Mushroom Pork Potato Pies

Mushroom Pork Potato Pies

Many people are anti-pork because they think it is loaded in fat.  Pork however has come a long way due to its reputation.  Now if you go to the grocery store and look at a cut of pork you will see more lean portions available.  Pork is perfectly fine to eat when it is not loaded with fat and it provides great nutrient.  It is loaded with B vitamins, iron, zinc, and selenium.   You do not need to worry about this meat as long as you pick lean portions just like with any meats on the market.  

Another great ingredient in this recipe is mushrooms.  Mushrooms exposed to UV light are a great source of Vitamin D.  Vitamin D is important in the absorption of calcium in the bones.  You can eat a ton of calcium, but without the vitamin D to absorb it you are at a lost cause.  It is hard to obtain enough vitamin D from diet alone.  Our skin makes vitamin D naturally when we go outside.  However since more and more individuals are staying inside, we are experiencing a deficiency in vitamin D.  Vitamin D has also shown to be protective against musculoskeletal disorders, infectious disease, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurocognitive dysfunction, mental illness, infertility, and adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes.

The potato crust in this recipe is a great alternative for many pies such as chicken pot pie, hamburger pie,  and shepherds pie.  Potatoes may have a lot of starch but they are also loaded with B vitamins, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and manganese.  It is also a great source of fiber with 7g per serving.  No reason to avoid this starchy vegetable, moderation is the key for any of these diets.

Ingredients 

2 tbsp canola oil

1 large onion cut into wedges

1 lb lean pork, diced

4 cups of mushrooms, diced

2/3 cup apple juice

Salt and pepper to taste

3-4 medium potatoes, chopped

1/3 cup margarine

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg, beaten

Seasonings of choice (ex tarragon, cumin, thyme)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Begin boiling potatoes.

In pan heat oil and cook onions until nice and soft. About 3 min.

Add pork and cook until brown.  Add muxhrooms and cook until  soft.  About 2 min.

Stir in apple juice and seasonings. 

    

Divide mixture in to 4 oven proof bowls.

 Once the potatoes are nice and tender you can begin preparing the crust.  Drain potatoes and allow them to cool uncovered.   

Mash the potatoes and stir in margarine and desired seasonings.  Add flour and baking powder and stir lightly until it forms a nice dough.  Knead the dough carefully with your hands.  Divide it into 4 sections.  Roll each section out and place it on top of each bowl.  Pinch the edges to seal it.

Brush the tops of the pies with the egg.  Bake for approximately 40 min or until golden brown.  

Protein Banana Nut Bread

I love baking!  And popular recipes such as banana nut bread can be made healthier with a few changes to this famous recipe.  I am always trying  to find ways to increase my protein and fiber intake.  For this bread I added protein powder to help you feel fuller longer.  The walnuts are a great source of fiber, Omega-3s, and magnesium so I tend to be very generous with adding these to my dish.  If you have some ripe bananas in your pantry it is time to start cooking this delicious and healthy banana nut bread.

Ingredients

1 cup of flour

1 cup of protein powder (plain or vanilla)

2 ripe bananas

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 tbsp cinnamon

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat your oven to 350.  In a loaf pan, spray with cooking spay.  Begin by mixing your flour, protein powder, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl place your bananas, egg, brown sugar, applesauce, and vanilla.  Use a hand mixer to blend well to get out all the chunks.

Mix your wet and dry ingredients together. Add your walnuts, but leave a few tablespoons to top your bread with.

Pour your batter in the loaf pan and top with some walnuts.

Bake for about 30 min or until toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!!

Simply Strawberry Smoothie

When I am in a rush in the morning, and I want to have a balanced breakfast,  I make me this easy smoothie.  This is the smoothie I always turn to when I need something fast and tasty.  My husband has to wake up extra early during football season, so making a full breakfast where you must sit down is near impossible.  Instead I make him smoothies and put them in to-go cups for the road.  He can drink them on the way to work without wasting any time.

So how do you make this easy smoothie?

In a blender add 1 cup of frozen strawberries, 2 scoops of protein powder, 1 6oz container of yogurt (I normally use vanilla),  and 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk.  Blend, Pour, and Go!

Blackened Fish Nachos with Watermelon Salsa

A healthy treat that satisfy all your taste buds.  This delicious dish is a spin on the classic nachos, only made a little bit healthier.  This dish is spicy, sweet, salty, and juicy.  I never thought watermelon using watermelon as a salsa would be such a good idea.  The watermelon cools your tongue after taking a bite of the spicy fish.  It is also a great source of vitamin A which is essential for our eyes and skin.   This dish is definitely now one of my favorites.

Ingredients

4 fish fillets (a white fish such as tilapia or flounder)

Canola oil

Blackened Seasoning

2 cups of cubed watermelon

2 tbsp of lime juice

1/4 cup of chopped cilantro

2 cups shredded cabbage

Baked tortilla chips 

shredded mozzarella cheese

Begin by seasoning the fish with the blackening seasoning.  

Heat skillet and cook fish on both sides for about 3-4 minutes.

For the salsa, mix together the watermelon, lime juice, and cilantro.

To assemble the nachos begin by putting a handful of chips on a plate.  Place a hand full of shredded cabbage, a fish fillet, the watermelon salsa, and sprinkle of cheese.

Enjoy!!

Recipe modified from The dairy Good Cookbook.

Yummy Date Breakfast Cookies

Start your day of with a yummy cookie!!  Not just any cookie,  a healthy date cookie with avocados, oats, cinnamon, and yogurt.  You know that sounds good, and it is.  Cookies are my favorite food, so this delicious healthy treat is just what I need to get my cookie fix and fill my morning with a wholesome breakfast.  This recipe is great for breakfast on the run.  You make a batch at the beginning of the week and you will have enough cookies to last you a few days.  Just grab and go!

Ingredients

3 cups of old fashion oats

1 1/2 cup flour ( you can use whole wheat for more whole grain goodness)

4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 ripe avocado, mashed

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup plain low fat yogurt

2 eggs

2 cups of chopped dates (12 oz)

Preheat oven to 375.  

In a bowl mix oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

In a separate bowl use a blender to mix the avocado, oil, and sugar together.  Then add the yogurt and eggs.

Combine the wet and dry mixture.

Take your dates.  I found mine at Walmart in the produce section (by the nuts and seeds).  

Chop the dates into tiny pieces

Add the dates into your batter.  Using a 1/4 cup measure scoop the batter onto a cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Recipe modified from Fresh Avocado Love One Today Campaign  Loveonetoday.com

Roasted Italian Vegetables

I don't know about you, but I am always looking for new ways to make my vegetable sides.  Eating just a side of green beans or carrots can be boring after a while.  I like to make my vegetable sides exciting so I have something to look forward to.  This vegetable side as surprisingly delicious and easy to make.  Caramel flavor of the roasted vegetables added the right touch to make this dish special.  Check out the recipe below

Ingredients

1 red bell pepper cut in strips

1 cup baby carrots

1 large onion cut in wedges

1 cup of baby portobello mushrooms

drizzle of Italian salad dressing

sprinkle of Parmesan

Mix the vegetables and salad dressing together in a baking dish.  

Top with cheese.

Bake until vegetables become tender about 20 minutes.  For a more caramelized taste, broil the vegetables for the last 5 minutes. 

Protein Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a classic breakfast choice for many people.  This heart healthy whole grain is full of fiber which helps you stay full longer and aids in digestive health.  Unfortunately though, eating just oatmeal by itself is not considered a complete breakfast.  Oatmeal is mainly carbohydrate with some natural fat found in the oats.  It does not provide enough protein for your breakfast meal.  Unless you pair it with some eggs, and turkey bacon you are going to be behind on your protein needs for the day.  One trick I like to do is stir in protein powder with your oatmeal.  We know that many of the flavored oatmeals are jam packed with sugar which can spike your blood sugar.  But eating plain oatmeal can be boring.  By adding flavored protein powder, such as vanilla,  you will get that sweet taste you are looking for and get plenty of protein.  I like to use Natural Whey Protein by True Athlete which is found at Vitamin Shoppe.  It contains probiotics to help with digestive health. 

To make your Protein oatmeal is easy.  Pour the desired amount of oatmeal into a bowl ( 1/2 -1 cup is typical).  Scoop your protein powder in to your oatmeal, enough to get atleast 20g of protein.  I used 2 scoops with my True Athlete protein powder to make 20 g.  Then add low fat milk or almond milk.  Stir.  Them microwave to desired consistency as usual.  Yummy!!

Raspberry Orange Pancakes and Syrup

Pancakes are my favorite morning treat.  It is made more special with home made pancakes and syrup.  This delicious raspberry orange pancakes and syrup makes an morning special.  Using fresh oranges you will have a nice tangy flavor added to your pancakes, while the raspberries brings just the right amount of tartness and sweetness.  

Raspberry Orange Pancakes and Syrup

Maple Raspberry Syrup

Ingredients

1 cup fresh orange juice

Dash of cinnamon

2 tbsp of orange zest

1 cup real maple syrup

2/3 cup or raspberries

Pancakes

Ingredients

2-3 oranges

1 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

¼ cup skim milk or milk substitute

1 egg

2 tsp oil

¾ cup raspberries

In a sauce pan combine orange juice, syrup and cinnamon.  Simmer for 7-8 minutes.  Add orange zest and berries.  Mash berries.  Set aside.

For pancakes, zest the oranges and st aside.  Squeeze oranges to make ½ cup of juice. 

In a lg bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt. Add orange juice, egg, milk, and zest.

Place oil on griddle.  Pour some batter on griddle and cook pancakes evenly on both sides.  Top pancakes with syrup.

Low Fat Strawberries and Cream Popsicle

It is so hot outside! During this weather everyone loves a delicious frozen treat.  However most ice creams are loaded with fat and calories.  If you want to cool down you don't want to put on a few pounds while doing it by eating high fatty foods.  Try these delicious popsicles instead.  They use Greek yogurt instead of whole milk to help cut the fat.  It is a delicious treat that your whole family will love!

Strawberry Shortcake Popsicles

Servings 6-12 (depending on popsicle size)

Ingredients

2 cups fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
1/2 cup crushed Reduced fat Nilla wafers
2 cups vanilla Greek yogurt

In a bowl combine vanilla wafers, and yogurt.

Put strawberries in a blender or food processor to form a puree.

In popsicle trays fill 1/3 full with yogurt mixture, 1/3 with strawberries, and the remaining 1/3 with yogurt mixture.

Freeze.

Blueberry pancakes

Pancakes are my favorite breakfast recipe.  However the added syrup that normally comes on pancakes is full of sugar and calories. 1/4 of syrup typically has about 200 calories.  Plus adding a tablespoon of butter adds an additional 100 calories.  So having a short stack of 2-3 pancakes ends up being an easy 600-800 calories.  Not necessarily the best way to start your day.  You can cut the calories by substituting the syrup with something lower in calories, such as blueberries.  These blueberry pancakes have become one of my favorite breakfast treats.  It is easy to make and much healthier.

Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup flour

3 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 cup milk

3 tbsp canola oil

½ cup frozen blueberries

½ cup fresh blueberries

Mix dry ingredients in bowl.

Add milk and oil. 

Pour batter in griddle.  Add frozen blueberries.  Cook each side for 2-3 min.

Serve with fresh blueberries.

Low Fat Zucchini Pesto

Pesto is becoming more and more popular.  With people trying to be more adventurous with their dish we are seeing more people eating pesto than in the past.  Pesto is mainly used for pasta however I have seen it now being added to pizza, sandwiches, chicken, vegetables, salads, hummus, soups, and much more.  The only thing is pesto is mainly fat.  Pesto recipes are composed of oil, basil, garlic, and cheese.  Obviously the oil and cheese increases the fat and calorie content substantially. If you are trying to lose weight, eating too much of this actually may defeat your efforts.  A good alternative is the low fat zucchini pesto.  It still has the same great taste, however the fat is cut due to the added vegetables.  I use it for my pasta and pizzas and it tastes just as good as the real thing.

Low Fat Zucchini Pesto

Ingredients

1 Zucchini, diced

1 clove garlic, 

¼ cup baisil

3-4 tbsp olive oil

2-3 tbsp parmesan cheese

Boil zucchini until soft.  Drain. 

Transfer zucchini, and remaining ingredients to a food processor.  Blend until desired consistency.

Ireland's Colcannon-Potatoes and Cabbage

Cabbage is a leafy green full of vitamin K and C.  Many people are not aware of its great nutrient properties.  Studies have shown it has great antioxidant properties to help fight against free radicals.  it also has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.   Cabbage also helps heal stomach ulcers and the overall health of the digestive tract.  The high fiber content of cabbage helps with digestion and also lowering of cholesterol benefiting the cardiovascular system.  

I personally am not a huge cabbage fan,  however this Irish recipe is delicious.  The addition of the potatoes and bacon are a great complement to the leafy green.  And if you want to cut down on the carbs, you can eat the cabbage by itself without the potatoes and it tastes just as good.

Ireland’s Colcannon – potatoes and cabbage

Ingredients

4 slices of turkey bacon, diced

1 small green cabbage, shredded

1 leak, chopped

3 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed

¾ cup warm buttermilk

In a large pot place potatoes in water to where it barely covers the top.  Boil until tender, about 12 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in large skillet cook bacon until done.  Drain fat.   Remove bacon and set aside.

Add cabbage and leaks.  Cook until tender. 

Once potatoes are done, drain the potatoes and add butter milk.  Mash the potatoes until smooth.

Stir in cabbage mixture and sprinkle with bacon.

Curry Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Broccoli cheese casserole has become an American classic.  With moms trying to get their little ones to eat more vegetables adding cheese to the veggies has been a solution used by many.  Unfortunately though, the addition of cheese also means the addition of fat.  Unless you are using low fat cheese, you are probably adding a ton of extra calories.  Many people do not correlate cheese with fat.  But even the low fat cheeses can have up to 6g of fat per oz.  And we all know that most of us eat way more than 1 oz of cheese.  The Curry Broccoli Casserole is an easy way to fix this.  Due to the orange color, you are fooled into thinking there is more cheese than what is actually in the dish.  Also the curry flavor brings an interesting twist to this popular dish.

Curry Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients

2 heads of broccoli, chopped

3 tbsp cornstarch

1 qt skim milk

4 tsp curry powder

2 ¾ tsp salt

9 oz mozzarella cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Steam broccoli by placing broccoli in a colander over boiling water. 

In a small bowl mix 1/3 cup of milk with cornstarch.

In a lg pot add remaining milk and curry powder.  Bring to boil.  Add the small bowl of milk and cornstarch.  Whisk to allow sauce the sauce to thicken.  Add ½ cup of cheese. 

Transfer broccoli and sauce into a casserole dish.  Top with remaining cheese. Bake 40 min.

Summer Squash and Corn Breakfast Tacos

Breakfast is the best time to sneak in some vegetables.  Many of us do not get in the minimum of 3 servings of vegetables a day.  By starting your day with vegetables added in to your breakfast, reaching that goal is more attainable.  I enjoy adding vegetables to my egg dishes.  It is easy and it makes a normal classic into something special and unique.  Try these breakfast tacos with squash, corn, onion, tomato, and cilantro.  Your taste buds will be in for a nice surprise.

Summer squash and corn Breakfast Tacos

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium white onion, diced

2 small yellow squash, diced

1 can of corn

2 medium tomatoes, diced

6 eggs

Salt and pepper

8 corn tortillas

5 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup cilantro

Heat oil in saute pan.  Add onion and cook for 2 min.

Add squash and corn and continue to cook until tender.

Season with salt and pepper

Beat eggs.

In a separate pan scramble eggs.

Warm tortillas

Assemble tacos with egg, vegetables, cheese, and cilantro.

Crepes

Crepes are very popular in many European countries.  It is a different take on pancakes that is higher in protein due to the higher liquid content of milk and eggs.  Crepes can also be used for more savory dishes by taking the place of tortillas or even pasta.  

For breakfast I choose to stuff my crepes with yogurt and strawberries for a sweet alternative to the high calorie syrup.

I have tried several crepe recipes in the past, so far this one is my favorite.  

Crepes

Ingredients

2 eggs

¾ cup milk or milk substitute

½ cup water

1 cup all-purpose flour (you can use whole wheat for a whole grain option)

3 tbsp melted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp honey

In a bowl mix all ingredients together with a whisk until smooth.  In a non-stick sauté pan spray with cooking spray and heat on medium high heat.  Once warm pour a small amount of batter into pan.  Swirl batter around to make a thin circle.  Cook until edges are cooked and bubble, thin flip the crepe over to cook on the other side.  

Vegetable Tomato Sauce

If you are like most parents, you probably have kids that are not willing to try new vegetables.  It sometimes seems impossible to get children to eat their vegetables.  I have the same problem with my husband.  He hates most vegetables, so making sure he gets an adequate amount can be a daunting task.  One great way is to hide the vegetables in your food.  Pasta sauce is one of the most popular ways to hide vegetables.  Many people hid spinach, bell peppers,or mushrooms.  I have decided to take this further and my sauce has egg plant, zucchini, squash, carrots, and onions.  Try my recipe bellow to help you add more vegetables to your sauce.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1 sm medium yellow onion

2 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp red pepper flakes

1 small eggplant, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 squash, diced

1 carrot, peeled, diced

1 tsp thyme

¾ tsp salt

28 oz diced tomatoes, may add extra tomato sauce depending on how much you want.

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

Heat oil in pan.  Add onion and garlic, cook until translucent.  Add squash, zucchini, eggplant, and carrot to food processor, one vegetable at a time.  Transfer the vegetable to the pan.  Add the tomatoes and spices.  Simmer for about 15 minutes.  Take a hand blender and blend the sauce until desire consistency.  If you do no own a hand blender, scoop the sauce about a cup at a time into a regular blender.  Hold lid tightly and blend until desire consistency.

Raspberry Protein Muffins

Protein muffins are my absolute favorite.  I love baked goods but many of them do not have enough protein to be counted as a full meal.  By adding protein powder you increase the amount of protein in the muffins.  These muffins are a delicious treat with yummy raspberries and white chocolate.  I ate these muffins for breakfast.  It is also a great way for a grab and go breakfast.  Make the muffins on Sunday and you will have breakfast for a few days.

Most individuals do not eat enough protein in the morning.  Many people pull a bowl of cereal or skip breakfast all together.  Protein at breakfast has shown many benefits including increased satiety so you do not splurge on extra calories later on in the day.  Individuals who ate protein during breakfast has shown to have a reduced waist circumference, blood pressure, and insulin compared to those who ate a high carb breakfast.  Aim to have 1/4-1/3 of your meal be from protein.  Some options include this great protein muffin or you can try eggs or smoothies.

Raspberry Protein Muffins

Ingredients

1 egg

3 tbsp butter, melted

1 cup of skim milk or milk substitute (I used almond milk, may need additional milk)

2 cup flour ( can use whole wheat or flour alternative)

1/2 cup sugar or Splenda

1 tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup of white chocolate chips

1 1/2 cup of raspberries

few scoops of protein powder (varies on brand, I used 6 scoops, see description below)

Preheat oven to 400

Prepare muffin pans by placing cupcake papers in muffin pan and spray with cooking spray.

In a bowl mix eggs, butter, and milk.

In a separate bowl mix flour, baking powder, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix.

Begin adding protein powder a scoop at a time.  The batter will thicken.  You can add some more milk to thin it out if you want to add additional protein powder.

Fold in raspberries and white chocolate chips.

Pour batter into the cups.

Bake for 15 min.

Enjoy!

Baked Onion Rings

Let's be real.  Sometimes we want some fried food from restaurants.  One of my favorite sides are onion rings.  But fried onion rings are full of trans and saturated fats that are bad for you.  Trans fats are fats you do not want in your body, and the US actually made laws to remove it from our food supply.  So what can you do instead is make it at home in the oven.

Baked Onion Rings

Ingredients

1 yellow onion

3/4 cup dry bread crumbs or cornmeal

Salt and pepper

Paprika

egg

Preheat oven to 450.

Spray pan with cooking spray.

Slice onion in rings, try not to separate all the rings,  The onion rings come out better if there are a few attached to each other.

Mix the eggs with the salt and pepper.

Dip onions in egg and then coat with bread crumbs.

Transfer to pan.  

Bake 10 minutes

Enjoy