Recipe # 13 ~ Avocado Spinach Egg Salad

Avocados are another super food that I absolutely love! They were on sale at the store this week, hence my many avocado recipes!!

I never really gave much thought about what we ate (as far as nutritional content) until Connor started eating solid foods. Of course, we want him to have the best & most healthy foods we can provide! Not only for him, but for ourselves so that we stay healthy for him as well! Connor is not a picky eater, and we are so thankful for that! He eats pretty much whatever we put in front of him...if he's in the mood for it. I've had days where he'll gobble down Brussels sprouts & then the next day he won't touch them. Some days it can be a task to figure out what he's hungry for.

Here's why I love avocado (from http://www.avocadohealthbenefits.net/ ):

~ Eating avocado is like eating a whole meal!! This fruit (yes, it's a fruit!!) is packed with meat proteins, fat oil, fibers, antioxidants, & vitamins and minerals from vegetables.
~ Eating avocados helps prevent a number of cardiovascular diseases.
~ One cup of avocado gives you 23 percent of your daily recommended dose of folic acid (great for pregnant women!).
~ The oils in avocado help prevent breast cancer and lower cholesterol!
~ A diet heavy with avocado can help your eye sight! Avocados are packed full of lutein!
~ It helps you lose weight!! Avocados fill you up and keep you full which can help reduce the temptation of sweets!

Avocado Spinach Egg Salad

Ingredients:
7 eggs, hardboiled
4 oz plain greek yogurt
2 avocados
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 c baby spinach
hot red pepper flakes, to taste

1. Obviously hardboil and peel your eggs!! Mash your eggs up with the greek yogurt. Sprinkle some salt & pepper on top.

2. Peel & pit your avocados and mash them. I ended up using my food processor.

3. Now all you do is combine your egg & avocado. Add a cup of spinach (I tore mine into smaller pieces), celery, red pepper flakes, & more salt and pepper if you wish. That's it!! So easy!

Connor and I had this for lunch today. He ate an entire half of a sandwich! I wasn't sure if I could get away with the spinach, but he ate every bite!

The verdict: I loved this!! I was having a craving for an egg salad or chicken salad and this was definitely just as yummy! I actually made it yesterday so some of the avocado turned a little brown, but I just scooped the brown stuff out and it tasted perfectly fine!

Link to Avocado Spinach Egg Salad recipe

Just to let everyone know. I did a re-do of my broccoli quinoa casserole last night (with the correct amount of mayo!!) and it turned out great!! Also, the avocado pasta I made a few nights ago reheated just fine even though the recipe warned against it.

This is it for my interesting recipes until next week...

Meal # 12 ~ 15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta

This was yet another Pinterest find!

15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta

Ingredients:
1 medium sized ripe avocado, pitted
1/2 lemon juiced + lemon zest to garnish
2-3 cloves garlic, to taste (I used 5, but I doubled the recipe & it was still pretty garlicky)
1/2 tsp salt, to taste
1/4 c fresh basil (I used dried basil and used <1/8th of a cup)
2 tablespoons EVOO
6 oz of pasta (I used penne because it is easy for Connor to eat)
Pepper, to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. While pasta is cooking, place garlic, lemon juice, & EVOO in a food processor and process until smooth.

3. Now add pitted avocado, basil, and salt. Process until smooth.

4. Toss avocado sauce and pasta until fully combined. Garnish with pepper and lemon zest, if desired. I skipped this; we aren't a fancy restaurant!! Ha ha.

Note: This dish does not reheat well due to avocado.

I doubled the recipe before I read the above note. I am going to see how it tastes reheated anyhow.

For dinner we had Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken, my avocado pasta, and butter bread! I'll post the link to the chicken recipe at the end because that was really yummy too!

The verdict: We all loved the pasta! We loved the entire dinner! I think I'll add some veggies to the pasta the next time I make it!

Link to 15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta

Link to Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Meal # 11 ~ Creamy Garlic Pasta with Shrimp & Veggies

I took a week break from blogging for a few reasons. 1. The meals I made were less than exciting (tuna noodle casserole, a sweet & sour chicken dish in the slow cooker that was sub par) and 2. Ryan did quite a bit of cooking last week as well. I was getting a little "burnt out" with cooking already!! Ha ha. But, I'm back on track with my resolution, at the moment, so here's another great meal that I got from my good friend, Liz!

Creamy Garlic Pasta with Shrimp & Veggies (or chicken, in our case)

6 oz whole wheat spaghetti (I used a spiral pasta because it is easier for Connor to eat)
12 oz peeled and deveined raw shrimp, cut into 1 in pieces (we used chicken because we haven't given Connor shellfish yet)
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 c fresh or frozen peas
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt (I used Greek yogurt per Liz's suggestion)
1/4 c fresh parsley (I used dried parsley. When you use dried vs. fresh herbs you halve the amount)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon EVOO
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 c toasted pine nuts - see note at end (we didn't add pine nuts, again because of Connor)

 
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 2 min less than package directions. Add veggies and cook until pasta is done. Drain well. ** If you are using shrimp, you add the shrimp with the veggies and cook until done.

2. If you are cooking with chicken, you can cook the chicken in a pan while the pasta & veggies are boiling. My sous chef, Ryan, did this for me (some days I can't keep him out of the kitchen!! I wonder if he misses it??). Anyhow, Ryan rubbed the chicken with flour, dipped it in egg and then coated it with a "special" breadcrumb mixture. He then cooked it in a pan until done. After that, I just cut it up into bite sized pieces and added it at the end.

3. Also, while the pasta and veggies are boiling, you can make the sauce. To do that, you first mash the garlic and salt together until it forms a paste.

4. Next, you add yogurt, parsley, lemon juice, oil and pepper. When mixed well, add this to your pasta mixture. Toss the chicken in as well. You can also top with toasted pine nuts, if you chose to use them (see note @ end).

**Note: To toast pine nuts, place in a small dry skillet and cook over med-low heat, stirring, until fragrant, 2-4 min. 

For dinner we had our garlic pasta with chicken & veggies and a salad! Yumm! For dessert, we made homemade peanut butter & oreo ice cream! Double yumm!!

The verdict: VERY good. Next time, I think we'll each add our own desired amount of yogurt sauce. I thought it was just right, but Ryan would have preferred a little less. Thanks Liz for a yummy & healthy recipe!

Link to Creamy Garlic Pasta with Shrimp & Veggies

Meal # 10 ~ Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf

Another quinoa recipe for ya! I've never made a meatloaf before, and I didn't mess up the recipe this time! I double checked and triple checked my amounts! Ha ha.

Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf

Ingredients:
1/4 c quinoa
1/2 c water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large clove of garlic, chopped
20 oz ground turkey (I used ground beef instead because it was on sale this week)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon water

1. Rinse quinoa with water until water runs clear. Bring quinoa & water to a boil at high heat. Reduce to medium heat and cover until water is absorbed (about 15 min). Set aside and let cool.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Heat oil in skillet and add onions. Cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Set aside and let cool.

4. Combine brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, & water in a small bowl.

5. In a large, separate bowl, mix turkey, quinoa, onions, tomato paste, hot sauce, 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, egg, salt and pepper in a big bowl. Shape into a loaf on a foil lined baking sheet.

I have a real issue with raw meat -- I hate touching it! ha ha. I had my sous chef (aka hubby) mix by hand!!

6. Pour brown sugar paste over meatloaf.

7. Bake until center is no longer pink in center & a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. The recipe says to bake for about 50 minutes, but ours took closer to 60-65 minutes, possibly because we had another dish in the oven at the same time (?). Let cool for 10 min before slicing and serving.

Connor's appetizer of carrots!

Our Monday night dinner consisted of meatloaf, corn pudding (a family recipe), & okra with cheese & crumbled crackers on top (recipe Ryan made up on the spot). This was the first time we've made okra.

The verdict: The meatloaf was great and tasted like any other meatloaf!! We will make this again! For those of you who are curious...the okra was 'okay'. Maybe we didn't prepare it the best way, but we won't make it again.

Link to Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf recipe

A side project ~ Homemade dishwashing detergent

I came across this "recipe" on Pinterest. We were out of  dishwasher detergent, so I decided to give it a try!

I'm trying to get in touch with my 'crunchy granola' side :), and save some $$ in the process (so I can buy more bows and tutus..ha ha)!

DIY Natural Dishwasher Detergent

1 c Borax
1 c washing soda
1/2 c kosher salt (I used regular table salt. I read that the kosher salt can be too abrasive for some dishes)
1/2 citric acid (double this if you have hard water - which we do!) (I used Lemishine which is found with the rest of the dishwasher detergent stuff at the store. You can also find citric acid in the canned goods aisle.)

Mix everything together and store in a plastic container. I doubled the recipe. Use 1 tablespoon per load. The recipe also recommends using white vinegar in the rinse aid compartment of the dishwasher to help keep dishes from getting spotty. I didn't try washing my dishes with the white vinegar yet because we still have some store bought stuff to use up.

The recipe will clump, so it is recommended to tie some rice in a cheese cloth to put in with the detergent. We don't have a cheese cloth, so I just used a paper towel and hoped for the best! Ha ha.

We were happy with the outcome! Our dishes were just as clean as before...if not more! We'll be using this from now on!

Link to DIY Dishwasher Detergent Recipe

I found a recipe for laundry detergent, so when we are out of the detergent we have now, I'm trying it!

Meal # 9 ~ Broccoli & Quinoa Casserole

 I'm in love with quinoa (pronounced keen-wah ~ I didn't know how to say it until recently!!). I first discovered quinoa when I was making Connor's baby food; it was in one of my recipe books. Then, my healthy food/soon to be dietician friend, Liz, mentioned it to me one day when we were talking food! I wasn't able to find it easily in grocery stores until we moved to IL. Even now, if I want 'straight up' quinoa vs. boxed/mixed with other ingredients quinoa, we have to travel to Naperville (about 25 min) to a Whole Foods store to find it (best grocery store ever...if you have tons of $$ to spend on groceries each week). Here's why I love quinoa (and why you should too):

* Copied from Quinoa 365

~ High Protein, Maximum Nutrition... Quinoa has more recently garnered interest from the health-conscious crowd looking for maximum nutrition and those on high protein diets, seeking weight loss or those just wanting to eat better quality foods. Quinoa can promote weight loss, building muscle, alleviate migraine headaches, help diabetes, promote cardiovascular health and prevent hardening of the arteries. It has also been linked to helping prevent breast cancer, childhood asthma, gallstones and acts as a super antioxidant.

~Balanced and Unique... A balanced protein, quinoa has a complete combination of all life supporting nutrients, containing all eight essential amino acids. This balance makes it highly digestible and completely unique in the plant kingdom.

~Vitamin Rich... Not only high in protein, quinoa is high in fiber, and vitamins such as riboflavin, calcium, vitamin E, iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, folic acid and beta carotene. It is also abundant in linolenic acid, the essential fatty acid that has proven to benefit the immune response.

~Gluten-Free... Quinoa is familiar to vegetarians as a protein source and to celiacs and those who are gluten-intolerant because it is completely gluten-free. 

~Intriguing & Unusual... the wow-factor of quinoa has encouraged cooks at all skill levels to use it to create unique dishes for themselves, their families and intrigued dinner party guests.

Here's my quinoa recipe for today (more to come later this week):

Broccoli Quinoa Casserole (very similar to Broccoli Rice Casserole)

Ingredients:

1 (10 oz) can cream of mushroom or broccoli soup (I choose mushroom)

1/3 c reduced fat mayo 

2 tablespoons of milk

1 1/4 c. reduced fat shredded cheese (cheddar, colby jack, etc.) (I choose cheddar)

1/2 teaspoon sugar (The recipe calls for Splenda. I'm not into Splenda, especially when pregnant, so I opted for plain ol' sugar)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Dash of ground nutmeg

2 cups cooked broccoli (I used frozen)

1/2 cups cooked quinoa (see how to cook quinoa below)

Freshly grated Parmesan

To cook quinoa:

3/4 cups of quinoa

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt

Quinoa

1. Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear (about 1 min).

2. In a small saucepan, combine quinoa, water, & salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low and cover, simmering for 18-20 min or until fluffy.

Boiling

Done!

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.

4. In a large bowl combine soup, mayo, milk, cheese, sugar, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in quinoa and broccoli.

5. Spoon mixture into baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

6. Bake for approx 35 min until bubbly and edges are golden brown.

** I made another pretty big mistake while making this (2nd day in a row...see meal #8). I swear I have major pregnancy brain or just too many distractions. In the middle of making this recipe, I realized our mayo was old, so Ryan ran to the store to get a new jar. Thankfully, we only live a few min from our grocery store. I was in a rush to get everything thrown together when he got back that I looked at the wrong amount when I added the mayo to the mixture. I ended up adding 4x's more mayo than the recipe called for!! Unbelievable!! Two days in a row!! This is exactly the reason I haven't enjoyed cooking in the past; I always end up doing SOMETHING wrong. I will break this streak tomorrow!! I will!

For dinner we had ham, my quinoa casserole, carrots for Connor, and salad!

The verdict: Well of course it was good. I transformed this recipe from something healthy to a heart attack on a plate!! It was actually too rich that I couldn't eat more than one small helping. I think it would be really good if I would have put the correct amount of mayo in the recipe. Quinoa pretty much takes on the taste of whatever you are cooking or baking it with. Next time I'll get it right! I will definitely make it again because it has the potential to be really tasty & healthy!

Link to Broccoli Quinoa Casserole recipe

Meal #8 ~ Another easy peasy crock pot recipe!

This recipe was so easy & yummy. We will definitely make it again!

Herb Chicken and Tomatoes

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless chicken breast or thighs
2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) diced tomatoes
1 envelope herb and garlic soup mix
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Hot cooked pasta or rice
Shredded Parmesan cheese

1. I always spray my slow cooker with cooking spray!!

2. In slow cooker, combine chicken, tomatoes, soup mix and sugar.

** I couldn't find the correct soup mix at our grocery store, so I just used an onion soup mix.
*** Funny story...when we were eating this meal, both Ryan and I commented that it was good, but a little too sweet. Next time I was planning on cutting back on the amount of sugar. As I was writing this out, I realized that I misread the amount of sugar the recipe calls for. I added 1/4 CUP of sugar instead of 1/4 teaspoon! Ha ha. Pregnancy brain! Or maybe the result of trying to rush to get this together because Connor was destroying something in the other room. Ha!

3. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Serve with pasta or rice; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 

Before

After!! Smells so yummy!

At the last minute, I decided to substitute brown rice for pasta.

The verdict: Like I said above, we really liked this recipe & ate all the leftovers the next day (despite being a tad too sweet..ha ha).

Link to Herb Chicken & Tomatoes

Meal #7 ~ Slow Cooker Italian Sausage and Peppers with Rotini

This is a regular on our recipe list...

Ingredients:
1 package (19.5 oz) turkey Italian sausages, cut into 1 in pieces
1 c finely chopped sweet onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium yellow peppers, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 medium red peppers, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 26 oz jar tomato pasta sauce
4 1/2 cups uncooked rotini pasta (12 oz)
6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Mix all ingredients except pasta and cheese in the slow cooker. We used regular sausage instead of turkey sausage this time because it was on sale & green peppers instead of yellow peppers. Don't forget your cooking spray!! :)

2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. I got mine started late, so I cooked it on high for 4 hours.

Before

After

3. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Serve sausage mixture over pasta; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

This was the result of me turning my back to start clean up and Connor smashing the plate on his face! Needless to say, Connor immediately got into the bath tub!!

 The verdict: Super quick & easy...and yummy too! We've made this 2 or 3 times now.



Link to Sausage & Peppers recipe