Healthy Stuffin Muffins

 A few weeks ago I received a loaf of Nature's Pride Oven Classics 100% Whole Wheat Bread as a part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program. I decided it would be perfect to make a "healthified" version of my favorite Thanksgiving side dish- stuffing! Although I suppose it is technically dressing since it isn't stuffed into a turkey. However, "Dressing Muffin" doesn't quite have the same ring to it as "Stuffin Muffin!" I love the muffin form because it not only bakes faster, but it is also a perfectly portioned serving.  Try adding these to your Thanksgiving table for a yummy and healthy side dish!
 
Ingredients:
Makes 12 Stuffin Muffins

• 10 pieces of whole wheat bread, toasted
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2/3 cup finely diced onion
• 2/3 cup finely diced carrot
• 2/3 cup finely diced celery
• 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 tsp poultry seasoning
• 3/4 cup Trader Joe's butternut squash soup 
• 1 egg, beaten
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2.  Cut toasted bread into cubes and put in a medium bowl.
3. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, saute the onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Once the veggies begin to soften, add the poultry seasoning. Add a splash of chicken broth and stir around to evenly coat the veggies with the seasoning.
5. When the veggies have softened, add them to the bowl with the bread cubes.
6. Add the egg, butternut squash soup, and chicken broth to the bowl and stir around so bread absorbs all the liquid.
7. Let sit for a few minutes to soak.
8. Spray a muffin pay with nonstick cooking spray. 
9. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin pan.
10. Bake until cooked through- about 25-30 min.

Skinny Mashed Potatoes

 Mashed potatoes are a classic American side dish, but I always shy away from them because the generally have so much butter and cream added to make them "good." I have made some in the past that I thought turned out ok, but they weren't really "blog-worthy." Now I am happy to say that I have found the recipe that I will be making from now on! They don't have to be unhealthy to taste good!

  Skinny Mashed Potatoes (Serves 4)
Ingredients:

• 1 lb red potatoes, diced
• 8 oz cauliflower
• 1/4 cup milk 
• 1/4 reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 oz reduced fat cream cheese
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt (use less if using regular table salt) 
• chives (optional) 

Directions:

1. Steam potatoes and cauliflower until fork tender.
2. Heat milk, chicken broth, and reduced fat cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl for about 30 seconds.
3. Add potatoes, cauliflower, salt, and pepper to the bowl.
4. Mash all ingredients together until desired consistency is reached. (Don't use a food processor or hand blender unless you want them to be like glue... learned that one the hard way!)
5. Top with chives and serve!

Approx nutrition facts per serving:
Calories: 115
Fat: 0.5 g
Carbs: 23g
Protein: 5g

Summer Squash Gratin

One of the best things about summer is the bounty of fresh vegetables- Squash, zucchini, and tomatoes are some of my favorites! We were given some squash and zucchini from my dad's garden, and when I stumbled across this recipe, I knew exactly what I wanted to make! I really loved this dish- it was fresh, healthy, and had great flavor. I strongly recommend you give it a try. I know I will be making it again!

Ingredients: (yield: 6 servings)

• 2 tomatoes
• 2-3 medium zucchini
• 3 medium squash
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1/2 cup reduced fat italian blend shredded cheese
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2.  Slice tomato into fairly thick slices and place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray or lined with parchment. Sprinkle tomato slices with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Roast for about 30 minutes. You may want to start checking them earlier.
3. Using a mandolin, slice the squash and zucchini into thin pieces. If you don't have a mandolin, you can do this with a knife- it will just take a steady hand and more time!
4. Spray an 8x8 or 2 4x8 pans with cooking spray. 
5. Layer the zucchini and squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. On top of that layer add slices of tomatoes and spinach. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese. Layer the rest of the zucchini and squash, seasoning every other layer. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
6. Bake for 45 minutes or until spinach is cooked and cheese is browned and crispy on top.

Baked Carrot Fries

 I love trying new side dishes, but I don't want to put a lot of effort into them because it's just a side and during the week there is just so little time! Tonight I made carrot fries to go with our turkey burgers. They were so delicious! Carrots have such a natural sweetness that really comes through when you cook them. They were quick and easy to make and healthy and delicious to eat!

Ingredients

• 1 lb carrots
• olive oil
• garlic powder (optional)
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Peel and cut one pound of carrots in half, then slice lengthwise into "fry size" strips.
3. Spray with or toss lightly with olive oil.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and garlic powder, if you wish. 
5. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until they are slightly browned and tender.   

Corn and Edamame Succotash

Summer is officially here, and that means lots of cook outs and grilling! There are always the usual side dishes- potato salad, cole slaw, chips, etc., but don't you want something HEALTHY to go with that?? Well, I do so that is why I thought this was the perfect side dish to take to a cook out. It is a great mix of flavors with the different types of vegetables and the light dressing. Plus, it looks pretty with all the vibrant colors! I got the idea from this recipe from  Cooking Light, but of course had to change it up just a bit...

 Ingredients:

• 12 oz frozen corn
• 1.5 cups shelled edamame (thawed if you buy frozen)
• 2 cups cut green beens (thawed if you buy frozen)
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1.5 cups grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 chopped fresh basil
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt and Pepper

Directions
1. Dry roast the corn by heating a non stick skillet over medium heat and adding corn. Cook, stirring frequently, until it starts to brown in spots.
2.  Remove corn from heat and set aside.
3.  Put olive oil into another skillet and add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is lightly browned.
4. Stir in corn, edamame, and green beans. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 3 minutes.
5. Remove skillet from heat and stir in tomatoes, basil, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar. Season again with salt and pepper if needed.
6. Serve at room temperature.

Acorn Squash Rings

I am always looking for delicious and nutritious snacks, but often it is just so easy to grab something packaged when you can easily make great snacks. I wanted to start eating more vegetable for snacks so recently I have started roasting acorn squash rings and then eating them as snacks throughout the week. These only takes a few minutes of prep time and about 20-25 minutes of cooking time, which can be done one night of the week and then separated into bags for a quick grab n go snack! They are so tasty and now I don't go a week without making them!

Ingredients
* acorn squash
* olive oil spray
* salt
* cinnamon
* pumpkin pie spice


Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400. 
2. Cut squash in half crosswise.
3. Remove seeds with a spoon.
4. Slice squash into rings.
5. Arrange slices on a baking sheet, spray with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until squash is tender.

Baked sweet potato wedges

One of the best things about sweet potatoes is that they can be prepared in a variety of ways, and they are all delicious! This recipe from Cooking Light is one of my favorites! Nick actually gets credit for finding this recipe because we first had these when he cooked dinner for me about 4 years ago. We have made them several since because they are a great side dish. The original recipe can be found here, but I slightly adapt it because I am not a huge fan of curry. Recipe as I make it is below.

Sweet potato wedges (adapted from Cooking Light)
Ingredients

• 2  (8-ounce) peeled sweet potatoes
• 1  teaspoon  olive oil
• 1/8  teaspoon  curry powder
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/8  teaspoon  ground cloves
• 1/8  teaspoon  pepper
• 1/8  teaspoon chili powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 425°.
Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise; cut each half lengthwise into 6 wedges. Combine sweet potatoes and remaining ingredients in a bowl; toss gently to coat. Place wedges on a baking sheet (do not overlap); bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until very tender.

Arugula Salad

A couple weeks ago, I saw a segment on the Today show where they made flank steak with tomato jam and an arugula salad. It looked delicious, and we hadn't had steak in a while so I decided to make it the next night. I had really high expectations for this because it just looked so good on tv! I wasn't even sure that I liked arugula because I had only had it once before and thought it was just ok. Well, it turned out that the steak was just ok, and the arugula salad was delicious! Arugula has a slight peppery taste, and it went really well with this vinaigrette. The tomatoes and shaved Parmesan were also great additions.

Here is a link to the whole recipe, but the recipe for the salad is below:
• 1 bunch (about 5 1/2 cups) arugula
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 1/4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• Dash kosher salt
• Dash freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup Regianno-Parmesan cheese, sliced thin
• 1 cup baby tomatoes, halved

Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Add arugula, tomatoes, and cheese and toss well. (You may not need all the dressing so just add a little at a time to the arugula until it is dressed as you like)

Roasted carrots with avocado

I actually made this side dish a while ago, but then I came across the picture and realized I had never added it to the blog! I want to immediately because it was so good, and I wanted to remind myself to make it again soon! I read the recipe for Roasted Carrot and Avocado salad on Smitten Kitchen, one of my favorites and knew I wanted to try it or something similar. I had forgotten how good roasted carrots are!

I made a few changes from the original recipe. First, I reduced the oil because I really didn't think it needed much. Second, as much as I love cumin, I left it out because I just wanted to taste the pure sweetness of the carrots. The recipe as I made it is below:
Ingredients:
- 1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced into 2 inch pieces (I used organic but you don't have to)
-1/2 to 1 Tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 avocado, sliced

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Toss carrots with olive oil (or spray if you have an olive oil spray can) on baking sheet
3. Sprinkle carrots with salt and pepper
4. Roast in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. You will want to check yours because time will vary based on the thickness of the carrots. They are done when they are fork tender, but not mushy.
5. Toss carrots with avocado slices and serve.

I would say this probably serves 3-4 people, but we had no problem finishing it off with just 2 of us!

Maple Roasted Butternut Squash

I think that butternut squash gets my vote as my favorite vegetable. I could eat it for every meal every day! My favorite way to cook it is roasting it with a little olive oil and maple syrup. It is kind of a pain to peel and cut, but well worth it (especially since that is usually Nick's job)!



Ingredients:
- Butternut squash
- olive oil
- maple syrup
- salt

Directions:
1. Peel, seed, and cube butternut squash. (We have found that a spoon is the best tool for scraping out the seeds.)
2. Drizzle with a little olive oil and toss to coat.
3. Pour about a tablespoon or so of maple syrup into a small dish, and then use a brush (silicone if you have one) to lightly brush maple syrup over the cubed squash.
4. Sprinkle with salt.
5. Bake at 400 until tender and they begin to caramelize- I would start checking them around 25 minutes, but may take longer- it will depend on the size of your cubes.

Balsamic roasted brussels sprouts

A lot of people claim they don't like brussels sprouts, but I love these! Roasting them brings out a much better flavor than steaming them in my opinion. These are really easy to make and very healthy!



Ingredients:
Brussels sprouts
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Trim the stem ends of the brussels sprouts and then halve them.
2. Drizzle brussels sprouts with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Toss to coat evenly.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
4. Bake at 400 until tender- not sure how long- I would start checking them at 20 minutes.

Skinny Scalloped Potatoes

I saw this recipe in my Clean Eating magazine (which is one of my favorites!) and wanted to make it so I could use my new mandolin that Mr. Ron and Ms. Janice gave me for Christmas. The recipe turned out well despite the fact that I forgot to buy chives. To make up for this, I put a thin layer of sliced onion in the middle. The recipe was good as is, but I think you could also make a lot of variations. I want to try it adding turnips and sweet potatoes- not sure how that would turn out though! I did add a sprinkle of low fat cheese on top and used an extra carrot. The recipe below is the original with my changes in parentheses so you can make it however you want! Also, you can halve the recipe and bake it in an 8x8 pan.




Ingredients:
- 2 tsp whole wheat flour
- 1 cup skim milk
- 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, sliced into 1/8" slices
- 2 carrots thinly sliced (I used 3)
- 1/2 cup chives chopped (I used a few thin slices of onion)
- (1/4 cup reduced fat cheese)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Place flour in medium saucepan over low heat.
3. Gradually add milk stirring with a whisk until blended.
4. Stir in broth and pepper, bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer until mixture
thickens- about 5 minutes- and remove from heat.
5. Layer 1/3 of potato mixture in bottom of 11x7 baking dish.
6. Top with half of carrots and sprinkle of chives (or thinly sliced onion).
7. Repeat layers and end with potatoes.
8. Pour milk mixture over potatoes, and top with remaining chives.
9. Cover dish, and bake for 45 min.
(10. Sprinkle with cheese, and broil for 2-3 minutes.)

Sauteed Greens with Tomatoes and Onions

I love greens!! I tried to duplicate Calypso's callaloo. It didn't really taste like theirs, but I still loved it! Nick thought the greens were a bit too bitter for him but I disagree. I could have eaten them all by myself.



Ingredients:
* 1 bag of pre-washed greens (I used a combination of collard, mustard, and turnip)
* reduced sodium chicken broth
* balsamic vinegar
* 1/3 cup onion, diced
* 1 clove of garlic, minced or chopped
* 1 can diced tomatoes, partially drained (I used diced tomatoes with onions and garlic)
* approx 2 oz sliced smoked ham, cut in small pieces

Directions:
1. Spray saute pan with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and garlic to pan and saute until onions are slightly softened
3. Add greens to pan (you may have to do this in batches if greens overflow the pan).
4. Add chicken broth to keep greens from sticking and to help them cook down (approx 1/4-1/2 cup).
5. Add the can of tomatoes and ham to greens and stir.
6. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
7. Add a couple dashes of balsamic vinegar- I didn't measure but I would guess 1-2 Tbsp.
8. Cover and continue to simmer until greens are completely cooked.
9. Salt and pepper to taste.

Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes

Spaghetti squash is a great vegetable that is often forgotten. It has a great texture, takes on other flavors well, and is very nutritious. My favorite way to fix it is below.



Ingredients:
-1 medium spaghetti squash
-shredded Parmesan cheese
-cherry tomatoes, cut in halves or quarters
-"I can't believe it's not butter" spray
-salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Cut spaghetti squash in half and remove seeds.
2. Add about 1/2 inch of water to glass baking dish.
3. Place squash halves in baking dish with the cut side down
4. Cover with plastic wrap, and cut holes in wrap to vent.
5. Microwave for about 10-12, but time will vary based on size.
6. Scrape out inside with a fork creating strands of spaghetti squash.
7. Spray a few squirts of "butter" and add salt and pepper.
8. Toss together.
9. Add cherry tomatoes.
10. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese when serving.

Roasted Broccoli

Broccoli is good in all forms, especially roasted!



Ingredients:
Broccoli florets
olive oil
soy sauce
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss broccoli with a little olive oil and soy sauce.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Roast for about 25 minutes, depending on size of broccoli cuts.(It should have slightly singed edges and be tender but still have some "crunch" to it)

Summer Squash Gratin

We made this Saturday night with squash and tomatoes from Julie's garden. It was delicious! I found the recipe from the blog "Kath Eats."

Ingredients:
2 tomatoes
2 squash
2 zucchini
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2/3 cup shredded 2% cheese ( I used a mixture of parmesan, mozzarella, provolone)
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/8 cup fresh basil, chopped

Directions:
1. Slice squash and zucchini into 1/4 inch slices. Lay on a sheet pan, spray lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper. Broil until lightly browned.
2. Slice tomatoes.
3. Saute garlic for a couple of minutes in a pan sprayed with olive oil.
4. Mix 1/2 cup cheese with basil and garlic.
5. Preheat oven to 350.
6. Layer squash and zucchini sprinkling cheese mixture in between each layer in a 8x8 glass baking dish.
7. Place tomatoes in layer on top.
8. Top with mixture of remaining cheese and panko.
9. Bake for 25 min, then broil for 5 min (but watch closely).