Savory Mac & Cheese "Muffins" with Spinach

O............M..............G!!      LOOKEY WHAT I FOUND! 

Oh, how I love homemade macaroni & cheese! Unfortunately, I love it so much that I rarely make it for fear that I will lose all portion control abilities and end up eating far more than I planned. And then comes....The Mac & Cheese Muffin!! 

I'm so flippin excited right now - I can't pound my keyboard fast enough to get this out to you to share!!

These individual sized portions of creamy, cheesy pasta are the perfect solution to satiate your cravings without going overboard. Two of them for dinner with a side salad and you can be happily satisfied. 

I think one would also make a perfect side dish to chicken, beef or pork. There’s even spinach in these so you can feel good about getting in some veggies! Real, full fat cheese are used in these (at still only 4 WW Points+ per muffin that seemed worth it to me) but if you want to lighten them up further you could use reduced fat cheeses. These are made with sharp white cheddar and Gruyere but feel free to get creative and use any of your favorite cheeses instead! 

How to make Really Good Hummus!

Hummus is pretty basic right? You have maybe 5 ingredients that you throw into a food processor and blend. Should be straight forward, but like making fresh mayo it ISN'T! Isn't a 1-2-3 in the bag dish that is. I've been wanting to make hummus for ages but only recently have I figured out how to do that! And thanks to this video I found on YouTube, now you can too!! Go grab a pen and paper and get ready to write down the ingredients! 

So what's the key to making fabulous hummus? Two things; balance of flavors and consistency. The balance of acid, fat, heat and aromatics is the first part. The consistency part has to do with, how much tahini you add, how long you blend it, and the amount of water you add. The water helps to break down the beans while processing the hummus to give it a creamier consistency. He used to add olive oil instead of water because he thinks the oil gives it more texture. Really the oil has no effect on the texture and it didn't do anything for the consistency. In fact it may have worked against both. Water helps open up the pores of the ingredients allowing distribution of flavor and achieving the right texture. As you'll see in the video, he make it a tad more loose then some of you might, but trust in the fact that it will firm up in the fridge.

See what you think and let me know how your next batch turns out.

Hearty Vegetable Lasagna - YUM!

This Veggie lasagna is VERY, VERY, VERY good!! I was skeptical at first because I really like my meaty lasagna, but with the mushrooms and the veggies,  I didn't even miss the meat! This is a super hearty version that I will definitely make again and again! If you add some spinach to the ricotta cheese, it makes it even better! 

Creamy Avocado & White Bean Wrap

White beans mashed with ripe avocado and blended with sharp Cheddar and onion makes an incredibly rich, flavorful filling for this wrap. The tangy, spicy slaw adds crunch. A pinch (or more) of ground chipotle pepper and an extra dash of cider vinegar can be used in place of the canned chipotles in adobo sauce.  These would be great served with my Black Bean Salad and Homemade Tortilla chips.

How to make Roasted Tomato Sauce

'Tis almost the season for TOMATOES!! yayyyyyy -  I can't wait!! Unfortunately, I didn't grow a garden this year and that really stinks...BUT...I am going to enjoy the Farmers Market this year to support my local growers. And one of the easiest ways to preserve that great unique flavor of your summer veggies from the market or your own garden, is to make a basic, roasted tomato sauce that can be adapted later on when we have that craving for summer tastes in the winter time.  Roasted sauce requires very little effort and roasting the tomatoes brings out a layer of richness in taste that fresh tomatoes do not have. Make a huge batch and freeze it for later on for all your pasta recipes, Mexican recipes or slap it on a fresh crust of Italian bread. OH!!  I can't forget about the eggplant dishes!!  Great, speaking of Eggplant, now I want that!! Roma Tomatoes are the best for roasting because out of the tomato varieties, they have the least seeds. 

Mexican Eggs in Tortilla Cup

Great for spicing up a vegetarian dinner or weekend brunch! This fast and easy recipe is full of zest, satisfying and nutritious. Ground cumin and a dose of chili powder combine with AllWhites® in a baked tortilla cup. 

BBQ Veggie Pasta Salad

Grilled veggies, spirally noodles, crumbly feta cheese, and a BBQ ranch sauce!?! It's all true, people...it's under 300 calories!! yipeeeeee 

Easy Salmon Cakes

If you are trying to boost your intake of omega-3s, try this simple favorite. It is a great way to use convenient canned (or leftover) salmon. The tangy dill sauce is fantastic!! 

Portobello Pockets

Oh Lord!! This is Heaven in a Pita!! I absolutely LOVE Portobello mushrooms! They are so meaty and rich, you don't even miss the "meat" in these!  After 30 minutes of prep time and marinating these overnight, Tomorrow's lunch will be fantastic! And to make it even better.... You can have TWO of these bad boys for only 272 calories!

Quinoa Wilted Spinach Salad Recipe

Get all the nutritious benefits of quinoa, spinach and cranberries paired with the crunchy texture of nuts in this easy and scrumptious salad. A light, flavorful dressing splashed with citrus tops everything off! 

Sharon Ricci - Mendon, New York. 

Quinoa - To Eat or Not to Eat. That is the question!

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah)

Like the blog title states, To eat or Not to eat???  In my hunt for healthy recipes for this blog, I keep hearing Quinoa, Quinoa, Quinoa and kept thinking  - what in  the world is it and what do you do with it? So I did a little research and wanted to explain a little bit what this mysterious ingredient is for those of you that don't know either (which was me right before I posted this). To be honest, I have not tried it before so I'm eager to cook with it - I would love to hear your opinions about it too!! But, from what I read,  Quinoa is usually considered to be a whole grain, it is actually a seed from a plant that is similar to spinach, beets and swiss chard, but can be prepared like whole grains such as rice or barley.  They say that you can use it instead of rice, so it might be pretty good for a veggie stir-fry. 

I've read that #1, it takes less time to cook than other whole grains. #2 it supposedly tastes great on it's own, or you can add a little bit of olive oil, sea salt and lemon juice and that's supposed to be real good! And finally #3, of all the whole grains, quinoa has the highest protein content, so it's perfect for vegetarians and vegans.  

Quinoa is a gluten-free and cholesterol-free, and it's kosher for Passover, and is almost always organic. To cook quinoa: Prepare quinoa as you would prepare rice. Cover it with water or vegetable broth and boil until soft, about 15 minutes. Or, place 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water in your rice cooker. 

Nutritional content of quinoa: According to CalorieCount, 1/3 cup of cooked quinoa has 160 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. You can find it in the bulk bins or the baking aisle of natural foods stores, or find it online.

NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF QUINOA 

• High In Protein: Quinoa is equipped with all 8 amino acids making it a complete protein. That makes Quinoa a great addition to a vegetarian diet but is also a low-fat protein for meat lovers. 

• Gluten Free: Because it is not a grain and not related to wheat, Quinoa is a fantastic grain alternative for those with gluten sensitivities or allergies. It can be used as a flour in baked goods or in its seed form. Its nutty flavor is a fantastic addition to a morning muffin or banana bread. 

• Reduces Blood Pressure: Quinoa is a rich source of magnesium which is a vasodilator and helps to lower blood pressure. 

• Reduces Migraines: The same vasodilator effect that lowers blood pressure also decreases and treats migraine headaches. 

• Great Source Of Fiber: One of Quinoa’s most redeeming qualities is its fiber content. This nutritional grain alternative has 3 grams of fiber per cup. Fiber lowers cholesterol, stabilizes blood sugar, squashes hunger and improves colon health.

Henri's French Onion Soup (Vegetarian Style)

French Onion Soup has to be my FAVORITE soup in the world and whoever Henri is, we need to thank him for this FANTASTIC recipe!! Although it is a Vegetarian recipe, you CANNOT tell!! You still get all the great flavor as if you did use a meat based stock. So If you're having company over, double or triple this recipe because it only serves 6 which means ALL MINE!!