Healthy Shepherd's Pie

Adapted from recipes from EatingWell and Food Network.


Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef (90 percent lean or higher)
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped (about 3 cups)
2 green pepper, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup tomato sauce or paste
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen peas, corn kernels, and lima beans
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
2 12-ounce packages frozen winter squash puree, thawed
1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
In a large nonstick skillet cook the meat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate. Drain any fat remaining in the skillet.

Heat the oil in the skillet over a medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook, covered, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Raise the heat to moderately-high. Return the meat to the pan. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, tomato sauce, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and bring to a simmer being sure to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the peas, corn, and lima beans. Pour the mixture into a 12-cup shallow baking dish (about 11 by 9 inches).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place squash in a bowl and stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Top the meat mixture with the squash. Bake until heated through and bubbling around the edges, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake another 3-5 minutes.

Turkey Chili

Recipe courtesy of Food Network!



Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey
1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon paprika
3/4 tablespoon cumin
2 large cloves garlic, sliced
3/4 tablespoon salt
3/4 tablespoon black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 small white onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
1-2 green onions, chopped
1 (14 ounce) can whole stewed tomatoes
2 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 cup fresh corn (I used frozen)
1 cup finely chopped zucchini
1 cup chicken stock

Directions:
Preferably using a cast-iron skillet, brown the turkey in the oil for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Add all the ingredients except the vegetables and chicken stock, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vegetables and stock, and cook for approximately 5 to 10 minutes.

Honey Soy Broiled Salmon

Another winner from EatingWell!



Ingredients:
1 scallion, minced
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 pound center-cut salmon fillet
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
Whisk scallion, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ginger in a medium bowl until the honey is dissolved. Place salmon in a sealable plastic bag, add 3 tablespoons of the sauce and refrigerate; let marinate for 15 minutes. Reserve the remaining sauce.

Preheat broiler. Line a small baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.

Transfer the salmon to the pan, skin-side down. (Discard the marinade.) Broil the salmon 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.

Side Dishes:
Brown rice
Roasted zucchini and sweet potato

Cut zucchini and sweet potato into 3-inch sticks. Toss with oil, salt and pepper (or spray with Pam) and spread on baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Another delicious recipe from Eating Well!



Ingredients:
2 cups instant brown rice
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely grated or minced ginger (I used ground ginger)
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
6 cups bite-size pieces of vegetables, such as snow peas, broccoli and bell peppers
(I used a bag of frozen mixed veggies - broccoli, cauliflower, edamame, asparagus, green beans and carrots, and I added some chopped up red pepper)

Directions:
Prepare rice according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch and apricot preserves in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside and just starting to brown in spots, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add vegetables, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Whisk the reserved sauce and add to the pan. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is heated through, about 1 minute. Serve with the rice.

Chicken Paprikash

I'm on a renewed kick of cooking more (and more healthily) - though unfortunately I have to get back into the habit of snapping a picture before I dig in! Tonight was a recipe I found from Eating Well.

Ingredients:
2 skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 large onion,halved and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons hot or sweet paprika
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Directions:
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add bell peppers and onion to the pan and cook, covered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add paprika and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine; increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until mostly evaporated, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth and lemon juice; bring to a boil. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan; reduce heat to a lively simmer. Spoon some sauce over the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until the sauce is reduced and the chicken is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream.

Turkey Waldorf Salad

This Thanksgiving Leftover recipe brought to you by Food Network.

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded leftover turkey meat
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 crisp apple, such as Gala or Macintosh, cored and chopped
1 cup red seedless grapes, halved
1/2 cup pecans, toasted, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup non-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
Lettuce

Directions:
In a large bowl, gently toss the turkey, celery, apple, grapes, and pecans until combined. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined. Add the dressing to the turkey mixture, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to evenly dress the salad. Serve on top of lettuce.

Leftover Turkey Soup

November was a pretty slow cooking month for me - the beginning of the month was my birthday and the various celebrations that surrounds that date, then we went on vacation for 9 days, which was immediately followed by Thanksgiving! All of which means that post-TDay is the first opportunity I've really had to cook all month, and what a better way than to make use of delicious leftovers! The first leftover dish I made was Turkey Soup, the idea of which came from this Food Network recipe, with my own little twists.



Ingredients:
Broth:
Turkey carcass
2 quarters of a large onion (or 4 quarters of a medium onion)
Celery tops/leaves
Sprig of fresh thyme
Sprig of fresh rosemary
A few leaves of fresh sage
Bay leaf
Salt and pepper

Soup:
Leftover turkey, shredded or cut into bite-size pieces
Half of a large onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
Box of frozen corn
Leftover vegetables (I had leftover roasted potatoes which I quartered)

Directions:
Cover turkey carcass in soup pot with water. Add remaining broth ingredients. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove stock from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve, saving the liquid, and throwing away the carcass, vegetables, and herbs.

In the soup pot, add a bit of oil and cook onions and celery over medium heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add strained stock. Add the turkey and remaining vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle the soup into serving bowls.

Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

A Martha Stewart Recipe! Made this for Thanksgiving and it was a big hit!

Ingredients:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate (preferably 55 percent cacao), chopped
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Ground cloves
Pre-made graham cracker crust or make your own in a deep, 9 1/2-inch pie dish
1 ounce milk chocolate, melted

Directions:
Sprinkle bittersweet chocolate over bottom of crust. Put in oven at 350 degrees to melt chocolate, about 1 minute. Spread chocolate in a thin layer on bottom and up sides. Let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Make the filling: In a large heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt semisweet chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.

Mix pumpkin, milk, brown sugar, eggs, cornstarch, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves in a medium bowl. Whisk 1/3 pumpkin mixture into chocolate mixture. Whisk in remaining pumpkin mixture until completely incorporated.

Transfer pie dish to a rimmed baking sheet, and pour pumpkin mixture into crust. Bake until center is set but still a bit wobbly, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pie dish on a wire rack. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours (preferably overnight). Before serving, drizzle melted milk chocolate on top. Serve immediately.

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Based off of a friend's recipe, plus these recipes from Allrecipe and recipezaar. Below is my version, using chicken sausage since I don't eat the real thing!




Ingredients:
1 1/4 lb chicken breasts
1 package of al fresco Spicy Jalapeno chicken sausages (package of 4), cut in half vertically, then sliced into bite size pieces
1 large onion, chopped into bite size pieces
2 bell peppers (I used red and green), chopped into bite size pieces
4 stalks celery, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 cups chicken stock (I used bouillon cubes)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cajun seasoning
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
About 2 cups frozen chopped okra
Optional: Hot Sauce (preferably Louisiana brand)
Brown rice, cooked

Directions:
Boil the chicken until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Once cooked, shred into bite size pieces.

Heat oil over medium heat in saute pan. Add sausage, onions, peppers, celery, and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent and celery is soft.

Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. When hot, whisk in flour. Continue whisking until the roux has cooked to the color of chocolate milk, 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn the roux. If you see black specks in the mixture, start over.

When you're happy with the color of your roux, add 2 cups of chicken broth, stir, making sure there are no lumps or anything sticking to the bottom of the pan. Then add the remaining 2 cups of broth. Add in the sausage/vegetable mixture once that is soft enough as well as the reserved shredded chicken. Add bay leaf, cajun seasoning, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Add okra and another 1-2 cups of water depending on how thick you would like the gumbo. Simmer for another 20 minutes.

Serve gumbo over brown rice, or mix rice into the gumbo right before serving.

Pumpkin Baked Ziti

Adapted from this Paula Deen recipe.


Ingredients:
Pam Cooking Spray
3 chicken sausages (I used these since I had them leftover)
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons oil
1 (15-ounces) can pumpkin puree
1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon ground sage
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound ziti pasta, cooked
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 pan with the Pam.

Cook sausage in a large, deep skillet over medium heat until fat is rendered about 8 minutes. Remove from skillet with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and set aside. Discard any fat from the skillet in excess of 2 tablespoons.

Add onion, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and oil to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until soft; about 3 minutes. Stir in pumpkin puree, chicken stock and sage. Mix together and add salt. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in sausage. Simmer until the sauce comes together and is thickened slightly.

Add cooked pasta and parsley to the skillet and gently toss all the ingredients together to coat. Pour rigatoni mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese and bake for 35 minutes until the topping is golden brown.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Apparently today is World Vegetarian Day!! Luckily, I was already planning to make this veggie dish, and by using veggie stock instead of chicken, it's easily made vegetarian! Recipe adapted from this Rachael Ray recipe.



Ingredients:
1 quart vegetable stock
1 cup water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated or chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
1 (10-ounce) box cooked frozen butternut squash
Nutmeg, grated, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
7 or 8 leaves fresh sage, slivered
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 box frozen sweet peas
1 box frozen corn kernels

Directions:
Bring 1 quart stock plus 1 cup water to a simmer in a sauce pot then reduce heat to low.

Heat a medium skillet over medium to medium-high heat with olive oil. When oil ripples, add the onions and garlic and soften 2 to 3 minutes. Add rice and toast 2 to 3 minutes more. Add wine and cook it out completely, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle in stock in intervals, a couple of ladles at a time. Allow liquids to evaporate each time. Risotto will cook 18 minutes, total, from the first addition of liquid. Defrost the squash in your microwave in a dish to collect any liquids and stir in squash the last 3 minutes of cook time, season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. In the last minute of cooking time, stir in butter in small pieces, sage leaves and cheese, serve.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground round
2 cups chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can tomato soup, undiluted
1 1/2 cups corn kernels, frozen
1 1/2 cups hot cooked white rice

Directions:
Heat a small Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add chopped green bell pepper and onion; cook 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in black pepper, less-sodium beef broth, diced tomatoes, tomato soup, and corn kernels; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes.

Spoon 1/4 cup hot cooked white rice into each of 6 bowls; top with 1 cup soup.

Glazed Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light!


apparently I forgot to take a picture after icing the cake!! oops...next time ;)


Ingredients:
Cake:
3 tablespoons grated lemon rind (about 2 lemons)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
3 cups all-purpose flour (13 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemon extract
3 large eggs
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 cups blueberries

Lemon glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind (optional)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, combine rind and 3 tablespoons juice in a small bowl. Set aside.

Coat a 10-inch Bundt pan with cooking spray; dust with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.

Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

Place butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add remaining 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, rind mixture, and extract, beating until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and 1 cup buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beating at low speed, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries using spatula.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons juice, and 1 tablespoon buttermilk in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Drizzle glaze over warm cake. Garnish with grated lemon rind once glaze is set, if desired.

Greek Quinoa Salad

Adapted from this RecipeZaar recipe.

Ingredients
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup quinoa, soaked for 15-30 minutes in 1 1/2 cups cold water, then strained
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
1/2 cup green pepper, diced
1/2 cup cucumber, diced
1/4 cup green onion, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
3 ounces reduced-fat feta cheese

Dressing
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
pepper

Directions
In a saucepan, bring stock to a boil. Stir in quinoa. Reduce heat to med low and cover. Cook 15 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a large bowl and cool.

Stir veggies and cheese into cooled quinoa. Whisk together dressing ingredients. Pour over quinoa mixture and toss.

Flourless Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Recipe from recipezaar.

Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
Hershey Kisses

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheets.

Beat together peanut butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add beaten egg and baking soda to peanut butter mixture and beat until well combined. Roll 1 teaspoon of dough into a ball and place on cookie sheet. Place dough balls one inch apart on cookie sheet and flatten with tines of fork making a cross pattern. Bake until puffed and a golden pale, about 10 minutes.

Cool cookies on baking sheet about 2 minutes and then push Hershey Kiss into each cookies. Transfer with spatula to rack to cool. May be kept in air tight container at room temperature for 5 days. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.