Fried Rice

This is a family favorite go-to recipe. It's so good with some stir-fry, or grilled teriyaki chicken. My daughter absolutely loves it, she eats bowls full of it. 

Fried Rice

3 cups of cooked brown rice

1 egg

1 garlic glove, minced

1 shredded carrot

1/2 cup frozen peas

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1. Cook the rice. While the rice is cooking spray with non-stick cooking spray a large skillet. 

2. Put the egg in the skillet at a medium-high heat. When the egg is almost fully cooked, add the minced garlic, and cook for another minute.

3. Add the peas and carrots.Stir and cook until the peas are warmed through and tender. 

4. Add the rice and the soy sauce. 

ENJOY!!

Sweet Potato Casserole

The holidays are coming, so it's time to get festive. I am a sweet potato lover, and this casserole does just the trick. And it has less than 200 calories per serving. Can easily be doubled for big family dinners! Servings: 4

Sweet Potato Casserole

2 large sweet potatoes

2 egg whites

2 Tbsp. maple syrup

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. melted butter

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/3 cup dried cranberries (you could use dried apricots or dried cherries, or both!)

1. Wash and peel 2 sweet potatoes and quarter them. 

 

2. Place the sweet potatoes in dutch oven or sauce pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and let them simmer for about 20 minutes. Drain and then mash. 

 

3. Place in a large bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites, syrup and vanilla. Let the potatoes cool slightly and stir in the egg white mixture. 

 

4. Grease a loaf baking dish and transfer the potatoes. Combine the pecans, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of potatoes. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. 

 

5. Add the dried cranberries and bake for another 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Tortellini Garden Salad

I inherited a little garden from one of my neighbors that was moving. It is overflowing with grape tomatoes. So I used a whole bunch in this fresh summer salad. It can be served warm, or cold. Perfect for a side dish at dinner, and for the lunch the next day!

Tortellini Garden Salad

9 oz. Refrigerated cheese tortellini, cooked

1 cup of corn

1 cup of grape tomatoes, rinsed

1/3 cups of Fat-free Italian dressing

1/8 tsp. garlic salt

1/8 tsp. onion powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Also make sure your corn is cooked through, whether it's from corn on the cob, frozen or canned, just make sure it's cooked. 

2. In a large bowl combine the tortellini, corn, tomatoes, the Italian dressing, garlic salt, onion powder and salt a pepper. 

3. Stir it until it's all well combined. Serve and enjoy!

Quinoa, Sweet Potatoes & Dried Cranberries

Quinoa, Sweet Potatoes & Dried Cranberries

1 cup of uncooked Quinoa

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 Tbsp. butter

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Dressing:

1/4 cup balsamic dressing

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1-1/2 Tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peeled and cube the sweet potatoes. Place on a greased cooking sheet. Brush with melted butter. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. Flip the potatoes over and brush with left over butter, sprinkle the cinnamon and brown sugar. Place back in oven for 5-10 minutes, until they are soft and cut easily with a knife. 

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Add in the sweet potatoes and dried cranberries.

Whisk the dressing ingredients together and stir into the quinoa mixture. 

Enjoy!!!

*Served with salmon, asparagus and Parmesan bread. 

Baked Mozzarella Sticks

My husband has been wanting me to make Mozzarella Sticks forever. And thanks to Skinny Taste I found this delicious, low-fat recipe for baked mozzarella sticks. They were a huge hit, so simple, and so tasty. Can't wait to make them again!

Baked Mozzarella Sticks

Ingredients: 

• 12 sticks part-skim, reduced sodium mozzarella string cheese (Sargento)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp flour
• 5 tbsp Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 5 tbsp panko crumbs
• 2 tsp parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• olive oil cooking spray

Directions:

Cut cheese in half both length-wise and width-wise. This makes it so each bite isn't too cheesy. Place cheese in the freezer until cheese is frozen.

In small bowl, whisk the egg. Place the flour on another small dish. In separate bow- combine the bread crumbs, the Panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and dried parsley.

Dip the frozen sticks in flour, shaking off excess, then into the egg, then coat with the crumbs.

Repeat this process with the remaining cheese placing them on a tray with wax paper. Place cheese back into the freezer until ready to bake (this is a must or they will melt before the crumbs get golden).

When ready to bake preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with oil.

Place frozen cheese sticks on baking sheet. Spray the tops of the mozzarella sticks with a little more oil and bake in the bottom third of your oven until crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn and bake an additional 4 - 5 minutes watching them closely so they don't melt.

Make sure to eat them straight out of the oven while they're nice and hot. Dip in marinara sauce.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

I was in need of some yummy comfort food. So thanks to Alton Brown I found this recipe for Baked Macaroni and Cheese and it truly was perfect. I didn't alter it one bit, and I'm glad I didn't, everyone loved it!!

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon powdered mustard
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 large egg
• 12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh black pepper

Topping:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.

Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

Fresh Summer Tortellini

Fresh Summer Tortellini
1 Refrigerated Cheese Tortellini package (9 oz.)
2 cups of chopped tomatoes
3 ears of corn (or an 8 oz. frozen corn bag - thawed)
1/4 cups fresh minced basil (you need it fresh, it makes such a yummy difference!)
12 Spears of asparagus
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
2 tsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Cook you tortellini according to the package directions. When there is 5 minutes left, add the corn. Once it's finished cooking, drain and rinse with cold water.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put tin foil on a cookie sheet and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Spread out asparagus, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for about 12-14 minutes. Chop up spears in 1 inch pieces.

Chop the tomatoes. Mince basil, and mix with the tomatoes. Add the asparagus and Parmesan. Add the olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix and combine with the corn and tortellini.

Enjoy!