I love breakfast/brunches/entertaining. I browsed some casserole recipes on two of my favorite cooking websites (delish.com and cookinglight.com), and combined a few along with making healthier substitutions. For those from Chicago, you know how big of a deal St. Patrick's day is and the festivities that go down. I made this for a pre-game brunch this year and both guys and girls a like really enjoyed it.
Ingredients
Cooking Spray
16 oz. Trader Joes Garlic Chicken Sausage (6-7 links), chopped into bite-size pieces
12 Slices Trader Joe's Low-Calorie Bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup Shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
3 cups Skim Milk, divided
1.5 Cups Regular Egg Beaters
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed, reduced-sodium, 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
6 cups Spinach, wilted
3/4 Cup Jarred, Roasted Red Peppers (drained, dried, chopped)
1 Cup Chopped Mushrooms
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Directions
Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange bread along the bottom. Microwave the sausage for 45 seconds (if you use Trader-Joe's it is pre-cooked). Evenly top the bread with the chicken sausage. Next, evenly layer the wilted spinach, mushrooms, and then roasted red peppers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine 2.5 cups of milk, egg beaters and Dijon mustard, stirring with a whisk. Pour over the bread mixture in the dish. Sprinkle the top with shredded cheese. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Pre-heat the oven to 350. Remove the casserole from the fridge and uncover. Combine 1/2 cup milk and cream of mushroom soup, stirring with a whisk. Pour over the bread mixture. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until eggs are set and the top is lightly browned. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Info / Serving Size: Serves 8. Per Serving: 270 Calories, 5.6 g Fat, 39 mg Cholesterol, 1204 mg Sodium, 34 g Carbs, 8.75 g Fiber, 26 g Protein, 7.5 g Sugars.
Notes
Wilted Spinach: Rinse chopped spinach thoroughly with water. Transfer to a large, microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and punch several holes in it. Microwave on high until wilted, 2 - 3 minutes. Squeeze out excess moisture before adding to recipe.
Make Ahead Tip: Prep the entire recipe through the refrigeration step the night before. Pick up from "Pre-heat oven" step in the AM.
Veggies: You can substitute in whatever veggies sound good to you. If adding significant more bulk to this recipe you may have to add a bit more milk and egg beaters to off-set.
Sausage: You can use any flavor of chicken sausage but keep in mind not all combinations are that palatable when mixed with the rest of the recipe. You also can use turkey or regular sausage instead, but you must pre-cook all meat before adding to this recipe.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Orange Slices with Cinnamon-Lemon Drizzle
If you're like me and just need something sweet after dinner but (1) want a healthier option or (2) it's Lent and you gave up sweets and are finding a way around it...
Ingredients
1 Medium Orange, peeled and sliced into discs
1 Tbsp Orange Juice
1/2 lemon -- juice squeeze (~ 1 tbsp)
1/2 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Pack Truvia/Stevia
Directions
Mix all ingredients (except the orange). Place the orange discs on a plate and drizzle with mixture.
Nutrition Info / Serving Size: ~ 81 Calories, 21 g Carbs, 5 g Fiber, 1 g Protein, 14 g Sugar. Makes 1 serving.
Ingredients
1 Medium Orange, peeled and sliced into discs
1 Tbsp Orange Juice
1/2 lemon -- juice squeeze (~ 1 tbsp)
1/2 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Pack Truvia/Stevia
Directions
Mix all ingredients (except the orange). Place the orange discs on a plate and drizzle with mixture.
Nutrition Info / Serving Size: ~ 81 Calories, 21 g Carbs, 5 g Fiber, 1 g Protein, 14 g Sugar. Makes 1 serving.
CPK BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad
Everytime I go to CPK I have to at least get a half-order of their BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad. I "lightened-up" their recipe to make at home!
Ingredients
3 cups Icebery Lettuce (shredded)
1 Sm - Med Tomato (diced)
4 oz. Grilled, Skinless Chicken Breast
1/4 cup black beans (rinsed)
1/4 Cup Kraft Fat-Free Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/3 Cup Frozen Sweet White Corn (thawed)
1/4 Cup Diced Jicama (optional)
1 Chive (chopped)
1 Tbsp Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce
2 Tbsp Trader-Joe's Fat-Free Sour Cream
Ranch Seasoning Mix
4 Trader Joe's Fat-Free Blue Corn Tortilla Chips - crumbled
Directions: In a small bowl, mix the sour cream with the ranch seasoning (to taste). In a large bowl (that has a lid) throw in all ingredients (including ranch-sour cream). Put on the lid and shake until everything is well-mixed and ranch-sour cream and BBQ sauce are integrated.
Nutrition Information/Serving Size: ~ 380 Calories, 190 mg Sodium, 20 G carbs, 5 g Fiber, 41 g Protein, 16 g Sugar, 75 mg Cholesterol, 2.45 g Fat. Makes 1 hearty serving.
Notes: Prepare the chicken how you would like -- grilled, baked in the oven, poached, etc. Per the BBQ Sauce -- I just happen to live Sweet Baby Rays but of course any BBQ of choice would work well.
Ingredients
3 cups Icebery Lettuce (shredded)
1 Sm - Med Tomato (diced)
4 oz. Grilled, Skinless Chicken Breast
1/4 cup black beans (rinsed)
1/4 Cup Kraft Fat-Free Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/3 Cup Frozen Sweet White Corn (thawed)
1/4 Cup Diced Jicama (optional)
1 Chive (chopped)
1 Tbsp Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce
2 Tbsp Trader-Joe's Fat-Free Sour Cream
Ranch Seasoning Mix
4 Trader Joe's Fat-Free Blue Corn Tortilla Chips - crumbled
Directions: In a small bowl, mix the sour cream with the ranch seasoning (to taste). In a large bowl (that has a lid) throw in all ingredients (including ranch-sour cream). Put on the lid and shake until everything is well-mixed and ranch-sour cream and BBQ sauce are integrated.
Nutrition Information/Serving Size: ~ 380 Calories, 190 mg Sodium, 20 G carbs, 5 g Fiber, 41 g Protein, 16 g Sugar, 75 mg Cholesterol, 2.45 g Fat. Makes 1 hearty serving.
Notes: Prepare the chicken how you would like -- grilled, baked in the oven, poached, etc. Per the BBQ Sauce -- I just happen to live Sweet Baby Rays but of course any BBQ of choice would work well.
Mom's Buttermilk Pancakes
I remember making these growing up every Saturday morning. My dad would have us five kids around him, us four younger ones standing on stools and chairs counting out the number of Tbsp of oil and cups of flour being put into the mix (clearly with 7 people we had to triple this recipe). I've slightly "lightened" it up by substituting egg beaters for regular eggs and All Natural Sweetener (Truvia/Stevia) for sugar -- obviously you can use eggs and real sugar instead.
Ingredients
1 cup Flour
1/2 cup Regular Egg Beaters
3/4 tsp Baking Power
3 Tbsp Oil (Vegetable or Canola)
1/4 tsp Salt
1.5 - 2 packets Truvia or Stevia
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1 cup Buttermilk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Directions
Sift the dry ingredients (except sweetener) together. In a separate (and larger bowl) whisk the egg beaters, oil and sweetener together. To the egg mixture, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk. [Note: do NOT overbeat, it's good to have some clumps in the batter!] Add 1/2 tsp vanilla and mix. Warm up your griddle (380 degrees) or pan (just shy of medium/high heat). Add up to 1 tbsp oil to the pan -- there is enough oil in the batter to aid in cooking.
Nutrition Info/Servings: About 970 calories for total recipe. Makes about 9 good-sized pancakes.
Yummy & Simple Topping Idea: Make a quick and delicious fruit compote! In a small sauce pan over medium heat, add a pinch of sugar (optional), 1 packet of all natural sweetener (or to taste, depending on how much fruit you use), some berries (chop up strawberries if you decide to use), and a dash each of syrup of choice and balsamic. Let it sit over low heat stirring occasionally--mash up the berries as they cook.
Ingredients
1 cup Flour
1/2 cup Regular Egg Beaters
3/4 tsp Baking Power
3 Tbsp Oil (Vegetable or Canola)
1/4 tsp Salt
1.5 - 2 packets Truvia or Stevia
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1 cup Buttermilk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Directions
Sift the dry ingredients (except sweetener) together. In a separate (and larger bowl) whisk the egg beaters, oil and sweetener together. To the egg mixture, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk. [Note: do NOT overbeat, it's good to have some clumps in the batter!] Add 1/2 tsp vanilla and mix. Warm up your griddle (380 degrees) or pan (just shy of medium/high heat). Add up to 1 tbsp oil to the pan -- there is enough oil in the batter to aid in cooking.
Nutrition Info/Servings: About 970 calories for total recipe. Makes about 9 good-sized pancakes.
Yummy & Simple Topping Idea: Make a quick and delicious fruit compote! In a small sauce pan over medium heat, add a pinch of sugar (optional), 1 packet of all natural sweetener (or to taste, depending on how much fruit you use), some berries (chop up strawberries if you decide to use), and a dash each of syrup of choice and balsamic. Let it sit over low heat stirring occasionally--mash up the berries as they cook.
Monday, April 2, 2012
First Posting
My mind usually runs a million miles a minute (which is about as fast as I talk) ... the number of planners, lists and other trackers that I attempt to keep in order is probably more than I'd like to admit to owning. After indolently skimming some of my friends' blogs on the second leg of my daily commute into work, I had an epiphany that a blog would be a great way for me to organize my thoughts, track some of my favorite things, and share recipes+ideas with family and friends.
I work within the consulting industry, which -- for my current project -- involves a two hour commute each way utilizing three forms of transportation Monday through Thursday. Although this seems fairly condusive to two facets of my personal interests (drinking good beer/wine and trying new restaurants...strong emphasis on the first), it is a blatant hindrance to working out, cooking, baking, and eating healthy in general. Like anyone else, time is a premium. Trying to squeeze all of the things important to me into those precious hours is a stressful and seemingly losing battle I fight weekly. I try to find ways to maximize that time by finding shortcuts in other areas, overall leading to a happier (and healthier) me.
I work within the consulting industry, which -- for my current project -- involves a two hour commute each way utilizing three forms of transportation Monday through Thursday. Although this seems fairly condusive to two facets of my personal interests (drinking good beer/wine and trying new restaurants...strong emphasis on the first), it is a blatant hindrance to working out, cooking, baking, and eating healthy in general. Like anyone else, time is a premium. Trying to squeeze all of the things important to me into those precious hours is a stressful and seemingly losing battle I fight weekly. I try to find ways to maximize that time by finding shortcuts in other areas, overall leading to a happier (and healthier) me.
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