Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers
makes 7-8 large patties

courtesy of kblog.lunchboxbunch.com
2 cans cannellini white beans, drained
1 large sweet potato, baked/peeled/mashed (about 2 cups)
2 Tbsp tahini
2 tsp maple or agave syrup
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning OR Cajun seasoning (or another fave spice!)
1/4 cup wheat flour
optional: additional seasoning (whatever you have on hand - I used a few dashes cayenne, black pepper and a scoop of nutritional yeast)
salt to taste if needed

plentiful Panko crumbs
safflower oil for pan

burgers: avocado, Dijon mustard, grain buns, romaine, onion, olive oil, pepper

Directions:

1. Bake sweet potato. Peel, place in large mixing bowl.
2. Add drained beans to mixing bowl. Mash beans and potato together.
3. Mash in seasoning, flour and any additional seasoning. Your mixture will be quite soft and moist. But you should be able to form a patty. Add more flour or a scoop of breadcrumbs - or dry rice to thicken the mixture if needed.
4. Heat 1 Tbsp safflower oil in a pan over high heat.
5. Form a patty from mixture and coat in Panko crumbs. Thick coating. Then drop the patty in the pan. Repeat until the pan is filled. Cook until browned on both sides. You could also bake. If baking, use less Panko.
6. Transfer cooked patties to paper towel. Cool for a few minutes.
7. Serve on toasted bun with lotsa toppings.

Note: yes this patty does fall kind of apart as you eat it. But that is OK because it tastes yummy. 

Fajita-Ranch Chicken Wraps

Fajita-Ranch Chicken Wraps

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ingredients

• 12
  ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast strips for stir-frying
• 1/2
  teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4
  teaspoon garlic powder
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1
  small red, yellow, or green sweet pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
• 2
  tablespoons bottled reduced-calorie ranch salad dressing
• 2
  whole wheat, tomato, jalapeno, or plain flour tortillas, warmed*
• 1/2
  cup Easy Fresh Salsa*
• 1/3
  cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese

directions

1.Sprinkle chicken strips with chili powder and garlic powder. Coat a medium nonstick skillet with nonstick spray; heat over medium-high heat. Cook chicken and sweet pepper strips in hot skillet over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and pepper strips are tender. Drain if necessary. Toss with salad dressing.

2.Divide chicken and pepper mixture between warmed tortillas. Top with Easy Fresh Salsa and cheese. Roll up; cut in half.

- See more at: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/meat/fajita-ranch-chicken-wraps/#sthash.3XmgVv2V.dpuf

Spinach Mushroom Farfalle

Farfalle with Mushrooms and Spinach

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ingredients

• 6
  ounces dried farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
• 1
  tablespoon olive oil
• 1
  medium onion, chopped
• 1
  cup sliced portobello or other fresh mushrooms
• 2
  cloves garlic, minced
• 4
  cups thinly sliced fresh spinach
• 1
  teaspoon snipped fresh thyme
• 1/8
  teaspoon pepper
• 2
  tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

directions

1.Cook farfalle according to package directions. Drain well.

2.Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until mushrooms are nearly tender. Stir in spinach, thyme, and pepper; cook 1 minute or until heated through and spinach is slightly wilted. Stir in cooked pasta; toss gently to mix. Sprinkle with cheese. Makes 4 side-dish servings.

- See more at: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/pasta/farfalle-with-mushrooms-and-spinach/#sthash.PsVSuIwI.dpuf

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Chicken-Noodle Casserole

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ingredients

• 4
  stalks celery, chopped
• 1
  medium onion, chopped
• 1
  tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2
  pounds chicken legs and/or thighs
• 1/2
  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1
  teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
• 1/2
  teaspoon salt
• 1
  slice bread
• 1
  12 ounce package jumbo or extra-large egg noodles
• 1
  8 ounce container sour cream dip, cheddar French onion dip, or French onion dip
• 2
  tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2
  tablespoons fresh parsley

directions

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a Dutch oven cook two-thirds of the celery and two-thirds of the onion in hot oil over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add chicken, pepper, thyme, and salt; cook for 2 minutes. Add 6 cups of water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes until chicken is no longer pink.

2.Meanwhile, for topping, tear bread in small pieces. Finely chop remaining celery and onion. In a small bowl toss together the bread, celery and onion; set aside.

3.With a slotted spoon transfer chicken to a cutting board to cool slightly. Add noodles to simmering broth; boil gently for 7 to 8 minutes, just until tender, stirring occasionally. With a slotted spoon transfer noodles, celery, and onion to a 3-quart baking dish.

4.For sauce, in a bowl whisk together sour cream dip and flour. Gradually whisk in 1 cup of the hot broth until smooth. Add sauce to broth in Dutch oven; cook and stir until boiling.

5.Meanwhile, discard skin and bones from chicken. Chop chicken, then add to noodles in dish. Gently stir in sauce. Sprinkle with topping, then lightly coat with cooking spray.

6.Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes until casserole is heated through and topping begins to brown. Top with parsley just before serving.

- See more at: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/chicken-noodle-casserole/#sthash.dmbHsffF.dpuf

Fajita Style Quesadillas

Fajita-Style Quesadillas

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ingredients

• 1/2
  medium red or green sweet pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size strips
• 1/2
  medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1
  fresh serrano pepper, halved, seeded, and cut into thin strips*
• 2
  teaspoons vegetable oil
• 4
  6-inch white corn tortillas
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1/2
  cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)
• 2
  thin slices tomato, halved crosswise
• 1
  tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro
• Light dairy sour cream (optional)
• Cilantro and lime wedges (optional)

directions

1.In a large skillet cook sweet pepper, onion, and serrano pepper in hot oil over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Remove from heat.

2.Lightly coat one side of each tortilla with cooking spray. On the uncoated side of two of the tortillas, divide half of the cheese. Top with onion mixture, tomato slices, the 1 tablespoon cilantro, and the remaining cheese. Top with remaining tortillas, coated sides up.

3.Heat a very large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Cook quesadillas for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until cheese melts and tortillas are lightly browned. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges. Serve warm and, if desired, with sour cream, additional cilantro and lime wedges.

- See more at: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/appetizers-snacks/fajita-style-quesadillas/#sthash.AjRi0udh.dpuf

Lettuce Wraps

I purchased a HUGE bag of lettuce from Sam's Club and then realized that I should try something new, besides our standard salad.  When I found lettuce wraps, it sounded like the perfect idea! (These are courtesy of thaifood.about.com)

This Thai lettuce wraps recipe is quick and easy to make. Lettuce wraps are also a fun dish to eat, either as an appetizer or main course. Serve the filling on a platter with whole lettuce leaves on the side, and let your friends and family wrap their own. They'll love the combination of crisp, cold lettuce with the warm, flavorful filling. This easy lettuce wrap recipes makes a low-calorie, low-fat treat that's also very nutritious. Lettuce wraps make a great party food too!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: SERVES 4(starter)/2-3(main)

Ingredients:

• 1 head fresh iceberg lettuce OR prepackaged lettuce for wraps
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 thumb-size piece galangal OR ginger, grated
• 1 red chili, minced, OR 1/4 to 1/3 tsp. chili flakes
• 2 shallots, sliced finely
• 1/2 cup firm tofu, cut into "matchsticks"; OR 1/2 cup cooked chicken or pork, shredded, OR 1/2 cup cooked baby shrimp
• 1 carrot, grated or cut into thin strips
• 5-6 mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 egg (omit if vegan)
• 1/2 cup shredded cabbage (any type will work)
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• approx. 2 cups bean sprouts
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1+1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce OR 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce; Vegetarians: use vegetarian oyster sauce OR vegetarian stir-fry sauce
• 1/4 tsp. sugar
• TOPPINGS:
• 1/3 cup fresh basil OR mint, chopped if leaves are large
• 1/3 cup fresh dry roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
• fresh bean sprouts
• OTHER: 2 Tbsp. oil for stir-frying

Preparation:

1. Drizzle oil into a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, galangal (or ginger), chili, and shallots. Stir-fry one minute, or until fragrant. Stir-frying tip: add a little water or white wine if the wok/pan gets too dry instead of more oil.
2. Add tofu (OR shrimp/chicken/pork), carrot, shiitake mushrooms, cabbage, and spring onions. As you stir-fry, add the lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce (or vegetarian substitutes) and sprinkle over the sugar. Stir-fry about 1 minute.
3. Push ingredients to the side of the wok or pan, and crack in the egg. Stir-fry quickly to break the yolk. Mix in with the other ingredients.
4. Add the bean sprouts and stir-fry briefly to mix (avoid over-looking or it will go limp). Remove from heat and do a taste test for salt, adding more fish sauce if not salty enough.
5. Cut off the stem part of the iceburg lettuce so it's easier to separate the leaves. Now place the lettuce, sir-fried filling, and the toppings on your table in separate bowls/plates, allowing family or guests to make their own wraps.
6. To assemble, take a whole lettuce leaf and place 1-2 heaping tablespoons of filling in the center. Top with a sprinkling of fresh basil and peanuts plus fresh bean sprouts if desired. Then wrap up and eat! (For those who like it extra spicy, fresh-cut chili can be added as another topping.) ENJOY!

Butternut Squash Chili

Our family LOVES butternut squash!  We enjoy it in soups, salads, and pasta dishes.  So I was thrilled to find this new recipe for Butternut Squash Chili (courtesy of citronlimette.com):

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon canola oil
• 1½ pound ground turkey
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped green pepper
• ½ cup chopped red pepper
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon diced jalapeno pepper
• ¼ cup white wine
• 1 teaspoon ground ancho chile pepper
• 2 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground red pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 2½ cups cubed peeled butternut squash

See more spicy recipes!

Instructions

1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray and add 1 teaspoon oil. Season ground turkey with salt and pepper and add to pan; saute 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Add 2 teaspoon oil to pan and add onion, green pepper, red pepper and saute 2-3 minutes. Add tomato paste, garlic and jalapeno; saute 1-2 minutes. Add wine; bring to boil, scraping pan. Cook 2 minutes. Return ground turkey to pan.
3. Stir in ancho chili pepper, oregano, ground red pepper, ground cumin, ground coriander, diced tomatoes, kidney beans and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
4. Add butternut squash and simmer 45 minutes or until squash is tender.