Mexican Rice Bowls

I made these for dinner last night and they were a big hit with everyone. We are eating healthier at our house and this was not only healthy, but so delicious that I plan on making it regularly. It will be great for the summer because it requires no oven and you can make it in about 20 minutes AND it is meatless and inexpensive, yea! I hope to share many healthy and delicious recipes in the coming months with the calories calculated for you. O course, I will mix it up with the occasional splurge, we can't completely deprive ourselves, right?

Mexican Rice Bowls

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Cilantro lime rice (click here for recipe)
2 cans black beans
1 small bag frozen corn or 4 cobs of corn cooked and kernals removed
4 roma tomatoes, diced
1 avacado, diced
salsa (I make this recipe once a week, it is THE best!)
cilantro

Layer all ingredients, starting with rice then corn and beans, tomatoes, salsa then avacado. Top with cilantro.

Calories: 260
Fat: 5 grams
Protein: 8 grams

Pasta Taco Salad

This is the first time I have had a mexican pasta and it certainly won't be the last. This is definitely part of my regular rotation now. I loved it for dinner and I loved it the next day for lunch. It will be great in the summer because you don't need the oven and I like having meatless meals on the menu.

Pasta Taco Salad

1 pound pasta (bowtie, wagonwheel or spiral)
salt
1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn
1½ cups salsa (I reccomend making this and using it, I make up a batch every Saturday and never buy jarred salsa anymore after finding it)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 roma tomatoes, diced
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 large avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup olive oil

1. Cook pasta according to package directions with 1 Tablespoon of salt. Drain pasta and stir the corn in frozen to cool pasta and defrost corn. Toss the pasta with salsa then the beans, tomatoes, cilantro, and cheese.

2. Toss the avacado with the lime juice, remove avacado and add to pasta. With remaining lime juice, add spices, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt, then slowly whisk in the oil. Add dressing to pasta. Serve immediately. Stays well for up to 1 day in fridge, longer if you keep the avacado separate.

adapted from: The Way the Cookie Crumbles

Tomato Bisque Soup

If you enjoy tomato soup then this is for you. It was so wonderful, one of the best tomato soups I have tried. I think it would be good to turn into tomoto ravioli soup for a more hearty main dish. We just had it with bread and I couldn't get enough. I found it here and if you don't believe me that it is good, check out her review.


Tomato Bisque Soup

1/2 c onion, diced
1/2 c butter, divided
2 garlic cloves minced
1 1/2 t dill weed
1 t oregano
1 t basil
5 c canned crushed tomatoes
1 (6 oz can) tomato paste
4 c chicken stock or broth (2 cans)
2 T flour
2 t salt
1/2 t white pepper
4 t honey
1 1/4 c heavy cream
2/3 c half & half


In a large pot, melt 6 T butter. Saute onions, garlic, and herbs on medium low for about 5 minutes, until onion is SOFT and translucent. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken stock and heat to simmer. In a separate small saucepan, make a roux with the flour and remaining 2 T butter, whisking constantly over medium heat for 3 minutes, without browning. Add roux to stock, whisking to blend. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil to thicken, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes. Add honey, cream, and half & half

Source: Dinner's Ready

Potato Soup

We woke up to snow yesterday and it put me in the mood for soup. I wanted something light and healthy too and this is what I came up with. Who doesn't love easy, healthy and inexpensive meals? I had some for lunch today and it was even better than last night.

Potato Soup

6-8 small potatoes cut into small chunks

2 cups chopped carots
2 cups diced celery

1 large onion, diced

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons flour

1 cup lowfat milk

1 cup lowfat or fat free half and half

4 to 5 bouillon cubes

salt

pepper

In a frying pan, saute onion and celery in butter until tender then add flour. In a separate large pot, add potatoes and fill with water, just enough to cover potatoes. Add carrots and bouillon cubes and boil until potatoes add carrots are tender. Add onion and celery to the potatoes and carrots then add the milk and half and half. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until ready to serve.

Garnish with grated cheese and sour cream if desired.

Cheesy Rice and Broccoli Casserole

I got this recipe from my sister in law Dawn, she got it from Cooks Country. She was describing it to me once and it made me so hungry. I like having another meatless meal in my rotation. You could add chicken to it, but I don't think it is at all necessary. I had to double the bread crumb topping, it was too good not to. We had about half the pan left over and I have a feeling it will be even better tomorrow and am already looking forward to the leftovers. This was a big hit at my house, my husband and all my kids loved it and wanted seconds (granted, my four kids all love broccoli). When I first read through the recipe, it seemed like a lot of steps but it really was quite easy to throw together. I will be making this again very soon and suggest you do too. Thanks for yet another delicious recipe Dawn!

Cheese Rice and Broccoli Casserole

2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
4 Tbsp. butter, melted; plus 2 Tbsp, chilled.
1 garlic clove, minced
2 lbs. fresh broccoli, florets cut into 1" pieces, stems peeled & chopped. Keep florets and stems separate! (2 pounds is about 3-4 medium heads of broccoli)
1 onion, chopped fine
1 1/4 c. long grain white rice
4 c. chicken broth
1 1/4 c. half-and-half
1 tsp. salt
2 c. shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Prepare topping: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 400 degrees. Grease 9"x13" baking dish. Pulse bread, 1/4 c. Parmesan, and melted butter in food processor until coarsely ground. Add garlic.

Make filling: Microwave broccoli florets, covered, in large bowl until bright green and tender, 2-4 minutes; set aside. Melt remaining butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook onion and broccoli STEMS (not the florets you microwaved) until softened, 8-10 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is translucent, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, half-and-half, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until rice is tender, 20-25 minutes. Off heat, stir in cheddar, cayenne, remaining Parmesan, and broccoli florets.

Top and bake: Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and top with bread crumb mixture. Bake until sauce is bubbling around edges and top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Serve.

Make ahead: Filling can be prepared, placed in greased baking dish, covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerated for 1 day. Refrigerate topping separately. Bring filling to room temperature before adding bread crumbs and baking as directed.