Pierogies with Sautéed Onions and Kale

It's Thursday and I'm FINALLY posting the recipe from Monday night...it's just been that kind of week my friends.  My husband has been working many evenings and it makes for some LONG days.  So enough complaining!  These pierogies were so yummy, a healthier version of a childhood favorite of mine.  And the addition of polish kielbasa for some added protein - besides, how can you eat pierogies without kielbasa?  At least my Polish family never did.  The kale was a perfect addition to round this meal out.  I baked the pierogies (first time I've ever tried that) instead of pan frying in butter as my grandmother always did.  It was no fuss and they reminded me of toasted ravioli.  And my heart thanks me too!  So if you want a different twist on a polish favorite, give this recipe a try.

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Pierogies with Sauteed Onions and Kale
1 pkg of your favorite pierogies (I used Mrs T's potato and 4 cheese, found in the freezer section - because that's what my grandmother always bought if she didn't make them homemade)
2 T olive oil for baking, plus 2 T olive oil for sauteing
1 large onion, sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
salt to taste
8 oz frozen chopped kale
1 pkg of your favorite polish kielbasa (I used a Nitrate free variety I found at whole foods - yummy!)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.  Using 2 T of olive oil, brush both sides of the pierogies and bake for 20 minutes.  Turn them half way through the cooking so that each side gets brown and crispy.

They look beautiful when they come out and are really tasty as is!  I would make these as an appetizer and serve them with a dipping sauce - just like a toasted ravioli.  But for dinner tonight, the sauteed onions and kale are delicious!  So continue on...

In a large frying pan over medium heat, place the kielbasa in the pan with 1 T of olive oil and brown on both sides (about 8 minutes). 

This is the kind of nitrate free all natural kielbasa I found and it was soooooo yummy!

You can hear the sizzle as it hits the pan!

Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside. 

Beautifully charred on the outside and so yummy!

In the same pan, heat the last 1 T of olive oil over medium heat.  Saute the onions until golden brown and tender.  Add the garlic and allow it to sweat for about 30 seconds. 

Add the frozen kale and cook until heated through and kale is tender, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt to taste. 

Serve the sauteed onions and kale with the toasted pierogies and seared kielbasa.  So good!  Enjoy!

Loving life, right where you are

I had a personal goal today of writing a post about my delicious dinner last night. Instead, as I type this out with my thumb on my iPhone, my baby girl is asleep on my left arm. She's peaceful and snoring, and since she's fighting a double ear infection, I am happy to oblige. I would do just about anything to help her sleep right now. Does it mean that the dishes have to stay dirty in the sink a while longer? Yes. The toys won't be picked up? The laundry remain on the basement floor waiting to be washed? Yes and yes. But I'm meeting life where it is TODAY. And every day looks different. Nothing stays the same for very long and soon this baby girl will be too big to sleep in my arms. So that recipe post will have to wait another day. I have snuggling to do.

Happy living,
Sarah

Week 14 - It's a lifestyle

Eating healthy and exercise is not part of a diet I am on - it is a lifestyle I live, one that I continue to improve upon each day.  Just like many of you, I do my best to survive the crazy, hectic life that we lead as a family with two kids under 4 and the pressures we put on ourselves.  Some days I can barely find time to shower.  But I love to eat; cooking & fitness are passions of mine.  So cooking healthy food for my family is a priority for me, not just because I want to feed my kids healthy food, but because I love to cook it.  It's something that I get pleasure from...now if only the dishes could do themselves.

My lifestyle has made great strides so far this year (as I wrote about last week).  This week I'm working on using up things I've had in my freezer for a while, combined with things on sale in my grocery store.  There may not be many recipes to share this week, but I will do my best to share some other things that have been on my mind.  Have a great week!

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Week 14: April 7, 2013

Sunday - leftovers

Monday-  grilled turkey kielbasa, pierogies with onions and kale, green salad

Tuesday - book club dinner

Wednesday - roasted chicken, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts

Thursday- oven chicken fajitas, rice & beans, green salad
 http://realmomkitchen.com/9318/oven-baked-chicken-fajitas/

Friday - pizza night

Saturday - leftovers

Lentil Soup with Ham and Kale

Soup is one of the most basic and easy things to make.  I don't understand why people purchase soup in cans.  If you've never tried to make your own soup, please give it a chance.  It's so much healthier for you, no preservatives, additives, or other ingredients you cannot pronounce.  You'll feel great about eating it and feeding it to your family.  And it's great for feeding a crowd!

I make this soup at least once a year, every time we have a ham bone leftover from a big ham dinner.  I'm not a fan of split pea soup, but we love lentils!  And lentil soup with ham is so versatile.  You can add so many veggies to it and it is the perfect one pot meal.  Plus, preparing it in the crockpot means you come home to a yummy meal all ready for you.  This version has kale, but any green will work.  I've also added red peppers when they are on sale, but you can add anything you have in your fridge or anything you really want your kids to eat.  Soups and stews are the perfect way to get your kids to eat more veggies.  The entire family love this soup - the baby even gobbled it down.  The toddler takes leftovers to school and I feel great feeding my family a meal full of healthy ingredients.  Plus it makes an enormous amount, so you'll have some to eat throughout the week and you can freeze it for a quick fix in the future.  So yummy!  I know your going to love it!

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Lentil Soup with Ham and Kale
original recipe posted at http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2011/06/slow-cooker-wednesdays.html
1 ham bone, trimmed of excess fat
1 cup of chopped ham, no fat, meat only 
1 large onion, chopped (I used a red onion because that's what I had on hand)
4 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 16 oz bag of green lentils (I've used brown lentils also, so any will do)
2 bay leaves
1 32 oz box of chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups of water
8 oz of frozen greens (I used Kale, but spinach would work well too)
salt & pepper to taste

Place the vegetables on the bottom of your crockpot.  Place the ham bone on top.

Then add the chopped ham, lentils, stock, water and bay leaves.  At this time, add pepper only (about 1/4 tsp).  Ham can make the soup salty enough, so don't add any additional salt until soup it done and you can taste it for flavor. 

Cook on high for 5 hours, stirring occasionally if you choose.  (I tried cooking this on low, but after 4 hours, I wasn't please with the progress of the lentils.  I truly believe the high heat helps to cook them down).  At this point you can remove the ham bone and the bay leaves. 

Ham bone is gone!  Looks good just like that, but we aren't done yet!

Add the frozen kale (or greens) and continue to cook on high for 30-60 minutes, or until soup thickens and greens are cooked through. 

After adding the frozen kale.

At this point, taste the soup to see if it needs more salt or pepper.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

As you can see, it thickens up quite a bit.  If you don't like it so thick, you can add more stock or water to thin it out.

Yummy!  Definitely a meal in itself, but you can serve it with a salad or sandwiches - whatever your families likes.

Spinach & Mushroom Stuffed Shells

Monday nights are always meatless in our house.  Many times I do some sort of seafood, but I have done quite a few vegetarian dishes as well.  I got this idea from a Food Network Magazine and thought, "Perfect!".  We love spinach, mushrooms and Italian!  And I have fond memories of stuffed shells from my childhood.  These were yummy!!! 

I definitely adapted the recipe to make it my own and enlisted my toddler to help me make dinner.  It's his new favorite thing since he stopped taking his nap after school.  He wants to cook, bake, or "help" me around the house.  So not only it this recipe delicious, it's fun to make with your kids.  My husband isn't a fan of ricotta cheese, or lots of it.  So I decided to make this a little less cheesy of a filling, more vegetables, and I used cottage cheese to boost the protein factor.  I have heard that most people's concern with using cottage cheese is that they are afraid it won't be as creamy as ricotta.  All you need to do is use a blender or food processor (as I did in this recipe) and you will have the same texture, no problem.  It's also a great way to incorporate other flavors into the filling and avoiding extra chopping.  I hope you give these a try!

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Spinach and Mushrooms Stuffed Shells
An original recipe inspired by:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/mushroom-spinach-stuffed-shells-recipe/index.html 
20-24 jumbo shells, cooked, drained, and rinsed  (I made the entire box because my kids LOVE to eat the big shells plain)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
12 ounces of sliced mushrooms (I just used button mushrooms but whatever is on sale will do)
1 10 oz pkg of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 jar of your favorite jarred marinara (or 3-4 cups of homemade)
1 cup low-fat small curd cottage cheese (I used 4%)
1/4 cup of fresh basil leaves
1 large egg
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
3/4 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, plus 1/2 cup for top of shells

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  While the pasta is cooking, start making the filling.  In a food processor or blender (I used my mini-processor) puree the cottage cheese until smooth.  Add the fresh basil and egg and process until well incorporated.  Set aside.

Heat 2 T of olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. 

The veggies

My 3 year old stirring the onions.

Add the mushrooms and 1/4 tsp of salt, stir to combine.  Cook mushrooms until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds.  Finally, add the spinach and stir until heated through.  Pour the mixture into a bowl and allow it to cool completely. 

Mushrooms are done!

Add the spinach and stir until heated through and extra moisture has evaporated.

Once the vegetables have cooled, add the cottage cheese and herb mixture, along with the parmesan and 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese.  Mix until well combined.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.

In a 9x13 inch pan, pour 1/3 of the jar of sauce evenly over the bottom of the pan.  Stuff the shells with about 1/4-1/3 cup of filling each.  (I used 20 shells, but you may find you use a little more or less depending on how full you make them).  Pour the rest of the sauce evenly over the top.

They already look so good!

Ready for the oven.

Bake the shells for 30 minutes covered in aluminum foil.  After those 30 minutes, take the aluminum foil off and continue to bake uncovered for an additional 30 minutes or until bubbly.  Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and broil for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Serve immediately!  We had a big ceasar salad with this and it was awesome!  Enjoy!!!

Ready for the cheese after 60 minutes in the oven.

And ready to eat!

Yummy!!!

My New Favorite At-Home Circuit Workout

I get bored with my workout routine if I do the same thing everyday, and frankly, so do our muscles.  It is actually better for you to change things up, do different routines and shock your muscles.  Here is a great circuit workout that combines cardio, arm, leg, and ab exercises.  Warm up by marching or slowly jogging in place for 2-3 minutes to loosen up your muscles.  Do three rounds of the exercises listed, 30 sec water break in between rounds.  End the routine with 5 minutes of stretching.

As always, please consult a physician before beginning a new exercise routine.  Take breaks as you need and listen to your body.  This is not a race, and in fact, it is better for you to do the weight bearing exercises at a slower pace (rule of thumb on weight lifting: 2 or 3 counts up, 2 or 3 counts down).  If you have knee or joint problems, adjust the workout as needed to make it low-impact.  Contact me if you need or want more information on this.  Now go get moving!

Happy Fitness!
Sarah

The Full-Body At-Home Circuit Workout
50 jumping jacks
20 bicep curls
20 jump squats
40 mountain climbers
20 tricep extensions (10 on each arm)
30 crunches on an exercise ball
30 high knees
10 overhead presses
20 walking lunges with weights (10 on each side)
20 plank jacks
10 lateral raises
30 bicycle crunches
10 burpees
30 second water break, then repeat TWO more times.

Don't forget to stretch at the end of 3 rounds!!!

Week 13- Healthy Home Revolution Review and Favorites

First, let me say a very Happy Easter to anyone celebrating!!!  Today, like many holidays, is a day that we gather as families, big or small, and celebrate traditions over food, drink, and laughter.   Food is a social event and holiday meals are the ultimate example of this.  Enjoy your gatherings and make many happy memories today!

Healthy Home Revolution Update and Review:
Thank you to everyone who has supported me, re-pinned my recipes on Pinterest, and commented on Facebook.   I've lost 15 pounds and even fit into the jeans I wore when I first met my husband, my pre-kids days.  Awesome!!!  The best part is that I don't feel I've deprived my body of anything.  In fact, I feel quite the opposite.  I've been slamming fruits and veggies, mostly veggies, into my body daily.  Combine that with lean meats, high fiber whole grains, low fat dairy and the occasional treat (like our Friday pizza nights), my body is strong and healthy.  I still eat my favorite "splurge" foods every now and then, but I'm intentional about what I put into my body.  And exercise has become part of my daily routine.  I no longer ask myself whether I am going to workout or not; instead, I ask myself when my workout will fit in to my schedule that day.  It requires some planning, but it is all worth it.  Exercise has become such a large part of my daily routine that my toddler asks if we can exercise together when I pick him up from school.  He knows how to do specific exercises that I didn't know how to do at 30 years old. 

So in celebration of completing 12 weeks of life-style changes, I just wanted to share some of my favorites.  The Healthy Home Revolution has transformed what I cook for my family and how I look at exercise.  I hope that it has done or can do the same for you.

My favorite recipes from these past 12 weeks:
Although I don't cook 7 days a week, I have not repeated a recipe on the days that I have cooked dinner.  Most of the recipes I would make on a regular basis, but some really stand out as being AMAZING!  It was REALLY HARD to narrow it down to my top 5, so here are my top 7, in no particular order:

1) Italian Baked Chicken  http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/01/italian-baked-chicken.html

2) Pork Carnitas  http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/01/pork-carnitas.html

3)  Crockpot Chicken Teriyaki  http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/01/crockpot-chicken-teriyaki.html

4)  Chicken & Spinach Enchurittos  http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/03/chicken-and-spinach-enchurittos.html

5)  BBQ Turkey Meatloaf  http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/03/bbq-turkey-meatloaf.html

6)  Lemon-Onion Chicken with Spinach  http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/03/lemon-onion-chicken-with-spinach.html

7)  Black Bean, Quinoa, and Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers  http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/03/chipotle-black-bean-burger-with-quinoa.html

My favorite new snack:
When I want something quick, fresh, healthy & delicious I make this super simple tomato and avocado salad.  I take about 1 cup of tomatoes (what ever you have - these Campari tomatoes were on sale at Trader Joe's), 1/2 avocado sliced, and salt & pepper to taste.  It's that easy!  And I just love it.

My favorite workouts:
 Here is a link to a previous post that contains my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE at-home workouts.  Enjoy!  http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/01/cold-weather-indoor-exercise.html


And now for this week's menu plan.  I'm making some new things, and some recipes that I have previously posted.  As always, I'll post recipes as the week progresses.

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Week 13: March 31, 2013

Sunday-  Easter Dinner: ham, mustard sauce, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, and asparagus

Monday- Meatless Monday: Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Shells, Caesar salad
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/mushroom-spinach-stuffed-shells-recipe/index.html

Tuesday- leftovers

Wednesday- Garlic and Citrus Roasted chicken, brussel sprouts, and baked sweet potatoes (I've made this one before, but it's another favorite!!!)
http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/03/garlic-and-citrus-roasted-chicken.html

Thursday - Crockpot Lentil and Ham Soup (this was one of my first recipes I ever posted!)
http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2011/06/slow-cooker-wednesdays.html

Friday- pizza and movie night

Saturday- date night

Homemade Sloppy Joes and Not-so-sloppy Joe Empanadas

Sloppy Joes were a favorite of mine from childhood. I wanted to recreate them without the store bought mix or canned sauce, all homemade. This recipe was simple, fun, and delicious. My toddler helped me each step or the way and loved them! Getting him involved in the cooking process makes him excited to try something new, something HE made. Plus the recipe makes enough for two dinners!!! It makes enough meat filling for 8 biscuit empanadas AND 4 sandwiches. So yummy! For now on, I will never make them any other way.

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Sloppy Joe Filling
based on Rachel Ray's recipe http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/super-sloppy-joes-recipe/index.html
1 T olive oil
1.5 lbs of very lean ground beef, I used 96% lean
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 T Montreal steak seasoning
2 T brown sugar
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T red wine vinegar
2 T tomato paste
1 - 15oz can tomato sauce

In a small bowl, mix the Montreal seasoning and brown sugar. Set aside. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the beef and the olive oil, beginning to break in up. Add the seasoning mixture and stir to combine.

Easy enough that a 3 year old can do it!

Continue to cook until meat has browned. Add the onion and red pepper to the beef along with the vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through.

I just chopped enough red pepper so I had equal parts onion and pepper.  I actually had some red pepper leftover.

Add the tomato paste and tomato sauce, stirring to combine. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook an additional 5-10 minutes.

Serve on top of your favorite sandwich rolls and with some family favorite vegetables. Or make the yummy Not-so-sloppy Joe Empanadas, recipe below.

 

Not-so-sloppy Joe Empanadas
inspired by http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/grands-unsloppy-joes/3203cf0c-74bb-4e68-a038-2a43eae76087
1/2 recipe of sloppy Joe filling
1 pkg of biscuits (8 biscuits)
1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese

Here's a picture of the kind of biscuits I used - no hydrogenated oils or artificial preservatives.  Better for you than other refrigerated brands.

Take each biscuit and push it out into a thinner circle like you would a pizza crust, about 4-6 inch in diameter. This is sooooo much fun for kids to do! We even made up a song to sing about pressing out our dough. Ha!

Place between 1/4-1/3 cup of sloppy Joe filling, depending on the size of your circle. You want to be able to seal the dough without the filling in the way. Sprinkle 1 T of shredded cheese on top and fold, pinching the edges together. Continue this process with all 8 biscuits.

Place the empanadas on a greased cookie sheet, (I used cooking spray). Bake at 375 for 13-17 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve with your favorite veggies. Tonight, it was sauteed green beans, carrot sticks, and green salad. Yummy!

Green beans sauteed in 1 T olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little fresh lemon juice.  Add garlic or slivered almonds - be creative and make them to your own taste!

Carrot sticks - a kid favorite and full of vitamin A!

And a green salad for me- I think I have a green salad at almost every single lunch and dinner every week. 

One recipe and TWO meals!!!  Doesn't get any easier!  Enjoy!!!