Tag: healthy eating

cook, Uncategorized

Mediterranean Turkey Burgers

livingswagger

I did a recipe exchange with some girlfriends about 8 years ago and ended up with this gem  that adds flare to any average burger night. It is simple enough to make in bulk, so we use this one a lot when having friends or family over for dinner or a bbq. Because of that, it is by far my most requested recipe. The best part about these burgers is that they are different, yet the ingredients are are palatable to almost everyone (sorry to those of you who don’t like spinach and/or feta).

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 slice of whole wheat bread- cubed
  • 2 cup spinach- chopped
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 Tbsp minced onion
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350˚

Combine mixture in large bowl, ensuring feta is crumbled into smaller pieces and ingredients are distributed evenly throughout meat. Form into patties, or a loaf (which we do often). Place on broil pan (for patties) or flat baking sheet (for loaf). Cook for 30-35 minutes, or until internal temperature is 165˚

Note: You can bbq the burger patties as well, just ensure that the internal temperature is 165˚ before serving.

We serve these burgers (with or without buns!) with just about anything- a nice salad, rice, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob (for bbq), etc. It is as versatile as it is delicious! Enjoy!!

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Mediterranean Turkey Burgers (no buns): Serves 4- 290 calories, 15.7g fat, 3.9g carbs, 28.9g protein

cook, Uncategorized

Tuna Salad Done Healthy

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Tuna salad sandwiches are a favorite at our house- kids love it, it is a great source of protein, delicious, and easy to prepare! I have found though, that not all tuna salad is made equal (have you ever looked at the mayo you might be using?). Have you ever thought of subbing the mayo out??

Check out the comparison of the cottage cheese (1/2 cup = 90 calories, 2.5g fat, 13g protein) I use to make my tuna salad vs Olive Oil Mayo (1 Tbsp = 60 calories, 6g fat, 0g protein).

Cottage Cheese
Mayo made with Olive Oil

This is where my healthier, lighter, more protein (without the extra fat) and vegetable packed version comes in- and no, the kids can’t tell the difference or seem to mind that I’m sneaking veggies in (major win!).

Recipe:

  • 1 can solid white albacore in water
  • 1/2 cup low fat (2% milk fat) cottage cheese
  • 3-4 mini carrots (shredded- I use a mini grater)
  • 1-2 mini kosher dill pickles (shredded- again, the mini grater)
  • 4 white corn tortillas
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

This particular recipe is with corn tortillas, rather than bread. I brown the tortillas on the stovetop, add tuna mixture and 1/8 cup mozzarella, and fold like a quesadilla. Easy to eat- and delish!!

Tuna Salad Done Healthy:   Serves 2- 254 calories, 8.6g fat, 14.7g carbs, 30.1g protein

Compared to Old Fashioned Tuna Salad (with whole wheat bread, swiss cheese, and mayo): Serves 2- 389 calories, 16.9g fat, 27.4g carbs, 35.5g protein

Winner: Tuna Salad Done Healthy!!

 

cook

Turkey Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

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Before you can even say it, I’ll admit it…another ground turkey recipe…I know, I know…head hung.

BUT…this one is just too delicious (and easy) to pass up. This one is a hit with both the husband and the kids, and has officially replaced the go-to traditional enchilada casserole recipe that we got from a Mexican restaurant I worked for way back in the day (stay tuned for that recipe…it’s ridiculously good!!).

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1 cup red quinoa (prepared as package states)
1 lb ground turkey (I add one package of taco seasoning)
1/2 c corn (I use white organic from Costco)
1/2 c black beans
1 avocado (chopped)
2 TBSP chopped cilantro
1 can mild enchilada sauce
1 can green chilies
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
3/4 c shredded mozzarella
3/4 c shredded cheddar
Mix all ingredients other than turkey and quinoa in small bowl.
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Layer in casserole dish: quinoa, turkey, mixed ingredients, cheese.
Bake at 375˚ for 30 minutes.
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Makes 4 servings. This is about 471 calories for 1 serving.
Enjoy!
cook

Healthy (but DELICIOUS) Game Day Grub

livingswagger

We are football fanatics in our house…and I really mean fanatics. Sunday is a day long football fest…Seahawks and Broncos games, the RedZone Channel, fantasy teams, and food…yes, I said it, food! No football Sunday is complete without some sort of glutenous array of game day foods (usually consisting of pizza, nachos, wings, dips, and other unhealthy grub).

I have tried the route of going more more healthy…and even succeeded a few times in substituting chili or soup and salad…but have never really scored a touchdown with the family on game day options…until now! Instead of trying to swap out the menu completely, I decided to keep the menu options the same, and just switch out the ingredients we use to make them.

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If you are looking for some healthy game day options, trust me- try these! My family loved them…and are even on board to having all of them on game days to come!

zucchini CHIPS:

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  • Slice 2-3 zucchini into slices (I used my Spiralizer slicer…if you don’t have one- think about investing in one, they are amazing!)
  • Mix 2 Tbsp EVOO & 2 Tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar in a small bowl
  • Toss zucchini slices in mixture
  • Place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper
  • Coat with approximately 2 tsp Sea Salt
  • Cook at 200˚ for 2-3 hours, until crisp- rotating 1/2 way through

spinach and kale DIP:

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Combine the following ingredients and refrigerate until ready to enjoy:

  • 1/4c carrot- shredded
  • 3 cloves of garlic- minced
  • 4 green onions- chopped
  • 1c kale- chopped
  • 1/3c red bell pepper- diced
  • 1c spinach- chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh dill
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 3 Tbsp Mayo
  • 2c plain greek yogurt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic salt
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp sea salt

cauliflower PIZZA:

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Ingredients:

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3c mozzarella cheese (shredded)
  • 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese (grated)
  • 1 tsp basil (fresh)
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425˚ degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Break an entire head of cauliflower into florets and pulse in a food processor until fine (I use a manual processor and it works fine). Microwave in a microwave safe bowl for 4-5 minutes, drain (make sure you get as much water out as possible…I used a towel to press) and let cool.

In a bowl, combine the cauliflower with the mozzarella, parmesan, basil, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, egg and salt/pepper. Divide into six pieces and form into small flat circular crusts on the baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Add any desired toppings (we used 1/3c marinara, 1/2c mozzarella, 1/4c turkey pepperoni cut into quarters, and 2 Tbsp basil) and bake an additional 10 minutes.

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bell pepper NACHOS:

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Ingredients:

  • 1 bag mini bell peppers
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 1 small can black olives- sliced
  • 2c shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • 1/2 large tomato- diced
  • 1/4c cilantro- chopped
  • 1c salsa with 1 tsp chili powder mixed in

Cut an entire bag of mini bell peppers into halves and clean out seeds and insides. Place peppers on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.

Brown 1 lb of ground turkey over medium heat, until brown. Add 1 packet taco seasoning and 1 cup water. Simmer until water has been reduced.

Add turkey meat and vegetables to mini bell peppers and cover with cheese. Cook at 350˚ for 20 minutes and cover with salsa mixture once cooked.

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Hopefully you will find a touchdown in at least one of these recipes for your next game day as well! If you are looking for a healthier version of YOUR favorite game day munchie, I would love to know so I can try to discover something new to share next time!

cook

Italian Citrus Turkey Casserole

livingswagger

Last night my husband and I were able to celebrate another successful healthy, kid-friendly, recipe! Kids ate (almost) everything on their plate, and didn’t even bat an eye at the garbanzo beans, which are usually a definite no-go. This is a super easy recipe that anyone can do and it came in at only about 375 calories per serving (before the rice).

Ingredients:

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  • 1 lb ground turkey (I apologize that the protein in this one is ground turkey again…we eat it a lot…I promise to get some different meats up here for you soon)
  • 1 can organic garbanzo beans
  • 4 bell peppers of your choice- chopped (I used 2 green, 1 red, and 1 orange)
  • 4 stalks of celery- chopped
  • 1 medium white onion- chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic- minced
  • 1/4c lemon juice
  • 1/4c Italian dressing
  • 2Tbsp EVOO (A note for those of you who are used to soupy/saucy casseroles…this is NOT one! This dish is about 99% substance and only 1% liquid, so expect only a small amount of citrusy fluid on the bottom of the casserole dish once cooked)
  • 1 1/2c shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

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  • Cook ground turkey on stovetop over medium heat until brown
  • While turkey is cooking, chop peppers, celery, and onions and combine with minced onion, garbanzo beans (drained), lemon juice, EVOO, and Italian dressing in a large bowl. Mix well, making sure all ingredients are coated with dressing/oil/juice mix
  • Add turkey to vegetables and, again, mix well
  • Transfer to a casserole dish and top with shredded mozzarella
  • Bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes

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This whole dish took only about 20 minutes to prepare, which I was able to do before soccer practice (hurray! for all you multi-tasking mommas). We served ours over rice, which was absolutely delicious.

A big bonus for this recipe was the many colors of the dish…colorful dishes are always a win in our house! If you haven’t experienced eating with color, check this article out before you go…Colorful Eating Has Health Benefits

I hope you all enjoy!! Until next time…

cook, grow

Homegrown Watermelon

livingswagger

Who doesn’t love a little watermelon?

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This year, when we were picking out plants to put in our garden, my children chose a watermelon plant to add to our berries, herbs, and lavender. We had never planted watermelon before so we weren’t sure what to expect (or how much room was needed). We picked a small area in the corner of our garden and went for it.

Our watermelon plant came in one of those pre-planted “pots” that are biodegradable and require only that you remove the bottom when planting, so it was super easy to plant. A month or so down the road, with some dedicated watering by the kids, the vine started to take off…and by take “off”, I really mean take “over”! The vine literally meandered its way throughout the entire garden, blocking out other plants and moving up walls and fencing. Despite the giant vine though, there were no watermelon in sight.

Last year we had a similar experience with pumpkins…the plant itself grew massive but no pumpkins came before picking season so we pulled it (next time we will find a better location with more room so it can stay!). We thought our watermelon was going to see a similar end…and then it happened! Adorable little melons started popping up everywhere! A little more TLC, and a few more months, and they were looking ripe for the picking.

My husband (let’s be honest, he’s the green thumb of us two) started his research, and found a few things about how to tell if the watermelon was ripe (the thumping doesn’t always give you the right answer…our first “hollow sounding” melon was white on the inside…oops!), how many watermelon each vine should grow (we have about 10 growing now…more than what he read was the “normal”), etc.

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Here is a basic breakdown of what we found in our first year (DISCLAIMER: We are most definitely NOT watermelon experts…just sharing what we learned from our experience):

  1. Flip the watermelon over and check the color of the bottom. An olive oil color is ideal…if it’s still white or really light, it is a no go!
  2. Tap the watermelon with the palm of your hand. The melon should sound really hollow.
  3. Look at the “spoon” and the “tendril” of the watermelon. The spoon is a small leaf close to the melon, and the tendril will be the one closest to the melon. Both should be completely brown. If they are green, the melon is not yet ripe.PhotoGrid_1441056636444
  4. Make sure you have PLENTY of room when planting watermelon. I would say that our plant is about 10′ long and 8′ wide…and growing.

Our watermelon are delicious AND they are coming at the perfect timing (you know…when fall is just around the corner), allowing us to enjoy summer just a little longer!

If you have any other watermelon tips or secrets I would love to hear them…

cook

Zucchini Bowls

livingswagger

Not sure about your kids and family, but finding healthy things that everyone enjoys can be rough. When given the choice for dinner, one son would choose pizza, another mac n’ cheese and the husband brownies…no joke, I’m sure I could have an entire post on the amount of chocolate he eats…so I’m constantly trying to find new ways to make healthy foods delicious and not obviously healthy (yes, you heard me right, I trick all three of them).

The other day I was lucky enough to have a co-worker bring me the biggest vegetables I’ve ever seen, all fresh and straight from her garden. I grabbed up a zucchini, Arminian cucumber, and some lemon cucumbers (not pictured).

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Now…what to do with a 2 1/2′ zucchini or cucumber, you ask? Well…I came up with a super easy recipe (half borrowed from Pinterest, half Kristin creation) that both husband and kiddos loved! Shocking, I know! And so Zucchini Bowls have now found a place in our recipe box.

Disclaimer: One thing you will learn from me is that I hardly ever follow a recipe step by step or ingredient by ingredient. When someone asks for one of my recipes it tends to go a little like “a pinch of that…and sometimes a pinch of this…”. For the sanity of the recipe followers out there, I will try my best to give exacts whenever I come up with something delish! I apologize in advance for the times I don’t!

Zucchini Bowls:

  • Cut a zucchini into 2-3″ rounds, making sure that the bottoms are flat, and scoop out inside. (I used a melon ball scooper) Set each bowl on a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Dice one medium white onion and one green bell pepper and sauté over medium heat until soft in 1 TBSP olive oil
  • In another pan, brown one lb ground turkey
  • Add bell pepper and onion to turkey once browned (you can do this all in pan however, we buy ground turkey in bulk and freeze so I separate so it cooks more evenly)

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  • Add one can tomato sauce, one diced tomato, and about 1 tsp salt/1 tsp pepper
  • Let simmer until tomato sauce is no longer runny
  • Scoop into zucchini bowls and top with mozzarella cheese (about 1/3c per bowl…probably 1/4c per bowl would do for regular sized zucchini)
  • Bake at 375˚ for 30 minutes, or until cheese is lightly brown and zucchini is soft
  • Serve and Enjoy!

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We served ours with a pretzel roll and rice pilaf.  A big plus to this recipe is that I was able to blanch and freeze the zucchini insides and remains for future zucchini bread and muffins!

And in case you’re wondering what happened with the cucumber…we sliced, lightly salted and served with feta cheese. An easy and delicious snack or side!!