Veggie Burgers

For Christmas, my husband and I got each other the same gifts – meat grinders. We had talked about it but I never thought we’d get each other the same thing. Either way, it worked out! We ground up some chicken, deer, beef, etc just to try it out! I got a little crazy and decided to make some veggie burger patties too. A couple of hiccups but we figured it out! They turned out great, freeze well and are perfect for a light healthy meal. I served ours on lettuce leaves for less carbs – but they’d work on a bun! Makes about 6 burgers

Check them out at the link below!

Veggie Burgers

Healthy Nachos

Going low carb can be a real challenge. I find it especially hard to eat healthy during football or parties. We just love party snacks but you know as well as I do that they can be awful for you! I’m still adjusting but for now these nachos will work great in a pinch! Believe it or not, the bell peppers make a great substitute for a chip. Let’s be honest though – it’s still not a chip. I really liked the light and crisp taste though. Plus I could eat a lot more without feeling guilty about it! I did made my husband some with tortilla chips though – not everyone is excited about finding a low carb, clean, appetizer like I am : ). Makes enough for about 4-6 servings depending on if you are serving as an appetizer or a meal.

3-4 bell peppers, seeded and cut into 2” chunks

1 can beans, drained and rinsed (our favorites are black beans or cannellini beans)

2 medium tomatoes, diced

½ cup corn

½ cup jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped

1 avocado, chopped

¼ cup green onions chopped

½ cup shredded cheese (we used dairy free)

Salsa, sour cream, etc for additional toppings

Heat oven to 400°F. On a large baking sheet sprayed with olive oil, line bell peppers in a single layer. Spread evenly over peppers the beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers. Top with cheese and bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with avocadoes, green onions and additional toppings if desired. Serve immediately. 

Mini Polenta Pizzas

These little pizzas are a favorite at our house. They are fun for the kids and really quick and easy to make. In addition, it is gluten-free and low-fat. Polenta is a perfect alternative for carb filled pizza crust. You can use homemade polenta or cheat a little and use pre-made. Either way this is an easy, filling and delicious recipe!

1 roll of polenta (or homemade cut into small slices)

¼ cup balsamic vinaigrette

½ cup mushrooms, diced

1 cup fresh spinach

1 tbsp olive oil

¼ tsp minced garlic

¼ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp black pepper

2 small tomatoes, sliced thin

Shredded cheese

• In a large skillet, sauté mushrooms, spinach and garlic in olive oil until slightly tender. 
• On a large greased cookie sheet, place thin slices of polenta (about ¼ in thick). 
• Using a pastry brush, spread on balsamic vinaigrette over polenta slices. 
• Top each slice with a little of the mushroom/spinach mixture. Then top each slice with a tomato slice and sprinkle with cheese. 
• Bake at 375°F for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. I got one roll of polenta to make about 15 pizza slices. 

Overnight Breakfast Casserole

Who doesn’t love a throw together casserole recipe that can be made ahead?? I know I love them! This would make a wonderful Christmas morning breakfast or brunch recipe! I love baked egg dishes; frittatas, quiches, etc. However, they are time consuming in the mornings and I don’t like to wait on them so I don’t make them often. After Thanksgiving, I had some white GF bread that was just okay. No one really ate it but I hated to throw it away so I decided to make this casserole dish. I wasn’t exactly sure how it would turn out but it is great! It is very similar to a bread pudding type recipe. The nutrients come from all the veggies this dish is loaded with. If you prefer, you could use more egg whites than whole eggs.  You could also throw in some sausage or other meat for additional flavor. This serves about 6.

6 slices of GF bread, cubed

6 eggs (or an egg/egg white mixture to equal about 1 cup)
¼ cup milk
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp sage
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp sea salt
2 cups raw spinach
½ cup chopped mushrooms
¼ cup diced onions
½ cup cooked spaghetti squash or shredded potatoes
¼ cup diced carrots
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup shredded cheese (I used dairy free Daiya cheddar style)

• In a greased 9x9 baking dish, place bread cubes.
• In a large skillet, sauté mushrooms, onions, carrots and spinach for about 10 minutes or until crisp-tender.
• In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk and seasonings together.
• Add mushroom mixture to eggs.
• Place the spaghetti squash over the bread cubes. Sprinkle shredded cheese over bread and squash. Pour egg mixture over dish.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• In the morning, bake at 375°F for about 35-40 minutes or until eggs are set in the center.

Turkey Veggie Chili

So today I was going to post a recipe for something grilled. However, it is rainy and cold here and we’ve been a bit under the weather. We opted for chili instead! This chili recipe is very mild. You can easily increase the spices to better fit your taste buds! I know exactly what is going into this chili which makes me feel even better about eating it. This is perfect for a cool day and goes great with this homemade cornbread (surprise – two posts in one day!).

1 lb of ground turkey (lean, organic is best – switch out for ground beef if you must)

2 cans of beans (I used organic, white cannellini beans)
2 medium bell peppers, diced (about 1 cup diced)
½ cup mushrooms, diced
½ cup eggplant, diced
½ cup onion, diced
1 tsp garlic, minced
4 cups fresh tomatoes, diced (or 3-4 cans, just omit water)
1 cup water
1 tsp ground oregano
1 tsp ground sage
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
Shredded cheese (for topping if desired)

• In a large skillet, brown turkey. Season turkey with sea salt and pepper. Add in garlic, onions and 1 tablespoon olive oil while turkey is cooking.
• In a large stockpot, heat one tablespoon of olive oil. Saute bell peppers, mushrooms and eggplant in stockpot. Add in tomatoes to veggie mixture. Add in water to stockpot with tomatoes and veggies.
• Once the turkey is cooked through, add that mixture into stockpot. Next, add in your spices and simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Pour into bowls and top with shredded cheese if desired.
• NOTE: Add more or less water, depending on your desired thickness of chili.
•  If you add in some tomato paste (1 tbsp at a time), you can thicken up your chili.

Homemade Veggie Pasta Sauce

Here’s another recipe that came about from our abundance of tomatoes that ripened late. This is also the last week of canning recipes (for now). This pasta sauce is full of chunky vegetables and herbs that make it perfect for any dish. We enjoy it on spaghetti squash, pizza, with turkey meatballs, whatever you’d like! It makes a very versatile sauce!

6 cups ripe tomatoes (I had about 20 medium sized ones)

1 cup eggplant, diced
1 cup green bell peppers, diced
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup fresh mushrooms, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil

• Cut stems off of the tomatoes and quarter them. In a large stockpot, bring tomato quarters, vinegar, olive oil, sea salt and black pepper to boil.
• Once tomatoes are cooked until very soft, blend with an immersion blender until desired consistency. 
• Add in diced eggplant, bell peppers, onion, mushrooms, garlic and fresh herbs. Continue boiling until other vegetables are cooked (about 15 minutes).
•  Ladle pasta sauce into prepared jars and finish canning however you’d like.
• This can actually be eaten immediately, but it does taste a little better if it has set for a couple weeks.
• You can also puree your tomatoes before cooking by using a food processor. This would cut out the need for an immersion blender.
• If you don't like your pasta sauce chunky, you can also blend up your other vegetables to your desired consistency.
• We've done this both ways. My son loves spaghetti but doesn't like to "see" the vegetables in the sauce. So I have blended up the vegetables with the tomatoes so he's still getting the extra nutrients but doesn't know what all is in there.

Fried Rice with Veggies

There once was a time when my husband and I were poor college kids just trying to prove our parents wrong and make it. I’m pretty sure during that time we had stir fry of some kind at least twice a week. Every time I make stir-fry or fried rice I have to reminisce about those days. Anyway – I’ve progressed from plain white rice, frozen veggies and jarred sauces. I have now upgraded to brown rice, fresh veggies and homemade sauces. Oh how I’ve grown.. ha..

1 cup of cooked brown rice

½ cup broccoli, chopped
½ cup cauliflower, chopped
¼ cup onion, diced
½ cup yellow squash, chopped
¼ cup mushrooms, chopped
¼ cup water chestnuts, chopped
½ tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp olive oil
¼ cup water
Sauce
¼ cup GF soy sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp fresh ginger, minced

• In a large skillet, sauté broccoli, cauliflower, onion, squash, mushrooms and water chestnuts in olive oil. Pour sesame oil into veggies while they are cooking.
• After the veggies have cooked for a few minutes, add in the water to get a little steam to help soften them. Continue cooking the veggies until they are crisp tender, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine sauce ingredients until well blended. Once veggies are cooked, add in rice.
• Pour sauce over rice and veggies and cook for an additional 5 minutes for the flavors to mix.
• NOTE: You can really cook whatever vegetables you want in this- add in some zucchini, kale, bean sprouts, corn, etc.
• Also, a sprinkle of some peanuts on top gives it a little extra tasty crunch!