Moist, Delicious Zucchini Bread

If you're looking for ways to use up the last of your zucchini--look no further.  I don't actually grow a garden so hopefully I haven't missed the zucchini harvest by too far?!?  My sweet neighbor gave me a huge zucchini and I was so excited to use it for this recipe.  It could quite possibly be our favorite bread ever.  The zucchini makes it incredibly moist and the cinnamon makes for such a flavorful addition.  I like to healthy-it-up by using some wheat flour and applesauce in lieu of oil.  Whenever I make this it rarely makes it to the second day as everyone gobbles it up! But the directions say this freezes well and can refrigerate for days.

Zucchini Bread adapted from Allrecipes

3 cups all-purpose flour (I use 2 C wheat; 1 C white)

1 teaspoon salt

1 T baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 T ground cinnamon

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil (I use 1/2 C  applesauce; 1/2 C oil)

2 1/4 cups white sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

3-4 cups grated zucchini

1 cup chopped walnuts (opt)

Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

Barbecue Turkey Burgers

Looking for something new to throw on the barbecue? Here's a nice, lighter twist on a hamburger.  The ground turkey is combined with some flavorful spices like garlic powder, chili powder, and salt. It all pairs really well with the BBQ sauce spread on the bun that the recipe calls for.  My kiddos all gobbled this up--even my baby (well....not so baby at 18 months).  Sometimes I have a hard time eating a "healthy" version of something when you're comparing it to the original.  But that's what makes this recipe so great with the use of bbq sauce over ketchup as the condiment.  It was a unique, flavorful, yummy version of a hamburger.  

Barbecue Turkey Burgers from "The Best of Cooking Light: Everyday Favorites" 

1/4 C chopped onion

1/4 C barbecue sauce, divided

2 T dry breadcrumbs

2 tsp prepared mustard

3/4 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 lb ground turkey

Cooking spray

1. Combine onion, 2 T bbq sauce, breadcrumbs, and next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl.  Divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions (I did 6).  Shape into hamburger patties.

2. Heat a grill pan (or barbecue) over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Place patties in pan; cook 7 minutes on each side or until done.

3. Place 1 lettuce leave, 1 tomato slice, and 1 patty on bottom half of hamburger bun.  Spread each patty with 1 1/2 teaspoon barbecue sauce.  Cover with top halves of bun. 

Baked Crunchy Ranch Chicken

I don't know about you--but the end of the school year always feels a little harried at our house.  So if you're looking for an amazingly simple recipe to throw together on one of those nights--look no further.  The breading of crushed corn flakes create a nice crunch while the parmesan and dry ranch dressing mixed with it create a punch of flavor.  The recipe calls for the chicken to be dipped in butter but I decided to go for a healthier variety and dipped it in egg whites this time.  I really noticed no difference--so try it either way.  I also like to use chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts as I think it makes the chicken more moist and tender.  Sometimes chicken breasts tend to dry out, in my opinion.  

Baked Crunchy Ranch Chicken adapted from Allrecipes

2 C crushed cornflakes

1 C grated Parmesan cheese

1 (1oz) pkg ranch salad dressing mix

8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (or 12 boneless/skinless tenders)

1/2 C butter, melted (or 3 egg whites)

In a shallow bowl, combined the cornflakes, Parmesan cheese and salad dressing mix.  Dip chicken in butter (or egg whites), then roll in cornflake mixture to coat.  Place in a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 45 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. 

Tips:  We couldn't decide if the whole ranch packet was a little too much flavor--so I may try using 1/2-3/4 of the pkg next time.

Serves size: 1 tender (or 2 oz)

Calories: 108     Carbs: 8     Fat: 2     Protein: 16

**These nutrition facts are based on eliminating the butter and using egg whites

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Spicy Honey Chicken

Wow!  Where has the last couple of weeks gone? Things have been busy around here--as I know you all can relate to.  We've had sick kids, lessons to be to, church assignments to be filled, doctors appointments, and the regular craziness--you know the drill. And to top it off--this time change is killer. 

Whew!  Anyways.  I couldn't put off posting this recipe any longer.  Oh how I love a good salty and sweet combination.  This recipe satisfies that craving perfectly.  There is a slight spice in the rub but also a good amount of saltiness.  I love the honey glaze as it pairs so well with the rub.  I also really like cooking with boneless, skinless chicken thighs lately.  I love how moist and flavorful the meat is.  This recipe will be a perfect addition to the regulars that you throw on the grill.  I wanted to do this on the BBQ but we had a horrible snow storm the day I made it.  But I think it would be even better grilled! 

Spicy Honey Chicken from "Our Best Bites" cookbook

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs; about 2 pounds

2 tsp vegetable oil

Glaze

1/2 C honey

1 T cider vinegar

Rub

2 tsp granulated garlic

2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp coriander

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp cumin

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat or about 400 degree F.

2. Combine rub ingredients in a small bowl.

3. Trim any visible fat off the chicken thighs, rinse, and pat dry with a paper towel.  Drizzle oil over chicken and rub it in with your hands.  Rub the spice rub into the chicken thighs. Grill for 3-5 minutes on each side.

4. For the glaze: while the chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave for about 15 seconds.  Whisk in vinegar.  Reserve 2 tablespoons glaze and brush the rest of the chicken in the final moments of cooking.  Remove chicken from the grill and allow to stand 3-5 minutes.  Drizzle reserved 2 tablespoons of glaze over the chicken while it's standing.

Perfectly Crispy & Healthy Potatoes

I'm always on the hunt for a side dish that I can make in a pinch with ingredients on hand.  Well--I almost always have potatoes so this is a perfect option. We like to throw together breakfast for dinner at our house and this becomes a perfect addition to eggs, oatmeal pancakes, and turkey sausage  (our usual fare).  But we also love it pared with meat and a salad instead of baked or mashed potatoes.  And I love that you can make it healthy.  And it is so flavorful when perfectly seasoned with salt, pepper, and onion salt and has a nice, slight crunch.  It also tastes equally delicious with red or russet potatoes.

Perfect Crunchy & Healthy Potatoes 

Cooking spray

3-4 russet potatoes, peeled, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Salt & pepper

Onion salt

3/4-1 C water

Start by peeling the potatoes (I leave the skin on when using red potatoes) and cutting them into cubes

Heat a large saute pan to medium-high heat and liberally spray with cooking spray.  Add the potatoes.  Season liberally with salt, pepper, and onion salt to taste.  Saute stirring frequently and adding more cooking spray as needed for 4-5 minutes (can turn the heat up if needed).  Add the water and cover the pan with a lid.  Cook for 8 minutes.  I always put the timer on.  The water should have steamed the potatoes and be evaporated.  Take the lid off and add more cooking spray and saute potatoes until brown.   Remove from heat and serve.

Tips: You can add vegetable oil or butter while sauteing if you'd like.  I also taste a potato after it's steamed and see if I need to season it more before the final saute.  I saw a similar recipe on The Food Network where they put it in the oven for the final browning at 375 for about 20 minutes.  I've never tried that but I bet it'd be delicious, too.  I just like how this recipe doesn't take quite so long.

Healthy Apple Pie Oatmeal

This is one of my very favorite healthy breakfasts.  It is incredibly filling and I don't have that mid-morning crash when I eat this.  The cream of wheat adds a nice creaminess (hence the name, right) while the apples have a slight crunch that is so satisfying.  The sugar free apple cider creates a delicious, flavorful base.  I like to add cinnamon (be generous) and Truvia for an added sweetness.  I love that there is no added sugar but don't let that fool you as it doesn't lack for flavor.   My kid's always steal bites of mine and end up begging me to make them a bowl.  I love that!  It also keeps my kiddos full and happy all morning long.  I always pair it with 1 egg and 2 egg whites for a good protein and carbs balance--all of that combined (eggs and oatmeal) is ONLY 238 calories!  How's that for healthy?  And it's SO delicious, too!

Apple Pie Oatmeal from "Live the Life"

2 Tablespoons cream of wheat (raw measurement)

2 Tablespoons oats (raw measurement)

1/2 C water

1/4 apple--diced

1/2 packet sugar free apple cider powder

Dice apple and microwave for 30 seconds.  Microwave cream of wheat and oats with water for 2 minutes. Remove and stir in apple pieces, sugar free apple cider powder, and cinnamon into hot cereal.  Serve with scrambled eggs made with 1 egg and 2 egg whites.

Tips: I microwave my apples on a small wooden cutting board--otherwise the apples sometimes spark in the microwave.  Let me know if you make it and have another tip about cooking the apples.  The sugar free apple cider powder can be found near the hot chocolate.

(Oatmeal & eggs) Calories: 238    Carbs: 30     Fat: 6   Protein: 18

String Beans with Garlic and Oil

My husband LOVES garlic and so I knew I had to try this recipe.  The sauteed garlic and olive oil adds such a nice depth of flavor to the green beans.  I also think it's important that fresh green beans be seasoned just right with enough salt--we all know how bland they can be otherwise.  So I did a few taste tests to make sure the seasoning was just right.  I love having different, healthy sides to add to our standard repertoire and this one is so fresh, flavorful, and simple.  Could it get any better than that? 

String Beans with Garlic and Oil from Skinnytaste

• 1 lb fresh string beans, washed, ends trimmed
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• salt and fresh pepper

Bring a large saucepan filled with 1 inch of water to a boil. Lower a steamer basket filled with the green beans into it, tightly cover the pan, and steam for 4-5 minutes (don't overcook), until the beans are tender crisp. Drain.

In a saute pan heat olive oil. Add garlic and cook until golden. Add string beans, salt and fresh pepper to taste and toss well.

Tips: I used the organic frozen green beans from Costco for this recipe and they turned out really well--so go that route if you don't have fresh ones on hand

Chicken Fajita Marinade

This is a super easy, flavorful, tasty marinade that I've been using for years at our house.  I love the combination of the red wine vinegar, oregano, chili powder, and garlic powder.  The vegetable oil also makes the meat very tender and moist. And I also LOVE that the ingredients in it are something that I always have on hand.   The recipe says to marinate the meat for at least 4 hours--so I can easily throw it together in the afternoon and have a delicious dinner.  Oh, and did I already mention how easy it is?  Obviously that gets extra points around here.

Also, I recently had white corn tortillas with fajitas at one of my favorite mexican restaurants.  And I really, really loved the flavor, texture, and healthier option.  I usually use flour tortillas with this marinade--but the white corn tortillas were amazing, as well.

Fajita Marinade from Betty Crocker's Cookbook

1/4 C vegetable oil
1/4 C red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix all the ingredients in a resealable plastic food-storage bag.  Add about 1 pound of boneless (you can also do 2-3 lbs bone-in beef or pork) chicken.  Seal bag and refrigerate at least 4 hours (turning meat occasionally)--but no longer than 24 hours. 

 I then add chopped onions and green pepper.  I finely chop the onions and peppers so my kid's seem to notice them less.  You can grill the meat and throw away the marinade (it must be boiled to be served as a sauce).  But, I like to put it all in a pan and cook it all with the marinade--as it creates a delicious, moist flavor. 

Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Asian Cabbage Salad

I am always on the hunt for a good, filling, flavorful salad.  This salad is now in my top 3!  It is SO amazing!  And so flavorful!  And so filling!  My husband gave me a new cookbook for Mother's Day and while perusing through it I knew I had to try this salad.  The ingredients are so fresh and also very healthy--but don't have that "health food" taste.  I love the crunch that the coleslaw adds to it and the combo of textures from all the veggies and then toasted sesame seeds and sliced almonds is to die for.  I made it to go with another Asian type dish that I'll blog about later and we were dying over this salad.  And my favorite part was that it was STILL good the next day!  That pretty much never happens when you dress a salad.  It's usually soggy and gross the next day.  But not this one!  I will for sure be making this one a regular on our menu!

Asian Cabbage Salad from "Our Best Bites"

1 (14 oz) bag coleslaw mix

1 rib celery, sliced

1/2 cucumber, sliced (I omitted this...we're not fans)

About 20 sugar snap peas

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced

1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups cooked, shredded, or diced chicken, optional (but I totally recommend it)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1/2 cup toasted slivered or sliced almonds

Dressing

2 T canola oil

2 T cider vinegar

1/4 C seasoned rice wine vinegar

2 T sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp garlic powder, or one small garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1. Make dressing first.  Combine all ingredients in a sealed jar and shake extremely well.  Store in the fridge until ready to use.  This step can be done 2-3 days before serving the salad.

2. Place all salad ingredients, except sesame seeds and sliced almonds, in a bowl.  Toss with dressing at lesat 30 minutes before serving.  When you pour on the dressing, you might think it's not quite enough, but when it sits and marinates, it combines with the vegetables and draws out some of the liquid, so there will be plenty of dressing after it sits.

3. Refrigerate the salad for 30-60 minutes.

4. Right before serving, toss the salad with the toasted almonds and sesame seeds.

How to toast sesame seeds:

To toast seeds and nuts, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat.  Stir constantly until golden brown. Let them cool before using.  It's important not to toast more than one type together because of size differences an differences in the amount of oil in each type.

Serves 12: Weight Watchers Points+: 3

Zucchini 'N' Carrot Coins

Let me just start out by saying that I am not a huge fan of zucchini.  I like it in bread...but that's about it.  Until now!  Oh my.  This side dish was SO fabulous!  And if I am saying something with zucchini in it is great... Well...enough said. 

We have a really cool food co-op around here called Bountiful Baskets that my mom's friend turned us on to.  The thing I love about it is that I get veggies and fruits that I might not normally buy and it's forced me to branch out and find creative and yummy recipes to use up the produce.  This is how I came upon the zucchini in my kitchen.  I used up a few of them making zucchini banana bread and decided to use one of them trying to find a healthy side dish.  This did not disappoint.  The carrots were perfectly cooked and the onion added just the right extra flavor.  And the zucchini was amazing in it!  All three veggies combined were a perfect balance.  I had about three helpings of it at dinner and then finished them off the next day for lunch.  And it even tasted better the second day--which is quite a feat for re-cooked veggies, I think.   I will definitely be making this dish again and again.  I'm pretty sure it's one of my new favorite side dishes.  How's that for an endorsement from someone who doesn't like zucchini (anymore).

Zucchini 'N' Carrot Coins adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 pound carrots, thinly sliced

1 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 small onion, sliced and separated into rings
2 small zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large skillet, saute carrots in butter for 4-5 minutes. Add the onion; cook for 1 minute. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender

Tip: To make it even healthier, I think I may omit the butter next time and just use butter spray.  I'll keep you posted if it tastes as good

Serves 6: Weight Watchers Points+: 0
(it becomes 1 point+ at 5 servings...omit the butter and it's 0 at any serving)

Great Spinach Salad

I had some friends over for a playdate a couple of days ago. We've been trying to get together more regularly lately and it's given us all a chance to make some adult food for lunch if you're hosting it. I love this salad and couldn't wait for an excuse to make it! I've seen and tasted many variations of the recipe, but this version I got from my sister is the best one I've tasted. I LOVE the dressing. It goes perfectly with the mushrooms (which I usually don't like...but do in this), red onions, bacon, and cheese. I took this to a friend's for dinner once and my friend was begging for the recipe because her husband never eats anything green and he went back for four helpings of this!

Spinach Salad from Ann

1/2 pkg. spinach (whole small leaf)

1/2 head iceberg lettuce (or buy "just lettuce" in a bag and use whole bag)

1 C. fresh sliced mushrooms

1 lb. bacon, cooked & crumbled (I use already cooked bacon & crumble it)

2 C. grated Swiss cheese

1/4-1/2 sliced purple onion

Combine all of above ingredients. Add dressing and toss just before serving (I've done it in advance before and it gets too soggy).

Dressing

1/3 C white vinegar

1/3 C sugar

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 C oil

3/4 T grated onion

1/3 tsp dry mustard

Put all of the above in a blender and blend. Add 1 T poppy seeds and blend lightly. If I'm making this as an extra big salad to serve to many people, I'll double the dressing. Put about half the dressing on to begin with and then see how much more you need.

*As a variation this time, I used a new trick my friend told me about. I used cottage cheese instead of the swiss cheese to cut down on a little fat. I know it sounds weird--but it actually was really good. Just make sure to put the cottage cheese in a colander beforehand and rinse it really well.

Vegetable Medley

With summer in full bloom, here is a great recipe to use up some of those garden vegetables. I loved the variety and combination of this recipe.  I just grabbed the cherry tomatoes from Costco--but I CANNOT wait for those that are fresh from the garden.  There is nothing quite like a vine ripe, fresh from the garden tomato.  I also varied the recipe a little and add a sprinkling of parmesan on top.  Because what doesn't taste good with a little bit of cheese added to it?

Vegetable Medley adapted from  "The Essential Mormon Cookbook"

1 (16 oz) pkg fresh sugar snap peas

1/2 medium onion, sliced thin

4 T butter or olive oil (I reduced it to 2 with no difference in taste)

2 green zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick

2 yellow squash, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Salt

Pepper

1 cup cherry tomatoes

Follow package directions for cooking peas.  Cook just until tender.  Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.  Microwave onion in butter for two minutes.  Place in skillet.  Add zucchini and yellow squash.  Place in skillet.  Add zucchini and yellow squash.  Stir-fry just until tender.  Combine with snap peas.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Toss with cherry tomatoes at time of serving.  Sprinkle with 1/4-1/2 C parmesan cheese. 

Makes 6 servings.  Weight Watchers Points+: 2

Cilantro Lime Shrimp

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm on a role in trying different proteins besides chicken.  And while I love shrimp--I have never cooked with it.  I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that. I think that cooking it somehow intimidated me.  And after cooking this dish I have no idea why.  I think I, unnecessarily, worried that I would cook it wrong.  Well, now I know that shrimp is SO easy to cook with and is incredibly fast.  I don't know why I have skipped over shrimp recipes all these years.  I'm so excited to try other shrimp recipes now. 

But back to this recipe.  It is SO delicious, simple, and packed with flavor.  The shrimp cooks quickly in a little bit of olive oil and then you add fresh garlic and salt and pepper.  What could be bad with fresh garlic in it?  It tastes like a complex dish--but is deceiving as you just then add some fresh lime juice and fresh cilantro.  My husband even asked me if I'd cooked it in a lot of butter as it tasted too delicious and was surprised when I said there was no butter.  I do have to admit that I had some fresh cilantro in my fridge reserved for this dish and it had gone bad.  So I had to substitute dried cilantro and it still tasted amazing.  That means it would be even more flavorful and delicious with the fresh stuff.  I will definitely be doing this one again and so I'll update you on the fresh cilantro taste. Enjoy!

Cilantro Lime Shrimp from Skinnytaste

2 tsp olive oil

2 lb shrimp, shelled and deviened
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime
salt and pepper

Heat a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Add oil to the pan, when hot add shrimp. Season with salt and pepper. When the shrimp is cooked on one side, about 2 minutes, turn over and add garlic. Sauté another minute or two until shrimp is cooked, careful not to overcook. Remove from heat. Squeeze lime all over shrimp and toss with cilantro. Serve hot.

*Serves:6; Weight Watcher Points Plus: 4

Asian Turkey Meatballs with Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce

I have been trying to shake up our menu lately with a protein besides chicken.  So I went on the search for something that was healthy (and not chicken) and was so excited when I came across these.  These. Are. So. AMAZING!  I made these for my family and we couldn't stop drooling over them and eating every last one.  My kids and husband were begging for more long after they were gone.  It was the kind of meal where kids and adults are arguing over who gets the last one. And so I made them a few days later for a family BBQ and they were inhaled.  I love the turkey combined with scallions, cilantro, sesame oil, ginger, and soy sauce.  It creates such a flavorful Asian-inspired dish.  I also loved the dipping sauce drizzled over the turkey meatballs.  We found it a little strong to dip in--but perfect if half the sauce was poured over them.  I know I've mentioned before that I will go weeks and usually months before repeating a dish.  But I WANT to make these again and again.  I could have them on our menu every week and not get tired of them.  And that's quite an endorsement for us!  I also paired it with this yummy Asian Cabbage salad for a full, delectable meal.

Asian Turkey Meatballs with Lime Sesame Dipping sauce from Skinnytaste.com

Servings 4 ; Size: 3 meatballs ; Weight Watchers: 7 pts+

1/4 C panko crumbs

1 1/4 lbs 93% lean ground turkey

1 egg

1 T ginger, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro

3 scallions, chopped

1 T low sodium soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

Dipping sauce

4 T low sodium soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

2 T fresh lime juice

2 T water

1 chopped fresh scallion.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Mix ground turkey, panko, egg, salt, scallions, ginger, cilantro, 1 T soy sauce and 2 tsp oil and mix with your hands until combined well.  Shape 1/4 cup meat mixture into a ball and transfer to a baking dish.  Repeat with remaining meat mixture.  Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

For the dipping sauce mix together lime juice, water, soy sauce and remaining 2 tsp of oil in a bowl.  Add scallions.  Transfer meatballs to a serving dish.  Stir sauce, then drizzle meatballs with 1 T sauce (I did half the sauce drizzled over).  Serve meatballs with remaining sauce, about 1 T per person.  Chances are you won't use all the dipping sauce.  Makes 12 meatballs.

Yogurt Snack

I just had to tell you about one of my favorite newly discovered snacks.  So while it's not technically a "recipe"--I am loving it right now and had to share.  It's healthy and really filling.  I got a bunch of fresh strawberries from a food co-op and was looking for new ways to eat them.  I love adding yogurt to fruit for a quick, healthy side dish.  And I found a new combination that I am pretty much obsessed with.  I just discovered this new flavor of yogurt and think it would pair well with so many different kinds of fruit.  But here's how I am loving it right now:

Yogurt Snack

1 (6oz) Dannon Light 'n Fit Toasted Coconut Vanilla flavor

Strawberries, sliced

Banana, sliced

*Weight Watchers Points Plus: 2

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

Oh my!  Add this to my list of new favorite side dishes...right along with these.  I am always looking for new ways to shake up our standard veggies or fruit to eat with our meals.  And this one did not disappoint.  Even my kids loved it!  The cauliflower slowly roasts in a touch of olive oil and develops a slightly nutty flavor.  The garlic, parmesan, and parsley are the perfect finish and make this dish irresistible.  I made these bite size to go with our chicken nugget meal that I'd posted about before.  We ate the nuggets and the cauliflower with toothpicks and there wasn't any leftovers to spare from the meal.  I will for sure be making this amazing dish again and again!

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower adapted from Allrecipes

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a large casserole dish.

2.Place the olive oil and garlic in a large resealable bag. Add cauliflower, and shake to mix. Pour into the prepared casserole dish, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3.Bake for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Top with Parmesan cheese and parsley, and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown. 

Serves 6: Weight Watchers Points+: 2

Parmesan Chicken

This meal is a favorite at our house!  It is definitely one that makes a regular appearance on my menu. Crushed ritz crackers, parmesan cheese, and garlic salt create a fantastic, slighty crunchy outside to a really moist chicken.  The chicken is dipped in yogurt before it gets this tasty coating and the yogurt makes for a really tender, flavorful chicken.  My kids love helping make this one by crushing the crackers.  As you can see...my little guy crushed these as I usually do them finely crushed.  But who's complaining when your 4 year old is busy and excited to help? 

I shook it up this time and tried to make it a little bit healthier as I'm on a quest to lose some of my baby weight and also make up for eating too many of those cookies I posted about earlier?!? I used whole wheat ritz and my fabulous neighbor (thanks Serene) lent me greek yogurt since I left the store without the yogurt and didn't want to go back.  I also omitted the butter and just used Pam spray on it.  I actually didn't taste a difference in any of the variations that make it more healthy.  The only difference would've been that the chicken might have been a teensy (not too noticeable, though) bit less moist without the butter.  Butter makes anything better, right?  So with or without the butter this chicken is SO fantastic!

Parmesan Chicken from "The Essential Mormon Cookbook"

2 C crushed Ritz crackers

3 T grated parmesan cheese

2 tsp garlic salt

8 boneless chicken breasts (I prefer boneless/skinless chicken tenders)

1 C plain yogurt

1/4 C butter, melted

Combine cracker crumbs, parmesan cheese, and garlic salt.  Dip each piece of chicken in yogurt to coat and then in crumb mixture.  Arrange in greased 9x13-inch baking dish.  Drizzle with melted butter.  Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.  Serves 8.

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets

I am always trying to find ways to get my son to eat protein.  He would be happy to live off of pancakes if given his way.  So you can imagine how happy I was when he and my daughter literally INHALED this dinner!  I was searching the web for some healthy dinners and I came across Skinnytaste.com.  Love it!  Gina has so many yummy looking dinners and she includes all the nutrtional information.  I pretty much used recipes from just her blog for my menu this week. 

I was excited to try this recipe. I knew my kids would love it.  What kid doesn't love chicken nuggets?  And I was not disappointed.  The breading on it was light and slightly crunchy and I love that they are baked--so they are definitely healthy.  I also loved the oh so subtle parmesan cheese flavor in it.  I had a cookie sheet full of nuggets and was worried that I had made too much.  But oh how mistaken I was. My kids were begging for the nuggets off my husband and I's plates.  So next time I will definitely make a lot more. 

She gave such a cute idea with this recipe to let your kids eat it with toothpicks.  So I hammed it up and told them we were having a really special dinner.  They were pretty excited about it.  And were even more thrilled when I told them the special part was that they could only use toothpicks as their utensil for dinner.  I made everything bite size and they probably have never eaten so much at dinner.  So I will definitely be using toothpicks again and definitely be making these again. 

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets from skinnytaste

16 oz (2 large) skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into even bit sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp olive oil
6 tbsp whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tbsp panko
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
olive oil spray 

Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray. Put the olive oil in one bowl and the breadcrumbs, panko and parmesan cheese in another. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then put in the bowl with the olive oil and mix well so the olive oil evenly coats all of the chicken. Put a few chunks of chicken at a time into the breadcrumb mixture to coat, then on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the top with olive oil spray then bake 8 - 10 minutes. Turn over then cook another 4 - 5 minutes or until cooked though.

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1/4th of nuggets • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 4 pts

Calories: 164.9 • Fat: 4.6 g • Protein: 22.1 g • Carb: 7.7 g • Fiber: 0.9 g • Sugar: 0.1 g

Oatmeal Pancake Mix

I know I've made mention before of my little guy's obsession with pancakes and french toast.  If he had his way he'd eat pancakes at every meal.  One of my friends told me the other day about this great whole wheat pancake mix found in supermarkets here.  My son (and daughter) both loved them--even I was shocked when he inhaled ten pancakes one morning!  The only problem with the mix was that it's pricey. 

So I went on a search for a better alternative.  I remember seeing these pancakes over on Melanie's site and decided to give them a try.   They appealed to me because it has the perks of a boxed mix without the price and has the homemade taste. Oh wow!!! They are really, really yummy.  And a huge perk is that they're healthy.  I love when my kids get whole grains for breakfast.  I can tell such a huge difference in their mood and energy level throughout the morning. 

And my favorite part is that I now have days of pancakes that I can easily whip up with the large mix this recipe makes. 

Oatmeal Pancake Mix from My Kitchen Cafe

*Makes 10 cups of dry mix

3 1/2 cups rolled (quick) oats
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixer with a paddle (or by hand). With mixer on slow speed (or gently by hand), drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running. When all the oil has been added, stop the mixer and squeeze a clump of mix in your hand. If it stays together, it is just right. If it is still crumbly, add another tablespoon of oil at a time until the consistency is correct (I've never had to add additional oil). Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature or indefinitely in the refrigerator or freezer.

To make the pancakes: whisk together 1 cup of mix, 1 cup buttermilk (a combination of half plain yogurt and half milk will also work), and 1 egg. The mixture may seem thin at first but the oats will soak up the milk as it stands while the griddle preheats. Heat a griddle and drop the batter onto it. When the edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface and don't break, turn the pancake over to finish cooking on the second side.
*Melanie said that 1 cup of mix will make about 6-7 4-inch pancakes.  I was able to get about 12.

Recipe Source: Adapted from King Arthur Flour The Baker's Companion

Barbeque Green Beans and a Winner!

Happy, happy belated Thanksgiving.  I took a much-needed hiatus from life and blogging so I apologize for being incredibly slow on posting the winner of the cookbook.  But we had such a great, relaxing, family-filled holiday.  And now I sit here listening to Christmas music while we put up the holiday decorations and I am feeling perfectly festive and ready for the season.

And thank you, thank you for all of you who submitted side dishes that I could use for our Thanksgiving feast.  They ALL sounded so amazing and I am excited to try many of them out.  I had such a hard time narrowing down which recipe to try for our Thanksgiving.  So I brought in the help of my husband and he decided that something with corn or green beans sounded good.  It was such a tough choice, but I picked Ann's Green Bean recipe and they were phenomenal!!! Seriously.  You have to add this to your upcoming holiday dinners.

That being said, Ann is my sister and so I felt that it would show too much nepotism to give her the cookbook and she agreed.  So I used random.org to pick a winner for the cookbook.  The winner is Melanie Ann.  Leave me your email, if you would, Melanie and I'll get the cookbook to you.  Thanks again everyone for you submissions!!

And now here is that amazing recipe!  Don't let the title confuse you--there is no BBQ sauce in these beans but would go perfectly at a barbeque or as a side dish to accompany your ham or turkey this holiday season.  The flavors are better than any I've ever had in a green bean dish.  You MUST try these!

Barbeque Green Beans from Ann E.

2 pkg frozen french cut beans

1 onion
1 4oz. can of mushrooms
2 medium tomatoes

Partially cook beans. Put all of the above ingredients in a 9x13 baking dish. Make
sauce with 1/3 C melted butter, 2 t horseradish mustard, 2 T brown sugar, 1 1/4 t salt, pepper to taste. Pour over green beans and cover with foil. Bake 20 minutes at 400F.

*Make sure you use horseradish mustard...it makes all the difference

Serves: 12;  Weight Watchers Points+; 1