Unstuffed Shells

My husband LOVES stuffed shells. Anything where you mix meat and pasta is a win in his book. Add cheese and that is just perfection for him.  We've switched to whole grain/wheat noodles a couple years ago.  I don't eat pasta very often, BUT when I do, I can't tell the difference. My picky husband and 2 toddler girls don't seem to mind either. ;) Small changes like this add up!

I can't seem to locate JUMBO whole wheat shells, BUT I was able to find small ones. Because of that, my shells remained unstuffed, BUT it just as delicious!!

Prep was pretty minimal, and I really LOVE a recipe where all the dishes are done before it even comes out of the oven!!

INGREDIENTS:

*1 lb of sweet Italian Chicken sausage ( I used the Giant Eagle brand)

* A package (my was 1 lb--could go a little less) of whole wheat pasta shells

* 4 oz of Nonfat Greek Yogurt

* 2  1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella

*1 cup of grated parmesan

*14.5 oz can of diced tomato (low sodium is best)

* Pasta sauce (can be homemade if you want--I didn't make it this time--just store bought) I used a little over a half of a 24 oz jar

* oregano, sea salt, basil, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder (The recipe call for 1 Tbsp. of Italian seasoning) I just sort of started sprinkling those ones. Yum!

* 1 egg, beaten

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cook the pasta according to the instructions and put off to the side.

3. Remove sausage from the casing and cook on medium heat until browned.

4. Drain the sausage and return it to the stove top & add diced tomatoes, spices, and Greek yogurt. Cook on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes.

5. Place the sausage mixture into a LARGE mixing bowl and add the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses as well as beaten egg. Mix that around.

6. Add the pasta and continue mixing.

7. Spray a 9x13 dish and spread a few Tbsp. of pasta sauce on the bottom.

8. Add the contents of the bowl to the baking dish. 

9. Top with some more pasta sauce and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

10. Add 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese to the top and cook for another 5 minutes.

*It paired well with some baked zucchini!!

FIXERS: 2 yellow, 1 red, 1 blue

Put it in a green container (about 1 1/4 cups)

Happy Eating!! 

XoXo,

Kynslee

Chili Mac

Pleasing my husband and kids (2 1/2 & 4 1/2) is not an easy task when it comes to food. I am proud of the changes my husband has made with some of his eating habits, and impressed by the girls' willingness to try new things.

This recipe requires very little time, so that is one reason I really enjoyed it. :) I was able to have it cooking on the stove top while cleaning up some dishes that were used.

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 lb of ground turkey

* 2 teaspoons of coconut oil

*1 tablespoon of onion powder

*1 tablespoon of cumin

* 1 tablespoon of garlic powder

* 1 tablespoon of chili powder ( I actually forgot to add this :) 

* 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

* 1 tsp of coriander

* 15 oz can of tomato sauce (low sodium preferred)

* Whole grain/wheat elbow macaroni, cooked ( I used about 3/4-1 cup uncooked)

*sea salt to taste

* parmesan cheese to garnish if you desire

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add oil to large pot and cook ground turkey until it is about halfway cooked.

2.  Add all the spices. 

3. When meat is fully cooked, add the other ingredients. 

4. Garish with parmesan cheese if desired (we didn't)

**The sweetness of the cinnamon is just perfect in this recipe! 

FIXERS: I counted it as 2 yellows and 1 red :)

I asked Kynsten what she wanted for dinner tonight, and she pointed to this! Win in my book! 

I am sort of in this phase of just adding stuff on top of my salad. No need for dressing that way and makes plain old romaine lettuce that much better!

Happy Eating!

XoXo

Kynslee

Fixate Chicken Noodle Soup

There is just something really comforting about soup. Perhaps I attach soup to when I was sick as a kid, and my mom would "make" me some. (aka that box crap) Soup can be such a healthy & fulfilling meal, especially when you KNOW what is being put into it. :)

I am all about SIMPLE recipes! I don't like a million steps. This recipe from Autumn Calabrese's Fixate cookbook (Have you gotten yours yet?! Order Here! ) only has a few steps.  We've enjoyed various recipes from this cookbook. I've been following the 21 Day Fix Meal Plan since it came out in February 2014. It is so nice to have recipes for various meals, including dessert, on hand with container equivalents. :)

INGREDIENTS:

*2 tsp. olive oil

* 1/2 cup chopped onion

*2 cups of sliced celery

* 4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth (Have more on hand in case you or your family prefers a more liquid consistency --I also added some water to help with that)

*3 cups of COOKED , chopped chicken breast

* 1 1/2 cups of sliced carrots

* 1 tsp of oregano 

* 1/2 tsp of sea salt

*1/2 tsp. of pepper

* 1 1/4 cups DRY whole wheat pasta (We used rotini.)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook your chicken and cut it. I actually boiled the chicken breast that were seasoned with sea salt & pepper and cut it. I did this before I left for work and put it in a container in the refrigerator. 

2. Add the onion and celery. Stir frequently for about 5 minutes.

3. Add broth, chicken, carrots, oregano, salt, & pepper. Bring to a boil. Add  DRY pasta & reduce heat to low; gently bowl for about 10 minutes. 

My husband took care of preparing it for dinner! I DID NOT want to do anything when I came home from work on Sunday, SO I was so HAPPY when I walked into seeing this! 

He had 2 bowls of it the first night AND even ate leftovers, which he NEVER does! I actually ate it for dinner 3 nights in a row, LOL!  Pair it with a grilled cheese sandwich for added deliciousness. 

FIXERS: 1.5 cups is the serving size 2 GREENS, 1.5 YELLOWS, 1 RED

My grilled cheese = 1/2 YELLOW 1 BLUE

Pumpkin Muffins

Seriously there is something about fall foods that is so comforting! The smell of warm apples, chili, & PUMPKIN BREAD!

My mom is known for her breads-banana & pumpkin :) She likes to share as well, BUT I don't want all that sugar and and white flour in my system (all the time at least! ;) to not just add unnecessary calories but junk to my body!

I was browsing through my IG feed yesterday, and I came across a post from good old Shakeology. They broke down the ingredients and nutrition facts of a slice of Starbucks pumpkin bread. YIKES!!!

They are always looking out so they came up with a great recipe that won't give you a SUGAR spike, which will just lead you to eating more!!

INGREDIENTS:

*1 cup of almond flour

*1/4 cup of coconut flour

* 1 Tbsp. of pumpkin pie spice

*1/2 tsp of sea salt

*1/2 tsp of baking powder

*1/2 tsp of cinnamon

*4 large eggs, lightly beaten

*1/3 cup of coconut oil, melted

* 2 Tbsp of pure maple syrup

*3/4  cup of pure pumpkin puree

*nonstick cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease whatever pan you are using. I was originally going to use a loaf pan, BUT I saw the suggestion to make muffins. I added some FROZEN cupcake wrappers and sprayed those lightly with OLIVE OIL spray.

2. Mix the almond flour, coconut flour, pumpkin spice, sea salt, baking powder, & cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside. 

3. Combine eggs & oil in a bowl and mix well. (I put the coconut oil right into the eggs after I melted in the microwave and the cold temp of the eggs made it harden in little chunks --you may want to melt a little while ahead of time.) 

4. Add maple syrup & pumpkin to the egg/oil mixture.

5. Add flour and egg mixture together and mix well.

6. Place batter in pan or muffin tin. *I baked the muffins for about 28 minutes and tested with a toothpick. 

Will work for food- my little helpers :)

FIXERS: I'd count this as one YELLOW and one TSP! :) 

This would be a great breakfast option with some fruit or scrambled eggs!!! :) A great thing for a  grab-n-go snack as well!!

Yum, Yum, Eat it Up!

XoXo, 

Kynslee

Healthy Hot Apples

My daughters & I did a little apple picking yesterday. It was a beautiful sunny, 75 degree day in Cleveland in October. We needed to take the opportunity of the weather, since good old winter will be here before we know it!

Apples & bananas are my typical fall/winter fruit. It gets pretty boring after a while just eating an apple with PB or plain apple. I usually put 1/2 of a banana in my plain oatmeal with some cinnamon, which is delicious.

Ever since getting Autumn Calabrese's cookbook, Fixate, I've been obsessed with pancakes with fruit! I've tried a couple healthier pancake options before, but nothing compares to these! I love  pancakes & French toast recipes that can stand on their own with great flavor, without having to load it with syrup.

I've transitioned the family over to pure maple syrup as opposed to that HIGH sugar option, BUT I still really just love these pancakes with fruit. I've done a blueberry sauce, some strawberries, & now hot apples!!

This was so easy to do!!

**Serving Size: 1 apple

INGREDIENTS:

*apple- I used Gala

* cinnamon

*nutmeg

* 1/2 tsp of coconut oil

* 1-2 packets of Stevia sweetener 

* 2 tsp. of water

*ziplock baggie

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Peel the apple and cut it into slices.

2. Put the apple in the bag and add cinnamon, nutmeg, & Stevia. I just sprinkled in the cinnamon & nutmeg. I didn't measure it out. I was generous with it since those are great spices that are considered "FREE" foods in Fix language. :)

3. Add the coconut oil & water to a saucepan on medium heat.

4. Add the apples and cook for about 8 minutes stirring occasionally.

FIXERS: 1 apple=1 purple :)

This is a great addition to pancakes or waffles! I bet it would taste really great with some plain Greek yogurt as well!

Yum, Yum, Eat it Up!

Happy Eating! 

XoXo, 

Kynslee

Fajita Quesadilla

I used to ALWAYS go to Applebee's and get half priced appetizers. I LOVED the quesadillas! What a deal, right?! A deal perhaps, but the food left me feeling bloated and lethargic. I've learned how food can make me feel as I've used it to change the way I look.

I enjoy quick, easy recipes, so this has already been added to my meal plan for next week. :)

Serving size: is 3 wedges of quesadilla( 1/2 of a quesadilla) - I was able to make 2 whole quesadillas, and one open faced for me with 2 chicken breasts

INGREDIENTS:

*1/2 pound boneless (about 2 chicken breasts), skinless chicken breast; cut into ½-inch strips

*4-5 Tbsp of olive oil ( 3-4 for marinade, 1 for pan)

*1 tsp cumin

*1 tsp garlic powder

*2 Tbsp lime juice

*½ tsp sea salt

*1 bell pepper, thinly sliced ( I used green.)

*1 small onion, thinly sliced

*1 cup Mexican Shredded Cheese

* 4 whole wheat tortillas (+ I used on Aladdin's whole wheat pita for me)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a gallon size resealable bag, combine the chicken, cumin, garlic powder, lime juice, oil, and salt. Seal the bag and shake it up to combine all of the ingredients. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. I did this earlier in the day, so it was there for a couple hours.

2.  Preheat the oven to 350°F and lay out 2 baking sheets.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables are tender crisp, about 10-12 minutes.

4. Remove the vegetables and set aside on a plate. To the same skillet, remove the chicken from the bag and discard any remaining marinade.

5. Cook the chicken for 4-6 minutes, stirring frequently until cooked through.

6.  Lay 2 tortillas out and layer 1 tablespoon of cheese, ½ cup vegetables, ½ cup chicken, and 1 more tablespoon of cheese on top. Place the remaining 2 tortillas on top of these. (You can use less cheese for even healthier option.)

7. Transfer the quesadillas to the baking sheets (2 on a baking sheet) and lightly spray the tops with nonstick olive oil spray.

8. Bake for 8-10 minutes until thoroughly heated and the cheese is melted.

9. To serve, cut each quesadilla in half, and then each of the halves into 3 wedges.

**Guacamole, Greek yogurt, & salsa are good dips!

This is my open faced quesadilla. I sort of ate it like a pizza. I added my toppings and took a bite. :)

FIXERS:  1 yellow, one red, one blue, & 1/2 green

Husband (& Kid) Approved Lasagna

My husband is the HARDEST person to please when it comes to food! When I ask him, "So what do you think of this new recipe?" His common reply is, "It's fine." Truth be told, he is a pizza and burger kind of guy, BUT I refuse to have that ALL the time. He's learned how food can affect how he feels & looks, so he does eat all the delicious dinners I create. :)

He is a HUGE fan of lasagna. I really am not, mostly because I don't like Ricotta cheese. I found a recipe that, although it called for it, I substituted it for my go-to ingredient: Greek yogurt!

We enjoyed this meal for 2 days, while being able to share some with my brother & sister-in-law as well! My favorite recipes are the ones that keep on giving. Heating up leftovers is my dream. ;)

INGREDIENTS:

* 12 whole grain lasagna noodles

*1 package (1 lb. ) of sweet Italian turkey sausage 

* about 1.5 cups (15 oz.) of Greek yogurt

* 1 egg

* 2 Tbsp parsley flakes

*1 can (15 oz) of tomato sauce

*12 oz of tomato paste

* 1 can of diced or stewed tomatoes 

*2 Tbsp garlic, minced

*small onion, diced

*2½ Tbsp honey

*1 tsp oregano

*1 tsp basil leaves

*1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

*1 tsp sea salt

*1 tsp black pepper

*1½ cups low moisture, park-skim, shredded mozzarella cheese

*Grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Grease a 9x13 dish with olive oil spray.

2. Remove sausage from casings and brown in skillet with onions & garlic for about 5-7 minutes.

3. Next, stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and 1/2 cup water to meat mixture.

4.  Add honey, basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, & salt and pepper to sauce and stir. Simmer covered for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir occasionally.

5. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook noodles according to instructions.

6. Place noodles on wax or parchment paper to dry.

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

8. In a medium bowl, mix the Greek yogurt and egg. Sprinkle in the parsley and mix together.

9. Spread about 1.5 cups of the meat sauce mixture on the bottom of the casserole dish.

10. Arrange 6 of the noodles over meat sauce.

11.  Spread 1/2 the bowl of the yogurt mixture over the noodles.

12.  Top that with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.

13.  Add another 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce over the mozzarella cheese.

 14. Add the other 6 noodles,  the rest of the yogurt mixture, & 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.

15.  Top with remaining meat sauce and add remaining 1/2 cup part skim mozzarella cheese and add some grated Parmesan cheese.

16. Cover with foil & bake in oven for 25 minutes.

17. Remove foil & bake for another 15-20 minutes

FIXERS: Fill a green container for your portion size and count this meal as 2 yellows & 1 red 

Yum, Yum, Eat it Up!

Happy Eating!

XoXo

Kynslee