Iced Coffee

Nothing says warm weather like needing to switch to iced coffee and after the winter we had here in NY, I am glad it is FINALLY time to make the switch!  Below is a recipe I use during all the warm months and occasionally during cooler months if I want to reminisce about warmer days! Let me know what you think!

Easy Iced Coffee

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup ground coffee (flavored, decaf, whatever your preference)
• water
• 1/2 gallon pitcher

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place grounds in the container
2. Add water till full and stir
3. Let sit overnight or up to 24 hours
4. Strain through a coffee filter or fine netted strainer into another pitcher.
5. Keep in the fridge for up to a week!

To make just pour over ice, add sweetener, flavor syrup, add milk/creamer, & whip cream if you desire!

EXTRAS:

• Make 2 pitchers, pour some into ice cube trays so you don't water down your iced coffee
• I like to go ahead and mix in sweetener and milk/cream so the ice cubes are the 'total package' as they melt!!

Coffee grounds ready for water.

Water and grounds, ready to stir

After chilling, mixed with Unsweetened Almond Milk, adding whip cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon!

Cabbage "Un-Rolled" Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package ground turkey (16-18 oz)
• 1 head of lettuce chopped
• 8 oz tomato paste (or one 15 oz tomato sauce)
• 15 oz tomato sauce (mine is in the tupperware)
• 1 carton of beef broth
• 1 bell pepper chopped *optional*
• garlic powder- to taste (1/4 tsp)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp sugar (or more to taste)
• 3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup cooked rice (or add more)

DIRECTIONS

1. Slightly cook meat adding bell pepper and all seasonings at this point over medium heat till almost done
2. Add in cabbage and broth
3. Cook covered over medium-low heat for 20-30 mins stirring occasionally
4. Add in cooked rice when cabbage is soft and tender (use a fork take a piece out and test it)
5. I always do a quick taste to make sure it has enough salt and pepper before serving.

This is great served with corn bread muffins or garlic bread!

Arla Dofino Cheese: Review and Recipe

I was offered the opportunity through BzzAgent to try and review Arla Dofino cheeses.

I selected the Gouda with Black Peppercorn and Havarti with Dill. I was easily able to find them in the prepackaged gourmet cheese area near my grocer's deli department.

Both had deep rich flavors and were far advanced in flavor and texture from their processed cheese competitors more commonly purchased in the already sliced, diced, and cubed section.

My recipe:

Tuna Casserole (made easy peasy!)

INGREDIENTS

• 8-10 oz Arla Dofino Cheese (Havarti with Dill)
• 1/2 cup milk or heavy cream
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 family size tuna pouch (or can-drained)
• 10-12 oz pasta (your choice- we chose whole grain egg style noodles)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook pasta and set aside in strainer.
2. Melt butter and add in cheese (I had cut it into chunks to melt faster)
3. Slowly add in milk to slightly thin cheese.
4. Stir in pasta and mix until all is coated with cheese
5. Add in tuna and stir until blended.
6. Serve!

   

   Cheese and butter (well I added butter after this...whoops!)

   
   

   

   There was no good way to photograph this, tuna casserole isn't
   a pretty shoot, especially this type of pasta, but it tastes good!

Pumpkin Chili

Great autumn or fall chili & a good way to get rid of all those extra cans of pumpkin!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup various bell peppers
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 lb ground turkey (or beef/chicken/venison)
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 8oz tomato sauce
• 1-15 oz can kidney beans
• 1-15 oz can cannelini beans
• 2 cups pumpkin puree (or 1-15 oz can)
• 1 1/2-2 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• salt to taste
• sour cream, cheese as desired for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Saute onion, garlic, and peppers using the 1/4 water to keep them from sticking.
2. Stir in meat and  cook till finished and browned
3. Mix in tomatoes, sauce, pumpkin, and seasonings.
4. Cook covered over med-low heat for 30 mins. 
5. Add in rinsed beans and simmer for 10 mins
6. Serve with sour cream and cheese

Sauteing veggies

Cooking and browning the turkey

Add in seasonings

Add in tomatoes, sauce, pumpkin and simmer

Add garnish

ENJOY!

Stuffed Peppers Take One: Hawaiian Stuffed Peppers

We got into a stuffed shell kick so here is one of the recipes we liked best, another to follow soon!

This version is Hawaiian Stuffed Peppers

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 large bell peppers hollowed (remove stem and scoop out seeds)
• 2 cups cooked couscous (I use chicken broth to cook for flavor)
• 1 package diced prosciutto 
• 4-6 oz diced pineapple (reserve some juice)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt/pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook couscous according to directions, add in prosciutto, pineapple w/juice, cheese, garlic and salt/pepper.
2. Stir over low heat till incorporated
3. Stuff mixture into pepper shells
4. Bake at 325* for 30 mins or until peppers begin to soften and brown

 

 

 

This is a stuffed shell cut in half...YUM!

Turkey Sausage & Kale Soup

Turkey Sausage and Kale Soup

Well, it may not look pretty, but it is healthy and uber scrumptious...oh and easy peasy to make!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb ground turkey (I use 99% lean)
• 1 large bag chopped kale (1.5 lbs, I use Glory Foods washed, cut Kale)
• 32 oz, chicken broth/stock
• 1 tbsp sage
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4+tsp ground red pepper
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Saute ground turkey with sage, garlic, red pepper, and a dash of salt & pepper. Stirring and chopping it until cook through.
2. Add broth and kale greens, if there seems to be not enough broth add a bit of water or broth (we like ours more stew like with less broth)
3. Simmer over low to medium low heat for 10 mins, or longer, kale should be tender but not mushy
4. Serve! 

• season with crushed red pepper for more heat, 
• parmesan sprinkles, 
• add in rice for more heartiness
• cooked quinoa, 
• cooked barley, 
• cooked pearl pasta .

 

Chicken Chile Verde

• Canned Chicken (I LOVE Sam's Club canned chicken...will NOT use any other!) or 2 chicken breast boiled in stock and shredded
• 12-16 oz chicken stock (use this to boil chicken if using chicken breast and re-use in the soup for extra richness)
• 1 can green diced chilies (any size can, the more you use the more MILD spice it adds)
• 1 can cannellini beans or other white bean (you can either rinse or add in straight from can)
• 8 oz verde salsa, green chili sauce, or green enchilada sauce
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed in with 1/4 cup cold water

ADD-INS

cheese, crushed tortilla strips/chips, sour cream, salsa, rice

Makes about 5- 1 cup servings, this is a low calorie soup that will fill you up, just watch the add in's if you are watching calories! Use low fat or no fat options to decrease calories and fat content!

1. Cook and shred chicken if using breasts, otherwise add in all ingredients except beans and cornstarch mix.
2. Cook over medium low heat for 10-15 mins stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom
3. Add in beans and cornstarch/water mix
4. Turn up heat to medium and while constantly stirring, allow mixture to reach slow boil, turn heat to low and simmer a few minutes

Serve with crushed tortilla chips, cheese, salsa, sour cream, whatever tex-mex soup add-ins/ons are your favorite!! Or serve over a bed of Mexican rice or a baked potato

It is a mild soup that warms you up!!! If you like more spice add in a few drops of your favorite hot sauce or crushed red pepper flake 

Taco in a Bag

Taco in a Bag
It's tasty, neat, fun, and kiddos (& grown-ups too) LOVE THIS!!! BTW...my dearest, sheltered husband had NEVER had taco in a bag, thus the reason we whipped this up.  Yes-he was an avid fan!

INGREDIENTS:

• Single Serve Chip Bags (we used Baked Doritos for lower fat/calories)
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper (any color/variety/mix)
• 1 can Rotel tomato sauce
• Use the Rotel can and fill 1/2 can with water
• 3 tbsp salsa (I used Wholly Salsa-medium)
• Seasonings-to taste
• cumin (1 tsp)
• salt (1/2 tsp)
• pepper (1/2 tsp)
• cilantro (1/2 tsp)
• Condiments
• fat free shredded cheddar
• fat free sour cream
• hot sauce
• salsa
• shredded lettuce

DIRECTIONS:

1. In medium/large sauce pot, combine beef and peppers
2. Stirring frequently cook meat/peppers over medium heat until it is about halfway browned
3. Add in Rotel tomato sauce, seasonings, and salsa
4. Cook over low heat until meat is thoroughly done and the sauces/juices have cooked down and into the meat.
5. Take a bag of chips per person, crush the chips, open the bag and add in about 1/2 cup meat mixture
6. Add condiments on top 
7. Enjoy your taco in a bag----some people like to stir it up in the bag-others like to just dig in through the layers and enjoy!

Meat & chopped peppers (mine were frozen)

Adding in rotel, water, and stirring well to make sure meat is very granular and not meatball-ish

Adding in salsa

Add condiments of choice!

Making fruit fun!

Here are two ideas to entice yourself, your kiddos, whoever to eat more fruit!! Sorry for the bad pics, they were from my ancient phone so not great quality!

Make a pineapple fruit bowl.  I stuck the hollowed out pineapple halves in the freezer, it helped keep the other fruit colder outside during a picnic.

Fruity Yogurt Pop

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 oz nonfat yogurt (we used Greek)
• 2 tbsp honey
• 8 oz favorite fruit (we used raspberries)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add all ingredients together, stir
1. you may need to blend some fruits/yogurt combos in blender
2. Pour into cleaned, yogurt cups, waxed drinking cups, or popcicle molds
3. Insert sticks
4. freeze

Stuffed Bell Peppers

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb lean ground beef (ground turkey or chicken)
• 2 cups brown rice, cooked
• Hollowed bell peppers (3-4)
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp worchestershire
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp of 
• oregano
• basil
• thyme
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (I use brown sugar xylitol)
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix meat with tomato sauce, seasonings/spices, and worchestershire. Cook covered, stirring frequently.
2. When meat is fully cooked, mix in rice
3. Stuff peppers with meat/rice mix
4. Bake at 350* for 20 mins
5. Add cheese on top immediately after removing from oven

We served our stuffed peppers over fresh corn removed from the cob!

Mahi Tacos

FISH:

• 3/4-1lb Mahi Mahi
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tsp cilantro
• garlic powder
• splash of lime juice
• SEASONINGS DEPEND ON AMOUNT OF FISH YOU ARE COOKING SO ADJUST AS NEEDED...REMEMBER YOU CAN ALWAYS ADD MORE LATER SO START WITH A LITTLE

COLESLAW:

• 2 cups coleslaw cabbage (I used 1 cup cabbage/carrot mix & 1 cup purple cabbage)
• 1/2 cup fat free sour cream or fat free Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 cup Xylitol brown sugar
• about 1/4 cup lime juice (enough to make sour cream/sugar liquid consistency to coat cabbage well)
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp cilantro

SIDES/ ACCOMPANIMENTS:  

• taco shells
• tomatoes

We served with sauteed veggie mix & homemade mac & cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix all ingredients of coleslaw dressing together and pour over cabbage mix.  
2. Stir well and let rest in fridge.
3. Season fish with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cilantro.
4. Cook fish over low heat. I like to simmer it, covered, in a bit of water until it is done and then slightly brown/saute it, uncovered.
5. When fish is cooked and slightly browned, shred it in the pan with a spatula and add lime juice as you are turning off heat
6. Heat up tortilla shells or taco shells and serve with sides of your choice