Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

I love potatoes! I've learned to master the art of mashed potatoes through the years. So here's the skinny on creating a healthier mashed potato.  Remember this recipe makes 2 servings. Potatoes (like pasta) are meant to be a side dish, one serving is about 1/2 cup.

Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

Scrub and quarter 5 medium size red potatoes (no need to peel if you clean them good- the skins have lots of nutrients), placing in a medium size kettle. Fill kettle with cold water, until water level is about an inch above the potatoes. Salt (or garlic salt) the water with up to 1/2 tsp. Add one peeled clove of garlic. Bring to a boil, and cook until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the potatoes and garlic and return to the hot pot. Mash with fork or potato masher.

This is where you get to be creative. Mix,match and add from the following choices:

1 Tablespoon of fresh chopped Herbs (these are top choices)
Chives
Rosemary
Thyme

Choose 2 Tablespoons of liquid
Chicken Stock
Skim Milk
Buttermilk (made from skim milk)

Choose 1 Tablespoon of fat
Butter
Low fat Sour cream


Mix in with the mashed potatoes, season with a little salt and pepper, and serve!

Green Beans

Lately, I feel like I've been answering a lot of questions about green beans! Strange, I know! But it inspired me to create a little post on how to cook them!

Put simply, the less you cook a vegetable, the more nutrients it retains. Picking a green bean straight from your garden and immediately eating it, is the most nutritious way to go, while straight from the can is probably the least. 

Most likely- you've picked your green beans straight from the bulk bin at the grocery store. A small handful is one serving.

Start by rinsing them, then trim the ends. Easy enough?

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, salt the water (this helps the green beans turn bright green!)- no need to go crazy, you are not doing this for flavor- just for color, a couple of pinches will do. Then, blanche the beans.

2 minutes gives you a crisp raw flavor (most nutrients left intact!)
3 minutes gives you a little bite, while still tasting "cooked" (this is my preference)
4 minutes brings you soft tender beans (least nutritious)

Drain and serve.

(Subtract one minute if you are cooking in the microwave. Place beans in microwave safe dish, with a tablespoon of water, drain and serve)

Green Beans

Savor the flavor of the beans, by dressing them with just a few drops of fresh lemon juice. No salt or butter needed... give it a try!

Quinoa with Peas and Spinach

Quinoa is a power packed whole grain! With 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber per serving, it's a meal in itself! However, it's pretty boring when it's plain, definitely cook it in stock (as opposed to water), and go crazy from there! I find I typically make it the same way I would make risotto, packed with veggies.

This is what I'm bringing in my brown bag lunch tomorrow (and what I had for lunch today!)

Ingredients:
1 cup Quinoa (rinsed and drained)
2 cups low/no sodium chicken stock (veggie stock would work here too)
1 large shallot, chopped (or 2 Tbls chopped onion)
1 garlic clove, minced or grated
1 tsp fresh Thyme (or 1/2 tsp if using dried)
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup frozen peas
2 cups fresh chopped Spinach (one large handful)
2 Tbls Romano or Parmesan cheese *optional*
1 tsp Parsley, dried (or 1 Tbls fresh)

Heat 1 Tbls Olive Oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add shallot, garlic and pepper, sautee for 2 minutes, then add Quinoa and cook until slightly toasted (5 minutes- watch it so it doesn't burn!).

Add stock and bring to a boil. Turn down heat, adding thyme and simmer until liquid is almost gone (about 20 minutes)

Add peas and spinach (and parsley if using dried) and bring back to a simmer (I turn up the heat again). Simmer until liquid is gone, quinoa is cooked, and peas are heated through (about another 10 minutes).

Remove pan from heat and stir in cheese (and parsley, if using fresh).

Makes 4 servings as a side (3 as a lunch- in my opinion).

** I think adding a cup of leftover fully cooked chicken or shrimp, would make a fabulous addition!!

Quinoa with Peas and Spinach

Potato Chips & Avacado Dip

I can see the questioning look in your eyes... is she really going to say we can eat potato chips? Well, these potato chips you certainly can!


Potato Chips and Avacado Dip

 Ingredients:
4 red potatoes (scrubbed clean)
Paprika
Olive Oil Cooking spray
Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice red potatoes thinly with mandoline (preferred) or a sharp knife (patience and safety, please!). Spray cookie sheet lightly with cooking spray. Place sliced potatoes on sheet, as evenly as possible with little overlapping. Sprinkle potato slices with a little paprika. Bake for 10-12 minutes until desired crispness, turning once with spatula (some slices will stick- it's bound to happen). Immediately sprinkle with 2 small pinches of salt.

Serve with this amazingly easy avacado dip.

Guacamole is not for me. I dislike raw onions and tomatoes, and well, don't even get me started on cilantro! But I love avacados! Here's an easy low fat recipe!

Ingredients:

1 avacado (pitted with meat scooped out)

2 tsp fresh lemon or lime juice

2 Tbls low-fat sour cream or plain greek yogurt (optional)

2 shakes of Red Hot Sauce

Bison Burger with a side of chips and dip

Mash ingredients together with a fork in a small bowl. Season with Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste.

Both recipes make 2-3 servings, more if you use it as a side dish! Pictured here with a bison burger!

Roasted Tomato and Goat Cheese Spread

We are headed in to week two of the brown bag challenge. Sometimes it isn't that you need to come up with something new for lunch, as much as, you need to figure out a way to kick your favorite sandwich up a notch. This roasted tomato and goat cheese spread is the answer.



I admit, I stole this general concept from my friend Jess, after she served a slightly different version of this as an appetizer at a dinner party (served with crusty bread). Amazing. Check out fun recipes on Jess' blog IcaJell Eats!



Tomatoes and Goat Cheese



  This spread couldn't be simpler with just 3 ingredients.

  1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes (or any small tomato) sliced in half.

  2 oz of garlic and herb goat cheese

  1 tsp of Olive Oil.



Roasted Tomato and Goat Cheese Spread


  Here's how you do it: Spray a small oven safe pan with cooking spray, and place tomatoes cut side up. Roast in 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes (some of the tomatoes will start to char). Remove tomatoes. Place Goat cheese in another small oven safe casserole dish, add roasted tomatoes and olive oil. Return mix to oven and heat for 5 minutes (just so the cheese gets soft). Mix well.

That's it! This makes 4 healthy portions of spread. Seems to spread well warm or cold. It goes great with hamburgers, or on a veggie sammie!



Turkey Roll Up



My favorite way; Spread the roasted tomato mixture on a whole wheat tortilla or flatbread. Top with a few slices of turkey, and a small handful of mixed greens.



Healthy Trail Mix

Trail mix is a great snack! It can also be a great way to curb your sweet tooth, or salt craving. However, store bought Trail mix always leaves me feeling a little guilty. A friend of mine actually shared her trail mix with me last summer, and I've been making it ever since. We took your standard GORP (Good Ole Raisins and Peanuts) and made a healthier (although more expensive) version.  Enjoy!

1 Med bag of Dark M&M's

1 bag of Goldfish Pretzels

6 oz Roasted Almonds (salted or not- your choice)

6 oz Roasted Cashews (salted or not- your choice)

1 pkg of Craisins

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer to air tight container. Enjoy!

Pesto Penne Primavera

It's September, and everyone's gardens are in full bloom! This pasta salad recipe is one of my favorites this time of year. It makes a great side dish, or light meal. It works great hot, cold or room temperature, and it is the recipe I'm choosing for my first Brown Bag Lunch Challenge.

Ingredients

Ingredients:

1/2 lb of Whole Wheat or Whole Grain Penne (1/2 a standard box)

1 bunch Asparagus, trimmed and cut to similar size as pasta

1/2 lb fresh Green Beans (about one large handful), cut to similar size as pasta

1 med Zucchini, cut into matchsticks, similar size as pasta

1/4 cup prepared Basil Pesto

Salt & Pepper

 

1. In a large pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil
2. Add Penne
3. After 1 minute, add Green Beans to pasta
4. After another 2 minutes, add Asparagus to pasta
5. Cook til pasta and veggies are almost to desired tenderness, then add Zucchini and blanche.

While pasta is cooking, scoop pesto into a large mixing bowl, and pull out 1 tablespoon of starchy water from the pasta. Loosen the pesto with the starchy water.

Drain the pasta and veggies and immediately add to pesto. Mix well. Salt & Pepper to taste.

* Low carb this recipe by skipping the pasta, just cook veggies anyway you choose and mix with loosened pesto.

** Veg out this recipe by adding in, halved cherry tomatoes, a handful of chopped spinach, or sliced red pepper when mixing with pesto.

Penne Pesto Primavera

This recipe is simply the method I use, I prefer well cooked green beans, and barely cooked zucchini. You can cook the veggies to whatever tenderness you choose!