{WHW}: Recipe Time!

Happy Wednesday, friends! It's been a while since I've shared a recipe with you all, so I finally got it together when I was making a new recipe and remembered to take some pics. This one was a winner!

Easy Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

What You Need:

~1 can refried beans

~1/2 white onion, diced

~1.5 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

~1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded  (*I used colby jack)

~1 Tbsp cumin

~1/4 tsp chili powder (original called for 1 tsp)

~1/4 tsp paprika

~8 flour shells

~2 cans red enchilada sauce

~1/2 C sour cream

~1 tsp cumin

What You Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F if you are making these right away (these can be prepped ahead of time and kept in the fridge until you're ready to bake).

2. Take 1 Cup of the enchilada sauce and pour it into the bottom of a rectangular baking pan.

3. In a bowl, mix together the refried beans, onion, cheddar cheese, 1 Tbsp cumin, chili powder, and paprika.

4. Take a flour shell and fill with the bean mixture, then roll it up and place it with the seam side down. 

(*Note: I laid all of mine out so that I could evenly disperse everything before putting them all in the baking pan).

5. In a bowl, mix together another 1 cup of enchilada sauce, sour cream, 1 tsp cumin. Pour this over the enchiladas then top with the Monterrey Jack cheese (or the colby jack).

6. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

Top with whatever desired toppings you wish (cilantro, avocado, guac...)

This recipe was a hit in our house and not too spicy which was what I was going for.

What's been hap-"pinning" or cooking with you? Link up with Jessi and I to share!

{Recipe Files}: Tilapia in Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Happy Halloween!! 

I have a spook-tacular recipe for you all today (ok it has nothing to do with Halloween, but it's coming at you on Halloween, and it's freaking amazing, so it's spook-tacular. Go with me here! :)

It's been a looooooong while since I've been here with a recipe for you, but I'm making up for it because this one is SO delicious!!

I saw it while scouring--where else?--Pinterest and knew that a creamy roasted red pepper sauce would probably be good on shoe laces, let alone tilapia so I gave it a whirl and it did NOT disappoint! And to make it even better, it's a one pot meal so very little clean up!

I didn't take a pic of the ingredient list like I normally do because I suck, but here's a list of what you need (it's not a lot):

What You Need:

~1 lb (or more) tilapia filets

~3 Tbsp butter

~1 medium onion, diced

~1 tsp chopped garlic (or 2 cloves)

~6 oz roasted red peppers, chopped*

~6 oz roasted red peppers pureed*

~3/4 C heavy cream

~1/2 cup grated/shredded parmesan cheese

~ salt/pepper

~parsley for garnish

*I bought a 12 oz jar and split it. I pureed the roasted red peppers in my baby food processor. Easy peasy.

What You Do:

1. In a large skillet, melt 2 Tbsp of the butter and then fry up the tilapia for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Once done, salt and pepper the fish and move to a plate.

*My fish ended up falling apart, which I was fine with because it meant that my fish was cooked well.

2. In the same skillet, add in the last 1 Tbsp of butter, and the onions. Cook through (about 5 minutes).

3. Add in the garlic, and the chopped and pureed red peppers and cook for another 5 minutes.

4. Add in the parmesan and the heavy cream, turn off the heat, and stir. Ohhh yeah, this is where the magic happens...

Taste test and add more salt if needed.
5. Add the tilapia back into the pan and cover it in the sauce.

Add your parsley, then plate it up and enjoy!! This meal came together SO easily, with very little prep work or active hands-on time. It's perfect for a busy weeknight dinner.

This would be good over rice, too. We had it with veggies on the side and it was delicious! I think the next time I make it, I'm going to double the sauce!

I could also see this being good over chicken, shrimp, pasta...the possibilities are endless because the sauce is just so dang good!

Bon appetit!

{Recipe Files}:Low Sugar, Low Carb Peanut Butter Cookies

Several of you were interested in the low sugar, low carb peanut butter cookies that I posted about yesterday, so I wanted to share the recipe with you.

These aren't ooey gooey pb cookies, but they do hit the spot when you're craving a cookie, and when you're dealing with gestational diabetes on Easter, trust me, you crave cookies!

I found the original recipe here, but adapted it a bit.

What You Need:

~1 large egg

~1 cup creamy natural peanut butter (I used Jif's Natural pb which I eat normally)

~1/2 C Splenda (or other sweetener. I used Truvia)*

~1 tsp baking powder (I used flour because I was out of baking powder)

~1/2 tsp vanilla (optional...I did this)

~1 tsp water

*the original recipe called for a cup of Splenda which seemed ridiculously high to me so I did 1/2 C and I think they came out well. If you want super sweet cookies, go with the 1 cup.

What You Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. 

2. In a mixing bowl, add in all of the ingredients and mix together well. I used a hand mixer and it went pretty quickly. The mixture may be a little dry--mine was fine though.

3. Using a baking sheet that's lined (I used my baking mat), scoop a heaping teaspoon and place on the baking mat.

4. Spray a fork with non-stick spray (so the fork doesn't get stuck in the cookies) and then press into each cookie to make it look like classic peanut butter cookies.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cookies are firm and slightly browned. Mine took 20 minutes and were browning so I took them out. They weren't firm, but after sitting there for a bit, they firmed up a bit (not crunchy but not super crumbly).

Your house will literally smell like these cookies for up to 4 hours afterwards which will just make you want to eat them all haha. 

MG enjoyed these, and they definitely have hit the spot for me when I get a craving for something sorta sweet. Of course, they'd be extra delicious dipped in chocolate, but that will have to wait until post-baby for me :)

Hopefully you like them if you make them yourself! And if you're not worried about sugar, make them with regular sugar!

{Recipe Files}: Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

If you saw my Snapchat last week, you saw this delicious bubbly cheesy meal fresh out of the oven!

This one is so quick and easy to throw together, and it is so tasty! MG loves this meal, too. I first made this for my friend when she was going through chemo--her husband doesn't eat vegetables (like at all), and he even devoured and loved this meal.

What You Need:

-1 12.5 oz can of chicken breast, drained

-1 package frozen broccoli, cooked in microwave

-1 can cream of chicken soup (we do the reduced sodium because that stuff is LOADED)

-2 Cups cooked rice

-1.5 Cups shredded cheddar cheese

-1/2 C light mayo

1/2-3/4 C corn flakes, crushed

-2 Tbsp butter, melted

What You Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish (8x8 or 9x9 would work too)

2. Mix all of the ingredients together in the baking dish, except for the corn flakes and the butter. Mix well.

3. Sprinkle the crushed corn flakes over the top of the casserole, and then drizzle the butter over the top.

4. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Trust me, this dish is SO tasty. It doesn't photograph well, but oh my goodness is it super delicious. Even better? It makes about 4-5 servings, is still tasty as leftovers the next day, and it fits my carb count! Boom!

{Recipe Files}: Easiest, Most Tasty Crock Pot Meatballs

As promised, I'm here to share with you the yummiest crock pot meatball recipe there ever was. Strong statement, yes, but these are a winner in our house and have been eaten multiple times over the last few months since I discovered them!

What You Need:

~1 lb ground beef or turkey (I like it with ground turkey personally)

~1 C Italian bread crumbs

~1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese

~1/2 tsp minced garlic (or 1 fresh clove minced)

~1/3 C milk*

~1 egg

~1/2 tsp pepper
~1 tsp dried parsley

~salt to taste (I add very little)

~40 ounces of pasta sauce--this part may be key to why I love these meatballs so much. We use the Victoria brand from Costco. The sauce is SO delicious and you get a two pack (80 oz total). MG and I are sodium nazi's and this pasta sauce has decent levels of sodium when compared to other pasta sauces, too. A win all around!

What You Do:

1. Either spray your crock pot with cooking spray OR use a crock pot liner. I recommend using the liner--it makes clean up SO much easier! (You can find these at Target in the baggy/saran wrap section).

2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients except for the pasta sauce. 

*If the meatballs feel too dry, you can add in more milk. The original recipe called for 1/2 C but I found those to be too mushy and the meatballs fell apart. 1/3 of a C worked perfectly for mine.

3. Roll out about 1-2" balls and either place them in a container to refrigerate overnight, or if you're making it right then, just place them in the bottom of the crock pot.

4. When you're ready to cook them, I add a bit of pasta sauce to the bottom to give a little layer between the meatballs and the crock pot. Put the meatballs in and then cover those suckers with all of that delicious pasta sauce.

5. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours (I usually do about 9) or HIGH for 4-6 hours.

P.S. Your house is going to smell amazing and it's going to torture you and make your tummy growl waiting until it's time to eat these :)

You can serve this up over pasta or by itself. I've been having mine lately with only a smidge of pasta (bc of the Gestational Diabetes) and am totally full afterwards, but have also eaten it over pasta (and then am REALLY full afterwards). 
You can also put these into subs and top with some mozzarella cheese! That was the original way we made these, but pasta was just a little less messy.

And you can obviously load it up with Parmesan cheese, because cheese makes everything better--heh heh :)

This makes about 28 meatballs, depending how big you make them, which is always enough for 4 servings for us.

Enjoy!!

WHW {#79}: A Yummy Recipe!

Happy Wednesday! Half way through the week and hopefully feeling good!

I'm still trying to kick this cold...it feels like it's on its way out, thankfully, so here's hoping it's gone by Friday. I have a massage scheduled today after work which can only be a good thing, right?

Anyway, I thought I'd show you what's been hap-"pinning" in my kitchen this week, with a new recipe that I tried on Monday and it did not disappoint!

If you don't know it by now, I'm semi obsessed with soups this season. Almost every week I have some form of soup or chili on the menu and this week was no exception. I found a recipe that is a twist on the tomato based tortellini soup and uses another favorite of mine: spinach and artichokes!

~Creamy Spinach Artichoke Tortellini Soup~

What You Need:

~2 Tbsp butter

~1 small onion, diced 

~1.5 tsp minced garlic (or 3 cloves minced)

~1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

~1/4 C flour

~6 Cups vegetable or chicken broth (I used chicken because we had it)

~12 oz tortellini (I tried out the dry kind from Target and it was yum!)

~14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

~2 C. baby spinach, chopped

~1/2 C heavy cream

~salt/pepper

~shredded Parmesan cheese for topping

What You Do:

1. Melt the butter in a large soup pot, then add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Saute until softened.

2. Add in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 30 seconds.

3. Add in the flour and mix together, cooking for about another 2 minutes.

4. Slowly whisk in the vegetable (or chicken) broth, and then bring to a boil. Once boiling, add in the tortellini and cook according to package directions.

5. Once cooked, add in the spinach and the artichokes, stirring to wilt to spinach.

6. Turn heat down to low and add in the heavy cream. Mix well. Then remove the pot from the heat and add in salt and pepper to taste.

Serve it up in a bowl and top with the parmesan cheese. And then enjoy every last little bite!

This one has a tiny bit of a kick due to the red pepper flakes. It's not bad, but if you're making for kids, or you don't like any heat, just omit the step with the red pepper flakes.

This made us 4 servings (and a little extra). I will warn you that the leftovers tend to be less soupy and more pasta-like since the tortellini soaks up the soup overnight. It was still good, it just wasn't soupy the next day for lunch.

Now it's your turn to link up with Jessi and I to share what's hap-"pinning" with you!

{Recipe Files}: Twice Baked Crock Pot Taco Sweet Potatoes

As promised from last week, I'm sharing the taco sweet potato recipe I made in the crock pot.

Keep in mind that this recipe is vegetarian, but the original recipe had ground beef/turkey in it. I just omitted it because our meals for the week were pretty meat-laden and I wanted something veggie focused. Plus this meal has sweet potatoes and black beans which are both recommended for a healthy pregnancy diet. Score!

What You Need:

~4 sweet potatoes

~1 small onion, diced

~1.5 tsp minced garlic

~1 C drained diced tomatoes

~1/4 C tomato sauce

~15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed

~1 Tbsp taco seasoning*

~salt/pepper

~1 C shredded cheese

*I recommend adding a little bit more than this amount to add some better flavoring to everything.

What You Do:

1. Scrub and rinse the sweet potatoes clean. Then poke holes all over them so that the potatoes don't explode in your crock pot (that would not be fun to clean up). Place the sweet potatoes in the crock pot on LOW for 5-6 Hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours (I did the low setting).

2. When the potatoes are close to being done, in a skillet, over medium heat, add in the onion and garlic and a little bit of olive oil to prevent burning. (If you're adding in meat, cook it now with the onion and garlic). 

3. Add in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans and taco seasoning to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally and add salt and pepper to taste. 

4. Cut into the sweet potatoes (not all the way through) and wedge them open. Stuff each with the skillet contents and top with cheese. Cook the sweet potatoes for another hour on HIGH.

5. Top the sweet potatoes with whatever topping you want and enjoy!

These were even better, and more flavorful the next day for lunch as leftovers. But definitely a guilt-free dinner that was super tasty and healthy for baby!

Check out some of my other recipes on the Recipes Tab at the top of my page!

{Recipe Files}: Spinach Artichoke "dip" Quinoa Bowl

This recipe is a take on another recipe I made a bit ago where this goodness was stuffed into peppers and baked. I found that that was a lot of work, and I ended up just really liking the quinoa mixture (plus it didn't require baking this time), so I tried it and it was a hit! 

Think the yummy taste of spinach artichoke dip, but with a heartiness to it that's good for a meal!

What You Need:

~1 Cup uncooked quinoa

~2 Cups reduced sodium chicken broth/veg stock (or you can use water, which I did)

~Extra virgin olive oil

~20 ounces spinach leaves (fresh or frozen; if using frozen make sure it's thawed and squeezed out pretty well)

~3 cloves minces garlic (or 1.5 tsp from jar)

~1/2 tsp dried basil

~1/2 tsp salt

~1/4 tsp black pepper

~14 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

~1 Cup shredded mozzarella, provolone or some other melty cheese

~1/2 C nonfat plain Greek yogurt

What You Do:

1. Add quinoa and veg stock (or water) to a sauce pan and heat over medium heat.  Get to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for about 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed (follow the directions on your quinoa package)

2. While the quinoa is cooking, using a saute pan, add in some olive oil over medium heat. Then add in the spinach, breaking up any clumps as you go.

3. Add in the garlic, basil, salt and pepper and cook through for about 30 seconds to a minute, then add in the artichoke hearts and cook until warmed through (or until your quinoa is done).

4. Stir in the quinoa, cheese and Greek yogurt and watch as the skillet transforms into spinach artichoke dip.

Plate it up and enjoy!

Because of the quinoa, this is a really filling dish. Yes it has cheese in it, but otherwise, it's pretty good for you!

{Recipe Files}: One Pot Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

I know some of you are intrigued already just by the two words "one pot" and you should be, because this soup is SO SO SO SO SO SO good. Did I emphasize enough how good it is? Because it is!! And since it's officially Fall (nevermind the fact that we have two 78 degree days ahead this week), this is the perfect time to try out a new, delicious soup recipe!

What You Need:

~1/2 of a large onion, diced

~1.5 tsp minced garlic (or 3 fresh, chopped)

~1 tsp olive oil

~1/2 tsp dried rosemary

~28 oz can diced tomatoes

~15 oz can tomato sauce (does not have to be pasta sauce)

~1/2 tsp dried oregano

~1/2 tsp dried basil

~1/2 tsp salt

~1/4 tsp pepper

~4 Cups chicken stock

~1/2 C heavy cream

~20 oz cheese tortellini

~shredded Parmesan cheese

The recipe list looks a bit long, but the majority of it is spices. 

Helpful hint for your wallet: buy all of the canned goods, chicken stock and the tortellini at Target. It's usually cheaper than at a regular grocery store by a few dollars and it's the exact same thing! In fact, minus the spices, I got everything else for this meal at Target.

What You Do:

1. Using a large soup pot, add in the onion, garlic, rosemary and olive oil and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes (until the onion is translucent).

2. Add in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, chicken stock and heavy cream. Stir to combine and simmer for about 20 minutes.

3. Add the tortellini to the pot and cook for about 12-15 minutes, until the tortellini are cooked through. 

4. When it's done, garnish with Parmesan cheese (and extra basil if you'd like). And get ready for the most mouth-wateringly delicious soup that took very minimal effort to prepare!

This recipe made 5-6 servings for us, so plenty of leftovers (and the leftovers were GREAT the next day!)

Happy Eating!

{Recipe Files}:Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats

You guys ready for another delicious and pretty healthy recipe?

My friend Trish told me about buffalo chicken zucchini boats and I was all over trying them--luckily I did and they were a HUGE hit in our house!

What You Need:

~2 large zucchini

~1 can chicken breast, drained (or 1 lb chicken shredded)

~2 Tbsp flour

~1/2 tsp pepper (original recipe called for 1/2 tsp salt, but I dont think you need it)

~1 carrot, shredded (I used a few baby carrots and my food processor)

~1 rib of celery, diced (I left this out since I didn't have it)

~3/4 C shredded cheddar cheese, divided

~3 Tbsp buffalo sauce

~3 tbsp ranch or blue cheese dressing

*Optional: 1/4 C blue cheese crumbles (I left this off, but they would be delicious)

What You Do:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F then line a baking sheet with foil (and spray) or a baking mat (no spray needed). 

2. While the oven is heating up, cut your zucchini in half lengthwise, then using a melon baller or a spoon, scoop out the middle of each half. I left a little bit of a lip at both ends so it would help hold the filling in on either side. (I had a grapefruit spoon which really helped). Reserve about 1/2 cup of the scraped portion for the filling.

3. In a bowl, mix the chicken (make sure there are no chunks if using the canned chicken breast), flour, pepper (and salt if using), carrot, celery, the 1/2 C of zucchini filling, 1/2 C cheddar cheese, buffalo sauce, ranch/blue cheese dressing and the blue cheese crumbles, if you're using them.

4. Place the zucchini with the scraped side up, and fill each boat with the mixture. It's ok if these are heaping (this makes a lot). Top with the remaining cheddar cheese.

5. Bake for about 30 minutes and enjoy!

We had ours with an extra side of the blue cheese dressing and it was delicious! They were also still good as leftovers the next day!