oatmeal pancakes

miss me?! i know, i've been MIA for a whole entire week (maybe more..), but i was without camera and inspiration.  sorry about that. but i'm back and full of fun stuff for ya.  this post isn't even actually my idea, but it's a great one.  and her blog is even more great.  this pancake is seriously hearty and seriously delicious.  this post has been in my drafts for like a month, no clue why i waited so long.  without further ado --     i had a few very ripe bananas and they needed a use.  banana bread was going to happen after work.  until i got my daily email from the kath eats real food blog and saw this.  it was fate.  not only are they super healthy and nutrient packed, but they're good.  and easy.  i made them again and let them sit overnight so my "batter" would be ready in the a.m.    

go check out her amazing blog and then go make an oatmeal pancake.

 

oh yeah, and i haven't eaten any meat in a week, so be prepared for some totally delicious meat-free recipes in the near future!

   

creamy tomato soup w/ mozz balls

today is cold, dreary, and i'm not feeling 100%. sore throat, aches (which may or may not be due to the fact that i ran 13.1 miles two days ago), and a mind that feels like it's in the twilight zone.  so what would be more perfect than a warm, rich, comforting bowl of soup?  unfortunately i made this last week, but a girl can dream, right?! this recipe is inspired from this and also from a wedding i was recently at. it had the best tomato soup i've ever tasted.  creamy, sorta sweet, totally & utterly delish. so i had to recreate it, and add the baked mozz balls to it.  it's not exact, but it's close.  oh, and it's goooooood.     you need: soup -- 1 can diced tomato 1 large can crushed tomatoes 5 packets of stevia (or whatever sweetener you prefer, you do the math) 3 cloves garlic, pressed 1 tsp dried minced onion 1 small container light cream 1 tsp thyme s&p to taste   mozz balls -- mozzarella block o' cheese, cut into chunks egg whites panko bread crumbs  

place all of the soup ingredients(except the cream) in a large pot over medium heat and let them simmer & get to know one another.  while they're doing their thing, get your mozz balls ready.  place egg whites in a shallow bowl and bread crumbs in a separate shallow bowl.  place mozz in the egg whites and coat.  place the mozz in the bread crumbs and coat.  put mozz hunks onto a skewer and place on a baking sheet (i placed mine so they were not touching the pan, thanks to the skewer, if you have a wire rack this would work also), bake at 400 degrees until they start to get melty.  if you hit the link at the top though, she freezes hers and swears by it to keep them upheld during the baking process.  i was hungry and didn't have that kinda time, so i did it my way and it worked fine they just weren't perfect balls.  ok, so pop them in the oven and now back to the soup.  get your handy immersion blender (if you don't own one, go buy one, they're way too handy) and start blending away until most of the chunks are gone.  add your cream and mix well.  serve with your piping hot and slightly gooey mozz balls. 

italian sausage stir fry

i'm not sure what classifies a dish as a stir fry. i'm pretty sure this would not be classified as one. but i'm calling it one. why?  b/c it's my blog, that's why.  and b/c i stirred it in a frying pan and it contains veggies like stir fry would. that's reason enough for me!    

you need: 1 lb italian sausage, cut into 2 in pieces 1 onion, large chop 2 bell peppers, large chop 10 oz sliced mushrooms 2 c broccoli florets 15 oz diced tomatoes, drained 1/2 can tomato paste 2 garlic cloves, pressed 2 tsp italian seasoning 1/2 c water s&p to taste     in a large pan (i used my extra big electric skillet for this one) swirl a few swirls of olive oil over medium high heat.  add your onions & sausage and cover.  cook until sausage is almost done.  add the rest of your ingredients and cook until the veggies are crisp tender and juices simmer down a bit.  serve over rice, pasta, or solo.  i had mine with chunks of sharp cheese - YUM.   i had the leftovers the next day and they were just as good then.  this is definitely going into the rotation in our house!   happy monday!

breakfast pizza made easy

i'm all about breakfast foods. and easy ones that can actually be eaten during breakfast hours. i also love pizza. put the two together and you have a winning combo. now, it's your lucky day, because i have breakfast pizza two ways.   basic breakfast pizza --   1 naan bread, any flavor 1/2 c colby jack cheese shreds 2 tbsp bacon crumbles 1 tsp garlic crumbles 2 eggs   put cheese, bacon and garlic powder on your naan and place on a baking sheet.  crack an egg on each half and put in a 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.  cut in half and enjoy breakfast for two days.  just make sure to reheat your second half in the oven, NOT the microwave!    

spinach breakfast pizza --

1 naan bread, any flavor

1 c spinach

2 eggs, scrambled

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 c colby jack cheese, shredded

place naan on a baking pan and top with spinach, scrambled eggs, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and cheese.  place in an oven heated to 400 degrees until cheese is melted and spinach starts to wilt.  cut in half and enjoy twice.  remember, reheat only in the oven for ultimate tastiness.

happy breakfasting!

 

chicken and quinoa soup

i'm a tad obsessed with quinoa lately.  i had it for the first time oh, about two weeks ago.  haven't stopped eating it since.  it's so yummy and versatile and a great switch up from my normal brown rice/pasta.  so i decided it needed to be turning into a soup, it is fall after all.  this soup is light, yet hearty.  rich, flavorful, totally satisfying.  i was smitten at first bite.     you need: 1/2 medium onion, chopped  1.5 c carrots, chopped 3 cloves garlic, pressed 2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite size pieces 2 tsp parsley 1.75 oz canned spinach, drained 2 tbsp tomato paste 4 c chicken broth 1 c water 1 c quinoa, cooked   in a large pot place a swirl of olive oil and turn heat to medium.  add your onion and carrots, saute until onions turn translucent.  add garlic, chicken, parsley, spinach, tomato paste, broth & water.  turn heat to high and once your soup starts to boil turn down and let it simmer for 30 minutes.  add quinoa and let cook for another 5 minutes. 

  enjoy this with a piece of crusty bread to soak up all that yummy broth! and by the way, the leftovers freeze beautifully.  i ate some for lunch today and it was just as good as the night i made it!  

white pizza dip

this stuff is amazeeeeee-ing.  tastes like white pizza, go figure!  i could have easily eaten the entire pan.  perfect for a party, football game, rainy day, lazy sunday, random tuesday.  you get it.    

  you need: 1 container cherry tomatoes, halved 2 tbsp oil 1 brick (i'm thinking 8-10 oz) cooper sharp, grated 1 brick (same) cracker barrel meditteranean herb, grated - if you can't find this just get mozzarella or sharp 10 oz cream cheese, softened 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp basil 1 tsp thyme     toss your tomatoes in the oil and place them on a pan.  roast in a 375 oven for 20-25 minutes or until they're popped, wrinkly and juicy.  place roasted tomatoes in the bottom of a square baking dish.  in a separate bowl combine all cheeses and spices, then spread on top of tomatoes.  cover and bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until it's hot and bubbling.  serve with crackers, tortilla chips, or pita wedges.  hell, eat it with a spoon for all i care, just eat. it. 

sausage soup.

my grandma made this for me for the first time years ago, and i've been making it ever since.  we actually haven't had in it quite some time so i made it today.  i remember now why we love it so much.  and it's so simple and uses very few ingredients, most of which you'll probably have on hand.  

  you need:
1 medium onion, diced 3 large carrots, peeled & chopped 1.5 lb red potatoes, cut into bite size pieces 14 oz kielbasa, sliced 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp parsley flakes 1/2 tsp thyme s & p to taste     in a large pot place a drizzle of olive oil on medium heat.  add your onions, carrots and kielbasa.  saute until crisp tender.  add your potatoes and fill the pan 3/4 full with warm water.  add your spices and bring to a boil.  once it's at a boil turn the heat down and simmer until the potatoes are tender.  enjoy!  

pumpkin maple gooey cake

i found a pumpkin cake that was similar to my gooey cakes that i swoon over.  i'll eat an entire gooey cake myself if left to my own devices.  thankfully that's never happened though, because everyone else seems to be just as crazy about these amazingly gooey and delicious desserts.  want to check out the other gooey cakes - try here, here, or here.  yeah, variations of the gooey cake are endless.  i have to say this is one of the best yet.  i've had four pieces so far (writing this is making me hungry for number five).     you need: 1 box yellow cake mix 1 can pumpkin 1 can sweetened condensed milk 1 tub cool whip 1/2 bag heath bits maple agave nectar (or maple syrup) pumpkin pie spice  

preheat oven to 350.  mix the cake mix with the pumpkin & 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (nothing else).  place in greased 9x13 baking dish.  bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  use the end of a chopstick or wooden spoon and poke holes all over the cake.  pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cake and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  once it's cool top with cool whip and heath bits.  sprinkle with more pumpkin pie spice and drizzle with maple agave nectar.  if you can wait, the longer this sits the better.  but don't worry, if you can't wait, it's still to die for.  (and for the record, i did not wait.)

pot roast

pot roast takes me back.  i remember having it as a kid, and i still eat it in the same, strange way as i did back then.  oh, and it's still just as good too.  super easy crock pot meal, and you'll have leftovers (which i think taste even better!)  

  you need: 1 chuck roast, seared on all sides 1 bag baby carrots 5 celery stalks cut into 2 inch pieces 2 onions, quartered 6 red potatoes, quartered 1 pkg white mushrooms 1 tbsp beef boullion 2 tsp rosemary 2 tsp thyme   after you sear your beef, place it in your crockpot.  add hot water, boullion, rosemary and thyme to the pan and scrape up all the browned bits.  pour liquid into your crock pot.  around your beef layer your veggies in this order - potatoes, onions, celery, carrots, mushrooms.  cook on low 6-8 hours.   

i eat mine with my beef shredded and the potatoes, carrots & celery mashed up into a heap of slop.  oh, then top it with frank's red hot - love in a bowl.  i'd show you a photo, but it's not pretty.  so just look at these beauties instead!  

three bean chili

chili instantly reminds me of fall and it's always one of the first things i make when fall-like weather strikes. the best part is this can be made in the crock pot, made ahead, and leftovers freeze beautifully.     you need: 1 lb ground beef, cooked 2 large red bell peppers, chopped 2 small onions, chopped 1 can dark red kidney beans 1 can light kidney beans 1 can canellini beans 1 large can diced tomatoes 1 large can tomato puree 4 tbsp chili powder 1 tbsp garlic powder 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp ground mustard (if you want yours spicy, add 1 tsp cayenne & 1 tsp red pepper flakes) cheese, hot sauce, greek yogurt & green onions for garnish     combine every except garnish in the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  you can also make this on the stove top.  just combine all ingredients and simmer until heated through and onions/peppers are tender.  the longer this cooks, the more amazing it tastes!

caprese panini

this one is sooo so good. all melty and yummy. gooey fresh mozz, hearty bread, savory pesto.  y u m .  

  you need: 1 loaf ciabatta bread, sliced & halved 1 jar store bought pesto 2 large tomatoes, sliced 1 pkg fresh mozzarella balsamic vinegar or dressing       schmear pesto on both pieces of bread.  layer tomatoes and mozzarella, drizzle with balsamic. close your sandwich & press. hellooooo gooey goodness.  

asian noodle soup

there's nothing i love more than asian inspired soups.  i love pho.  love.  i do make a faux pho that i love, but wanted to switch it up a bit.  this is what i came up with and it did not disappoint.  i ate a huge bowl for dinner.  then a few hours later had another bowl b/c i couldn't stop thinking about how yummy it was.  i have zero self control on sundays.  or any day for that matter.  the weather is cooling down some, so it's the perfect time to add soups into your menu.      you need: 1 pkg noodles (i used bean thread noodles, rice would work too!) 1 lb ground chicken 2 green onions, chopped 8 oz sliced mushrooms 14.5 oz canned bean sprouts, drained 3 garlic cloves, pressed 64 oz chicken broth 1 tbsp minced ginger 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 1 tbsp fish sauce 1 tbsp sesame oil 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 cinnamon sticks 1/2 tsp anise seed   cook your chicken until it's cooked through.  add in all of the other ingredients except the noodles and let it simmer for as long as you want, but at least a half hour.  the longer the better, the broth gets more amazing the longer it cooks.  mine was on the stove almost all day long.  remove your cinnamon sticks. when it's almost done, cook your noodles, place them in a bowl and ladle your broth over it.    

bruschetta chicken

chicken bruschetta.  one of the first recipes i knew i wanted to try from my new cookbook! it was good, BUT there are a few things i'd change - sorry teresa guidice!

her recipe can be found here pros - it was yummy & fresh cons - the celery & onion weren't tender enough for me my changes - i used red instead of white wine, only b/c i was out of white, but it was good anyway! so it was delicious, but next time i will definitely saute the celery & onion before making my bruschetta mixture.  i will definitely make it again so i can try it with white wine as well!  i suggest getting this book, there are a tonnnn of delish looking recipes!! linking up today w/ chelsea @ yours truly for her return the favor blog hop, come over & check it out!    

easy freezy meatballs.

i love having frozen stuff on hand for when i'm not exactly "ready" for dinner.  or too lazy to cook, don't judge! a go-to is meatballs.  but, they aren't exactly healthy when bought from a prepackaged bag at the store. there's a lot of ingredients in them that shouldn't be.  umm, kinda gross. so i like to make my own.  fall and winter is my prime time for making freezer meals. i have more time to do so, and i'd much rather have comfort food when it's cold.  not salads! you need: 2.5 lbs ground turkey or chicken 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed 1 tsp onion powder 2 tsp italian seasoning 1/3 c seasoned panko crumbs 1/3 c egg whites 1/4 parm cheese

time to get your hands dirty.  add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix n' mash with your hands until it's all incorporated.  form your meatballs into ping pong sized balls and form tightly.  place on a foil lined baking sheet and baked at 350 for 30 minutes.  let them cool then place them on wax paper and freeze.  once frozen, place them in a ziploc bag and store in the freezer for later use. they're so juicy and so moist.  YUM.

easy (meatless) spaghetti sauce.

in case you're new here, i love pasta.  spaghetti with red sauce in particular.  takes me back to my childhood.  i remember having this a lot.  it was a staple in our home, and i loved it.  i remember sandwiching a heap of spaghetti between two pieces of buttered bread and making a spaghetti sandwich.  ahh, the memories! i've posted my go to meat sauce recipe before.  but here's my go to for non meat sauce.  you know, for those times you forgot to take meat out of the freezer.  or maybe you don't like meat.  i love it, but i won't judge ya.  oh but i do love it.  back to the subject at hand - this is so easy, SO easy.  you'll never use the jarred crap stuff again.

you need: 28 oz can crushed tomatoes 15 oz can tomato sauce 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced 1 tsp onion powder 1 tbsp italian seasoning 1 tbsp olive oil
saute garlic in a saucepan in the oil for about a minute over medium heat.  add the rest of the ingredients and let simmer.  enjoy over your favorite pasta.  

mangia!

your new sour cream.

i once heard that plain greek yogurt is a great replacement for sour cream. and i thought, pff, yeah right. but it's true!  it's tart, it's rich, it's lovely. i've been replacing it as much as i can lately, and i'm loving it. it tastes so much richer and creamier, and i think i might like it even more than sour cream (gasp!) this is actually something i've knocked off of a trader joe's dip.  i had it, loved it, and knew it had to be duplicated! need a great replacement dip or condiment for your next mexican feast?  i've got you covered.

you need: 8 oz plain greek yogurt 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 heaping tsp dried chives 1/2 heaping tsp dried cilantro splash of lemon juice dash of salt

mix it all together and chill.  oh, then enjoy.

skinny taco salads (oh, and clean too!)

before, i posted these skinny-ish taco salads. they're great. but sometimes you need not just a skinny-ish, but an actual skinny. make sense?  k, good. oh, and it's clean, so for any clean eaters out there, this is for you! oh, and it's delicious.  convinced yet? you need: 1 lb extra lean ground beef 4 tbsp taco seasoning, divided (recipe here) 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed chopped romaine handful blue corn tortilla chips , crushed 4 tbsp salsa 2 tbsp plain greek yogurt

in a large pan, brown your meat.  once it's cooked add in 3 tbsp taco seasoning and 1 cup water.  let simmer until liquid is cooked down.  while your meat is simmering, in a small saucepan add your beans, a few tbsps of water and 1 tbsp taco seasoning.  cook on low until heated through.  once your meat and beans are done, it's time to assemble your salad.  start with your romaine lettuce, top with beans, meat, salsa, yogurt & chips.  dig in!

taco seasoning.

we love mexican. it's my second favorite cuisine, behind italian. so making my own taco seasoning was a no brainer.  the sodium in the store bought stuff is insane.  no thank you!  it's just so easy to make your own, and in the end, cheaper too.  

you need:
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (or if you don't want spice, omit)
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp salt
mix all of the spices together and store in an airtight container.  i use 3 tbsp per 1 lb meat.  i double, triple or quadruple the recipe depending on how much i want to make!   skinny & clean taco salad recipe coming soon!