Spinach and Artichoke Flatbread

Guess what?  It's almost football season!  Tailgating!  Parties!  Food!

If you are like me, and love the noshiness that comes with football season, then this recipe is for you.  It takes spinach and artichoke dip and turns it into a much healthier, but just as tasty, flatbread.

I used goat cheese (because in my opinion, goat cheese makes everything better), but this wold be just as delicious with some parmesan!

Spinach and Artichoke Flatbread
Serves 1 

1 single serve pizza crust (I used the Flatout Artisan Crust)
1 oz. crumbled goat cheese
5 canned artichokes, drained and pulled apart
1/2 cup fresh spinach
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. chopped sundried tomatoes

Preheat oven to 375.  Bake crust for 2 minutes.  Brush olive oil over the crust.  Then distribute the artichokes, spinach, goat cheese, and sundried tomatoes evenly over crust.

Bake an additional five minutes and serve!
 

Romano Vegetable Flatbread

Because who doesn't love a good flatbread?

This one was super easy to make, and can easily be turned into a pizza by multiplying up those toppings.

The romano adds a nice, salty contrast to the creaminess of the ricotta, and the veggies make it very filling!

For this, I did an individual flatbread, and used the DELISH Flatout flatbread - the trick is to prebake it for a couple minutes so it's nice a crispy, even with the toppings!

Romano Vegetable Flatbread

1 serving, 8 Smartpoints

1 flatbread (I used the Flatout that was worth 2 Smartpoints)

1/3 cup part skim ricotta cheese

1 tsp. olive oil 

14 grams Romano cheese

1/3 cup zucchini, chopped

1/2 cup broccoli, chopped

1/2 cup arugula or spinach

Pinch of Italian seasoning

Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 375.  Prebake flatbread for 2 minutes.

Saute veggies (except greens) until cooked through, but maintaining a bite (mine were about 5 minutes).

Spread olive oil on crust, and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.  Add ricotta and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Spread veggies evenly on top, and then top with Romano cheese.

Bake at 375 for 5 minutes (or until cheese is melty!).

Roasted Butternut Squash

I'm going to be real.  I was never a big fan of vegetables.

I ate corn on the cob here, carrots there, but I never loved them.

As I've gotten older, I have definitely grown to love many more veggies.  Brussel sprouts are my jam, broccoli, zucchini, asparagus all routinely grace my plate.

Another one I really now love is butternut squash.  Not only is the pureed type a great substitute in macaroni and cheese, but it's delicious simply roasted with some spices.

Truth?  I bought it already cubed.  But you could certainly but a full squash and chop it if you are so inclined!

This quick and easy side dish has a smoky, slightly spicy flavor that contrasts nicely with the sweetness of the butternut squash.

Roasted Butternut Squash
Serves 2 - 0 Smartpoints per serving

3 cups cubed butternut squash
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Preheat oven to 450.  Mist a cookie sheet with cooking spray.  In a bowl, toss squash and spices, then spread in a single layer on sheet.  Lightly mist cooking spray on top.  Bake for 15-20 minutes (cooking time may vary depending on the size of your squash cubes!)

Crockpot Sausage and Tortellini Soup

Crockpots are literally the best kitchen tool ever.

Well, next to the avocado slicer.

I mean what is easier than throwing everything in a pot and plugging it in?  Plus, your home smells amazing for hours.

This soup is super hearty and delicious and healthy.  I don't like to repeat meals so soon after each other but this one?  I'm on my second week.  It's THAT good.

I adapted this from my latest cookbook of the week - Crockpot Family Favorites.  To make it healthier and a bit more point friendly, and more to my liking, I made several changes, including upping the veggies significantly, using lean turkey sausages, and using tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes (totally a consistency thing for me).

The great thing about this soup is that it is totally customizable - whatever veggies you like or have on hand, throw them in!  You can also try different kinds of tortellini.  When I made this a second time, I used spinach and cheese tortellini and it was fabulous!

Crockpot Sausage and Tortellini Soup
6 servings (about 2 1/4 cups per serving) at 6 Smartpoints each

3 lean hot Italian turkey sausages, casings removed
3 lean sweet Italian turkey sausages, casings removed
6 cups low sodium, fat free chicken broth
1 29oz can tomato sauce
1 cup shredded carrots
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 package (9 oz) refrigerated tortellini
3 cups broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups chopped zucchini
2 1/2 cups spinach and kale mix

Cook sausages in a large skillet until cooked through.  Add cooked sausages, broth, tomato sauce, carrots, Italian seasoning, and pepper to Crockpot.  Cook on high for 3 hours.

After 3 hours, add broccoli and zucchini and cook for another hour.  Then, add in tortellini and spinach / kale mixture.  Cook for another 30-45 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Sweet Chili Chicken Tostadas

If you checked out my recipe for Crockpot Sweet Chili Chicken, then this one is for you!  Because pulled chicken is great, but what do you DO with it?

Make tostadas!

These tostadas are sweet and spicy, with a nice crunch from the broccoli slaw and a bit of tank from the goat cheese.  The measurements on this are for one serving but could easily be doubled and tripled for a group!

Sweet Chili Chicken Tostadas
(Serves 1)

1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups broccoli slaw
1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
3/4 cup Crockpot Sweet Chili Chicken
1 oz. crumbled goat cheese
2 corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add broccoli slaw and cook for 2 minutes.  Add sesame seeds and cook for four more minutes.

Top each tortilla with the cooked broccoli slaw, the chicken, and the goat cheese (divide evenly among both tortillas).

For crunchy tortillas, bake in the oven for 15 minutes.  For a little less crunch and little more chewy soft taco texture, bake for 10.

Lemon Roasted Vegetables

Easy.  Light.  Perfect for summer.

I love roasted veggies as a rule, I just think the roasting brings out a fantastic flavor.  I decided to try and spice things up with a little lemon and loved the results!

I used broccoli and yellow squash but this could really be done with any vegetables you like!  The recipe made about 4 servings, but it could certainly be adjusted up or down as needed!

Lemon Roasted Vegetables

4 cups chopped vegetables
Juice / rind of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 425.

In a large bowl, combine vegetables, lemon juice, rind, sea salt, pepper, and olive oil.  Stir to combine.

Place in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Roast for 10 minutes.  Take out and stir vegetables, and continue cooking for 15 minutes (keep an eye, if you like them a little less done!).

Sweet Potato Hash with a Poached Egg

Hash is great, right?  I mean it's basically a meal where you can use up anything you have in your fridge.  And there is nothing wrong with that.

This hash is healthy and delicious, with a sweetness from the sweet potato and a kick from the spices.  I've actually tried it with 2 different kinds of cheeses - shredded cheddar as well as goat cheese - and both were delicious, so feel free to use what you want!

Word to the wise - par cook your sweet potato, because my goodness those things take time!  I partially cooked mine in boiling water for about 25 minutes.  It was a big sweet potato, and actually gave me three servings of this hash!  Also, the times below are really dependent on how small you chop your sweet potato and the texture you like.  I like mine crisp and a bit charred so if you like it less so, just keep an eye on it!

This is a very, very filling meal!  Great protein from the egg and the beans, and some great healthy fat from the avocado!  And it can easily be doubled or tripled as well!

Sweet Potato Hash with a Poached Egg
(serves 1)

1 cup partially cooked sweet potato, chopped
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. coconut oil
1 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheese (I used cheddar) or 1 oz. goat cheese crumbles
2 tbsp. avocado, chopped
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
1 egg

Melt coconut oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and saute 1 minute.  Add sweet potatoes, and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add zucchini, and cook for another 7 minutes.  Add in black beans and spices, and cook for another 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally while egg is poaching.

Just before serving, add cheese to the hash, allowing it to heat through and melt.  Place hash into a bowl and top with avocado and poached egg.  Enjoy!

Brussel Sprout, Sausage, and Yellow Squash Pasta

This was a result of basically having a lot of little amounts of stuff left, if I'm being perfectly honest.

But, as sometimes happens, things that aren't exactly planned out turn out the best!

I tested it out one more time just to make sure I wasn't so hungry the first time anything would taste good!

This is super filling and delicious.  This recipe makes one serving but could be easily doubled or tripled!  The thing about pasta is that, on its own, a serving isn't that big.  But this recipe bulks it up with a lot of goodness so it's an extremely satisfying dinner!

As a note, I used a combined spice - the Penzeys pasta sprinkle - in this.  If you don't have that, you could just use garlic, oregano, basil and thyme, which is the combination of the sprinkle.  Just a dash of each should work!

I also used the precooked sausage crumbles in the interest of saving time, but feel free to cook up your own sausage!

Brussel Sprout, Sausage, and Yellow Squash Pasta

1/2 cup cooked pasta
3/4 cup chopped yellow squash
1 cup chopped Brussel sprouts
2 tsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. Penzey's pasta sprinkle
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup sausage crumbles (precooked)
2 tsp. reduced fat mozzarella
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Reserve about a 1/3 cup of the cooking water.

Heat the olive oil and garlic over medium heat, saute for about a minute.

Add squash, Brussel sprouts, pasta sprinkle, red pepper flakes, and salt/pepper and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add in the sausage and cook for another 6 minutes (or until the veggies are done to your liking.  I like mine a bit charred and crunchy so I added another minute or so).

Add reserved pasta water to create a 'sauce' - cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Add in 1/2 cup of cooked pasta and combine.  Sprinkle cheese over the top to melt.

Serve immediately.

Side Dish: Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts

Is there anything better than the combination of salty and sweet?

In my opinion?  No.

If someone had told me years ago that Brussel sprouts would become pretty much my favorite vegetable, I would have laughed in their faces.

And yet here we are.  I LOVE them.

This side dish is the perfect combination of sweet from pure maple syrup, and salty from the turkey bacon.

This recipe makes one serving but could easily be doubled or tripled for a larger group!

Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts

1 cup Brussel sprouts, chopped
1 slice turkey bacon
1 tsp. coconut oil
2 tsp. pure maple syrup
Salt and pepper

In a nonstick pan, cook bacon until crisp.  Remove from pan.

Add coconut oil to pan, and once melted, add Brussel sprouts.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook on medium heat for about 4 minutes.  Crumble bacon and add back into pan.  Add the maple syrup and cook for another minute.

Serve and enjoy!

Mexican Egg White Omelette

It's probably no secret, considering what's been on this blog, that I love breakfast food.

I would literally eat breakfast food for all three meals if I could.

I'm also a huge fan of anything that I can include either avocado or guacamole in.

So Mexican omelette?  Sure.

True fact - I don't like salsa, but for anyone who does it would probably be delicious on top of this!

I'll also be sharing my little omelette trick because I absolutely am incapable of flipping an omelette without destroying my kitchen.  This trick puffs the omelette up a bit,  making it borderline frittata like, and makes the eggs a little more done on the bottom - which I personally love, but if that's not your thing, flip away!

This is also really protein packed, between the egg whites and the black beans, and a dose of good healthy fats from the guacamole (you totally could use homemade, however I'm a big fan of Wholly Guacamole because the work is done and it's all natural!).

The whole omelette comes out to be about 275 calories (per the recipe builder on MyFitnessPal), which makes it perfect for breakfast!  The chili powder does give a kick, it's not too spicy but if spice isn't your thing, you might want to reduce that to a 1/4 teaspoon!

Mexican Egg White Omelette
(Serves 1)

1 cup chopped zucchini (or vegetable of choice!)
1/4 cup rinsed and drained black beans
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 cup egg whites
2 tbsp. guacamole
2 tbsp. reduced fat shredded Mexican blend cheese
Couple dashes of hot sauce (optional)

Spray a small frying pan with your favorite spray, and cook zucchini and black beans for about 4 minutes on medium heat.  Add in the chili powder and cumin and cook for an additional minute.

Add in the egg whites, along with the hot sauce.  Let the egg whites set up a bit, and then, using a spatula, gently push the edges in, allowing the uncooked egg whites to move to the sides of the pan.  Repeat this process until the eggs are about 3/4 of the way cooked through.

And now for the trick.

Take a lid larger than your frying pan, and place it on top.  This captures the heat / steam and will cook the rest of your eggs!  There is no set time (mine took about a minute, but it's something you have to watch!)

Then, spread the guacamole and sprinkle the cheese on one half of the omelette.

Then, using the spatula, gently fold the empty half over the top, and cook for an additional 30 seconds or so to ensure the guacamole and cheese are heated through.

Then, serve and enjoy!

Brussel Sprout and Sweet Potato Fritatta

I love eggs.  I love omelettes.

But I am terrible at making them. 

So a fritatta is my "cheat".  It's easy and requires no flipping.  Score!

Fritattas (and omelettes - if you can flip them!) are great 'use-ups'.  Left over veggies and proteins can easily be thrown in for a quick and easy meal.

My leftovers were sauteed brussel sprouts and roasted sweet potatoes.  The end result was a delicious dish with a nice crunch from the brussel sprouts and a creamy sweetness from the sweet potatoes. 

Brussel Sprout and Sweet Potato Fritatta 
(Serves 1)

1/2 cup brussel sprouts (chopped to your desired size)
1/4 cup roasted sweet potato
1 tsp. olive oil
1 egg
6 tbsp. egg whites
2 tbsp. shredded cheese of your choice (I used a part skim italian blend)
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.  Be sure to use an oven safe skillet!

In a small skillet, heat the olive oil.  Add brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes and saute to warm through. 

In a small bowl, beat together egg and egg whites, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Reduce heat on veggies and add egg mixture.  Let it set up a bit, and then push the edges back with a spatula to let some of the uncooked egg over to the edges.  Repeat this process until it is almost cooked through, with just a bit of raw egg left on top.

Sprinkle with shredded cheese and transfer to oven.  Cook in the oven for about 9 minutes, or until eggs are set. 

Serve and enjoy!

Side Dish: Chickpea and Veggie Paprika

Chalk this one up to trying to use leftovers and creativity!

A smoky, savory side dish that has a boost of protein and goes well with just about anything!

Side note:  You could pretty much use any veggies you have on hand.  I was using some leftover broccoli and cauliflower that I had steamed during my meal prep!

Chickpea and Veggie Paprika
(Serves 1)

1/2 cup of broccoli and cauliflower (precooked)
1/4 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. coconut oil
1/2 tsp. smoked sweet paprika
Salt and pepper to taste


Melt 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in a frying pan.  Add in veggies and chickpeas and cook about five minutes on medium heat.  Add paprika, salt and pepper, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. 

Serve immediately.