Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Okay, so these were a date night invention. I thought they were pretty darn good. When we feed them to the missionaries, they asked for the recipe. Here goes...

1.5 cups wild rice, uncooked
6 sweet red peppers
2 red onions
1-2 tsp. olive oil
4 (or so) large cloves garlic
3/8 cup walnuts, chopped
2 oz. dried apricots, chopped
5 oz. gorgonzola crumbles

Prepare rice as directed.

While rice is cooking, caramelize onions in olive oil. Add garlic once onions begin to soften and turn a nice brown.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Once onions and garlic are nice and caramelized, cut tops off peppers. Hollow out seeds and rind.

Add rice to onions. Mix in apricots and walnuts and gorgonzola. Stuff peppers with rice mixture and place tops back on.

Put peppers in 9x13 dish and fill 1/2 inch full of water. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and bake for 15 more minutes, or until tops are brown to black.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce

Before anyone freaks out about the word "cream" here, let me tell you this recipe is super low calorie.  And it's filling!  It's also really pretty, but my phone really doesn't do it justice.  Leah and I made this up on my birthday (because that's what we do around here on birthdays), and it's absolutely lovely.  Enjoy!

4 tsp. olive oil, divided
2 small onions or 1 large onion
10 cloves garlic (this number is negotiable, but we really like garlic)
1 head broccoli
1 bunch asparagus
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 bell peppers (not green)
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cubes chicken bouillon
5 oz. rotini pasta*
2 Tbsp. heavy cream

1. Chop the onions into small pieces.  Add to skillet with 1 tsp. olive oil.  Crush the garlic.  Heat slowly, allowing onions to caramelize.

2. Chop broccoli, asparagus and peppers into bite sized pieces (as shown).  Put all three into a bowl with tomatoes and remaining olive oil.  Toss with a little salt and pepper to coat.  Transfer vegetables to glass baking dish and roast at 450 for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are nice and roasty.

3. While stirring onions frequently, add oregano, basil, thyme, pepper and salt.  Once onions are caramelized, add flour (like a roux).  Once flour is incorporated, add water, bouillon and lemon juice.  Boil until mixture thickens and turn to simmer.

4. Cook pasta according to directions.  (We do this simultaneously with step 3.)

5. Once vegetables are nice and roasted and pasta is soft, drain the pasta and remove vegetables from the oven.  Add the cream to the sauce.  Then add the pasta and vegetables and stir together.  Serve hot with a tiny bit of parmesan sprinkled on top.

*We use Barilla white fiber pasta.  Trust me, it's worth the extra couple cents (it's still cheap!).  It has more protein and fiber than normal pasta but tastes just like your average rotini.  It's seriously a miracle.

Calories per serving: 325.  Fat: 8g. Carbohydrates: 54g. Protein: 9g. Fiber: 9g.  (NOTE: Calories do not include parmesan.  We calculated the calories using the Barilla white fiber pasta.)

Dijon-Braised Brussels Sprouts

My girs and I don't like brussel sprouts at all but I keep getting them in my bountiful baskets and hate to waste them. I found this recipe tonight and tried it. We all loved it! Everyone had seconds!

Serves 4 as a side dish

1 pound brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine(I just used chicken broth)
1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
2 to 3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon smooth dijon mustard (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Trim sprouts and halve lengthwise. In a large, heavy 12-inch skillet heat butter and oil over moderate heat. Arrange halved sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook sprouts, without turning until undersides are golden brown, about 5 minutes. [Updated to note: If your sprouts don't fit in one layer, don't fret! Brown them in batches, then add them all back to the pan, spreading them as flat as possible, before continuing with the shallots, wine, etc.]

Add the shallots, wine and stock and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low (for a gentle simmer), cover the pot with a lid (foil works too, if your skillet lacks a lid) and cook the sprouts until they are tender can be pierced easily with the tip of a paring knife, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the lid, and scoop out brussels (leaving the sauce behind). Add cream and simmer for two to three minutes, until slightly thickened. Whisk in mustard. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary with more salt, pepper or Dijon. Pour sauce over brussels, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve immediately.

Zucchini Fritters

Leah and I made these last night and they were YUMMY!  Remember, this is from a boy who doesn't even like zucchini.  I ate half of them.

2 small zucchini (10 oz. each)
1 large carrot
1 egg
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Grate zucchini and carrots.  With paper towels, dry vegetables well.  Mix together all ingredients.  Shape into 8 equally sized balls (this is messy).  Put four balls in a greased frypan and press balls until flat.  Cook them for five minutes, flipping once.  Repeat with other four balls.

This makes two GENEROUS servings, each of which are about 270 calories.  Yes, you get a lot of food for no calories.  Leah and I didn't even eat sour cream on them like we used to on zucchini pancakes.

Note, these fall apart quite easily.  In the original recipe, you're supposed to deep fry them in a skillet for five minutes instead of pan cooking them.  This would surely crisp them up better, but it means that every two cakes (so four servings instead of two) have 245 calories.  Again, this is hardly extravagant.

Pita Pizza (Revised)

Okay, here is the first in a series of healthy recipes that I'll be posting.  Leah and I count calories, so I'll be posting calorie counts on these recipes.  Leah and I love these, and so does everyone we've fed them to.  You can also use it as a main dish or an appetizer.  (Leah and I are full after one each.)


4 whole wheat pitas
1/2 cup sundried tomato pesto*
4 roma tomatoes
1 1/2 cup fresh spinach
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Spread pesto on pitas.  Top with spinach and tomatoes.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle cheeses on top.  Cook in preheated oven at 350 for 10 minutes.  Then, broil on high for 2 minutes, or until crispy.

That's it!  Enjoy!  Leah and I also put cubed chicken on these once.  We liked it, but we go back to this old reliable version more often.  Depending on your pita, tomato, etc., these range from 270 to 300 calories or so.

*What, you don't have a stash of sundried tomato pesto?  Well, here's my recipe (revised).

Blend together in food processor until smooth:

8 oz. sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. dried basil (or fresh equivalent)
2 tsp. dried parsley (or fresh equivalent)
1 packet onion soup mix
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Tomato Basil Toast

I usually get in a rut for lunch and make the same things for me and my kids - PBJ's, salad, mac & cheese, hot dogs, etc. But I've been trying to make my lunches a little more healthy. I made this for lunch the other day and loved it!! So, I thought I'd share it with you! Please forgive me, because I just kind of add and subtract things as I like! :) Feel free to do the same!

Ingredients:

Slices of bread, or a sliced baguette, or something bread related

Olive oil

Spinach leaves

Sliced tomato

Mozzarella

Basil (fresh or dried)

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Brush olive oil over bread and broil until lightly golden. Add layer of spinach leaves and tomato slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with mozzarella and dried basil. Broil until lightly brown. (If using fresh basil, wait to put it on until AFTER you broil it with the cheese.)

I'm looking forward to trying this with some other flavors as well. Peppers, feta cheese, onion, etc. The possibilities are endless and I'm getting hungry again! :)

Pizza Sandwiches

Do you remember these?
They are so easy and yummy!!! The kids LOVE them!

Ingredients:
slices of bread
ketchup
cheese
spices of your choosing (like Mrs. Dash or your own blend) opt.


Directions:
Preheat oven to a low broil setting and put the oven rack close to the top.
Place slices of bread on a cookie sheet. Spread ketchup over the bread. Sprinkle spices lightly over the ketchup. Layer with cheese. Broil until cheese is melted!

My Favorite Veggies!

This is my favorite way to cook vegetables. It smells good in the oven, and it tastes great once it gets done! The great part is that you can mix and match the vegetables, and it still tastes great.

Ingredients:

Vegetables, enough to fill 8"x 11" pan - I always use onion and bell pepper with a combination of the following: zucchini, yellow squash, asparagus, green beans and tomatoes. You can use anything you like, but I would certainly keep in the onion and pepper.

4 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary (word of the wise, do not use dried rosemary)

4 tsp. beef bullion

6 Tbsp. olive oil

2-4 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Cut veggies into bite sized pieces and arrange in 8"x 11" pan. Mix olive oil, bullion, and rosemary in a small bowl. Pour over vegetables. Cook in oven at 400 for an hour. Make sure to stir once or twice during cooking to mix vegetables. After removing cooked vegetables from oven, pour balsamic vinegar over top and serve. This makes GREAT leftovers!

Caribbean Sweet Potato and Bean Stew

This one is really good! It's super easy. If you're feeding more than 3 boys aged 22, then double the recipe. It served a perfect amount for the three of us!

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (1 inch cubes)
2 cups cut green beans
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz.) vegetable or chicken broth
1 small onion, sliced
2 tsp. Caribbean jerk seasoning
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/3 cup slivered almonds (optional)

Put it all in the crock pop (except almonds) and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Garnish with almonds. Easy as that!