Thursday, August 28, 2008

Yummy Lime-Ranch Wraps!

Okay so I made up this recipe , and it is sooooo good!!! Or at least I think so, but try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:
1 pkg. spinach and garden vegetable wraps, package of six (or any kind of veggie wrap i.e. Spinach, tomato)
1 carton of baby herb lettuce mix (this really is the best mix for flavor, but if you can't find it just add fresh cilantro to the wrap)
1/2 lb. deli sliced cheese, I like muenster, Swiss, or provolone the best
1/2 Boars head Cajun style turkey (if at all possible, I've tried other meats and they are just not the same!)
1 red/green/yellow/orange pepper
1 cucumber
2-3 avocados
2 tomatoes
3 limes
1 16 oz sour cream
1 pkg. ranch dip mix

Make ranch dip.

Layer on top of wrap the following: 2-3 pieces cheese, 2-3 pieces turkey, lettuce mixture, sliced cucumbers, sliced peppers, sliced tomatoes, sliced avocados, juice of 1/2 lime, and ranch dip (as much or little as you want, I do about 4 tsps). Wrap up tight, and cut into pinwheels. Enjoy!!!

Okay, seriously.....I love these, I've been having them everyday for lunch, and I never get tired of it!!! Devin and Payton also love them! Also they are quite filling, so you could have them for dinner if you wanted

Three Bean and Beef Chili

This is also an Ellie Krieger recipe, it is also healty and very good. I really liked it with a small amount of sour cream and cheese, but Devin liked to have corn chips with it....to each his own.


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced (1 cup)
1 red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 pound extra-lean ground beef (90 percent lean)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons adobo sauce from the can of chipotles
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
I added a 1/2 cup lentils, navy beans instead of pinto beans, and garlic and onion salt rather than just regular salt. I also cooked my own beans, but I'm sure the canned work great!

Heat the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and carrots, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the ground beef; raise the heat to high and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink. Stir in the tomatoes, water, chipotle and adobo sauce, oregano and salt and pepper. Cook, partially covered, stirring from time to time, for 30 minutes. Stir in the beans and continue cooking, partially covered, 20 minutes longer. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Information
Nutritional Analysis per Serving
Calories 295
Total fat 8 grams
Saturated fat 2.5 grams
Protein 22 grams
Carbohydrates 35 grams
Fiber 10 grams

Turkey Meatballs with Quick And Spicy Tomato Sauce and Whole-Wheat Spaghetti

Read all directions before making this......otherwise it'll take you a long time to make it!!! this is an Ellie Krieger recipe from the food network. It's healthy, low fat, low calorie, and very tasty! Hope you enjoy!


Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, liquid included (I just used regular and it tasted great!
1 teaspoon finely minced canned chipotle en adobo and sauce, or more to taste
2 teaspoons chopped oregano leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Salt
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Meatballs:
Cooking spray
1 pound ground turkey meat
1 slice fresh whole-wheat bread, crusts removed, pulsed into crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/2 cup finely grated carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1 box (16 ounces) whole-wheat spaghetti

Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil for pasta.

Make Sauce:
In a 4-quart saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onions until translucent, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add tomato paste, tomatoes, chipotles, oregano, rosemary, and salt. Bring all the ingredients to a low boil, reduce heat and cook for approximately 15 minutes, until liquid has evaporated slightly. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. While sauce is cooking, make meatballs.

Meatballs:

Preheat the broiler. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine the turkey with all other ingredients in a large work bowl. Form into 2 1/2 -inch balls and place on a baking sheet. Broil for 10 minutes, or until browned and almost entirely cooked through.
Meanwhile, remove rosemary sprig from sauce and add fresh basil. Add the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and cook additional 10 minutes, or until sauce has slightly thickened and meatballs have absorbed some of the sauce. While the meatballs are cooking, cook the whole-wheat spaghetti according to package directions.
Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and meatballs, toss and heat through over medium heat. Divide evenly among 4 pasta bowls and garnish with parsley and 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan.

Yield: 6 servings (1 serving equals about 1 1/3 cups pasta and sauce, plus 2 meatballs

Nutrition Information
Nutritional Analysis per Serving
Calories 332
Carbohydrates 39 grams
Total Fat 10 grams
Saturated Fat 3 grams
Protein 23 grams
Fiber 8 grams
Sodium 568 milligrams