this is our happily ever after

Healthy Layered Nachos

I love Mexican food...it's my favorite of all cuisines.  

Many times Mexican food is not so good for those of us who are trying to slim down and make better food choices, but don't fret, because this recipe will satisfy your craving for Mexican and you won't feel guilty.

It all began with these, Food Should Taste Good multigrain tortilla chips.  Now, I realize that chips are chips and no one should eat an entire bag, but when I'm craving chips I feel good about eating these chips!  They aren't the cheapest chips in the world to purchase at the grocery store...so I buy a huge bag at Costco that lasts us several weeks to a month. 

They're great with hummus, salsa, cheese, and nachos!

Speaking of Nachos....here's the recipe I made last week!  I think that this recipe could feed a family of 4.  The 2 of us had plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day.

 

Ingredients:

1 lb of lean ground beef or turkey

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp chili powder

½ tsp salt

1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (4oz) can of chopped green chiles

1 (10 oz) can of petite diced tomatoes with green chiles (like Rotel)

1 cup shredded cheddar-jack cheese

Several handfuls of “Food Should Taste Good” tortilla chips

( I buy them at Costco in a huge bag)

Sour Cream, Salsa, Guacamole, Jalapenos

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Brown ground meat for several minutes, breaking it up as you go.  Once it begins to brown add cumin, chili powder, and salt.  Once the meat is completely browned toss in the black beans, chiles, and tomatoes.  Simmer over med-low heat for 10 minutes stirring occasionally so that all the flavors blend together. 

 In an 8 inch square baking dish make a layer of chips in the bottom.  Top with several spoonfuls of the meat/bean mixture and then sprinkle with ½ cup cheese.  Add another layer of chips, beans/meat, and cheese.  Place in hot oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.Serve with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and jalapenos. 

To print the recipe  Download Healthy Layered Nachos

 

meal plan monday

Here's the reality....meal planning is critical to eating well, spending less at the grocery store, not allowing food to go to waste, and my sanity.  

Here are 4 meals that our family will be partaking in this week.  

Meal one--Simple Baked Fish with Roasted Cauliflower and New Potatoes.  

 

To make the fish I mix a few tbsp of mayo with some lemon juice, salt, ground pepper, parmesan cheese, garlic salt, and whatever other herb/spice blend that grabs my attention.  Then I spread this mixture over 2 fish fillets and bake them at 400 for about 15-20 min.  This "recipe" could be done with any mild white fish like flounder, tilapia, grouper, or cod.

Meal two--Cheese Enchiladas with Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Meal three--Baked Margarita Spaghetti Squash (I'm hoping this helps alleviate my craving for spaghetti!) with Grilled Chicken

Meal four--Summer Crab, Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad 

Greek Salad with Shrimp

In an effort to transform my eating habits, lighten up, and make simple summertime meals I came up with this super easy supper.  

It all started when I bought some shrimp cocktail at Costco....and feta, cucumbers, tomatoes, and kalamata olives at Trader Joes.  

I made a Greek Salad Dressing in a mason jar...because any reason I find to use a mason jar makes me happy!  I've loved mason jars long before they were so chic!  Just sayin

Anyways, I used some Penzey's Greek seasoning to make the dressing, but here's a great recipe anyone could use.  

Greek Dressing:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp garlic powder, black pepper, and salt

3/4 tsp Italian or Greek Seasoning

I like to toss my greens with dressing and then layer everything else on top.  You can serve dressing on the side if you would like

Now add feta, halved grape tomatoes, diced cucumber, kalamata olives, shrimp.

Enjoy for lunch or a light supper!

 

 

Chicken Spaghetti

ULTIMATE COMFORT FOOD!!!!

This is how I would categorize this recipe.  It's not particularly healthy, but it will warm the deepest parts of you from the inside out.  I'd like to imagine dining on this after a crisp Fall day that we spent picking apples and pumpkins while wearing courduroys, a striped shirt, and a jean jacket.  Wait...I live in Houston...we don't have apple orchards or pumpkin farms, but I know parts of the country do (I'm actually visiting those parts right now).  Hello Midwest! 

Regardless of your weather I urge you to add this to your menu plan.  It's so good and makes even better leftovers!

Here's the printable recipe: Download Chicken Spaghetti

Ingredients:

2-4 Chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (if you like lots of meat use 4, if you don’t want as much use 2)

1 pound of thin spaghetti (I use Barilla Plus in the yellow box)

1 (4 oz) jar diced pimento, drained

Olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced

1 green bell pepper, finely diced

2 cans cream of mushroom soup (I use the 25% less sodium variety)

2 cups chicken stock

2 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese (take the time to grate your own..it’s well worth the effort)

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

A few shakes of cayenne pepper to taste

 

Directions:

Break pasta into thirds and cook according to package directions minus a minute or two (it will continue to cook in oven). 

While pasta is cooking sauté onion and bell pepper in olive oil until tender.  Set aside. 

Drain pasta and mix with onions and peppers, pimento, mushroom soup, and chicken stock.  Mix until well combined.  Then add 2 cups of cheese and pepper.   Combine well.  Place in a 9x13 casserole dish and sprinkle last ½ cup of cheese on top.  Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes, until bubbly.    

Notes:  If you’re cooking just for 2, divide the casserole into two pans and freeze one of the pans.  You’ll be so happy you did one evening when you need a quick dinner!

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

I really like Red Beans and Rice and this is my favorite recipe.  It's from Southern Living and I barely altered it.  It's healthy and very economical...beans and rice...about as cheap as it gets.  I made a batch a couple of weeks ago and we had it for dinner, lunch the next day, and then I froze a small container for Brian to have when I'm gone in a few weeks.  You may or may not want to add more salt to it, but I find if I add spice I don't need salt.  This Black and Red Seasoning from Penzey's is my favorite for spice! 

Printable Recipe Download Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

1 lb dried red beans, rinsed

¾ lb smoked sausage, thinly sliced

3 stalks of celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium sweet onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning

Cayenne pepper (for extra heat)

Finely chopped green onion for garnish

Cooked long grain white rice (I prefer Jasmati rice)

Combine first 7 ingredients in slow cooker with 7 cups of water.  Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until beans are tender.    

Serve bean mixture over cooked rice and sprinkle with cayenne pepper if desired.  Garnish with green onions. 

HATCH Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole

It's August...in Texas...and you can find Hatch Chiles where we shop at HEB (best grocery store ever!)  One of the big "events" of HEBs in my area (I assume other places as well) is Hatch Chile Festival.  Hatch chiles are grown in New Mexico and harvested this time of year.  Central Market (the gourmet version of HEB has a huge festival as well).

***I buy the mild Hatch chiles and they are plenty spicy for me.  I feel that they are about the same spice as you would find in Rotel.  With peppers however, one pepper can be milder than the next and keep in mind that most of the heat is found in the seeds and white membrane.  You could also use these in homemade salsa, pico de gallo, chili, tortilla soup, or on top of burgers.  If you've never tried them before I encourage you to try them out.  They are usually out of the stores towards the end of August, so don't waste time!!! 

I wait to make this recipe until I have freshly roasted Hatch Chiles on hand.  Not to worry, I buy about 10 lbs of roasted chiles and freeze them so I can make these until my chiles run out. 

Here's a display of fresh peppers at Central Market

This is what the roasted ones look like....I only buy roasted ones and then bring them home and peel them using a knife by scraping the skin off.

all the black stuff on the right is the skin and tops of chiles with the seeds.  I discard this part.

This photo doesn't do these enchiladas justice...they are simple and SO GOOD!!! 

Here's the recipe to print: Download Hatch Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 pound roasted Hatch green chiles (remove skin and seeds and chop)

 2 Tbsp olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

1 cup chicken broth

10 corn tortillas

2 cooked and chopped chicken breasts

2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese

Sour Cream

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. 

Saute garlic for a minute.  Add chiles, salt, pepper, and broth.  Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. 

Spread 1/3 of the chile/broth mixture on bottom of 9 inch baking dish. Top with 4 tortillas. Top with half the chicken and 1/3 of the cheese.  Top with 4 more tortillas, 1/3 of chile mixture, the remaining chicken and 1/3 cheese.  Tear last two tortillas and scatter on top of enchiladas.  Top with remaining chile mixture and cheese.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Serve with sour cream.

 

Taco Soup

I LOVE Taco Soup and there are quite a few recipes out there for it...this is a combination of several and it's very simple.  Here's the printable for you.  Download Taco Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey or beef

1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped

1 tsp cumin

2 Tbsp taco seasoning

½ tsp chili powder

1 ½ tsp dry Ranch dressing mix

2  (10 oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles (medium or mild)

2  (15 oz) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn

 1-2 cups chicken or beef stock

Optional: grated cheese, avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips

 

Directions

In a large soup pot brown ground meat and onion over medium high heat until cooked through.  Add in seasonings, tomatoes, beans, and stock (as much as you want).  Cook over medium low heat for 20 minutes.  Add in frozen corn and cook another 10 minutes.  Ladle into bowls and serve with optional fixings. 

Shredded Beef Sandwiches (Slow Cooker)

I love using my slow cooker in the summer because it doesn't heat up the kitchen.  I used it a few weeks ago to cook some chicken for king ranch casserole and I used it over the weekend to make some shredded beef for sandwiches.  This recipe is adapted from a recipe in Southern Living.  I served it with coleslaw and it was perfect, and definitely a keeper.  I didn't use chipotle peppers, but next time I think I will. 

Here's the recipe for download Download Shredded Beef Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 (3-4 lb) eye of round roast

1 tsp salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ cups beef stock/broth

1 cup ketchup

Juice from 2 lemons

1 tsp ground pepper

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Optional: 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped

Sandwich buns

Dill pickle slices

Directions:

Stir together salt, garlic, and next 5 ingredients and chipotle if desired.  Pour half of mixture in bottom of slow cooker.  Place beef in slow cooker, and pour remaining sauce on top.  Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours.  Shred beef using two forks and return to slow cooker to absorb sauce.  Toast buns if desired.  With a slotted spoon serve beef on buns with pickle slices. 

BLT Pasta Salad--a great summertime recipe

In the summertime I like to have a few really easy recipes each week.  This is one that everyone loves and could certainly be used as a side with some grilled chicken or burgers. 

Download BLT Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

¾ cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

¼ t. garlic powder

2 T. BBQ sauce

16 oz. rotini pasta, cooked, drained, and cooled

1 small container grape tomatoes, halved

1 lb. bacon, cooked to very crispy and cooled, chopped

A few handfuls of lettuce or mixed greens

Directions:

Mix mayo, sour cream, garlic powder, and BBQ sauce together.  Mix with cooked and cooled pasta.  Carefully mix in tomatoes and bacon.  Place some greens on each plate and serve pasta on top. 

Summer Corn, Tomato, Crab and Avocado Salad

It's no secret that I love crab...as in it's probably one of my favorite foods...ever!  This recipe was somewhat inspired by what I had at Ouisies Table a few weeks ago as an appetizer.  This is a perfect summer recipe because it's easy, light, and you don't have to turn on your oven or stove. 

Download pdf Download Summer Corn and Crab Salad

12 oz lump crab meat (found in seafood section of grocery store)

1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half

1 avocado, peeled and diced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced

Roasted or grilled corn from 4 cobs of corn

1/3 cup finely diced red onion

2 limes juiced

¼ cup Ranch salad dressing or any other creamy dressing.  Green goddess would be great

¼ tsp Black Pepper

Greens (I forgot to include this in the pdf, but I did serve it on a bed a greens)

In a bowl combine first 6 ingredients.  In a mason jar combine lime juice, ranch and black pepper.  Shake to combine.  Drizzle dressing over salad mixing gently combine.  Serve cold.