Quick Fix Paella

This is a definite keeper! Not all of the recipes out of this cook-book were home runs but this one sure was!

Quick Fix Paella
From: Make Ahead Meals Made Healthy
Serves 8

4C reduced sodium chicken broth
pinch saffron threads
3T olive oil, divided
8oz hot italian turkey sausage, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise
8 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
1 onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeded, quartered and sliced
1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded, quartered and sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1T smoked sweet paprika
2C paella or arborio rice
1 can (14.5 oz) fire roasted tomatoes
2C fresh peas
1/4C fresh chopped parsley
8 oz frozen medium sized shrimp
S&P

Place chicken broth in a saucepan over medium heat. Rub saffron with your fingers, crushing it, as you sprinkle it into the broth.  Stir and bring to a low simmer, reducing heat to low to keep it warm.

Heat 2T olive oil in a paella pan or large wide skillet over medium heat.  Add turkey sausage and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes.. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned.  Season with salt and pepper, stir a few more times, and then removed with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add remaining olive oil to the pan and cook onions and bell peppers, stirring occasionally, until softened.  Add garlic and spring with paprika.  Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.  Add rice, stirring to coat with oil and to lightly toast.

Add chicken broth, stirring to combine, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Raise heat to medium and return chicken and sausage to the pay, stirring to combine.  Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer.  Add more brother or water if necessary and simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in peas and parsley and simmer for 5 minutes or until rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed and there is a light (not burned) crust on the bottoms of the mixture.  Remove from heat and let cool completely.  Since shrim overcooks so quickly, it's best to add to the paella a few minutes before serving.

Jeff ate the doo out of this

My Notes
Holy frijoles this was really good, there are only 2 things I changed (frozen peas and no shrimp) and almost nothing I would change about it. It would be nice if the rice was a tad less sticky but that is really splitting hairs.

Spring Risotto

I found this recipe on myrecipes.com, I happen to love asparagus even though the rest of my family is slight less fond of it they gobbled this risotto down.

Spring Risotto
myrecipes.com
Serves 4

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces

1 3/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup uncooked Arborio rice

1 cup frozen shelled edamame

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 ounce shaved Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

 

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Add asparagus, and cook for 2 minutes. Drain. Bring 2 cups water and chicken broth to a simmer in a saucepan.
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil, and swirl to coat. Add onion; cook 4 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in rice, edamame, and salt; cook for 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup broth mixture; cook for 4 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until liquid is absorbed before adding more (about 20 minutes total).
Stir in asparagus, cream cheese, and pepper; cook 1 minute. Spoon 1 cup risotto into each of 4 bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese; sprinkle evenly with thyme.

My notes:
I happened to have a bag of frozen mushrooms, green beans, and edamame in my freezer so I threw that in along with the asparagus just to add some more green veggie goodness.
I also used 1 1/2C arborio rice and close to 6C of chicken broth because I was feeding 5 people and wanted leftovers.

Banana Nutella Bread

I discovered this recipe and have made it several times over the last few months. It is definitely a winner! Since I have a few speckled bananas on my counter I think it's time to make a loaf or two.

Banana Nutella Bread
From - Lemons & Anchovies

Ingredients

2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pan

¼ cup slivered almonds (you can add up to ½ cup for added texture)

10 tablespoons sugar

½ cup + ⅛ cup Nutella (heated for about 30 seconds in the microwave to make it more spreadable)

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

3 very ripe, soft, darkly-speckled bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups)

¼ cup plain yogurt

2 large eggs, beaten lightly

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instruction

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease 4 mini loaf pans or a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.

Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside.

Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter and vanilla with a wooden spoon in another bowl. Lightly fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky. Stir in the almonds.

Measure out the Nutella in a small bowl and heat in the microwave for 30-35 seconds, just until it’s softened and stir together until it’s the texture of frosting. Stir the Nutella into the batter being careful not to completely incorporate the two together. You want a swirled pattern here.

Transfer batter into the greased and dusted loaf pan(s).

Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. It will take 25-30 minutes if you use mini loaf pans like I did or 50-55 minutes for a regular one. Cool in the pan for five minutes then transfer to a wire rack. This is great at room temperature or even straight out of the refrigerator.

My notes:

I didn't really change anything except for the yogurt. I only had fat free greek yogurt and it worked out just fine.

I think if you wanted to you could substitute 1C whole wheat flour for unbleached white to add a little more texture and fiber.

Green smoothies

I've recently fallen into the green smoothie craze.  I bought a book on sale for something like $1.99 on Amazon called Smoothie Power!. I've been trying recipes out of this book, and I've really enjoyed it! Now I'm not saying I buy all the author's claims about what drinking green smoothies will do for you but I do firmly believe that no one (yes no one!) gets enough greens in their diet. At least now I'm getting roughly 2-3C a day when I drink a smoothie. I have noticed that I don't eat as much at the meal following a smoothie and I have lost a little weight as well. So there's that little benefit. My current favorite smoothie to make is this one, Blue Bliss.

Blue Bliss
from Smoothie Power!

1C frozen blueberries
2 pears
2C spinach, firmly packed
2 1/2C water

Blend until smooth.


My notes:
This makes roughly 1 quart of smoothie. I generally drink it around midday or so. If it isn't sweet enough you could replace some of the water with orange juice or just add a tablespoon or so (to taste) of your favorite sweetner - agave syrup anyone? Also, you don't have to have frozen blueberries, I use fresh and just pour the smoothie over ice.

Holy frijoles!

I love beans, they are so easy to make and it's almost impossible to screw them up. My favorite bean cooking method is the crockpot.

My crockpot beans
1lb package pinto beans
1 large onion
1 ham hock
water
S&P to taste

Rinse and pick over the beans, put them in the crockpot. Dice your onion and throw it in the crockpot; add the ham hock. Add enough water that the beans are fully submerged and then turn your crockpot on high.
I usually add a can of rotel tomatoes, fresh garlic, and/or a fresh jalapeno (diced) if I want a little spice. Keep an eye on your beans, they soak up the water quickly, you'll need to add more water periodically. Taste test your beans for doneness after about 3.5 hours and call them done when they are soft (not toothsome).

My notes:
I used my largest crockpot, which I think is a 5qt but I'm not entirely sure. It will take a 2lb bag of beans.
These beans freeze beautifully, and are very versatile.

National Pancake Day

February 5th is National Pancake Day! I do love pancakes, I especially love them when someone else is making them for me!
You can head on over to IHOP and get a free short-stack today.

Cheesy Potato Soup

I recently discovered the website shrinkingkitchen.com
I am fan! I've tried a few recipes and while not all of them were a hit we have enjoyed most of them. This one is might be my new favorite soup recipes.

Cheesy Potato Soup
adapted from Light Cheesy Potato Soup Ready in 40 minutes

Ingredients
2T butter
2C chopped onion
4 carrots, sliced
2-3 stalks celery, sliced
5T all purpose flour
6C chopped red potatoes
2 1/2C low fat milk
2 3/4C fat, free low sodium chicken broth
1C water
1C low fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/4t ground red pepper
S&P to taste
diced green onions for garnish

Chop your potatoes and onions before you start! Makes things go much faster. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; saute' 5 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with flour; cook 1 minute, stirring onion mixture constantly. Add potato, milk, broth, and water to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes (I simmered for 15). Add cheese and ground red pepper; cook 2 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Top each serving evenly with chopped green onions if desired.

 

My notes:

We really enjoyed this soup, don't forget to add the cheese slowly and stir after each addition otherwise it might clump together.

Roasted Green Beans

One of my new favorite, practical blogs is One Hundred Dollars a Month. Mavis is entertaining and she does things I wish I had the time/space to do! I heartily recommend checking out her site! I've gotten a number of free e-books from her as well!
I saw this recipe on her site and decided that I HAVE to try it as I absolutely love green beans.

Roasted Green Beans
From: One Hundred Dollars a Month

Ingredients

Olive Oil
Italian Seasoning
Garlic Salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Coat a pan with olive oil.  This is not the time to be stingy with the oil, you want a good 2-3 tbsp.  Toss frozen green beans on the pan, sprinkle with garlic salt and Italian seasoning.   I like to take the more is more approach with the seasoning amounts, but let’s just call it a season to taste approach.  Use a spatula to turn the green beans on the pan.  This will coat them with olive oil and mix in the seasonings.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, to desired level of crispiness.  Turn once while baking.

My notes:

I haven't made this, however I have fresh green beans in my fridge as we speak so they are imminent. 

Enchilada Sauce

I always thought I didn't like red enchilada sauce, turns out I don't like canned enchilada sauce. I found a recipe on about.com.


Quick and Easy Mexican Enchilada Sauce
About.com

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

2 cups water

1 8 ounce can tomato paste

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt

Preparation:

Heat the oil, flour and chili powder together in a large pot. Allow to cook for a minute or two.

Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a slow simmer. Stir well to combine and dissolve tomato paste in water. Allow to cook for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more spices as desired. 

My notes:

I didn't change this at all, it was great as is! Also made the house smell warm and spicey.

Sugar.... oh sugar you dastardly devil

Our kid is a sugar fiend. So much so that she has taken to hoarding sugary foods/candy and sneaking it when she thinks we do not know about it. We ended up throwing out her Halloween candy because she got caught sneaking it. Pretty typical for a 9 year old from what I read but we definitely do not want it to become more of an issue than it already is.

I've decided that we are going to cut back on sugar in the house. I myself am not much of a sugar person; ha ha, I say that but I've been eating my wedding cake almost every night for the last 2 weeks.... shhhhh! Truthfully, I do not NEED dessert and most times I do not have it (the wedding cake is an exception). But Jeff and Ashley both have a sweet tooth. I think it's time for a life-style change. So I'm looking for some recipes and ideas that will help satisfy the sweet craving but still are healthy.

While doing research I found this article, which I thought was to the point and had good information.

Cut That: Simple Ways to Slash Sugar

Your five-year-old asks for sugar on top of her already sweetened cereal. Then your sleepy 10-year-old wants free-pouring rights with the maple syrup. It doesn't take a degree in nutrition to know this is sweet-stuff overkill. But because sugar isn't always that easy to spot, your child can pack away an astonishing quantity before you can say, "Want a juice box with your frosted granola bar?" after school.

What Is It?
Sugar is a carbohydrate that delivers energy to the body quickly. Trouble is, it has zero nutritional value. And if you've hosted a birthday party or witnessed a post-Halloween binge, you know its energy-boost is short-lived, resulting in a sugar crash that can leave your child hungrier than before.

There are two types of sugar:

• Natural sugar is found in many foods -- including fruit, certain vegetables, milk, and dairy products.
• Added sugar is commonly found in most packaged products -- think cereals, candy, ketchup, and salad dressing -- to boost flavor. Added sugar is often called high-fructose syrup or super-concentrated sugar; fructose, fruit pectin, and cane juice are other names.

Why Cut It?
While sugar is okay in moderation, most kids consume it in excess -- and there's nothing sweet about the consequences. Research has linked excess sugar to pediatric obesity and Type 2 diabetes in children.


Major Offenders: It's easy for kids to overdo sugar simply by drinking sweetened beverages. OJ at breakfast, a juice box at snack, a chocolate milk at lunch, a sports drink after soccer, and wham -- your child has gulped down three times the daily recommended amount. Candy and processed, packaged sweets and snacks are more obvious culprits, along with syrup found in canned fruit and the maple variety that kids love to drown waffles in.


How Much Is Too Much?
It's best to keep your child's (and your own) sugar intake to less than 50 grams a day, advises Jaimie Davis, Ph.D. and registered dietician. You'll find more than half that amount in one can of regular soda.


Seven Ways to Keep Sugar in Check:

1. Try low-sugar drinks. Choose drinks with less than 5 grams of sugar per serving, like water, seltzer, and low-fat milk. For more flavor, try these kid-approved low-sugar drink recipes.
2. Dilute fruit juices with water or seltzer. Try a one-to-one ratio; kids often won't notice a difference.
3. Diet trumps regular soda. If you can't avoid soda, go with its diet counterpart. In moderation, it's a better alternative to regular soda.
4. Note serving size. In this super-sized world, many packaged snacks and drinks contain multiple servings in one container. A typical beverage serving is 8 ounces, but some individual bottles contain two or more servings, which means double the sugar, too. Look for true single-servings when you buy individually packaged food and drinks.
5. Teach compromise. To tune kids into how much sugar they're getting, teach them about making smart choices. For example, tell them they can have the double-serving lemonade now or ice cream for dessert later, but not both.
6. Choose cereal wisely. Look for cereals with less than 10 grams of sugar per serving. Be on the lookout for buzzwords like "brown sugar cinnamon," "honey," or "maple" in the name. They often indicate that even an otherwise healthy cereal is loaded with sugar. If your child can't find an appealing choice, try mixing half of her favorite with half of a low-sugar/high-fiber variety. Get more tips on finding healthy foods for kids.
7. Monitor portions on toppings. Given the choice, kids will smother most any food in chocolate syrup, maple syrup, ketchup, and other high-sugar add-ons. The recommended two-tablespoon serving for maple syrup, for example, packs nearly 22 grams of sugar -- and most kids will use far more. To give your child a sense of control, provide a tablespoon and let him measure the right amount, or measure it into a small dish for him to pour from.

A Word on Artificial Sweeteners: Though it's best to choose sugars or sweeteners derived from natural sources such as honey whenever possible, artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and aspartame can help reduce sugar in a child's diet, says Davis. It's not clear that artificial sweeteners cause harm to children, but there is solid evidence that excess sugar plays a role in pediatric obesity and diabetes.