Healthier Swedish Meatballs

Here is my typical "I am craving Ikea cafeteria food" meal....minus the huge crowds and flat-packed furniture (and the horse meat!).

These are lightened up by using a method I discovered a while ago in Cooking Light for cream gravies...a cream cheese and flour roux mixed with milk and broth. To me, the flavor and the texture is perfection...minus all the calories and fat. This is one of my favorite healthified tricks, I use it here, also.

I stuck to beef for the meatballs, but feel free to sub in turkey if you want. And me, being a pathetic creature of habit, always serves these with whole wheat egg noodles (and cooked carrots and cranberry sauce...always). Feel free to serve them with rice or mashed potatoes if that is your thing.

Swedish Meatballs
Makes 6 Servings
230 cals / 6g fat / 20g carbs / 22g protein

1 lb lean ground beef (96/4)
1 egg
1/2 small onion (1/3 cup minced)
1-2 stalks celery (1/4 cup minced)
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 cups beef broth
1 TB fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
1 cup skim milk
3 TB flour
4 TB reduced fat cream cheese

1. Mince celery, onions, and garlic. Combine with ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Roll into small balls, 1-2 TB in size....you should end up with 28-30 meatballs.

2. Heat a large pan over medium heat and coat pan with cooking spray. Cook meatballs on all sides until cooked through and brown on all sides, about 10-15 minutes.

3. While meatballs are cooking, chop parsley and set aside. Whisk cream cheese, flour, and milk until smooth.

4. Once meatballs are done, remove from pan and increase heat to medium high. Add beef broth and parsley to pan, stirring up any browned bits. Bring to a boil and stir in milk mixture, whisking until smooth. Continue to simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5-10 minutes, then return meatballs to the sauce and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Garnish with more parsley, if you want.

Heaven and Hell Cake

Today is Monday. I have no meal plan. Instead, I have something better...cake!

We recently got together to celebrate my father-in-law's birthday. He requested a "chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate" cake. I thought of this cake....I saw it online a while ago and have been wanting to try it ever since. I asked for a little leeway on the chocolate overload, and he was cool with it. So into the kitchen I went.

A concoction of Devil's Food and Angel Food cake layers filled with a rich peanut butter mousse and topped with dark chocolate ganache frosting. Be warned....this cake is rich!

I adapted the recipe from here, and I have to be honest....I followed the recipe for the angel food cake and it didn't turn out at all. It was egg-y and chewy and flattened out like crazy and just not good. I was too short on time to risk another failed attempt, so I scrapped it and sent B to the store for a box mix. And so, since I can't share that recipe in good confidence, I am skipping it. Use a box mix, or your own trusted recipe instead. I also thought four layers was just too much, so I went with 2 layers of devil's food and 1 layer of angel food. The devil's food was perfect. Although I did need to adjust the baking time. And the original recipe called for so much peanut butter filling it was overpowering. I adjusted the amounts for you below.

Heaven and Hell Cake

Devil's Food Cake
3/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup minus 3 TB all purpose four
3 TB cornstarch
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup coffee
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs

1. Heat oven to 340. Grease and flour a 10" round baking pan (at least 2 1/2 inches deep).
2. Stir together coffee and sifted cocoa powder. Mix until smooth. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and cornstarch.
4. In a large bowl, combine eggs, shortening, vanilla, and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium heat until lightened and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Add 1/2 flour mixture and beat until just combined. Add cocoa mix and beat until mixed. Add remaining flour mixture, and again stir until just combined.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes clean in the center, about 45-50 minutes. Cool slightly in pan, and then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack.

Peanut Butter Mousse
2 cups creamy peanut butter
12 oz cream cheese, at room temp
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream, chilled

1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla, until well combined, lightened, and smooth, 3-5 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, beat cream on high until stiff peaks form.
3. Gently fold 1/3 of whipped cream into peanut butter mixture to lighten, the fold in remaining cream until just combined. Keep refrigerated.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting
20 oz good quality semi-sweet chocolate
2 1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Finely chop chocolate and place in a medium size mixing bowl.
2. Heat cream in microwaveable safe container until just starting to simmer, about 3 minutes.
3. Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate, let sit for one minute, and then gently stir until chocolate and cream are fully combined and smooth.
4. Let chocolate mixture sit at room temp over night, or alternatively, place bowl in larger bowl filled with ice and water, stirring chocolate occasionally, to cool until solidified and thickened.
5. Using an electric mixer, whip chocolate mixture until lightened, smooth, and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.

One angel food cake (I used a box mix), prepared according to directions, and baked in a 10" round cake pan (at least 2 1/2" deep), lined on the bottom with parchment paper (do not grease pan).

Assembly:
1. Trim devil's food cake to level, then split evenly in half. Place one layer on a cake round or plate and spread evenly with 1/2 peanut butter mousse.
2. Trim angel food cake to level and place on top of peanut butter mousse. Spread evenly with remaining half of mousse filling, then top with remaining layer of devil's food cake.
3. Chill cake at least 3 hours, then frost with ganache frosting. Keep finished cake refrigerated until ready to serve.

caaaaakkkkkeeeeee!!!

Family Dinner: Turkey and Rice Soup

I think Thanksgiving doesn't happen often enough....or really, that turkey dinner doesn't happen often enough. To solve this problem, I started buying the bone-in turkey breasts when they were on sale to keep in the freezer. You see, not only do you get an awesome turkey dinner....you also get turkey carcass, hence turkey stock. Sooooo many meal options from this animal part.

Here's where I'm going with this: the other day I made roasted turkey breast. We had that for dinner and then lunch the next day. I saved the bones and made stock. I used the stock to make soup. We had that for dinner a couple days later, and then lunch the next day. The moral of the story? Don't throw your bones away. Also, I appreciate leftovers.

First, I made stock. There really isn't a "recipe" for this. I put my leftover bones/carcass (turkey, chicken, lamb, beef....whatever) in a large pot. I quarter an onion or two, cut a couple stalks of celery and carrots in half and add those. Toss in a couple whole garlic cloves and a couple bay leaves. Then I cover it all with water, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for hours. At least 3, usually 4, sometimes more. Then I strain it, let the stock cool, skim off the fat, and keep it in the fridge or freeze it. It's really not that hard. And the taste is way better than what you get at the store. Plus you get to control the salt content. The next time you have leftover bones....do this. Seriously.

Now, for the soup....I made turkey, but this can easily be swapped out for chicken (another use for rotisserie chicken, anyone?)

Turkey and Rice Soup
Makes 8 servings
150 cals / 2g fat / 25g carbs / 9g protein

5-6 cups turkey stock (or chicken)
2-3 cups water
Any leftover breast meat, plus the meat picked off the turkey bones
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion
6 carrots (about 1 lb)
3 celery stalks
2 tsp dried tarragon
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup dry wild rice
3/4 cup dry long grain brown rice
Salt and Pepper

1. Dice onion. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, and add onions. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes.

2. While onions are cooking, peel and chop carrots and dice celery. Add these to the cooking onions.

3. When onions are done, add tarragon and wild and brown rice, and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add meat, stock, and water and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium low and simmer until rice and vegetables are cooked through and soft, 45-60 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. You can add more stock if you want a looser soup, or continue to boil uncovered if you want it less liquidy.

Stock in-the-making? Not so pretty to look at, eh?

Meal Plan Monday and some Outfits Lately

I am starting this week off on a good note. Last week and weekend was lots of fun, and I think that fun has carried into my mood this week. Not even this morning's snow shower can dampen my spirits. I know spring will be here eventually...

The meal plan for this week:

- Crock Pot Sesame Chicken, Sugar Snap Peas, Rice
- Chicken and Dumplings, Green Beans, Corn
- Cabbage Soup, Oat Bread
- BBQ Pork Sweet Potatoes, Slaw
- Pasta, Simple Marinara, Meatballs
- BLT Sandwiches, Oven Fries

Last week I took the kids to meet a friend at Pump It Up for some serious jumping action...I am such a kid when it comes to bounce houses. I especially like this place because the adults are allowed to bounce and play too. I am not sure who got their jump on more, me or the kids (me!). This is what I wore (and what I pretty much wear every single day, as long as I don't have any big plans for the day). Yes, this is actually a pajama shirt, and I did sleep in this the night before...judge away.

I also ordered up some spring clothes from Old Navy, I love when I can find stores that offer clothes in tall sizes. I wore this to take L to ballet and to run some errands.

We also went to a birthday party for one of my best friend's one year old. I wore this new dress, and just happened to have some green tights in my drawer from a frog costume I made for myself like 10 years ago (because I'm cool like that). I just knew they would come in handy one day.

But the best part of the weekend was a last-minute visit by my parents. Seeing them was great, but even better was the fact that B and I got to go out for a spur of the moment date night. We spent our St. Patricks "party" night stone-cold-sober at the movies followed by a late night a trip to a drive-in for bacon cheeseburgers and giant root beers. Cuuuhhh-razy!

Family Dinner: Wheat Berry, Quinoa, and Squash Pilaf

I got the idea for this when I was discussing side dishes for a dinner my friend was making. We talked about some sort of grain thing....it gave me a craving, and so I came up with this. It was awesome.

We had it as our main dish with a green salad on the side, but I think this would work perfectly as a side dish as well. If you haven't added wheat berries to your whole grain menu, you should. They are similar to barley in texture...maybe a little nuttier/chewier. Because these are true whole grains, they are also a good source of fiber, protein, and B vitamins.

The wheat berries I bought were par-boiled so they cooked quickly, and at the same rate as the quinoa. Sometimes a plan just comes together perfectly.

Wheat Berry, Quinoa, and Squash Pilaf
Makes 6 Large Servings
370 cals / 12g fat / 57g carbs / 11g protein

1 small butternut squash
2 tsp olive oil, divided
1 cup wheat berries, dry
1 cup quinoa, dry (I used red)
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pecan chips
1 TB rosemary (2-3 sprigs)
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cardamom
Salt and pepper
5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
6 TB crumbled goat cheese

1. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Heat oven to 400. Peel and cut butternut squash into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss with 1 tsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread in even layer on baking sheet and roast until cooked through and beginning to brown, stirring about half-way through. About 25-30 minutes.

2. While squash is cooking, dice onion and mince garlic and rosemary. Heat remaining 1 tsp oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and rosemary and cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in pecans, wheat berries, and quinoa, and stir until begging to become toasted, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in cranberries, coriander and cardamom, then stir in broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer until wheat berries and quinoa are done, about 15 minutes.

3. Fold in roasted squash, season with salt and pepper, and serve. Top each serving with ~1 TB goat cheese crumbles.

Family Dinner: White Bean and Sausage Stew

Part of me thinks I might have a problem with stews. Like an addiction? But then the rational and awesome part of me steps in and tells the stew-hating hooker part of me to shut up.

Who could possibly hate on stews? I don't need to worry about sides, so less cooking.  Plus they can be so healthy.  And the idea that I only have to dirty one pot appeals to me as well...I don't know why, since B is in charge of the dinner dishes. But hey, I like to make his life easier too.

This one gets most of its flavor from the sausage, which is already cooked. This helps, because it means that this stew cooks up in a hurry. Total cooking time for me, including the chopping, was about 35 minutes.

I lightened this up by using turkey sausage and just a little oil. Feel free to add a different kind of sausage to suit your tastes.

White Bean and Sausage Stew
Makes 8 servings
240 cals / 6g fat / 35g carbs / 18g protein

1 link smoked turkey sausage (~14 oz)
2 cans white navy or northern beans
3 large russet potatoes
1 medium onion
4 cloves garlic
4-5 cups kale, tough stems discarded
3 cups chicken broth
1 can petite diced tomatoes
2 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese

1. Chop onion and mince garlic. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are soft and clear, about 10 minutes. While onions are cooking, peel and cut potatoes in 1/2 inch chunks. Add potatoes to onions and continue to cook.

2. Slice sausage into 1/2 inch thick half-circles. Add sausage to potatoes and onions and cook until potatoes begin to soften. Stir in chicken broth and simmer over medium heat until potatoes are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, remove stems from kale leaves and tear into pieces. Add kale to simmering potatoes.

3. Once potatoes are cooked through, drain and rinse beans, and add to the pot. Cook 5 minutes more, then drain tomatoes and stir those in. Cook until heated through, another 5 minutes. Then season to taste with salt and pepper. Top each serving with 1 TB parmesan cheese.

Meal Plan Monday

Just a quick post with this week's meal plan. The most exciting thing is of course, St Patrick's Day and the traditional corned beef dinner, yum! And that will be the end of our celebration.

- Wheat Berry and Squash Pilaf, Salad
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Fig Stew, Polenta
- Green Chile Corn Cakes, Turkey Sausage, Eggs
- Garlic Kielbasa and Spaghetti Squash
- Corned Beef Dinner
- Tomato Soup, Grilled Cheese
- "Daddy Pasta" (B's specialty...a box of pasta, a jar of sauce. Walla)

And not to leave this pictureless....a blast from the past. I miss you, South Side Irish Parade. And I miss you too, sweet Irish hat.

Family Dinner: Spinach Stuffed Shells

I don't know if is obvious or not, but when I cook, I like to make meals in larger quantities. There are two reasons for this. 1) B eats a lot. A normal serving usually won't cut it. 2) I love to have left-overs on hand for B to take for lunch, or for the kids and I to eat. One less meal I have to worry about.

Stuffed shells is one of those meals. It is a little time and labor intensive, but it makes a ton, so there is a definite ROI on this meal.

If you need smaller quantities, these freeze great. Cover and freeze in the pan before baking, then thaw and bake as directed. Done and done.

Spinach Stuffed Shells
Makes 8 servings
300 cals / 9g fat / 38g carbs / 21g protein

1 batch Marinara Sauce (Or 1 jar. It is ok, I won't judge you. I do it too).
1 box jumbo shell pasta (you will have extras left-over)
1 10oz pack frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 onion
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 container low-fat ricotta cheese (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 cup low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Cook and drain pasta according to package directions.

2. While pasta is cooking, heat over to 350. Squeeze as much water as possible out of the spinach, then blot dry with towels. Mince onion, garlic, and parsley and combine with ricotta, grated parmesan, spinach, and egg, mixing well.

3. Spread a thin layer of marinara in bottom of 13x9 dish. Fill 24 shells with ricotta mixture. Top with additional marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Serve with additional sauce if desired.

Simple Homemade Marinara Sauce

I am trying more and more to make as much of my own food as possible. Making my own marinara is an easy step in that direction. I mean, I rely on a jar of Progresso in a pinch as much as the next person, but the grocery store jars are no match for the real deal.

This recipe makes a double batch. Half gets used for dinner that night (in this case, spinach stuffed shells ) and half goes into a zip loc bag in the freezer. Then the next time you need an easy dinner in a hurry, all you have to do is pull the bag out. Done and done.

Simple Marinara Sauce
Makes 12-16 servings
55 cals / 0.5g fat / 10g carbs / 2g protein

2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 onion
6 cloves garlic
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp olive oil
2 cups water
Handful fresh basil (or 2 tsp dried)
1 tsp oregano

Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

1/2 cup red wine (optional)

1. Mince the onion and the garlic. Chop the basil.

2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sautée until translucent and soft, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, water, sugar, oregano, and basil. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for 1-2 hours. Season with salt as needed.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes

I am a flippin' GEE-NEE-YUS. For real. (and modest too!)

This idea came to me a couple of weeks ago. It took me three times to perfect the measurments, but by George, I think I've got it! I am soooooo excited to share! Do these even already exist? No...my just-performed super official google search indicates this is a new development in the breakfast frontier. Mornings just got a little bit more exciting.

Imagine, an updated version of your typical fluffy chocolate chip pancake, but slightly sweeter, saltier, and gooey...just like eating chocolate chip cookies for breakfast.

 A cookie-pancake hybrid, if you will. But without all the guilt, because you can call them pancakes.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes
Makes 12
189 cals / 9g fat / 24g carbs / 4g protein

1 cup milk
4 TB butter
1 1/4 cup flour
4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
~3/4 cup chocolate chips (I like the mini ones)

1. Cut butter into chunks and place in a small bow with milk. Heat until butter is just melted (about 1 minute in the microwave for me). Stir to mix and set aside.

2. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar to a medium size bowl. Whisk to blend well. Set aside.

3. Lightly beat eggs and whisk into the milk mixture, whisking to mix well. Stir in vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, and stir until just barely mixed, batter will be slightly lumpy.

4. Heat griddle or pan over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray or lightly grease with butter. Pour batter onto prepared pan by 1/4 cups. Sprinkle each circle with ~1 TB chocolate chips. Cook until edges look done and center begins to cook, about 2-3 minutes, then flip over and continue to cook until done, about 1 minute or so more.

(Not Really) Meal Plan Monday....

Really what I have today is a bunch of randomness. This week is hectic with schedules and I won't get to the store until Thursday so my meal plan includes things like: eggs and toast, grilled cheese and soup, pasta, and me just being lazy.

Instead, what I have for you is a couple of beauty-related things (sorry to my male readers).

First, check out this picture L keeps pulling out of the drawer and placing around the house. I think she is trying to keep me motivated. This is B and I in Hawaii, and I was about 15-20 lbs lighter than my heaviest. Ha! Thanks to this chubby little reminder, I have kept up with my workout plan (at least 3x a week) for two weeks now. I know it doesn't seem like much, but when you dislike working out as much as I do, that is an accomplishment.

Next up, an outfit I wore for dinner and a movie with a friend. I felt like getting dressed up, so I pulled out this skirt and paired it with a cardigan-worn-as-a-shirt and some leopard heels for some sass.  Please excuse the mess behind me, I am in the process of cleaning out the guest room closet.  It is a disaster.

And finally....check out what I have for you! A mascara smack-down! This is a comparison between L'Oreal Double Extend Mascara (in blackest black) and Benefit They're Real Mascara (in black).

The DE Pros:
DE is the clear cost winner, it will run you about 10$ in drugstores and can be found cheaper depending on sales. From a distance, this definitely makes my lashes look dark, long, and full. The color is very dark black, and there is plenty of drama. It is easy to remove, wipes off with my face makeup remover wipes, no problem.

The TR Pros:

This makes my lashes look dark, longer, and full. There is zero clumping, and it separates my lashes and seems like it coats each one. The color is not quite as dark as the DE, but the difference is negligible. I have been using the same tube for about 6 months and so far, no issues with drying out. The staying power on this incredible. Like almost permanent. It definitely lasts all day.

The DE Cons:
As far as application goes, DE is a 2-step process so it takes a little bit longer and you need to make sure you get all the white "primer" covered. I have been using it occasionally for about a month and it is now starting to dry out. I also think it clumps a little bit. Wear-time on this is about 6 hours, then I notice it starts flaking off. If I apply this in the morning, there is none left when i get ready for bed.

The TR Cons:
First, the price. This will set you back 23$ at Sephora...ouch. This stuff is impossible to get off. I have to really wipe with my my makeup remover cloth, and it doesn't get it all. It usually takes an eye makeup remover solution, then the wipe, and even after that I will sometimes wake up with raccoon eyes. Also, if you rub your eyes, be prepared for some major mascara circles.

And now for some extreme close-ups of my eyeballs. I took these on different days and didn't wear any other makeup to keep it even. The mascara is only applied to the top lashes, and I didn't curl them or do any other sort of prep. DE is first, TR is second in the pictures.

Conclusion:
Despite the price, I think Benefit They're Real is the winner. It drives me crazy to take it off, but I prefer the way my lashes still look "natural" and not all clumped. Plus the staying power is hard to beat. If you can splurge, go for it. My next plan is to compare this to Maybelline Falsies mascara, which was my previous go-to mascara choice.

Family Dinner: Baked Chicken with Potatoes and Artichokes

If you are anything like me, you are incredibly incredibly good looking stark raving mad lazy about housework eat a lot of chicken. If so, then like me, you are probably always on the lookout for ways to make that chicken new and exciting. Kind of like a marriage?.....but we won't go there.

Anyhoo....I made this the other week, and decided it was easy and good enough to share. A nice change from other baked chicken breast meals. Plus it has the veggies with it, so you don't really need to add a side, unless you want to. I wanted to, so I roasted up some green beans too.

Baked Chicken with Potatoes and Artichokes
Makes 6 servings
300 cals / 6g fat / 26g carbs / 38g protein

~2 lbs chicken breasts (the pack that comes with 3)
1.5 lbs baby red potatoes (or new or baby Yukon)
1 10 oz box frozen artichoke hearts
15 peeled cloves of garlic
4 tsp olive oil, divided
1 lemon
1/2 cup white wine (or omit and just use 1 cup broth)
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 TB fresh oregano
6 tsp reduced-fat crumbled feta
Salt and Pepper

1. Mince 3 cloves of the garlic and add to a large dish, zip loc bag, or bowl (for marinating the chicken). Stir in zest and juice from the lemon. Add 1 TB chopped oregano, 2 tsp olive oil, wine (if using), and broth. Mix well. Trim the fat and gross stuff off the chicken breasts, then split in half horizontally to make 6 pieces. Add chicken to the marinade, cover and refrigerate at least one hour and up to overnight.

2. Heat oven to 425. Spray a rimmed baking pan with cooking spray.

3. Wash and cut the potatoes into quarters or halves, depending on size. And add to large bowl. Add 12 whole peeled garlic cloves, 1 TB chopped oregano, 2 tsp olive oil, and frozen artichoke hearts. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and mix we'll, then spread evenly in prepared baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes, then remove from oven.

4. Drain marinade from chicken and lay on top of partially baked potatoes. Season each chicken breast with salt and pepper, then return to oven and bake for 25 minutes, until chicken is done and juices are clear. Top each breast with 1 tsp feta and serve.