This is an easy lunch to make and take. It is good with left over grilled chicken or canned.
2 grilled chicken pieces (I prefer breasts) in medium diced pieces about 2 cups
1/2 c each,
cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
green onion, the white and the green
chopped cilantro
1/2 c cottage cheese
1/2 c sour cream (I use low fat or non fat)
Directions-
Mix together all ingredients, with cottage cheese. Add sour cream a little at a time until you reach desired consistancy. Serve with tortilla chips, on tostada shells, with crackers, or on top of a green salad.
The cucumber adds a nice crunch. If you make it with left over grilled chicken that is already seasoned, wait until it is all done to add salt or pepper. This is a really good use of leftover, chicken from chicken tacos, Pollo Asada, whole rotisserie chicken, or even thanksgiving turkey. It stores well for about three days, but it won't last that long. Hubby likes a little shredded cheese on top.
Sometimes, we do this as a trio of salads, chicken salad, egg salad and tuna salad or a green salad. That way it is really nice on a hot day.
Love Sara
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Friday, August 3, 2007
Spicy Black Beans and Con Gris
Ok. So we are going to cover two recipes. Spicy Black Beans, a super yummy, easy dish that takes no time, and Con Gris a Cuban classic, that is easy, and tasty.
Spicy Black Beans
2 cans of Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
1-2 serrano chiles
1/2 onion diced
1/4 c cilantro chopped
16 oz of chicken or vegetable stock
Directions- If you want the beans to be not too spicy, use only one serrano and leave it whole, medium spicy, cut it in half and remove all the seeds and white pith from inside, Med-hot use 2 serranos sliced, and cleaned (all the seeds and white pith) then dice, Hot (this will not melt the roof of your mouth, but it will be a pleasant heat for those of us that like it) use 2 serranos and either slice, or dice leaving in the seeds. Saute' onions in 1 tbs of olive oil. In a baking dish (ceramic, not metal) combine all ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste, bake 350* for 20 -30 minutes. Less time in the oven means more sauce, more time means less sauce and richer taste.
Con Gris
2 cans black beans (drained, reserve liquid)
1 1/2 c rice (white or brown)
2 Tbs minced garlic
1/2 c diced onion
salt, pepper
water or chicken stock
In a large pot saute' garlic and onion in 1 Tbs of olive oil. Add water to reserved bean liquid to bring up to three cups. Add beans and rice to onions and garlic. Add water and bean liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer and cover and cook for the time recommended on the rice package. White it is usually 20-30 minutes, Brown it is 30-45 minutes. The rice will look grey and the beans will have flavored all of it. VERRRRYYYYY GOOODDD. This is really good as a side dish to steak, carne asada, grilled chicken or even fish. Optional toppings include, queso fresco, or shredded cheddar, sour cream, and cilantro. This only gets better as leftovers and is easily frozen. To use after freezing allow to defrost in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave with a wet paper towel over. Hubby loves it the next morning, reheat about 1/2-1 c of con gris and fry or poach (I prefer poached) One or two eggs, place eggs over the top and mix it all up, (so the egg yolk mixes in and you get a little of everything in each bite). YUMMY especially in the winter.
Love Sara
Spicy Black Beans
2 cans of Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
1-2 serrano chiles
1/2 onion diced
1/4 c cilantro chopped
16 oz of chicken or vegetable stock
Directions- If you want the beans to be not too spicy, use only one serrano and leave it whole, medium spicy, cut it in half and remove all the seeds and white pith from inside, Med-hot use 2 serranos sliced, and cleaned (all the seeds and white pith) then dice, Hot (this will not melt the roof of your mouth, but it will be a pleasant heat for those of us that like it) use 2 serranos and either slice, or dice leaving in the seeds. Saute' onions in 1 tbs of olive oil. In a baking dish (ceramic, not metal) combine all ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste, bake 350* for 20 -30 minutes. Less time in the oven means more sauce, more time means less sauce and richer taste.
Con Gris
2 cans black beans (drained, reserve liquid)
1 1/2 c rice (white or brown)
2 Tbs minced garlic
1/2 c diced onion
salt, pepper
water or chicken stock
In a large pot saute' garlic and onion in 1 Tbs of olive oil. Add water to reserved bean liquid to bring up to three cups. Add beans and rice to onions and garlic. Add water and bean liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer and cover and cook for the time recommended on the rice package. White it is usually 20-30 minutes, Brown it is 30-45 minutes. The rice will look grey and the beans will have flavored all of it. VERRRRYYYYY GOOODDD. This is really good as a side dish to steak, carne asada, grilled chicken or even fish. Optional toppings include, queso fresco, or shredded cheddar, sour cream, and cilantro. This only gets better as leftovers and is easily frozen. To use after freezing allow to defrost in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave with a wet paper towel over. Hubby loves it the next morning, reheat about 1/2-1 c of con gris and fry or poach (I prefer poached) One or two eggs, place eggs over the top and mix it all up, (so the egg yolk mixes in and you get a little of everything in each bite). YUMMY especially in the winter.
Love Sara
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Mahi Tacos
This is a recipe that I created in an attempt to recreate something from one of my favorite restaurants (Rubios). While the restaurant is famous for the fried fish tacos, I love their grilled fish tacos.
I use frozen Mahi Mahi. These are individually wrapped in 5-8 oz pieces. One piece usually makes two well stuffed tacos. I base all my recipes on the fact that it is Hubby and I eating. But the recipes can be doubled quite easily.
Recipe-
2 frzn Mahi Mahi fillets ( These defrost fastest under cool running water. I put them in a bowl or a pitcher, still wrapped, and turn the water on to a little more than a trickle)
1 lemon and 1 lime, juiced and zested.
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped.
1 tbs Mrs. Dash (I use the Table Blend, but the Extra Spicy works well too.)
2-3 tbs olive oil
In a large ziplock bag, combine juice, zest, olive oil, all but 1Tbs of the cilantro, and the Mrs.Dash. Seal the bag and shake to combine. Add the fillets, reseal and push as much of the air out as possible. Allow to marinate in the fridge for 15-30 minutes (any longer and you are making ceviche. Also a yummy, healthy food, but not what we are going for.)
While that is marinating, make the sauce.
1 c sour cream
1 lemon, juiced
Cilantro, the remainder
1/2 Tbs Mrs. Dash
1 tsp each garlic, and parsley.
Mix all the ingredients. The lemon juice should thin the sour cream, just a bit to make it like a sauce, and not a dip. refridgerate until time to serve.
Heat the barbeque. I like to oil my barbeque grates, and then heat it up for about 10 minutes ( I use a gas grill). This gets the grill really hot. Place the fish, and give them about five minutes on the first side and about three on the flip side. DON"T FUSS WITH THEM. Leave them alone until you are ready to flip, and use a spatula to flip rather than tongs. When they are ready, the meat should pull apart easily and be white all the way through. Transfer them to a plate or pan ( I use a pie pan) and cover with foil.
Slice about 1/2 a head of white cabbage really thin. Dice up 1 tomato and one avocado. Shred cheddar cheese, or open the package. Warm two corn tortillas per person.
Using a fork, seperate the fish. Start at one end or corner of the fish and pull the fork through the meat, this should give you nice chunky flaky bites.
Assembly-
Lay out tortilla, spread one tsp of sauce down the center. Add fish, cheese, cabbage just to cover, tomatoes and avocado. I like green tomatillo style salsa on mine, hubby likes a little bit more lemon. Repeat and eat. Two fillets usually make 4-5 tacos. We usually eat this just as is, but it could be served with spicy black beans (recipe soon...) and rice. This recipe also makes excellent Mahi burritos, trade out the corn tortillas for burrito sized flour tortillas, and build the same way, then fold, roll and eat. Hubby prefers no cabbage and more fish on the burritos.
I use frozen Mahi Mahi. These are individually wrapped in 5-8 oz pieces. One piece usually makes two well stuffed tacos. I base all my recipes on the fact that it is Hubby and I eating. But the recipes can be doubled quite easily.
Recipe-
2 frzn Mahi Mahi fillets ( These defrost fastest under cool running water. I put them in a bowl or a pitcher, still wrapped, and turn the water on to a little more than a trickle)
1 lemon and 1 lime, juiced and zested.
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped.
1 tbs Mrs. Dash (I use the Table Blend, but the Extra Spicy works well too.)
2-3 tbs olive oil
In a large ziplock bag, combine juice, zest, olive oil, all but 1Tbs of the cilantro, and the Mrs.Dash. Seal the bag and shake to combine. Add the fillets, reseal and push as much of the air out as possible. Allow to marinate in the fridge for 15-30 minutes (any longer and you are making ceviche. Also a yummy, healthy food, but not what we are going for.)
While that is marinating, make the sauce.
1 c sour cream
1 lemon, juiced
Cilantro, the remainder
1/2 Tbs Mrs. Dash
1 tsp each garlic, and parsley.
Mix all the ingredients. The lemon juice should thin the sour cream, just a bit to make it like a sauce, and not a dip. refridgerate until time to serve.
Heat the barbeque. I like to oil my barbeque grates, and then heat it up for about 10 minutes ( I use a gas grill). This gets the grill really hot. Place the fish, and give them about five minutes on the first side and about three on the flip side. DON"T FUSS WITH THEM. Leave them alone until you are ready to flip, and use a spatula to flip rather than tongs. When they are ready, the meat should pull apart easily and be white all the way through. Transfer them to a plate or pan ( I use a pie pan) and cover with foil.
Slice about 1/2 a head of white cabbage really thin. Dice up 1 tomato and one avocado. Shred cheddar cheese, or open the package. Warm two corn tortillas per person.
Using a fork, seperate the fish. Start at one end or corner of the fish and pull the fork through the meat, this should give you nice chunky flaky bites.
Assembly-
Lay out tortilla, spread one tsp of sauce down the center. Add fish, cheese, cabbage just to cover, tomatoes and avocado. I like green tomatillo style salsa on mine, hubby likes a little bit more lemon. Repeat and eat. Two fillets usually make 4-5 tacos. We usually eat this just as is, but it could be served with spicy black beans (recipe soon...) and rice. This recipe also makes excellent Mahi burritos, trade out the corn tortillas for burrito sized flour tortillas, and build the same way, then fold, roll and eat. Hubby prefers no cabbage and more fish on the burritos.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Eat More Lose Weight?
So, I have described th daily plan for eating for my Gestational Diabetes. It is what usually comes out to between 3-5 cups of food for every meal. Plus snacks and fruit. Since my diagnosis and being put on this diet I have gained 3 lbs, and nothing since my last appointment 2 weeks ago yesterday. My Nurse Practioner yesterday said that this is a very healthy diet and one that I could lose weight quickly on after the baby.
Now, here is the logic behind it. When you skip meals, your body doesn't know where or when the next source of nutrition will come, so it starts to conserve energy. (energy is stored as .... FAT) However when you eat a diet with large portions of easy to use (fruit, dairy and vegetables) and complex energy sources (carbs and protein), your body barely finishes using one meal before you start putting more in. Your body needs constant fuel. That is why the best "Diet GURU Corporations" all incorporate snacks into their well portioned meal plans. So what should the regular person trying to eat healthy and lose weight take from this. Eat breakfast, (Your mother was right it really is important). Have a mid-morning snack, (like a piece of fruit and some cheese and crackers, or yogurt and part of a muffin or bagel). Have lunch, and eat your salad with it. Green vegetables help our system to run smoothly, and they are easy to burn food. If you eat a salad first you are less likely to overeat when lunch comes, and at the very least you will eat slower. Have an afternoon snack, a piece of fruit, or a fruit cup. This will be much better that another cup of coffee, diet soda, or a frappaccino. Have a healthy dinner. Have two veggies and one starch, a protein and you can even have a roll.
First of all is you eat like this you will almost never be hungry. You will burn energy all day long, and you will start to lose weight. This is a healthy life style change type of eating rather than a quick fix DIET that teaches you nothing except that 1) Grapefruit and tuna do not a meal make or 2) That you never want to see another popcorn cake as long as you live.
This is a way to enjoy eating again, rather than stress over how much this will add to the waistline. After all, who wants to just eat to live, we should WANT to eat, we should live to eat good food...
Love, Sara
Now, here is the logic behind it. When you skip meals, your body doesn't know where or when the next source of nutrition will come, so it starts to conserve energy. (energy is stored as .... FAT) However when you eat a diet with large portions of easy to use (fruit, dairy and vegetables) and complex energy sources (carbs and protein), your body barely finishes using one meal before you start putting more in. Your body needs constant fuel. That is why the best "Diet GURU Corporations" all incorporate snacks into their well portioned meal plans. So what should the regular person trying to eat healthy and lose weight take from this. Eat breakfast, (Your mother was right it really is important). Have a mid-morning snack, (like a piece of fruit and some cheese and crackers, or yogurt and part of a muffin or bagel). Have lunch, and eat your salad with it. Green vegetables help our system to run smoothly, and they are easy to burn food. If you eat a salad first you are less likely to overeat when lunch comes, and at the very least you will eat slower. Have an afternoon snack, a piece of fruit, or a fruit cup. This will be much better that another cup of coffee, diet soda, or a frappaccino. Have a healthy dinner. Have two veggies and one starch, a protein and you can even have a roll.
First of all is you eat like this you will almost never be hungry. You will burn energy all day long, and you will start to lose weight. This is a healthy life style change type of eating rather than a quick fix DIET that teaches you nothing except that 1) Grapefruit and tuna do not a meal make or 2) That you never want to see another popcorn cake as long as you live.
This is a way to enjoy eating again, rather than stress over how much this will add to the waistline. After all, who wants to just eat to live, we should WANT to eat, we should live to eat good food...
Love, Sara
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Chicken Parmaseana
Yes I realise that I spelled it wrong. In our world (Hubby and Me) it is about the cheese and flavors, not the cooking process. The regular spelling implies that the dish is from the Parma region of Italy. My way implies that it is going to have alot of cheese on it.
Okay some of my recipes are all about the ingredients. This one is all about the process... The ingredients are mostly store bought and pre-made.
Recipe-
One chicken patty per person. (as previously stated for this I really like the Morning Star Farms Chick Patties) A breaded chicken breast or a couple of chicken tenders would work as well.
One can (12 oz) per 2 servings of Del Monte Diced Tomatoes with Basil and Oregano. (or favorite spaghetti sauce, canned or homemade)
1/2 package (per 2 servings) of favorite pasta. I like Angel Hair.
Sliced Mozzarella (1 slice per chick patty, 2 per for chick breast or tenders)
1/4 c Parmesan cheese per serving. (this will be divided between the chicken and the pasta)
Directions-
Cook chicken according to package. Cook pasta. Remove chicken and turn broiler on. Spoon tomatoes (or sauce) onto chicken, about 2 tbs per chick patty. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over, and lay a slice of mozzarella on top. Place under broiler for 1-2 minutes, just long enough to melt the cheese.
Toss remainder of can of tomatoes with hot pasta. Serve 1/2-1 c of pasta and tomatoes cover with Parmesan cheese. Serve melty, cheesey, gooey chicken along side.
Despite the cheese, this is a really light meal. The tomatoes are really fresh, and the chick patties version can be done so quickly that it doesn't heat up the house, those can be microwaved. So this is really good in the summer, too. The tossed tomatoes and pasta is really yummy as a cold lunch the next day.
Variation.
Instead of making pasta, toast a sourdough sandwich roll. Place a bit of tomatoes or sauce on bread and add cheese, broil to melt cheese. Cut chicken in half, place chicken on the sandwich roll. Close and Eat. Serve with a salad, veggies (Veggie Convicts see may post Eat Your Veggies) or french fries.
Okay some of my recipes are all about the ingredients. This one is all about the process... The ingredients are mostly store bought and pre-made.
Recipe-
One chicken patty per person. (as previously stated for this I really like the Morning Star Farms Chick Patties) A breaded chicken breast or a couple of chicken tenders would work as well.
One can (12 oz) per 2 servings of Del Monte Diced Tomatoes with Basil and Oregano. (or favorite spaghetti sauce, canned or homemade)
1/2 package (per 2 servings) of favorite pasta. I like Angel Hair.
Sliced Mozzarella (1 slice per chick patty, 2 per for chick breast or tenders)
1/4 c Parmesan cheese per serving. (this will be divided between the chicken and the pasta)
Directions-
Cook chicken according to package. Cook pasta. Remove chicken and turn broiler on. Spoon tomatoes (or sauce) onto chicken, about 2 tbs per chick patty. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over, and lay a slice of mozzarella on top. Place under broiler for 1-2 minutes, just long enough to melt the cheese.
Toss remainder of can of tomatoes with hot pasta. Serve 1/2-1 c of pasta and tomatoes cover with Parmesan cheese. Serve melty, cheesey, gooey chicken along side.
Despite the cheese, this is a really light meal. The tomatoes are really fresh, and the chick patties version can be done so quickly that it doesn't heat up the house, those can be microwaved. So this is really good in the summer, too. The tossed tomatoes and pasta is really yummy as a cold lunch the next day.
Variation.
Instead of making pasta, toast a sourdough sandwich roll. Place a bit of tomatoes or sauce on bread and add cheese, broil to melt cheese. Cut chicken in half, place chicken on the sandwich roll. Close and Eat. Serve with a salad, veggies (Veggie Convicts see may post Eat Your Veggies) or french fries.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Food Review....Mock Chicken Patty
I said I would review Yummy foods that are healthy. So here it goes.
Hubby loves Chicken Parmaseana. Whenever we go out he orders that. I knew I could make it better at home. So I started looking for help, I hate frying things, it is messy and time consuming. I looked at frozen, breaded chicken patties, breasts and even strips. They all had upwards of 800 mgs of sodium and at least 13 grams of fat. Every chicken patty we tried seemed to be pressed and molded concoctions of various meat. They didn't taste very good and often had gristly bits.
Then I had a revelation, Morning Star Farms. This is a company that makes vegetarian meat replacements. They are made from Textured Vegetable Protein. Known as TVP to vegans and vegetarians. It is a soy product, but tastes nothing like soy milk, baby formula or tofu. Hubby and I love their ground meat replacer, I like their sausage and my sister loves the buffalo wings and corn dogs, so why not give it a try. They have two Chick Patties products, the Original and Parmesean Ranch. I wasn't sure about the Parmesean Ranch flavor over the Original, because often when things are flavored the flavoring is too much and over powers the food. The Parmesean Ranch was delicious, a nice herby outside and a delicious "chickeny" inside. Either one works perfectly for Chicken Parmeseana, Chicken Parmaseana Sandwiches, or Chicken Patty Sandwiches.
The Original flavor has 540 mgs of sodium and only 6 grams of fat. They come in a package of four, wraped in two sealed plastic packs, to keep them fresh. In the stores that I find them in, they are between $3.50 and $5.00 a package. But if you compare that to the cost of two meals worth of meat, it is reasonable. ( It is just Hubby and I and one patty each is good for a meal.)
They cook up quickly in the micro or in the oven. I usually use a blended cooking method, giving them a minute in the micro and using the broiler to melt cheese and sauce over the tops.
If you haven't tried one of their products I highly recommend starting with these. They taste like real chicken, there are no gristly bits or wierd pressed meat texture. They have a real meat mouth feel, and even look like real chicken patties. (Yes, you can fool your friends.)
Try something new. Love Sara
Hubby loves Chicken Parmaseana. Whenever we go out he orders that. I knew I could make it better at home. So I started looking for help, I hate frying things, it is messy and time consuming. I looked at frozen, breaded chicken patties, breasts and even strips. They all had upwards of 800 mgs of sodium and at least 13 grams of fat. Every chicken patty we tried seemed to be pressed and molded concoctions of various meat. They didn't taste very good and often had gristly bits.
Then I had a revelation, Morning Star Farms. This is a company that makes vegetarian meat replacements. They are made from Textured Vegetable Protein. Known as TVP to vegans and vegetarians. It is a soy product, but tastes nothing like soy milk, baby formula or tofu. Hubby and I love their ground meat replacer, I like their sausage and my sister loves the buffalo wings and corn dogs, so why not give it a try. They have two Chick Patties products, the Original and Parmesean Ranch. I wasn't sure about the Parmesean Ranch flavor over the Original, because often when things are flavored the flavoring is too much and over powers the food. The Parmesean Ranch was delicious, a nice herby outside and a delicious "chickeny" inside. Either one works perfectly for Chicken Parmeseana, Chicken Parmaseana Sandwiches, or Chicken Patty Sandwiches.
The Original flavor has 540 mgs of sodium and only 6 grams of fat. They come in a package of four, wraped in two sealed plastic packs, to keep them fresh. In the stores that I find them in, they are between $3.50 and $5.00 a package. But if you compare that to the cost of two meals worth of meat, it is reasonable. ( It is just Hubby and I and one patty each is good for a meal.)
They cook up quickly in the micro or in the oven. I usually use a blended cooking method, giving them a minute in the micro and using the broiler to melt cheese and sauce over the tops.
If you haven't tried one of their products I highly recommend starting with these. They taste like real chicken, there are no gristly bits or wierd pressed meat texture. They have a real meat mouth feel, and even look like real chicken patties. (Yes, you can fool your friends.)
Try something new. Love Sara
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Yes, even with the gestational diabetes I can have this starch heavy treat. The trick, make everything yourself.
I made a veggie heavy red sauce and my own meatballs.
Here is the recipe.
(WARNING this is not a one pot recipe... But good food is worth a little extra cleanup)
Meatballs
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey (you can change 1/2 lb of that for hot or itallian turkey sausage)
1/2 medium onion diced, fine
3-4 cloves of garlic minced (or 2 tsps of minced garlic from a jar)
1-2 Tbs breadcrumbs
1 egg, scrambled
Herbs (dry)
1 Tbs of Fines Herbs (or 1 tsp each of rosemarry, thyme, savory, and oregano)
1 Tbs of basil
1-2 tsps of pepper
(I don't cook with salt, but if you like salt 1/2 -1 tsp of salt also)
2 Tbs of flour and 1Tbs of breadcrumbs for dredging.
Mix all ingredients, (by hand is really best) the mixture should feel a little moist. I used a deep bowled 1 Tbs measuring spoon, but you could do it with a small ice cream scoop or a large spoon.
The meatballs should be about 1 inch across. Form them with your hands and drop them onto the plate with the flour. Shake them around a bit, just to get them covered, then try to shake off the excess flour. Cook over medium high heat in 1tbs of olive oil for 5 minutes before turning. Cook for another five minutes, cover with blended sauce and cook on low heat for 20-30 minutes.
Sauces (yes technically there are two)
1 lg can of whole peeled tomatoes, drained reserve the liquid
3 cans of diced tomatoes, drained reserve the liquid
1 zucchini, diced
1 carrot diced (i omitted this )
8-10 mushrooms diced
1/2 med onion diced
3-4 garlic cloves minced (or 1-2 tsps of minced from a jar)
Herbs (same ammounts as above for each sauce.)
2 bay leaves
Sauce 1 (for the meatballs)
2 cans of tomatoes, drained, and reserve the liquid.
1-2 tsps of minced garlic
Olive oil
In a medium pot heat the oil and garlic, for 1-2 minutes over medium heat. Add tomatoes. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
In a medium pan combine all the reserved liquid, one bay leaf and the herbs. Reduce, (cook over medium high to high heat for 20-30 minutes until the liquid is reduced.) this concentrates the flavor.
Pour tomatoes and reduced liquid (remove bay leaf), into a blender. Cover, remove small cap or vent the lid and cover with a tea towel. Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour 2/3 of this sauce over the meatballs when ready and cook acording to meatball recipe.
Sauce 2
In a large pan. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onions. Sautee' for about 2 minutes, add zucchini and carrots, 2 minutes more. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 more minutes. Crush whole tomatoes, (by hand, over the pan) and add to veggies. Add diced tomatoes, bay leaf and herbs. Add reserved meatball sauce. Cook over medioum low heat for 20-30 minutes. It will thicken and reduce slightly, stir often. Serve over whole wheat pasta or spaghetti squash.
For my diet I had 1 c of pasta ( I prefer angel hair, 2 starches), 1 c of tomato sauce (2 veggies), 4 meatballs (4 protein), one piece of whole wheat toast with butter, garlic and riccota cheese, (1 starch and 1/2 milk) and some parmasean cheese on top (1/2 milk).
Super Yummy. Next day, have open face meatball sandwiches with tomato sauce and cheese.
You can eat yummy and eat healthy too..
Love Sara
I made a veggie heavy red sauce and my own meatballs.
Here is the recipe.
(WARNING this is not a one pot recipe... But good food is worth a little extra cleanup)
Meatballs
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey (you can change 1/2 lb of that for hot or itallian turkey sausage)
1/2 medium onion diced, fine
3-4 cloves of garlic minced (or 2 tsps of minced garlic from a jar)
1-2 Tbs breadcrumbs
1 egg, scrambled
Herbs (dry)
1 Tbs of Fines Herbs (or 1 tsp each of rosemarry, thyme, savory, and oregano)
1 Tbs of basil
1-2 tsps of pepper
(I don't cook with salt, but if you like salt 1/2 -1 tsp of salt also)
2 Tbs of flour and 1Tbs of breadcrumbs for dredging.
Mix all ingredients, (by hand is really best) the mixture should feel a little moist. I used a deep bowled 1 Tbs measuring spoon, but you could do it with a small ice cream scoop or a large spoon.
The meatballs should be about 1 inch across. Form them with your hands and drop them onto the plate with the flour. Shake them around a bit, just to get them covered, then try to shake off the excess flour. Cook over medium high heat in 1tbs of olive oil for 5 minutes before turning. Cook for another five minutes, cover with blended sauce and cook on low heat for 20-30 minutes.
Sauces (yes technically there are two)
1 lg can of whole peeled tomatoes, drained reserve the liquid
3 cans of diced tomatoes, drained reserve the liquid
1 zucchini, diced
1 carrot diced (i omitted this )
8-10 mushrooms diced
1/2 med onion diced
3-4 garlic cloves minced (or 1-2 tsps of minced from a jar)
Herbs (same ammounts as above for each sauce.)
2 bay leaves
Sauce 1 (for the meatballs)
2 cans of tomatoes, drained, and reserve the liquid.
1-2 tsps of minced garlic
Olive oil
In a medium pot heat the oil and garlic, for 1-2 minutes over medium heat. Add tomatoes. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
In a medium pan combine all the reserved liquid, one bay leaf and the herbs. Reduce, (cook over medium high to high heat for 20-30 minutes until the liquid is reduced.) this concentrates the flavor.
Pour tomatoes and reduced liquid (remove bay leaf), into a blender. Cover, remove small cap or vent the lid and cover with a tea towel. Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour 2/3 of this sauce over the meatballs when ready and cook acording to meatball recipe.
Sauce 2
In a large pan. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onions. Sautee' for about 2 minutes, add zucchini and carrots, 2 minutes more. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 more minutes. Crush whole tomatoes, (by hand, over the pan) and add to veggies. Add diced tomatoes, bay leaf and herbs. Add reserved meatball sauce. Cook over medioum low heat for 20-30 minutes. It will thicken and reduce slightly, stir often. Serve over whole wheat pasta or spaghetti squash.
For my diet I had 1 c of pasta ( I prefer angel hair, 2 starches), 1 c of tomato sauce (2 veggies), 4 meatballs (4 protein), one piece of whole wheat toast with butter, garlic and riccota cheese, (1 starch and 1/2 milk) and some parmasean cheese on top (1/2 milk).
Super Yummy. Next day, have open face meatball sandwiches with tomato sauce and cheese.
You can eat yummy and eat healthy too..
Love Sara
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
