Simple Spaghetti with Tuna and Tomatoes

This recipe was a long time coming.  I had been watching chefs on the Food Network, such as Mario Batali and Giada De Laurentiis make versions of this and I always wondered what it would taste like.  But truth be told, I was scared that making the canned tuna warm would be super fishy.  Well to my surprise, its not at all!!!

Last week I took a bunch of cooking books out of the library.  Owen took interest in several recipes, so I told him to choose 4 to make this week.  This Spaghetti recipe was one of them.  

It can be thrown together in less than 15 minutes, perfect for a busy weeknight, and a great option to add healthy protein to every kids favorite dish - pasta and sauce.  Yes, we love meatballs; but homemade meatballs takes some time, and store-bought have lots of ingredients I would prefer to avoid.   So this is now something I KNOW my kiddos will eat without any drama.  IN fact, Owen said he like this MORE than his regular pasta with plain sauce. WHAT?!?!?!  I'll take it!

A more grown-up version would add capers and kalamata olives, or maybe even an anchovy or two for the foodies out there.  As many of my recipes, I want you to take it and make it your own.   This can be served with a green salad or roasted veggies.

Happy Cooking!!

Sarah

Simple Spaghetti with Tuna and Tomatoes

8 oz whole grain spaghetti (I like Ronzoni Smart Taste)

1-2 T olive oil

1 cup of your favorite clean marinara sauce (or you can make a quick pan-sauce with

1 T olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic and 1 cup of pureed canned tomatoes)

1 can (5 oz) albacore tuna, packed in water

1/2 cup Romano cheese

reserved pasta water

Cook the pasta according to the package in heavily salted water.   Once its ready, reserve some of the pasta water and drained the spaghetti. 

Meanwhile, heat up or make your sauce (heat pan, add olive oil add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute.  Add the tomatoes, stir and allow to warm before moving to next step.).   Once warmed through, add the tuna breaking it up until its just warmed through, about 2 minutes.   Add the spaghetti and toss everything together.  If its dry, you can add some pasta water and top off with the grated Romano. 

Enjoy!!!!

 

Make Ahead Couscous Salad

I love make-ahead salads for quick go-to lunches and snacks!!  You can be intentional with your ingredients,  or just use up all the leftovers in your fridge.  And to be honest, that's what this was for me.  

Once you know the basic way to make homemade dressing, you just throw a bunch of things in a bowl and voila!!  You have deliciousness!!  

I hope you love this and get creative with it - make it your own.  And message me with your creations too!!!  I want to hear from you!

Happy Cooking!

Sarah

Make-Ahead Couscous Salad

1 1/2 cups of leftover whole wheat couscous (already cooked)

1 cup of garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained

1 cup chopped cucumber

1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half

1/2 cup diced red pepper

juice of 1/2 lemon

4 T olive oil

2 T red wine vinegar

salt & pepper to taste

Mix everything together in a large bowl and keep in the fridge until you eat it.  When you are ready to serve yourself, just gently toss again to redistribute the dressing.  

Enjoy!!!

 

Crockpot Indian Spiced Lentils

I got this amazing set of spices from a good family friend and I am looking for new recipes that use them.  These lentils are just one of many recipes you can expect over the next few months. 

I love my crockpot - so simple.  You can even cut all the veggies up ahead of time to make the morning crockpot dump that much easier.  I am serving mine over couscous instead of brown rice (we just had rice last night with our stir-fry) and sides of roasted broccoli and naan.  Yum!

And this was kid approved!!!  There is almost no heat to these lentils, so absolutely kid friendly.  

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Crockpot Indian Spiced Lentils

2 cups of brown lentils, rinsed and drained
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp of fresh minced ginger
2 T coconut oil
1 tsp Kashmiri Curry
1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Garam Masala
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp honey
1 tsp salt
8 oz of tomato sauce (no seasoning added)
3-4 cups of water
Sriracha, Greek Yogurt, and cilantro for serving

️Place all the ingredients in the slow cooker and set on high for 7-8 hours. 

  

Check occasionally, as you may need to add more water if the lentils absorb it all. 

Enjoy!!!

Asian Kale Mason Jar Salad

Yes, everyone has seen mason jar salads, but how about a delicious vegetarian version with Asian flavors???

This one is so simple and delicious!  Feel free to sub out any ingredients you don't like and even add chicken, tofu or tempeh if you want to add some protein.  I like to make these during my meal prep and let them sit in the fridge for simple grab and go lunches.  My hubby loves to take them to work too.   Hope you enjoy them!

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Asian Kale Mason Jar Salads
(makes 4 mason jars)

8 tablespoons of Asian Vinaigrette (recipe below)
2 cups of shelled, cooked, and lightly salted edamame
4 cups of baby kale, roughly cut (I like to tightly pack it, so for me that meant about 7-8 oz container)
1 cup of shredded carrots
1 cup of chopped red pepper
2 cups of snow peas, trimmed and cut in half
4 T each fresh basil and cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, diced

In each jar layer the ingredients in the following order:  2 T dressing, 1/2 cup edamame, 1/4 cup carrots, 1/4 cup peppers, 1/2 cup snow peas, 1 cup kale, 1 T of each herb, 1/4 avocado.  Seal tightly and store in the fridge until lunch time!!  Yummo!  Enjoy!

Asian Vinaigrette

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1/3 cup liquid aminos

5 T sesame oil

2 tsp fresh grated ginger

1 tsp raw honey

️place all ingredients in the blender.  Done!  Easy peasy. 

Mason Jar Yogurt Parfaits

I'm always looking for recipes I can make ahead so I can grab and eat it on the go or while I'm working.  These yogurt parfaits are so simple, and perfect for this!!

You can eat them for breakfast or snack and are really versatile.  Change up the fruit, add homemade granola, or flax instead of chia.  I made a few with chia and berries, and a few with coconut and banana.  The banana did not get brown, even after sitting for over 24 hours.  

And get your kids involved - they can make their own versions for their lunch boxes.  Hope you enjoy!!

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Mason Jar Yogurt Parfaits
¾ cup reduced fat (1%) plain Greek yogurt
1 cup mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and/or raspberries)
2 tsp. chia seeds
1 tsp. honey

Start off with a layer of yogurt.  Add the chia, then the honey.  Top it off with the fruit, seal it tight, and place in the fridge until serving.  They stay well for days at a time.

chef note:  I prefer the wide mouth mason jars because its easier to get the food inside. 
 For those of you following the Fix, 1 jar is 1 red, 1 purple, ½ orange)
Variations: Substitute ½ large banana, 1 mango, or 1 peach for berries and 1 Tbsp. shredded unsweetened coconut, or 1 Tbsp. flaxseeds, or 1 Tbsp. sunflower seeds for chia seeds.

Greek Quinoa Salad - 21 Day Fix approved

I love feta and olives, so I'm always looking for healthy meals and ️sides to incorporate then. 

I like to make this salad for a simple make-ahead lunch with grilled or roasted veggies, and it's great for a picnic, potluck or party too!!  I made it for Labor Day at our house yesterday. 

So good!!!!  Feel free to add more ️veggies or change up the ingredients.  It's super versatile. 

Happy Cooking!!!

Sarah

Greek Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package instructions

2 T red wine Vinegar

2 T olive oil

Salt & pepper

1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed 

1 cup diced cucumber

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half (mine were yellow tomatoes)

1/2 cup feta cheese

1/3 cup sliced green olives

1/2 lemon, juiced

More red wine vinegar, salt, pepper & olive oil to taste

Cook quinoa according to package, scrape into a bowl & immediately add 2 T each red wine vinegar & olive oil while hot.  Combine well, season with salt & pepper.  Set aside until it's at room temperature.

Once cooled, add all the other I ingredients, mix well, and add additional vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper to taste. 

Enjoy!!! 

Sprouted Wheat Blender Pancakes

We LOVE pancakes on the weekends!!   I love Kodiak pancake mix, but sometimes I just want to make my own.  

First, its cheaper.  Secondly, its fun to do with the kids!!  It doesn't take long, especially if its a blender recipe.   I created this one this morning and it was a HUGE hit!  The yogurt adds moisture and protein, while the vanilla gives it great flavor.

Hope you enjoy it!

Happy Cooking,

Sarah

 

Sprouted Wheat Blender Pancakes

2 cups of plain, 0% Greek Yogurt

1/3 cup almond milk

2 tsp vanilla

2 T agave nectar

2 large eggs

4 T canola or olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sprouted wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder   

Preheat your griddle to 350 degrees.  Place the yogurt, almond milk, vanilla, eggs, oil, agave, and salt in the blender and blend on high until well blended.

 

Add the flours, baking soda, baking powder and blend just until combined.  Don't over do it.  Add more milk if its too thick to pour, but batter will be VERY thick. 

I used a spoon to spread it out after I poured it onto the hot griddle. 

 

The pancakes don't bubble up as much as normal pancake batter, so you may need to flip them before you think you would.  Keep checking them so you don't have burnt pancakes.  

 

I added fresh blueberries to mine.  So yummy!!!  These have a great flavor and texture. Enjoy!!

Stuffed Pepper Soup

It might be spring but it sure doesn't feel like it!!!  40 degrees and rainy all day called for some soup at dinner time and this was perfect!

Hubby and kid approved, you can add as much or as little rice as you would like.  It is comforting and delicious.  You could also play around with the seasonings to make Tex-Mex or Italian versions, but this one really does taste like a ketchup smothered stuffed pepper from my childhood - YUM!

Hope you give this one a try!
Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Stuffed Pepper Soup 
this recipe was adapted from http://www.skinnytaste.com/stuffed-pepper-soup/

3 cups cooked brown rice  (I used my rice cooker)
1 lb 90% lean organic, grass-fed, ground beef
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (14.5 oz each) cans diced tomatoes, pulsed in the blender (my kids don't like big chunks of tomatoes on the soup, but I wanted some texture)
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
Himalayan salt and fresh pepper to taste

Over medium heat, brown the ground beef until cooked through and drain on paper towels.  Return to the pot with the peppers and onions.  Stir and cook for about 5 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Add the garlic and cook for an additional 5 min.  

Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, tomato sauce, marjoram and season again.  Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes.  Serve over the brown rice.  I serving for me was 1.5 cups of soup over 1/2 cup brown rice.  (For all my Fix friends, that's 1 green, 1 red, and 1 yellow).   So delicious!!!  

Banana Dark Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins

Who doesn't love dark chocolate??

So how about a healthy muffin that's high in protein and tastes like dessert?!?!

YES PLEASE!!!!

These were so simple and delicious!  Nina did most of the work and we've been snacking on them all weekend.  They are so decadent, it feels like dessert.  Yum!

Hope your family loves them as much as we did!

Happy Cooking! 

Sarah

Banana Dark Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins

Adapted from the back of the Kodiak Cakes box 

2 ripe bananas, mashed

2 cups of Kodiak Cake Power Cake Mix (I get it at target next to the other pancake and waffle mixes).

1 cup of unsweetened Almond Milk

1 egg

1/3 cup coconut sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional chopped nuts, shredded coconut, you pick!)

Preheat the oven to 350. 

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend until smooth.  Stor in the chocolate chips.  Fill a muffin tin lined with paper liners, or a greased muffin pan.  

Bake for 14-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Makes 12 muffins!!  Enjoy! 

Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers

These are so good and a great alternative on taco night!  My husband and I LOVE them, although I must be honest - they don't really interest the kids.

 (I just make some extra quinoa & chicken for them.)

It's gluten free and can easily be made vegetarian, vegan or dairy free too. 

I hope you love these as much as we do!!

Happy cooking!

Sarah

Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers

(This recipe has been adapted from the Fixate cookbook) 

4 medium bell peppers, (red, orange or yellow), cut in half, seeds/stem removed

2 tsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 T chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

Salt & pepper to taste

1.5 lbs raw chicken breasts, chopped into bite size pieces 

15 oz can of clean, no sugar added tomato sauce (just read the label)

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup shredded cheese

Greek yogurt & hot sauce for topping 

Preheat your oven to 375. Place the 

Peppers skin side down in a large baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.  Set aside. 

Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until translucent.  Add the chicken and all the spices, stirring frequently until chicken is no longer pink.  About 5-8 minutes.

Add the tomato sauce, quinoa, beans, and cilantro.  

Stir together and turn off the heat. 

Generously fill the pepper halves until all the filling is gone, or until no more can be piled on top.  And be sure to mound them high!

Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Top each pepper with cheese and bake for an additional 5 min.

Top off with your favorite hot sauce and greek yogurt (instead of sour cream).  Yummy!!  

And if you are following the 21 day Fix, each pepper half is 1 green, 1 yellow, 1 red and 1/2 blue.  Enjoy!!!!