Dinner July 18 to July 24

This week I got kinda lazy and just went through my casserole cookbook.  I really do like making casseroles.  It's usually pretty quick and I can make it before I go to Zumba and when I get home dinner is pretty much ready to go.

Saturday: Chili, Lime and Tilapia & Cod, fries, and green beans.  As I have said before I buy frozen fish.  I just take out what I am going to use and the rest go back into the freezer.  Well this week I had some pieces of tilapia and cod left in the freezer so I just made them at the same time.  Cod and tilapia are both a white fish, I figured the cod recipe I had would work for both.  And it did.

Chili Lime Cod

2 lbs. cod
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. butter

juice of 1 lime

Heat oven to 450.  Spray oven safe pan with Pam.  Place cod in pan.  In a small bowl mix together chili powder, dried oregano, and salt.  Roast 5-7 minutes until opaque.  Melt butter in a small sauce saucepan.  Add lime juice and cook for 1 minute more.  Before serving drizzle butter mixture over cod.

The french fries were a single serving tray that you can just pop in the microwave.  Follow the directions.

For the green beans, they are the frozen ones.  You can steam them right in the bag.  Just follow the directions on the package.  Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, pepper, crushed red pepper, and the juice from 1 wedge of lemon.  Then toss to coat and serve.

Sunday:  Meatball and Hashbrown Casserole, black beans, and broccoli.  You can use frozen fully cooked meatballs if you're in a rush but I went ahead and baked my own.

Meatball and Hashbrown Casserole

1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup light sour cream

1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

1 tsp. Mrs. Dash

1 (32 oz.) bag diced hash brown potatoes, thawed

1 lb 93/7 lean ground beef

1 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Form ground beef into 20 meatballs (if desired season with salt and pepper). Spray baking sheet with Pam and place meatballs on baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until cooked through.  In a bowl, stir together soup, sour cream, cheese, Mrs. Dash, and pepper. With a paper towel, pat hash browns dry and then stir into soup mixture. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with Pam and spread hash brown mixture into prepared dish.  Slightly press cooked meatballs into hash brown mixture in even rows. Cover and bake 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes more or until hash browns are done.

I also take a day to prep black beans.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.

For the broccoli, they are the frozen ones.  You can steam them right in the bag.  Just follow the directions on the package.  Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, pepper, crushed red pepper, and the juice from 1 wedge of lemon.  Then toss to coat and serve.

Monday:  Chicken Pot Pie, black beans, and green beans.  I love chicken pot pie.  And this recipe is pretty simple.  I wanted to try different vegetables instead of the same corn, peas, carrots, and green beans.  In the freezer section I found New World Farms:  French-Style Normandy Vegetables.  It had cauliflower, squash, and zucchini. 

Chicken Potpie

1 (24 oz.) bag frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

2 (10.5 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup

1 tube Pillsbury reduced fat crescent rolls

1/8 tsp. Mrs. Dash

1 1/2 cups cooked, diced chicken breast

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp ground thyme

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9x13in baking dish with Pam.  In a large bowl combine all ingredients except crescent rolls. Pour into prepared pan and bake 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and place crescent rolls, in a single sheet over the contents and carefully stretching to cover.  Bake until dough is fully cooked and golden brown, about 18 minutes.

I also take a day to prep black beans.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.

For the green beans, they are the frozen ones.  You can steam them right in the bag.  Just follow the directions on the package.  Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, pepper, crushed red pepper, and the juice from 1 wedge of lemon.  Then toss to coat and serve.

Tuesday:  Sausage Pasta Casserole, black beans, and mixed vegetables. This dish is a free form lasagna without the hassle of having to mess with lasagna noodles. And you can use pretty much any kind of pasta.

Sausage Pasta Casserole

1 (16 oz.) package sausage

1 (16 oz) box mostaccioli pasta

1 (16 oz) tub 1% low fat cottage cheese

1 (25 oz) jar Wild Oats Organic Roasted Garlic Pasta sauce

1/4 cup Land O'Lakes light butter with canola oil

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

3 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with Pam. In a frying pan brown sausage and drain. Stir spaghetti sauce and water into sausage mixture. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. In a bowl combine cooked pasta, butter, eggs, Parmesan, and half the mozzarella cheese. Spread pasta mixture into prepared pan. Evenly spread cottage cheese over pasta. Spread spaghetti sauce mixture evenly over top. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese over sauce.  Cover and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes more.

I also take a day to prep black beans.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.

For the mixed vegetables, they are the frozen ones.  You can steam them right in the bag.  Just follow the directions on the package.  Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, pepper, crushed red pepper, and the juice from 1 wedge of lemon.  Then toss to coat and serve.

Wednesday:  Leftovers.  Chicken wrap and veggie straws.  First I started out with a Flatout flatbread.  Those are 90 calories for the light ones.  And they also come in different flavors: original, Italian, and rosemary.  Today I used the original.  I smeared one wedge of Laughing Cow cheese, spicy hot mustard, a big handful of spinach, about 4 ounces or so of sliced chicken.  Today I decided to go crazy and add two strips of fully cooked bacon.  Then roll it up, and cut it in half.  With a some veggie straws on the side...YUM!

Thursday:  Cheeseburger Casserole, black beans, and mixed veggies.  Now I don't know if these tastes like a cheeseburger, but my daughter loves this dish.

Cheeseburger Casserole

2 lbs 93/7 lean ground beef

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash

1 3/4 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

1 cup Bisquick

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 3/4 cups milk

1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with Pam.  Brown beef in a large frying pan. Drain. Stir in garlic salt, pepper, Mrs. Dash, Worcestershire sauce into beef. Spread mixture into prepared pan and sprinkle cheese over top.  In bowl, mix together Bisquick, milk, and eggs. Pour batter over top. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and set in center.

I also take a day to prep black beans.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.

 
These mixed veggies are ones that my mom gave me.  I don't know where she bought them.  They were prepackaged in their own sauce.  I just heated them up in the microwave and serve.

Friday:  Swiss Chicken, black beans, and mixed vegetables.  I'm always trying to find new ways to make chicken and this recipe just stood out.

Swiss Chicken

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast

6 slices Swiss cheese

1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of chicken soup

1 (6 oz) box Kraft Stove Top Stuffing Mix for chicken, unprepared

1/4 cup Land O'Lakes light butter with canola oil, melted

1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9x13 inch baking dish with Pam. Lay chicken in bottom of prepared pan. Place cheese slices over chicken. In a bowl mix together soup and water. Spoon soup mixture over chicken. Sprinkle dry stuffing mix over soup layer and drizzle butter over top. Cover and bake 30-35 minutes or until chicken is done.

I also take a day to prep black beans.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.

These vegetables were from the freezer section, it's a mix of green beans, wax beans, and baby carrots.  They are not the kind you steam in the bag, but you can steam them in the microwave.  Just follow the directions on the package.  Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, pepper, crushed red pepper, and the juice from 1 wedge of lemon.  Then toss to coat and serve.

Dinner July 11 to July 17

I have been asked a couple times about portion sizes, and I have addressed it before but I'll go ahead and talk about it again.  Most of my recipes are a cup size portion.  If I am making a casserole 9 times out of 10, I'll cut the casserole into 8 even pieces.  Now I have a friend who has a teenage son and she asked me what I do about portions for men.  I only have a daughter.  But for my husband I will usually give him 1 1/2 portions.  When it comes to vegetables though everyone gets double or even triple portions.  I use a lot of frozen veggies and usually will divide a bag of lets say green beans into two portions.  Many times I'll steam two bags of frozen veggies and divide them up among everyone's plate.

Saturday:  Beef Stroganoff, Garlic Ranch Mashed Potatoes, garlic toast, and green beans.  This is one of the recipes that the serving size is 1/2 cup.

Beef Stroganoff

1 package stroganoff mix

8 oz light sour cream

1/2 tsp parsley flakes (optional)

1 cup water

1 lb lean ground beef

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook stirring until browned and no longer pink.  Stir in sauce mix and water.  Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream. Sprinkle parsley flakes, if desired and serve.

Garlic Ranch Mashed Potatoes

2 lbs white potatoes, peeled

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

2 tbsps Land O'Lakes light butter with canola

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp Mrs. Dash

1/2 tsp ranch dry dips mix

1/2 tsp salt

1 Laughing Cow Light Swiss cheese wedge

Cut peeled potatoes into large chunks. Add potatoes and garlic to a large pot filled with water. Boil 18-20 minutes or until tender. Drain. Place the potatoes and garlic back into the empty pot. Add chicken broth, butter, cheese, salt, pepper, dry ranch mix and seasoning to the pot. Mash until desired consistency. Serve.

The garlic toast is from a frozen box.  There are 8 slices of bread in the box and I'll just ask who wants a slice and use my toaster oven to bake that number of slices.  The rest go back into the freezer.  I used to make a whole loaf of garlic bread but then would have a lot left over and it's too tempting to eat way too much garlic bread.

For the green beans, they are the frozen ones.  You can steam them right in the bag.  Just follow the directions on the package.  Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, pepper, crushed red pepper, and the juice from 1 wedge of lemon.  Then toss to coat and serve.

Sunday:  Broiled Tilapia, coleslaw, and asparagus.  So I have tried my hand at cod, salmon, and flounder.  Next I wanted to give tilapia a try.  So I found this really simple recipe.  It took me about 15 minutes to have dinner on the table.  FANTASTIC!

Broiled Tilapia

4-5 oz tilapia fillets
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. garlic herb seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash)

Preheat broiler.  Coat a shallow roasting pan with cooking spray.  Season both sides of fish with salt and pepper.  Transfer fish to prepared pan and drizzle with lemon juice; sprinkle garlic herb seasoning over top.  Broil until fish is fork-tender, about 5 minutes.  Serve.

The recipe for coleslaw is 1 1/2 cups of tricolor coleslaw mix, with 1 tbsp. Kraft Creamy Poppy Seed dressing and the juice of one lemon or lime wedge.

Today I bough fresh asparagus.  I have Ziploc steamer bags and they are fabulous.  They have instructions on how to steam veggies and certain proteins right on the bag.  So I just followed the directions for steaming asparagus and when it was done I tossed them with lemon juice, pepper, crushed red pepper, and Mrs. Dash.

Monday:  Roast Pork Chops, cheddar & bacon grits, and mixed vegetables.  I admit I have never ever had grits before in my life, let alone cook them.  But I found this recipe on Paula Deen's website and I really wanted to try it.  Of course I changed it a bit.  I kinda blended her recipe with the one on the back of the box of grits. I know your thinking YIKES Paula Deen uses so much butter but I fixed it so that it's not so bad.

Roasted Pork Chops

4 lg. pork chops
salt
pepper
1 tbsp. canola oil

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper.  Add the pork chops to the skillet and cook for 10 minutes, turning halfway through cook time.

Cheddar & Bacon Grits

4 cups water
1 cup quick cooking grits
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup Land o Lakes Light Canola Butter
1/2 cup 2% cheddar cheese
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (I use fully cooked bacon so that way I can just get the amount I'm going to use and not be tempted by a whole pan filled with bacon)

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil over medium high heat.  Add grits, salt, pepper, and butter.  Cook and stir frequently, until the grits are soft.  Stir in cheese and bacon.

For the mixed vegetables, they are the frozen ones, that include broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots.  You can steam them right in the bag.  Just follow the directions on the package.  Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, and pepper.  Then toss to coat and serve.

Tuesday:  Chicken Tamale Casserole, black beans, and green beans.  The first time I made this I used red enchilada sauce, tonight I'm going to use green enchilada sauce.  I would much rather have green enchilada sauce with chicken.

Chicken Tamale Casserole

1 (8.5 oz.) box corn muffin mix

1 (14.75 oz.) can sweet corn cream style (no salt added)

2 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup 1% milk

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1 cup shredded mozzarella (part skim milk, low moisture)

1 (10 oz.) can mild enchilada sauce

3 cups cooked, diced skinless chicken breast

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly spray a 13X9 inch baking dish with Pam. Set aside. In a large bowl combine the corn muffin mix, cream-style corn, eggs, milk, chili powder, cumin, and 1/2 cup cheese. Stir till combined then pour into baking dish. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and use a knife to pierce the cornbread mixture several times all over. Pour the enchilada sauce all over the top. Then top with the chicken and remaining cheese. Bake for an additional 20 minutes.  Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing into pieces and serving with optional toppings: diced tomato, sour cream, shredded lettuce, sliced black olives, chopped green onions, finely chopped cilantro, and/or salsa.

I also take a day to prep black beans.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.

For the green beans, they are the frozen ones.  You can steam them right in the bag.  Just follow the directions on the package.  Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, pepper, crushed red pepper, and the juice from 1 wedge of lemon.  Then toss to coat and serve.

Wednesday:  Leftovers. Tada...Chicken tostadas!  I love them.  So you can have chicken tacos if you want but it's so much better in tostadas.  And your filling won't fall out the back when you are eating them.  For this dinner I also use my toaster oven.  Preheat it to 375.  Line the baking pan with foil, and spray it with Pam.  Warm up two corn tortillas in the microwave.  Place them flat on the baking sheet and then spray the tops with Pam.  Bake for about 10 minutes turning once until light brown and toasty.  Keep on eye on them because they will go from being perfect to burnt in a blink of an eye.  I know, it's happened to me.  Once they are done.  I split one wedge of Laughing Cow cheese between the two corn tostadas.  Then spread black beans, divide 6 ounces of diced warmed chicken and pile it on top, add salsa, sour cream, and devour.  You can add any kind of salsa and guacamole as well.

Thursday:  Meat & Potato Casserole, black beans, and mixed vegetables.  My husband really loved the meat & potato casserole and he has been asking for me to make it again.  Tonight he got his wish.

Meat and Potato Casserole

1 lb 93/7 lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 (10.5 oz) can Campbell's 98% fat free condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash

4 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/3 cup water

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with Pam.  In a frying pan, brown beef and onion together until beef is done. Stir Italian seasoning into beef mixture.  Lay a third of the potatoes on bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle potatoes with some of the Mrs. Dash and some pepper. Spread half the beef mixture on top.  Repeat layers, ending with potato layer.   Combine soup and water. Spread soup mixture over top. Cover and back 1 hour.

I also take a day to prep black beans.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.

For the mixed vegetables, they are the frozen ones.  It's blend of green beans, wax beans, and carrots.  It's not my usual steam in the bag kind,  But follow the directions on the package.  Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, pepper, crushed red pepper, and the juice from 1 wedge of lemon.  Then toss to coat and serve.

Friday:  Oven-Baked Sriracha Chicken, brown rice, vegetable spring roll, and stir fry vegetables.  Baking the chicken keeps it moist and yummy!

Oven Baked Sriracha Chicken

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 tsp. sriracha sauce

1/4 tsp. Chinese five spice blend

1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast

1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tsp. fresh ginger, minced or grated

4 stalks green onions (greens: thinly sliced and whites:minced), separated

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9X13 baking dish with Pam and set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk together the minced whites of the green onions, hoisin sauce, ginger, garlic, lime juice, sriracha, and seasoning.  Working with one piece at a time, place chicken breast in the bowl and coat with sauce (the sauce is pretty thick). Place chicken breast in baking dish and repeat with remaining chicken. Pour any of the remaining sauce over the chicken.  Cover baking dish with foil. Bake 35-40 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Place chicken on a serving dish and top with green onion greens and toasted sesame seeds.

Brown rice is a boil in the bag kind.  Just make it according to package directions.  I like to toss a cube of chicken broth into the water to flavor the rice.  When it's done, I season the rice with Mrs. Dash, a splash of less sodium soy sauce, and 1/2 tsp. Land O'Lakes Light Butter with Canola.

The spring rolls are frozen ones.   I make them in my toaster oven.  I'll just ask who wants spring rolls and make that amount.  The rest go back to the freezer for another time.

The vegetable mix is an Asian stir fry style and is the frozen kind.  They are not the kind that you steam in the bag.  I just followed the directions on the bag on how to microwave them.   Once they are done I pour them into a mixing bowl, add 1/2 tbsp. sriracha, 1/2 tbsp. less sodium soy sauce, and 1 tsp. light canola butter.  Stir well to combine and serve.

Dinner July 3 to July 9

Happy Fourth of July!  I hope y'all had a great week.  This week was my second annual 5K Powder Run!  My very good friend, Teresa did the run with me and we finished in under 40 minutes.  Needless to say (but I'm going to say it anyway) we were super proud of ourselves.  Don't be intimidated by trying new things.  Your mind will tell you that you can't long before your body will give out.

Saturday: Mexican Casserole, cilantro lime rice, and green beans.  This casserole is really just a veggie enchilada dinner.  And the veggies are jam packed so that you really don't miss the meat.  But if you just have to have it then you can add a pound of cooked ground turkey or cooked lean ground beef, or even some cooked shredded chicken.  Also if you rather have green enchiladas instead of red switch out the sauce.

Mexican Casserole with Roasted Corn and Peppers

4 medium bell peppers (any combo of colors I used red and orange)

1 jalapeno pepper

1/2 medium red onions

1 (10.8 oz) bag frozen corn, thawed

2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. cumin

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

12 corn tortillas

1 (15.5 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups red mild enchilada sauce

Dice the bell peppers and the jalapeno(take out the seeds) and mince the onion. Heat a large skillet sprayed with Pam to medium heat. Add onion and peppers, sprinkle with 1/2 chili powder and 1/2 cumin. Stir, rest, stir rest until there is a nice browning on the peppers. Remove from heat.  Repeat the process with corn using the remaining chili powder and cumin. Removing from heat when browned and roasted. Sprinkle all roasted vegetables with a little bit of salt and toss to coat.  Spray a 9X13 inch baking pan with Pam. Preheat oven to 400. Cut the tortillas into thin strips.   Spread a little bit of sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer in order: 1/2 tortilla strips, ALL the beans, half the vegetables, half the sauce, half the cheese.  Cover with other half of tortilla strips, vegetables, sauce and cheese.  Cover with foil (you can spray the foil with Pam to keep the cheese from sticking) and bake 15-20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted. Let rest for 10 minutes. Serve.

Cilantro Lime Rice

2 cups of instant brown rice

1 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash

juice and zest of 1 lime

chopped fresh cilantro

Follow the directions for cooking the rice on the stove top.  Using the chicken broth in place of the water.  Once the broth is boiling add the juice and zest of the lime.  When it's done add Mrs. Dash, and lots of cilantro.  There is no set amount just use as much or as little as your taste buds desire.  If you want to make the rice extra limey, you can add the juice of a second lime when you add the cilantro.  It's really good with the extra lime juice!

The green beans are the frozen ones.  You just steam them right in the bag.  Once they are done I pour them into a mixing bowl, add pepper, Mrs. Dash, crushed red pepper, and 1 tsp. of light canola butter.   

Sunday:  Chili Lime & Cumin Cod, coleslaw, and broccoli. I had been wanting to make cod just for a change from the salmon.  Don't get me wrong I love salmon but it had been a while since I cook cod.  So I bought some frozen cod (that's all we can get in my small west Texas town) and I started looking for a quick easy way to bake it.

Chili Lime and Cumin Cod

1 lb cod
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tbsp. light canola butter
1/8 tsp. cumin
juice of 1/2 lime

Heat oven to 450.  Coat an oven safe pan with Pam.  Place cod in pan.  In a small bowl combine chili powder, oregano, and seasoned salt.  Sprinkle evenly over the cod.  Roast 7-10 minutes or until opaque.  In a small microwave safe bowl melt the butter.  Add the cumin and lime juice and microwave for an additional 10 seconds.  Before serving drizzle butter mixture over cod.

The recipe for coleslaw is 1 1/2 cups of tricolor coleslaw mix, with 1 tbsp. Kraft Creamy Poppy Seed dressing and the juice of one lemon or lime wedge.

The broccoli is from the freezer section. You just steam the veggies right in the bag.  Once it's done I pour the veggies into a mixing bowl, add the juice of 2 lemon wedges, pepper, Mrs. Dash, crushed red pepper, and 1 tsp. of light canola butter.

Monday:  Bahn Mi and cracker chips.  A Bahn Mi is a Vietnamese meatball sandwich.  And they are so good.  I have changed a few things in the original recipe.  http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/beer-mi-asian-meatball-subs/d205c506-3018-4e38-abac-55b6c7295d17?nicam2=Email

There are three components to Bahn Mis.  The first is the pickled topping.  Don't be intimidated it's really not all that hard.  And the dish comes together pretty quickly.

First up:

Banh Mi Pickled Topping:

4 tbsps rice vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup carrot, grated

1 cup cucumber slices

1 tsp salt

In a medium bowl, mix vinegar, sugar and salt. Add carrots and cucumber.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

After you get the pickled topping in the fridge you can move on to the meatballs. 

Banh Mi Meatballs:

1 lb ground pork (the leanest you can find)

1/3 cup panko crispy plain bread crumbs

1 tbsp low sodium beef broth

1 tbsp sriracha chili sauce

1 tbsp less sodium soy sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1 large egg, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375 °F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with Pam. In a large bowl, stir ingredients until well mixed.  Shape into 30 (1 inch) balls and place in pan.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until meatballs are no longer pink in center.

While the meatballs are baking, I make the sauce.

Banh Mi Sauce:

3/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup low sodium beef broth

1/4 cup honey

2 tbsp less sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp sriracha chili sauce

In a 3 quart saucepan, stir ingredients until well blended.  Heat to boiling over medium heat.  Reduce heat to low, simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  When the meatballs are done then place them into the sauce and stir them around so that each one of them is coated.  Serve.

I usually I eat my bahn mi in a pita bread.  But it seems like I always have such a hard time keeping the bread from tearing.  So tonight I decided to use a bolillo bread, it looks like a little football.  After I slice the bread in half, I take a serving of meatballs which is 5 meatballs, add 1/4 cup of pickled topping and a little spoonful of sauce.  With a side of Special K Sea Salt Cracker Chips I'm in sandwich heaven!

Tuesday:  Fiesta Beef O'Brian Potatoes, black beans, and green beans.  This is an all in one meal.  And it's pretty simple to make.   http://www.julieseatsandtreats.com/2013/10/fiesta-nacho-cheese-beef-potatoes/#_a5y_p=3675560

Fiesta Beef O'Brian Potatoes

1 lb 93/7 lean ground beef

1 (1 oz) package 25% less sodium taco seasoning mix (or you can use your own)

1 (15.25) oz. can golden sweet whole kernel corn (no salt added), drained

1 (10 1/2 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 (10 1/2 oz) can cheddar cheese soup

2/3 cup low sodium beef broth

6 servings southern hash browns

In a microwave safe bowl place potatoes and water. Cover with saran wrap and microwave on high for 10 minutes, stirring twice, or until tender.  While potatoes are cooking prepare beef and taco seasoning according to directions on taco seasoning package.  In a small bowl whisk together soups and beef broth until well blended. Add to beef mixture and stir in corn and potatoes. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Taco Seasoning

1 tbsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. paprika

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Mix everything together and then store in an airtight container.

I also take a day to prep black beans.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.

For the green beans.  They are the frozen ones.  You just steam them right in the bag.  Once they are done I pour them into a mixing bowl, add the juice of 2 lemon wedges, pepper, Mrs. Dash, crushed red pepper, and 1 tsp. of light canola butter.

Wednesday:  Leftovers.  I decided on a Chicken Bacon Sandwich with Special K Sea Salt Cracker Chips.  I like to prep chicken for salads, wraps, or leftover night.  What I like to do is take boneless skinless chicken breasts, trim all the fat off, which usually it doesn't have all that much.  Then I pound it to an even thickness. Really big breasts I cut in half.  Rinse it in cold water, pat dry with a paper towels.  Place all the pieces in a gallon Ziploc baggie and I marinate them in a lemon pepper marinade in the fridge for several hours.  When I get ready to cook, I spray a skillet (or you can use a grill) with Pam, they sell one that is for grilling that's the one I use. Heat the pan to medium.  When it's hot I sprinkle each side of the chicken breasts with lemon pepper seasoning.  Cook for about 12-15 minutes flipping once.  Until the juices run clear.  Then I transfer the cooked chicken to a tin, cover with foil, and let it cool.  Then I stick it all in the fridge and I use it through out the week.  For the sandwich I used a Foldit Flatbread, it's made by HungryGirl and they are about 90 calories.  I added a slice of provolone cheese, mustard, a piece of bacon, and 4 ounces of chicken.  Then I added a side of Special K Sea Salt Cracker Chips.  If you don't like mustard you can use mayo.  I have one for my husband that is made with canola oil.  Or you can use hummus, or pesto.

Thursday:  Baked Elbow Macaroni, black beans, and broccoli. And you can substitute any pasta. I just happened to have elbow macaroni in my pantry.  You may think that two jars of sauce is a bit much but I promise you need them.  You may even use 2-25 oz. jars if you want it to be really saucy.

Baked Elbow Macaroni

2 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese

2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup light sour cream

1 (25 oz) jar spaghetti sauce

1 (14 oz) jar spaghetti sauce

1 lb (93/7) lean ground beef

6 slices provolone cheese

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 (16 oz) box macaroni

Cook pasta according to directions. In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer 15 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9X13 inch baking pan with Pam. Layer: 1/2 of elbows, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining elbows, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes or until cheeses are melted.

I also take a day to prep black beans.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.  

The broccoli is the frozen kind.  You just steam it right in the bag.  Once it's done I pour it into a mixing bowl, add pepper, Mrs. Dash, crushed red pepper, and 1 tsp. of light canola butter.   

Friday:  Chicken Caesar Burgers and sea salt veggie straws.  A quick dinner recipe for nights when you are in a rush.  And thank goodness too.  I was actually trying to open the package of chicken and I accidentally dropped a panful of soapy water into the ground chicken.  So I had to rush to the store and buy more chicken.  I still managed to get dinner done in time.

Chicken Caesar Burgers

1/4 cup chopped onions

2 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp. lemon juice

3 tsp. dried parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 lb. ground chicken

In a small bowl, combine onion, cheese, lemon juice, parsley, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Mrs. Dash, and pepper.  Crumble chicken over mixture and mix well. Shape into 4 patties.  Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until meat thermometer reads 165 and juices run clear.  Let rest 5 minutes.

To assemble I used a Foldit Flatbread (the same ones from Wednesday night).  I spread hot spicy mustard on the top of the flatbread, added the patty, spinach, provolone cheese, a slice of tomato and a side of veggie straws.