Laurie's Cravings

Mini Update and Sept. Food Pen Pal

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 05:20:00 +0000

Happy Monday! Today is the reveal of my Food Pen Pal package and also I'd like to update everyone on what's going on in my life. As you can tell, I haven't been posting as much lately. Part of it is because I am so busy with my baby boy, but also a few other things. I thought I was going to be moving to another state, so I spent a whole week researching the area, movers, etc. It was going to be an immediate move - meaning I had 3 weeks to get everything together, so I was trying to crunch everything as quickly as I could. Well, it turns out it isn't happening, so that weight is lifted off of me. Also I started working last week and I'm still trying to get used to my new schedule. Finding a routine with breastfeeding/pumping, working, spending time with my family, keeping house and cooking is pretty overwhelming. I'm starting to get into the swing of things, but I think in another 2 weeks, I should have it down. I'm hoping that by the beginning of November that I'll be back and posting regularly on the blog (2-3 times a week). I want to thank all of you for your support and understanding.

My son is going to be 12 weeks tomorrow and I can't believe how quickly time has flown by! It's been an amazing time so far and I couldn't imagine not being a mother at this point. I don't know how I got by! Jared is already holding up his head, cooing and reaching for mommy when he needs love. He's over 13lbs and over 2ft tall already, he's such a big boy. I'm so lucky to have such an awesome son.

Sept. Food Pen Pal!

I received the most amazing package this month from Valerie of That's What We Did! She sent me a lovely variety of spicy and sweet items. She also sent me an awesome recipe to make Spicy Chocolate Clusters using the granola and spicy peanut butter that she sent. They sound like they'd be great to make and take to work. I'll post pictures and the recipe once I get a chance to make them (or you can check out her post here).

Here's a breakdown of what was in the box:

Vanilla Almond Granola
Hot & Spicy Peanut Butter
Peach Salsa
Cherry Almond Fruit & Nut Bar
Chipotle Chili Powder
Cranberry Balsamic Vinegar
Sea Salt Dark Chocoalte
Chipotle Chili Dark Chocolate

As most of you know, I love spicy foods and I love peanut butter. Well I got both in one jar! Spicy Peanut Butter!!!!! It's so awesome, especially with jalapeno pepper jelly. It the new Laurie's PB & J. It's made locally to where Valerie is from (Ohio), which makes me so happy. I love trying local foods from different areas. Following the spicy theme - I also received a delicious piece of chipotle chocolate, which was enjoyed with a nice cup of coffee. Absolutely heavenly :)

I actually served some of the peach salsa yesterday during the football game with some blue corn chips. It's really balanced and tasty. I reserved some to serve over some broiled fish later in the week. It will make it easy to put together a quick week night meal.

Hope everyone has an awesome week and I'll beginning posting regularly soon!

Cheesy Jalapeno Cornbread

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 11:56:00 +0000

Cornbread is so easy to make - especially if you purchase a box of cornbread mix. I try to always have a box on hand, to make meals easy during the week. You just add in whatever flavors you'd like and within minutes you've got a savory or sweet bread. I've made a variety of cornbread - blueberry, extra cheesy, smoky, and of course super spicy. This is my version of a southwestern cornbread. Slightly spicy and a bit cheesy. I like having some texture, so the corn kernels are great to have. I love serving cornbread with something wet, like chili or gravy. I will slice a piece, and toast it a bit (so it is nice a crunchy on the outside) and then crumble it on top. Or I'll just lightly butter it and scarf it down. I apologize in advance that there are no pictures of the cornbread sliced - it was eaten before I got a chance to take a picture. I guess it means it was good :)

I've made this cornbread with unsweetened almond milk and it turns out just fine. Also I do recommend using the sugar, it really helps bring out the sweetness in the corn. It's subtle, but sure makes a huge difference! I used Jiffy cornbread mix, but any brand will do. I've tried many varieties and they are all good. I just make sure to purchase the ones that are plain (with no added flavorings).

Cheesy Jalapeno Cornbread

Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Prep Time: < 5 minutes
Serves: 9

Ingredients:

oil spray
Box of cornbread mix
1/3 cup skim milk
1 egg
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 jalapeno, minced w/ seeds (optional)
1/2 cup frozen white corn kernels
1 tbsp sugar
pinch of pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F. Prep a 9 x 9 pan with oil spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Mix until it had all come together.

Pour the mixture into the greased pan and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes

Once the corn bread is golden brown and completely cooked, allow it to cool for about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Nutritional Info per Square:
Calories: 135 ; Fat: 4.5g; Carbohydrate: 21g ; Fiber: 1g ; Sugar: 6g ; Protein: 3.5g

No Bake Nutella Kamut Crispie Treats

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 06:41:00 +0000

I used to make rice crispies all the time when I was younger. It was easy to make and tasted so much better fresh than the packaged versions. Plus I felt like such a big girl, making my own desserts and snacks. This is an updated version of those treats. I've experimented with peanut butter, almond butter and now I'm making it even better with some nutella. Who doesn't love nutella?! Sweet, hazel-nutty deliciousness. These are a great no-bake dessert or snack. It takes less than 10 minutes to make, which is awesome, since I don't have a ton of time with the new baby, to be whipping up something sweet. I am definitely a chocoholic, and having something on hand to satisfy that craving is always a good thing. It keeps me from reaching for the not-so-desirable candy bars and similar treats. These are quite rich, so I recommend eating as more of a dessert than a mid afternoon snack.

I used puffed Kamut, but you could use any puffed unsweetened cereal. I just happened to have Kamut on hand.

No Bake Nutella Kamut Crispie Treats

Cook Time: < 10 minutes
Prep Time: 20 miniutes
Serves: 9 bars

Ingredients:

1oz hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
1 1/2 tbsp salted butter
3/4 cup nutella, divided
1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cups organic kamut puffs

In a small skillet, toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Shake the pan every so often and set the toasted hazelnuts aside. Once cooled, chop the nuts.

In a large pot, over low heat, combine the butter, 3/4 cup of the nutella, marshmallows, vanilla and cinnamon until melted through.

Stir in the kamut puffs, until well coated with the nutella mixture.

In a 9 x 9 pan (or whatever size you'd like), even spread the kamut/nutella mixture into the pan. Press down well, compacting it into the pan.

Sprinkle the chopped nuts evenly over the crispies, and press down slightly.

In the microwave, heat the leftover 1/4 cup of nutella for about 15 seconds or until slightly melted. Drizzle the melted nutella over the top of the crispies.

Place the pan into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, to allow the chocolate to set.

Cut into 9 pieces and enjoy!

Nutritional Info per Bar:
Calories: 190 ; Fat: 10.5g ; Carbohydrate: 21g ; Fiber: 1.5g ; Sugar: 16g ; Protein: 3g

Hawaiian Chicken and Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 08:33:00 +0000

I was feeling like having a little something exotic for dinner - something sweet and savory. First thing that came to mind was fruit with chicken. I had a gorgeous pineapple on hand, so I through together a simple Hawaiian Chicken dish. Same flavors of a Hawaiian Pizza but instead of using ham, I used chicken breast. Easy to put together and it definitely hit the spot. I think the only thing I would change is that I would add a bit of spice to it next time. Maybe Sriracha or something. Oh and some nuts! I'd love a nice crunch in there. Got to get back to the baby - it's his feeding time! Enjoy!

Hawaiian Chicken and Rice

Cook Time: 25 minutes
Prep Time: 4-8hrs (marinating) & 20 minutes for the meal
Serves: 5

Ingredients:
Marinade:

1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp tamari
1/4 cup fresh pineapple juice (reserved from cutting the pineapple)
1.5lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

1 tsp coconut oil
1 vidalia onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups fresh pineapple, diced (approx.)
1/2 tbsp tamari
pepper to taste

Garnish (optional):

sesame seeds
fresh parsley, minced

In a zip top bag or bowl, combine the marinade ingredients and the chicken. Seal well and allow it to marinate from 4 hours to 8 hours in the fridge.

Once the chicken has marinated, begin cooking the diced onion in the coconut oil over medium heat.

After sauteing the onion for about 3 minutes, add the garlic and the marinated chicken (throw away any excess marinade). Cook for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Add the pineapple pieces, tamari and pepper. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, until the pineapple is softened slightly and warm.

While the chicken is cooking, you can begin cooking the rice.....

Rice:

2 cups of long grain white rice
4 cups water
1 tsp sea salt
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
salt and pepper, to taste

Using a rice cooker:

add the rice, water, garlic, oils, pineapple and salt & pepper. Stir everything well. Turn on and allow to cook all the way through.

Cooking on the stove:

Heat a medium/large pot over high heat. Add the rice, water, garlic, oils, pineapple and salt & pepper. Stir everything well.

Allow it to come to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let the rice cook for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.

With a fork, fluff the rice well. Serve the rice piping hot along with the chicken.

Nutritional Info for 1 serving of Chicken (about 2/3 cup):

Calories: 215 ; Fat: 3.5g ; Carbohydrate: 12g ; Fiber: 1.5g ; Sugar: 8g ; Protein: 32.5g

Nutritional Info for 1 serving rice (about 2/3 cup rice):

Calories: 190; Fat: 1.5g ; Carbohydrate: 39g ; Fiber: 1g ; Sugar: 3g ; Protein: 3.5g

Sausage, Peppers and Onions Calzone

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 08:33:00 +0000

I decided to venture into territory that is completely new to me - working with pizza dough. My husband was really wanting a sausage and peppers calzone but without all the grease, fat and heaviness. The calzone he usually orders at one of our local italian restaurants is very fattening. I would assume, eating the entire calzone, would clock in at about 1,500-2,000 calories. It is way too rich for just being a meal! With a bit of inspiration and eagerness to tackle a new project - I made these awesome figure-friendly calzones! I was so pleased with how great these came out. The dough wasn't soft or soggy - just crisp and delicious! I purchased a pound of pizza dough from the grocery - which saved me a lot of time. All I really had to do was make the filling and assemble the calzones. It took a bit of time trying to figure out how to assemble these, but once I got the first one down, the others came together very quickly. I can't wait to try it different ingredients and flavors.

I used my go-to jarred pasta sauce - Newman's Own Organic Tomato and Basil as my sauce. You could use whatever sauce you enjoy - but I highly recommend this one. I made my calzone without cheese, and it was perfect. So it can be made dairy-free if you choose. My husband enjoys cheese - so his was nice and cheesy. The nutritional info is calculated with cheese. I only had sharp cheddar cheese on hand, so that's what I used. It worked very well with the filling. I'm sure any kind of good melting cheese will work.

Sausage, Peppers and Onions Calzone

Cook Time: < 35 minutes
Prep Time: < 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

olive oil spray
1 tsp olive oil
2 medium onions, sliced
2 medium bell peppers, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
16oz lean turkey sausage, thinly sliced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp dried basil
1lb fresh pizza dough
3 tbsp flour (for working with the dough)
2/3 cup 2% cheddar cheese, shredded
1 egg, beaten
1 1/3 cup of pasta or marinara sauce, warmed

Allow the dough to come to room temp while you are preparing the filling.

Preheat the oven to 400F and prep a large cookie sheet with a little olive oil spray. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers. Saute for about 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Add the sausage, salt, pepper, and dried basil - cook for another 5-10 minutes (until the turkey sausage is cooked throughout). Once it is cooked, set aside and begin working on the dough.

On a floured surface, place the dough and cut into 4 pieces. Beginning working on the first piece. Punch the dough down, to release the gases inside and gradually begin stretching it out (I just gradually pulled at each side evenly, until I got my desired thickness). Make sure your hands have some flour on them to prevent sticking.

Once you have man-handled the dough, place on the cookie sheet and sprinkle 1/4 of the cheese into the middle. Then top with 1/4 of the sausage mixture. Make sure to spread it out evenly.

Grab one corner and fold to the other side and do this to all sides until the calzone is completely wrapped. Flip the calzone so that the edges are tucked underneath.

Repeat the steps needed to make the other calzones. Once they are all ready, lightly brush the tops with a little egg and transfer the sheet to the oven.

Allow the calzones to bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the dough is cooked through.

Top the calzones with 1/3 cup of the pasta sauce and serve hot.

Nutritional Info per Calzone and 1/3 cup of the sauce:
Calories: 565 ; Fat: 18g ; Carbohydrate: 70g ; Fiber: 5g ; Sugar: 10g ; Protein: 32.5g

Nutritional Info per Calzone (no sauce):
Calories: 500 ; Fat: 15.5g ; Carbohydrate: 60.5g; Fiber: 5g ; Sugar: 2g ; Protein: 31.5

Foodie Pen Pal - August!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Happy Friday!! Today is reveal day for Foodie Pen Pal and I'm so excited to share what I've received this month! My package was sent by Sarah @ Zoe's Lunch Box. She is always coming up with an exciting way to make lunch look fun! Cute bento boxes that are balanced with fruits, veggies, protein and whole grains. Any kid (or adult) would enjoy these lunches! She has inspired me to take my lunch to the next level. I usually eat leftovers, sandwiches or salads - but I really love the bento box concept of having a bit of everything (and it being delicious to look at too). I'm going to make an effort to make awesome lunches and I'll post pictures and such.

On to the Foodie Pen Pal Package...
I love the fact that it was a bunch snacks! I am a notorious grazer, especially crunchy things - and portion control is key.

Here's the breakdown of everything:

Can of Chickpeas
Seasoning for Chickpeas
Sunbutter
Veggie Chips
Cheese Crisps - Melting Romano
Wind & Willow - Pear & Pomegranate Mix
LaraBar- UBER Bananas Foster
3 Granolas - Maple Pecan, Strawberry & Almond
Sanders Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel
2 packets of individual Cocoa Roast Almonds
Pop! Gourmet Popcorn - White Truffle Bliss

I love that she sent me an awesome recipe to make roasted chickpeas (with her own seasoning blend) - I've never made these before! I've tried dried, flavored chickpeas and they were pretty awesome. But imagine - warm, crunchy, seasoned snackies? Oh yes, this is happening.... and soon. I'll post pictures once I make them.

Sander's Dark Chocolate Caramel was SOOO good. I love salty sweet combos and this was dead on. I shared the small piece with my husband because I wanted him to see how delicious it was. We are both hooked and now have another favorite chocolate (along with See's, Godiva, Chuao, etc). We appreciate great chocolate and this was just that. I checked their website to see what other varieties they have - OMG they have chocolate covered potato chips! I love these, but they are hard to find. I've already made it clear that I'd like a small box of chocolates and the potato chips for Christmas :)

OMG I love truffle ANYTHING!! I'm not sure how she knew... but she knew. I got a lovely container of truffled sea salt for Christmas from a great friend, and I sprinkle it on everything as a finishing salt. I especially use it when I make microwave popcorn bags (made simply with a brown paper bag, popcorn kernels and a little coconut oil). I can't wait to try this! Maybe I'll make it a movie night - watch a cheesy movie and munch on some tasty popcorn.

I'm so pleased to have gotten such an awesome assortment of goodies! If you are interested in participating, just click on the Foodie Pen Pal icon. It's a monthly program that gives you the chance to connect with others and try new foods.

I hope everyone has a lovely Labor Day Weekend! My brother is arriving from New York tomorrow with his wife. It's going to be a fun up-coming week with the family! Tons of sight-seeing, hanging out at the beach and eating at our favorite restaurants. I plan to post a few pictures. Enjoy the long weekend!

Broiled Tamari Ginger Salmon Steaks

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 12:14:00 +0000

I love going to the store and check out to see what looks fresh and delicious. I'm a big stickler on eating seafood that looks and smells fresh. I like to cook any seafood I bring home that day. While strolling along the seafood section at Whole Foods, I noticed no only is the salmon on sale, but it is a bright ruby red. Perfect. I knew exactly what was for dinner tonight! I made a simple marinade once I got home and let the salmon absorb the flavor for about a half hour. After marinating in the fridge, I place the salmon steaks on a well oiled cookie sheet and let them broil for a bit. A simple dish with simple flavors - but stellar turn out. I purchase the salmon in steak form, as they are much more appealing visually - at least to me. The parts that are charred looking were actually the tastiest (and fattiest). Tons of good fats in salmon (high in Omega 3's) and vitamin D. So don't be shy about enjoying the fatty crunch pieces, they are good for you. I split the piece in half and saved half of it for tomorrow's lunch. Planning on having a mixed greens salad with ginger dressing and the salmon right on top - YUM!

Be aware - salmon steaks usually have some bones in them, so be careful when you are eating. My salmon steaks we slightly less than an inch thick and cooked for 7 minutes. They turned out perfectly - not dry at all! I left the skin on the outside of the steaks, which is optional. Also - Always try to buy wild-caught salmon, as it is the safest to eat (low mercury).

Broiled Tamari Ginger Salmon Steaks

Cook Time: <10 minutes

Prep Time: < 35 minutes

Serves: 4 (5oz portions)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Tamari
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
pepper to taste
20oz of wild caught salmon steaks (approx 2 pieces)
1 tsp of oil (for the pan)

In a shallow bowl mix the Tamari, honey, ginger and pepper. Place the steaks in the marinade and cover. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes or so.

Once the salmon has marinated - Preheat the broiler and prep a lined cookie sheet with some foil. Grease the foil well with the oil.

Place the salmon on the grease cookie sheet and broil for about 7-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the steak.

Once the salmon is completely cooked, allow the salmon to rest a few minutes and then serve.

Nutritional Info per 5oz portion:

Calories: 290 ; Fat: 13g ; Carbohydrate: 3g ; Fiber: 0g ; Sugar: 2g ; Protein: 37g

Skinny Vegetarian Black Bean Tostada

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 06:27:00 +0000

Tostadas are usually very high fat and not exactly something you want to be eating if you are trying to lose the extra baby weight (Me!). I love the open-faced factor - It's like a mini Mexican pizza. Instead of frying the tortilla, I just warm it through. I used corn tortilla because they are much thicker and hold up better. I didn't want the liquid from the beans and eggs to break it down. I made these as a quick week night meal, but these would be perfect for breakfast as well. Since these are basically a just assemble-and-serve meal, you can customize it to fit your family's likes and dislikes. Topping ideas: shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, lime juice, tortilla chips, fresh diced red onion, etc. Customize it how ever you'd like. I really like the avocado and tomato only. The heat from the egg softens the avocado, making it buttery and delicious. My husband added cheese, salsa and tortilla chips to his. With the yolk being slightly runny, I punctured the egg and let the yolk run all over the top of the tostada. OOOHH it's so good.

The corn tortilla I got were green chile flavored - which was awesome. They were really tasty and 90 calories each. I purchased them at the Fresh Market, I'm not sure if they are available in other stores. It was the first time I had seen them. If you prefer to scramble the eggs, that would be good too. I've made these same tostada a million times, in a million different ways, and scrambled eggs are awesome.

Sorry for the foggy/poor lighting photos, these were taken while tropical storm Isaac was hitting South Florida.

Skinny Vegetarian Black Bean Tostada

Cook Time: < 25 minutes
Prep Time: < 10 minutes
Serves: 8 tostadas

Ingredients:

Black Beans:

1 tsp oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
jalapeno flavored hot sauce, to taste (optional)
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups cooked black beans (or canned beans, drained and rinsed)

Tostada:

1 medium tomato, diced
1 haas avocado, diced
8 corn tortillas, warmed
oil spray
8 cage-free eggs, fried
fresh cilantro, minced

Heat the oil in a medium pot, over medium heat. Saute the onions, peppers and garlic for about 5 minutes.

Add the vinegar, oregano, salt, pepper, hot sauce, tomato paste and black beans to the pot. Stir well, reduce heat and cover. Allow the beans to simmer for about 10 minutes or longer.

While the beans are simmering, prep the tostada ingredients. Begin frying the eggs (in the oil spray) and cooking to your desired done-ness. (I did mine medium, I like to poke the yolk and let it run into the beans and veg). Salt and pepper the egg if you'd like.

Warm the tortilla in microwave or on the stove top. If you are using the microwave, about 10 seconds per tortilla. On the stove, just heat the tortilla on a dry skillet until they are warm and loose.

To assemble the tostadas - Place the corn tortilla on a plate, top with 1/3 cup of black bean mixture, 1/8 of the diced tomatos and avocado (add a bit of salt and pepper if you'd like) and top with the fried egg. Sprinkle with a little cilantro.

Serve piping hot and have a few toppings on hand for customizing.

Nutritional Info per Tostada:
Calories: 270 ; Fat: 9.5g ; Carbohydrate: 29g ; Fiber: 7g ; Sugar: 1g ; Protein: 16g

Skinny and Speedy Cuban Moros (Rice and Beans)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 09:46:00 +0000

Moros is a typical Cuban side dish of rice and beans cooked together. Usually it is cooked with pork belly chunks and can take awhile to cook. This is a lighter, vegetarian version that is cooked up in less than 20 minutes. I love eating Moros with any meal, but most versions that are available at restaurants are so greasy and heavy, it makes it hard to really enjoy. I've taken matters into my own hands and made this lovely side dish figure-friendly and easy enough to serve any night of the week. Not only is this a complete protein (yeah Veggies!) but it is a great side dish for any meal.

If you decide to eat this as a main dish, this will serve 2. I usually will end up eating this as a main meal or lunch because it's really filling and really hits the rice/beans craving right on the nose. If you decide to make a larger batch, you'll have to adjust the cook time. Next day lunch anyone?

Skinny and Speedy Cuban Moros

Cook Time: < 20 minutes
Prep Time: < 5 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked black beans (or canned - rinsed and drained)
1 cup dry white rice
1 clove of garlic, minced or smashed
1 dried bay leaf
1/2 tsp of ground cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp oil
2 cup vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes:

fresh cilantro, minced
fresh lime juice

In a rice cooker - place all of the ingredients in and stir well. Turn on and let cook until done.

Remove the bay leaf (and garlic if smashed) and serve hot.

On the stove - Heat a medium/large pot over high heat. Add all of the ingredients in and stir well.

Allow it to come to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let the rice cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.

Remove the bay leaf (and garlic if smashed) and serve hot.

Nutritional Info for 1/4 of the recipe:

Calories: 180 ; Fat: 1.5g ; Carbohydrate: 32.5g ; Fiber: 4g ; Sugar: 0g ; Protein: 6g

Tex-Mex Meatloaf

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 11:24:00 +0000

Meatloaf - one of my husband's favorite dishes to eat. He doesn't care how I flavor it, as long as it is meaty, tasty and sliced thick. I don't blame him. I enjoy a good piece of meatloaf, I just don't like how greasy some of them can be. I try to make mine as lean as possible and bring some moisture to the loaf by having plenty of veggies. I also have a special loaf pan that has small holes in the bottom, to allow the excess fat to drip into another loaf pan. It's perfect for reducing the saturated fat in the meat. This version of meatloaf is very flavorful and slightly spicy. No need for gravy or anything extra - it's perfect as is.

The jalapeno is optional, if you aren't fond of spicy foods. The spices that are in the meatloaf help keep the flavors on par, so the jalapeno isn't missed if you choose to omit it. I served this dish with some mashed potatoes (skinny) and simple steamed green beans. Very filled and diet-friendly.

Tex-Mex Meatloaf

Cook Time: 50 minutes @ 350F
Prep Time: < 5 minutes
Serves: 6 (cut into 6 slices)

Ingredients:

oil spray
1 lb grass-fed lean ground beef
1/2 large onion, diced
1/2 medium bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, diced (seeds and ribs removed, if you like)
1 egg
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground chili powder
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350F. Prep a loaf pan with some olive oil spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients by hand. Make sure to not over mix.

Place the meatloaf mixture into the loaf pan and spread evenly.

Transfer the loaf pan to the oven and bake for about 50 minutes or until the meatloaf is completely cooked through.

Allow the meatloaf to set for about 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutritional Info per serving:
Calories: 250 ; Fat: 15g ; Carbohydrate: 9g ; Fiber: 1.5g ; Sugar: 0 ; Protein: 15.5g

Another LOVELY award :)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 09:21:00 +0000

Thank you so much to Ellen @ Ellen B Cookery for this awesome award! She's a great friend and one of my recent Guest Bloggers. She is always cooking up something delicious and inspiring me, so check her out!!

The rules are:

Link back whoever nominated you.
Write 11 random facts about yourself
Nominate 11 other bloggers

11 Random Facts about Laurie:

I love word games (scrabble, crosswords, etc.)
I wish I could speak German & French fluently - I'm currently very basic in both.
I have the hots for Robert Downey Jr.
One of my favorite movies is "P.S. I Love You" - sob fest!
My adorable pup is named Scooters
I'm a Capricorn
I have "Call me Maybe" stuck in my head, on repeat (Ahhh!!!! Kill me!)
I'm always early or on time - I get anxious if I even think I may be late going somewhere.
I love earth tones
Part of my vacations are planned around the food/restaurants visited. I love to try local favorites.
One of my most cherished possessions is a wooden sculpture of a woman's body. It is absolute gorgeous.

The Nominees for this award are......

Angie's Recipes
Skinny and Delicious
Curry and Comfort
Jolynn Toma Blog
Zoe's Lunchbox
Mom What's for Dinner
Eating Dinner with My Family
The Real Food Runner
Just For Cooking
Skinny Simple Recipes
Vintage Kitchen Notes

Congrats everyone!! <3

Light Goat Cheese and Mushroom Frittata

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 11:42:00 +0000

I really enjoy starting my day with eggs. My usually egg dish consists of 2 eggs over medium and a slice of toast with mashed avocado on top. Always delicious and never fails, but I wanted to change things up a bit this morning. Since I'm trying to lose my excess baby weight, I opted to use egg whites and a couple whole eggs, rather than all whole eggs. This helps keep the frittata figure friendly and still gives the frittata substance. Don't get me wrong, I could eat an all egg white frittata, but since I'm nursing I need to be getting adequate amounts of fat - which in this case comes from the yolks of the organic cage free eggs. Yolks are not bad! They contain the majority of the vitamins, minerals and much needed fats - especially if you purchase quality eggs. What the chicken eats and how it is raised can effect the nutritional quality of the egg. So not only is it more humane to purchase cage free eggs, but it is a bigger nutritional punch too! I like to make sure whatever I eat is benefiting my body in some way, and having a yolk or 2 is a great way to make sure I'm getting my Omega fats in early in the morning.

This recipe was made to feed my husband and I, but you could easily double it to feed your family. If you don't like goat cheese, then use a cheese you enjoy or omit it completely for a dairy-free version. I personally love warmed goat cheese on anything (even a leather shoe). I make this a super quick breakfast by having some pre-chopped onions and mushrooms on hand, so all I have to do is sprinkle into the pan and cook. All I did was reserve some of the diced onion and mushroom left from the previous nights' meal. Makes for a fuss-free breakfast, not having to chop anything.

Light Goat Cheese and Mushroom Frittata

Cook Time: <10 minutes
Prep Time: <5 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

olive oil spray
1/4 of a large onion, diced
1/2 tsp of dried Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
4oz baby bella mushrooms, diced
1oz herb goat cheese
3 organic cage free egg whites, scrambled
2 organic cage free whole eggs, scrambled

Heat a medium-sized oven safe skillet over medium heat. Spray with a little olive oil spray and begin cooking the onions.

Saute for about 3 minutes, then add the sat, pepper, Italian seasoning and mushrooms. Cook for another 3 minutes, or until the mushrooms have cooked down a bit.

While that is cooking, in a small bowl beat the egg whites and whole eggs together (if you'd like, add a bit of salt and pepper as well) until slightly frothy.

Add the goat cheese and the beaten eggs to the pan. Swirl the pan a bit to make sure it is completely coated with the egg mixture. Allow it to cook for about a minute on the stove and then transfer the pan to the oven. Broil on low for about 2-4 minutes. It should be slightly golden on top and should be firm throughout.

Cut into wedges and serve hot.

Nutritional Info per Serving:
Calories: 145 ; Fat: 8g ; Carbohydrate: 3.5g ; Fiber: 1g ; Sugar: 1g ; Protein: 15.5g

Vegan Chocolate and Banana Oat Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 12:54:00 +0000

I like to make my own snacks, since buying pre-wrapped snacks can really be pricey and contain too many unnecessary ingredients. These Oat Bars are dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, vegan-friendly and are nut-free. Wow! So practically anyone can eat these! Made from very basic ingredients, these bars are easy to make and tasty to eat. You can customize them to your liking by adding toasted nuts, a tsp of flavoring, dried fruit (instead of chocolate) and spices. By making your own snack bars, you are saving not only money but you are getting exactly what you are craving in your bar. I'm a huge chocoholic - which is why these have plenty of mini chips, so I can get some in every bite. I didn't have to add any sugar to these because the bananas and chocolate chips have enough sweetness to make these perfect.

The mini semi-sweet chocolate chips I used are by Enjoy Life. They are dairy-free chips that melt wonderfully. If you are concerned about gluten, make sure you purchase oat that are for sure not processed in a facility that may contain gluten. Although oats are gluten-free, they can sometimes be contaminated. These can be stored in the fridge, wrapped tightly for about a week. You could freeze them as well - just make sure to wrap each one individually.

Vegan Chocolate and Banana Oat Bars

Cook Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: < 5 minutes
Serves: 9 squares

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp coconut oil
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
3oz mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 1/2 cup organic rolled oats
2 tbsp organic ground flaxseed

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9 x 9 baking pan with a little coconut oil. Set aside

In a medium sized bowl, mash the bananas until practically a puree.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Pour the mixture into the greased baking pan and bake at 350F for about 30-35 minutes, or until the oat bars are set.

Allow the oat bars to cool before cutting into 9 pieces.

Serve them at room temp or warmed.

Nutritional Info per bar:
Calories: 140 ; Fat: 5.5g ; Carbohydrate: 31g ; Fiber: 5g ; Sugar: 8g ; Protein: 2.5g

Whipped Skinny Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 20:03:00 +0000

Who doesn't love whipped potatoes?! Whipped potatoes were a staple in my house growing up. My mom would boil the potatoes, then add a stick of butter, about a cup of milk and salt/pepper. Very easy recipe but very fattening. Potatoes are not to be feared or avoided. I'm a big stickler in having everything in moderation - especially my favorite comfort foods. Potatoes are often seen as a fattening food or not diet friendly, but in reality it's what you put on/in them or how they are cooked, as to what changes their nutritional value. Potatoes are rich in nutrients, just like all other veggies. Sure they are a starchy vegetable, but they still provide valuable vitamins and minerals. I recommend eating them as a side item, rather than a meal. I find that combining a small portion of starchy foods with protein and fat, helps my body metabolize it better. Eating a predominantly starchy meal leaves me feeling sluggish (known as the"Itis"). So eat your potatoes in moderation and enjoy them guilt-free!

I found over the years I really like my potatoes to have a tang to them. Sometimes I add sour cream, but I really like using Greek yogurt instead. It's super thick and tangy, which is perfect for whipped potatoes. I used about 1 cup of milk for the amount of potatoes cooked. I like pretty thick whipped potatoes, but if you prefer a thinner version, just add a bit more milk.

I used KerryGold's Garlic and Herb Butter in this recipe - this is one of my favorite butters!! It is super flavor packed and from grass-fed cows. Most grocery stores now carry it, so check it out, it's truly an awesome butter to have on hand.

Whipped Skinny Potatoes

Cook Time: < 30 minutes
Prep Time: < 10 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

2.5lbs of russet potatoes, peeled and halved
2 tbsp herbed butter
2/3 cup 0% plain Greek yogurt
salt and pepper, to taste
2-3 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1 cup organic skim milk (approx)

Fill a large stock pot with water and a bit of salt. Place the peeled and halved potatoes inside. Bring to a boil and allow the potatoes to cook until fork tender.

Drain the potatoes well and transfer the potatoes back to the stock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients except the milk (gradually pour the milk into the potatoes as you are whipping them).

Using a hand blender (or whatever device you'd like), whip the potatoes on low and begin pouring in the milk in 1/3 cup increments. Depending on how wet you'd like you potatoes, add more or less milk. Also make sure to taste the potatoes to check for any adjustments in seasoning. Try not to over whip, it will make them gummy.

Serve the whipped potatoes piping hot, along side whatever main dish you have prepared.

Nutritional Info per Serving (approx. 2/3 cup):
Calories: 210 ; Fat: 3.5g ; Carbohydrate: 38g ; Fiber: 2.5g ; Sugar: 4g ; Protein: 8g

Dark Chocolate and Cherry Banana Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 08:49:00 +0000

I was browsing on Pinterest and found this wonderful recipe. It originally has raspberries but I didn't have any on hand - I had sweet delicious cherries. I am so impressed with how it turned out!! The cherries are perfect in this bread -they really stand out. It is definitely a dessert bread - but I'm sure with some more tinkering, I can make it even better. Maybe add some ground flaxseed and remove the sugar completely. I already reduced the sugar to 1/2 a cup but I think next time I'm going to see how it is with just the sweetness of the fruit and chocolate. I also used whole wheat pastry flour, rather than all purpose flour. A bit more fiber and nutrients than the white stuff. Hands down - this is my favorite combo for a sweet bread. The bits of dark chocolate throughout the bread are amazing. If you choose to eat the bread warmed, the chocolate is slightly melted and heavenly. Trying this recipe gives me inspiration to start baking more, and I'm sure my husband won't be complaining. We thoroughly enjoyed our slices with some french pressed coffee after dinner - my husband had some vanilla bean ice cream with his.

I used a stand mixer to combine everything together, but I'm sure a hand mixer will work just fine. Just make sure to combine the ingredients well in each step. I did let it cook for 55 minutes and found that the top browned too much, so next time I'm going to aim for 50 minutes and see how that does. I topped the bread batter with the leftover shavings of the dark chocolate, which gave it a nice look and taste.

Dark Chocolate and Cherry Banana Bread

Cook Time: 50-55 minutes
Prep Time: <15 minutes
Serves: 10

Ingredients:

1 tsp coconut oil
2 c whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 cup raw sugar
4 tbsp organic unsalted butter, room temp
2 eggs
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1.5oz 60% dark chocolate, chopped
8oz rainer cherry, pitted and chopped (toss with 1 tbsp whole wheat pastry flour)

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a loaf pan with alittle coconut oil. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter together until well combined. Gradually add each egg, beating well.

Then mix in the bananas, yogurt and vanilla. Beat the mixture well.

Gradually mix in the flour mixture until it is combined. Then add the chocolate, mixing in lightly.

By hand, fold the cherries into the batter.

Once the batter is well mixed, pour into the grease loaf pan and bake in the oven at 350F for 50-55 minutes. Check to see if it is baked completely by inserting a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean.

Let the loaf pan cool for about 15 minutes before trying to remove the bread.

Slice into 10 pieces and enjoy warmed or at room temperature.

Recipe adapted from Recipe Boy

Nutritional Info per slice:
Calories: 265; Fat: 8.5g ; Carbohydrate: 42g ; Fiber: 5g ; Sugar: 18g ; Protein: 5.5

You did what with your Placenta?!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:22:00 +0000

I know this isn't my normal kind of post, but I wanted to share some information and my experience with ingesting my placenta after birth. In some cultures this is completely normal and others it is taboo. The placenta is seen, in some cultures, as a nutritional powerhouse, medicine or a sacred organ. Living in a culture where this is seen as taboo, weird, disgusting and off-the-wall, I was open to the idea that other cultures may be on to something. Even animals eat their placenta after birth. I am a big believer in trying everything once and also taking into consideration others experiences with different things.

I had never heard of placenta encapsulation until I moved out to San Diego and had seen an advertisement for a midwife who offered placenta encapsulation, along with a variety of other services. At the time, I was working in a local health foods store and had become much more open to the idea that there are a ton of holistic ways to heal yourself. After seeing that advertisement, I did some research and read a ton on the perks of consuming your placenta. I was absolutely fascinated with the idea! I have come a very long way from eating only processed foods and taking a handful of pills a day to try to find some balance. In the past 10 years I have gradually changed my lifestyle to incorporate whole foods, no drugs, weight loss and holistic remedies to help eliminate/improve certain ailments. The idea of consuming the placenta postpartum wasn't as crazy as I would have thought in my younger years. Our bodies are amazing and can heal themselves with the right tools/foods/etc.

Why did I choose to consume my placenta? After a ton of reading and learning about the benefits of consuming my placenta, I decided to give it a try. There are a couple options for consuming your placenta. You can have it made into a tincture, capsules, smoothies, stew or whatever other creative way you can think of. I chose the encapsulation route.

Some of the benefits include:

helps increase your energy postpartum
decreasing the likelihood of the "baby blues" and postpartum depression
contains a ton of nutrients and hormones
helps decrease the amount of healing time
helps increase your milk supply
can help with menopausal symptoms (in tincture form)
helps reduce the amount of bleeding postpartum

How do you encapsulate the placenta? You just dehydrate it, process it to a fine powder and add it to empty capsules. There are at-home kits to encapsulate your own placenta, but I chose to have a specialist prepare mine. I knew I was going to be exhausted, overwhelmed and so engaged in the baby, that I may not have the timed or energy to prepare it myself. It cost me $150 and I truly believe it was money well spent. The specialist came to the hospital, the same day of the birth and returned it encapsulated 2 days later to my home. You can take 2-6 placenta pills a day, depending on your energy levels, depression, etc. I've been taking a steady 2 a day since receiving them. I'm down to my last couple pills and really feel great. Now this is my first child and I don't have any other experience to compare it to, but I feel better than I expected. My mood is great, compared to during my pregnancy (I was really grouchy). It's been almost a month since giving birth to my gorgeous baby boy and I'm truly starting to feel like myself again.

For more info check out: Placenta Benefits

Have any of you tried placenta encapsulation or something similar?

Beefy Kale and Mushroom Ragu

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 09:53:00 +0000

Serving a simple Ragù can warm any belly. What's great about this recipe is that you can serve it as is or you can use it to top pasta, fresh greens, crusty bread, or rice. I decided to use it over gnocchi since that's what I was craving at the time. This Ragù isn't very saucy, it's mostly meat and veg. If you prefer to have a more saucy sauce, just add an additional 1/2 cup or cup of tomato sauce. I made my own sauce by simply combining fresh herbs to plain tomato sauce. It's tastes so much better when there is fresh basil in it :) .

I used a fresh gnocchi that was sold at my local store, took about 4 minutes to cook. Very easy stuff. If you don't want to make your own tomato sauce, then use whatever type of prepared tomato sauce you enjoy.

Beefy Kale and Mushroom Ragù

Cook Time: < 25 minutes
Prep Time: < 10 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 cups organic tomato sauce
2 tbsp fresh basil, minced
1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1/2 tsp fresh oregano, minced
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper, to taste
4-5 large Kale leaves, stems removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
6oz cremini mushrooms, cleans and sliced
3/4 lb lean ground grass-fed beef

Optional:

1- 17.5oz package of gnocchi
freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
fresh minced parsley

In a small pot, heat the tomato sauce, basil, parley and oregano over medium-low heat. Salt and pepper to taste. Stirring occasionally. Allow the sauce to simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes, then add the garlic. Saute for another 3 minutes, or until the onions are soft and the garlic is fragrant. Salt and pepper, to taste (lightly)

Add the chopped kale and mushrooms into the pan. Mix well into the onion mixture. The kale leaves will gradually decrease in size. Cook for about 4 minutes or so. Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside.

In the same large skillet, add the ground beef, still at medium heat. Crumble and brown until completely cooked through (5-8minutes). Salt and pepper, to taste if you'd like. Drain the excess fat.

Add the kale mixture to the ground beef and toss well. Pour the tomato sauce over and allow the mixture to cook for 5 minutes. Taste and check seasoning. Adjust if necessary.

Serve the Ragù piping hot. Enjoy it over whatever you'd like or as it.

Nutritional Info for 1/4 recipe (not including optional ingredients):
Calories: 220 ; Fat: 7g ; Carbohydrates: 19g ; Fiber: 5g ; Sugar: 5g ; Protein: 22g

Foodie Pen Pal!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 08:51:00 +0000

This was my 1st month participating in the Foodie Pen Pal Program and it was an absolute delight. What is a Foodie Pen Pal you ask? It's a pen pal program in which you send a package of foodie goodies out to your pen pal and receive one from another pen pal. It's an awesome way to meet other bloggers/readers and try different product you may have not tried or are local to their area. I love the idea of sharing my favorite products with others! My pen pal was Nina, a reader. I sent her some awesome snacks, granola, and aloe juice.

This month I got an awesome package from Sharlene from Main Stream Solar Cooking! Thanks so much for the great basket!! Here's a picture of some of the goodies I received...

2 Oven Mitts
A Pot Holder
Dried Beef (and some recipes on how to use it from Sharlene)
Sesame Oil
French Dip Au Jus
Anna's Almond Thins
Got Milk Cookies n' Cream Straws
A Straw Basket

I'm so happy with my basket of goodies! It was packaged nicely in a straw basket with a few recipes on how to use some of the ingredients. I'm glad I got some sesame oil, as I was running pretty low on mine. My husband already called dibs on the Cookies n' Cream Straws - which he has really enjoyed. I'm really looking forward to using the dried beef and Au Jus. I've never cooked with either. Also I've been in need of some more oven mitts but always put off buying some - well ta-da! I've got new oven mitts!! Excellent package - can't wait to use everything. I'm going to go snack on those almond thins...

Whole Wheat Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 08:40:00 +0000

My husband's favorite go-to brunch item is the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes from Cheesecake Factory. We will go there Sunday mornings just for those (or the Baja Hash, but that's a different story...). They are light, airy and simply delicious. I had never tried ricotta pancakes before those, and I think they are absolutely the best. Instead of going out for these yummy pancakes, I decided to make them myself (since having a newborn can make things a bit difficult). The lemon has a very clean taste and the pancakes are slightly sweet. I used wheat flour, rather than the typical white flour to bump up some of the nutrition and fiber. I also used a light amount of oil, sweetener and light versions of dairy. This recipe makes 5 good sized pancakes. Adding a bit of fruit on top can help bulk up with meal a bit more. I adapted this recipe from one I found on Eating Well's website and I'm VERY pleased with the out come. My husband agreed, these are some of the best pancakes I've ever made. I can't wait to experiment more with other flavors.

Using Whole Wheat Pastry Flour vs. Whole Wheat Flour is what makes this lighter than it would normally be. Also by sifting the flour, you are aerating it, allowing a more fluffy texture. If you prefer a sweeter pancake, I would bump up the honey to 1-2 tbsp. I highly recommend spreading out the batter when you place it on the hot pan. I smoothed mine out fairly thin, and found they were perfect in the middle (and it made the pancake look huge!).

Whole Wheat Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Cook Time: < 20 minutes
Prep Time: < 5 minutes
Serves: 5 (1/3 cup) pancakes (approx. 6in diameter)

Ingredients:

Dry: (sifted)

3/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp organic nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt

Wet:

3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 egg white
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp honey
zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp organic coconut oil (divided - for the pan)

Optional:

powdered sugar
pure maple syrup

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.

In a small side bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together until well combined. (Do not use the coconut oil, it is for greasing the pan).

Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet, until combined. Try to not over mix. The batter will be a bit thick.

Take a 1/4 tsp of coconut oil and place it in the center of the hot skillet. Then place a 1/3 cup of the pancake batter over top and smooth out slightly. Allow the pancake to cook about 3-5 minutes. These pancakes don't really bubble on top like other recipes do, so just pay close attention to not overcook.

Then flip the pancake and allow to cook a few more minutes, until cooked through. Repeat these steps until all of the batter is used.

Serve the pancakes warmed. Top with whatever you'd like or enjoy as is.

Nutritional Info per Pancake:
Calories: 155 ; Fat: 5g ; Carbohydrate: 19g ; Fiber: 2.5g ; Sugar: 3g ; Protein: 8g

This recipe is adapt from: Eating Well

Skinny Baked Italian Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 08:51:00 +0000

When I've got people coming over for dinner, I try to make sure everyone can enjoy the meal. Making a baked pasta with some cheese, meat and veggies seems to always win the hearts of my guests. It is also quite affordable to make when you've got a handful of people to feed. Now most baked pasta dishes I've had are quite heavy. They consist of a lot of meat, cheese and oil, with very little veg except the tomato sauce. This is a much better for you version! Who knew pasta could be figure friendly? I hear from clients that pasta is a diet no-no, but it doesn't have to be. I don't believe in giving up the foods you enjoy, but enjoying them in a healthier and portion controlled manner. By adding a bit more veg, reducing the cheese, choosing lean meats - this can be a great main dish to serve. Serving it with a fresh garden salad can make this a simple meal everyone can enjoy (even the kids!). No one has to know you've lighten-up a hearty dish like this one! So go ahead - eat your pasta, you deserve to savor the food you enjoy.

The baby bella mushrooms are more flavorful and meatier than white button mushrooms, so I highly recommend using them. If you are concerned about the spice factor, then opt for a mild Italian turkey sausage. If you can't find turkey sausage, most stores have pork Italian sausages, just be aware the nutritional info may go up some. If you have a gluten intolerance, just substitute the pasta and bread crumbs for gluten free versions (rice, quinoa, etc).

Skinny Baked Italian Pasta

Cook Time: < 35 minutes
Prep Time: < 10 minutes
Serves: 9

Ingredients:

1 lb of whole wheat penne pasta
6 cups of plain organic tomato sauce
2 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
8oz of baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 cup of frozen chopped spinach
1 lb of grass-fed lean ground beef
2 hot Italian turkey sausages, remove from casing
1 cup of part skim ricotta
1/3 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
1-2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1oz fresh Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
olive oil spray

In a large stock pot, cook the penne in salted water, until almost completely cooked (make sure to not over cook). Drain the pasta and set aside in a side bowl.

In a medium pot add the tomato sauce and Italian seasoning and bring to almost a boil. Cover, lower heat and allow to simmer while everything is cooking. Add salt and pepper if you'd like. This sauce should simmer about 10 minutes or longer.

As the pasta and sauce is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and the garlic and allow to saute for about 4-5 minutes.

Then add the mushrooms, spinach and salt and pepper to taste. Allow the mixture to cook for 4-5 more minutes. Remove from the stove and set it aside on a side plate. Wipe down the skillet.

In the same skillet, add the ground beef and turkey sausage. Crumble and brown until completely cooked through (about 10 minutes).

Then in the large stock pot you used to cook the pasta, add the pasta back in, mushroom mixture, cooked ground meat, tomato sauce and the ricotta cheese. Stir everything together well. Make sure to coat the pasta well with the sauce.

In a 13 x 9 pan, pour the pasta mixture in and spread out evenly. Sprinkle the bread crumbs, parsley and cheese over top. Spray lightly with a little olive oil spray over the top of the breadcrumbs.

Bake, uncovered for 20 minutes. Then place under the broiler for 1 minute or 2 to brown to the top. Allow the pasta to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Info per (generous-sized) serving:
Calories: 425 ; Fat: 11.5g ; Carbohydrate: 50g ; Fiber: 8g; Sugar: 5g ; Protein: 29g

Nutritional Info per Serving:
Calories: 420 ; Fat: 10.5g ; Carbohydrate: 50g; Fiber: 9g ; Sugar: 7.5g ; Protein: 29.5g

Baked Italian Zucchini Boats

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 13:33:00 +0000

I wanted to thank all of the guest bloggers from the past week for the awesome posts!! If you missed any of them - check my archive section from Week 7/15-7/22. Different recipes and topics such as Date Balls, Open Faced Baked Stuffed Peppers, Tips for Staying Motivated and Chardonnay Steamed Mussels. I'm starting to settle back in at home with the new babe and enjoying being a new parent. I definitely underestimated how time consuming a newborn can be! I've been eating up all of my freezer meals (that I prepped beforehand) and meals made by family members the past 2 weeks. I'm glad to start cooking again, but I'm not sure how much time I'll have to writing up the posts, taking pictures, etc. I'll try to post something new every couple days and hopefully over time get back to posting daily. Ok enough talk.... on to the recipe...

I got a bunch of great looking zucchinis at the farmers market and was looking to make a simple side to go with the main dish I had made. Since I had some ricotta and some jarred pasta sauce in the fridge just hanging out, I decided to put them to use. I wasn't sure whether to cut up the zucchini into slices and toss it with the tomato sauce and ricotta or make a stuffing out of it. It looks much prettier as a zucchini boat :) . Super simple to make and took practically no time to prep. I could totally eat these as a first course or as a side to any meal - they are just so tasty!!

I used Newman's Own Organic Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce as the sauce (my favorite go-to sauce). Any pasta sauce you enjoy will work in this dish. I chose to not cook the zucchini too much, because I like my veggies to have a bite to them. Baking the boat helps dry them out some - since zucchini can be quite wet. By omitting the bread crumbs this dish is gluten-free and low carb. Happy eating!

Baked Italian Zucchini Boats

Cook Time: 25 minutes @ 400F
Prep Time: < 5 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini, split in half horizontally (2 pieces)
2 tbsp part skim ricotta cheese, divided
2 tbsp jarred organic pasta sauce, divided
1 tbsp whole wheat breadcrumbs, divided
1 tbsp fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
fresh parsley, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400F and get a cookie sheet out to place the boats on.

Take the zucchini halves and scoop out the center some with a spoon. Just enough to make a "boat".

Spread 1 tbsp of ricotta and 1 tbsp of tomato sauce on each half.

Sprinkle the parsley, 1/2 tbsp of breadcrumbs and Parm on top of the tomato sauce.

Salt and pepper to taste and lightly spray with a little oil over the breadcrumb topping.

Bake at 400F for 25 minutes, or until the zucchini is slightly soft. Serve warmed

Nutritional Info per serving:
Calories: 100 ; Fat: 3g ; Carbohydrate: 12.5g ; Fiber: 2.5 ; Sugar: 4g ; Protein: 5.5g

Guest Post - Jen's Cinnamon, Chocolate & Date Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 14:07:00 +0000

Hey Everyone! It's Jen from JenBeansBlog with a 2nd recipe using dates (check out my Date Balls from Monday!). It's the weekend and that means more time to play around in the kitchen. Just surround yourself in the company of yeast, flour, and some good quality dates (and maybe a glass of wine) and you'll be sure to create something spectacular. For something nutritious and delicious on its own or dipped into egg for french toast, give this recipe a try!

Cinnamon, Chocolate & Date Bread

Ingredients:
2 tsp bread machine yeast
3/4 cup warm soy milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 cup bread flour
1 cup wheat flour
2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup Medjool dates
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp cocoa powder

Dissolve yeast in milk for 5 mins so that it starts to bubble. Mix in egg and flours and oil until homogeneous and proof for several hours until at least doubled in size.

In a food processor, add dates, cinnamon and cocoa powder and process until you get a crumbly date mixture.

Flour a working surface, roll out dough to get maximum surface area and smear date mixture on top. Roll the dough and curl into an oiled baking tin. I used a loaf tin and curled the dough roll several times over.

Proof for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 415 C. Brush the surface of the dough with egg wash and bake for 20 - 25 mins.

Because I had promised to bring this loaf on a cottaging trip, I could not dig in right away. When we cut into the loaf a few days later, it had hardened a bit but still smelled wonderful. We drenched it in egg/nutmeg/milk and fried it up. Topped with peanut butter and syrup, some fresh blueberries and bananas, and combined with the beautiful view of the lake and pine trees, chirping of birds and quite lapping of the waves against the dock, it was the closest thing to what I imagine retirement to be like :)

Happy baking/cooking everyone!

Guest Post - Ellen's Asparagus Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 09:37:00 +0000

Hello everyone, I'm Ellen from Ellenbcookery . I'm so pleased to be guest posting again here at Laurie's cravings and happy you're back today. Laurie and I would like to show you what was done with the leftover asparagus stems we didn't use in yesterday's stuffed pepper recipe . Since the previous recipe only calls for the asparagus tips, I also made an asparagus soup with the remaining sticks. It's really tasty and uses simple ingredients. We hope you enjoy!

- EllenB

Ingredients:

1 large organic onion, diced
approx. 3-4 cups of water (add more if you'd like)
1 organic vegetable bouillon
salt and pepper to taste
4 organic potatoes, quartered
leftover asparagus spears
splash of cream (optional)

Instructions:

Saute the organic onion in a large pot until well cooked.

Add water to pot, an organic vegetable bouillon, salt & pepper.

Once bouillon dissolves, add 4 quartered organic potatoes and cut up asparagus sticks.

Once potatoes are cooked, puree with hand blender.

Tasty on it's own, or you could add a splash of cream.

Guest Blogger - Ellen B's Baked Open Faced Pepper Surprise

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:04:00 +0000

I'm so pleased to be guest posting on Laurie's Cravings. I'm more than thrilled to help Laurie while she takes this time to bond and get into a routine with her newborn son, Jared.

This stuffed pepper recipe is one that I found in a Belgian TV guide like magazine while I was living in Belgium. It was so similar to something my mother-in-law used to make. I hope you enjoy. This recipe only requires asparagus tips. Please come back tomorrow and we'll show you what I did with the remainder.

EllenBCookery

Cook Time: 30 minutes @ 350F

Ingredients:

About 4 bell peppers
4 finely sliced small zucchini
1 diced large tomato
1 small diced onion
3 diced garlic cloves
olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
asparagus tips
crumbled feta cheese

Thank you tons to Ellen B for such an awesome post - check out her site (Ellen B Cookery)

Guest Post - Kayleigh's Chardonnay Steamed Mussels with Garlic Baguette

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 10:32:00 +0000

Chardonnay Steamed Mussels with Garlic Baguette

Hi everyone! I’m Kayleigh from Cooking with Kale. I jumped at the chance to guest post for Laurie while she was busy enjoying her new bundle of joy. Laurie and I have very similar approaches to food: that it should be as seasonal and delicious as possible.

Summer, to the culinary-conscious mind, is full of promise. Who doesn’t love cracking into the first lobsters of the season, or biting into perfectly grilled corn on the cob? With all of this potential at hand, I try not to enter the market with a grocery list. I like to see what looks best and then I work out the perfect dish from there. This week I spotted fresh mussels, beautiful ears of corn, sweet shallots, large bunches of flat leaf parsley, and freshly baked baguette. There is nothing I enjoy more than soaking up savory broth from steamed mussels with crusty baguette.

How I Chose My Ingredients & Why

Mussels have the ability to absorb a multitude of flavors and they are a very cost effective choice when you’re craving shellfish. The trick with mussels is to pull the little beard off before you eat them, and to discard any mussels that remain open (as they are dead). Corn at this time of the year is sweet and bursting with flavor. Grilling the corn will add a smoky element to the dish. As a base, Chardonnay is perfect, dry white wine at its finest. There is also the consideration that you should never cook with a wine that you wouldn’t drink. Combine this with some butter, sweet sliced shallots, fresh corn, and pungent garlic- and you’ve got the perfect sauce.

Chardonnay Steamed Mussels

with Grilled Baguette

Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

2 ears of corn

3 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

2 large shallots

2 cloves garlic

1 1/2 cups Chardonnay

2 pounds Mussels (cleaned)

1 baguette

4 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

kosher salt

black pepper

If you’re feeling extra hungry:

3/4 lb Linguine

Directions:

Preheat your grill to medium heat. Rub the ears of corn with one tablespoon of olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Put them on the grill for fifteen minutes (turning them every five to make sure that they don’t burn!)

In the mean time: slice your shallots, mince your garlic, and chop your parsley. Pull the corn off of the grill, and slice the kernels off of the cob.

Preheat a large pot over medium heat. Add the butter, and once it’s melted, add the shallots. Cook the shallots for two-three minutes and then add half of the garlic. At this point, add the corn kernels and the Chardonnay and allow the mixture to come to a boil. Add the mussels and cover the pot for 8 minutes.

In the mean time, combine the other half of the minced garlic, two tablespoons of olive oil, and two tablespoons of chopped parsley. Slice your baguette in half lengthwise and brush it with this mixture. Throw it on your grill for four minutes (or until it’s golden).

Plating:

Toss the remainder of the parsley over the finished mussels. Add a nice big scoop of the mussels and their juices to a bowl and add a piece of grilled baguette. Enjoy!