Veggie Stuffed Peppers

Sorry folks - don't have a picture of this one! I made this recipe up back when the Bears were living together one summer and all they had to eat were the veggies from Mr. Bear's Mawmaw's garden! When you make this pleeeease send me your pictures!

4 large green peppers, caps, core, and seeds removed

1 medium yellow onion, diced

Assortment of diced veggies (carrots, celery, zucchini, yellow squash, etc)

1 1/2 c cooked brown rice

1 can tomato paste

2 TBSP Italian seasoning

Salt + pepper

Parmesan cheese

Olive oil

1. Coat skillet with olive oil. Add onion and cook until translucent over med-low heat. Add veggies and spices. Cook 10 minutes.

2. Stir in rice, tomato paste, plus 1/2 can water (use tomato paste can).

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat small baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Fill peppers with mixture - do not overfill. Sprinkle tops with parmesan cheese.

4. Bake 30-40 minutes or until the peppers are soft.

Parmesan Dill Couscous

1 box Near East Parmesan Couscous

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 cup frozen broccoli, microwaved

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon pepper

1. Cook couscous according to directions on box. Add the rest of the ingredients.

2. Serve alongside your favorite fish!

Beach Bod Salad

Beach Bod Salad by Samantha Caplan, Certified Health Coach and the creator of Living Beauty

(Also one of my nearest and dearest friends that I hold close to my heart)

Samantha says, "One of the most beautifying of greens is arugula. Just a few of the benefits you'll receive include a cleansing of the skin from the inside out (due to the sulfur content) and a natural protection from the sun (from the beta-carotene)!"

Serves 1 - 2

Ingredients:

1 bunch of arugula (depending on how hungry you are; start with 2 cups and go from there)

½ cup of washed mushrooms

½ sliced yellow pepper

¼ cup of walnuts

¼ of a large red onion sliced

2 tbsp Olive oil

Salt to taste

Optional - if you want a little sweet, add some raisins or other dried fruit of your choice; craisins, apricots, kiwi, or others

Toss all ingredients in a large bowl and enjoy!

*Tip - Use up all of your ingredients and make a salad for the next day, too...saves time!

Samantha has more amazingly healthy recipes and GREAT advice on how to have the best outlook on life. Race on over to her website where you can sign up for her free newsletter: Living Beauty

Crab Bruschetta

Inspired by my recent trip to San Francisco - here is my rendition of Crab Bruschetta from the tasty appetizer my husband and I ordered at Pompei's Grotto in Fisherman's Wharf.

(Pompei's Grotto's Crab Bruschetta)

1/2 lb fresh lumb crab meat, picked over for shells

4  roma tomatoes, diced

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 tablespoon sea salt

1/2 tablespoon freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup fresh shredded parmesan

1 loaf Ciabatta bread - sliced and halved

1. Combine tomatoes, crab, parsley, basil, garlic, Old Bay, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Stir with a large spoon. Drizzle in the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then mix in the parmesan gently.

2. Toast Ciabatta halves under the broiler. Spoon on crab bruschetta and enjoy!

Easiest Brussel Sprouts EVER

1 bag frozen brussel sprouts

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 tablespoon pepper

Aluminum Foil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut a piece of aluminum foil large enough to fit on a small cookie sheet. Pour the brussel sprouts on center of the foil. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Pull up the sides of the tin foil to make a pouch for the brussel sprouts and seal them in side.

2. Bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy right out of their pouch or in a big bowl.

Mini Mac and Cheese Bites

Source: Photo from YumSugar - Recipe adapted from Food & Wine

Ingredients

1/2 pound elbow macaroni

1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter

Non-stick cooking spray

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup milk

1 block Velveeta, cut into small cubes

1 large egg yolk

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

2 tablespoons Parmigiano

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain, shaking off the excess water.

2. Spray four 12-cup, nonstick mini muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.

3.In a large saucepan, melt the 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking, until boiling, about 5 minutes.

4.Add the cheddar and American cheeses and whisk until melted.

5.Off the heat, whisk in the egg yolk, salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Fold in the macaroni.

6.Spoon slightly rounded tablespoons of the macaroni into the prepared muffin cups, packing them gently. Sprinkle Parmigiano on top.

7.Bake the mini macs in the upper and middle thirds of the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden and sizzling. Let cool for 5 min­utes. Using a small spoon, carefully loosen the mini macs, transfer to a platter and serve.

Zucchini Red Pepper Gratin

YUMMY IN MY TUMMY This dish was inspired by my mom's sauteed veggies that she makes in the summer alongside angel hair pasta. She tosses lots of bright vegetables into a skillet with olive oil and cooks them until they are soft. I decided to bake my veggies and top them with a bit of crumbly light cracker.

2 tablespoons butter

1 large red bell pepper, diced

1/2 medium white onion, diced

3 zucchini, sliced into half moon shapes

pinch dried herbs de provence

salt & pepper

non-stick cooking spray

2 tablespoons egg white (Egg Beaters)

2 tablespoons fat free milk

2 crumbled Light n Crispy Wasa crackers

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the butter in a skillet over low heat. Add the red pepper and onion and raise heat to med-low. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Stir frequently.

2. Add the zucchini and spices - salt and pepper (2 shakes each). Cook for 5 minutes.

3. Spread the mixture in a baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray.

4. In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites and milk together. Pour over the vegetables. Sprinkle the crumbled Wasa on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top before serving!

Prosciutto and Grilled Fennel Sandwich

Source: Tina Rupp

 I think that this easy sandwich would be DELICIOUS alongside a warm bowl of soup and a big glass of red wine. Or with just the wine... that's what I'd do =0)

Proscuitto and Grilled Fennel Sandwich

Chef Alison Attenborough

Food and Wine

2 slices country bread

Thinly sliced fennel

Olive oil

Goat cheese

Thin slices of prosciutto

Salt

Pepper

Chopped fennel fronds

 Brush slices of country bread and thinly sliced fennel with olive oil. Grill the bread and fennel until charred. Lay the fennel on the bread and top with goat cheese and thin slices of prosciutto; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped fennel fronds and serve.

Pureed Cauliflower with Goat Cheese

Source

A healthy alternative to mashed potatoes or rice is puréed cauliflower. Since I decided to cut down on my carbs in the evening, I made my first batch last week when I was craving something starchy. I almost ate the whole bowl it was SO good.

1 small head cauliflower

water for steaming

2 teaspoons Heart Healthy butter

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon pepper
1 teaspoon thyme

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

Discard any leaves that may cling to the stem, then break up the cauliflower head. Make sure all of the pieces are around the same size so that they cook evenly.

Put the cauliflower in a flat-bottomed skillet (with a matching lid) and enough water around the cauliflower so that it is halfway covered. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover tightly and steam until tender. Don’t let the cauliflower become too soft though. I cooked my cauliflower for around 12 minutes and it was perfect.

Once the cauliflower is cooked, turn off the heat. Using a slotted spoon, put about half the cauliflower in the bowl of a food processor. Add the garlic and process quickly in short bursts of five or ten seconds. Scrape down the sides of the processor bowl and add the rest of the cauliflower.

When the cauliflower looks like mashed potatoes, transfer it to a large glass bowl. Add the butter, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Mix in the goat cheese and pop in the microwave for 30 seconds so it melts. Enjoy on its own or with some veggies and a steamed chicken breast!

Grown-Up Grilled Cheese

Cooking Light is one of my favorite magazines and I always find recipes that I want to try and alter a little more to my liking. I have yet to experiment with this recipe but I will surely document my final product =0)

Grown-Up Grilled Cheese
(Yield: four servings - one sandwich)

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 cup vertically sliced red onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp white cheddar cheese (such as Cracker Barrel)
8 (1 1/2-ounce) slices hearty white bread (such as Pepperidge Farm)
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
6 slices center-cut bacon, cooked

Preparation
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 cup onion and garlic; cook for 10 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally.
2. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over each of 4 bread slices. Top each slice with 1/2 cup spinach, 2 tomato slices, 2 tablespoons onion mixture, and 1 1/2 bacon slices. Sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons cheese; top with the remaining 4 bread slices.
3. Heat skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place sandwiches in pan, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cheese melts.

Nutritional Information
Calories:376
Fat:11g (sat 5.3g,mono 4.8g,poly 0.6g)
Protein:20.2g
Carbohydrate:50.3g
Fiber:3.3g
Cholesterol:24mg
Iron:2.9mg
Sodium:876mg
Calcium:308mg

Paula Deen's Cheese Noodles

1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
One 6-ounce package egg noodles, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons grated onion
1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
1/2-3/4 teaspoons garlic salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Plus: 1 cup steamed broccoli, 2 pieces leftover cooked chicken breast (olive oil, salt, pepper, parsley), 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Stir together the cottage cheese, broccoli, chicken, and sour cream, and add this to the cooked noodles. Add the onion, Worchestershire sauce, and garlic salt to taste, and place in a greased casserole. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the casserole and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.