Spinach Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce

Another delicious dish from SkinnyMom. This was perfect for a Sunday meal!

12 oz box jumbo shells pasta
10 oz bag frozen spinach
8 oz part-skim Ricotta cheese
¼ c Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, grated
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp low moisture, part-skim, shredded mozzarella cheese
2½ cups Skinny Meat Pasta Sauce (below)

Skinny Meat Pasta Sauce
1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp minced onion
2 — 6 oz cans tomato paste
8 oz can tomato sauce, no salt added
14.5 oz can basil and oregano diced tomatoes
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
2 fresh basil leaves, snipped small
2 tsp Stevia (or sweetener of your choice)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions for Meat Sauce:
In a large skillet, brown lean ground beef for 4-5 minutes. Add chopped onion, green pepper, and garlic and continue cooking meat until no longer pink and the onions and peppers start to soften. Next, add tomato paste, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes to meat and onions. Add in 1/4 cup water and stir sauce. Add garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and Stevia to sauce and stir until well mixed. Add in basil leaves and turn heat down to low. Cover and let simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Instructions for Shells:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Add pasta shells to boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes until almost al dente. Drain pasta shells and spread pasta shells onto a sheet of wax paper to dry.

Place spinach in microwave and cook for 5-6 minutes as directed on package. Drain spinach and make sure to remove all of the moisture from spinach until it is dry. In a medium sized bowl, mix spinach, fat-free ricotta cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, salt, garlic powder, and pepper.

Using a 9x13 casserole dish, spoon a small amount of Skinny Spaghetti and Meat Sauce to cover the bottom of dish.

Next, fill pasta shells with spinach mixture by using a spoon to place mixture inside each pasta shell.
Place filled pasta shells face up into casserole dish. Top filled pasta shells with Skinny Spaghetti Meat Sauce and sprinkle reduced-fat Mozzarella cheese on top. Heat pasta shells in oven for 15-20 minutes and serve hot.

Original recipe found here.

Southwestern Quinoa & Black Bean Casserole

Ok, so this is really yummy. I also love to make my One Pot Mexican Quinoa, but this is SO GOOD. It requires more prep time though. I chopped the onion, jalapeno, bell peppers, and green onions on Sunday. I also went ahead and cooked the quinoa. That took away a good amount of time right there. I also don't see why you couldn't put this together the night before, and pop it in the oven the following evening. I cannot even imaging someone not liking this dish.  Must make!

3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, minced
2 jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, minced
1 tablespoon oil
4½ c cooked black beans, rinsed (I bought the large can)
1¼ c vegetable broth
2 c cooked quinoa
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
4 bell peppers, diced
1¼ c shredded Mexican cheese (I used 2%)
sliced green onions

Black beans: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, and jalapeno, sauteing for 4 minutes and stirring occasionally. Stir in broth and black beans. Bring mixture to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Mash beans to desired consistency. I like to make them a little more like refried beans while still leaving some of the beans whole. The mixture should be thick, not watery. If you still have a lot of moisture, let it cook out by keeping it on the heat for another few minutes. Taste and season with salt.
Quinoa: In a dry nonstick skillet over medium high heat, toss and toast the cooked quinoa with the cayenne, chili powder, cumin, and salt for 1-2 minutes. Taste and season with salt. Set aside.
Peppers: In the same dry nonstick skillet over medium high heat, place the diced peppers and do NOT stir. This allows the peppers to get a brown roasted look on the outside. Wait for 2-3 minutes before stirring, then let them "roast" for another few minutes before removing from the heat.
Assemble: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spoon black bean mixture into a glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with quinoa, bell peppers, and cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the top layer of cheese was golden and bubbly. Sprinkle with green onions and let cool 10 minutes. Serve with sour cream, tortilla chips, on tacos, on a salad, or just eat it plain!

Original recipe found here.

Chicken Tamale Pie

Words cannot... I mean it's just so good... I don't even know what to say. Blown away. BLOWN AWAY. The bottom corn/cornbread layer, the enchilada sauce, the shredded chicken, cheese... oh it was awesome. Make it... and make it it soon. 

⅓ c fat free milk
¼ c egg substitute
1½ tbsp taco seasoning, divided
¼ tsp ground red pepper
1 (14¾ oz) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5 oz) box corn muffin mix (Jiffy)
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce
2 c shredded cooked chicken breast
¾ c shredded white cheese (I used 2% monterey jack)
cilantro

Preheat oven to 400°. Combine the first 7 ingredients (milk through green chiles), using just ½ tablespoon of the taco seasoning, in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a round pie plate (mine was glass) coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 400° for 20-30 minutes. While corn is baking, toss the chicken in the remaining 1 tablespoon taco seasoning. When corn is done - it will be just barely set and golden brown - pierce entire surface liberally with a fork (it might stick a little bit to the fork). Pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with cheese. 

Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. 

Original recipe found here.

Crispy Mediterranean Veggie Cakes

This recipe comes to you from SkinnyMs. I don't think it's a secret - I love fritters. When I saw these new and different veggie fritters, I knew I'd have to try them. I love the flavors... especially the kalamata olives!

2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 c baby spinach
1 medium potato, grated
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 c chopped sun dried tomatoes
1/4 c chopped Kalamata olives
1/4 c chopped artichoke hearts
1/4 c diced red bell pepper
1/4 c diced yellow bell pepper

1/3 fat-free feta cheese
2 eggs
1/4 c whole wheat flour
salt and pepper, to taste


Heat half the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic, and cook for one additional minute. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Turn off heat and transfer to a large bowl.

Add the potato, oregano, tomatoes, olives, artichokes, and peppers to the medium mixing bowl and stir. Add the eggs and flour, and season with salt and pepper.

Form the mixture into patties. Heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet and cook the cakes until crispy and browned on both sides. I topped mine with light sour cream!

Original recipe found here.

Healthy Tuna Cakes with Chipotle Mayo

First time cooking with tuna!!! Does it get any easier? I opened a can. I mean come on! Anyway, these are delicious and we loved them. They got nice and crispy and the chipotle mayo is perfect with them. This is yet another recipe from one of my faves: SkinnyMom.

I doubled the recipe below because I wanted leftovers. I got about 9-10 patties out of it.

3 — 3 oz pouches chunk light tuna (I bought 2 large 10 oz cans since I was doubling)
½ yellow onion, chopped
⅓ cup plain Panko breadcrumbs
½ tbsp Old Bay® Seasoning (I used Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning!)
⅛ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 egg whites

Chipotle Mayo:
¼ c light mayonnaise
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp lime juice

In a medium size bowl, fork out tuna from all 3 pouches (or cans). Combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate tuna mixture for 1 hour before forming into patties (this helps the patties stick together better).

Form into 4 equal size patties, or however many you're planning on making. Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Cook tuna patties over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes on each side or until both sides are golden brown.
For Chipotle Mayo: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until smooth.

To serve, top tuna cakes with Chipotle Mayo.

Original recipe found here.