Potato-Spinach Casserole

Ive been really obsessing with spinach and brussel sprouts lately.  Im not sure what it is but, they're both such  tasty delights that I cant stop.  There are worse things to eat a lot of, though.  :]

Recipe is from BHG dot com.
Yields 12 servings.
204 calories per serving.

INGREDIENTS

8 large potatoes

8 oz sour cream

1/4 c margarine

2 tbsp chives

1/4 tsp pepper

10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 c cheddar cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400.

Peel & quarter potatoes.

In a covered, large pot, cook potatoes for 25 minutes.

Drain.  Mash.

Add sour cream, margarine, chives, and pepper; mash again until margarine is melted and mixture is smooth.

Stir in spinach.

Transfer mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish.

Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Tara Stiles' Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie

Id seen this about a thousand times all over Tumblr so, I thought Id give it a shot myself.  There are no real measurements but a few words of advice : dont use unsweetened almond milk  & use more strawberries than ice.  Given these findings, this was still pretty tasty.  I think I need to use more of the spices as well.  I tasted a lot of ice instead of the nutmeg and cinnamon.

INGREDIENTS

Ice

Strawberries

Rolled oats

1 c roasted, unsalted cashews

1 c almond milk

2 spoons of maple syrup

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Vanilla

Cobb Egg Salad

I figured Id take a break from beans this week and switch over to another form of protein for lunch : eggs and bacon!  And my second favorite kind of cheese : blue cheese!

Recipe from Eating Well
Yields 5 servings
257 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp nonfat plain yogurt

3 tbsp lowfat mayonnaise

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp salt

10 hard boiled eggs

1 ripe avocado, cubed

3 slices center cut bacon, cooked & crumbled

1/4 c crumbled blue cheese

DIRECTIONS

Combine yogurt, mayo, garlic powder, salt, & pepper in a medium bowl.

Halve eggs & discard 5 of the yolks.

Add whites and the remaining 5 yolks to the bowl & mash to desired consistency.

Stir in avocado, bacon, & blue cheese.

Greek Omelet

As a rule on Saturday and Sundays, I like to take time to make  my breakfast.  Im usually awake before my roommates and since I have the weekends off, I like to enjoy cooking my breakfast instead of rushing around like I have to on the weekdays.  This didnt take a ton of time, though.

Recipe from Eating Well
Yields 2 servings
267 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

1/4 c cooked spinach

4 large eggs

1/2 c crumbled feta cheese

2 scallions, sliced

Ground pepper, to taste

2 tsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl blend eggs and spinach.

Add feta, scallions, & pepper.

Preheat broiler to high heat.

Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat.

Pour in egg combo & tilt evenly to distribute evenly.

Reduce heat to medium low & cook until bottom is golden, 3 - 4 minutes.

Place pan in oven for 2 minutes until eggs are set.

Minestrone Ole!

Ive had my house to myself all week so I figured Id make a crockpot meal.  This one didnt take a lot of time to put together in terms of prepartion.  It yields a lot more servings than I usually make for a weekly lunch but, I figured it would save me some time on the weekends.

Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens
Yields 12 servings
199 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

2 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained

2 14.5 oz cans stewed tomatoes

28 oz vegetable broth

1 15.25 oz can whole kernal corn, rinsed and drained

1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

2 red potatoes, diced

2 c frozen green beans

1 c salsa

DIRECTIONS

In a crockpot combine black beans, tomatoes, broth, corn, garbanzo beans, potatoes, green beans, & salsa.

Cover & cook on high heat for 4.5 to 5.5 hours.

Pasta & Broccoli

There isnt much to say about this recipe other than pasta, broccoli, & garlic -- oh my!

Recipe is from Skinny Taste.
Yields 6 servings.
289.2 calories per serving.

INGREDIENTS

12 oz uncooked pasta

6.5 c fresh broccoli florets

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c parmesan cheese

2 tbsp olive oil

salt & pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of water to boil.

Add pasta & broccoli & cook for 12 minutes.

Drain & set aside.

Place pot back on the stove & turn heat up to high.

Add 1 tbsp olive oil &, when hot, add garlic.

Cook until golden, reduce to low, & add pasta & broccoli back into pot.

Stir thoroughly & then add 1 tbsp olive oil, cheese, salt & pepper.

Magical Skinny Bars

Im not particularly a choc-a-holic but, when I stumbled across this recipe it seemed too good to pass up.  I did have to alter it a little bit, though.  My roommate is severely allergic to coconut so, I had to take that out but, otherwise, these turned out perfectly.

Recipe from Skinny Kitchen.
Yields 48 bars.
133 calories per 2 bars.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 c margarine

1 1/4 c graham cracker crumbs

1 c chocolate chips

1 can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

1/2 c chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray a square baking pan generously with cooking spray.

Place margarine in the microwave for 20 seconds to melt.

Pour margarine into baking pan.

Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs evenly over top of the margarine & pat down.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.

Pour milk slowly over chips & top with the nuts.

Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.

Let cool for a half hour.

Remove from baking pan & place on a cutting board.

Cut into 48 pieces.