Meatloaf Burger Patties

Think about a burger and then think about meatloaf. This recipe brings the two together and makes meatloaf something you can make for a quick weeknight dinner. I kept it burger consistency while added meatloaf components to make this have the "meatloaf" taste. Also becomes the perfect shape for meatloaf sandwiches.

Meatloaf Burger Patties - Serves 4

Ingredients:

* 1lb of lean ground meat (can use any kind you like, but I used 93% lean ground beef)
* 1 TBSP of worchester sauce (if you are allergic to fish and/or seafood like my husband you can use Annies organic worchester sauce, its vegan)
* 1/4 tsp black pepper
* 1/4 tsp sea salt
* 1/4 tsp garlic powder
* 1/4 tsp onion powder
* Cooking spray or oil (optional)

Directions:

1. Defrost ground meat before starting your recipe.
2. Mix worchester sauce in with ground meat in a mixing bowl.
3. Add remaining ingredients to ground meat and throughly mix everything together.
4. Form meat into 4 burger patties.
5. Cook in a large pan or skillet on medium-high heat for about 12-15 minutes, flipping patties halfway through. They will be ready when they are lightly browned and the juices run brown and clearish. (If using ground turkey or extra lean meats, lightly coat the pan with oil or cooking spray, not needed for lean beef though).
6. Serve on a bun or 2 slices of bread with ketchup or on your plate as you would traditional meatloaf. I ate mine with a baked sweet potato and veggies as you can see below:

 

Enjoy and feel free to grill or oven bake these if you choose, I bet they would also be great cooked using these methods. Let me know if you try this recipe.

Thanksgiving Stuffing Bake

With Thanksgiving coming very soon, stuffing is one of the things I have been wanting lately. Here is a one-dish meal that is easy to put together and enjoy for dinner or double the recipe and take it to a potluck:

Thanksgiving Stuffing Bake - Serves 4

Ingredients:


* 3 chicken breasts of thighs (I used chicken thighs)
* Cooking Spray (I used canola oil cooking spray)
* 1 box of stuffing mix (I used a box of whole wheat chicken stove top).
* 1 1/3 cups of water
* 1 TBSP of butter or margarine (I used unsalted butter)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Boil 1 1/2 cups of water and 1 TBSP of butter in a medium saucepan.
3. Add stuffing mix and stir.
4. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
5. Spray 8x8 square pan with cooking spray.
6. Add chicken to the bottom of the pan in a relatively even layer.
7. Add stuffing on top of chicken, making sure the layer is even.
8. Place pan in oven for 30 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
9. Slice and serve with your favorite gravy and veggies, enjoy!

Mushroom, Pea, and Onion Rice Pilaf

I came up with this using the idea of peas and onions, a common vegetable combo. I added mushrooms in since I am a big fan of them and enjoy them sometimes with peas and onions. Add in some rice and seasonings and you have a heartier side dish that can also be a light meal.

Mushroom, Pea, and Onion Rice Pilaf - Serves 2 as a light meal, serves 3-4 as a side dish

Ingredients:

* 2 cups of cooked rice (I used boil in the bag brown rice)
* 1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth (I used vegetable broth)
* 1 1/3 cups of green peas (I used frozen peas)
* 1/2 of a medium onion, diced
* 1 cup of sliced mushrooms
* 1 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil
* 1 TBSP of grated Parmesan cheese (The kind from the pasta aisle is fine)
* 1/8 tsp of black pepper
* 1/8 tsp of oregano
* 1/8 tsp of garlic powder

Directions:

1. Cook rice according to directions for the brand you use and make 2 cups of cooked rice.
2. Add extra virgin olive oil to a large pan and add remaining ingredients to the pan.
3. Cook vegetables on medium for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are fully cooked and are starting to brown.
4. Add rice to the pan and mix everything together. Serve and enjoy!

* This dish would be great served with additional vegetables and chicken or steak. Also can become a main dish with one of more of the following: diced chicken, cheese, crumbled bacon, etc.

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal Bars

The inspiration for this came from making baked oatmeal for the first time from this recipe using pumpkin puree in place of the applesauce:

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/09/09/cinnamon-roll-baked-oatmeal/

Was so good, that I knew I had to make more baked oatmeal for the upcoming week. I often make weekday breakfasts for at least the first 2-3 days of the week on Sundays as well as some lunches. Gets me set to start the week on the right foot, especially since I am not much of a morning person and have a very busy schedule between work, school, and other activities throughout the week. I also had a few bananas that were very spotty and needed to be used. Hence the inspiration for a banana bread baked oatmeal. Here is the recipe:

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal Bars - Makes 12 medium sized bars

Ingredients:

* 3 very ripe medium sized bananas, mashed or pureed (a fork, immersion blender, or food processor will work)
* 2 large eggs
* 1 cup of milk (any kind of milk that you like should work)
* 3 cups of old fashioned rolled oats (do not use instant or steel cut oats)
* 1/4 cup of dark brown sugar, not packed (may need more sugar if bananas are not as ripe)
* 1/4 tsp of salt
* 1 tsp of baking powder
* 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
* 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
* Cooking spray (I used canola oil cooking spray)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients together (oatmeal, cinnamon, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt).
3. In a smaller bowl mix eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed banana together.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients together and mix well.

5. Spray 13 X 9 inch pan with cooking spray
6. Pour mixture into the pan and place the pan in the oven.
7. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown.

8. Let oatmeal cool for 5-10 minutes.

9. Slice and serve hot or cold with milk or on its own. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Makes a great breakfast or healthy dessert. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Pudding

Fall is here and the leaves are starting to change. The pumpkin obsession I have this time of year along with many others around me is back. Finding healthier ways to enjoy this tasty squash/flavoring is not always easy, but this quick and easy pudding is low in calories, high in fiber, and filling. This treat makes a great dessert to have on a warm, breezy fall day.

Pumpkin Spice Pudding - Serves 4 (about 3/4 cup per serving)

Ingredients:

* 1 1.5 oz box of vanilla instant pudding (I used sugar free, fat free mix)
* 1 15 oz can of pumpkin (not the sweetened, pumpkin pie kind)
* 1 1/2 Cups of milk (I recommend only using dairy milk, pudding may not set with non-dairy milk)
* 1/2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice (can be found in the baking aisle)
* 1/4 tsp of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Add pudding mix and spices to a large bowl and mix dry ingredients together.
2. Add milk and canned pumpkin into the bowl and mix everything together with a hand mixer or immersion blender.
3. Cover the bowl and place pudding in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
4. Serve in smaller bowls. Enjoy on its own or with a small amount of whipped cream on top and/or graham crackers.

Honey Mustard Chicken

I came up with this recipe tonight after a long, hard workout today. I have been battling a cold all week and today was the first day that I felt like my normal self. I am dedicating this one to one of my oldest and best friends Susan who loves honey mustard, which I also happen to like a lot. I am not a fan of mayo and have always enjoyed mustard on my sandwiches, especially spicy and honey mustard.

Ingredients:

* 4 chicken breasts, thawed
* 4 TBSP of honey mustard dressing (I used Ken's Lite Honey Mustard)
* 1/8 tsp of black pepper
* Canola oil cooking spray

Directions:

1. Put honey mustard, spicy mustard, and black pepper in a small bowl and mix both of them together.

2. Coat chicken with honey mustard mixture one at a time. Make sure the chicken is thoroughly coated. Cover chicken and marinade chicken in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

3. Spray the pan with cooking spray and put chicken in a large pan over low to medium heat.

4. Cook 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear, flipping chicken halfway through.

5. Serve on its own with favorite side dishes or use chicken in a salad, sandwich, or wrap with additional dressing. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup

Fall has arrived and today where I am it even feels like fall! I love the fall's cool temperatures, Halloween, and the many delicious seasonal foods fall has to offer. One of my favorites is butternut squash. Here is a very simple recipe for a homemade butternut squash soup that pairs well with a salad and some crackers or bread for a nice, leisurely lunch or with a sandwich. Very healthy, yet rich in flavor along with a hint of spice as butternut squash soup should be. Here is the recipe:

Butternut Squash Soup - Makes 2 bigger bowls or 4 cup sized bowls

* 1 12oz box of frozen butternut squash or 2.75 cups of pureed, cooked squash (I used a box of frozen, you can get store brand of this at some supermarkets such as mine and bird's eye also has this in their veggie line)
* 1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth (I used chicken)
* 1/3 cup of milk (I used organic 2% milk, but most types of milk should work)
* 1/2 TBSP of butter or margarine
* 1/2 tsp of black pepper (use 1/4 tsp if you do not want your soup to have a spicy kick)
* 1/4 tsp of ground ginger (not fresh)
* 1/4 tsp of onion powder
* 1/8 tsp of garlic powder

Directions:

1. Defrost frozen squash or prep fresh squash to become puree.
2. Add pureed squash along with broth and milk into a medium sized saucepan.
3. Mix liquids and add black pepper, ground ginger, onion powder, and garlic powder.
4. Mix everything together and cook soup on a medium-high heat until the soup starts to boil.
5. Add butter or margarine and simmer soup on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring soup every 1-2 minutes.
6. Take soup off the stove and serve. Here is my lame attempt at doing a fancy food picture using a fresh basil leaf in the middle of the bowl:

* Please note that the soup will need to cook off for a few minutes before eating the soup. Here is a picture of the ready to eat soup, yum!

Sparkling Peach Sorbet

I have been enjoying the fresh peaches and am starting to get sad about them disappearing soon. While I love some of the fall produce like winter squashes and apples, summer fruits like peaches are wonderful. Here is an easy sorbet you can make in a minute or two without an ice cream maker that is slightly sophisticated and refreshing on a summer evening.

Sparkling Peach Sorbet - Makes 1 bigger serving or 2 smaller servings

Ingredients:

* 2 large sliced and peeled peaches, frozen or 3 cups of frozen peach slices
* 1/4 cup (2oz) of your favorite sparkling white wine (can use regular white wine also) or sparkling apple cider (I used verdi spumante)
* Sweetener of your choice if peaches aren't completely ripe (about 1/2-1 tsp or to taste)

Directions:

1. Freeze sliced peaches for at least 3-4 hours if using non-frozen ones.
2. Add peaches and sparking wine to food processor.
3. Blend ingredients together into everything is fully blended.
4. Taste and add sweetener if needed, then blend sweetener with peaches and sparkling wine.
5. Serve in bowl and enjoy!

 
Sorry for the less than perfect picture, the sorbet was not easy to get to look pretty. This is a nice alternative to water ice or a packaged sorbet or sherbet , which usually has a lot more sugar that this sorbet.

Tuna Burgers

This will be the first fish/seafood recipe on this blog. Also the first burger recipe in general. This is a cross between a crab cake and a salmon burger. These can be eaten like a crab cake with aioli or tartar sauce or like a burger using tuna melt fixings like cheese and tomato. I don't cook a lot of seafood or fish at home since my husband is very allergic to all fish and seafood. However, every now and then I make these and a few other seafood/fish dishes when he is not home. I do enjoy seafood and fish, but don't eat either of these more than a few times a month due to my husband's allergies and the fact that most seafood and fish is expensive. These are budget friendly for a fish dish though and are easy to make, enjoy!

Tuna Burgers - Makes 2 large burgers or 4 smaller burgers

Ingredients:

* 5 oz can of tuna in water
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup of italian seasoned bread crumbs
* 1/4 tsp of garlic powder or to taste
* 1/4 tsp of black pepper or to taste
* 1/4 tsp of onion powder or to taste
* Olive oil cooking spray

Directions:

1. Open can and drain tuna.
2. Add  tuna and eggs into a medium sized bowl and mix them together.
3. Add bread crumbs, garlic powder, black pepper, and onion powder and mix everything together.
4. Form patties and spray a large pan so they don't stick.
5. Cook burger in pan on medium heat for 3-5 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown.
6. Serve on a bun or on your plate with fixings of your choice.

Leftover burgers can be refrigerated or frozen for later use. Enjoy!

Southwestern Veggie Pizza

I like spicy food and southwestern/Mexican type food is a kind of cuisine I enjoy from time to time. So much flavor and so good! Never had much of this growing up other than Taco Bell and the occasional taco night at home, but as an adult I have tried and now really enjoy items such as enchiladas, burritos, tostadas, quesadillas, rice and beans. guacamole, and much more. This pizza is a quesadilla basically served open face in pizza form topped with lots of veggies. I believe this recipe can also be a springboard for other variations of southwestern pizza using beans, chicken, steak, adding other veggies, etc. This is relatively basic and quick while being low in calories. Here is the recipe:

Southwestern Veggie Pizza - Serves 1


* 1 tortilla of choice
* Canola oil cooking spray
* 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese
* 1/2 tsp of taco seasoning
* 1/2 cup of bell pepper, sliced into strips
* 1/2 cup of Sliced Mushrooms
* 1/4 cup of frozen sweet corn kernels
* 1/4 cup of diced onion
* 4 TBSP of salsa
* 1/8 tsp of black pepper

Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Spray tortilla with cooking spray on one side and place tortilla in a round pan or on a cookie sheet with the sprayed side of the tortilla touching the pan.
3. Top tortilla with salsa, cheese, taco seasoning, peppers, mushrooms, onions, and corn.
4. Sprinkle black pepper across the top.
5. Put pan in the oven for about 8-10 minutes or until the edges of the tortilla start to lightly brown. Watch carefully since this can burn if left too long.
6. Remove pan from oven, leave cool for 2-3 minutes and carefully place tortilla on a plate.
7. Slice into fourths or eighths; you will need napkins or a fork. Enjoy! Can be served with sour cream and/or guacamole if you like. I ate mine as is and enjoyed this :)

Strawberry Sugar Cookies

I love dessert in general as my friends and family will tell you, I have a major sweet tooth. While I don't eat sweets as often as I used to for health reasons, I still enjoy smaller amounts of sweets a few times a week and them in smaller portions or in lower calorie ways that I like. I believe in practicing moderation with food in general. Eating healthy is easier for me when I eat foods I like, eat a wide variety of foods, and can still have treats and indulgences. Here is a recipe for cookies I made today using fresh strawberries and a lower fat sugar cookie dough. Not super healthy, but not as bad as some other cookie recipes out there. They taste a lot like homemade strawberry shortcake, but in cookie form.

Strawberry Sugar Cookies - makes about 12 larger cookies

Ingredients:

• 5 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, unpacked
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 strawberries sliced into halves, lengthwise
• 1 1/2 TBSP of sugar to sprinkle on cookies (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Then add egg and vanilla into the bowl, mixing well.
3. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually stir flour mixture into the mixing bowl until dough forms.
4. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and form 12 cookie balls on the cookie sheet. Each cookie ball should be about 2 TBSP of cookie dough.
5. Press a slice into each cookie, this will flatten the cookie into a flatter, round shape.
6. Sprinkle each cookie with 1/8 tsp of sugar. Cookies should look like this before heading to the oven:

7. Cook in oven for about 8-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.
8. Remove cookies from pan onto a cooling rack or a large plate. Should be ready to eat once they cool for at least 15-30 minutes. Enjoy!

Garlic-Dill Vegetable Medley

I came home knowing I wanted make a vegetable recipe, but was stumped on what I wanted to make. Ended up using the fresh vegetables I had left in the house since I had to go grocery shopping tonight. I have been very busy and did not make it there over the weekend. I also tried to do some different spices this time, variety is key to a healthy lifestyle. Enjoy!

Garlic-Dill Vegetable Medley - Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients:

1 Cup of shredded carrots (I bought them shredded in a bag in the produce section)
1 Cup of sliced mushrooms (used already sliced baby bella mushrooms)
2 Cups of baby spinach leaves
1 TBSP of Butter or Butter Spread (I used whipped Earth Balance)
1/8 tsp of garlic powder
1/8 tsp of onion powder
1/8 tsp of dill (I used dried dill from the spices section)
1/8 tsp of black pepper
1/8 tsp of sea salt

Directions:

1. Turn a medium sized non-stick pan on medium heat and add butter along with spices (garlic, onion, dill, pepper, and salt) to pan.
2. Add carrots and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring them occasionally.
3. Add mushrooms and cook for 2-4 minutes, stir vegetables every minute or two
4. Turn pan off and add baby spinach, continue to stir for 1-2 minutes. The heat from the pan and vegetables will wilt the spinach.
5. Put vegetables into a bowl and serve. I served this with brown rice and lemon pepper chicken. Also would work well mixed with rice or served with potatoes. Enjoy and please provide me with feedback!

Italian Style Mozzarella Mushroom Chicken

Recently I was given a challenge to come up with a clean eating or gluten free recipe to feature on their blog. I decided to rise to the challenge. I also noticed there aren't any protein rich dishes on the blog yet. Here is a gluten free and clean eating chicken recipe which will pair well with asparagus, green beans, or spinach and some rice. This also would pair well with the Spinach Parmesan Orzo recipe that was featured on Monday. I am having this with brown rice and spinach tonight.

Italian Style Mozzarella Mushroom Chicken - Serves 4


Ingredients:

* 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
* 1 1/3 cups of fresh mushrooms, sliced (I used already sliced baby bella mushrooms)
* 2 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
* 1 tsp garlic powder
* 1 tsp black pepper
* 1 tsp dried basil
* 1/2 tsp sea salt
* 4 Slices of part skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over low to medium heat. Place chicken in the skillet, and season with garlic powder, basil, sea salt, and black pepper on both sides. Cook 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear, flipping chicken halfway through. Set chicken aside on a plate and cover the plate to keep the chicken warm.

2. Stir mushrooms into the skillet, and cook until tender, stirring them with a spoon to cook them evenly. Return chicken to skillet and top each piece of chicken with mushrooms and then with a slice of cheese (feel free to cut slice to fit each piece if needed) . Cover skillet, and continue cooking 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

3. Serve with favorite side dishes and enjoy. Here is a picture of the chicken with brown rice and baby spinach.

That was my dinner tonight, let me know your thoughts on this dish! I thoroughly enjoyed this chicken.

Spinach Parmesan Orzo

Today was my first time ever cooking with orzo. I have eaten orzo many times at restaurants as a side dish with my meal and at my moms house, but have never made any myself. I bought a box of orzo on sale yesterday for $1.00 and used a 1.00 coupon for the orzo as well as a box on tricolor noodles. Since both boxes were $1.00 each, I paid .50 per box, which is awesome. Especially for name brand pasta. While I normally cook with whole grain pasta, I do use regular pasta every now and then. I believe in moderation and having some of what you enjoy on a regular basis. Enough of the backstory of how this all came to be, here is the recipe:

Spinach Parmesan Orzo (Serves 2-3 for a main course or 4-6 for a side dish)

Ingredients:

*   1 cup of uncooked orzo pasta
*   4 cups of water
*   4 cups of fresh spinach (frozen spinach is too watery for this)
*   A few sprays of Olive oil cooking spray to wilt the spinach
*   1 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
*   1/8 tsp of garlic powder
*   1/8 tsp of sea salt
*   1/4 tsp of black pepper (I used cracked black pepper)
*   1 TBSP of Grated Parmesan (I used grated Parmesan Romano from the pasta aisle)

Directions:

1. Boil Orzo in water using a medium sized saucepan for 8 minutes. You want the pasta to be slightly harder than aldente since you will be sauteing the Orzo before serving the dish.



2.  Wilt Spinach while Orzo is cooking in a large pan using a light coating of olive oil cooking spray on medium heat.

3. Once spinach is slightly wilted, put spinach to the side. Make sure to consistently stir the spinach with a spoon or fork so that the spinach cooks evenly.

4. Drain Orzo and add olive oil, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper to the bottom of your large pan the spinach was in. The pan should be on medium heat.

5. Add Orzo and spinach to the oiled and seasoned pan. Add parmesan cheese on top and mix everything together with your spoon or fork.

6. Mix everything together and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the orzo is lightly browned.

7. Serve on a plate with meat/protein source and vegetables (I think chicken or fish would go great with this. Having my leftovers tomorrow for lunch with some cooked and seasoned chicken breast) or in a bowl like I did tonight on its own for a delicious, meatless meal.

This was pretty good by the way and made for a nice, quick dinner that was easy to put together. Looking forward to everyone's comments, please share with us if you try this recipe.

Perfectly Peachy Overnight Oatmeal

This is an easy overnight oatmeal recipe I have made many times and enjoy. I often eat oatmeal for breakfast, especially in the winter. During those colder months I eat oatmeal about 4-5 times a week. I usually make my oatmeal the night before if I have work the next day. I am not naturally a morning person, even though I workout a few times a week in the morning.  Additionally I lead a very busy life as a student taking an average 2-3 classes a term and a full time working professional. Therefore I do everything I can to make sure I can easily eat healthy the majority of the time. I eat these overnight oats cold or heat them up in the microwave before eating them.

Feel free to substitute fresh peaches in place of the canned ones. I would only do so though if you can find ripe ones like the ones available this time of the year. I usually use canned ones and drain them, because they are widely available most of the year and are inexpensive.

Perfectly Peachy Overnight Oatmeal - Serves 3 (approximately 1 cup per person)

1 1/2 cups of old fashioned, rolled oats (not instant, quick, or steel cut oats)
1 1/2 cups of any kind of milk (I use Organic 1% milk or unsweetened almond milk most of the time, vanilla soy milk also works well here).
1  15 oz  can of sliced peaches canned in juice or splenda, drained or three fresh peaches, sliced
Sweetener or sugar to taste (I usually use 3 tsps of splenda or a small amount of stevia)
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract 
1/2 tsp of cinnamon (optional, I recommend adding this)

Add all ingredients except the peaches into a large sized container or bowl. Mix ingredients together and then mix the peach slices into the oat mixture. Portion oatmeal into three smaller containers or into one large container. Store oatmeal in the refrigerator or overnight.

Serve the next day cold or heated up. I normally microwave a portion for about 1-2 minutes if I want them warm. Keeps for a few days in the refrigerator. Sorry for the lack of pictures. This was a saved recipe I have made for myself several times in the last few months. I will make sure to include at least one picture in my next recipe. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

Welcome!

Hi everyone, my name is Rachael. This is a new venture I am taking based on my love of food, but I also am someone who eats mostly healthy food and believe in eating most things in moderation. I have in the past dabbled in vegetarianism and other ways of eating, but I now am an omnivore that often eats meatless meals and for me this works very well. I often get overwhelmed when I cook with too many ingredients, so a lot of what I cook is easy recipes that I modify or recipes that I make up on my own. I plan to post a few recipes a week and let you all see what I enjoy eating on a regular basis. My husband and some of my friends and family will also get the opportunity to sample what I eat and blog here. A variety of recipes will be featured including meals, snacks, and occasionally beverages.

I hope you all enjoy reading this blog and cooking these recipes. I will only be posting recipes that I feel are perfected to my tastes and the tastes of others I dine with.