Helping families eat healthier for less

Helping families eat healthier for less

Monday, February 22, 2016

Veggie-Packed Poached Eggs Great for Breakfast



Veggie-Packed Poached Eggs with Toast


As a nation, we don’t eat enough veggies. It’s not hard to eat a salad or have cooked veggies with dinner, but getting veggies in for breakfast can be a challenge. Sure there are omelets, but I wanted something quick and easy.

The theme for Recipe Redux this month is to “break out of the breakfast boredom.” For me, I just purchased a microwave egg poacher., based on a strong recommendation from one of my best friends.

Microwave Egg Poacher


I opened my fridge and grabbed raw spinach, a red bell pepper, mushroom, green onion, sharp cheddar cheese, and then to spice it up a bit, some turkey pepperoni slices. I also added some dried dill weed as I love the combination of eggs and dill.
Place eggs on bottom and top with assorted veggies

Assemble any veggies you have on hand


It all goes together very fast and cooks in the microwave for only a minute or two.

Veggie-Packed Poached Eggs

Ingredients:

2 large eggs
6 slices turkey pepperoni, finely diced
1/2 green onion, trimmed & finely diced
1 mushroom, finely diced
1 tablespoon finely diced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon finely diced raw spinach
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 tablespoon shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Crack eggs into each cop of the microwavable egg poacher; pierce yolks with fork.
Divide remaining ingredients equally among two cups, on top of raw eggs.
Microwave, covered, for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on how runny you want your eggs and the wattage of your microwave. Let rest for 30 seconds.

Makes 1 serving.

Nutrition Information per Serving:
201 calories, 12 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 387 mg cholesterol, 0 g dietary fiber, 19 g protein, and 415 mg sodium. One serving of this low cost recipe provides an excellent source of riboflavin, vitamin D and calcium and a good source of vitamins A and C.

Cost per Serving: $0.83
Pricing Note: all ingredients were at “regular” prices.


Poached eggs right out of the microwave in 1 - 2 minutes

Friday, January 22, 2016

Stuffed Mushrooms with Hemp Seeds


Stuffed Mushrooms with Hemp Seeds


The theme for Recipe Redux this month is to cook with a new ingredient that you've been wanting to try. I was at my local Costco and came across hemp seeds. 


I decided they would be a good, healthy filling for stuffed mushrooms. This recipe below makes a great tasting, healthy appetizer. There are only 38 calories per stuffed mushroom. You can eat several and not feel guilty.


Stuffed Mushrooms With Hemp Seeds

Ingredients:
1 10-oz package baby Portobello mushrooms (about 12 small mushrooms)
1 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp raw shelled hemp seeds (such as Hemp Hearts)
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, finely chopped


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Carefully remove stems from mushrooms. Place mushroom caps in single layer in baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Finely chop the mushroom stems. Melt butter in large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add chopped mushroom stems, onions, and garlic and cook for 4 minutes, or until onions are soft. Add feta cheese and vinegar, stirring until well blended. Remove from heat. Stir in hemp seeds, thyme and basil. Carefully spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Makes 12 stuffed mushrooms.

Note: White button mushrooms can also be used in place of Portobello mushrooms, if desired.

Nutrition Information (1/12th of recipe):
38 calories, 2.6 g total fat, 1.0 g saturated fat, 3.5 mg cholesterol, 0.8 g dietary fiber, 2.2 g protein, and  46.3 mg sodium.

Cost per Mushroom Serving: $0.42 each (or about $5.08 for whole recipe)

Pricing Note: all ingredients were at “regular” prices except mushrooms were on sale for $3.49 per package.

Stuffed Mushrooms with Hemp Seed Preparation

Saturday, January 9, 2016


Quinoa Butternut Squash Soup perfect for cold winter days


“I received free samples of Progresso Cooking Stock mentioned in this post at no cost. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Progresso Cooking Stock and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”


During the cold winter months, nothing satisfies me more than a hearty bowl of soup.  This quinoa butternut squash soup is a little spicy, filling and healthy. The quinoa adds body and protein to the soup. Serve this soup with a green salad and your meal is done.

Progresso has just introduced a new line of premium Cooking Stocks made by simmering real bones, flavorful vegetables, and aromatic herbs to create stocks that are close to homemade. Progresso uses a new process to simmer real bones so you get stocks that have rich meaty flavor that are full of body. 

Now, instead of spending hours making your own homemade stock, you can now find Progresso’s Cooking Stocks in the soup aisle of grocery stores nationwide. You'll find chicken, unsalted chicken, and vegetable varieties. Use them for all your favorite soups, stews, gravies and sauces to add deep, complex flavors. 

Nutritionally speaking, a one cup serving has 15 to 45 calories, 95 to 420 mg sodium, and 0 to 1 g of fat. I prefer the unsalted chicken variety, with only 95 mg sodium per cup. And there are no artificial flavors; Progresso Stocks offer a clean way to boost your flavor game.



Quinoa Butternut  Squash Soup

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 shallots, peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
1/3 cup sliced jalapenos (fresh or from a jar)
1 32-ounce container Progresso Unsalted Chicken Cooking Stock
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, & oregano)
1/3 cup red quinoa
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle powder, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Lime wedges for serving


Directions:
Heat oil in large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and shallots to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking, covered, for 3 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients except lime wedges and stir. Heat over high heat until comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes. Mash squash with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon to a chunky texture. Ladle into bowls. Serve with lime wedges.

Makes 12 servings.


Nutrition Information per 1/12th Serving:
93 calories, 2 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g dietary fiber, 4 g protein, and 225 mg sodium. One serving of this low cost recipe provides an excellent source of vitamins A and C and a good source of fiber.




Mashing Quinoa Butternut Squash Soup for a hearty texture