Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese with a Healthy Twist

Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese

with a healthy twist!

Ingredients

16 oz whole wheat pasta (rotini or penne)

1 lb shredded BBQ pork (homemade or store bought)

½ medium onion, diced

3 oz shredded cheddar

3 oz shredded monterey jack

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Dash of nutmeg and cayenne

12 oz cooked squash (fresh or frozen, I used a combination of butternut and acorn)

1 tbsp butter or olive oil

1 tbsp flour

3 cups skim milk

Sprinkle of parmesan and parsley (fresh or dried)

Directions

1.       Boil pasta, drain and set aside (I undercook since it will be baked).

2.       In a sauce pan, heat butter or olive oil, add onions and garlic, sauté 3-5 minutes

3.       Sprinkle in flour and sauté 1-2 minutes.

4.       Add milk and slowly bring to a boil, stirring every few minutes.  Add Dijon, nutmeg and cayenne.

5.       Once the milk has thickened, slowly stir in the cheese and then the squash. Mix in shredded pulled pork. Add the pasta. Combine and pour into a greased 9x13 pan.

6.       Sprinkle top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and parsley.

7.       Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Penne with Brussel Sprouts and Pancetta

 Ingredients

16 oz whole wheat penne

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling

2 ¼ inch slices of pancetta, diced

1 large rosemary sprig (or 1 ½ tsp dried), chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and chopped

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon butter

¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped

Fresh lemon juice for serving

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

White wine

Salt, pepper to taste

Directions

1.       Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until the pasta is al dente (a little undercooked is even better).

2.       Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat and add the olive oil and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. When the oil is hot, add the pancetta and rosemary. Saute until the pancetta fat turns translucent and lightly browned (about 2 minutes). Add garlic, cayenne and black pepper to taste and cook until the pancetta is browned (about 3 minutes).

3.       Add the sliced brussel sprouts, a large pinch of salt and a splash of white wine (may substitute chicken stock or water). Saute until sprouts start to soften (about 2 minutes). Spread sprout minture in pan and press down to flatten. Let it sit, stir it up and repeat (lightly sprinkle with parmesan each time). Add butter and sauté one minute.

4.       Drain penne and add to pan. Cook, tossing until everything is evenly coated. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, parmesan and garnish with chopped Italian parsley.  Serve (4 servings).

Pasta With Lemon Olive Oil

I added in some shrimp that was cooked on the skillet for a bit with garlic.

Ingredients: 

2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest 

1/4 cup lemon juice 

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 

2 large garlic cloves, minced 

1/2 cup kalamata olive, sliced (optional) 

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 

3 tablespoons basil, julienned 

salt & freshly ground black pepper (to taste) 

1 lb fresh linguine 

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (opitonal) 

Directions: 

1 Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, garlic cloves, Kalamata olives and cherry tomatoes. 

2 Cook pasta and reserve 1/4 cup (60mL) pasta water. 

3 Drain and toss pasta with olive oil mixture and reserved pasta water. 

4 Toss with basil and Parmesan cheese, season with salt and pepper. 

5 Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese if desired.

WW: Greek-Grilled Chicken Sandwich

I subbed w/ half fat-free, half regular feta and it was still delicious.  Also, my red onion was bad, so I made a last-minute addition to the spread w/ chopped kalamata olives.  YUM.

8 WW points per serving (might be less w/ fat-free feta).

Ingredients

	1 spray(s) cooking spray
	1 pound(s) uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s), four 4 oz pieces
	2 tsp olive oil
	1 tsp red wine vinegar
	1 tsp dill, fresh, chopped
	1/2 tsp dried oregano
	1/2 tsp kosher salt
	1/4 tsp garlic powder
	1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground (or to taste)
	10 Tbsp crumbled feta cheese, about 3 oz
	1 Tbsp fat-free skim milk
	1 Tbsp uncooked red onion(s), finely chopped
	4 item(s) light hamburger roll(s) or bun(s), toasted
	2 piece(s) lettuce, romaine, cut in half
	1/2 medium fresh tomato(es), cut into 4 slices

Instructions

• Coat a grill or grill pan with cooking spray; preheat to medium-high.
• Pound chicken until about 1/4-inch thick; place on a large baking sheet.
• In a medium bowl, combine oil, vinegar, dill, oregano, salt, garlic powder and pepper; drizzle over chicken and flip to coat both sides. Let chicken sit for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine cheese, milk and onion; mash together with a fork to make a spread.
• Grill chicken, flipping once, until browned and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Place chicken on toasted bun bottoms; spread each with 1 heaping tablespoon feta spread. Top each with 1 piece lettuce and 1 slice tomato; cover with bun tops. Yields 1 sandwich per serving.

Finger-Licking Chicken Marinade

My go-to chicken marinade.  Absolutely delicious, especially if you get the good balsamic vinegar from the Olive Branch.  Love that stuff!

Ingredients: 

1 cup oil

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 

2 tablespoons Miracle Whip or 2 tablespoons Miracle Whip light (can sub w/ mayo)

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 

2 tablespoons lemon juice 

1/2 tablespoon salt (to taste) 

1 tablespoon pepper 

1-2 tablespoons thyme (to taste)

1/2 tablespoon garlic power

Directions: 

1 Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. 

2 Use to marinate chicken pieces at least 30 minutes (I usually do at least an hour or so) and then to baste the meat as it cooks in the oven or on the grill.

Baked Italian Sausage With Potatoes and Rosemary

We subbed dried rosemary for the fresh sprig, used red potatoes, added a bit more ciabatta bread and added carrots. 

Ingredients:   

6 Italian sausages

1.76 lb kipfler potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika 

1 rosemary sprig 

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled 

sea salt, to taste 

fresh ground black pepper, to taste 

2 slices ciabatta 

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 

flat leaf parsley 

Directions: 

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F. 

2 Slice the sausages into 1.5" pieces and place in a large roasting pan. 

3 Add the potatoes, paprika, rosemary, garlic cloves, sea salt and pepper. 

4 Tear the ciabatta into bite size pieces and add to the roasting tray. 

5 Drizzle over the oil and gently toss to combine. 

6 Place in the oven and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the sausages and bread are golden brown.

WW: Blue Cheese Chicken Burgers

 

Used our favorite Sticky Fingers BBQ sauce on this (Sweet Carolina version); served the celery on the side instead of in the burgers (with carrots and blue cheese dressing); and mixed the hot sauce in the adult burgers but skipped it for the kids' burgers.  One kid ate it up; the other barely touched it.  One out of two ain't bad!


8 WW points per serving (not including the blue cheese dressing on the side, and the extra BBQ sauce I slathered on top :)

 

Ingredients

	2 spray(s) cooking spray
	1/4 cup(s) barbecue sauce
	1 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste
	1 pound(s) uncooked extra lean ground chicken breast
	1/2 cup(s) uncooked scallion(s), sliced
	1/4 cup(s) uncooked celery, chopped
	1/4 cup(s) dried plain breadcrumbs
	2 tsp minced garlic
	1/2 tsp table salt
	4 item(s) mixed-grain hamburger roll(s)
	2 cup(s) romaine lettuce, shredded
	1 large fresh tomato(es), cut into 8 slices
	2 Tbsp blue cheese, crumbled

Instructions

• Off heat, coat a grill or grill pan with cooking spray; preheat to medium-high.
• In a small bowl, combine barbecue sauce and hot pepper sauce. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce mixture, scallion, celery, breadcrumbs, garlic and salt. Using wet hands (to prevent mixture from sticking), form chicken mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties; brush top of burgers with some remaining barbecue sauce mixture.
• Place burgers on grill, sauce side down; brush tops of burgers with remaining sauce. Grill, turning once, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Lightly toast open-faced buns on grill during last minute of cooking.
• To serve, place 4 bun bottoms on each of 4 plates. Top each with 1/2 cup of shredded lettuce, 2 tomato slices, a burger, 1/2 tablespoon of cheese and a bun top (cheese will melt a little from hot burger). Yields 1 burger per serving.

WW: Italian Meatballs

Next time we won't make these with the onions, just sub onion powder (for the picky kiddies).  Otherwise, they were a hit!

Also, we opted for italian seasoning (had on-hand) and chicken broth, per the options below.

2 WW points per serving; 4 meatballs per serving.

Ingredients

	1 1/2 tsp regular butter
	1 1/2 tsp olive oil
	1 large uncooked onion(s), minced
	1 pound(s) uncooked lean ground beef
	1 large egg(s), beaten
	1 Tbsp fresh parsley, fresh, finely minced (or 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning)
	3/4 tsp table salt
	1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
	1/4 cup(s) canned beef broth, or chicken broth
	1/4 cup(s) white wine

Instructions

• In a large skillet, melt butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to caramelize, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove onions to a large mixing bowl and add beef, egg, parsley (or Italian seasoning), salt and red pepper flakes; mix well to combine. With damp hands, roll forty-eight 1/2-inch meatballs.
• Place same skillet over medium-low heat. Add meatballs, broth and wine; simmer until cooked through, gently turning meatballs once during cooking, about 20 minutes. Yields 4 meatballs per serving.

Chicken, Spinach & Pesto Grilled Pizza

Ingredients

Pizza dough (used garlic & herb from Trader Joe's)
Flour
Corn Meal
1-2 Poached Chicken Breasts
Walnut & Parsley Pesto (see prior post)
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1/4 cup goat cheese
1/4 mozzarella cheese
Fresh chopped italian parlsey

1. Poach the chicken breasts ahead of time and shred. I use half chicken broth and water in a sauce pan with two crushed garlic cloves and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, add chicken breasts and simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until done.

2. Preheat pizza stone on the grill (or in the oven at 450).

3. Knead dough with flour and roll out on a floured surface. Coat a pizza peel (or large baking tray) with corn meal and transfer the rolled dough.

4. Spread a thin coating of pesto over the dough. Add a thin layer of fresh ricotta on top (easiest way is to add spoonfuls over the dough and spread lightly to cover).

5. Add shredded chicken, chopped spinach and any other ingredients.

6. Coat heated pizza stone or pan with a thin layer of corn meal and transfer the pizza. Bake or grill until lightly browned on top.

Herbed Tilapia with Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients
Tilapia filets*
Parsley, oregano (or any favorite herbs) chopped
Garlic, minced
Olive Oil Cooking Spray
Brussel Sprouts, sliced thin
1/2 Sweet onion, chopped
Splash of apple cider vinegar
Sprinkle of parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Mix chopped herbs and garlic. Spray filets with cooking spray and coat with herb and garlic mixture.

2. Saute filets over medium heat for approximately five minutes each side. Spray with cooking spray before flipping.

3. Saute brussel sprouts and onion in a little olive oil (or cooking spray) over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes. Add a splash of apple cider vinegar and saute for another minute. Add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

4. Serve tilapia over brussel sprouts.

*If you don't want to mess with seasoning your own filets, Martin's has pretty good ones pre-seasoned (around 220 calories per filet).

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients
Rotisserie Chicken Breast, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
2-3 small red potatoes, chopped
4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 tbsp butter
3-4 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk
1/2 cup dry white wine
Squeeze of lemon or juice
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 tbsp grated parmesan
Salt, pepper to taste
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed and cut in strips

Directions

• Saute carrots, celery, onion, potatoes and garlic in butter until softened
  
• Add thyme, salt, pepper
• Add flour and stir to coat veggies, approximately 2-3 minutes
• Add white wine, stir
• Add chicken stock and milk, stir over medium heat until thickened (add more stock or milk as needed)
• Add chicken, parsley, peas
• Pour mixture into a large pie dish coated with cooking spray, sprinkle parmesan over top
  
• Create lattice with puff pastry strips and cover the baking dish
• Bake at 375 for approximately 30 minutes or until top is golden brown
  

Brown Sugar & Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin (Slow Cooker!)

Way to go Mandy--nice execution of a great idea! I'm going to be the lazy contributor to this blog, both in terms of cooking effort and blogging effort. I post links.

So: Here's a link to this incredible and incredibly easy pork loin I made a few weeks ago in the slow cooker. We had it with Ina Garten's delicious Brussel sprouts, which are also very easy and will make you love Brussel sprouts if you thought you never would (ask Anna!).

Fish Tacos

I basically used this recipe from Food.com for this meal, but omitted the Chipotle Cream sauce because I already had this bottled dressing that we used instead.  Personally, I think the cream sauce sounds fantastic, so check out the recipe I linked to...kay?

Here is my adapted recipe:

Ingredients
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cloves minced garlic
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 pound tilapia (or halibut), cut into 1-inch thick slices
Soft corn tortillas

Toppings
Thinly sliced cabbage
1 sliced avocado
Lime wedges
Bottle of Hidden Valley Farmhouse Originals Southwest Chipotle dressing (found it at Meijer)
Anything else your little heart desires!

Directions
Melt butter in pan on stove and throw in the rest of the ingredients up to the tilapia.  Saute it for about five minutes, then add in the fish.  It took us about four minutes to cook the tilapia, but then I took it off the heat and kept it covered while I heated the tortillas in a pan on the stove.  Put it all in a tortilla and then top it off with the rest of the goodies!

I'm labeling this as Healthy Eating because that's what the original recipe said...just don't use very much of that dressing!

The First Post!

Thanks to Mandy for her great idea and getting us started on this new book club endeavor!

I'm starting out with an easy one... burgers (plus Paul has been on a burger kick lately).

Tonight it was a burger with smoked gouda, carmelized onions, balsamic green beans and oven roasted steak fries.

Basic Burger Recipe
Lean ground beef (we use Martin's 95% lean)
Finely grated onion
Worchestershire (about a tablespoon per pound)
Salt / Pepper to taste
Garlic Powder (or finely grate fresh garlic)

Mix it all up and grill. The grated onion is key with the lean meat...even if you don't like onion... just try it!

Balsamic Green Beans
Fresh green beans
Olive Oil
Onion
Garlic
Balsamic Vinegar
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Crush garlic, add to pan with olive oil and heat (you can remove garlic or chopped for more flavor)
Add onions, beans and saute
Add 1-2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar (will reduce and be syrupy)
Add a sprinkle of grated parmesan

Oven Roasted Steak Fries
One large potato (for each 2-3 people)
Olive Oil
Salt / Pepper
Chili Power
Fresh Herbs

Cut potatoes and toss with olive oil, seasonings and spread on baking sheet.
Roast at 400 for 20-30 minutes turning every 10 minutes
Sprinkle with fresh herbs before serving (parsley, rosemary or whatever you like)