Summer Eggplant

Oh Eggplant, where have you been all my life?

I don't know what's more embarrassing to admit; that I'm 30 years old, or that I'm 30 years old and have never had eggplant!

My mom never made eggplant when I was growing up.  Probably because her Mom Super Powers told her that her picky eaters wouldn't even want to try eggplant (she was probably right).  Then I married the biggest eggplant hater on the planet.  He hates eggplant for the opposite reason: his mom made it all the time.  And he never liked it.  But he had to eat it.  So that's how I ended up 30 years old and an eggplant virgin. But no more!

Angela grabbed a bunch of Jersey fresh eggplant at the local farmer's market last weekend.  What's a girl to do with an abundance of eggplant? Make sauce! She made the most delicious red sauce with eggplant...it was heavenly!  Joe was out of town and my mom came over for dinner, so the eggplant coast was clear. I took a bag of sauce out of the freezer, thawed it and tossed it with pasta.  We inhaled it! It was a quick, delicious and healthy dinner. Can't beat that!

If you're growing your own garden, you probably have a TON of eggplant by now and this is a great recipe to make in bulk and use them up.  If not, head on over to your local farmer's market and get some locally grown eggplant and whip up this sauce.  You'll be so glad you did!

Here's a note from Angela about our fresh Jersey produce and some great ways to use it up in your kitchen!

I am a Jersey girl all the way! I hate to pump my own gas, I spend my summers at the Jersey Shore and sitting in traffic is my normal! And even though some day I would like to leave this over populated state, I would hate to leave the freshness of summer fruit and veggies that come along with it! Jersey is known as the Garden State and it is for good reason. We have an amazing selection of fruits and vegetables in the summer. Even though I cannot wait until pumpkin season, enjoy summer a bit longer and try some of my summer sauces and drinks! They showcase some of our Jersey gems; tomatoes, eggplants and blueberries! Make up a few batches, freeze them, share them and get the taste of summer all year long.  And while you're busy in the kitchen, sip on my Jersey Berry Infused Water!

P.S.

What's growing in your garden?

Summer Red Sauce

1/2 lb of pasta
6 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup of good olive oil
Fresh basil diced (about 12 leaves)
Cherry tomatoes (1 1/2 lbs)
Salt and pepper to tastes
1 tsp sugar
1/8 cup Parmesan cheese

Cooking instructions:
Boil water and cook pasta as instructed. Set aside. Mince all your garlic and set half of the amount aside. Saute the remaining amount on medium low with about 4 Tbsp of olive oil until you start to smell it. Be sure not to burn it. After about 3 mins add your tomatoes, whole, to the pan. Cook until your tomatoes start to burst open, this will take about 10-12 mins. Add your remaining ingredients,  salt pepper to taste, sugar, cheese and the remaining minced garlic and olive oil. Add to your pasta,  enjoy! !!!

TO FREEZE:
Let cool. Add to freezer bags. Label and date. Keep in the freezer for up to six months.

TO EAT:
Thaw in the fridge overnight.  Add to a sauce pan. Reheat on med until warmed and add to your fresh cooked pasta.

Roasted Eggplant Pasta

1lb patsa
2 large eggplants
2Tbsp good olive oil
Salt
Pepper
*freezer friendly summer pasta sauce

Cooking instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil water and cook pasta as instructed. Wash and slice your eggplant into strips. Drizzle the eggplant with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 25 min. Cut into cubes and add to the summer pasta sauce. Add to your cooked pasta and enjoy.

TO FREEZE:
Let cool. Add to freezer bags. Label and date. Keep in the freezer for up to six months.

TO EAT:
Thaw in the fridge overnight.  Add to a sauce pan. Reheat on med until warmed and add to your fresh cooked pasta.

Blueberry Strawberry and Raspberry Infused Water

1 cup of blueberries
1 cup of strawberries
1 cup of raspberries
4-5 mint leaves
1 gallon of water

Instructions
Wash fruit. Cut the stems off of the strawberries. Take half of the amount of fruit and with a mortar and pestle crush the fruit. Add the crushed and whole fruit and mint to the water. Set in the fridge overnight. Drink the next day. Enjoy. 

~Freezing institutions.
Wash your fruit. Separate into freezer bags. Label, date and freeze fruit up to six months.

Swap it up! Freezer Friendly Healthy Meals

We met last week for our healthy themed swap.  Who cares if we munched on brownies, peach cobbler, peanut butter balls, and cheese dip at our swap!  All things in moderation, right? We've got 6 healthy meals on hand and let me tell you, that's a great feeling!

This month we welcomed back the chef of the group, Michelle!  She's a married lady now and needs to stock her freezer for her hubby!  Here's what was on our swap menu:

- Antipasto stuffed chicken (to serve over a salad)
- Lighter chicken tortilla bake (this would work well as a topping for whole grain nachos)
- Blueberry smoothie and breakfast bars
- Tuscan chicken soup with kale and beans
- Lighter sausage and pepper stuffed calzones
- Quinoa, veggie, and cheese stuffed peppers

Antipasto Stuffed Chicken  (adapted from Giada)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup chopped jarred artichoke hearts
1/4 cup chopped roasted peppers
2-3 chopped pepperoncini
2 slices provolone cheese
4 slices thick salami, diced

Salad Dressing:
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400.  Lay chicken breast flat on your work surface. Use knife to cut chicken breast in half horizontally, but not slicing all the way through.  Lay sliced provolone cheese on side and mound 2-3 tablespoons antipasto filling on top.  Wrap filling with other side of chicken breast and use 3 pieces of cooking twine to secure filling and chicken. Marinate with 1/2 of the dressing before roasting in the oven for 20-30 minutes.

To freeze:
Place chicken breasts in a freezer safe plastic bag and pour in marinade/dressing.  Pinch bag to release air and lay flat in freezer.
To reheat:
Defrost chicken in the refrigerator overnight.  Roast on a baking sheet, at 400, 20-30 minutes until chicken breast is cooked through.  Slice and serve over a green salad with left over (unused) dressing.

1 can (10 3/4 oz) 98% fat free 45% less sodium condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
1 container (8 oz) fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup fat-free (skim) milk
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
8 yellow corn tortillas (6 or 7 inch), torn into bite-size pieces
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
1 large tomato, chopped (1 cup)
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend (6 oz)

*You can cook your chicken breast in the slow cooker with taco seasoning.  Set on high for 3-4 hours and shred!
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix soup, chiles, sour cream, milk, chili powder and cumin until blended. Stir in chicken, tortillas and bell pepper. Stir in tomato and 1 cup of the cheese. Spoon and spread mixture in baking dish.Step2 Cover with foil. Bake 40 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake uncovered 5 to 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and mixture is bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes.

To freeze:
Follow directions above but do not cook.  Pour mixture into aluminum baking pans and cover with foil.  Label, date, and freeze.  
To reheat:
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.  Bake at 350 ~40 minutes.  Serve over whole grain tortilla chips with your favorite nacho fixins.

Breakfast Smoothie
1 cup fresh fruit

1/4 cup yogurt plain 

1/2 cup almond milk or low fat

Dash of chia seeds

If using fresh fruit add that along with 3-4 ice cubes along with remaining ingredients to blender. If using frozen fruit, no need to add ice.  Blend well until smooth and serve cold.  

To freeze: 

Yogurt:  add 1 tbsp of yogurt to ice cube trays and sprinkle chia seeds on top.  Fruit: place fruit in freezer bags, label and date.

To drink: 

Thaw portions of fruit and portions of yogurt overnight in fridge. Blend with almond milk fresh.  

Blueberry Bars (from Living Lou)

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup quick oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp flaxseed meal
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup almond milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp canola oil
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line an 8″ pan with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.  In another bowl combine wet ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and lightly mix.  Fold in the berries.  Press into the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the bars comes out clean.  Allow to cool and cut into bars.

To freeze: 
Follow recipe above.  Wrap bars in aluminum foil and freeze separately.
To eat:
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.  Enjoy!

Tuscan Kale Soup (adapted from Peanut Blossom)

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 medium yellow onion (medium dice)
4  carrots (peeled, washed, and medium dice)
4 stalks celery (washed and medium diced)
2 zucchini (washed and medium diced)
1 bunch kale, (washed, stems removed, and chopped)
3 cloves fresh garlic (chopped finely)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
28 0z can crushed tomatoes
1 can canellinni beans, drained and rinsed
6 cups chicken stock
Kosher salt-to taste
Fresh ground black pepper -to taste
1/2 cup Acini de pepe pasta

In a large pot add 2 tbsp olive oil and saute onions, celery, and carrots over medium high heat for 8-10 minutes.  Add zucchini and garlic.  Saute until tender about 4-6 minutes.
Add chicken stock, tomatoes, basil, oregano, beans, and chicken. Simmer soup for 20 minutes, vegetables should be tender. Add the pasta and kale, cook right in the soup for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

To freeze:
Cool soup completely and pour soup into plastic containers or freezer safe plastic bags. Label, date, and freeze.
To reheat:
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.  Bring soup to a boil on the stove top or in the microwave.

Turkey Sausage and Pepper Calzones
2 spicy turkey sausage links

1 onion, sliced

1 red and green pepper, sliced

Jiffy pizza baking mix

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook and crumble turkey sausage in a non-stick skillet, set aside.  In the same pan, saute peppers and onions until soft, add to sausage mixture.  Prepare pizza dough according to package directions.  Roll out dough in 2 sections for 2 calzones.  Wrap 1 cup of cheese and half sausage mixture in dough, crimp sides, and make slits in the calzone.  Repeat with next section of dough.  Brush calzones with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder.  bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes.

To freeze:

Wrap each calzone in aluminum foil and place in freezer safe plastic bag.

To reheat:

Place in a 350 degree oven and heat until filling is warmed through and cheese is bubbling. 

Quinoa, Spinach, and Feta Stuffed Peppers
1 yellow pepper cut in half and cleaned
1/2 tbsp olive oil
4 spears resh asparagus, cut into 1 inch lengths
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp scallions, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup spinach, frozen
1/2 cup sweet corn kernels, frozen
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
1 oz Feta cheese (you could also use reduced fat Feta)

Cook spinach and corn according to package directions and set aside.  Saute asparagus in olive oil for 2 minutes.  Add garlic, onions, and scallions and saute until soft.  Add cilantro and saute until wilted.  Add spinach, corn, cumin, and quinoa.  Heat through.  Season to taste.  Stuff into pepper halves and top with crumbled feta cheese.  Bake at 400 for 25 minutes.  Serve hot.

To freeze:
Follow recipe above but do not bake in oven.  Place pepper halves in an aluminum baking pan.  Cover with foil, label, date, and freeze. 
To reheat:
Defrost overnight.  Bake at 400 for 25 minutes.  Enjoy!


If you're looking for more healthy freezer meals - check out our Figure and Freezer Friendly post here.  It's all about modifications and recipe substitutions, so you can enjoy your family's favorites on the lighter side!  Happy cooking!

On a Mission: Meal Planning Day 2

Yesterday was a laid back kind of day.  My hubby and I had a birthday party at 7:30 so I knew I wanted to eat before we left.  If I don't feed my husband he has a tendency to get "hangry".  Unsure if there were going to be snacks at the party, I wanted to make something filling, but quick and easy.  Hearty Black Bean Soup was my plan!!

The star of this soup are the Kuner's canned beans.  They come seasoned with chili powder and cumin.  They make a great side dish on taco night too.  My secret (maybe its not that secret) is to puree 1 can of beans with a little bit of chicken broth and keep the other whole.  It makes the soup creamy and thick! This trick works in other soups like Tuscan White Bean soup and any chili recipe!

Hearty Black Bean Soup
2 cans Kuner's black beans with chili and cumin (or substitute canned black beans with the added spices)
2 cups cooked brown rice (I used a mixture of brown rice and quinoa)
1 small onion, chopped
1 can Rotel
1 cup plus 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
the zest of 1 lime
Optional:
Fat free plain Greek yogurt
low fat shredded cheddar or Monteray Jack cheese

Combine 1 can black beans and 1/4 cup chicken broth in a blender and pulse until smooth and creamy, set aside.  In a medium size saucepan saute onion until soft.  Add the can of Rotel and let cook until the tomatoes start to bubble.  Add lime zest, pureed black beans, remaining broth, can of beans, and rice.  Bring everything to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.  Serve with a dollop of fat free Greek yogurt and shredded cheese!

To Make Freezer Friendly:
Follow recipe above and fill freezer safe bags with soup.  Lay flat in freezer for better storage (I lay them in a casserole dish in case there are any leaks).
To Reheat:
Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.  Microwave a bowl until bubbling and heated through, 165F or bring to a boil on the stove top. 

Enjoy!!

Stay tuned for my next meal planning on a mission recipe!

Freezer and FIGURE Friendly Meals

Want to stock your freezer with delicious and nutritious meals for your family?  Struggling to find freezer friendly meals that aren’t loaded with heavy portions of cheese, butter, and cream but light on veggies and whole grains?  No worries – there’s an RD in our cooking club and it’s me, Meghan!  I’ve figured out how to make freezer meals well balanced and packed full of nutrition.  It’s easy if you follow these tips:

Opt for Healthier Freezer Friendly Recipes

I’ve broken it down by category for freezer friendly dishes.  Once you know key ingredients to steer clear of (cream of anything soup, for example) you’ll get the hang of it.  Then you can pick your favorite recipes and create a game plan to stock your freezer.

Chili, Soup, and Stew:

·         Lighten up chili by using lean meats and poultry like 90% or more lean ground beef, ground chicken or turkey breast.  You can even make a vegetarianchili by using a mixture of your favorite canned beans.  Chili freezes well and is a hearty meal on its own, so pair with baked tortilla chips (Try Utz baked tortilla chips), salsa, and guacamole – ditch the cheese and sour cream, you won’t miss it.

·         Broth based soups are a freezer rock star.  Prepare a large pot of soup that contains plenty of veggies.  Simply defrost and pair with a healthy salad or sandwich on whole grain bread for a healthy and filling dinner.  Try these classics: beef and barley, chicken noodle, lentil, or minestrone.

·         Stews freeze well and are versatile.  You can prepare them and freeze or prep a slow cooker kit to freeze and cook later.  No matter what stew you’re making, be sure to add plenty of vegetables, use lean cuts of beef, and opt for low-sodium broth.

Casseroles and Other Entrées:

• Most casseroles can be modified to cut calories by halving the amount of cheese, using milk in place of cream, and soft tub margarine instead of butter.  Steer clear of recipes that call for “cream of…” soups for thickening and opt for ones that include plenty of veggies like Mexican lasagna bake and polenta ragu bake.

·         Make a lighter version of lasagna with ground chicken or turkey breast.  Add chopped mushrooms to the meat mixture and chopped frozen spinach (thawed) to the part-skim ricotta cheese mixture.  Use whole wheat lasagna noodles and start layering!

·         Sometimes, sides can be easier to whip up during a weekday, but the main dish may slow you down.  Make ahead main dishes like meatballs (90% or more lean ground beef), grilled chicken, or even marinated fish.  Make a main dish salad with grilled chicken or steam veggies to pair with your fish!

Take Some Help from the Supermarket

Sometimes, all you need is a little help from the freezer section of your local supermarket.  Load up on microwave ready sides and vegetables. 

·         Stock up on steam-in-bag frozen veggies and frozen edamame.

·          For healthier frozen starchy sides try some of my favorites:  Birds Eye baby potato or brown and wild rice blend, Alexia Foods potato sauté varieties, and Village Harvest frozen whole grain varieties (quinoa, barley, farro, brown, red, and wild rice).

*Don’t forget to keep a stocked pantry and refrigerator for balanced meals.  Here’s what I always have on hand:

·         Bagged salads and fresh vegetables (whatever is in season and on sale!)

·         Microwaveable brown rice – in different varieties – Jasmine, basmati.

·         Sweet and regular potatoes

·         Quinoa

Freezer Safe

Keep these points in mind for food safety:

• Divide cooked foods into smaller portions in shallow containers. Soups and stews should be put into portions that are two to three inches deep.  Stir them while cooling to speed the release of heat.
• Place meals directly in the refrigerator, then transfer to the freezer once they're cold.
• Defrost meals in the refrigerator or microwave, never on the counter.
• Reheat all frozen meals to 165ºF and soups and sauces should be brought to a boil.
• Frozen meals should be used within 2 months.

Hopefully you find these tips and tricks helpful!  I'm happy to answer any questions you have!

Cook happy & healthy!

Sweet Summer Time

It's HOT!  It has been sweltering here the last week or so.  Super hot days, followed by muggy, thunderstorm filled nights.  My garden certainly isn't complaining!  The hot weather is the inspiration for my post today.  When we say "freezer friendly" or "freezer cooking" that doesn't just mean dinners!  Meghan Loc makes a mean breakfast burrito, I make homemade egg "McMuffins" for my hub and today I've made a snack/breakfast/healthy dessert to keep in my freezer.

I made yummy Greek yogurt "Popsicles."  So super easy and the combinations are endless!  I got these super cute and tiny popsicle molds from my grocery store not too long ago.  I made these pops with vanilla Greek yogurt, Kashi Go Lean Crunch and  some Berry Greek Frozen Yogurt I had already made in my freezer/

I simply layered a scoop of the vanilla yogurt, some Kashi, some Frozen Yogurt and then more vanilla yogurt.  I popped the lids on and they are currently sitting in my freezer!  Really the possibilities are endless...you could add fresh fruit, jelly, granola, any kind of cereal, any kind of yogurt...

Frozen Yogurt Breakfast Pops
1-2c of your favorite yogurt (I used vanilla flavored Greek Yogurt)
4 TBSP of Kashi Go Lean (or granola)
4 TBSP of Berry Greek Frozen Yogurt

Berry Greek Frozen Yogurt (Jamie Oliver)
1 cup yogurt (I used plain Greek, but use any that you have)
2 cups frozen berries 
2-3 tablespoon honey 
A few Mint sprigs

Blend in food processor until smooth and creamy.  

Here they are mid freeze:

I promise a better picture of the final product...still working on that camera!

Stay full and cool!