Marinated Eye of Round, Glazed Brussels Sprouts,and Baked Potato

Tonight was one of those nights where I wasn't really thinking much about what I was going to do for dinner. I had nothing at all planned. However, hubby has been somewhat deprived lately, being how I have only sporadically been cooking an actual meal during the evenings. Summer is so busy and full of running! We tend to eat out, which I hate because it hits the pocket book hard as well as the gut. Or, we basically fend for ourselves, which means sandwiches with processed lunch meat and processed soups. I don't like getting into that mold every night, because overall I would like us to have some kind of control over our meals by using fresh/frozen foods rather than relying on the convenience of processed foods, which contain so much more sodium, preservatives and other junk that I am trying my best to limit for us.

So, I pulled out a few recipes and inspected them to do a quick inventory of what I had on hand. Before I did anything, tho, I scrubbed a couple of potatoes and threw them in the oven at 425 degrees so they could be cooking while I got the other stuff together.

I dug through the freezer, knowing we had a few other meats in there besides the chicken that we mostly eat. I found a package of some eye of round. The defrost was relatively quick, and I found a great marinade to use which ended up tasting very delicious. I only marinated for about 30 minutes, too, so it works in a pinch if you need to throw something together fast and don't have 8+ hours to marinade.

I decided before anything else that we would be having brussels sprouts. I knew we had a bag of frozen brussels, and determined that, altho they are not my favorite, we would use them because they are exceedingly healthy and it's not something we can really eat when the kids are around. However, I did indeed find a recipe that may actually work in enticing the kiddos to try these miniature cabbage-like vegetables. And while the recipe did turn out very well, I am not actually convinced that the kids will bite.

You may be skeptical of the ingredients for the brussels glaze. I was. It turned out great, so give it a try.

For those of you with cholesterol problems, brussels sprouts are your friend! They contain over 15% of the RDA of fiber. I also heard the other day that brussels sprouts contain more Vitamin C than an orange! Isn't that crazy? I never would have thought that. Of course, they also contain a slew of other vitamins that are important to our health as well. Just a few more things Brussels sprouts can aid in are inflammation and digestion. They help protect against cardiovascular problems as well as many cancers. They contain many antioxidants. Immunity health, eye health, bone and blood cell health - all can be aided by eating brussels sprouts on a regular basis.

So, dinner tonight was:

Marinated Eye of Round Steak
Glazed Brussels Sprouts
Baked Potato
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Marinated Eye of Round
(4 servings)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoons Dijon-style prepared mustard
• 1/4 onion, sliced
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced

Whisk all ingredients in a glass bowl and let steak marinade for at least 30 minutes. When ready to cook, place about 1/3 of the marinade in a skillet and heat. Add meat and cook about 4-6 minutes on one side. Turn and cook on other side for about 3 minutes. Remove and place on a plate.

Glazed Brussels Sprouts
(6 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen Brussels sprouts
• 1/4 cup butter
• 8 ounces walnuts
• 3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the Brussels sprouts. Return to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 5 to 7 minutes, until sprouts are tender. Drain.(if you have a steamer, steaming is better to conserve the most nutrients)
   
2. In a microwave safe bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Cover, and cook on High 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted and the walnuts are warm.
   
3. Pour over the cooked Brussels sprouts, add the walnuts and toss
4. Serving after step 3 is optional. However, I like to put mine in a shallow dish and broil the brussels for about 4 minutes or so, so they have a nice roasted look and flavor to them.

Stay tuned on whether I can get my kids to eat this!!

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

I have to tell you this: I hate pot pie.

As a kid at school when it was served, it seemed disgusting to me. As I have noted in previous posts, I hate peas. I absolutely abhor them to the point where even smelling them will make me throw up if I can not get away from the stench. That's the truth, and so the fact that peas were a common sight in any pot pie I ever saw immediately gave it a negative point in my book.

It wasn't just that, tho. You know those little single serving ones you get at the grocery? Yeah. They seemed even more yucky to me, even as I grew older. It wasn't just the peas. It just.....looked.....disgusting. Maybe it was the fact that those pot pies have dark meat in them, I don't know.

Anyway, pot pies were just one of those things on my 'never eat' list.

In January, my father became ill and subsequently had to go into the hospital. Along with this came food from various angels who considered dinner for my mother and I when we could not think beyond the immediate second with which we were dealing. One of those angels - my mother's sister (and NOT the one actually called "Angel", altho she brought us food as well) - brought us a homemade pot pie one evening along with some fixings.

My thought on pot pie changed in that circumstance. First, it was homemade. Second, when famished and you have a fully cooked meal in front of you, something becomes much more appealing when before it had little appeal at all. Thus, I ate my aunt's pot pie and.....really loved it! It didn't taste or look like the frozen monstrosities I had seen, and learned to loathe, from my past.

I had gone back to my home and gotten somewhat settled after my father's return to HIS home and started to think about that pot pie. I'll bet I can make one. And I can tweak it to include the veggies I like. My aunt's had peas in it, but I had simply eaten around them. But I could leave peas out altogether!!

I searched for recipes and considered several. Below is the one I settled on. I tweaked it some on the second time I made it, and even on the first time I left out the peas and corn. You, however, do not need to do so. It turned out really good, too! I made my own crust, and I will include the recipe for that as well, but two 9 inch refrigerated pie crusts will do just as nicely if you are not inclined to crust making (like me).

The good news is this is an easily freezable dish!


Buttermilk Pie Crust

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 tablespoons cold butter
• 1/3 cup buttermilk, or as needed
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1. Whisk the flour and salt together in a bowl. With a pastry cutter, cut the shortening and butter into the flour until the chunks are the size of small peas. Stir in buttermilk and vegetable oil with a fork until the dough is moistened and beginning to gather together. Form the dough into a compact shape.
2. Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a ball. Roll out each pie crust between 2 sheets of parchment paper.

Chicken Pot Pie
(makes one pie)

Ingredients

• 1 cup diced peeled potatoes
• 3/4 cup sliced carrots
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1-1/2 cups chicken broth, sodium free
  
• 1/2 cup evaporated fat free milk
  
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 2 refrigerated pie crusts, 9 inch
  

1. Place potatoes and carrots in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt, thyme and pepper until blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the chicken, peas, corn, potatoes and carrots; remove from the heat.
2. Line two 9-in. pie plates with bottom pastry; trim even with edge of plate. Fill pastry shells with chicken mixture. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pies. Cut slits or decorative cutouts in pastry. Place over filling; trim, seal and flute edges.
3. Bake one potpie at 425 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Cover and freeze remaining potpie for up to 3 months.

Spinach Salad, Roasted Vegetable Lasagna, Low Fat Apple Bread Pudding

With all the extras from the garden, it's easy to incorporate fresh veggies into your daily diet. Sometimes, you have to figure out ways to get creative with the abundance that comes with a well growing garden.

This is a healthier way to enjoy a family favorite while cutting out the red meat that usually goes into this dish.

Enjoy it!
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Healthy Spinach Salad

Salad ingredients:

• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts
• 1/2 cup red seedless grapes, sliced in half lengthwise
• 2 chopped scallions (include ~4 inches of the green part)
• medium coarse black pepper
• ~3-oz mild goat cheese, crumbled

Dressing ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  
• black pepper

Whisk olive oil into the cider vinegar. Add pepper, and perhaps a tad of kosher salt, to taste.

Put all salad ingredients except cheese into a large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Add goat cheese.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
serves 6

Sauce:

1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
3 minced garlic cloves
1 can 14 oz tomato puree, low sodium
1 4 oz can tomato sauce, low sodium
1 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 tspn crushed red pepper flakes

Vegetables
2 cups sliced zucchini
1 1/2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 small onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions and drained
2 cups shredded, mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan

In large pan, cook onion (for sauce) in oil until tender; add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Stir in puree, sauce and seasonings. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes until thickened.

In large mixing bowl, combine vegetables and pepper. Put in a baking pan and cook at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

Spread 1/4 cup of sauce in a baking dish. Layer with noodles, top with half the sauce, and half the roasted vegetables, and half the cheese. Repeat another layer.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, covered. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes until bubbly. Let cool slightly before serving.


Apple Bread Pudding
9 servings

• 1/4 C. granulated sugar
• 1 t. ground cinnamon
• 2 C. 1% milk
• 1 C. egg substitute
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
• 8 slices 100% whole-wheat bread, toasted and cut in triangles
• 2 large apples, cored and diced
• 1 1/2 Pint lowfat vanilla frozen yogurt (optional)
  

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9" square baking dish with nonstick spray. Mix sugar & cinnamon. In a bowl, whisk milk, egg substitute, brown sugar & vanilla extract. Arrange half the toast in baking dish; sprinkle with half the cinnamon-sugar and apples. Repeat layers. Pour milk mixture over top. Bake uncovered 40-50 minutes until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cut in squares; serve with scoops of frozen yogurt.

Vegetable Night! Garbanzo Bean Tomato Salad, Pattypan Saute, Roasted Corn with Chive Butter

It's summer and garden vegetables are all around us!

We haven't really had a vegetable night in quite awhile and I would like to get back into the habit of having a veggie night at least once a week, and possibly work ourselves up to twice a week. This is really, really easy to make. And with summer here, corn is in abundance! It's a classic summer staple. High in fiber, and in B vitamins, as well as folic acid and a number of other things our bodies need, it is used to help with kidney function and protect the heart. It also supports lung health, memory and energy. Vegetables are good for you!!

D is such a willing participant in my experimental cooking. I have to admit that many of the recipes I have found have turned out to be quite good. If we didn't think so, the recipes would not be on here!!

However, it is important to reiterate that we have cut out a lot of sodium in our diet and we do not use table salt at all. This renders our tastes to be a tad different than some who have not done so; we have become acclimated to the natural taste of the foods we eat without salting them. It has amazed me to realize how much of our food we never really tasted before cutting salt out. It was all salt! It's hard to tell when you still use it.

An example is my 17 yr old son. A few weeks ago, I made the tomato soup recipe from this blog because I love it. It was the first time my 17 yr old had tried it. He says, "This is bland, Mom." and he proceeds to add a bit of salt to his, taste it then say, "Much better."

Well, funny thing is, he didn't finish his bowl so I started to eat what was left in his bowl. BLEGH!!! All I tasted was the overwhelming salt flavoring!! And he really did not add that much. However, it made me realize just how much salt really does mask what the food we eat really tastes like.

Please don't dismiss a recipe if you try it as is and it seems bland to you. If sodium levels are not an issue with you, feel free to add salt to taste to your dishes. When I use canned goods, I use "no salt added", but you do not need to do this if you are not watching your sodium intake.

As for our meal.....I don't really eat a lot of garbanzo beans, or beans in general. Did you know that garbanzo beans are a high source of both soluble and insoluble dietary fibers? The soluble fibers form a gel-like substance in the digestive tract, whose main function is to capture the cholesterol containing bile and remove it from the body. The insoluble fiber, on the other hand, prevents constipation, by increasing the stool bulk (yes I know, not exactly appealing, but your body needs to do it!!!). They also help prevent certain digestive disorders, like irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis. Most people do not have enough fiber in their diet, and beans are a great source of this! They help lower cholesterol and improve blood sugar levels. This is a good-news food for diabetics!

It is estimated that a single cup of garbanzo beans supplies around 84.5% of the body’s daily manganese requirement. Manganese is involved in the production of energy and antioxidant defenses! This means that garbanzo beans aid your immune system as well. Good things, these beans.

And we've all heard the benefits of tomatoes! Personally, I do not like the taste of tomatoes but I can (and do) eat them in certain dishes. (I love fried green ones!) An interesting trivia fact about tomatoes is that they were not eaten in the US until the 1800's because they were believed to be toxic and cause certain cancers and illnesses such as appendicitis.

Of course, we now know that tomatoes actually have the exact opposite effect on our bodies. One tomato can provide 45% of the RDA for Vitamin C (which is required for growth and repair of tissues as well as immunity support), 15% of Vitamin A (promotes eyesight, offers immunity support), 8% of potassium RDA (aids in heart health and function and muscle repair), and is also high in iron (required for red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body and supplying us with energy).

New research is beginning to indicate that tomatoes may be used to help prevent lung cancer too. Two powerful compounds found in tomatoes-coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid-are thought to block the effects of nitrosamines. These are compounds that not only are formed naturally in the body, but also are the strongest carcinogen in tobacco smoke. By blocking the effects of these nitrosamines, the chances of lung cancer are reduced significantly.

For more information on the benefits of tomatoes, go here 10 Health Benefits of Tomatoes

Now, on to the recipes. Bet you thought I'd never get to it, eh? ;)
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Garbanzo Tomato Salad

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil

In a bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add beans; toss to coat. Place tomatoes in a serving bowl. Top with onion. Sprinkle with basil and remaining salt and pepper. Top with bean mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Toss just before serving.




Pattypan Saute

• 2 cups halved pattypan squash
• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small sweet red pepper cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan Cheese

Coat large skillet with cooking spray. Saute squash and onion in oil for 2 minutes; add garlic, and cook one minute. Add red pepper and mushrooms; saute for 6-7 minutes.

Stir in tomato, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Heat thoroughly. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.


Roasted Fresh Corn with Chive Butter
(4 servings)

• 4 ears of fresh corn, unhusked
• 1/4 cup buttery spread or butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh chives

Preheat oven to 350. Place unhusked corn on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake 30-45 minutes depending on size of corn. Remove from oven and let cool. Remove corn husks and silks and discard. Melt butter in microwave and stir in chives. Serve with corn.

Honey Garlic Pork Chops, Red Potato Bundles, and Grilled Cherry Tomatoes

It's summer time and that means everyone is breaking out their grills! Grilling gives food a unique flavor that can not be replicated by cooking in an oven and it just screams "SUMMER". It encourages interaction and fun times out doors.....yes, grilling is one good way to prepare food!

Besides, for some reason, it seems men really like to play with fire!

During the warmer months, we cook our frequently. Most times our menu consists of the traditional grilling fare; hot dogs for the kids, hamburgers, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, and occasionally we will grill ribs or chicken.

We also just got back from vacation. Since we ate most of our meals in the hotel suite, which had a kitchenette, it means we ate hot dogs, mac and cheese, canned pasta, fruits and sandwiches. I was ready to make some real food again!!

For this night we grilled pork. It was easy to make but it does need to be marinated for at least 4 hours, and ideally for 8 hours, before grilling.

I also like to make foil packets of chopped veggies and/or small potatoes in individual sizes. It's an easy way to get vegetables on the grill as well, and not have to cook those separately indoors. Personally, I think the texture is better than cooking them indoors.

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Honey Garlic Pork Chops
serves 4

(this is not gluten free unless you use a special gluten-free soy sauce)

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup of honey
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 boneless pork loin chops, about 6 oz each

In a gallon size ziploc bag, combine all ingredients and seal. Turn to coat and refrigerate for 4-8 hours, turning every so often to evenly marinate.

Drain and discard marinade. Grill, covered, over medium heat for about 16-18 minutes or until juices run clear.

Red Potato Bundles
4 servings
(this dish is gluten free)

• 12 small red potatoes, quartered
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 12 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• dash pepper
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Place the potatoes evenly distributed on 4 pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil the potatoes, garlic, and onion. Top with rosemary, pepper and cheese. Drizzle with oil. Fold in edges of foil and seal tightly. Grill for about 40 minutes. Carefully open foil to allow steam to escape.



Grilled Cherry Tomatoes
(this dish is gluten free)

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 Tablespoons butter
  

Place tomatoes in heavy duty foil about 24x12 inches.

In skillet, saute garlic and oregano in butter for about 2 minutes. Pour over tomatoes. Seal foil tightly. Grill 8-10 minutes and turn once. 4 servings

Grilled Ginger Salmon, Sugar Snap Peas, and Citrus Carrots and Sprouts

Fish. There's a lot to be said about it.

I don't much care for seafood. However, fish is really good for you. Salmon, in particular, is high in Omega-3 fats. This is a fat that our body requires yet can not manufacture on its own, making it necessary to get this vital nutrient from other sources. Omega-3 is "good" fat.

The numerous benefits of this essential fatty acid include the reduction in the risk for fatal heart arrhythmia since omega-3 acids increases heart rate variability, a measure of heart functionality. It also helps lower triglycerides which are linked to cardiac diseases while boosting HDL cholesterol, the good cholesterol. It has also been shown to help control high blood pressure, which in our house is a concern.

It acts as an anti-coagulant, therefore reducing the risk for stroke. Omega-3 is also good for our brain. The brain is composed of more than 60% structural fat. The fatty acids found in fish like salmon help to move nutrients across the fatty membranes of our brain cells and help to eliminate the wastes. Related studies also show that cognitive related problems such as Alzheimer's, dementia and even behavioral disorders can be improved by the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids. Studies are also starting to show that omega-3 may also help reduce the risk of colon and prostate cancer.

Wow! Almost makes me want to eat it......almost. (I'll stick with supplements.)

With it being summer, you can grill the salmon outdoors too! Woo hoo, make a cook out of it and let that fish stink up the outside rather than the inside of the house. Watch out, tho. You may notice that all of the neighborhood cats may think they're invited to dinner as well.

While I hate peas, I will eat sugar snap peas. Go figure, but for some reason, the taste and smell is much more subtle and therefore more tolerable for me. Peas have a decent amount of protein in them, being legumes, so will pack a powerful nutrient punch. as for carrots and brussels sprouts.....we all know that carrots help our eyes. They are packed full of Vitamin A, among many other nutrients. And those little sprouts.....they are very effective at strengthening the body's immune system. Good stuff, vegetables.

Now if we could only get the kids to eat them!

These recipes are all gluten free, too, if that is something you follow.



Grilled Ginger Salmon

• 1 cup gluten free soy sauce (San J brand is GF)
  
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 (5 inch) piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 (3 pound) whole salmon fillet with skin
• 1 untreated cedar plank

1. Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, minced ginger, olive oil, and garlic in a bowl, and pour into a resealable plastic zipper bag. Add the salmon fillet, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight or up to 2 days.
2. About 1/2 hour before grilling, soak cedar plank in water.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.
4. Remove the salmon from the marinade, and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade. Place the salmon, skin side down, onto the cedar plank.
5. Grill with the grill cover closed until the salmon is opaque but still juicy, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove the salmon from the plank in one piece, leaving the skin on the plank.

Sugar Snap Peas
59 calories per serving

• 1/2 pound sugar snap peas
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped shallots
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• kosher salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. Spread sugar snap peas in a single layer on a medium baking sheet, and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with shallots, thyme, and kosher salt.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, until tender but firm.

Citrus Carrots and Brussels Sprouts

• 1 pound fresh brussels sprouts, halved
• 1 pound fresh baby carrots
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 drops hot pepper sauce (optional)
  

1. Place brussels sprouts and carrots in a large saucepan with a small amount of water; cover and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients. Drain vegetables; add butter mixture and toss to coat.

Lil Cheddar Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potato and apples au gratin

The kids are all home, and that means a kid friendly recipe is on the dinner table. It also means that we are all sitting down together and eating. That is something I really strive for when we are all here. D makes a point to get off work at a decent time, and I try to have dinner on the table by 6pm or a little after.

I feel like when the kids are here that we eat much of the same things all the time, since they're kinda picky eaters. The vegetables are especially tricky. I tried that sneaky trick of steaming and mashing cauliflower in their mashed potatoes. Eh, yeah. So, it worked....somewhat. Meaning, they ate it, but there was a comment on the taste difference and how it "smelled funny". If I do it again, I am sure they'll catch on!

Next time I may try to hide turnips in them since they tend to be more subtle in flavor.

In any case, tonight with our lil cheddar meatloaf we are having plain ol' boring mashed potatoes made with whipping cream and butter. Thus far, it is the best way to make them. You just can't mess too much with mashed potatoes. I've tried, and some things are just worth keeping the same and trying to lessen the caloric damage by playing with the amounts used.

We try to limit our red meat, but the kids like meat loaf and this is a different spin to it than what I normally do.

Enjoy!


Lil Cheddar Meat Loaves
8 servings 187 calories, 7 grams fat per serving

• 2 egg whites, beaten
• 3/4 cup fat free milk
• 1 cup (4 oz) shredded reduced-fat cheddar
• 3/4 cup cooking oats
• 1 medium onion, blended in food processor
• 1 medium carrot, chopped in food processor
• 1 lb lean ground sirloin (96/4)
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tspn prepared mustard

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and egg whites. Stir in the cheese, oats, onion and carrot. Add the sirloin and mix well with hands. Shape into 8 small loaves and place in baking dish coated with cooking spray.

In small bowl, mix together ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Spoon over loaves. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.




Sweet Potatoes and Apples Au gratin
12 servings 130 calories, 2 grams fat per serving

• 3 cups thinly sliced tart apples
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3 lbs sweet potatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cider vinegar

Place apples in a large bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add sweet potatoes, syrup, butter, and pepper and toss to coat. Pour into 3 qt baking dish coated with cooking spray and bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 40 minutes, stirring once.
In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, oil, cinnamon, nutmeg and vinegar; sprinkle over potato mixture. Bake an additional 15 minutes.