Healthy, vegetarian, and enjoyed by my husband, kids and myself! Used the recipe here:
https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegetarian-quinoa-and-black-bean-burgers-3028771
but instead of frying on a pan, I broiled each side on high for 5 minutes. I also didn’t use green onions or paprika, because I didn’t have them, and it turned out great! I calculated each one to be about 150 calories each.
This dish is easy to make and a big people pleaser. You can either have it as a light entree or as a side dish.
I used the recipe found here: https://www.superhealthykids.com/recipes/quinoa-with-fresh-peas-recipe/ with the following adjustments:
I use water instead of chicken broth to keep it vegetarian for myself, and my husband and I have found we prefer it without the lemon juice. Also, I find it easier to use 2 cups of peas that I cooked that were frozen.
Love this quick, healthy and yummy dish!
My favorite dinners are those that are fast to make AND healthy! I’m vegetarian, but my husband and three boys are not, so I usually spend most of my dinner prep making their meal, and that leaves me a few minutes to make mine. This salad is so yummy, high in protein, low calorie, and incredibly easy to make. I rinse off some spring mix salad that is in a box from Whole Foods, toss it in a balsamic vinaigrette, and then add chickpeas from a can (that I have rinsed off) and crumbled feta. Yum!
Many people in my family have different preferences. I am vegetarian, my kids eat chicken and fish, and my husband is not a fan of fish after a bad experience he had one time with food poisoning. However, he loves scallops. So whenever I make fish for the kids, I make sea scallops for him.
Fill a frying pan with a layer of olive oil. Take the little tags (side muscles) off of each scallop. Pat each one with a little salt and pepper and then lay them on the pan in the olive oil. Cover and cook on medium for about 4-5 minutes. Once the side in the olive oil is golden brown, flip them, and then cook on medium for another 3 minutes, but check periodically. Once the second side is golden brown (as in the picture), remove them. Yum!
I try to make fish for my kids once a week, because it’s good brain food, and thankfully Chilean Sea Bass is a quick and easy dish to make. When at the grocery store, I try to pick out 8 oz pieces from the widest part of the fish. I look for pieces that are all white, but if there’s an occasional brown spot, it’s okay – I just cut it out.
Put the oven on the highest level of broil (for my oven that’s level 1). Soak each side of each piece of fish in olive oil for about 5 seconds and then lay them on their side on a cooking tray lined with parchment paper. Cook one side for 8 minutes, then flip and cook the second side for 8 minutes. This is if the fish is about 1 inch thick. Cook a little longer if the fish is thicker. The fish should be golden on the edges, like in the picture, and when you cut into it, the pieces should flake away.
I’m super paranoid about my kids eating fish bones, so after I cook these, I mash them up and look for bones before giving them to my kids. For adults, I present it as is in the photo, with a veggie on the side.
The olive oil gives the fish a buttery delicious taste. Enjoy!
This Turkey Chili is so easy to make. Everything goes in one large saucepan and once it’s all in you cook for 15 minutes. This is my go-to when I want to make dinner for a friend who has had a baby or is going through a hard time. Also, it’s thankfully a hit with everyone in my family.
I use this recipe:
https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/quick-turkey-chili
but make the following adjustments. I use a white onion instead of a yellow onion. I use 1 can black beans instead of kidney beans. I use a jar of strained tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes.
When I want to make vegetarian chili I make the same recipe, but substitute Lightlife Smart Ground Mexican Crumbles.
Recently we have put one of my sons on a low FODMAP diet to help him resolve some GI issues. I made my usual banana bread today, altering the ingredients to make this low FODMAP and thankfully the kids and my husband loved it!
Ingredients
3.5 ripe bananas
1/3 cup olive oil
3/4 cup cane sugar
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1.5 cups gluten free oat flour
Recipe
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mash the bananas in a bowl.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and mix together well.
4. Spray a loaf pan with a canola, or other oil, spray.
5. Pour prepared mixture into the pan.
6. Bake for 43 minutes, or until the edges look browned and a toothpick or knife comes out clean when you stick it in the bread.
My kids and I love these vegetarian meatballs! This one is actually my recipe that I’ve developed after trying out and altering other ones I’ve found.
Ingredients
2 cans adzuki beans
1 cup bulgur wheat
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup dried bread crumbs
1 diced onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
3 eggs beaten
Recipe
1.Put the two cups of vegetable broth and 1 cup bulgur wheat in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it boils, lower to a simmer and let simmer for 12 minutes or until all the broth is absorbed.
2. Saute the diced onion in the olive oil.
3. In a food process mix the beans, cooked bulgur, onions and spices. Transfer the mix to a bowl. Mix in the eggs and then mix in the bread crumbs.
4. Mold mixture into small balls and place the balls onto a cooking tray lined with parchment paper.
5. Broil on high for 5 minutes, flip and then broil on high for another 5 minutes.
I cooked 34 of these today, each one came to 67 calories.
My kids love these and they are made using 2 cans of black beans! One of my sons had his friends over and they all enjoyed them too. Their moms couldn’t believe their kids ate something with beans in them!
Click here for the recipe.
Last month I posted about my mom’s healthy cookies. As I mentioned, my mom would get creative with these and each time I make them I use a different combination of healthy ingredients. This time I used 4 cups of bran, 2 cups of whole wheat flour, 6 eggs, and half the amount of sugar and olive oil as last time. I felt these were much healthier and they were 140 calories per cookie instead of 220 calories. Here’s the new recipe:
In a large bowl, mix together:
4 cups bran
2 cups wheat flour
1/2 cup olive oil
2 individual containers yogurt (plain or vanilla)
3/4 cups sugar
6 eggs (with the 6th egg, only put in egg white & save the egg yolk for later)
After you mix it all together into a dough, roll into small balls and pat down onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Dab some of the egg yolk on each one to add a glaze.
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until the bottom looks golden.
