Ground Turkey Stuffed Green Peppers

I have never made or better yet ate stuffed peppers before but they have always looked interesting to me. Since I found an awesome deal at the store on green peppers and I still have tons of ground turkey in my freezer which I bought BOGO the other week, I thought I would give them a try. I found a few recipes to get an idea for one of my own and this is what I came up with.


Ingredients
 
1 C cooked brown rice 
4 large green bell peppers
1/2  large onion
1 Medium Tomato
4 Medium Mushrooms
2 Garlic Cloves
2 tsp.  Olive Oil
1 lb Ground Turkey
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh ground pepper, Italian Seasoning and Garlic to taste


Makes 4 peppers at 221 Calories a pepper


Directions:


Step 1- Preheat oven to 375degrees

Step 2- If needed trim the bottom of the bell peppers so that they have a flat surface to stand on. Cut of the top of the green pepper and save for stuffing, clean out and remove seeds. Place all four hollowed-out peppers into your baking dish.  

Step 3- Dice Onion, Pepper tops, tomato, and mushrooms into small pieces. 

Step 4- Heat up two pans on two burners on the stove with 1 tsp of olive oil in each, with minced garlic clove.

Step 5- Saute Veggies in one pan and cook ground turkey in the other until it is browned. Add pepper, garlic, and Italian seasoning to both to taste.

Step 6- Mix all ingredients together in a larger bowl in order to stuff peppers OR

        If you want to portion yours correctly-

    In small bowl put 1/3 cup brown rice, 3 oz ground turkey and 1/3 cup veggies mix well and stuff pepper. Do this for all four peppers.

Step 7- Stuff each peppers with the desired amount of stuffing, use spoon to press down the mixture tightly into the pepper. 

Step 8- Top each pepper with Parmesan Cheese

Step 9- Bake peppers for 30 minutes

 Step 10- Serve, Eat and ENJOY!

 

Chicken and Spinach Lasagna Rolls

I have never thought about making lasagna before. One because I try not to eat a lot of pasta and second because it just looks so dang hard and time consuming. I have had a box of lasagna noodles in my pantry that my mother gave to me when she was cleaning out her pantry ( I guess she didn't want to try making lasagna either). 

I am obsessed with the website Pinterst.com and while doing searches for low calorie foods I came across a few recipes for Lasagna Rolls. I thought I would give them a try but play around with the recipes to make my own. I love these because not only portioned perfectly but also only 300 cal per roll.

Chicken and Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Ingredients

8 lasagna noodles, cooked

1.5 oz fresh spinach

1 cup Parmesan Cheese

1 cup 2% Mozzarella Cheese 

8 oz Low Fat Ricotta cheese

1 Egg white
8 oz Cooked Shredded Chicken

2 cloves minced garlic

32 oz Tomato Sauce
Pepper and Italian Seasoning to taste

Steps
1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Remove stems from spinach leaves and cut into small pieces.

3. Combine spinach, ricotta cheese,  1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg white, garlic, Italian seasoning, pepper and chicken into a large bowl.

4. Take one cup of tomato sauce and cover the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish. 

5. Make sure noodles are completely dry place one at a time on a plate, ( or on wax paper)  take 1/3 cup mixture and spread it evenly over the noodle until well covered.

6. Roll up noodle with filling inside.

7. Line up lasagna rolls into baking dish on top of tomato sauce.

8. Ladle the remaining sauce over the noodles in the backing dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

9. Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Take foil off after 20 minutes of cooking. 

10. Serve, Eat, and ENJOY! :)

Banana Bread Oatmeal

This is a perfect breakfast for fall. I love Banana Bread and so does the Hubs ( though he usually asks for chocolate chips in it) Why not save some calories and eat Banana Bread Oatmeal? I found this recipe and boy does it taste like the real stuff, we loved it and I'm thinking I'll be making it for my Mom while I'm visiting this weekend.

Ingredients

1 cup milk
1 banana mashed
1 banana ( chopped for topping )
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup quick oats
3 teaspoons brown sugar

1. In a large saucepan, whisk together milk, mashed banana, 1 tsp brown sugar and cinnamon. Heat mixture on medium heat.

2. When the mixture starts to boil, add rolled oats and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The oats should turn soft and the liquid should be absorbed.

3. Pour oatmeal evenly into two bowls, top each serving with a teaspoon of brown sugar and slices of banana. Enjoy your banana bread in a bowl.

NEXT TIME: I might add some almonds for a little nut and crunch.

Turkey Meatballs

Yes, its another Turkey recipe, there are so many great and healthy things that you can do with it. Plus I bought a lot of it the other day when it was BOGO at the grocery store. These meatballs were super yummy and I defiantly will be making them again, next time I'll be making a double batch in order to freeze them for another night. We ate these with whole wheat pasta and a garlic and onion marinara sauce. However these would be mighty tasty all on their own.

Ingredients: WW- 1 point per meatball

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 small onion minced
• 1 celery stalks finely chopped
  

Directions;
1. Preheat oven to 375 degress
2. Spray grease on cookie sheet
3. Mix all the ingredients together in one large bowl
4. Roll the mixture into balls and place on cookie sheet
5. Bake for 40 minutes

Makes 16 meatballs

Taco Pizza

I have been craving pizza for dinner but didn't want to get greasy pizza from the store or pizza joint. ( to many WW points) So I decided to give a taco pizza recipe I found a try, changing a few things such as using ground turkey instead of ground beef. The Hubby really loved this pizza, he will eat pretty much anything I make and enjoy it, but he was very enthusiastic about this meal.

• 1 lb. ground turkey
  
• 1 envelope taco seasoning mix
• 2 (8 oz.) cans Pillsbury pizza dough
  
• 1 (16 oz.) can refried beans (I used the fat free kind)
  
• 1 1/2 cup Reduced Fat Mexican blend cheese
  
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
  

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Brown ground turkey and drain. ( I added onion to my turkey when cooking) Add taco seasoning to the ground turkey according to the package directions.
3. Spread out two packages of pizza dough onto greased pizza pan until desired size and thickness. ( I made mine a thinner crust. )
   
4. Spread refried beans over the pizza dough and sprinkle with cheese.
   
5. Top with cooked turkey meat, sprinkle with cheese followed by tomatoes, black olives and onion.
6. Cook in oven for 15-20 minutes until pizza crust is golden brown
7. Top with hot sauce, sour cream, lettuce, or desired Taco Toppings ( We did light sour cream and avocado)
   

I didn't do all the pictures for this recipe this time, I didn't know how it was going to turn out and we were hungry. I might try another pizza recipe next time, any suggestions? I'm thinking a Greek pizza. ( Feta, Sundried Tomatos, Chicken and Spinach)

Pork Chops with Bacon and Apples

• 2 whole Boneless Pork Chops, About 1/2-inch Thick
• 1 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole Fuji Apple, Diced
• 1/4 cup White Wine ( I used my favorite Riesling)
  
• 1/4 cup Maple Syrup ( I used lite)
• 4 strips bacon cooked ( I used turkey bacon)
  
• 1 dash Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1. Cook 4 strips of bacon until crispy brown set aside.


2. Cut and core apple, then cut and dice into small pieces.




3. Salt and pepper pork chops on both sides.



4. Heat up skillet with one tablespoon of olive oil, place pork chops in skillet and brown both sides until they are golden brown.


4. Remove pork chops and set aside on a plate.

5. Add apple dices and bacon cut into pieces into skillet, then add 1/4 cup white wine.


6. Add 1/4 cup maple syrup.




7. Let mixture bubble and cook for a couple of minutes, allowing the liquid to reduce by about half.



8. Turn down heat and slide in the pork chops along with any juices left on the plate. Submerge the pork chops into apples and liquid as much as possible. Cover skillet and let simmer for another 10-20 minutes.



10. When pork chops are done lay them on your plate and spoon on the apple and bacon mixture.


11. It's ready to DEVOUR! Enjoy with some brown rice and steamed veggies.

White and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies: Weight Watchers Recipe 2 points each

It's been a while since I have posted we have been super busy. My husband and I moved to Ellensburg, WA in order for him to go to school at CWU. After three years of substitute teaching I'm taking a break and there are no full time positions as well. I've been applying to jobs I find an interest in and trying to figure out what what exactly I want to do. (Not finding a full time teaching job the past few years has been difficult) My hubby however just got a new job working at the schools gym and had his first day today. I thought I would be a wonderful wife and make him some of his favorite cookies which also happen to be a weight watchers recipe. This is great for me too because I have been really good at journaling my points and working out but sometimes you gotta have a little sweet and with these I don't feel guilty at only 2points a cookie.



Ingredients:
1 cup quick-cooking oats
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup margarine, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 oz white chocolate chips
4 oz semi sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Spray two large baking sheets with nonstick spray.
2. Put oats in a food processor and process until finely ground.




















3. Combine the oats, flour, baking soda, salt in a small bowl and set aside.


4. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat margarine, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended.



5. Add the flour mixture and beat until blended. Combine 2 Tablespoons of white and chocolate chips in a small bowl and set aside. Stir in remaining chips into the dough.

6. Drop the dough by level tablespoons ( I used a cookie scoop) onto the baking sheets 2 inches apart. Sprinkle the cookies evenly with the reserved chocolate chips, pressing lightly so it adheres. Bake until lightly browned along the edges 9-11 minutes.




















7. Let cook on the baking sheets on racks about 1 minute. With spatula , transfer the cookies to racks and let cool completely.



8. ENJOY!

A Batch of WW White and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies = One Happy Hubby