Easy BBQ Tofu

This recipe contains just 3 simple ingredients, is super easy to prepare and is big on flavor. Try it over salad, or with your favorite bbq sides!

Ingredients:

16 ounces extra firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons bbq sauce

1 tablespoon bbq seasoning/rub, divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl add the bbq sauce, put in the tofu and toss to coat. Spread the tofu out on a pan coated with cooking spray or lined with parchment and sprinkle with 1/2 of the seasoning. bake for 10-12 minutes. Flip the tofu and sprinkle with the other 1/2 of the seasoning and bake for another 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge.

Make 4 servings

Serving size- 1/4th of recipe Calories 144 Protein 15 g Carb 9 g Fiber 0 g Sugars 2 g Fat 6 g Saturated fat 1 g Sodium 471 mg

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Cranberry Pecan Quinoa "Stuffing"

 

Last year I tried cauliflower and this year I gave quinoa a whirl for a “stuffing” recipe. These simple ingredients combine to create a dish that has all sorts of flavors, textures and nutrients! Wonderful as a side holiday side dish or stir in some protein like lentils or chopped chicken to make it a meal. 

Ingredients: 

2 cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped onion 

2 cups chopped carrots 

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon margarine or butter 

3 cups cooked quinoa 

1/4 cup chopped pecans 

1/4 cup dried cranberries 

1 tablespoon Morton Nature’s Season Seasoning blend (or your favorite seasoning) 

¼ teaspoon sage (optional) 

salt and pepper to taste 

Directions: 

Cook quinoa according to package directions. In the meantime, chop the celery, carrots and onion and add to a large pot or skillet coated with one tablespoons of margarine/butter. Cover and cook on medium heat stirring occasionally until tender, 7-10 minutes. Add the cooked quinoa, the last teaspoon of margarine/butter until melted. Sprinkle with the seasoning, sage, pecans and cranberries and cook for another 2-3 minutes until warmed through. 

Makes about 7 cups, 14 servings 

Serving size: 1/2 cup Calories 93 Protein 2 g Carb 14 g Fiber 3 g Sugars 4 g Fat 5 g saturated fat 1 g Sodium 396 mg

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Vegetarian Jambalaya

This vegetarian jambalaya is very easy to make and is so filling that you won't miss the meat!

Ingredients: 

3 cups chopped red bell pepper 

3 cups chopped celery 

1 cup chopped onion 

1 teaspoon olive oil 

2 15 oz cans kidney beans (rinsed well) 

2 15 oz cans black eyed peas (rinsed well) 

2 cups cooked cauliflower rice 

1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning  

Directions: 

Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to a large pan or pot and add the bell pepper, celery, onions, and sauté on medium heat until just before tender (about 10 minutes). Meanwhile cook the cauliflower rice according to package directions (I use Trader Joes Frozen which cooks for only 3-4 minutes in the microwave) and rinse the canned beans, Add the kidney beans, black eyed peas, cooked cauliflower rice and seasoning to the pan and cook on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Makes 12 cups, 6 servings 

Serving size: 2 cups Calories 226 Protein 13 g Carb 37 g Fiber 10 g Sugars 6 g Fat 2 g Saturated fat 1.5 g Sodium 940 mg

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Brunch Style Cauliflower Fried “Rice”

Ingredients:

1/2 package Trader Joe’s  Cauliflower Fried Rice (or other frozen cauliflowers rice blend)

1/4 cup liquid egg whites 

5 sliced cremini  mushrooms

1 tablespoon slivered almonds

1 teaspoon olive oil to coat the pan 

sprinkle with soy sauce and Tjoes mushroom unami seasoning

Directions:

Combine all in medium sized pan on medium-high heat and sautée for about 5 minutes until golden brown (I added the egg whites about 2 minutes into cooking)

Makes 1 serving

Serving size about 2 cups  Calories 230  Protein 12 g  Carb 18  g  Fiber 6 g Sugars 7 g Fat 14 g Saturated fat 1 g Sodium  280  mg (not including soy sauce or seasoning)

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Recipe ReDux Post # 76 Roasted Red Pepper and Pumpkin Soup

The Recipe ReDux for December is “Souper Soups” and we were encouraged to create healthy soup recipes.  I wanted to develop something festive for the holidays so I decided to go with red peppers plus a hint of pumpkin as a base to combine with vegetable broth.  Adding some paprika and cayenne gave the recipe a nice kick.  These simple clean  ingredients come together to create a flavorful nutritious soup that is very low in calories and fat, yet surprisingly filling.  I hope you will give it a try along with all the other Recipe ReDux soup recipes.

Ingredients

5 medium red bell peppers, cored, seeded and quartered
1/3 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

¼ teaspoon salt (optional)

cooking spray or parchment paper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add the peppers to a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper. Roast them 10 minutes, flip them over and then roast for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Add the half of the cooled peppers and 2 cups of the broth to a blender or food processor and blend on high speed for one minute. Add the rest of the peppers, the last cup of broth and the spices in the blender and blend for another 1-2 minutes until smooth. Put the blended mixture back in a medium pot and warm on medium heat for 4-5 minutes until heated through.

Makes 4 -5 cups, four servings
Serving size: about 1 cup Calories   60  Protein 2  g Carb  15 g Fiber  1 g Sugars  2 g Fat  0 g Saturated fat  0 g Sodium  106 mg

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Recipe ReDux Post # 73 Mexican Style Cucumber Boats

August Recipe ReDux theme is “Crunchy Snacks!”  When I think of crunchy snacks-chips, pretzels, popcorn come to mind, yet this time I wanted to try create a different kind of snack.  Raw veggies pack a healthy crunch and I had some cucumbers in the fridge, so I decided to start with those.  I wanted to make a heartier snack so I filled tried my luck at a Mexican themed cucumber boat by filling them with some black bean dip from Trader Joes that I had bought recently and have been wanting to sample.  Topping them with some tomatoes, corn, olives and cheese worked perfectly and the recipe came together nicely. These are a great appetizer, afternoon snack, or a few of them could work for a quick lunch too.  I hope you will try them out along with all the other snacks developed by the Recipe ReDux group.

Ingredients:

3 Persian cucumbers, ends trimmed, halved and seeded (makes 6 “boats”)
6 tablespoons black bean dip (I used Trader Joes brand)

2 tablespoons chopped black olives
2 tablespoons cooked corn
2 tablespoons finely diced tomato

2 tablespoons low fat shredded cheese

Directions:

Spoon about 1 tablespoon black bean dip into each cucumber half, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon each of corn, tomatoes and olives. Top each with one teaspoon of cheese and serve. Chill if not serving immediately.

Makes 6 servings

Serving Size 1 boat: Calories 45 Protein 2 g Carb 7 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 2 g Fat 1 g Saturated fat 1 g Sodium 156 mg

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Recipe ReDux Post # 71 Mini Bagel Bite Sandwich Skewers Three Ways

June’s Recipe ReDux challenge is “Sandwich Upgrade” and we were encouraged to put a creative spin on sandwiches. I decided it was time to bring Gabby in on this one since she is a sandwich lover and it has been awhile since we made a recipe together. Bagels are one of her favorite things so we decided to try a fun twist on sandwiches by using bagel slices for mini bite size versions. The fillings were just different fixins that we had at home. We came up with three yummy flavors that are great for lunch, snacks and cute appetizers for a party or a picnic. Hopefully you will give these easy and delicious bite size sandos a try, as well as all the other versions developed by the the Recipe ReDux crew.

Turkey Cheese and Tomato

Ingredients:

1 bagel sliced vertically into 16 rounds (use gluten free if on GF diet)

1 slice of deli turkey cut into a total of 8 pieces

2 baby bell light cheeses, cut into quarters for total of 8 pieces

4 grape tomatoes, halved

8 toothpicks

Directions:

Sandwich one piece of the cheese, turkey and tomato in between two of bagel rounds and then put a toothpick in the middle to hold them together.  Repeat this 7 more times for a total of 8 mini bagel sandwiches. Chill if not serving immediately.

Makes 8 mini sandwiches, eight servings

Serving size: 1 mini sandwich Calories 45 Protein 3 g Carb 6 g Fiber 1 g Sugars 1 g Fat 1 g Saturated fat <1 span="" style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> g Sodium 94 mg

Hummus and Cucumber

Ingredients:

1 bagel sliced vertically into 16 rounds (use gluten free if on GF diet)

8 teaspoons hummus

1 Persian cucumber cut into 8 slices

8 toothpicks

Directions:

Spread one of the bagel slices with 1 teaspoon hummus, add cucumber and top with second bagel round and then put a toothpick in the middle to hold them together.  Repeat this 7 more times for a total of 8 mini bagel sandwiches. Chill if not serving immediately.

Makes 8 mini sandwiches, eight servings

Serving size: 1 mini sandwich Calories 45 Protein 2 g Carb 7 g Fiber 1 g Sugars  g Fat 1 g Saturated fat <1 span="" style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> g Sodium  61 mg

Peanut butter and banana

Ingredients:

1 bagel sliced vertically into 16 rounds (use gluten free if on GF diet)

8 teaspoons peanut butter

1 small banana cut into 8 slices

8 toothpicks

Directions:

Spread one of the bagel slices with 1 teaspoon peanut butter, add banana slice and top with second bagel round and then put a toothpick in the middle to hold them together.  Repeat this 7 more times for a total of 8 mini bagel sandwiches. Chill if not serving immediately.

Makes 8 mini sandwiches, eight servings

Serving size: 1 mini sandwich Calories 72 Protein 2 g Carb 9 g Fiber 1 g Sugars 2 g Fat 3 g  

 Saturated fat <1 span=""> g Sodium 58 mg

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Recipe ReDux Post # 69 Greek Pasta Salad

The Recipe ReDux for April is centered around perfect picnic foods.  Being that April 23rd is Picnic Day, we were challenged to developed picnic worthy healthy recipes. I chose to do a pasta salad since it is a delicious take along food and works well as a side or a main meal.  I had been wanting to try some red lentil gluten free pasta I bought at Trader Joes recently so this was the perfect opportunity, and it was quite tasty!  Regular pasta works well in the recipe too and the combo of olives, sundried tomatoes and feta cheese in a light fresh dressing is a winner. I hope you will try it out along with the other great picnic foods created by the Recipe Redux group!

Ingredients

2 cups cooked and cooled pasta (preferably penne, spirals or bowties, I used Trader joes red lentil pasta, which is gluten free)

¼ cup chopped kalamata olives

¼ cup chopped sundried tomatoes

¼ cup low fat crumbled feta cheese

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 Tablespoons olive juice

1 Tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar or red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoons olive oil

spinach/chopped cucumbers (optional, for garnish)

 Directions:

Add the pasta, olives and sundried tomatoes to a medium sized bowl.  In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, olive juice, vinegar and olive oil.  Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss well to coat. Fold in the feta cheese.  Chill if not serving immediately.  Can be served with spinach and chopped cucumbers for garnish.

Makes 3 cups, 6 servings

Serving size: 1/2 cup Calories 200 Protein 6 g Carb 17 g Fiber 2  g Sugars  3 g Fat 5 g Saturated fat 1 g Sodium 205  mg

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Recipe ReDux Post # 66 Detox Salad

The Recipe ReDux for January  is “Favorite Kitchen Tool!”  To start off 2018 we were encouraged to develop a recipe featuring one of our favorite kitchen gadgets.  I absolutely LOVE my julienne peeler. In fact I got a new one recently. Currently, the main culinary purpose it  serves in my household is to make zucchini noodles, so for this ReDux challenge I wanted to try something new.  

The New Year is a time to begin fresh and for many, to clean up eating habits after indulging over the holidays. I decided to try making a yummy “detox” salad including flavorful beet and carrot shreds  (brought to you by the julienne peeler of course) along with some other nutrient packed ingredients like apples and walnuts.  I tossed all of this in a simple dressing of lemon, olive oil, rice vinegar and honey which brought it tighter perfectly. It’s a great side to brighten up your meal, or you can serve it as a main meal atop your favorite greens with added protein like chicken or fish.  I hope you will try it out along with all the other yummy recipes made with cool kitchen gadgets by the Recipe ReDux team!

Ingredients:

½ cup carrots shreds (use 1 medium carrot)

½ cup raw beet shreds ( use ½-1 medium beet)

½ cup chopped apple

¼ cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

salad greens like kale, spinach, field greens (optional for serving)

Directions:

Peel the carrot and beets, then shred them using the julienne peeler (or a regular peeler or food processor can also be used) . Add them to the chopped apple and walnuts in a small-medium sized bowl. In  a  separate small bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey and lemon juice. Pour the dressing into the bowl with the salad ingredients, toss and serve.   .

Makes 2 cups, about 2 servings  Serving Sixe: 1 cup  Calories 184 Protein  4 g Carb  19 g Fiber  3.5 g Sugars 13 g Fat 12 g saturated fat  2 g Sodium  165 mg

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Recipe ReDux Post # 62 “Everything” Baked Broccoli and Tofu

September’s Recipe ReDux is “Sheet Pan Meals” where our challenge was to create an entrée that is cooked all together on one sheet for a simple meal with less clean up!  This was a fun one for me because aside from pizza, or maybe lasagna, I had never really cooked an all in one meal in the oven!  My daughter loves tofu and broccoli and I happened to have those on hand, not to mention the new Trader Joes “Everything But the Bagel” seasoning in my cupboard which I had been waiting to try!! After pressing the tofu, I combined cubes of it and broccoli with a simple sauce and the seasoning , baked it in the oven and it came out delicious! If you do not have the Trader Joes seasoning you can also substitute plain sesame seeds as well. I hope you will try it along with the other Sheet Pan creations from the RecipeReDux group!

Ingredients:

¼ cup low sodium soy sauce (use gluten free brand if on gluten-free diet)

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon Traders Joes “Everything But the Bagel” seasoning or sesame seeds

16 ounces extra firm tofu, cut into ½ inch cubes

8 cups raw broccoli florets

parchment paper or cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, oil, garlic power and seasoning/sesame seeds.  Add the tofu to a large bowl, pour in half of the soy sauce mixture and toss to coat.  Spread the tofu on one side of a large baking sheet topped with parchment paper or coated with cooking spray.  Add the broccoli to the bowl, pour in the second half of the sauce and mix to coat.  Spread the broccoli on the other half of baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes, turn over and then bake for another 5-10 minutes until lightly browned.  Sprinkle with additional sesame seeds for serving if desired

Makes 6 heaping cups 6 servings

Serving size: 1 heaping cup  Calories 190 Protein  14 g Carb 9 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 3 g Fat 9 g Saturated fat g Sodium  655 mg

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Recipe ReDux Post # 61: Bacon N’ Egg Breakfast Fried Rice

Recipe ReDux for August is “Rise and Shine with a Savory Breakfast” and as the title implies we were challenged to create a savory, “dinner inspired” breakfast with our own healthy spin. This was a true challenge for me because I tend to like something neutral or sweet for breakfast and it forced me to think outside the box, which was great!  I happened to have some instant brown rice in the freezer, along with some turkey bacon and eggs, so I decided to try my luck at a breakfast style fired rice. I combined those simple three ingredients along with a little butter and green onion and it came out surprisingly delicious.  A few other bonuses are: its easy to make, reheats well for leftovers (so go ahead and double or triple the batch!), not to mention it has a good amount of protein, includes a whole grain and is low in fat.  So I’d say it’s a winner and I hope you will try it along the other savory breakfast creations brought to you by the talented RecipeReDux bloggers!

Ingredients:

1.5 cups cooked brown rice (I used Trader Joes instant microwavable)

1/3 cup diced green onion   
1/2 cup chopped turkey bacon  (fully cooked variety, I used  Trader Joes, nitrate free peppered variety)
1 teaspoon margarine or butter, divided in half
1 egg

salt and pepper to taste

shredded cheese for garnish

Directions:

Begin cooking the rice according to package directions. While the rice is cooking, add ½ teaspoon butter/margarine, the turkey bacon and the green onion to a large skillet, wok or flat saucepan and sauté on medium to high heat for 3-5 minutes stirring constantly (until slightly browned.) Set aside. Whisk the egg in a small bowl, and add it to the pan coated with another 1/2 teaspoon butter/margarine and scramble for 2-3 minutes. Add in the rice, bacon and onions and  cook for about 3-4 minutes until rice is lightly browned and the mixture is warmed through.

Makes 2 cups, 4 servings

Serving size:  ½ cup Calories  130 Protein 6  g Carb 18 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 1  g Fat  4 g Saturated fat  1 g Sodium  160 mg  

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Recipe ReDux Post # 60 Slow Cooker Taco Soup

July's Recipe ReDux challenge is "beat the heat" with recipes from your slow cooker and I was happy to participate as it has been awhile since I have used mine! Mexican themed dishes are always a favorite in our household so I decided to try my luck with a taco soup-ish recipe.  I simply browned  some turkey in a pan, added it + canned beans/tomatoes/corn and taco seasoning...and that was it.  7-8 hours later you have a hearty flavorful soup reminiscent of chili in a way.  It's great served with tortilla chips and topped with low fat cheese and avocado.  I hope you will try it out and also check out the other yummy recipes from the recipe redux crew!

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds extra lean ground turkey
1 tablespoon olive oil
two 28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes
one 14 ounce can of black beans, rinsed well
one 14 ounce can of pinto beans, rinsed well
one 14 ounce can of kidney beans, rinsed well
one 14 ounce can of corn, rinsed well
2 tablespoon taco seasoning

Directions:

Coat a large skillet with the olive oil, put in the turkey and lightly brown it for about 7-10 minutes until mostly cooked through.  Add browned turkey, the beans, corn  and taco seasoning to the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours.

Makes 12 cups, 12 servings

Serving size: 1 cup  Calories  235 Protein 22 g Carb 36 g Fiber  g Sugars 9 g Fat 1 g Saturated fat less than 0.5 g Sodium 674 mg

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Recipe ReDux Post # 55 Cauliflower Mushroom Taco Filling

February Recipe Redux theme is Taco Tuesday!! So as you can guess, we were encouraged to develop a creative taco recipe :)   It is my belief that that the world can always use more vegetarian taco options so I decided to develop one to add to the mix!  I used two of my favorite veggies as a base -cauliflower and mushrooms, and simply sauteed them with some onions and basic spices and the result was really delicious.  Caulifower often has a potato-like texture, and mushrooms can be somewhat “meaty” in mouth feel so these two veggies worked very well as the filling to replace potatoes and meat, which are two popular types of taco fillings. This filling is very versatile and works well in tortillas, lettuce wraps, atop a salad or even as a yummy veggie side dish.  You can add beans, cheese or your favorite meat to pump up the protein.  I hope you will try it and also check out some of the other great taco ideas from the Recipe ReDux group!

Ingredients:

5 cups chopped raw cauliflower florets

4 cups chopped Portobello mushrooms

1 cup chopped white onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ tablespoon chili powder

½ tablespoon ground cumin

salt to taste (optional)

Directions:

After chopping up all the veggies add the mushrooms and the onions to a large pan coated with the tablespoon olive oil and sauté on medium high heat, stirring occasionally,  until starting to brown (about 5 minutes).  While the mushrooms and onions are cooking, steam the cauliflower al dente in a pot of shallow boiling water or in a microwave-safe dish in 1 inch of water (covered) for about 4 minutes.  Drain the cauliflower and add it to the pan with the mushroom-onion mixture. Add the cumin and chili powder, mix well to coat the veggies and continue to heat for about 4-5 minutes until lightly browned and tender. Add salt to taste if desired and serve.  This works great with tortillas, lettuce cups, or mixed in with black beans atop a salad or as a burrito bowl with beans, rice and cheese.

Make 5 cups 5 servings

Serving size: 1 cup  Calories  90 Protein 4 g Carb 13 g  Fiber 3 g Sugars 5 g Fat 3 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium  40 mg

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Recipe Redux Post # 54: Kicked Up Tomato Soup

My challenge for Recipe ReDux this January was to create a “budget friendly” entrée that costs less than $3.00/serving.  I thought this was a great idea and brought Gabby in on the task so she could learn about the cost of ingredients in addition to helping me in the kitchen.  When I think of cost friendly, I think of canned ingredients so we looked in our pantry to see what we had.  Being that’s its been cold and rainy lately we thought a soup recipe would be in order and got to work combining what staples we had on hand.  We decided to do a kicked up tomato soup that actually included adding refried beans, corn, chili powder and cumin for some flair.  It was super easy to make and…..costs only roughly $ 1.00 per serving!!  You can add left over chicken or more beans  (like whole pinto or black) if you want to increase the protein and can garnish it with low fat cheese or sour cream as well. We hope you will try it along with the other budget friendly recipes from the Recipe ReDux group.

Ingredients:

32 ounces of vegetable broth

One 16 ounce can of corn  

One 16 ounce can of refried beans

One 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce to medium-low heat and simmer (stirring occasionally) until warmed though and beans are uniformly mixed in, about 10 minutes. 

Makes about 12 cups, six servings

Serving size: 2 cups Calories 140 Protein 6 g Carb 24 g Fiber 7 g Sugars 19 g Fat 4.5 g Saturated fat 0.5 g Sodium 800 mg

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Recipe ReDux Post # 51 and Gabby's Eats: Fabulous Fall Veggie Bowl

“Plant Power Protein Bowls” is the October theme for the Recipe ReDux Challenge and us bloggers were encouraged to put together our own nutritious and delicious plant based, protein packed bowl.  I am fortunate to have a kid that loves veggies so I thought I’d bring Gabby in on this one to help me out. I was very intrigued to find out what kinds of ingredients that she would put in her ideal veggie and protein bowl. Her first step in the planning was to ask me what veggies and fruits were in season.  We took to the internet to research Fall produce and she decided she wanted to do a Fall themed bowl featuring some of the best produce of the season.  

She then literally “mapped” out her bowl recipe on a paper- including kale, sweet potatoes, turnips, Brussels sprouts, as the veggies.   

We thought it would be a fun idea to take a variety of our favorite recipes I have previously created using these veggies in the past, to fill the bowl with all kinds of flavor.  Once our ingredient shopping was done,  we had a busy afternoon of cooking the veggie recipes to put in her bowl. To make it complete, she chose steamed edamame as her plant protein source and then topped her bowl off with a sprinkle of dried cranberries for the finishing touch.  The result was rainbow of color, taste and nutrition and I was very proud of her creation.  We hope you will give it a try and also check out some of the other powerful plant based bowls developed by the awesome group of Recipe ReDux bloggers.

Ingredients:

½ cup Super Smoky Sweet Potato Chips:  Recipe HERE

½ cup Simply Sauteed Kale:  Recipe HERE

½ cup Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts:  Recipe HERE

½ cup Sea Salt Roasted Turnips:  Recipe HERE

¼ cup cooked edamame

1 tablespoon dried cranberries

Directions:

Prepare all the veggie recipes as listed per links above and arrange a ½ cup of each into a medium sized bowl.  Add the edamame and cranberries and serve!

Serving size: 1 bowl Calories 415  Protein 14 g Carb 54 g  Fiber 13 g Sugars 18 g Fat 15 g Saturated fat 1 g Sodium  600 mg

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Recipe ReDux Post # 49 Turkey and Veggie Taco Filling

One of my favorite places to escape Los Angeles for a weekend trip is San Diego.  Years ago when I was there for a conference we were treated to a wonderful meal downtown for dinner at a trendy Mexican place.  It was a warm evening so I decided to order a taco salad and I found it extra special since they used ground turkey and it contained one of my favorite veggies- mushrooms. I have been wanting to re-create it for a long time now and this month’s Recipe ReDux gave me just the chance! The August challenge is to make a vacation inspired recipe and this is the one I chose. I hope you will give it a try and sample some of the other tasty trip-tastic treats developed by the talented Recipe ReDux bloggers too.

Ingredients:

16 ounces lean ground turkey

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

2 cups finely chopped bell pepper (red, yellow or a mixture)

4 cups chopped mushrooms (I used portobello)

1 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

salt to taste

Directions:

Coat a large sized pan with the olive oil, add the turkey meat and brown on medium heat, breaking up into small pieces, for about 7-10 minutes until browned. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the onion, peppers, and mushrooms to the pan and sauté on medium high heat until softened and starting to brown, about 3-5 minutes. Put the turkey back into the pan with the veggies, add the canned tomatoes and spices and simmer on medium heat for 7-10 minutes until warmed through.

Make 8 generous cups, 8 servings

Serving size: 1 cup Calories 110 Protein 16 g Carb 10 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 4 g Fat 1.5 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 120 mg

An InLinkz Link-up

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Recipe ReDux Post # 48: Cajun Cauliflower "Rice" and Beans

July's Recipe ReDux theme is "Get Your Fruits and Veggies in Shape" and we were encouraged to develop a recipe using fruits or veggies in unusual shapes/creative cuts.  Cauliflower had been on sale at my local Sprouts Market last week so I eagerly bought 2 large heads. As the week wore on I started to realize the cauliflower had been just sitting in my fridge and it needed to be eaten!! I decided it would be the perfect veggie to work with for this challenge and I thought it would be a good idea to try my luck at another cauliflower rice recipe.  As you may recall, I have made a faux risotto with cauliflower rice with turned out great.  This time I went for simple pairing of cauliflower rice with black beans and spiced it up with some Cajun flair.  Just four ingredients combine to make a super yummy dish that can be served as a side with your favorite protein, or even be a meal itself served over salad or topped with avocado, cheese and salsa! It is high in fiber and protein and low in fat too, which is a bonus!! I hope you will give it a try and take a look at all the other creative veggie/fruit recipes developed by the talented Recipe ReDux group!

Ingredients:

1 large head of cauliflower
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning
Two 15 ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed well

Directions:

Make the cauliflower into raw "rice " by using THIS recipe.  Add the tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet and put in the cauliflower rice and sprinkle the seasoning over it .  Saute on medium-high heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the black beans and heat for another 3-5 minutes until warmed through.

Makes 5 heaping cups, five servings

Serving size: 1 heaping cup Calories 189 Protein 12 g Carb 31 g Fiber 8 g Sugars 2 g Fat 3 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium  136 mg

An InLinkz Link-up

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