Cooking in Carolina!

Healthy kiddo lunch

2013-05-27T16:17:00.000-07:00

I am so grateful that my daughter enjoys eating so healthy - don't get me wrong - she's A.D.D.I.C.T.E.D to chocolate, but the good by far outweighs the bad. Here is her lunch for school tomorrow. Noodles with italian dressing, peas, the white of a hard boiled egg, cherry tomatoes, carrots and an applesauce. I think she may be just as addicted to these Go Go SqueeZ applesauce pouches as she is to chocolate. We go through about 2 dozen a week! All of this is packed in a Lunch Bot quad stainless steel box that you can purchase HERE on Amazon!

Spinach Mushroom Quiche

2013-05-27T09:16:00.004-07:00

First off, let me say that Paula Deen will be proud of this recipe. Who doesn't put a stick of butter in a quiche? It's organic butter - so that totally makes it ok, right? RIGHT?! Yeah, I didn't think so either....

So I have this big tub of Spinach leaves sitting in the fridge, and no salad dressing to put on it to make a salad (somehow I managed to leave that at work), so I needed to come up with something to use up a large part of it. So I pulled some mushrooms, garlic, eggs and cheese out of the refrigerator and threw them together into a quick quiche. Let's hope my husband doesn't disappoint and will eat quiche like a REAL man!

Let's get started....

For the crust I made this Quick n Easy Quiche Crust recipe I found on All Recipes. I used whole wheat flour instead of white flour. It came together very easily and baked well throughout the quiche baking process.

Next I melted a stick (yes, yes I know...a stick?!) of butter in a large skillet and sauteed an average size container of washed and chopped mushrooms along with 3 finely chopped cloves of garlic. When the mushrooms started softening up I threw in a couple large handfuls of spinach leaves. I let them cook down for a minute or two.

Then I added in about 1/3 cup of crumbled feta cheese and 1/2 cup of shredded monterey jack cheese.

Stir all of this together until the cheese melts a bit and then transfer it into the unbaked crust.

In a separate mixing bowl, I whisked together 1/2 cup of 2% milk and 3 large eggs along with some freshly ground salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the spinach mixture, making sure the two incorporate into each other - I used a fork to kind of mixed the two together in the pie crust.

Place in the preheated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. I then took the quiche out (it's beginning to smell fantastic in the kitchen by this point!) and sprinkle about a cup of the monterey jack cheese on top and returned it to the oven for approximately 40 more minutes, or until it is set in the center. Let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes before eating.

I can't tell you how amazing this smells as it's sitting on the stove cooling off!

Even the husband loves it! I call this a success!

Red, White and Blueberry Trifle from Skinny Taste!

2013-05-26T09:53:00.001-07:00

I made this dessert last year for the fourth of July and it was amazing! So amazing that it was gone before my husband even got to try it!

Last year I couldn't find the white chocolate pudding that the recipe calls for so I just used vanilla pudding mix. This year, however, I did find the white chocolate flavor at my local Kroger. It tastes divine! I did not go the fat free/sugar free route that the recipe suggests, by the way - no one but me is on a diet! My husband can't afford to lose any more weight due to my dietary changes! You can find the recipe for this amazingly yummy trifle over at the Skinny Taste website. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Spelt Banana Bread from The Healthy Foodie

2013-05-26T08:06:00.000-07:00

Spelt flour is new to me, as this is only the 2nd time I've ever baked with it. Baking just hasn't been as enjoyable for me as when I used to use white flour and white sugar in everything I made! My/our tastebuds were so attuned to those flavors that using the "healthy alternatives" has taken some getting used to. This morning I noticed the 4 semi mushy bananas that a certain unnamed 6 year old begged for at the grocery store last week, but neglected to eat, I decided to make some banana bread. I googled whole wheat and/or spelt flour banana bread recipes and I came across this one for Spelt Banana Bread over at The Healthy Foodie. Afterall, she promised that it was the last banana bread recipe I'd ever need - it had to be good! I was pleased with how well this bread baked and set up, and the flavor is quite nice. I figured it would taste quite strongly of cinnamon having 2 teaspoons worth in a single loaf - but to be honest I didn't even notice it once it was baked! Is it as amazing as my old go-to Betty Crocker original white flour banana bread? Not really - but it shouldn't taste the same - I'm not using the same over processed, sugared up, GMO laden ingredients. This is back to the basics goodness, and I'm glad I tried it. The husband even ate some on one of his trips through the kitchen this morning and said it was good - that's a good sign!

Veggie Wrap!

2013-05-26T07:52:00.000-07:00

Since being new to this whole (as much as I can afford) organic lifestyle - one that includes eating WAY less meat - I was on the lookout for something easy to put together for lunch. I made up something today that had much more flavor than I expected and was very satisfying!

Locally, I've found Kroger has the largest selection of organic items. I found these Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted whole grain tortillas this morning in the organic freezer section. I was quite surprised at their relatively mellow flavor, I think I expected something more overwhelming, but I was very pleased with them and will most definitely be buying them again. I then layered on some veggie goodness! Kroger's Simply Truth organic triple bean blend, Simple Truth spinach leaves, Athenos spicy 3 pepper hummus (this part is a must to give it a kick of flavor!), feta cheese crumbles, Simple Truth frozen edamame, and some chopped up avocado! Rolled it up into a wrap - and it was rather amazing! Whole grains, protein, veggies - you really can't ask for more in a lunch wrap!

Peanut Butter Banana Mini Muffins

2012-10-29T07:55:00.001-07:00

Here I go again using Planter's Nut-rition peanut butter in a recipe! This time I did so because of it's strong banana flavor. The recipe I used for these muffins asks for 3 large bananas and I only had 2 medium size ones....so rather than use the butter in the recipe, I subbed it out with 1/3 cup melted Nut-rition in the Banana Granola Nut flavor. I also added a chocolate chip to the top of each muffin for kicks.
You can find the recipe I used HERE.

Peanut Butter Brownie Bites!

2012-10-21T18:22:00.003-07:00

As I posted before - I love a good deal at the grocery store! During a sale at Kroger I was able to score some Betty Crocker Shake -N- Pour Brownie Mixes for a fantastic price! Since I was having the Planter's Nut-rition House Party this weekend, I figured I would try and incorporate one of these mixes into the party food. I ended up making 2 dozen brownie bites in a mini muffin tin. I baked them according to package directions for 13 minutes. I actually preferred them in this mini form, as opposed to the 8x8 pan size - they seemed more moist. Now I had to add peanut butter - what better way than in the FROSTING! Peanut butter frosting is my all time favorite!

I used a recipe I've been using for the last couple of years-
I cut the recipe size in half for this, and still had quite a bit left over.

1/4 cup softened butter
1/2 cup peanut butter - in this case I used Planter's Nut-rition Berry Nut flavor
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk

I mixed these all in my kitchen aid until it was smooth (well smooth except for the tiny bits of peanut and cranberries!). I then filled up a piping bag with a very large tip and piped some frosting on top of each one. Yum!

Malaysian Chicken Pizza!

2012-10-21T15:35:00.001-07:00

I made this today for the Planter's House Party that I had - and it was a hit! We loved it! You can find the recipe HERE.

cook the chicken

mix together the sauce ingredients

mix the sauce and chicken together and simmer.

pre-bake the crust


put it together!

done!

I'll definitely be making this again! Fantastic flavor with a little bit of spice!

My Planter's Nut-rition Peanut Butter House Party!!!

2012-10-21T15:14:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from my Peanut Butter House Party! We had tons of fun and the food turned out great! I am so thankful to have been chosen to host such a great product!

Dori dressed as Mr. Peanut

Jessica and Dori

Brownie bites with Nut-rition peanut butter frosting

Chocolate chip Nut-rition banana cookies

Jessica did the Myrtle Beach marathon today!

Julie as Mr. Peanut

Nutrition cinnamon apple raisin muffins!

Planter's Nut-rition party food!

Malaysian Chicken Pizza (yes, there was peanut butter in it!)

Sammy as Mr. Peanut!

Addison as Mr. Peanut!

Everyone got to take home a Nut-rition water bottle filled with Chocolate Banana Nut-rition cake pops!

Thanks everyone for coming!

Homemade Window Cleaner!

2012-10-21T09:48:00.000-07:00

I love to save money, and get a lot of great deals using coupons! I got 8 bottles of this Heinz white vinegar for free a couple of months ago at Target. I knew I could find something to use it in! After the kiddo decided to clean my entire house with the bottle of Windex I had, it left me with nothing to clean the windows! When you have a dog like this:

A dog who constantly scratches on my back sliding glass door with his muddy feet - I NEED window cleaner!

So realizing I had run out, I googled a vinegar based window cleaner and came up with THIS window cleaning recipe. Easy Peasy! I wish I had taken a photo of my back door before and after I used this - it worked very well - which is saying alot - this dog is a MESS! What's even better is how inexpensive it was! The vinegar was free, water is free (well except for that pesky water bill I get every month!) and the rubbing alcohol was under $1. CHEAP!

Barbecued Chicken Drumsticks

2012-10-20T14:21:00.000-07:00

I picked up this 3 1/2 lb. package of chicken drumsticks the other day at the grocery store for $3.63 on clearance. I had found this recipe on allrecipes and thought it looked simple and flavorful and figured it would be a great dinner for us this evening! I've been baking in the kitchen all day, and welcome something so quick!

Following the recipe HERE, I rinsed the chicken drumsticks and placed them in a gallon size ziplock bag. I mixed together the marinade ingredients and poured that into the bag with the chicken, making sure to get each drumstick evenly covered - and placed it in the fridge until dinner time!

It's time to cook! Pull the chicken out of the fridge and place it on a foil lined cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Brush on some of the reserved BBQ sauce - I'm using Weber Buzz'N Honey BBQ Sauce on these. Pop them in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven, brush again with the BBQ sauce, flip over, and stick them back in for 15 more minutes - do this 3 times. So easy and it has wonderful flavor! I had homemade mashed potatoes from earlier in the week that I mixed with some shredded parmesan cheese and made into potato cakes, and served them with the chicken and a salad. Mmmmm!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Cake Pops!

2012-10-20T14:06:00.000-07:00

Yet another creation for my Planters Nut-rition House Party! Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Cake Pops!

1 chocolate cake mix of your choice. Baked per package directions.
3/4 cup Planter's Nut-rition Banana Granola Nut Peanut Butter
1 bag chocolate candy melts

Bake the cake in a 9x13 pan as directed on the box. Shred the cake into a mixing bowl (I use my kitchen-aid for this, but it can be done by hand). Add in the peanut butter and mix the two together until the peanut butter is completely mixed in. Roll mixture into golf ball sized balls and place on foil lined cookie sheet.

Chill in the refrigerator for approximately an hour. Melt chocolate per package instructions. I then dip the cake pop stick into the chocolate and then insert it into the cake pop. Let set. Now it's time to dip the cake ball on a stick into the melted chocolate! I drizzled these with peanut butter candy melts. Let the chocolate set, and then it's time to package them!

We love cake pops at our house - they are so versatile in the flavors you can make, and the decorating that you can do! Perfect for any occasion!

Apple Cinnamon Raisin Nut Butter Bran Muffins!

2012-10-20T11:32:00.002-07:00

This is another recipe I made for my Planter's Nut-rition House Party!!

Seeing as how it is October and we're experiencing amazing fall weather in South Carolina - these muffins fit right in! They smell of fall with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and apple! They are very rich and flavorful, and will be a wonderful breakfast treat with a pat of butter smeared on top! You can find the recipe I used HERE.

Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies!

2012-10-20T11:00:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to be chosen to host a HOUSE PARTY featuring Planter's Nut-rition Peanut Butter! I have decided to make quite a few different things (mostly desserts) which feature the Planter's Nut-rition product. For this recipe I used the Banana Granola Nut flavor peanut butter in place of the standard creamy peanut butter. This peanut butter boasts a very strong banana flavor to begin with, but with the addition of 1 and 1/2 bananas in these cookies, there is no mistaking there is banana in there! They are DELICIOUS! Here is the recipe I used for the Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies! I think everyone will enjoy them tomorrow at the party!

Fast and Easy Cinnamon Roll Ups!

2012-10-19T11:29:00.000-07:00

There are some days where I just crave cinnamon rolls but don't have the time to make them from scratch! A few weekends ago I put these together quickly to cure that craving! The family loved them and they were gone in minutes!

I had a store bought roll of Honey Biscuits in the refrigerator. I rolled each one of those biscuits out into an oval - maybe 4" long from top to bottom. In a bowl I mixed together 1/2 a cup of brown sugar and 1 teaspoonful of cinnamon. I spread some softened butter on each rolled out biscuit, coating it all the way to the edges, and then sprinkled the cinnamon/sugar mixture on top. I then rolled each biscuit up and placed it seam side down in a greased 9x9 pyrex baking dish. In the cinnamon/sugar bowl I melted about 4 tablespoons of butter and added another 1/4 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoonful of cinnamon, mixed that together and spooned it over the top of each roll up. I baked them in a preheated oven (per package instructions) until they were golden on top (about 15 to 20 minutes). So incredibly tasty, and an easy way to have warn cinnamon rolls in a pinch!

Ham, Spinach and Red Pepper Quiche

2012-10-19T11:15:00.000-07:00

We had roasted a ham earlier in the week for an impromptu Thanksgiving dinner. So now I'm on a mission to use up all of the ham and turn it into some freezer meals for the coming months! Today I made a simple quiche (original recipe Here) and it turned out quite nicely! I used fresh spinach instead of frozen, and of course the roasted ham as opposed to lunch meat. Can't wait to try it - it smells wonderful!

The crescent Rolls rolled out and in the pie pan. Poked with a fork.

I cooked the diced red pepper until it was tender, then added in the fresh spinach to sweat it out.

Chopped ham roast in the bottom of the quiche.

On top of the ham went the pepper and spinach mixture.

Cheese on top, with the egg/milk mix poured over.

All done and cooling off! Once it is cool, I will wrap it in foil, and then wrap it in freezer paper to protect it from freezer burn. When I want to serve this for dinner, I will thaw it in the refrigerator for 24 hours and put in a preheated oven at 325 for approximately 20 minutes until hot!

Dirty Brown Rice with Shrimp

2012-03-17T17:36:00.000-07:00

We really enjoyed this lightened up version of Dirty Rice - especially the addition of shrimp! You can find the recipe HERE at Skinny Taste. I served it along side of a fruit salad consisting of mandarin oranges, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple tidbits. What a great spring meal! Enjoy!

5 Servings - 1 1/3 cups each.
Calories 346, Fat 5.9 g, Protein 27g, Carb 44, Fiber 2.5

Beef and Black Bean Crockpot Chili & Tex-Mex Quinoa Cakes

2012-02-06T17:34:00.000-08:00

Our kiddo hasn't been feeling the best lately, and I know chili is one things she will generally always eat. Not to mention it covers a few of the major food groups all in one dish, so I figured this would be good to make for her tonight as she hasn't eaten much the last few days.

1 pound lean ground beef (cooked and browned)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans Del Monte Zesty Chili tomatoes
2 Tablespoons honey
2-3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1/2 cup beef broth
4 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounce can diced green chiles
1 teaspoon cumin

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot ( I used my 3 qt. and it was full to the top!). Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Makes 6 servings.

Calories 290, Carbs 46, Fat 8g, Protein 21g


Steaming hot Beef and Black Bean Chili!

I saw the recipe for these Tex-Mex Quinoa Patties on Pinterest tonight and thought they would go well with the chili - I was right! They are really good! You can find the recipe HERE for them. Quick and easy, and very tasty. I dipped them in my chili. The recipe makes 12 cakes, 2 cakes per serving.


Tex-Mex Quinoa Bites

Calories 130, Carbs 4, Fat 4, Protein 7g

Chicken & Cous Cous Salad

2012-02-04T17:23:00.000-08:00

This salad makes me yearn for summer and all of the fresh veggies that will come out of our garden! The 2 adults in this family LOVED it! The child however, wouldn't touch it. I'll chalk that up to her not feeling so well because this type of food is right up her alley. Here is the recipe I used.
The things I changed:
I added about a Tablespoon of chopped fresh Cilantro.
I added 2 Teaspoons of white sugar to the dressing mix to cut the cumin flavor a little bit. I tasted the dressing before it went on the salad and I was very worried I was going to "ruin" the couscous/chicken mixture with it because I wasn't such a fan - but it turned out fantastic when put together!
I didn't use any radishes - the store I last shopped at didn't have any!

We LOVED this recipe, and will be making it again in the future. The possibilities are endless!

This serves 4 people at 1 1/2 cups per serving.

Calories 334, Fat 10.9g, Protein 20.9g, Carbs 35.8

Crock Pot Shrimp Stir-Fry

2012-02-01T17:35:00.000-08:00

The thing I love most about my crock pot is it's intended purpose - set it and forget it. This recipe uses the crock pot, but we're only talking a maximum of 3 hours of set it and forget it! I started this when I got home from shopping later this afternoon, and it was ready just in time for dinner. Good flavor and low in calories, I will be making this again for my family. You can find the recipe I used HERE. I did make a few changes-
1. After removing the shells and de-veining the shrimp, I precooked them in a skillet with a little seasoned salt and fresh ground black pepper, just to ensure they were cooked through.
2. I didn't have any oyster sauce, so at a friend's suggestion, I used worcestershire sauce.
3. I added a small sliced onion into the crockpot at the beginning stages.
4. I added the cooked shrimp 20 minutes before done time as the recipe suggests.
5. I did not add bamboo shoots, as no one in my family particularly cares for them.
6. I completely forgot to add the snow peas! I had every intention, and will definitely put them in next time, as I think they will be a great addition.
7. I used an orange pepper instead of a red one.

I did the nutritional values based on the original recipe, and NOT including the rice.
Serves 6
Per Serving: Calories 133, Carbs 11, Fat 2g, Protein 18g

Chicken & Pepper Soft Tacos

2012-01-25T16:08:00.000-08:00

Talk about Easy! I tossed these ingredients in the crock pot at about 10am this morning and we had a fantastic meal at 6pm! Can't get any easier than that!

3-5 chicken breasts depending on size. Mine were roughly 7oz. each and I used 3. I even put them in frozen!

2 bell peppers, any color, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
dash salt
2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Place the chicken breasts on the bottom of your crock pot, followed by the onions and peppers. Drizzle the lemon juice over chicken. Mix the spices/salt into the 1/2 cup of chicken broth and pour over chicken. Set on low and cook for 6-8 hours. I shredded the chicken at about hour 5 and let it continue to cook until we ate!

We topped ours with my family's FAVORITE salsa - Jack's Special Salsa by Garden Fresh Gourmet. If you haven't had it - you must try it! We also used shredded 4 blend cheese and low fat sour cream. Yum!

Serves 4 (2 tacos each) These values do not include toppings or tortilla.
130 calories, 10 carbs, 2g fat, 20g protein

Adapted from a recipe found here .

Stuffed Pepper Soup

2012-01-23T17:15:00.000-08:00

Today I made Stuffed Pepper soup in the crock pot - My house smelled amazing ALL DAY! I also made a loaf of bread to go along side of the soup. HERE is the recipe I used to make the soup. I used ground turkey instead of the ground beef, and I think the next time I make this I will not make this substitution as it lacked a flavor that I think the beef would have added. I added in some crushed red pepper, garlic powder, 2 Tablespoons of maple syrup, and freshly ground black pepper. I also used 1 entire red bell pepper, and 1 entire yellow bell pepper - both were more than 1/2 a cup as the recipe calls for. After cooking the ground turkey, I put all of the ingredients (minus the rice) into the crock pot, set on Low for about 7 hours. I steamed the rice and added it into the crockpot about 10 minutes before serving. Tasted great along with the crusty bread!

Makes 6 GOOD sized portions.
(After my alterations my nutritional values were slightly different than that of the original poster.)

339 calories per 1 1/3 cup. 48 carb, 3g fat, 20g protein

Cabbage Roll Casserole

2012-01-20T17:48:00.000-08:00

I've tried out a few different cabbage roll recipes over the past year, some that take you what seems like all day to make, others that are quick and simple. This one ranks in the top for flavor, and it was very easy to make. I mixed ground beef up with ground turkey - half a pound each because that's what I had on hand. Worked out great! We really liked the addition of the cheese on top, too!

I used the recipe you can find HERE to make this yummy casserole.
Serves 10
Calories 250.9, Fat 11.3g, Protein 16.9g, Carbs 23.8

Ranch Turkey Burgers

2012-01-18T16:41:00.000-08:00

First off, let me say, WE LOVE THESE. So incredibly simple, and low in calories. It will make 4 servings.

1 lb. ground turkey
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Mix powder

Mix the Ranch mix into the ground turkey. I use my kitchen aid mixer to do this step, but it's completely not necessary. Grill or cook in a pan on the stove (I did stove tonight) until cooked through. You won't believe the flavor! I chose to eat mine without the bun to save calories (the flavor is so good, there's really no need for a bun - I promise!). I topped it with ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions. Hit the spot! Of course, my husband loaded his up on a bun and smothered in cheese. Must be nice.....!

Per Serving:
Calories 196, Carbs 6, Fat 8g, Protein 21g

Kris' Chicken Wraps

2012-01-18T09:27:00.000-08:00

These wraps are quick and easy, and so delicious! I made these up for lunch today, and was so pleased!

4 oz. chicken breast, cooked and diced
3 Tablespoons finely diced apple (I left the peel on)
3 Tablespoons canned light mandarin oranges, each segment cut in half
1 Tablespoon finely chopped red onion
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tablespoons plain greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix above ingredients together in a bowl, adding the yogurt/lemon juice last. This made plenty for 2 soft taco size tortillas. (I used chi-chi brand tortilla's because that is what I had on hand, but there are definitely more calorie friendly options out there!).

Not including the tortilla in the nutritional values:

272 calories, 19 carbs, 4g fat, 4g protein