Skinny Italian Spinach Meatballs | Skinnytaste

Skinny Italian Spinach Meatballs | Skinnytaste:




Skinny Italian Spinach Meatballs
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 5 meatballs w 4.5 oz sauce • Old Points: 4 • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 211.2 • Fat: 9.8 g • Protein: 17.4 g • Carb: 14.3 g •Fiber: 4.2 g

• 1 lb 93% lean ground beef
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of all liquid
• 2 slices whole wheat Weight Watchers bread (or any half point bread)
• 1 large egg
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese (or your favorite Parmesan Cheese)
• salt and pepper

Tomato Sauce:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 cloves smashed garlic
• 28 oz can Tuttorosso crushed tomatoes (my favorite)
• 1/2 onion (don't chop)
• salt and pepper

Wet bread with water then mash up with your hands. Add to large bowl and combine with chopped beef, chopped spinach, egg, garlic, parsley, grated cheese, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients well until thoroughly combined. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, measure meat, then divide in two so that each meatball is 1/8th of a cup. Rollinto little meatballs.

In a large pot, add olive oil and heat on medium. When hot add smashed garlic. When garlic is golden brown, add tomatoes, onion, salt and pepper and cover, reduce heat to low.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil on low heat. When oil is hotadd as many meatballs that will fit, cook on low, turning often so that all side get browned. Cook until the centers are cooked through. When finished, place on a dish lined with paper towels to blot any excess oil. Drop meatballs into sauce and continue cooking the remaining meatballs, repeating the process. When all meatballs are in the sauce, simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes. Discard onion and serve.

Applesauce Nut Bread | Skinnytaste

Applesauce Nut Bread | Skinnytaste:

Skinny Applesauce Nut Bread

Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 16 slices • Serving Size: 1/2 inch thick slice • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 122.1 • Fat: 3.7 g • Protein: 2.4 g • Carb: 23.9 g • Fiber:2.5 g • Sugar: 14 g
Sodium: 134 g
  
Ingredients:

• 1 large finely diced, peeled apple, diced into 1/4" pieces
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp agave
• 1/8 tsp + 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups homemade applesauce (or store bought)
• 1 1/2 cups King Arthur white whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, not packed
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• pinch allspice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• baking spray
• 1 1/2 oz chopped walnuts

Directions:

In a medium bowl combine apple, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, agave, and lemon juice. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with baking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and salt with a wire whisk. Set aside. 

In a large bowl mix oil, egg whites, sugar, apple sauce and vanilla; beat at medium speed until thick. Scrape down sides of the bowl. 

Add the flour mixture, then blend at low speed until combined. Do not over mix. Foldin apples and walnuts.

Pour batter into loaf pan and bake in the center rack about 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the pan cool at least 20 minutes, bread should be room temperature before slicing.

Macaroni and Cauliflower Cheese Bake

You can either serve this macaroni unbaked, so it’s loose, gooey, and silky, or bake it under the broiler for a few minutes before serving to give it a crispy, golden topping. You could even try adding a grated hard-boiled egg or cooked prawns, but I like the simple style, as here.

	1/2	a head of cauliflower
	8	oz. Cheddar cheese
	4	oz. Parmesan cheese
	~	A small bunch of fresh Italian parsley
	~	Sea salt
	1	lb. dried macaroni (elbows)
	1	cup crème fraîche or sour cream

1. To prepare your pasta: Remove the outer green leaves from the cauliflower and discard. Slice the end off the cauliflower stalk and cut the head into small florets. Halve the thick stalk lengthways, then slice thinly. Grate the Cheddar and Parmesan into a large heatproof bowl. Finely chop the parsley stalks and leaves.
2. To cook your pasta: Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and all your cauliflower and cook according to the macaroni-package instructions. Place the bowl of cheese over the saucepan and add the crème fraîche. Carefully stir every so often until the cheese is smooth and melted. If the water boils up beneath the bowl, just turn the heat down slightly. Add all the chopped parsley to the melted cheese and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Carefully remove the bowl of cheese using a towel or oven gloves and put aside. Drain the macaroni in a colander over a bowl, reserving the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan, pour in the melted cheese, and stir. It should have a lovely, silky consistency, but if it’s too thick for you, add a splash of your cooking water to thin it out a bit.
4. At this point you can either serve the macaroni as is, or finish it under the broiler to make it crispy and golden on top. To do this, preheat your broiler to a medium to high heat. Add ⅔ cup of the reserved cooking water to the macaroni, stir in, then transfer to a baking dish. Place under the broiler until golden and bubbling.
5. To serve your pasta: Divide the pasta between plates or bowls, or place the baking dish in the middle of the table next to a nice green salad and let everyone help themselves

This content is from the book Jamie’s Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver.

Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes

Printable Version with Picture
Printable Version
*Serves 6-8
Potatoes:
3 tablespoons butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
26-ounce bag frozen shredded hash browns
1/2 cup light sour cream
Topping:
3 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion is softened and translucent,a bout 5-6 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute. Combine the chicken broth and milk in a liquid measure and slowly whisk in the mixture. Add the salt, pepper and thyme. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheese until smooth. Mix in the frozen hash browns, lifting and folding the mixture until well combined. Finally, stir in the sour cream.
In a medium bowl, toss the lightly crushed cornflakes with the butter until evenly combined. Scoop out the potato mixture into a 9X13-inch baking dish and top with the buttered cornflakes. If baking the potatoes by themselves, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly around the edges. If baking the potatoes with a ham (my ham recipe bakes at 300 degrees), bake the potatoes for 90 minutes at 300 degrees then crank the oven to 400 degrees and bake the potatoes for 10 minutes more. In both baking situations, let the potatoes rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Sweet Shredded Pork Recipe

This is a copy cat recipe of the shredded pork that is served at Cafe Rio.  

Don’t forget to make the YUMMY cilnatro ranch dressing here
You will need:

• 1-10 lbs Pork tenderloin roast ( any pork roast will work)
• 2 cans of Tomato sauce 15 oz
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 can of coke or Dr Pepper
• 1 clove garlic diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro minced

Add your meat to the Crock pot, I think it taste best if you use about 5 lbs….I did it with 8 lbs and the flavors were not as bold as I would have liked them.  But the Recipe says you can use up to 10lbs so it is all a matter of taste.

Add you Tomato sauce, brown sugar, and garlic.

Add  can of soda, and cilantro.   ( If you do not want to cook with soda I guess you could use broth instead)
Put the lid on your crock pot, cook over Medium Heat at Least 4 hours.  ( you can cook longer)

Once tender and pulls off easily with a fork, take out of liquid and shred with a fork.
Once Pork is shredded, return to liquid.

Eat on tortilla, with rice, black beans, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and Cilantro Ranch.


Source :  A Thrifty Mom

ITALIAN SAUSAGES AND ZUCCHINI

1 pkg Italian sausage (about 6 links)

1 large or 2 medium onions

1 green or red bell pepper

2-3 small or 1-2 medium zucchini

4 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

4-5 fresh basil leaves

3-4 fresh oregano leaves

salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste

Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, slice sausages into halves lengthwise; slice again into quarters. Next, slice across the quarters until you have 3/4 inch chunks.Peel and chop onion coarsely. Wash, core, and chop pepper. Peel and mince garlic. Wash and chop basil and oregano. Wash and slice unpeeled zucchini into 1/4 inch thick coins or circles.

Heat olive oil in skillet. Sauté sausage over high heat for 10 minutes or so; when they begin to take on color, add onion and pepper, continuing to cook until the vegetables brown slightly. Add garlic and chopped basil and oregano; reduce heat and cook until sausage is done (no longer pink inside).

Using a slotted spoon, remove cooked sausage and vegetables to a serving plate; keep warm. (No need to drain or wash skillet). Melt butter in remaining olive oil in skillet. Sauté zucchini coins over high heat until the edges and a little of the center portion browns; flip each coin and sauté the other side. Sprinkle zucchini with a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder (very lightly) and a pinch of hot pepper.

Return sausage mixture to skillet with cooked zucchini and mix, cooking until evenly heated (1-2 minutes). Be careful not to overcook zucchini (should be browned but still slightly firm and not mushy).

Serve as is or with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Note: If no fresh herbs are available, substitute 1/4-1/2 teaspoon dried.

Variation: Serve over wide noodles, spaghetti or with Ziti. Dress with a little olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese and run under the broiler just until cheese melts.

Source :  Cooks.com - Italian Sausage and Zucchini

Fajita-Ranch Chicken Wraps

Ingredients 

12   ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast strips for stir-frying

1/2  teaspoon chili powder

1/4  teaspoon garlic powder

Nonstick cooking spray

1   small red, yellow, or green sweet pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips

2  tablespoons bottled reduced-calorie ranch salad dressing 

2  10-inch whole wheat, tomato, jalapeño, or plain flour tortillas, warmed*

1/2 cup Easy Fresh Salsa*

1/2  cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Directions Sprinkle chicken strips with chili powder and garlic powder. Coat a medium nonstick skillet with nonstick spray; heat over medium-high heat. Cook chicken and sweet pepper strips in hot skillet over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and pepper strips are tender. Drain if necessary. Toss with salad dressing. 


Divide chicken and pepper mixture between warmed tortillas. Top with Easy Fresh Salsa and cheese. Roll up; cut in half.


*To warm tortillas: Wrap tortillas tightly in foil. Heat in a 350°F oven about 10 minutes or until heated through.


*Easy Fresh Salsa: 
In a medium bowl combine 2 seeded and chopped tomatoes, 
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, 
1/4 cup chopped yellow or green sweet pepper,
2 to 3 teaspoons snipped fresh cilantro, 
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 
1/8 teaspoon salt, 
a dash of black pepper, and, 
if desired, a few drops bottled hot pepper sauce. 
Serve immediately or cover and chill for up to 3 days. Stir before serving. Makes 1 2/3 cups.

nutrition facts
Servings Per Recipe 4 servings
Calories224
Total Fat (g)7
Saturated Fat (g)2,
Cholesterol (mg)59,
Sodium (mg)316,
Carbohydrate (g)15,
Fiber (g)1,
Protein (g)25,
Starch (d.e.)1,
Very Lean Meat (d.e.)3,
Fat (d.e.)1,
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet