot of organic berries frozen, and I use those in shakes every day!

Eating organic seems really expensive?

I thought so too at first, but if you pay attention it really isn’t that much more.  Given that eating cleaner also led us to eating at home more, we have saved tons of money (and calories)!  Also when you are conscious of what you are eating you buy foods you know you will eat, verses a lot of stuff I just tossed out in the past.

The one thing you realize very quickly is if you eat IN SEASON you will save money.  I bought two spaghetti squashes at Trader Joe’s the other day for $1.75 each.  They keep forever in a cold, dark place and allow me to feed 4 of us, plus leftovers for about $5 (when I add the pasta sauce and a salad). 

Winter has forced me to explore new foods (squash, leeks, carrots, and lentils) that I use to stay away from.  I love summer.  The farmer markets around here make eating organic, and clean, so EASY! 

We don’t eat a lot of meat and that is what gets pricey if you are buying grass-fed (the GMO Corn is as concerning to me as the hormones and antibiotics (we were not raised with these things) being put into our bodies in the amounts our kids are exposed to.  We feed this to the cattle, but it is also in almost all of our processed foods).

We eat lots of seafood.  Frozen tilapia, and wild Alaskan salmon are pretty inexpensive at Costco.

Join the PCC (or any local co-op).  You are supporting local growers, and your local economy, and you know you are getting good stuff!  It was a $65 fee to join, and I get a coupon for 10% off every month and you also get 5% off every 15th and 16th of the month and a newsletter with great recipes for eating in season.

Also, I view it as an investment.  I would rather spend a bit more up front and keep us all as healthy as possible, than pay downstream in medical bills.

I went to Trader Joe’s today and did pretty good-just paying more attention to labels.

They say to watch the first 3 ingredients, I try to watch the 1st five.  Watch for sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn-syrup.  A clean, clear label with words you can pronounce is a GOOD THING!  I think the best book you could read to learn about all of this is Michael Pollan’s, In Defense of Food.  He also has a great explanation (cliff notes if you will) in Food Rules, for why and how to eat healthier.

Good rules to follow (when you can)

No sugar.  

No high fructose corn syrup.  

No trans fats.  (hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated)

No saturated fats.

Nothing enriched.  

Words you don’t know or cannot pronounce. (Mono- dyglicerides for example)

And extra words, like “added”!

Do you cook every night?  If you do, what kind of meals do you make? 

I do.  If we eat out or do take out as a family it is sushi, subway, taco time or Indian food.  Or occasionally we order Zeeks and I get half- no cheese loaded with veggies and sauce (you would be surprised)!  It is just easier for me to know what I am putting in my mouth, and to know where it came from and what has been done to it.

We eat lots of lentils (a million ways to cook these and Trader Joe’s has them pre-cooked so you can just add them to a recipe), chili (vegetarian, or turkey-homemade or bought), salmon, tilapia, shrimp, tofu (don’t knock it til you have tried it), soups, salads (oil and vinegar, or a variation….no more ranch or other sugar and fat dressings), and whole grains. Whole grain pastas, wild rice, brown rice, quinoa, and tabouleh (this one takes 30 minutes and just hot water).  And I do cook chicken, and red meat, just not often, and I do buy it from the PCC or Whole Foods.

The kids love chili night, my tortilla soup, and we make pizzas all the time-their FAV!  It is amazing what kids will put on their pizza if they help put it in the topping bowls, and then we just throw them on the BBQ.  (Whole foods and TJ both sell pizza dough for under $3.00). 

We bought some crab for Valentine’s Day, so tonight was crab cakes, shrimp and a salad – YUMMERS!

What do you send with your kids for lunch?

What is tough about lunches is being creative, and making it fun enough that they don’t harp on wanting all the crud the kid next to them has!  The first day of school this year James came home asking when he could have a gogurt?  So we had a chat about food, verses fun food, verses sugar, chemicals and food coloring masquerading as yogurt.  It is impossible to ask your kids to eat healthy if you do not.  I have found my kids are pretty cool about it because they want to be like Mom and Dad.  Some day that will change, and then I will focus on how those “fun foods” make us feel (tired, lethargic, thristy…so on).

There is no peanut butter allowed at his school so it is turkey cheese, sunbutter, cream cheese and jelly.  The key is the bread, this is where I try to make it as nutritious as possible.  We also do wraps and he likes hummus, turkey,cream cheese, cucumbers.  I do send a juice every other day, but you can find them without HFCS and lots of the other junk…  I wish he would drink water everyday but I want to keep it fun too.  We then send a fruit-seasonal, so right now it is small tangerines, apple slices, or pear slices.  We also send hummus and chips. He loves cucumber slices with lemon pepper on them (so do I)).

The junk food/treat is either stretch island fruit leather, kids cliff bar (Costco), dried mango slices (Costco), or a cookie (they might be organic, or vegan, he doesn’t know nor care).  I look for things that maybe aren’t perfect, but better than the alternative.  Last week the kid next to him got 8 OREOS, a chocolate milk, and some Cheeze-Its for lunch.  I sware, people have lost their minds!

I will post my Costco and Trader Joe’s Grocery lists, the staples that I always pick up.  I still hit Safeway for basics, and their organic brand is pretty good.  I have not been down any of the middle aisles at Safeway in ages.

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Fast food doesn’t have to be BAD food

January 13, 2010 · Filed under Quick Dinner Ideas

My Son had his first basketball game a few weeks ago and WOW, did that catch us off guard!!!  Let me tell you, having your whole family home (from work/school), fed, players dressed, and back out the door for a 6pm game is no easy task!  Needless to say as this is my first year of what will no doubt be many years of being a “soccer, basketball, dance, baseball…WHATEVER MOM” I was totally UNPREPARED.  So that first game night I had not thought about dinner and nothing I had was going to be ready in the time-frame we had remaining, which in turn left me feeding the kids cheeseburgers in the backseat of the car on the way to the game, not a real HIGH point for me. 

Now don’t get me wrong, McDonald’s has its place and time, but I like to feed my kids what I call “fun-food” on my terms, not because I HAVE too!  Obviously I wasn’t going to let that happen again and so I came up with a fast-food meal that would work on my terms and meet my standards.

So Game Night for basketball season is now “Chili Night” at our house!  The kids LOVE it because it involves chips and cheese!  My husband likes it because it is warm and filling (and a good excuse for a cold beer), and I LOVE it because it is pretty darn healthy and it takes me about 10 minutes to prepare.

Chili Night

  • 2 cans Amy’s Vegetarian Chili (sold in 6 packs at Costco)
  • Greek yogurt in place of sour cream
  • Organic blue corn chips (yes, they are still chips, but they have fiber and protein…moderation!)
  • Cheese.  I do feta for the adults and a lite mexican blend for the kids

Heat the chili.  Add a dollop of Greek yogurt, some sprinkles of cheese, a few chips and serve!

Chili is also a really easy “base” for adding too.  I have added ground turkey, left-over chicken, a can of corn, black beans, and other diced-up veggies.  Have fun with it, or just serve it out of the can!  However, I will say Vegetarian Chili is an easy way to have a meatless night in your home without anyone really taking note!

 

 

If you know there is a night (or two) at your house that is chaotic and rushed think up an easy meal and just make that your go-to meal for that day of the week.  Your kids will look forward too it, and you know you have dinner taken care of!

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Grilled Cheese PLEASE!

December 28, 2009 · Filed under kids, Quick Dinner Ideas, Veggies

Who didn’t grow up on grilled cheese?

Does this look familiar?

Grilled Cheese of the past!

So that sandwich above is white bread, fried in butter, LOADED with fat! IT tastes GREAT! But at 500 calories (high in fat and sugar) who eats that on a regular basis? You think of it as a treat for yourself, or easy kid food, right? NO MORE!

Even the grilled cheese can be CLEAN food, and healthified!!!

Green Apple & Cheese

So the first thing I used my new mandolin on was a grilled cheese with green apple sandwich! TO DIE FOR! I had tried this before but my apple slices were too chunky and thick, and tasted cold when I ate the sandwich. With the mandolin they were PAPER-THIN & Perfect!

My perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich:

  • Two slices grainy, nutty, high-fiber bread
  • Cover both slices with a yummy mustard of your choice
  • place thin apple slices on one side
  • place thin slices of your favorite cheese (low-fat or not, moderation is the key to cheese, a little goes a long way, it is being melted afterall)
  • place in pan coated with pam or olive oil
  • place a brick covered with tin-foil, or another heavy pan
  • flip, repeat, and serve!

For my kids I might add a bit more cheese, and a little less mustard! Get creative and use the grilled cheese as a place to fit in some veggies….cheese does amazing things and will allow you to add in some more fruit or veggies in an easy, quick way!

Try to choose a bread that has no sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and too many things you can not pronounce. ALWAYS find a bread that has 2 – 3 grams of fiber per 100 calories, a good rule of thumb. I don’t buy bread that has under 4 grams per slice. It is just such an easy way to get in 8 of the 25 grams we are suppose to have per day! If your family has always eaten white, highly processed bread start changing it out slowly. If you have little kids high-fiber bread is all they will ever know, just serve it, they won’t know any better and you are doing them a good deed that will last a lifetime!

Grilled Cheese with Herbs

Grilled Cheese & Pear

Tomato with Ham & Cheese

Grilled Cheese with Veggies

Grilled Cheese with Veggies

This last one pretty much looks like it has last nights salad on it, and you know what…what a great way to use left-over salad!!!

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Don’t run on empty when filling up can be so easy

November 3, 2009 · Filed under Quick Dinner Ideas, Uncategorized, Whole Foods · Tagged

soup

Whole Foods, Ginger Carrot Soup

I know as well as anyone how important eating every 2 – 3 hours is, yet even I skip meals, or go to long between meals given my busy schedule!  Lunch seems to be the one meal we busy Women tend to let slip by.  I know this is true for my friends who work, as well as those of us that work from home or as Stay At Home Moms.  The day just gets away from us, and frankly I think if you don’t have an easy, healthy option it is really easy to just “skip it”.

I have taken to buying pre-made soups and keep them on-hand for an easy, quick, healthy lunch.  You can add half of a sandwich, a small salad, or just grab an apple and VOILA – lunch is complete!  This was actually an afternoon snack for me today and it really amazes me how a few ingredients (easy to pack to the office to) can make you feel like you just went out and got served in a restaurant.

I am on a Ginger Carrot soup kick, and Whole Foods makes this stuff with just the right consistencey…not too clumpy, but still some texture!  One cup has 70 calories, so Ican have 2 cups of a yummy, filling soup and a small piece of fruit and be in the 250 calorie range…perfect for a small meal, getting me from lunch to dinner without breaking a stride.The prep time on this is however long it takes your microwave to get your soup hot!

I add a few bits of feta cheese, a dollop of a sundried- tomato paste, and pepper!  (feta would be easy to take to work as well in a littl contianer or ziplock – no excuses!)

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