GIT YER GREENS ON CASSEROLE

GIT YER GREENS ON CASSEROLE

Easy, cheesy, low(ish) in fat, low(ish) in carbs, and oh-so-yummy!

Ingredients:
(Makes 4-5 entree portions)


1 package (1 lb.) Trader Joe's fresh Brussels Sprouts, quartered
1 1/2 cups asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1/2 package Trader Joe's Harvest Grains or 8 oz. brown rice, cooked according to package
3 oz. low-fat or fat-free cream cheese, cubed
4 oz. shredded low-fat or fat-free mozzarella cheese
1/2 lb. Trader Joe's All-Natural Free Range lean ground beef
2 oz. mushrooms, crumbled
1 shallot, finely diced
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 tsp. ground sage
Splash cooking sherry
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice


Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Add Brussels Sprouts to a medium pot of boiling salted water. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until just tender. Quickly drain and submerge in ice water. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.

3. Add beef to a sautee or frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with black pepper, generous amount of garlic powder, and sage. Add shallot, sherry and mushrooms and stir well. Continue stirring and breaking apart with spoon until beef is just browned.

4. Add beef mixture, Harvest Grains or rice, asparagus, tomatoes, lemon juice and cheese to the bowl. Mix well. Season with salt, black pepper and garlic to taste.

5. Add mixture to a greased 2.5 liter casserole dish. Sprinkle with extra mozzarella.

6. Bake covered for 15 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

7. Serve with an extra sprinkle of cheese, if desired.


Notes:


*Can easily be made vegetarian by substituting fake beef or leaving it out altogether.


*Kids can help by stirring ingredients in bowl.


*Very filling! No need for bread or side dishes.

FAUX RISOTTO

FAUX RISOTTO

Make it quick + yummy! I know it doesn't look like much, but I promise you'll be delightfully surprised!




Ingredients:
(Makes 2-3 side dish portions)


1 package Trader Joe's Frozen Organic Brown Rice
1/4 - 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes


Directions:


1. Cook rice according to directions (snip corner of bag, nuke for 3 minutes).

2. Immediately stir in all other ingredients.

3. Serve and pretend you slaved over a hot stove...I won't tell.


Notes:


*Kids can help by stirring in all the yummy stuff!

FAST 'N FRESH ANGEL HAIR DIABLO

FAST 'N FRESH ANGEL HAIR DIABLO

The best part of this dish (my favorite thing to throw together for lunch) is that you can probably make it with what you've already got in your fridge and cabinets. The second best part is that it's delish! And the third best part is that each serving costs about $0.50...hard to beat!

Ingredients:

(Makes 2 adult-sized entree servings)

2 servings angel hair pasta

2 tomatoes, chopped

Handful of spinach, torn or sliced

2 green onions, sliced or cut with scissors

1/2 jalapeno, finely diced

2 eggs

Dash of thyme

Dash of basil

Black pepper, approximately 1/2 tsp.

Olive oil

Salt

Parmesan cheese, to taste (at least several Tbsp.)

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Red pepper flakes

[Optional: Few Tbsp. pasta sauce]

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package in salted water.

2. In the meantime, stir eggs over low heat in small omelette pan until well cooked.

3. Add cooked eggs to the bottom of a large bowl. Add red pepper, jalapeno, green onions, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, thyme, and basil.

4. Drain pasta when cooked and add to bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice.

5. Top with tomatoes and spinach.

6. Stir very well and serve topped with extra cheese [and pasta sauce].

Notes:

*Kid-friendly if you leave out the jalapeno, green onion (if your kid is picky like mine) and red pepper.

*To make it even faster, use hot tap water to start with (cuts down on boiling time).

*To make it wheat-free, use Trader Joe's Brown Rice Spaghetti.

EGGS FLORENTINE, COSTCO STYLE

EGGS FLORENTINE, COSTCO STYLE




Please don't sit there and pretend like you don't absolutely love the Spinach-Artichoke-Parmesan Dip from Costco...you know you do...you know when you have some in the fridge, you are on a constant search for some sort of "edible spoon" so you can justify eating some...or maybe you just eat it with a spoon...hey, I'm not judging. Here's a more respectable (and yummy!) way to eat it...

Ingredients:
(Makes 2 servings)

2 slices wheat sourdough bread
2 tomatoes, thickly sliced (see notes below)
Several tablespoons spinach-artichoke-parmesan dip
2 eggs

Directions:

1. Lightly toast the bread.
2. Meanwhile, stir the eggs around in a small pan over low-medium heat until well-cooked but still soft; once cooked, try not to break them up any more than necessary.
3. Spread 1/2 - 1 Tbsp. dip on each piece of toast.
4. Cover each piece of toast with tomato slices.
5. Split egg between toast slices.
6. Spread additional tablespoon dip over each slice.
7. Put in toaster oven directly on rack for 5 more minutes, or until dip is just starting to melt.

Notes:

*I looooove the Campari tomatoes from Costco! So sweet and yummy. I won't use anything else.

*If you're feeling extra ambitious, add a few leaves of spinach on top of the tomato slices.