Leek, Eggplant, and Tomato Pasta

Now that school is back in full swing, things have started to get a little crazy. I'm finally starting classes for my specialty, pediatrics, and I couldn't be happier, but it is a ton of work and takes a ton of time. I just keep telling myself it will all be worth it to see PNP after my name!

I'm still trying to make time for things that I enjoy doing however, like making and photographing recipes for this blog. I also went bowling this weekend and bowled an abysmal 46 and 59. Yikes.

Anyway, this recipe was something new for me. I got the leek and eggplant in my bi-weekly delivery from Boston Organics and had no idea what to do with them. I don't think I've really ever cooked with these two ingredients. But I was down for a challenge. I also got cabbage and butternut squash in my delivery that I am still trying to figure out.

While I know that I like everything I got in my box, they are not things I would normally buy for myself. That's one of the reasons I enjoy getting the delivery - it forces me out of my comfort zone and forces veggies into me since I don't want to waste anything.

Whole Wheat Brownie Batter Pancakes

This post was supposed to be up about...12 hours ago, but I am moving tomorrow and just spent a whole lot of time unnecessarily stressed out. Not to get into detail, but a certain moving company, whose name starts with a letter of the alphabet (between T and V), totally messed up my moving plans. Luckily, some family members have come to my rescue and I will still be able to move out at the time my lease states.

Anyway, pancakes. That taste like brownie batter! The perfect breakfast for when life throws you curve balls. These pancakes are not very sweet by themselves, so feel free to use more sugar or do like I do and pour some maple syrup (or chocolate syrup) on top. And another great thing about this recipe is you don't have to share. The nutritional information is for one serving, but if you want to cut the Points+, you can split it with somebody.

See you Monday after my move, providing I maintain my sanity.

Chicken Caesar Burgers

I've been sitting on this recipe for a good nine months now. Why? I have no idea. I made them, photographed them, did out the nutritional information and then...nothing. I was looking through my draft folder and there it was. I decided to make them again and take new pictures. So, finally, here it is.

A note about these burgers: they are...tricky. Chicken burgers have a tendency to dry out because there is not a lot of fat in them. These definitely do not because they are kept moist by the dressing and Worcestershire sauce (side note: I love what Worcestershire sauce does to meat). That being said, these burgers are pretty sticky and don't hold together as well as a traditional burger. I ended up making them on my contact grill. I originally started them off on my regular indoor grill (another side note: I am terrified of the gas grill and I am convinced that if I use it, it will blow up), then ended up converting it to the contact grill midway through because they were too difficult to flip.

Don't let that scare you off, though. They are quite tasty. To serve, I like to put an extra dollop of dressing on the burger and also pile on lettuce, red onion and an extra sprinkling of Parmesan. Delicious.

Stovetop Mac & Cheese

Look at all the cheesy goodness! I absolutely love macaroni and cheese, but unfortunately it is not very figure friendly. I recently picked up the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook and knew I had to try this recipe as soon as I saw it. I swapped out almost all the cheeses that the cookbook used and added ones that I like and I also decided to use whole wheat pasta instead of regular. Feel free to use whatever cheeses you want. I've been eating this for lunch for the past couple of days. It was so simple and easy to make and it definitely satisfied my craving for mac & cheese!

Pork Lo Mein

In honor of entering into the Year of the Dragon, I decided to recreate one of my favorite Chinese dishes- pork lo mein! I adapted this recipe from the Weight Watchers website and adapted it to suit my tastes. One thing I did not do that I would recommend is to add scallions before serving. I had completely intended to, but I forgot to pick them up at the store and did not realize until  had already started cooking. In the original recipe, mushrooms are added, but since I don't do mushrooms, I left them out. If you want them, for 4 oz of mushromms the Points+ value will not change.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Slow Cooked Barbecue Turkey Chili

To me, chili is the ultimate comfort food. It is pretty much guaranteed to make you feel all warm and cozy inside. I almost always make mine with ground turkey instead of beef, but that can be substituted in this recipe also. I don't really notice a difference, and in fact I think I actually like it better with turkey instead of beef.

I put this recipe into the slow cooker before I left for work so that it would be ready when I got home. I don't usually get home from work until 11-11:30 at night. When I was on my break, I got a text saying that the house smelled wonderful. When I got home, two bowls were already gone from the chili. Therefore, I did not get to calculate the serving size, but this recipe makes 6 servings.

Also, the pictures are not that great because I was in a hurry to eat it. I photographed it a day after I had tried it and didn't feel like trying to get that perfect shot. It will definitely be made again, and then I might update the pictures.

This chili has a bit of a kick to it, so if you don't want that substitute regular diced tomatoes and use mild chili powder. 

Brown Rice with Chicken and Broccoli

This dish comes together quickly so it is perfect for a busy weeknight. It is especially good because it can be cooked in one pot making clean up very easy. I always have the problem that I love to cook but I hate to wash dishes, so I am always on the lookout for recipes that don't require many. This also did not require many ingredients, and I had most of them on hand.

I found this recipe on my Whole Foods Recipes app. Here is a link to it online. I love all the cooking apps you can download because then I don't have to haul my computer into the kitchen every time I try out something new.

Packed with fiber and protein, this meal kept me satisfied for a while. I ate it as is, but I'm sure a salad on the side would be a nice addition to keep you fuller longer.

Beef, Cheese and Noodle Bake

Macaroni and cheese stepped up a notch. This recipe is packed with hidden vegetables to boost the nutrition and fiber. Lean ground beef packs in some protein to round out this satisfying meal. There is something about macaroni and cheese that everyone loves. It has been one of my favorite foods ever since I can remember. If you have kids, this is a great way to sneak some vegetables into them without them knowing. I would have loved this recipe as a kid, but if you had told me there were carrots in it, my opinion would have drastically changed. Therefore, I suggest you not mention it to them.

I use whole wheat pasta whenever I can. I honestly do not taste much of a difference between it and regular pasta. I know there are people who would argue with me so if you prefer regular pasta, then go ahead and use it. The nutritional information, however, is based on using whole wheat pasta. I know for Weight Watcher's, the Points+ value will probably go up by 1 or so. 

Chicken and Chickpea Stew

This is a great comforting dish on a cool fall night. Not to mention the protein and fiber will keep you satisfied for a while. This dish also smells great while it is cooking. I adapted this recipe from Epicurious.  This can be served over brown rice or couscous, or it can stand on its own.

Make sure that you rinse and drain the peas before adding them to the dish. This helps rinse off a lot of the salt that is put on during the canning process. The nutrition information is without rinsing and draining the peas.

Slow Cooked Moroccan Chicken

I absolutely love my slow cooker, especially as the weather turns cooler and all you want is a nice big plate of something to warm you up. This recipe blends many different spices and ingredients into something warm, filling and delicious. Served with some couscous, this is the perfect fall meal. Some of the ingredients sound a little unusual, but trust me, it turns out well.

I adapted this recipe from Parents Magazine. No, I do not have any kids or plan on having kids for a while but I look everywhere for new and interesting recipes to try out. And, if they happen to come from a magazine geared toward moms, so be it. :)

When I was calculating the nutrition information for this recipe, I got a few discrepancies between the calorie calculator and the Points+ calculator. I am not sure why, but if you are following Weight Watcher's, I would recommend using 8 Points+, instead of the 7 Points+ that the nutritional information would result in.

Snickerdoodle Ice Cream

Cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg - all the ingredients that make the snickerdoodle cookie delicious are combined to make a rich, delicious ice cream. This recipe has indulgence written all over it. It is not something I would make on a regular basis due to the less than figure friendly nutritional information, but I had a special occasion to make it for.

I got this recipe from an old Land 'O Lakes cookbook that I have had laying around for a while. I remember when I first got the book, I saw this recipe and was so upset I did not have an ice cream maker to make it with. Now that I do, I decided I would give it a shot. I lightened it up to the best of my ability, but even so, it is not very "light". Homemade ice cream is tricky because you want to keep the smoothness of ice cream, and it is hard to do so using low or nonfat items.

The ice cream was very soft when it came out of the ice cream maker. I prefer it that way, but some people like it more firm. I recommend putting it into the freezer for a few hours before serving so that it has a chance to freeze a bit more.

Pasta and Broccoli with Pecorino Romano Cheese

Pasta is always a good option when you need a quick dinner. However, the same old pasta with red sauce gets very boring after a while. This is an absolutely delicious recipe that I got from Gina at Skinny Taste. It is simple and easy to whip up in just a few minutes. The perfect weeknight meal.