Chilly Weather Chili

It tends to be a bit chilly in New England this time of year.  What better to warm you up than a big hot bowl of chili?!?!?  I am not going to lie, I have never made chili before since I don't really like it but my husband does so I figured I would give it a go.  I researched a few different ways to make it and most people prefer slow cooked chili that sits and simmers for hours.  I did not have this kind of time today and needed a quick version.  My chili only took about 45minutes from start to finish! Here is what you will need to begin:

1.3lbs of 15% fat Hamburg 

1 sweet onion chopped

1 can of chili (14oz)

1 can tomato sauce (8oz)

1 can regular rotel (14oz)

1 can of diced tomatoes with green chilies (We like the spice you can use just a can of diced tomato 14oz)

1 package of chili seasoning

1 cup water

Cook hamburg and onion in large stock pot until hamburg is fully cooked.  Next stir in the seasoning to the hamburg.  Finally add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.  Once boiling reduce to a simmer and cover for about 20minutes.  That't it, it is that simple!  Now just pour into a bowl and top with the shredded cheese of your choice! ENJOY!

The Green Monster - Flour Girls Baking Company

I was in bit of a time crunch for lunch yesterday and did not want to resort to something fast on the go since, lets face it, things that are fast on the go are NOT good for you the majority of the time.  Then I remembered I saw that Flour Girls Baking Company and Cafe now has smoothies.  The perfect grab and go quick lunch to have while on the road.  

I went with The Green Monster which seemed to me to be the healthiest option for me as it was made with almond milk, almond butter, flax seed, banana and spinach.  You get your dose of fruit and veggies as well as dairy.  Flax seed is great for your health as it is most popularly known to lower overall cholesterol levels especially LDL levels and to help prevent heart attacks.  Newer studies on Flax Seed and now showing it may help in the prevention of cancer, specifically breast cancer, due to the fact that it is high in Lignan, which provides fiber to your body.  

So next time you are in the Fairhaven, Ma area be sure to stop by and check out The Flour Girls! 

Whole Grains with a side of Mushrooms

After eating mainly fruits and veggies the past few days I was needing something with flavor and wholesomeness.  I decided to try Near East 100% natural Whole Grain Blends.  I am usually not a huge rice fan but I am now wishing I bought more than one box to try.....it was absolutely DELISH! I used the Roasted Pecan and Garlic but they have many different flavors to try and there is 1 serving of Whole Grains per a 1cup serving as well as a bit of protein to since I am not eating meat this month.

On that note, my husband still is eating meat so tonight I made him zesty herb pan seared chicken tenders topped with sauteed baby bella mushrooms. What you will need to prepare the mushrooms:

1/2 cup baby bella's sliced

2 T EVOO

2 T Margarine

2 T Minced Garlic

2 T green onion chopped

Heat oil in a medium skillet and add garlic.  Let cook for a few minutes while stirring.  Stir in 1 tablespoon of the margarine.  Next add the onion and mushrooms and let simmer for about 10 minutes.  Make sure to stir occasionally so that they do not stick and burn.  Lastly add the last tablespoon of butter and simmer for 2 additional minutes.  Remove mushrooms while leaving some garlic and butter behind to cook the chicken in.** Top the cooked chicken with the mushrooms and ENJOY!

 ** The chicken was coated in a Zesty Herb marinade mix by McCormick and then added to the pan after the mushrooms were removed.

Mini Pizza to Order!

Of course my husband and I could agree on a pizza if we had to but we have completely different tastes when it come to a good pizza.  To him, the more meat the better and to me, the less of everything the better.  I came across individual pizza crusts at the store the other day which are just perfect for us. To have with my "New Year, New You" post  I picked up a couple packages, whole wheat for me and regular for him. You can put almost anything on a pizza so it is completely up to your taste.  Here is what I used on ours tonight:

Whole Wheat Crust

Organic Pizza Sauce

Black Olives

Low Fat Mozzarella 

Basil

Regular Crust

Bacon (cooked and chopped)

Pizza Blend Shredded Cheese

Jalapeno Block Cheese

Green Onions

I used the same sauce on both pizza crusts.  I then added cubed mozzarella, black olives and basil to the whole wheat crust.  Mozzarella is a cheese that is high in protein which is why I chose it since I am not easting meat this month.  Now on to Scott's, he wanted me to try two different versions (both of which he loved).  On half we did just the shredded jalapeno cheese with chopped green onion.  On the other side we did a layer of bacon topped with the pizza cheese blend and then topped with more bacon and green onion.  Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper on top of both to your liking and pop them in the toaster oven or regular oven.  They will only take about 8 minutes to cook so they are easy to throw together even for a quick lunch! 

The small crust is a perfect serving size which will help you not overeat. Enjoy!

New Year, New You

Things got a little busy these past few months between work and the holiday season.  I am starting off the new year with a health kick, doesn't' everyone??!?!?  The thing is I don't believe in diets, most of them are just a fad and you will go right back to eating normal and gaining every pound you lost right back. You have to look at it more as a lifestyle change and set goals for the year rather than a resolution.  My first goal for the year is to eat more natural foods such as fruits and veggies so for the month of January I decided not to eat meat to focus more on healthy salads and cut out those sandwiches and big lunches!

I love the taste of fruit mixed with veggies and salads do not have to contain lettuce and be covered in fattening dressings.

Take the above for example. I took one large Holland cucumber, 1/2 a can of black olives, 1 gala apple and 1 cup of grapes.  You can cut them to your liking and combine in a bowl.  I then added 2 tablespoons of a red wine vinaigrette.  Lastly add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.  The acid from the lemon juice helps keep yours apples from getting brown so you salad will stay and LOOK fresh for days. Enjoy!

Lingucia with Veggies

Lingucia is a favorite in our house! I mean it is probably a favorite in all households in this area and it should be.  You can grill it, make a sandwich, add cheese, grind it into a sauce, add it to your hamburg for an extra kick, slice it with some veggies over rice (as I did below) and so much more.   I like the following the best as you get everything a meal should have in one quick easy dish, AND it tastes even better left over!

Ingredients:

Lingucia sliced 

1 can Black olives

1 cup red, yellow orange peppers sliced

Olive oil and garlic tomato sauce (I use Bertoli)

2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning

3 cups cooked whole grain brown rice

Start by cooking the lingucia in a large skillet.  Once almost cooked fully ass the sauce, veggies and seasoning.  Cover the pan and simmer for at least 15 minutes.

Check the tenderness of the peppers to determine if it should simmer longer. Serve over the rice and Enjoy!

American Chop Suey

American Chop Suey is made differently in almost every home. I find it to be a recipe that you grew up with that gets passed down with small tweaks.  To be honest it was never one of my favorite meals since I don't eat hamburg so I always would take the noodles plain with some sauce before mixing it together.  On the other hand it is one of my husbands FAVORITE meals and his mothers version is much different than my mothers version so I have learned to make her version over the past year.  The one change that I made is that I add extra hamburg and Italian sausage since that is Scott's favorite part.

I start be removing the sausage from their casings (I use about 3 or 4) and adding them to about 1lb of hamburg in a large skillet.  I combine them and cook until no longer pink.  I then add a tablespoon or so of Basil, Italian Seasoning and garlic powder with salt and pepper to taste.  Once mixed together I add 1/2 of a large sweet onion, 1/2 a green pepper (I used orange this time since that is what I had) and 1/2 a red pepper.  I cover the pan and simmer until the veggies are tender. 

Once they are tender I add in a box of pre-cooked elbows or shells (- the bowl i took out for myself!) and a jar of vidalia onion spaghetti sauce and mix together.  I let this simmer for about 10 minutes and then it is ready to ENJOY!