FRIDAY FARE: Healthy Springtime Recipe Series: Dips

I was thinking about fruit and veggie dips today, while planning the refreshments for our next support meeting, and thought I'd try to find a few healthy recipes. Sometimes that can be hard, because it seems like most fruit dips are high in sugar. One ingredient that I see in a lot of fruit dips is marshmallow cream - not a really healthy choice. I found this yummy looking fruit dip at Allrecipes.com...

Mandarin Orange Fruit Dip

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed
• 16 ounces fat-free reduced-sugar vanilla yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
• Assorted fresh fruit

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until creamy. Add yogurt and vanilla; beat until smooth. Set aside tree orange segments for garnish. In a small bowl, mash remaining oranges with a fork; drain. Stir into cream cheese mixture. Transfer to a serving bowl; garnish with reserved oranges. Refrigerate until serving; serve with fruit.

And here is a scrumptious sounding veggie dip...

Spinach Dip

Ingredients

• 2 (16 ounce) loaves King's Hawaiian® Sweet Bread
• 1 (1 ounce) package leek soup mix
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, chopped
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained, but not cooked
• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. Mix together the leek soup mix, mayonnaise, sour cream, water chestnuts, frozen spinach and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
2. Slice off top of King's Hawaiian Bread. Hollow out the inside - leaving about 1-inch thick shell. Cube removed bread and second loaf into 1-inch chunks. Fill loaf with dip. Surround the loaf with bread cubes when ready to serve.
   

FRIDAY FARE: Balsamic Lean and Green Chicken Salad

Here's a Lean and Green meal (high protein, low carb) that I made last night...

Balsamic Chicken Salad

1 6 oz chicken breast (6 oz. after cooking)
Balsamic vinegar
Garlic powder
Cracked pepper
Salt
1 Cup Leafy Green Lettuce (or any kind of greens you like - spinach, iceberg, romaine - or even a combination of them), chopped.
1 cup of your favorite veggies - I used tomato and cucumber, chopped
Paul Newman's Light Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing (this is very low in carbs - 2 Tbls have just 2 carbs.)

Marinate chicken breast in balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, pepper, and just a tiny sprinkle of salt. Grill. (I used my George Forman grill, since my BBQ grill is put away for the summer). Chop into small pieces after cooked.

In a big bowl, combine chopped veggies, chopped chicken, and dressing. Toss.

Mmmmm! This was SO good!

FRIDAY FARE: Thanksgiving Recipes - Green Beans and Wild Rice Stuffing

Because it's Thanksgiving next week, and I've been given the assignment to bring some green beans to the dinner, I've been looking for a new green bean recipe - and I found this one that looks yummy and sounds pretty healthy as well (I replaced the butter with olive oil)...

Green Bean and Mushroom Medley

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
• 2 carrots, cut into thick strips
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Directions

1. Place green beans and carrots in 1 inch of boiling water. Cover, and cook until tender but still firm. Drain.
2. Place olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and mushrooms until almost tender. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 3 minutes. Stir in green beans, carrots, salt, seasoned salt, garlic salt, and white pepper. Cover, and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.

I think I'll try steaming the green beans and carrots instead of boiling them.

The members of my family do not like stuffing - one of the most traditional Thanksgiving dishes. Since I've never liked to stuff the turkey anyway (it seems to take all of the moisture out of the meat), it hasn't bothered me too much to forgo the stuffing (in fact, since I love it, I usually just make a small dish of Stove Top stuffing for me - I know... yuck, right?). A few years ago, I was assigned the stuffing to bring to a family dinner, and since my husband and boys wouldn't touch it, I thought I'd find something that could replace it. I made "stuffing" with wild rice instead of bread crumbs. I added apples and cranberries, and created a great side dish, that was much more healthy than traditional stuffing. If you'd like to try using rice this year, here are the ingredients. (I couldn't find a recipe that had everything I liked)...

Wild Rice Stuffing

(it would look something like this - without the carrots)

Ingredients

Wild Rice
Apples
Cranberries (I would probably use Craisins)
Pecans
Poultry Seasoning
Salt and Pepper to taste

You could also try adding other ingredients - like celery, sausage, mushrooms, etc.

Directions

1. Cook rice by directions on package. I usually cook rice in my rice cooker, and with this, it would be good to use chicken broth instead of water to cook the rice in.

2. Cut up the apples and other ingredients (celery and mushroom, if you add them). Saute them until tender in olive oil.

3. I think that baking everything together might make the rice too mushy, but, it would be nice to have all of the flavors mix together, so maybe adding the cooked rice to the fruits and veggies that were finished sauteing, and cooking it for a few minutes would do the trick! Don't forget to add the pecans and cranberries here, too!

Sorry about the "homemade" recipe. Hopefully it will all work out - with apples, cranberries, wild rice, mushrooms, and pecans, how could it NOT be good?!

FRIDAY FARE: Summer Corn Soup and Goat Cheese, Pear, and Pecan Sandwiches

I'm typing this post, while I sit in a pitch black hotel room in Delta, UT! The lights are off so that my husband can sleep in preparation for his 100 mile bike ride tomorrow. I can hardly see, so I hope this comes out ok. ;-)

I'm posting two healthy recipes - one for soup and one for a sandwich - that I found in September issue of Prevention Magazine. ENJOY!


Summer Corn Soup

Ingredients

6 ears fresh corn
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 lg. onion, chopped
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 lg. fresh jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1/4 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup half and half
1/4 cup chopped scallion greens

Directions

1. Cut corn kernels from cobs, reserving cobs.
2. Melt butter in pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, 4 minutes. Add broth, 3 cups water, jalapeno, and reserved corn cobs. Simmer 20 minutes. Remove cobs and discard.
3. Add potatoes and corn kernels. Simmer until potatoes are tender. 15 minutes. Stir in half-and-half and season to taste.
4. Ladle soup into bowls and top with scallions.


Goat Cheese, Pear, and Pecan Sandwich

Ingredients

2 oz herbed goat cheese (about 1/4 cup) at room temperature
4 lg. slices whole grain bread, toasted and halved diagonally
1 red Bartlett pear, sliced
2 Tbsp pecans, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup watercress springs
2 Tbsp honey

Directions

1. Spread cheese onto 4 half slices of bread. Top with pear, pecans, and watercress. Drizzle with honey.
2. Top with remaining bread halves and serve.

FRIDAY FARE: Super Foods - Carrots

The next Super Food I'm introducing is CARROTS. Carrots are one of the top sources of beta-carotene, which is an antioxidant that protects arteries. There are 32 calories in one medium-sized carrot. Cooked carrots have twice the antioxidant power of raw carrots because heat breaks down tough cell walls so that your body can use what's inside. Carrots also provide potassium and magnesium - which can lower blood pressure. They are have folate, vitamin B6, and the antioxidants alpha-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

Here are some ideas on getting more carrots into your diet (from Allrecipes.com)

1. Set out a bowl of baby carrots when you're cooking as a healthy snack that won't fill you up with unwanted calories or wreck your appetite

2. Buy sliced and shredded carrots in the produce department; add them to soups, salads, and casseroles.

3. Instead of chips, serve pre-sliced carrots with dip

4. Add finely grated carrots to muffins, tuna or salmon salad, and casseroles

5. Microwave baby carrots and stir in a dollop of honey for a sweet side dish

6. Roast carrots in the oven with olive oil

Ok, so let's get on with the healthy recipe - this one got rave reviews!!

CARROT RICE
"Fragrant basmati rice sauteed with carrots, onions, fresh ginger, peanuts, and cilantro. You will be surprised to taste this delicious rice."

Ingredients

1 cup basmati rice
2 cups water
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon margarine
1 onion, sliced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
3/4 cup grated carrots
salt to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Combine rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid, and allow to steam until tender, about 20 minutes. While rice is cooking, grind peanuts in a blender and set aside. Heat the margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned golden brown about 10 minutes. Stir in ginger, carrots, and salt to taste. Reduce heat to low and cover to steam 5 minutes. Stir in cayenne pepper and peanuts. When rice is done, add it to skillet and stir gently to combine with other ingredients. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

FRIDAY FARE: Healthy Italian appetizers...

One of my favorite things to order at an Italian restaurant is Bruschetta. Crusty slices of freshly made Italian bread, topped with tomatoes, basil, garlic, and olive oil. Mmmmm! Bruschetta is a recipe that dates to the 15th century, and comes from Central Italy. It usually stars as the appetizer in a meal. It's always seemed pretty healthy to me, but if you make it yourself, you can make sure it's healthy, right? So, today I've got two different healthy recipes for you to try: One is a Bruschetta recipe, and the other is a Crostini recipe - very similar...



Tomatoe Bruschetta
(This is exactly how I like Bruschetta, but I've never tried it with Pine Nuts - hmmmm. This is a single serving, so multiply the ingredients by how many people you are serving.)

Ingredients:

1 baguette (10 slices per serving)
1 tomato
1 clove garlic
5 fresh basil leaves chopped
1/4 C toasted pine nuts
sea salt to taste
pepper to taste
fresh grated parmesan cheese to taste
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

To make:

Dice tomatoes, chop garlic and basil and place in bowl. Add other ingredients and combine. I always sprinkle the sea salt and add the vinegar before I add anything else because I like the tomatoes to marinate for a minute in that combination, but that is totally not necessary. Slice your baguette into 1/3 inch slices and drizzle olive oil over their tops. Toast your bread until it's golden in color. I broil mine in the oven for just a minute or two. Top your bread with the delectable tomato combination and enjoy!


I found this recipe, and picture, on the blog: Twohealthysisters.blogspot.com. It sounded so good! I've linked the title of the recipe to their blog, so that you can visit. I'm sure you can find many good recipes there! The only two things I would change - I'd add some garlic to the olive oil that you drizzle on the bread before you toast it. And, instead of parmesan, I LOVE Feta cheese - it's tastier, and very strong - you only need a little bit to make a big impact.




FRESH HERB-TOMATO CROSTINI
(This one sounds great, but it does lack one of my favorite ingredients: fresh basil)

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 (8.5-oz.) French bread baguette, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 large tomato, finely chopped
3/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together olive oil and garlic; brush on 1 side of each bread slice. Place bread slices, garlic sides up, on a baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly toasted.
2. Whisk together lemon juice and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Add tomato and next 3 ingredients; gently toss to coat.
3. Top each bread slice with tomato mixture (about 2 rounded teaspoonfuls each). Sprinkle with cheese.

(This recipe was submitted to Southern Living magazine by Anita Embry, Vincent, Alabama, in MAY 2009. Click on the name of the recipe to visit the "My Recipes" website I found it at.)

A few suggestions: make your Bruschetta or Crostini with FRESH ingredients - chop fresh veggies, mince fresh garlic, chop fresh basil, etc. I love the cherry tomatoes at Costco - they are sweet, and pretty. It would be fun to use these in either recipe. Just slice them, so they stay that nice round shape.

ENJOY!! And let me know if you try the recipes - I'd love to hear if you like them.

-Kara

MONDAY MEMOIRS - Cold & Flu Season

I've had two severe colds in the last month, and winter just started. Each cold I get seems to last forever, and is worse than the previous one. I think one of the problems is that my immune system is not as strong as it used to be. It's been a year and a half since my last chemo treatment, and I kind of expected to not have these problems still. But, as I've talked to other cancer survivors, I've learned that it can take 2-5 years to get back to your "normal" pre-cancer self. The fact that I can get back to my old self is good - but I wish it didn't take so much time. It seems that with each new cold, I get weaker and weaker. I guess this would be a good time to make sure I've got a flu shot, that I'm eating fruits and vegetables, and that I get lots of rest.

Today, open your journal and talk about getting better. As you think about this, try to recognize the things you are doing that help you feel better. Is there something you are trying that helps? Maybe you take a nap each day, and that helps boost your energy - or maybe you are careful to stay away from others who are sick.

My advice: Be careful of crowds. If you feel a cold coming on, get plenty of rest and Vitamin C. Take care of yourself!

FRIDAY FARE - Green Smoothie...

Guest blogger, Shannon Stahura, sent this in. Shannon is a friend and neighbor of mine. She helped me out lots during my treatment. Her mom is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer, and Shannon volunteered to help me out here on the blog with recipes...

"My trainer gave me this recipe and I have been making it for breakfast and as a snack for the last couple of weeks . If you have had the naked juice or odwalla green juice it is very similar . This is a great fast and easy way to get your fruit and veggie servings."

GREEN SMOOTHIE

1 cup water
2 cups spinach
1 cup fresh pineapple
1 banana
1 cup ice

Optional...

Add protein powder or a teaspoon of coconut oil. Coconut oil is a great way to get your serving of healthy fats and adds some thickness to the shake.

Directions...

1. Blend spinach and water until well blended
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend well and drink it up.

The whole food blenders such as Vitamix or bBlendtec are recommended.

By-the-way, at our nutrition meeting in the summer, Kim - one of our Sister Survivors - showed us how to make green smoothies, so I'm excited to have another recipe. I've still got a few of Kim's smoothie recipes if anyone didn't get a packet. Let me know... sistersurvivors@gmail.com

-Kara

FRIDAY FARE: Healthy Recipe - Chicken Sausage Kabobs

WAIT!! Before you put that grill away this month, try these yummy, healthy kabobs, courtesy of the foodnetwork.com:

Chicken Sausage and Pepper Kabobs



Ingredients:

1 cup couscous
2 bell peppers (red and yellow), cut into chunks
1 (12-ounce) package chicken sausage (preferably garlic-flavored), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large red onion, cut into chunks
1 cup cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
4 scallions, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Directions

Soak eight 8-inch skewers in water, at least 15 minutes. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Prepare the couscous as the label directs.

Meanwhile, toss the bell peppers, sausage, onion and tomatoes in a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Thread onto the skewers, alternating the sausage and vegetables. Grill, turning, until the vegetables are slightly softened and the sausage begins to brown, 6 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree the parsley, cilantro and scallions in a blender with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the vinegar and 2 tablespoons water. Season with salt and pepper. Brush the skewers with some of the pesto and continue to cook, turning, until the tomatoes are tender and the sausage is charred, 6 to 7 more minutes.

Toss the couscous with half of the remaining pesto and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the skewers and the remaining pesto, for dipping.

Per serving: Calories 396; Fat 13 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 56 mg; Sodium 356 mg; Carbohydrate 45 g; Fiber 5 g; Protein 24 g

FRIDAY FARE: Healthy Recipe - Farfalle with Tomatoes, Onions, and Spinach

I've been surfing the web today, looking for yummy healthy recipes that will use some of the things I've got in my fridge - feta cheese and tiny tomatoes. The following recipe is from the Cooking Light website. It's a Mediterranean pasta recipe - using one of my favorite pastas - Farfalle. Add chicken, if desired. ENJOY!

Farfalle with Tomatoes, Onions, and Spinach


Total: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups pasta mixture and 3 tablespoons feta)

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 8 ounces uncooked Farfalle pasta
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 1 cup vertically sliced yellow onion
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 5 garlic cloves, sliced (Whoa - that's a lot of garlic! Yum!!)
* 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
* 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
* 3 cups baby spinach
* 3 tablespoons shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt. Add pasta, and cook according to package directions; drain.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and oregano; sauté 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and vinegar; sauté 3 minutes or until tomatoes begin to soften. Add pasta and spinach; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, and stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with feta.

FYI - Nutritional Information

Calories: 374, Fat: 13.3g (sat 5g,mono 6.2g,poly 0.9g), Protein: 13.7g,
Carbohydrate: 51.1g, Fiber: 3.8g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Iron: 2.6mg, Sodium: 632mg,
Calcium: 212mg.

FRIDAY FARE: Healthy Recipe - Fettuccine Spinach Salad

Guest blogger, Shannon Stahura...

This week's recipe is definitely a keeper. Fettuccine Spinach Salad was served for years at the old Peery Hotel in downtown Salt Lake. One evening the chef shared the recipe with us. I love it because it is unique and its another great way to work in those veggie servings. Enjoy!

Dressing:

2 Tb olive oil
1 Tb cider vinegar
1-2 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic minced
1 part cream to 1 part vinaigrette

Salad:

Baby spinach
2 green onions chopped
1 pkg feta cheese, crumbled
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 can sliced black olives
Ham, julienne sliced
1/2 box fettuccine (cooked)

Directions:

Mix all of salad ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk all of dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over salad and toss and serve.

FRIDAY FARE: Healthy Recipe - Spinach Floret Salad

Guest blogger, Shannon Stahura...

The recipe today comes from a magazine... "Taste of Home Great: American Cookout" July issue. If I did tweak it, I would reduce sugar to 1/2 cup and use canola oil instead of vegetable oil, I would omit radishes, make mushrooms optional and probably change the title to Spinach Salad.

I was really impressed with this recipe, not just because it tastes great, but because it is filled with lots of healthy greens which are always high in vitamin and mineral content.

Spinach Floret Salad

1 bunch of spinach (or bag)

2 cups of chopped iceberg lettuce

2 cups broccoli florets

1 1/2 cups cauliflowerets

1 cup chow mein noodles

2 hard boiled eggs, sliced

2 green onions chopped

3 fresh mushrooms, sliced

3 radishes, sliced

Dressing

1 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Toss first 9 ingredients and (bacon optional). Blend all of the dressing ingredients until thoroughly mixed. Toss salad with dressing and serve.

FRIDAY FARE: Healthy Recipe - Grilled Vegetable Salad....

Guest blogger, Shannon Stahura, shares the following recipe...

"The zucchinis are starting to peak and the yellow squash is sure to follow. It's almost time for the harvest! Here is a unique recipe to help you utilize your fresh garden produce and get your recommended daily servings of veggies."

Grilled Vegetable Salad

Ingredients:

1 yellow squash
1 medium zucchini
1small red onion
1 small eggplant
1 sweet red pepper
3 roma tomatoes
3 TB balsamic vinegar
3TB soy sauce
3 TB olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayo or mayo substitute
1/4 2% milk
3 TB ranch salad dressing mix
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup crumbled feta
spring mix salad greens

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil, oregano and rosemary
2. Cut veggies and toss in marinade. Set tomatoes aside and toss separately.
3. Put veggies on a grilling tray. If you don't have one, poke holes in a foil pan and set on medium heat on the grill. Grill 10-12 minutes until vegetables are tender stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes the last 3 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl mix sour cream, mayo, milk, ranch packet, garlic salt and pepper.
5. Place salad greens on a plate and top with grilled veggies, dressing, feta and serve.

FRIDAY FARE: Healthy Recipe - Pasta Toss

We had a great nutrition class last night for our Sister Survivors. I promised to share my most recent yummy recipe, so I thought I'd post it here. Something you need to understand - I just throw things together, so I don't really have measurements. ;-)

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts - all fat cut off
Cherry tomatoes - about 3 cups - cut in half (I use the container that Costco sells - they are very sweet!)
Onions - sliced - probably about 1 cup
Paul Newman Oil and Vinegar dressing
3-4 cups of fresh fettuccine noodles, cooked (cook just until they are barely soft.)
Fresh shredded Parmesan cheese
Marsala cooking wine
Salt and pepper

Using a large wok-type pan, I cooked the chicken breasts in the dressing (I used this instead of plain olive oil, because I love the additional taste of the vinegar, but you could use just light olive oil and some red wine vinegar!) Once the chicken was cooked about half-way through, I sliced each breast in half (so that it was not as thick) and then cut each half into large pieces. I threw in the onion slices and cooked those while the chicken finished cooking. Once it was done, I tossed in the tomatoes and stirred for a few minutes until they were tender, and then splashed some Marsala cooking wine into the mix. Sprinkle with a little freshly ground salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes more to blend the flavors, and then toss with the noodles, and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.

That's about it - to make it more healthy, you could use whole grain pasta. ENJOY!

Friday Fare: Healthy Recipe - Grilled Veggie Pasta

Sorry this is a little late today. Our guest blogger, Shannon Stahura, sent me this recipe last night, AND she showed up at my door with some for me to taste! Oh, the perks of living right by the recipe guru! It's super yummy AND healthy...

Shannon:

Grilled Veggie Pasta

"This is yet another great way to get your veggie servings. In the summertime I grill the vegetables with a grilling tray (available at Walmart), and in the off-season I recommend sautéing them in olive oil and garlic. Summertime is a great time to forego the heavy sauces and go light. This pasta is tossed in olive oil and topped with fresh lemon juice. It is also full of vegetables, so it provides an excellent source of Vitamins A, K , C, B6, and Folate .(Nutrition & You, Joan Salge Blake). I also love using the Barilla multigrain pasta in this dish. It has a texture that is lighter than the wheat pasta so it’s a lot easier to fool the family into thinking they are eating the regular enriched pasta and it has a higher protein content. This recipe is definitely one you will want to make again and again."

Ingredients

Barilla plus multigrain pasta
Olive oil 4 TB
4 cloves crushed garlic/ and or garlic salt
1 cup fresh parmesan
1 lemon
Fresh basil (dried will do too)
asparagus
spinach
cherry tomatoes
mushrooms

* chicken another great option with this recipe

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Heat grill.

2. Cut asparagus and toss in a bowl with cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, olive oil, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, salt and pepper to taste. (and if you prefer you can add zuccinni, peppers, garlic salt or whatever you like)
3. Put vegetables in grilling tray and grill for 5-8 minutes.

4. Heat a frying pan with 2 Tb of olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic. Strain pasta and add pasta to frying pan stirring for 3-5 minutes.
5. Add vegetable mixture to frying pan,

(if using steamed spinach add add it at this time) toss veggies and pasta with juice of one lemon and top with fresh parmesan and sliced basil. Sliced basil makes a lovely garnish. Just pick the leaves, roll them and then start slicing.

FRIDAY FARE: Healthy Recipe - Veggie Panini

From guest blogger, Shannon Stahura...

Here is another fast and easy way to get your veggie servings... A veggie panini wrap! This makes a great summer lunch and is even a hit with the kids.

Ingredients:

light wheat flat bread (like a tortilla but a little thicker, found near the bread)
spinach
tomatoes
goat cheese
pesto

Directions:

1. Spread pesto on flat bread
2. Add veggies (if you prefer you can heat them up a bit in a skillet, but not necessary)
3. Sprinkle with cheese.
4. Wrap and heat in panini press or in a skillet sprayed with olive oil or butter for about 2 minutes on each side.

* This combination is my favorite, but you can substitute other combinations of vegetables, and cheese. Another favorite is a caprese wrap with tomato, fresh mozzarella, basil and pesto with balsamic vinegar. For the non-veggie eaters in your family try adding turkey or chicken instead of the veggies. Any way you wrap it ... it is a crowd pleaser!

FRIDAY FARE: Healthy Recipes - Chicken Marinade and Grilled Veggies

Guest blogger: Shannon Stahura...

I have two rules for summertime... eat more fresh veggies and don't cook in the kitchen! I love grilling! I'm not a pro, but by following a few easy steps I can usually make a tasty meal and the kitchen stays clean. Try these out. They are fast, easy and taste great.

Chicken Marinade

Ingredients

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
2/3 cup light zesty Italian salad dressing
1/3 cup of lite barbecue sauce

*for a different taste try substituting 1/3 cup of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce in place of the barbecue. They all taste great.

Directions

1. Mix Italian dressing and barbecue sauce and marinate chicken for at least one hour. (I like to cut the breasts into thirds so they cook faster)
2. Scrape grill clean, heat if for about 5 min, and then oil or spray it to create a non-stick surface.
3. Grill chicken for about 5 minutes on each side. Baste the last 5 minutes. If you left the breast whole it will take longer.

Veggies on the Grill

After you have your meat going, add your side dishes to the grill. Some of my favorites are asparagus, yellow squash and zucchini as pictured . For the asparagus use a grilling tray and for the squash, cut it lengthwise and lay it right on the grill. Just drizzle some olive oil over the veggies and sprinkle with salt and pepper, a little garlic salt or your favorite seasonings. Grill until desired tenderness is reached. This usually takes about 5-10 minutes. Serve with fruit and eat outside!

FRIDAY FARE: Healthy Recipe - Veggie Quesadillas

We are happy to introduce guest blogger, Shannon Stahura. Shannon's mom has breast cancer, and she volunteered to help us out, here at Sister Survivors. Shannon will be our expert on nutritious recipes - we'll post one recipe per week. ENJOY!!

SHANNON:

The summer season is finally here!! The fruit and vegetable stands are starting to pop-up everywhere. This is the perfect time of year to start incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet.

“The easiest, least-expensive way to reduce your risk for cancer is just by eating a healthy diet,” says Rachael Stolzenberg-Solomon, PhD, MPH, RD, a researcher at the National Cancer Institute.

So... this is where you have to get creative and be patient. It's hard to just go cold turkey and stop eating all of the junk and go strictly healthy. It's best to start a little at a time and be patient as your body rids itself of the cravings for unhealthy foods.

Here is one of my favorite summer lunch or dinner ideas, its healthy and quick to make. Also, it is versatile if you are cooking for those non-veggie eaters....


Veggie Quesadillas (prep time 10 min)


2 tortillas (preferably canola oil based and or wheat but any kind works)

your favorite vegetables (I prefer spinach, cucumbers, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Zuccinni, squash, onions and peppers work well, too)

cumin

Mexican seasoning

optional toppings

salsa, guacamole, cheddar cheese, sour cream or cottage cheese


Directions

1. Cut up vegetables.

2. Heat a few drops of olive oil in a frying pan then add veggies to warm them up (except spinach). Stir or toss until they become soft.

3. While veggies are cooking sprinkle them with cumin and other Mexican seasonings.

4. Remove veggies from pan and set aside.

5. Place tortillas in pan to warm. If using spinach or cheddar cheese, line your tortilla with these ingredients at this time. (about 30 sec each side or until cheese melts) After tortillas are warm, layer vegetables on top of one tortilla, add toppings, then top with second tortilla and cut into slices.

*optional- If you are cooking for those who don't like veggies, just add the usual beans and cheddar cheese.

Serve with a side of your favorite fruit and enjoy!