Parmesan Pea Risotto

Risotto is typically one of my "lack-of-planning" meals. It is simple to make, uses ingredients I almost always have on hand...arborio rice, broth, wine (duh), and totally works your arms with all the stirring involved (bonus). This is a basic recipe, but you can really add in any sort of flavors/add-ins you want.

The other plus? You can still fit this into a WW lifestyle, so says weight watchers since this recipe comes from there.  At only 395 calories for large serving (about a cup and a half), you can enjoy a creamy, filling rice meal without doing damage to your waistline.  Or if you need less of a calorie hit, serve a smaller portion with a big salad on the side.

Parmesan Pea Risotto
Makes 4 servings
395 cals / 8g fat / 66g carbs / 11g protein

2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cup arborio rice
1 cup white wine
5 cups chicken broth
1/2 lemon (for juice)
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
2 TB butter
salt and pepper

1. Dice onion and mince garlic. Mix wine and broth together in a microwave safe bowl and heat until just beginning to boil, about 5-6 minutes (or heat in a saucepan). You will want to keep this hot, so keep running it in the microwave or keep it warm on the stove.

2. Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook until coated and rice begins to turn clear, 3-5 minutes more. Increase heat to medium-high, add 1 cup of the hot broth/wine and stir occasionally until liquid is completely absorbed. Once absorbed, add 1/2 cup broth and stir until liquid is absorbed. Continue this pattern until rice is soft, but not mushy. This will take about 25-30 minutes.

3. Stir in peas and cook until done, 3-4 minutes. Stir in butter and parmesan, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Breakfast Time: Healthier Banana Scones with Chocolate Rum Glaze

It has been a while since I have made scones. Luckily, the forces of the universe aligned, it was a gloomy slow morning, I needed something warm and sweet, and I happened to have a couple bananas sitting on my counter just begging to be used in something besides a smoothie.

These use less butter than my favorite recipe, but still bake up nice and flaky with the crunchy edges that make them so delicious. A few notes for these:

• I used the same method as these if you need more instructions.
• I used an equal mix of whole wheat and all purpose flours. You can use any type and ratio of flour you want.
• These are easily adaptable, so you can sub in Earths Balance and Rice/Soy/Almond milk (for my soy-dairy-free friends).
• The chocolate on top gives these just that hint of chocolatey awesomeness without impacting calories too much, but you can makes these healthier by skipping it, if you need to. You can also skip the rum if that isn't your thing.
• You can also make/shape these then freeze them for storage. Bake them straight out of the freezer.
• The dough is sticky. Don't be scared. Just be really generous with the flour when patting and shaping the dough.

Banana Scones with Chocolate Rum Glaze
Makes 12
145 cals / 4g fat / 22g carbs / 3g protein

3/4 cup milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice, or just 3/4 cup buttermilk)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 TB cold cold butter
2 bananas
3 TB semi sweet chocolate chips
1 TB rum

1. Heat oven to 425. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Mix milk with vinegar and set aside. Cut butter into small chunks. Peel and cut bananas into small chunks (about 1 1/2 - 2 cups).

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Use your finger tips to rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal (alternatively, you can do this part in a food processor). Add the milk and banana bits and stir until the dough is just barely combined.

3. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface, and using floured hands, knead 2-3 times to bring it together. Shape and pat the dough into a rectangle, about 1-2 inches thick. Cut dough into 12 equal size pieces (circles, squares, triangles, wedges...whatever suits your fancy). Place on prepared sheet and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

4. While scones are baking, combine rum and chocolate in a small bowl, then begin to heat for 20 second increments at half-power in the microwave, stirring in between increments, until melted and smooth. If your chocolate starts to seize, just add a tiny bit of butter to smooth it out. Drizzle over warm scones (I made a quick cone with waxed paper and piped it on for these). Serve warm.

On the Side: Honey Dijon Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Here is a relatively easy side dish with a little twist, for those days you need to mix things up a little.  I feel like I often get stuck in a rut when it comes to vegetable sides...right now my obsession is apple cider glazed green beans, before this it was cooked carrots with dill. So I am always on the look out for something new to add into the rotation.

These sweet potatoes do just the trick.  A departure from my usual green beans or carrots.  Plus the addition of the mustard makes them a little different...but not different enough that they are hard to pair.  These go with just about everything.

Honey Dijon Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Makes 4 Servings
120 cals / 2g fat / 22g carbs / 1g protein 

3 large sweet potatoes
2 tsp olive oil
2 TB dijon mustard
2 TB honey
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

1.  Heat oven to 425.  Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.  In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until smooth, set aside.

2.  Peel and dice potatoes into ~1/2 inch cubes.  Toss with mustard mixture to evenly coat.  Spread in an even layer on baking sheet.  Roast in oven until cooked through and beginning to brown, about 25-30 minutes, stirring half-way through.

Meal Plan and a Recent OOTD

So, I feel like I have been a little "kitchen-lazy" lately. I don't know if it is the cold weather or the fact that B has been working so much, but I haven't been excited about cooking at all. I think this will change once it warms up and I can start using the grill again. So with that, this week's meal plan is a little blah.

- Chicken Tikka Masala, Rice, Cauliflower
- Beef with Broccoli, Rice
- Chicken and Dumplings, Green Beans
- Lemon Pasta (with peas)
- Enchiladas (like these, but healthier with chicken, low carb tortillas, reduced-fat cheese, and significantly less cheese)

Along with my serious craving for some warmer weather comes a craving for some new spring/summer clothing. So of course I couldn't pass up the recent 50% off everything LOFT was having. It is like I am saving money (right B!???!).

One of the things I picked up was this peplum top, in a print (a stretch for me), which I like, but am a little disappointed because it fits boxier than what they showed online. I think they pinned it back for the picture....SOOOO annoying for a catalog.  But, I guess it doesn't bother me enough to send it back (especially not at half price).  And looking at this picture, I now know that peplum tops should be worn with skinny jeans.  Hindsight.

 Also...this cardigan....technically it is a pajama top/robe.  Score!

Quick and Easy Mediterranean Pizzas with Cucumber Salsa

Another quick and easy (like your mom...Ha!) dinner for those busy weeknights when the last thing you feel like doing is making some sort of fancy-pants elaborate dinner.

I am not really sure if these can technically be classified as "pizzas," but they are flat and round like a pizza, so that is what I call them. And basically, the kids will eat anything I call pizza.  So that's what they are.

I use whatever veggies and toppings I happen to have on hand, so you can easily alter these to suit your own tastes. And, in the summer, you can even cook these on the grill.  Bonus!

Mediterranean Pizzas with Cucumber Salsa
Makes 6
385 cals / 13g fat / 36g carbs / 19g protein

1 cucumber
1 clove garlic
5 tsp olive oil
3 tsp red vine vinegar
2 TB fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6 whole wheat Pitas
6 TB hummus
1/2 red pepper
1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1/4 cup pitted, drained kalmata olives
1/4 red onion
1/4 cup sliced, drained banana peppers
1/2 cup crumbled reduced fat feta cheese
1 1/2 cup shredded low fat mozzarella

1. Heat oven to 450. Mince garlic. Peel, seed, and chop cucumber. Chop parsley.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 tsp olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir in chopped cucumber and parsley. Set aside.

2. Mince red pepper and red onion. Slice or quarter tomatoes. Chop olives and banana peppers.

3. Brush each side of pitas with olive oil (about 1/2 tsp oil per pita). Spread each with ~1 TB hummus, then top each pita with prepared veggies, and ~3 TB mozzarella cheese and ~1 TB feta cheese. Place pitas on baking sheet and cook until cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 12-15 minutes. Cut each pizza into 1/4ths and top with cucumber salsa before serving.

Quick and Easy Crunchy Ranch Chicken

I was a little hesitant to share this recipe because is is so basic. But then I thought about it and realized that that is exactly why I should share it....everyone needs a delicious but quick dinner every now and then...especially one that gets inhaled by the kids, right??

And just how simple is this....well, the other day I wrote out these instructions for B and he pulled it off just fine. Not to mention how proud he was of the fact that he made a good tasting dinner beyond his "Daddy Pasta." If B can make this, anyone can!

Crunchy Ranch Chicken
Makes 4 servings
265 cals / 3g fat / 25g carbs / 33g protein

1 lb thinly sliced chicken breasts (or tenders)
1/2 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
1 packet dry ranch seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup bread crumbs
Salt and pepper, cooking spray

1. Heat oven to 415. Generously spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, set aside.

2. Mix dry ranch seasoning and yogurt together, set aside. Combine bread crumbs and garlic powder on a plate, set aside.

3. Coat each piece of chicken in the yogurt mix to cover (you will probably have some leftover).

4. Take each coated piece of chicken and press into breadcrumbs to cover, shaking off excess. Lay evenly on baking sheet. Season each piece with salt and pepper, then liberally spray the tops of each chicken piece with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes, the turn each piece over and bake for 8-10 minutes more.

Meal Plan Monday

This weeks meal plan should really be titled "an attempt to fill my gut with somewhat healthy food so I don't completely O.D. on the kids' Easter candy after they go to bed." Or something like that.

 I am already one whole large bag of jelly beans, 2 Cadbury creme eggs, and a large bag of Haribo gummy bunnies in. Not to mention this gluttony, which served as a pre-dinner snack on Saturday:

Things could get scary here....between my lack of willpower and the huge presence of chocolate-dipped peeps, I see a larger pants size in my future. I need some luck, and some power to resist!

- Easter leftovers (ham, scalloped potatoes, apple cider green beans, yeast rolls)
- Bacon and Egg Salad Sandwiches
- Chicken with Pears and Bleu Cheese, Spinach
- Ranch Chicken, Carrots
- Chicken and Avocado Soup

Hope everyone had a great Easter! We were blessed with some decent weather, a variety of Easter bunny visits and egg hunts, and a T. Rex too!