Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup

Let me set the scene....  

Once again, 5pm rolls around and I have no dinner plan.  It's Friday night {the night I usually like to go out to eat} but my oldest son now has b-ball practice and my husband coaches....there goes date night! To top it off, I haven't done a "real" grocery trip this week, but I did manage to pick up 4 cans of pumpkin puree while at Target the other day. I've been craving EVERYTHING PUMPKIN and can't seem to shake the chill that comes along with the damp Fall weather around here. Sounds like a recipe for pumpkin soup, doesn't it?

I had no game plan....just started throwing things together with cheese toast as my backup plan - then realized we were out of bread.  Figures.  When all else fails, cold cereal makes a good backup plan for the backup plan.  

Fortunately, my soup turned out pretty darn tasty.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup diced onion

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 15 oz. can chicken broth

1 15 oz. can lite coconut milk

1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin puree {not pie filling}

1 tsp salt

1 tsp curry powder

pepper 

fat free plain greek yogurt

*Measurements are an estimate - adjust as necessary.

Directions:

Saute onion in olive oil until tender.  Add other ingredients and heat through. Adjust seasonings as desired and top with a dollop of greek yogurt.

My "side" of broccoli may have ended up in my soup.  What can I say...I like to mix my foods!  =)

Vegetable Soup

I'm back!  I've been out of town having a fun-filled week with my husband's family for our annual reunion.  There are 10 adults and 14 kids when we all get together, so it's crazy and a lot of fun!

Today was a scorcher!  I took the kids to the pool and could barely stand not being in the water....so what compelled me to make soup for dinner???  I have no idea. Nevertheless, I came up with a pretty tasty recipe if I don't say so myself.  

It all started with carrots, celery, onions and garlic....a good base for most soups, in my opinion.

I sauteed them in a little olive oil and then added some bell peppers, chicken broth, zucchini, beans and seasonings.

Then I dished myself up a bowl and topped it with some fresh tomatoes and a little reduced-fat feta.

It tasted surprisingly good on a hot summer day.  Scott even went back for seconds!

Ingredients:

     1 cup chopped carrots

     1 cup chopped celery

     1/2 sweet onion, chopped

     2 cloves garlic, minced

     1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

     1 bell pepper, chopped

     1 zucchini, chopped

     4 cups chicken {or vegetable} broth

     1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

     1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

     1/2 tsp salt

     1/2 tsp oregano

     1/2 tsp basil

     fresh cracked pepper to taste

     fresh tomatoes and reduced-fat feta for topping

Directions:

Saute onions, garlic, carrots and celery in olive oil until crisp-tender and add the salt and pepper.  Add peppers and saute a few minutes longer.  Add broth, basil, oregano and zucchini.  Simmer until zucchini is tender.  Add beans and heat through.  Adjust seasonings if necessary.  Top with tomatoes and feta. 

Parmesan Flax Crusted Zucchini {Low Carb & Gluten Free}

I love zucchini and could probably eat it everyday.  My family, um, not so much.  In an effort to disguise what some in my house might consider an "over-used veggie," I came up with a healthier version of fried zucchini sticks.

First I cut the zucchini into strips {trying to keep them uniform in size}....

Then I dipped them into egg whites....

And dredged them in a mixture of golden flax meal, parmesan cheese, garlic powder and salt....

Next, I put them on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray and baked them at 425 for 15 minutes....

They were so good served with a side of marinara sauce....

Low-carb and gluten free....

Good and good for you.  In the words of Rachel Ray....YUM-O!!!

Ingredients:

     1 large zucchini

     1/2 cup golden flax meal

     3 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

     1/2 tsp garlic powder

     1/4 tsp salt

     2 egg whites {I used the kind in the carton}

     Marinara sauce

Directions:

Mix together flax meal, parmesan cheese, garlic powder and salt.  Slice zucchini into strips of uniform size.  Dip in egg whites.  Dredge in flax mixture.  Place on greased baking pan and bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes.  Serve with a side of marinara for dipping.

Veggie Curry In A Hurry

I'm so bad at planning meals ahead of time....it just makes me feel so boxed in!  I always start with good intentions, but inevitably, by the time spaghetti night or stir-fry night roll around, I'm not in the mood for the dinner du jour.  I have issues with structure, I know.  Yesterday around 4:00 p.m. I was trying to decide what to have for dinner {per the norm} when I remembered I had a block of tofu in the garage fridge.  I try to get sneaky with tofu every now and then and "surprise" my family at dinner time.  Sometimes it goes over well, other times....not so much.  This time, I had a brilliant idea {I hoped!}....

I decided to marinate it and use it in place of chicken in my chicken curry in a hurry recipe.  I used 2 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce, 2 Tbsp fish sauce and 1 tsp seasoned rice vinegar.  After rinsing and pressing the water out of the tofu {place on a plate with paper towels and put a heavy skillet on top for about 20-30 minutes} I chopped it into small pieces and put it in the marinade.  I let it sit for about 10-15 minutes {stirring occasionally} and then popped it into a hot skillet sprayed with cooking spray.  It got a little crispy on the outside and it really soaked up the flavor of the marinade.  It was GOOOOOD!  I couldn't stop myself from snacking on it!  That's what led me to my next ingredient....chickpeas.

I followed my chicken curry in a hurry recipe and simply added the tofu and 1 can of chickpeas {rinsed & drained} when I would normally add the chicken.  So Simple!  My family had theirs over jasmine rice, but I decided to try something a little different and have mine over lettuce {a little trick I learned from my sis-in-law}.

I will definitely be making this again....and the tofu is so great by itself, I might make it more often just for snacking!  The family seemed pleasantly surprised by the great-tasting tofu....well, most of them.  =)

Veggie Taco Salad

Let me just say HOORAY for finally breaking out my old camera again!  I've been trying to use a little point and shoot for a while and it just hasn't been cuttin' it. Live and learn, I guess.  

I was in the mood for a meatless dinner tonight, so I made refried bean tostadas for my family {forgot to take a pic...sorry!} and whipped up some veggies for me.

I just dug around in the fridge and used whatever I had....

First, saute the onions and peppers in a little olive oil spray {since they have a longer cooking time}.  

Then add the zucchini and mushrooms, saute them them for a couple minutes and add about 1/4 cup water and 2 Tbsp taco seasoning.

Let it simmer a little {just like you would if you were using ground beef} and then serve however you like.  I made a salad using romaine lettuce, my sauteed mexican veggies, a little salsa, some cilantro and about half of a diced avocado.  Just look at all that goodness!

Ingredients:

1/2 bell pepper, sliced

1/4 sweet onion, sliced

1 small zucchini, chopped

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

Romaine lettuce, chopped

2 Tbsp taco seasoning

1/4 cup water

2 Tbsp salsa

1/2 avocado, diced

Cilantro 

Directions:

Saute onions and peppers in small amount of olive oil or cooking spray.  Add zucchini and mushrooms.  Saute a couple minutes then add taco seasoning and water.  Simmer.  Serve over lettuce and top with salsa, avocado and cilantro.

Grilled Sesame Ginger Chicken & Roasted Veggies

Not wanting to make yet ANOTHER trip to the grocery store, I decided yesterday that I would make tonight's dinner using only things I already had.  I knew I had some frozen chicken, but when I went to make the marinade, I realized I was missing one of the key ingredients.  Plan B....search the fridge.  I found a bottle of this....

and thought, "Hey, that could work!"  I marinated the chicken in the dressing overnight and added a sprinkle of this....

Then my husband grilled it to perfection....

I was a little nervous and crossed my fingers that it would taste okay.  {That's the problem with making things up on the fly - it might be great, but it could be gross!} Fortunately, the whole family loved it - even our pickiest eater.  oh, how I love successful culinary experiments! 

Now for the oven-roasted veggies....

I peeled and chopped the sweet potatoes into small pieces, sprayed them with a little olive oil and seasoned them with salt and pepper.  Then I chopped the zucchini and removed the tough stems from the asparagus.  I sprayed them with olive oil as well and seasoned them with garlic salt and pepper.  Both pans went in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Yum!  A quick, easy and healthy Sunday dinner.

Zucchini Chips

Sometimes I'm just in the mood for chips.  My recent addiction....sweet potato chips.  I bought them as a "healthier option" to regular chips, but when I looked down and realized I'd eaten half the bag, I started to wonder if I was really making a better choice.  Man, those things are addictive!

So....now I am on a quest to find an even better {and less guilt-inducing} option. My first experiment was with zucchini.  I recently bought myself a new little kitchen gadget - a small mandoline.  So far I love it.  It makes slicing things so easy and fast!

I sliced up one zucchini and was surprised at how many "chips" I got out of it.  I sprayed them lightly with olive oil and lightly salted them as well.  Then, into the dehydrator they went....

I was not prepared for how much they'd shrink up....

They were seriously tiny!  I'm not sure about this one....it seemed like a lot of work for not much snack. This was the entire batch....

They tasted pretty good....kinda like roasted pumpkin seeds, but I think I downed them all in about three minutes.  

{See how tiny they are?!}

I dipped them in cottage cheese and called it my afternoon snack.  Maybe next time I'll bake them in the oven and mix up the seasonings a bit.  It appears as if my search for the perfect healthy chip has just begun.

Cinco de Mayo!

I was so excited about dinner tonight. I love Mexican food!  Not that I ever need an excuse to whip up a batch of guacamole, but if I did, Cinco de Mayo would be it.

My GUACAMOLE recipe is simple....avocados, fresh lime juice, garlic salt & cilantro. I don't measure anything - just mix all the ingredients to taste.

Next on the menu....BLACK BEAN, CORN & EDAMAME SALSA.  

Ingredients:

     1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

     1/2 bag frozen corn, thawed

     1/2 bag frozen edamame, steamed and cooled 

     1/4 red onion, minced

     1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

     Juice of 1-1 1/2 limes

     1 tsp kosher salt

     pepper

Mix all ingredients together.  You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Scott was great and sauteed some sweet onions and peppers while I got the shrimp ready for the oven.  I seasoned them with Adobo seasoning and paprika and baked them at 425 for 6 minutes.

What do you get when you combine all of this awesomeness together....SHRIMP FAJITA SALAD!

Ingredients:

     romaine lettuce

     black bean, corn & edamame salsa

     sauteed onions and peppers

     baked shrimp

     fresh guacamole

I hope you all enjoyed Cinco de Mayo as much as we did!  Scott even made a side of rice and beans {more Puerto Rican than Mexican, but I was happy to have help in the kitchen and it was delish....I'll post that recipe later.}

Asian Rotisserie Chicken Salad

I found this Martha Stewart recipe on Pinterest the other day and thought it looked like an easy meal for one of our busy weeknights.

I started with the dressing....

It called for 2 cups of cilantro, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 1/4 cup olive oil and coarse salt & pepper.  I was excited to use the new Magic Bullet blender I bought today at Costco....

I didn't measure and just eyeballed the ingredients, like I tend to do. Unfortunately, I think I overdid it on the lime juice!  In an attempt to tone down the limey-ness, I added a couple handfuls of spinach. When that didn't do the trick, I added a small container of fat-free plain greek yogurt.  It was still quite limey, but it had a really nice creamy consistency.  If I make this again, I think I'll skip the oil and just add the yogurt {making the dressing fat free and high in protein}.

The salad was simple....romaine lettuce, purple cabbage, red peppers, green onions, rotisserie chicken and cashews.

I added some wasabi peas as well.  {Cashews & wasabi peas...one of my favorite combos!}

The dressing tasted much better combined with all the yummy ingredients in the salad.  It was light and refreshing, but substantial enough for dinner.  I also served wonton strips with it for the kids.

Ingredients:

     Dressing

     2 cups cilantro

     1/4 cup fresh lime juice

     1/4 cup olive oil {or greek yogurt}

     coarse salt & pepper to taste

     Salad

     1 large head romaine lettuce

     shredded purple cabbage {a couple handfuls}

     1 red pepper, sliced

     2 green onions, chopped

     rotisserie chicken, shredded

     1/2 cup cashews

     wasabi peas & wonton strips {optional}

Instructions:

Blend all dressing ingredients in a blender.  Mix salad ingredients and serve with dressing.

Homemade "Sun-Dried" Tomatoes

I'm not sure why I ever buy bulk tomatoes from Sam's....I'm the only one in my family who eats them and they always go bad before I can get through the whole batch.  {See how these are starting to turn?}  Not wanting to waste, I dusted off the 'ol dehydrator and decided to try something new....

I sliced the tomatoes in quarters and put them in the dehydrator on the highest setting {155 degrees}.  This is what they looked like about 10 hours later....

They're slightly crunchy, slightly chewy and a little tangy.  I've been meaning to put them on a salad, but I keep snacking on them like chips.   

At this rate, there won't be any left! 

Oven Roasted Shrimp & Sweet Potatoes

Shrimp is one of my favorite types of seafood, but I rarely make it....that's all going to change after last night's dinner.  It was so easy and so fast!  

I bought frozen shrimp from Sam's Club that was already peeled and deveined and let it thaw in a colander in the fridge. When it was time for dinner, I just lined a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spread out the shrimp....

I sprayed them with a little olive oil and sprinkled on some Sweet Basil, Citrus & Garlic seasoning.  That's it!

Then I roasted them in a 425 degree oven for about 6-8 minutes and they were cooked to perfection!

Let me backtrack a little now....before I put the shrimp in the oven, I started roasting the sweet potatoes.  I peeled them and cut them pretty small to cut back on cooking time.  Then sprayed them with olive oil and seasoned them with salt & pepper. Super easy.  They went into the 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes and I added the shrimp at the end.

Add a side of veggies or a simple salad and you've got a quick, healthy, delicious dinner.  I was hoping to have some leftover shrimp, but the kids finished them all off.  Good thing they're so easy to make!

Ingredients:

     Shrimp {peeled, deveined & thawed}

     Sweet potatoes {peeled & diced}

     Olive oil spray

     Salt & pepper

     Seasoning of choice

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spread sweet potatoes on baking sheet coated with olive oil spray. Spray lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast for 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, spread shrimp on another baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spray shrimp lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper or seasoning of choice. Roast in the oven for the last 6-8 minutes of the sweet potatoes' cooking time.