Tag: superfoods

Back To School! Turkey Kale Orecchiette!

Another quick back to school meal is a 20 minute pan sauce! Throw in some veggies and superfoods and you have a healthy, easy dinner!

We enjoy superfood kale in a pan sauce, in our pizza, and even baked into kale chips!
We enjoy superfood kale in a pan sauce, on our pizza, and even baked into kale chips!

Kale chip recipe:
http://www.parmesanprincess.com/2014/04/10/super-chips-garlic-parmesan-baked-kale-chips/

My kids love to pick out pastas when we are at the store. One of their favorites is orecchiette, Italian meaning ears, or spaceships, or planets, so they say.

The names the kids come up with are so funny! Big springs, little springs, little seashells, tubes, strings!
The names the kids come up with are so funny! Big springs, little springs, little seashells, tubes, strings!

When kids get involved in the dinner process, they are more likely to eat the meal, even if it is full of healthy vegetables!

Tomato Kale Orecchiette!
Tomato Kale Orecchiette!

Turkey Kale Orecchiette

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 small onion, chopped
1 lb. lean white meat ground turkey
1 35oz. can San Marzano tomatoes
1 -1/2 cup kale, washed and chopped
1 tbsp. Chopped basil
1 tbsp. Chopped rosemary
1 tbsp. Chopped thyme
Salt/pepper
1 lb. orecchiette pasta
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat oil on medium heat in a your deepest frying pan.

Press garlic and cook until softened, 5 minutes.

Add the turkey and cook until no longer pink. Drain any fat.

Add onion, tomatoes, basil, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes until

Separate the curly kale leaves from the middle stem and chop.
Separate the curly kale leaves from the middle stem and chop.

heated trough.

Add the kale last and mix well.

Chop up the tomatoes while stirring.
Chop up the tomatoes while stirring.

Meanwhile, boil a pot of water to cook the pasta according to the package instructions and drain.

Add the orecchiette to the pan and mix.

Always top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese! Enjoy!
Always top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese! Enjoy!

Ciao!

 

A New Twist On An Old Fave Beans and Greens! Garlic Garbanzo Kale Pasta!

Garlic Garbanzo Kale Pasta!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves of garlic,pressed
1 15.5 oz. can of garbanzo beans
1 35oz. can San Marzano tomatoes
1 tbsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. rosemary(chopped fresh or flakes)
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. basil
1 cup curly kale, washed and chopped off stems
1 lb. of your favorite pasta

Directions:

Warm olive oil in a frying pan on low/medium heat.
Add pressed garlic. (Be careful not to burn!)

If the garlic burns, throw it away!
If the garlic burns, throw it away!

Add tomatoes, garbanzo beans, all spices and simmer.

Want a little more spice? Add extra red pepper flakes!
Want a little more spice? Add extra red pepper flakes!

Boil 6 quarters of water and cook pasta.
When pasta is strained, turn heat off and add kale to frying pan. It will wilt but you don’t want it to cook.
Mix well.
Pour over pasta serving.
Always top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

If you like greens and beans, you will love this dish! Enjoy!
If you like greens and beans, you will love this dish! Enjoy!

Ciao!

S’Mores Oatmeal For A Healthy Breakfast?? Use Oatmeal And Chia Seeds To Curb The 11AM Binge!

My name is Terri and I am a breakfast skipper.  BSA- Breakfast Skippers Anonymous, anyone? We need meetings! We all do it! Coffee only in the early AM and by 11 we are shoving anything and everything into our mouths.  On my quest for health and anti-aging, I have incorporated oatmeal 4-5 mornings into our family’s breakfasts.  Boring yucky oatmeal?  No way!  You should know me better than that by now!

Sidenote, the kids are eating it and loving it, too!
I have adapted my mason jar oatmeal recipes from this I found on Pinterest-
http://www.grocerybudget101.com/content.php/611-Easy-Refrigerator-Oatmeal

Photo from grocerybudget101.com. The flavors are endless!!
Photo from grocerybudget101.com. The flavors are endless!!

Basic Mason Jar Fruit Oatmeal Recipe:
Ingredients:
1/4 cup old fashion rolled oats,uncooked.
1/3 cup almond milk
1/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
2 tsp. chia seeds
Additions based on flavor-
1/3 cup fresh fruit/nuts
1 tbsp. honey

Directions:
Add oats, chia seeds, yogurt and almond milk to a mason jar and shake well.
Add fruit and other additions.
Add plastic lid. (Get these on amazon)
Refrigerate overnight and use in 3-4 days.

Here is our favorite right now!

Berry Burst!! So delicious!
Berry Burst!! So delicious!

After shaking, we add strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and 1tsp. honey! Mix! Refrigerate! Use within 3-4 days!
Please visit their page- many, many flavors to try!!

I get my jars and lids on Amazon! $8.00/12 pack! Grab plastic lids, too- easy to work with!


http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Jar-Crystal-8-Ounce-Quilted/dp/B00B80TJUI/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=wwwparmesanpr-20&linkCode=w00&creativeASIN=B00B80TJUI

 

Today, we made warm S’mores Oatmeal! It was a total hit!

Healthy and filling and delicious!!
Healthy and filling and delicious!!

S’mores Oatmeal!

Ingredients:
1 – portion quick oats, cooked
1 graham cracker crushed
1 tbsp.dark chocolate chips
1 tbsp. raisins
1 tsp. chia seeds
2 tbsp. mini marshmallows
A little drizzle of Hershey’s chocolate syrup!

Directions:
Mix in chocolate chips and raisins, chia seeds and marshmallows.
Top with graham cracker crumbles and drizzle with chocolate syrup!

Enjoy!
Ciao!

Twofer Tuesday!! Quinoa Black Bean And Lentil Chili Turned Tostadas! Si, Señora!

Superfoods that taste super good?? Yes!  Incorporate quinoa as a substitute for meat, rice, and pasta to come up with your own fun new recipes!  Shhhh! They will never know!

Twofer Tuesday!!!  Two meals in one!

Quinoa Black Bean and Lentil Chili

Ingredients:

1 15.5oz.can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup lentils,washed and drained
1 medium onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 35oz. can San Marzano tomatoes
4 carrots peeled, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 cup uncooked quinoa, cooked according to package. (2 cups water for 1 cup uncooked quinoa)
4 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. paprika
Salt/pepper

Red lentils! Add a splash of color to your meals!
Red lentils! Add a splash of color to your meals!

Directions:

Heat a frying pan on low/medium heat.
Add olive oil, garlic, onions, carrots and celery.

Don't burn your garlic! No brown! No snap crackle pop! If it burns throw it out and start over!
Don’t burn your garlic! No brown! No snap crackle pop! If it burns throw it out and start over!

Season with spices-chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
Cook until the carrots begin to tenderize.
Add tomatoes, lentils and ingredients from pan to a stock pot.

Let lentils cook in tomatoes for a few minutes. Stir well.
Let lentils cook in tomatoes for a few minutes. Stir well.

Cook on low covered for 45 minutes.
Add cooked quinoa and heat through. (5-10 minutes)

The smell is amazing!! Spice it up with some red pepper flakes and hot sauce of you need a kick!
The smell is amazing!! Spice it up with some red pepper flakes and hot sauce if you need a kick!

Twofer Tuesday! This dish becomes your Mexican tostada base for another meal! Toast your tostada shells.  Heat your chili. Add toppings of your choice like shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, shredded cheese and avocado!

Serve with Corn bread! Enjoy !
Ciao!

Super Breakfast!! Chia Kale Egg White Super Muffins!!

Why not add superfoods to our breakfast? Whether it is a quick healthy smoothie, a super muffin or a grab and go breakfast bar, the addition of superfoods gives us more energy for the day! This super breakfast gets us going!! Especially on Mondays!

Start healthy Monday mornings!! No excuses!
Start healthy Monday mornings!! No excuses!

Chia Kale Egg White Super Muffins

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. egg whites per muffin
(3 egg whites for 6)
1/2 cup chopped kale

Don't have kale? Use broccoli, spinach green pepper or any other veggies  you have!
Don’t have kale? Use broccoli, spinach, green pepper or any other veggies you have!

2 tbsp. chia seeds
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella/cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven 350*
Spray muffin tins with Pam.

My kids love to help! Let them add the veggies, cheese and chia seeds! Are your kids not big on veggies? When kids get involved they will eat their masterpieces!!
My kids love to help! Let them add the veggies, cheese and chia seeds! Are your kids not big on veggies? When kids get involved they will eat their masterpieces!!

Add kale, cheese and chia seeds to each.

Pour egg whites over top!
Pour egg whites over top!

Pour 2 tbsp. of egg whites on top of each tin.

Bake 20 mins or until egg is cooked.

20 mins was perfect for my 6 tins! Watch as soon as the egg muffin forms and the edges turn golden!
20 mins was perfect for my 6 tins! Watch as soon as the egg muffin forms and the edges turn golden!

Of course we sprinkle ours with freshly grated Parmesan cheese! Enjoy!

Make a whole pan and refrigerate for quick, healthy grab and go breakfasts for the week! Slice a super egg white muffin in half and enjoy between wheat toast!  Add hot sauce for a little kick!
Make a whole pan and refrigerate for quick, healthy grab and go breakfasts for the week! Slice a super egg white muffin in half and enjoy between wheat toast! Add hot sauce for a little kick!

Want more superfood breakfast recipes?  www.parmesanprincess.com
Blog Posts:
No Bake Health Bars
Chia Blueberry Muffins
Ch Ch Ch Chia!!!

Ciao!

Superfood Quinoa Crockpot Stuffed Peppers!! Anti-aging Disease Preventing…Yes, Please!!

The term “superfood” is used by nutritionists, doctors and scientists to describe foods with extremely high nutritional benefits and obvious disease fighting chemical properties. Dr. Oz is pretty convincing in his arguments promoting superfoods for anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, cancer fighting, cancer prevention and the overall health of our bodies’ systems!

Some of Dr. Oz’s favorites:
Sweet potatoes
Kale
Black soy beans
Quinoa
Red wine

In our crazy busy worlds, let’s try to add some superfoods a few times each week. Ever heard of chia?? It can add 10+ years to your life! Look for plenty of chia recipes coming soon!!!! All I need to hear is anti-aging, cancer preventing and red wine and I’m in!!

So Here it is:

Superfood Quinoa Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

Be healthy , look younger and feel great!!
Be healthy , look younger and feel great!!

Ingredients:
5-6 whole peppers- hollowed out and de-seeded with the tops cut of (see photo)
2tbsp. Olive oil
2 cloves garlic pressed
1 small onion chopped
5 carrots peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks chopped
1/3 cup chopped spinach
1 35oz can San Marzano tomatoes
1-1/2 cups quinoa- cooked
2tsp. of Salt/pepper/sage
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

image
I keep the ‘hats”, the top of the peppers you cut off, for a cute presentation!

Directions:
Cook quinoa according to package -3 cups water cook until tender,quinoa will absorb water

1 cup quinoa 2 cups water -it absorbs the liquid!
1 cup quinoa 2 cups water -it absorbs the liquid!

Meanwhile,
Add olive oil to frying pan on medium heat and add garlic

Add carrots, celery, and onion and cook 5-10 minutes

Add can of tomatoes.

As soon as carrots start to soften, add tomatoes!
As soon as carrots start to soften, add tomatoes!

Let it cook another 10 minutes

Add chopped spinach last

In a large mixing bowl, add quinoa to veggies and stir until blended.

Carefully spoon mixture into peppers

Mix well together. Taste - add extra salt, pepper, sage or spice it up with some cayenne pepper!
Mix well together. Taste – add extra salt, pepper, sage or spice it up with some cayenne pepper!

Add 2 cups of water to crockpot.

Set peppers in crockpot

Peppers will hold each other up in the crockpot! Be sure to see how many fit and choose your peppers accordingly! Maybe you need tall peppers instead of fat!
Peppers will hold each other up in the crockpot! Be sure to see how many fit and choose your peppers accordingly! Maybe you need tall peppers instead of fat!

Cook on low for 3-4 hours

**Careful not to overcook the peppers!! You cannot cook them all day in the crockpot or you will end up with Quinoa Stuffed Pepper Soup!!**

Serve with a simple salad.
Always top off with freshly grated parmesan!! Enjoy!