Brussel Sprout and Sweet Potato Hash

I have made this a few times in the last couple months, so I wanted to be sure to get it recorded before I lose the recipe! I have been subbing out the sweet potato for a regular potato but other than that follow the directions pretty closely. I love to make this on Monday and then have it on hand for breakfast during the week! I top it with one egg and have a delicious and hearty breakfast to power me through my morning!

Brussels Sprout Sweet Potato Hash
Author: Amy Stafford (from A Healthy Life for Me)
Prep time: 8 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 28 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients
1 generous pound of Brussels Sprouts, halved
1 large sweet potato, cubed (or regular potato)
1 sweet onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 cup of Roasted Red Pepper in olive oil, drained and chopped
1 pound of lean ground turkey
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Dressing:
Juice from 1/2 of lemon
5 tablespoons of srirachia sauce (I use 5 heaping TEASPOONS instead)
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
Pinch of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
In a large cast iron or heavy skillet add turkey and cook over medium heat, until cooked through.
Add oregano and red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
Remove turkey to a bowl.
Add onion and garlic to pan and cook 2-3 minutes stirring.
Add Brussels Sprouts, Sweet Potato, Red Pepper and water to pan. Cover with lid and cook 5-7 minutes, until potato and sprouts can be easily pierced with fork, but sprouts are still bright green.
Meanwhile add dressing ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine.
Add meat back to vegetables in pan and top with dressing. Stir to combine and serve.

Easy (and Tasty) Gluten Free Turkey Meatballs

(picture and recipe from Fashionable Foods)
Spaghetti and meatballs is one of my kids' favorite meals and I have used many recipes for meatballs over the years. During the past year none of my older recipes were really doing it for me when I attempted to adjust them to be gluten free so I went searching for something else and found this winner. The meatballs are moist, but stay together, and they pack in lots of flavor considering they are a pretty healthy version. This has been our go-to meatball recipe for quite some time now so I am finally documenting it to make it easier to find!

Ingredients

1 Egg, beaten

2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste

1 Small/Medium Onion, peeled and grated

3 Cloves Garlic, finely minced

¼ Cup Fresh Parsley, finely chopped

1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

Salt & Pepper

¼ Cup Almond Flour

1 ½ Pounds Ground Turkey

Extra-Light Olive Oil

Tomato Sauce, for serving

Fresh Basil, for garnish

Directions

Combine the beaten egg, tomato paste, grated onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, and almond flour. Mix well and then mix in the meat.

Preheat the oven to 400º.

Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat and enough of the olive oil to coat the skillet. Using a medium or large ice cream/cookie scoop*, scoop out the meatballs and drop them directly into the pan. Let them cook for about 30 seconds or until brown, then flip them over using a spoon (I found this was the easiest in order to keep them intact). Cook them until brown on the other side, about 30 seconds, and then transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. Repeat with remaining meat – you’ll end up with about 18-20 meatballs using a large scoop, and about 30-35 with a medium scoop.

Transfer the meatballs to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes for the large size, or 15 minutes if you used a medium-sized scoop. The meatballs will be firm to the touch when finished.

Serve with tomato sauce.

Super Healthy Turkey Vegetable Soup

I made this recipe expecting it to be something healthy I could have for lunches for a few days after everyone else in the family complained at dinner time. BUT it was surprisingly flavorful and quite a hit! I served it with garlic bread for everyone else to dip in the soup and we all loved it! I will definitely be making it again, especially in this cold weather. Thanks to The Lyons' Share Wellness for another great one! (my adaptations included in the recipe below)

Ingredients:
10 ounces 99% lean ground turkey
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
1 cup salsa (I used salsa verde)
1/2 cup corn kernels (I leave these out)
2 zucchini, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
2 large stalks of celery, diced
6-10 baby carrots, chopped (or 2-3 regular carrots)
1 onion, diced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
4-5 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Instructions:
Chop all your vegetables and add all ingredients (besides broth) to the crockpot.
Pour broth on top of all ingredients, allowing the spices to get mixed into the dish.
Give it a good stir. Set your crockpot on low for 6 hours or so.
(I had cooked a bunch of ground turkey and onion the day before so I left it out until the last couple hours and then added it in)
*Notes from Megan.. I usually stir once throughout the cooking process, but you really don’t have to. You shouldn’t stir TOO much, because it allows a ton of heat to escape from the crockpot. (If you don’t have a crockpot, brown the turkey first in a frying pan, then add all ingredients to a large pot, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 minutes or so – the longer the better!).*
Ladle into bowls and add toppings of choice (she chose nutritional yeast and avocado, but suggests cheese, cilantro, Greek yogurt, sour cream, or tortilla chips). Enjoy!
If made according to these instructions (for 5 servings pre-toppings), each serving will contain 174 calories, 3g fat, 21g carbs, and 17g protein.

Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs

(picture here)

These guys were a HUGE hit with the entire family! I got my recipe from Fabulously Delicious and we will definitely be making them again! I ate some of the extra meatballs the next day for lunch with a little sauce to dip them in. YUM!

Ingredients
2 lbs. ground turkey
2 eggs
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs (I used gluten-free Italian bread crumbs)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. deli (brown) mustard
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3-4 sticks string cheese, each stick cut into 5 pieces

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine turkey and all other ingredients except string cheese. Mix well to combine (use your hands to get the best results!).
2. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray (or each cup of a muffin tin, if using). Take 1/4 cup of meat mixture and roll into a ball. Press your finger into the center to make an indent, and place a piece of string cheese into it. Roll meat mixture again to cover the cheese completely and make a meatball shape. Place meatballs onto baking sheet or into muffin pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through and cheese starts to ooze out. Remember, in this case, ooze is a good thing! Cook them too long and the cheese will start to harden and not be melty. Serve immediately.
(I then simmered mine in a large saucepan with the spaghetti sauce)

Mushroom and Sausage Ragu with Polenta

The last time I tried a dish with polenta I didn't love it, but I did LOVE this one! It comes from an old issue of Cooking Light. The sauce was also great on noodles, which is what I did for my kiddos.

Ingredients:
* 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
* 8 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
* 2 large garlic cloves, minced
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
* 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
* 2 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 1 cup uncooked polenta
* 4 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (I used FF)
* 1 tablespoon butter

Directions:
1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Remove sausage from casings. Add sausage to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove sausage from pan.
2. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in sausage, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium; simmer gently for 15 minutes.
3. Bring broth and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add polenta, stirring well. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 20 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, cheese, and butter. Serve with sausage mixture.

Serving size: 1 cup polenta, 1 cup ragu, Calories: 428 Fat: 18.7g Saturated fat: 8.4g Protein: 18.2g Carbohydrate: 46g Fiber: 4.6g Cholesterol: 53mg Iron: 3.3mg Sodium: 821mg Calcium: 74mg

Meatball and Spaghetti Soup

This recipe is another hit from Skinnytaste!Along with many others I am trying to eat healthier and exercise more in the new year and I have found so any light but absolutely delicious recipes on her site, so definitely check it out! Also, I'm going to be posting the nutrition info at the bottom of the recipes I try when it is provided.
But, back to this soup. It was super yummy and especially perfect for us since my kids think spaghetti and meatballs is one of THE best meals there is. They each ate the meatballs and wanted more and I couldn't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch the next day!

Ingredients:
For the soup:
* 5 cups low sodium, fat-free chicken broth
* 2 cups water
* 2 chopped cloves garlic, divided
* 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, divided
* 1/2 onion, chopped, divided
* 3-4 tbsp tomato sauce (I used a little extra)
* pinch crushed red pepper flakes
* kosher salt and fresh pepper
* 6 oz dry cut up spaghetti, she used Ronzoni Smart Taste (I used gluten free fusilli)
For the meatballs:
* 16 oz 99% lean ground turkey
* 1 small egg
* 1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (I used some gluten-free ones I ordered online. First time using them and they worked great!)
* 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
* 1 tbsp fresh chopped basil

Directions:
In a soup pot over medium heat, bring chicken broth, water, 1 clove crushed garlic, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, 1/4 of the chopped onion, tomato sauce, crushed red pepper flakes and fresh black pepper to a boil; simmer about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the meatballs by combining ground turkey, parmesan cheese, egg, remaining garlic, remaining onion, remaining parsley, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Form into little 1 inch meatballs (about 36).
Drop meatballs into the broth, cook about 3 minutes; add pasta and cook according to package directions. Add fresh basil, adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve with grated parmesan cheese.

Servings: 6 • Size:(about 1 1/2 cups) • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts •  Calories: 212.9 • Fat: 3.2 g • Carb: 27.4 g • Fiber: 3.9 g • Protein: 22.1 g • Sugar: 2 g • Sodium: 738.7 mg (without added salt)

Southwestern Cobb Salad

This yummy salad from Cooking Light was WONDERFUL!!! It included so many things that I love...avocados, black beans, cheese, a good dressing, a southwestern twist. I had more for lunch today and it was even better than I remembered it from the night before :-). (and I totally copied how they set up the picture in the magazine...it looks much prettier that way)

Ingredients
Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar (I used red since that was what I had on hand)
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salad:
3 slices center-cut bacon
Cooking spray
8 ounces skinless, boneless turkey breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used chicken breast)
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 cups torn romaine lettuce
1/2 cup refrigerated fresh pico de gallo
1/2 cup diced avocado
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

Directions:
1. To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add oil, stirring constantly with a whisk; set aside.
2. To prepare salad, cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Wipe pan clean with paper towels. Increase heat to medium-high. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle turkey with salt. Add turkey to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until done.
3. Arrange 2 cups lettuce on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with about 2 teaspoons bacon, 5 tablespoons turkey, 2 tablespoons pico de gallo, 2 tablespoons avocado, 2 tablespoons queso fresco, 1 tablespoon onions, and about 1/3 cup beans. Drizzle vinaigrette evenly over salads.

Smoked Turkey Brie and Apple Panini

Nothing is better than lunch with friends...especially when they make you this yummy sandwich from My Kitchen Cafe :-)! I brought over my own rice bread so I could have a gluten-free version and the crispy bread with the gooey cheese, yummy turkey, sweet apples and carmelized onions was absolutely heavenly. I can hardly even blog about it now...I just want MORE!!!

Ingredients:
Artisan, sourdough or french bread, cut into desired slices
Shaved or sliced smoked turkey
4 ounces Brie cheese, wax removed and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 apple, cored and cut into thin slices (I used a Gala apple)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into half moons

Directions:
In a small saucepan, melt 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. When hot, add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are browned and beginning to caramelize, 10-12 minutes. Set aside.
Place a single layer of brie on one slice of the bread. Top with sliced turkey, apples, caramelized onions and finally with another layer of brie. Place the other slice of bread on top of the sandwich.
Preheat a skillet or indoor grill pan to medium heat. Place sandwich in the pan and top with a heavy skillet or panini press. Grill 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and heated through.

Maria's Italian Meatballs

I found this recipe on about.com when I did a search for recipes using ground beef. I ended up using ground turkey instead and they were great. Simple ingredients, easy preparation and lots of flavor. The recipe makes lots of meatballs too so I froze half of mine to save for later.

Ingredients:
•1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
•1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
•1/3 cup water (more or less)
•1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
•1 medium onion
•garlic
•salt
•pepper

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together. Don't add all of the water at one time. Mixture should be moist but not so that the meatballs fall apart.
Shape meatballs to desired size and place on a broiler pan (I wet my hands before shaping each meatball and it helps make a nice meatball.) Broil until outside is slightly brown on one side and then turn and broil the other side. When finished, add to spaghetti sauce and simmer at least 20 minutes.

Southwest Turkey Burgers (Freezer Meal)

These were really good. I think I would like them even better going a little lighter on the spices. The girls (and Mike) just thought it was great we were having burgers for dinner :-). We still have more patties left in our freezer too, which was an added bonus. I made Veggie Packets to eat with them (which I loved)!

(1 recipe, makes 6 patties)
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 1/4 c. salsa
- 1 t. garlic powder
- 1 t. salt
- 1 t. paprika
- 1/2 t. cumin
- 1/2 t. chili powder
- 1/2 t. black pepper
- 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 c. bread crumbs

On Hand:
-6 Hamburger Buns

Assembly Directions:
-Combine all ingredients. Shape into appropriate number of patties for the number of recipes you are making.

Freezing Directions:
-Press patties flat. Stack between sheets of freezer paper. Four stacks of five patties will generally fit into a 1-gallon freezer bag. Place patty stacks in freezer bags. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:
-Thaw in refrigerator or microwave. Patties can be cooked in a non-stick frying pan or on the grill. Cook until no longer pink in the center.