Zucchini Tots

You may have noticed that this is my second week in a row trying out a zucchini recipe. I just couldn't help myself! Zucchini is such a versatile vegetable and I had a some extra in my refrigerator, so I decided I must find another fun recipe to use it with.  As a kid, I would always get excited when I found out that "tater tots" were on the dinner menu.  I mean, who doesn't love tater tots? When I found this recipe for "zucchini tots", which brings the same crunchy, tasty element, I just couldn't wait to start cooking.  If you are looking for a way to sneak veggies in a meal, this is the way to go!

Ingredients
1 packed cup grated zucchini
1 egg
1/4 medium onion, minced
1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup season breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper

Directions
1. Grate the zucchini until you have 1 packed cup.
2. Wring all of the excess water out of the zucchini
3. In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients
4. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the mixture in to your hands and roll into small ovals
5. Place on a baking sheet (sprayed with cooking spray)
6. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes (until golden brown) at 400 degrees and turn halfway through cooking.

Full directions are available on Skinny Taste website, where I found this amazing recipe!

The final product didn't disappoint one bit! I honestly wish I had made a lot more because I could have snacked on those endlessly!  They were packed with great flavor, and although they had a different taste than the typical tater tots of course, they brought a healthier element! Note that any cheese can be used for this, including parmesan and mozzarella! You can also considering adding any other ingredients, such as garlic powder or red pepper flakes to spice it up a bit!

I hope you try this recipe out and enjoy it as much as I did!

Zucchini Pizza Bites

I am super excited to share this week's recipe!  I'm sure all of you remember "Bagel Bites", as it was, and continues to be, a classic after school and late night snack favorite for kids, and maybe even college students on a budget! I've definitely had my fair share, however, it isn't the healthiest snack. When I found a healthy version of this bite sized pizza snack, in which zucchini is used as the crust, I knew I just had to try it out!  Surprisingly, using a slice of zucchini as the base for this, made for a delicious treat!  I used zucchini in a previous recipe and I just love the benefits it offers.  Zucchini is packed full of vitamin A and C, and also brings in a protein element.  I will continue to use it whenever possible in my dishes.


Ingredients
Zucchini
Pizza sauce
Mozzarella Cheese
Pepperoni
(Any toppings of your choice)

Directions:
1. Cut the zucchini into thin slices.
2. Spray zucchini with non stick cooking spray or coat with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Broil or grill zucchini rounds for 2 minutes on each side.
4. Place zucchini on a baking sheet and top with small amounts of cheese, pepperoni and desired toppings.
5. Broil for an additional 1-3 minutes or until cheese is melted.
6. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.

Full directions are available on The Comfort of Cooking website

When the zucchini bites came out of the oven, they smelled amazing and tasted even better.  I made sure to season the zucchini well before cooking, and I also cut the slices fairly thin.  My mom and I ate them up before my dad even got home, so it looks like I'll have to make some more in the near future!  I think these snacks would be a perfect appetizer for a party and highly recommend that you try this recipe out!

Enjoy!

The Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie

This week I took on the classic chocolate chip cookie.  Nothing says comfort like a warm cookie straight out of the oven, and I thought it would be fun to find a healthy recipe for a true classic! Surprisingly, there were some very simple replacements which made this an easy task! Instead of regular flour, I blended up oats to create an "oat flour."  I also did not use butter in this recipe, but rather, used coconut oil.  Coconut oil is a great replacement for butter and fats and has been described as nutritionists as "the healthiest oil in the world."
Ingredients
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 and 1/2 cups oat flour (regular oats blended)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Pinch of salt

Directions:
1. Blend the oats until they resemble a flour or powder in a blender.
2. Combine vanilla extract, large egg, and brown sugar in a bowl.
3. Melt the coconut oil and let it cool before adding it to the bowl and mixing together.
4. Stir in oat flour (NOTE: measure after blending, not before), baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
5. Stir until combined and then add chocolate chips.
6. Chill dough for at least an hour and then scoop out balls of dough and pack tightly.
7. Put them on parchment paper on a cookie sheet and cook for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

This baking experiment turned out really well! Even before putting the cookies in the oven, I tasted the dough and knew the result was going to be amazing.  The taste wasn't exactly like the classic cookie, as you could taste a small hint of coconut, but it was delicious nonetheless!  To know that you can indulge in cookies, without feeling quite as guilty, sure is a good feeling.  I will definitely use this recipe again!

Taco Night

Anytime I hear that we are having tacos for dinner, I get really excited, and for good reason! Don't you agree? It is hard to find someone who doesn't love a good taco, but I think all of us taco lovers know that we definitely aren't focusing on health when eating a taco, but rather, our focus is solely on flavor.  As I was pouring out the grease for my taco meat last week, and mixing in the orange powder which gives it that flavor we seem to love, I realized I must find an alternative way to eat a taco, and it must be healthy.  Turns out, it's super easy!  By simply replacing the greasy, flavored, ground beef with chicken, and replacing the typical toppings (cheese, sour cream, etc) with fresh vegetables, I was able to enjoy a fresh, tasty, taco!

Ingredients
Chicken
Avocado
Yellow pepper
Tomato
Cucumber
Salsa

Directions:
1. Cook the chicken--I fried it in a pan for 10 minutes on both sides.
2. Cut up/shred up the chicken.
3. Put the chicken and all of the toppings into a tortilla.

Simple--I'm sure you are all pros at making tacos and don't need these listed, but including directions is a part of the deal, so there they are! :)

The ingredients I used are by no means the only options, of course.  Use whatever veggies you love and feel free to add some spices as well.  I was shocked to find that a taco still felt like a taco, even without cheese, sour cream, and "taco seasoning", which now seems to define a taco in most households.  Next time, I am going to add a spicy pepper to this mix as a topping!

I must admit, I am no chef and I am not the best at making my plate of food look pretty, but the colors of the photos definitely help my cause.  I love using naturally colored ingredients, like peppers! They make the meal a whole lot more interesting, and a whole lot more healthy.

I encourage you to make your next taco night, a healthy taco night!

Enjoy!

Cornbread

I haven't talked about football in a while...but this week I must say, GO BILLS!  Watching the Bills win this weekend was definitely the highlight, however, the delicious meal that accompanied the game came in a close second.  Nothings says "comfort food" to me like a nice bowl of chili and a side of cornbread, so on this cool weekend, I had to make this meal.  At my house, we make a generally healthy chili recipe, but when it comes to the bread on the side, not so much. Cornbread is known for being full of oils and butter, which makes it delicious of course, but I tried a recipe that avoided these all together.  And yes, it still was super tasty! You might not believe me on this one, but I promise, you will not have to sacrifice flavor at all.   The aroma that filled the house as the bread was cooking was wonderful, but it didn't even compare to the taste.  

Cornbread Ingredients    

1 cup flour

1 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup plain nonfat yogurt

2 eggs, beaten

  

Directions: 

1. In a large bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda and salt.  Stir in yogurt and eggs.

2. Pour batter into lightly greased 8 x 8 baking pan.

3. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Full details for this recipe are available on the "AllRecipes" website!

As I mentioned before, this recipe turned out even better than I expected! No one in my family could even tell the difference or recognize that butter and oil were not used.  The yogurt really served as a great replacement.  Note: I did add a teaspoon of honey to this, just as a natural sweetener. That is one tip that I would give to you all, if you want to take this recipe the next level!

Enjoy!

Calzone Craving

I must admit, this week, I slacked a little bit in researching a new, healthy recipe. By no means did I cook something as unique as "cauliflower crusted pizza", or "zucchini" pasta noodles, but boy, what I cooked sure was delicious.  Truth of the matter is, I was craving a calzone, so I made one.  Nothing screams comfort food like a folded up pizza.  But don't worry, I didn't forget the health aspect!  I made many modifications to allow for this savory treat to qualify as healthy.

There is no strict recipe you have to follow when making a calzone, so this week I kind of improvised! The must have ingredients for a calzone include, dough, sauce, and cheese.   That sounds boring though, doesn't it? I added a lot more to really bring this calzone some flavor.

Ingredients that I used:  Dough, Mozzarella Cheese, Sauce, Turkey Pepperoni, Onions, Peppers, and Broccoli .

Modifications:

1. Whole wheat dough vs. White
I used whole wheat dough in my recipe this week.  Dough made from whole wheat flour offers a higher level a vitamins when compared to white flour, as well as a high fiber content.  You can read up about the advantages of whole wheat flour on the "SFGATE" website.

2. Vegetables vs. Meat
Calzones are typically known for being full of pepperoni and sausage, and that's about it.  Sure, that's what some people love about them, but I found that packing my calzone full of vegetables was just as satisfying.  This would be a great way to sneak in some vegetables for kids that refuse to eat them when they stand alone :)

3. Turkey pepperoni vs. Classic Pepperoni (Pork)
Although, as mentioned above, I focused on including vegetables instead of meat, I did add some pepperoni to this calzone.  I, however, used turkey pepperoni. Turkey pepperoni has fewer calories and less fat than pork-based sausage, which is obviously desirable in regards to health benefits.


Try out some of these modifications in your next pizza or calzone! I promise you won't lose the traditional flavor you know and love!

Zucchini Pasta

One important thing that I have learned in my efforts to make healthy comfort foods, is that vegetables are extremely versatile and can be amazing replacements in meals that you wouldn't expect could be changed up.  After cooking cauliflower crusted pizza and butternut squash mac and cheese, I have been completely impressed with the flavors that remain in the classic dishes, even with the healthy twist.  This week, I took on a healthy version of the traditional "pasta" or "spaghetti" dish, and I followed the trend of using a vegetable as the main component, by cooking zucchini noodles accompanied with a roasted red pepper sauce. This recipe eliminates the carbohydrates and offers amazing health benefits, as zucchini contains high levels of both vitamin A and C.


Ingredients
For the sauce:                    
2 roasted red peppers      
1 tablespoon olive oil        
2 oz goat cheese              
1 teaspoon salt        
For the zucchini noodles:
2 pounds zucchini
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic

Directions
1.For the sauce, add the 2 roasted red bell peppers to the blender with the rest of the sauce ingredients and blend until smooth.
2. For the zucchini noodles, use a vegetable peeler to "spiral" the zucchini into the shape of noodles.
3. Next, heat a large skillet and sauté the zucchini noodles with olive oil, onion, garlic, and salt until the noodles begin to soften, but before they start shedding water.
4. Add the sauce to the skillet and cook until the sauce is heated.

The original recipe and full directions are available on the "GI 365: Get Inspired Everyday" website.

This dish most certainly didn't taste like a traditional spaghetti dish, however it introduced me to several new flavors!  I was nervous that the zucchini noodles might not be soft enough, or may not have much flavor, but that was not the case. The noodles soaked up the sauce well, and the sauce itself had a unique, slightly spicy, flavor.  Some tips for perking up the recipe even more would be to add some hot pepper flakes before blending the sauce and to add some fresh parmesan cheese to the top once the pasta is cooked and ready to serve!