Chicken Sausage Stir-Fry

Ok here are 3 weird food facts about me:

1.  I hate chicken.
2.  I hate sausage.
3.  I LOVE chicken sausages.

Don't ask me why, but I am just loving the All Natural Chicken Sausages (especially the spinach and garlic ones).  This recipes combines the delicious (and a staple in our household) Tofu Veggie Stir Fry, with Chicken Sausages.


Ingredients: (amounts will vary depending on taste preference and number of people... this serves 2 people with leftovers!)

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 packages of chicken sausages (I prefer Spinach/Garlic) chopped
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped carrots
1 small package of sugar snap peas
1 avocado
Favorite package of brown rice

Sauce: See Tofu Veggie Stir Fry Sauce



Steps:


1.  Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a pan and heat on medium high.  Once hot, add in sausages until lightly browned.  They are already pre-cooked, so this only takes about 3-5 minutes.

2.  Add in broccoli and carrots and cook covered for about 8 minutes.

3.  Cut the pea pods in half and add to the mixture next.

4.  Serve with your favorite brown rice.  I love the Uncle Ben's 90 second Whole Grain - it's fast, easy, and delicious!

5.  Top each dish with half of an avocado and serve with sauce on the side.

~Eat Well and Be Happy~

Summertime Burgers with Sauteed Mushrooms

It's summertime, which means backyards (YEA! We finally have one!), barbecues, and beers.  Everyone has their own variations of the burger.  Some like those uber huge burgers, loaded with everything but the kitchen sink.  I on the other hand, do not.  I like a simple, healthy burger, that's full of flavor, and can easily be made in 15-20 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 lb. All natural, organic ground beef (90%/10%)  

3/4 cup chopped onions

1 egg (organic)

1/4 cup bread crumbs (I actually used just a smidgen more)

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano 

1 package fresh mushrooms - stems and pieces

1 tbsp. minced garlic

1 tbsp. olive oil

100 calorie whole wheat pits

guacamole

Steps:

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, onions, egg, bread crumbs, and spices.  Use your hands to mix until combined.  Break the mixture into four patties and wrap individually in tin foil until ready to cook.  (These will still be great to cook the next day as left-overs!)

To cook burgers:

Heat a pan on medium-high and coat with cooking spray.  Cook the burgers for about 5-7 minutes a side, with the cover on the pan.  Use a meat thermometer to test the inside (who likes over-cooked burgers anyways?!?!).

While the burgers are cooking, heat a small pan on medium heat.  Add 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. minced garlic.  Once hot, add in the mushrooms to saute.  These will take about 7 minutes, or until the mushrooms are mostly brown... be sure to stir often.

Toast pitas, if desired.

Build your burger... bottom bun, burger, Wholly Guacamole, sauteed mushrooms, top bun.

Be sure to pair with your favorite beer.  Lately I'm loving Magic Hat Elder Better.

What's your favorite burger topping?  What are other healthy ways you have prepared this summer essential?

~Eat Well and Be Happy~

Summer Veggie Spring Rolls

There have been lots of "happenings" in the Yellow Apron world during these last 2 months of a hiatus.  1.  We moved apartments, and 2. A new addition has joined the household.  Meet Cooper.

School has ended, which means my little blog gets much more attention.  And to kick off the summer, I have a great dish to share.  I originally got the idea from Clean Eating magazine, my absolute favorite magazine for recipes.


We had them as a side dish to our dinner, but they would also make a great appetizer, or a lunch.  What's even better, is they are very customizable to suit your taste buds! (C gave these a 10 too).

Ingredients:


1 cup shredded broccoli shaw (carrots, broccoli, red cabbage)
1 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 cup mango chunks
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro chopped
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
12 rice paper sheets (I only used 8, but they come in a pack of 12)

Someone wanted to help.

Keeping my feet warm

Steps:
1.  In a large bowl mix all ingredients except for the rice paper.

2.  Take a shallow dish (like a casserole dish) and fill it with warm water and place to the side.  Lay a damp tea towel on your work station (dining room table for me).

3.  Take 1 sheet of the rice paper and soak it in the water for 15 seconds.  Then remove it and blot it with the damp tea towel.  It should be sticky.

4.  Using a spoon, place filling across the center, in a line.

5.  Fold up the two short ends.

6.  Fold over one long side, then roll over the remaining wrapper.

7.  Serve with soy sauce on the side.

~Eat Well and Be Happy~

Barley Vegetable Stew

Every year my family does a rather large Easter Basket Exchange.  My brother-in-law (a financial-nerd shall we say) created a chart where (in his words) "each participant will be assigned a partner to provide an Easter Basket for based on the highest correlation of their company's stock performance when viewed across the universe of chosen companies." (We were each assigned companies based on our personalities or where we worked).

UM WHAT?!

So in my Easter basket, I received a great soup mix called Halladay's Fresh Harvest: Farmhouse Barley Vegetable Stew.  

And a fun chef's hat!

I added a few extra ingredients to make it super hearty.  The mix contained: barley, split peas, vegetarian stock, ground peppers, oregano, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, and bay leaf.  All things you can easily combine even if you don't have the mix.  



Ingredients:


Barley vegetable stew soup mix
Fresh mushrooms
Carrots (chopped)
Dark red kidney beans
Diced tomatoes (1 can)
Water





Steps:
1.  In a large pot, add 8 cups of water, tomatoes, and soup mix.  Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

2. Add in chopped carrots, mushrooms, and beans.  Continue to simmer for 1 hour.

Have you ever tried different soup mixes? What's your favorite??

~Eat Well and Be Happy~

Spinach Bean Stew

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 small sweet onion (chopped)
3 red potatoes (chopped)
1 package fresh sliced mushrooms
1 can black beans
1 can navy beans
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 cups water
1 package baby spinach (stems chopped off)
Crumbled feta cheese to top

These potato cleaning gloves are the best!

Steps:

1.  In a large pot heat oil over medium heat.

2.  Add in chopped onions and potatoes.  Cook for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.  Add in mushrooms, and thyme.  Continue to cook for about 10 more minutes.

4.  Add in tomato paste and 2 cups water.  Cover and continue to cook for about 8 minutes.

5.  Add in navy beans and black beans (remember to drain and rinse them first). Cook for about 5 more minutes.

6.  Add in the spinach, about half the package at a time.  Stir until the spinach has wilted, then add in the rest.  Cook for 5 more minutes.

7.  Top soup with crumbled feta cheese

~Eat Well and Be Happy~

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Couscous

This dish was relatively easy to do, and it was very hardy.  The only SUPER difficult part was cutting the acorn in half.  I have always had a hard time doing this… any tips fellow cookers??

C gave this one an 8.5 but I gave it a 9.

 

Ingredients: (serves 2 people with leftover "stuffing")

2 acorn squash

3 carrots

1 can kidney beans

1 can black beans

1 sm. red onion – chopped

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

17 oz. chicken broth

1 cup whole wheat couscous

1 can diced tomatoes

Dried basil

Garlic salt

Peccerino cheese

Optional: hot sauce

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cut 2 acorn squash in half, the long way.  Be very careful doing this, I find it hard to do!

 2.  Place the squash face up in a baking dish.  Add some water to the bottom of the pan so the squash doesn’t burn.  Bake for about 35 minutes, or until soft

3.  Meanwhile, on medium heat, add oil to a large pan.  Add in thinly chopped carrots and onion.  Cook for about 5 minutes.

4.  Add in mushrooms and cook for 5 more minutes.

5.  Drain and rinse kidney beans and black beans and add to the pot.

6.  Add in chicken broth, and couscous.  Cook for about 3 minutes

7.  Drain diced tomatoes and add to mixture. 

8.  Add in a few shakes of garlic salt and dried basil (chef’s choice really, but I used about 1 tbsp of each)

9.  Remove the pot from heat. Cover, and let sit until liquids have been absorbed.  Be sure to stir only occasionally.

10.  Once all liquids have been absorbed, add some fresh peccerino cheese to the mixture and stir.

11.  After acorns have finished cooking, fill with the couscous mixture. 

12.  Top with fresh shavings of pecorino cheese

13.  Optional: Add hot sauce if you like the heat!!

~Eat Well and Be Happy~

Take Your Lunch To Work this week!

This Edamame Bean Salad is a perfect dish to make on a Sunday, and then have for lunch for the week.  It's absolutely delicious.  Have some plain greek yogurt on the side and you have enough protein to keep you satisfied all afternoon!


Random Sidenote:  Ever since I was little, I have had a fear of cafeteria lines.  School food quality aside, everyone always just seems to know where to go, how much food costs, what foods you have to buy (like you always had to buy a milk with the lunch, but I never wanted the milk because I don't like milk!), etc.  All growing up I brought my lunch to school, and continue to do so.  Plus, my mom would put little notes in my lunch bag, which continued through high school!  Everyone at the lunch table was super jealous...






Ingredients:  
1 can black beans
1 can chick peas
about 20 grape tomatoes cut in half
1 cup shelled edamame (thawed if frozen)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
4 oz. fresh mozzarella chopped
(this is about half of a typical package)
1/3 cup diced red onion
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms

Dressing:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tbsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. sea salt



Steps:  
1)  Drain and rinse the black beans and the chick peas.

2)  In a large bowl combine: black beans, chick peas, tomatoes, edamame, cilantro, mozzarella, onion, and mushrooms.  Stir to combine

(I have a huge issue with cutting onions.  No matter what I do, it just burns my eyes.  I have resorted to buying the pre-chopped type.  I know this is horrible both economically, and environmentally... but what's a girl to do?!)  

3)  In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing.  Pour on top of the salad, then stir to fully mix.

4)  Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use!

~Eat Well and Be Happy~