This was a week I was shocked about Sweet Potatoes, found new food finds, and experimented with a new clean ingredient soup. This weeks menu got some great reviews so go ahead and try one of these healthy easy menus, and check out my new food finds.
Food Finds:
Ellies Vegetarian Stew (vegan, gluten free, and low sodium) SOOOO Yummy! This should be a go to staple in your fridge. I added some of my own zip to it but it is really great with pasta, rice, or protein dishes.
Al Fresco Chicken Sausage Italian Style (no antibodies, really tasty, many varieties and flavors). Great with salad, soup, rice and pasta.
Soup:
Sweet Potato Soup
*OK did not know that sweet potatoes were white, and when I googled sweet potato soup on the Internet the picture was orange....go figure*
Ingredients:
4 Large Sweet Potatoes
2 containers of Low Sodium Vegetable Broth (luv Pacific brand)
3 cloves of minced garlic
Take your sweet potato and either roast them or do what I did and flash steam them. What that means is you take the potato, puncture hole in it with a fork, and stick it in the microwave 4-5 minutes on high heat till soft. Do this with all your spuds. While the spuds are heating, take your soup pot and heat up your broth and garlic. Carefully remove the inside of your potatoes and place in into the pot. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Then using a masher or emulsifier, puree your soup till thick and creamy. Heat for a remaining 5 minutes, and serve.
Tips: This soup is loaded with vitamins and nutrients for the cold weather...plus it is super easy to make. My biggest thing was the color, but taste and texture were spot on.
Chicken Sausage and Peppers with Brown Rice
Ingredients:
1 Package of Chicken Sausage (Italian Style)
2 Red Peppers (diced)
2 Yellow Peppers (diced)
2 Orange Peppers (diced)
1 package or brown rice (Uncle Ben's Instant)
2 1/2 cups of your favorite Tomato Basil Sauce
1 tsp Parmesan cheese
1 hand full of Low Fat Mozzarella
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. This is a very simple dish to make, and it is a healthy version of the traditional. Take your rice and cook it as the package says. Chop up your vegetable fine and add them to your cooked rice in a large bowl and mix together. Either dice your sausage or leave it whole, I prefer to dice. Mix the remaining ingredients to the bowl, (sauce, cheese). Pour the entire mixture into a sprayed baking dish and sprinkle the top with your low fat mozzarella, and the bit more sauce. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. Let cool and serve.
Tips: This is a great take to a gathering dish or a good dish to freeze for during the week. It is a complete meal as well. You have vegetables, starch (grain) and a protein.
Vegetable Stew Chicken Breast
Ingredients:
1 Zucchini (diced)
1 Package of Chicken Breast
1 Jar of Ellies Stew
2 squirts of tubed pesto
1 tsp Ms. Dash Tomato Basil Garlic seasoning
Preheat oven to to 400 degrees. In a baking dish sprinkle your seasoning on both sides of the chicken, top your chicken with your diced zucchini and your jar of stew. Then squirt a small amount of pesto over the chicken mix. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes depending on chicken size. Remove from oven and serve with a side salad or Quinoa.
Stuffed Shells with Zucchini Topping
Ingredients:
Shells (jumbo)
1 Medium Container of Ricotta (Part Skim)
1 small container of Cottage Cheese 1%
3 Squirts of Tube pesto
2-3 cups of Marinara
1 Zucchini (diced)
1 Cup Shredded Low Fat Mozzarella
Black pepper (sprinkle)
Ms. Dash Italian Medley (sprinkle)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Boil your shells according to box. In a bowl combine, 1/2 the container of ricotta with your cottage cheese, pesto, seasoning and 1/2 cup of sauce. Mix all together. Take your shells and drain them (run under cool water for a second so that they are easy to handle. Talk your mixture and fill your shells, place them on a baking dish sprayed with olive oil and poured with some sauce so it does not stick. Continue your filling and placing till you are done. Pour the rest of your sauce on top of the shells along with your diced zucchini and mozzarella. Bake for about 25 minutes and serve. GREAT with salad, and it freezes well.
Saute Green Beans with Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients:
1 16oz bag of Green Beans
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup sliced cherry tomato
Place your green beans in a microwave safe dish for about 5 minute in the microwave. Place your green beans, oil, garlic into the saute pot. Stir together and let it cook for about 10 minutes till tender. Then add your tomatoes and let them get soft for about another 5 minutes. Serve and done.
Tips: This dish can be a side to anything, or you can pour it over chicken, or pasta.
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