Healthy Lettuce Wraps!
Looking for a way to cut back on the carbs? This healthy lettuce wrap recipe is a great sandwich substitute. Super for your school lunches AND a good way to get in shape for swimsuit season!
What You'll Need:
Large piece of lettuce
Sliced turkey (or deli meat/salad of you choice)
One slice cheese (Provolone, Mozzarella, Cheddar, etc.)
Tomato slices (optional)
Honey Mustard
What You'll Do:
1. Take a few slices of turkey and a slice of tomato and place on top of lettuce.
2. Add a slice of cheese.
3. Put on some honey mustard to taste.
4. Wrap up, and eat. If the wrap isn't staying together too well, use a toothpick so it stays put.
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MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL: French Toast Breakfast In Bed!
Stumped on what to get mom for Mother's Day? Surprise her with a French Toast breakfast in bed. Add her fave toppings to make it a super sweet treat. Throw the toast on a tray, alongside a card and a li'l vase of fresh flowers and go surprise the greatest mom ever.
What You'll Need:
For French Toast:
1 1/2 cups milk
6 eggs
24 slices of your fave bread
Butter or nonstick cooking spray
Toppings: (pick one, or a few, depending on mom's faves)
Butter
Syrup
Whipped Cream
Sprinkles
Fruit (try slices of bananas, apples or oranges)
Chocolate chips
Powdered sugar
M&Ms, Reese's pieces or other candy
What You'll Do:
1. Beat eggs and add milk.
2. Take a slice of bread, and dip it in the egg mixture. Press down so the mixture soaks in the bread.
3. Fry in butter or other shortening.
4. Brown (be careful not to burn!) on both sides.
5. Repeat until you have used up all of the bread.
6. Serve with desired toppings.
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Tiramisu Twinkies
Photo by Annemarie Dooling
For a sweet treat that'll dazzle them, do a twist on an old Italian dessert. It's fun, easy to make and great to share with your fam or your friends at your next party!
What You'll Need:
1 pack of 100 Calorie pack Twinkies (mini Twinkies)
1 container Cool Whip Whipped Cream (If you can find it, you can also
use Mascarpone Cheese)
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 bottle Manhattan Special Coffee drink
What You'll Do:
1. Cut each mini Twinkie in half and place four halves face-up on a plate
2. Pour Manhattan Special drink over the Twinkie halves.
3. Pour a few spoons of whipped cream in a bowl and mix with cinnamon.
4. Spoon whipped cream mixture on top of Twinkie halves.
5. Place other halves of Twinkies on top of whipped cream mix
6. Pour a li'l Manhattan special over it, top with cinnamon and a dollop of whipped cream.
Let cake chill in 'fridge for a li'l or eat it up right away!
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Easy Cheesy Mac 'n' Cheese
If boring old boxed mac won't do, try this mix of five (yeah, five!) super cheeses. School your family's pasta skills with this easy dinner proj and save the rest for lunch the next day!
What You'll Need:
1 box of store brand macaroni and cheese with yellow cheddar powder
2 slices of Swiss cheese
1 mozzarella string cheese
1 cup of Parmesan flakes
1 cup of crumbled blue cheese
1 cup of milk (your choice if it's skim, 1%, whole, whatevs!)
What You'll Do:
1. Prepare the boxed mac n cheese by boiling the water, adding the pasta, and waiting till it's cooked.
2. Strain the pasta but place it back into the cooking pot.
3. Pour in the cup of milk- be careful, the pot will make the milk hot!
4. Cut up the string cheese and Swiss slices into tiny pieces and mix it in.
5. Mix in the powder and keep turning with a spoon to melt the large chunks of powder and the other cheeses.
6. When these are mostly mixed in, sprinkle in parmesan flakes and blue cheese crumbles. Put as much or little as you like!
7. Wait till all the cheeses are slightly melted in, and spoon into your own bowl.
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Recipes don’t have to be crazy confusing. This how-to for Mediterranean Pita Pockets lets YOU make the choices (like which veggies to use) and will come out yummy no matter what you pick.
For a quick and healthy snack, these stuff-able pita pockets rock! Add a few spices or fave crunchy veggies of your own, then pack it up and head out to school or enjoy a fast meal with the fam.
What You Need:
1 or Pieces of Pita Bread
1 Container of Hummus (pick your fave flavor)
A handful of Greek Olives (without pits!)
1 Cucumber
1 ounce of Feta cheese
What You'll Do:
1. Microwave the pita bread for 10-20 seconds—exactly how long you need depends on your microwave.
2. Take the warm pita and rip along the top of the bread to open it like an envelope.
3. Stuff the inside of the pita bread with hummus by the spoonful (as much or as little as you like), then add slices of cucumber, cubes of feta, and as many olives as you want.
4. Close up the pocket and enjoy!
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Looking for the perf morning pick-me-up to whip up for mom on Mother’s Day?
Crepes Suzette is a 19th century French dessert. Legend has it that the dessert was invented by a young French chef who, when inventing a crepe sauce to serve to the Prince of Wales, accidentally set the dessert on fire. Fortunately for him, he and his dessert became a hit, after he put out the fire.
What You’ll Need:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
What You’ll Do:
In a large skillet, heat the butter, orange juice, and rind over medium heat. After the sauce starts to bubble, let it cook for another minute so the sauce will thicken.
To Serve: On a plate, fold a hot crepe in half (click HERE for our crepes recipe!), then in half again so the crepe is pie shaped. Using a small ladle, pour some sauce over the crepe.
Note: If the orange juice isn’t very sweet, add a teaspoon of sugar to the sauce.
Tools:
Measuring cups and spoons
Small grater
Large skillet
Small ladle
Other Sweet Fillings:
-Drizzle chocolate sauce onto a hot crepe and fold into quarters. Dust with sifted powdered sugar, if you desire.
-Drop a teaspoon of “”Nutella” hazelnut-chocolate spread onto a hot crepe and spread so it melts; fold into quarters.
-Wrap sautéed apple slices in a hot crepe. Top with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle a little caramel sauce over the entire dessert.
-Place sliced strawberries, or other fresh berries, down the center of a hot crepe. Roll up the sides enchilada-style and top with a large spoonful of cinnamon whipped cream. Top with a whole strawberry.
-Smear a tablespoon of marmalade or jam on a hot crepe. Fold the crepe into quarters and top with a spoonful of sour cream or sifted powdered sugar.
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Before you say, ”Carrot Juice – ugh”, give this shake a try. Fresh carrot juice can be found at some supermarkets and health food stores but be sure that the carrot juice is sweet, not bitter. “Odwalla” carrot juice, which is sweet and delicious, can be found nationwide.
What You’ll Need:
o 1/2 cup vanilla soy milk or reduced-fat milk
o 1/2 cup fresh orange or tangerine juice
o 1/2 cup fresh carrot juice
o 3-4 ice cubes
What You’ll Do
Pour the ingredients into a blender, starting with three ice cubes. Hold down the blender top with one hand and blend until smooth. Add more ice cubes if you want a thicker smoothie.
Other ideas: Add 1/2 cup frozen peach slices instead of ice cubes.
Tools:
Blender
Measuring cups
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These burgers are great grilled if an adult at your house wants to fire up the grill on a summer’s night. Otherwise, fry them in a skillet.
Important Reminder: To be safe, any time you’re handling raw meat, you need to wash your hands before and after touching the meat. Wash all surfaces and any utensils, knives, or cutting boards that came in contact with the meat with hot, soapy water before continuing to cook.
Is it Done Yet?
The burger LOOKS done – crispy on the outside and no longer dripping pink juices, but what about the center of the burger? Do what the chefs do and press down on the center of the meat with your finger. If the meat is very spongy, it’s raw in the center. If there’s a little resistance, the meat is medium-rare or medium. When the center is firm, without resistance, the meat is well done. Remember that meat continues to cook as it sits waiting for you to smear BBQ sauce on your bun.
1 pound ground turkey, preferably naturally-raised
1 medium onion
1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (or 1/2 teaspoon chipotle sauce)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon each: cumin seeds, ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 T. cornmeal
Olive or canola oil
2. Place a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Drizzle about a tablespoon or so of oil into the pan. When the skillet is hot, add the burgers and cook until crispy on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip each burger over with a pancake turner. Cook until the bottom is browned and the middle of the burger no longer feels spongy. Be aware that ground turkey is low in fat and will dry out if you overcook it.
To Serve: Serve on a bun with a slice of tomato and lettuce or wrap in a flour tortilla. Top with caramelized onions, salsa, or Chipotle Mayonnaise.
Other Ideas: If you’re a hamburger lover, go ahead and substitute ground beef but be sure to buy good quality ground chuck, preferably naturally-raised. If you like to experiment, try using ground, dried chile powders such as guajillo and ancho chile powder which can be purchased in plastic packets at Hispanic groceries or the ethnic aisle of the supermarket.
Tools:
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Medium mixing bowl
Large, non-stick skillet
Pancake turner
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HEALTHY RECIPES: Mediterranean Pita Pockets
For a quick and healthy snack, these stuff-able pita pockets rock! Add a few spices or fave crunchy veggies of your own, then pack it up and head out to school or enjoy a fast meal with the fam.
What You Need:
1 or Pieces of Pita Bread
1 Container of Hummus (pick your fave flavor)
A handful of Greek Olives (without pits!)
1 Cucumber
1 ounce of Feta cheese
What You'll Do:
1. Microwave the pita bread for 10-20 seconds—exactly how long you need depends on your microwave.
2. Take the warm pita and rip along the top of the bread to open it like an envelope.
3. Stuff the inside of the pita bread with hummus by the spoonful (as much or as little as you like), then add slices of cucumber, cubes of feta, and as many olives as you want.
4. Close up the pocket and enjoy!
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MAKE IT FOR MOM: Crepes Suzette and More Desert Crepes!
Crepes Suzette is a 19th century French dessert. Legend has it that the dessert was invented by a young French chef who, when inventing a crepe sauce to serve to the Prince of Wales, accidentally set the dessert on fire. Fortunately for him, he and his dessert became a hit, after he put out the fire.
What You’ll Need:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
What You’ll Do:
In a large skillet, heat the butter, orange juice, and rind over medium heat. After the sauce starts to bubble, let it cook for another minute so the sauce will thicken.
To Serve: On a plate, fold a hot crepe in half (click HERE for our crepes recipe!), then in half again so the crepe is pie shaped. Using a small ladle, pour some sauce over the crepe.
Note: If the orange juice isn’t very sweet, add a teaspoon of sugar to the sauce.
Tools:
Measuring cups and spoons
Small grater
Large skillet
Small ladle
Other Sweet Fillings:
-Drizzle chocolate sauce onto a hot crepe and fold into quarters. Dust with sifted powdered sugar, if you desire.
-Drop a teaspoon of “”Nutella” hazelnut-chocolate spread onto a hot crepe and spread so it melts; fold into quarters.
-Wrap sautéed apple slices in a hot crepe. Top with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle a little caramel sauce over the entire dessert.
-Place sliced strawberries, or other fresh berries, down the center of a hot crepe. Roll up the sides enchilada-style and top with a large spoonful of cinnamon whipped cream. Top with a whole strawberry.
-Smear a tablespoon of marmalade or jam on a hot crepe. Fold the crepe into quarters and top with a spoonful of sour cream or sifted powdered sugar.
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HEALTHY RECIPES: Dreamsicle Smoothie
What You’ll Need:
o 1/2 cup vanilla soy milk or reduced-fat milk
o 1/2 cup fresh orange or tangerine juice
o 1/2 cup fresh carrot juice
o 3-4 ice cubes
What You’ll Do
Pour the ingredients into a blender, starting with three ice cubes. Hold down the blender top with one hand and blend until smooth. Add more ice cubes if you want a thicker smoothie.
Other ideas: Add 1/2 cup frozen peach slices instead of ice cubes.
Tools:
Blender
Measuring cups
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HEALTHY RECIPES: Texas Burgers
Important Reminder: To be safe, any time you’re handling raw meat, you need to wash your hands before and after touching the meat. Wash all surfaces and any utensils, knives, or cutting boards that came in contact with the meat with hot, soapy water before continuing to cook.
Is it Done Yet?
The burger LOOKS done – crispy on the outside and no longer dripping pink juices, but what about the center of the burger? Do what the chefs do and press down on the center of the meat with your finger. If the meat is very spongy, it’s raw in the center. If there’s a little resistance, the meat is medium-rare or medium. When the center is firm, without resistance, the meat is well done. Remember that meat continues to cook as it sits waiting for you to smear BBQ sauce on your bun.
Our government, the U.S.D.A, recommends that all GROUND meat (beef, turkey) should be cooked to at least medium-well, or no pink, so that if any bacteria is present, it’ll be killed by thorough heating.
What You'll Need:
1 pound ground turkey, preferably naturally-raised
1 medium onion
1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (or 1/2 teaspoon chipotle sauce)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon each: cumin seeds, ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 T. cornmeal
Olive or canola oil
What You'll Do:
1. Using a chef’s knife, finely chop the onion and cilantro; put into a medium mixing bowl. Add to the bowl all the ingredients, except the turkey, and stir together. Mix in the turkey with your hands and form patties not thicker than a half inch. Place on a platter and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until needed. (Wash your hands, etc.)
2. Place a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Drizzle about a tablespoon or so of oil into the pan. When the skillet is hot, add the burgers and cook until crispy on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip each burger over with a pancake turner. Cook until the bottom is browned and the middle of the burger no longer feels spongy. Be aware that ground turkey is low in fat and will dry out if you overcook it.
To Serve: Serve on a bun with a slice of tomato and lettuce or wrap in a flour tortilla. Top with caramelized onions, salsa, or Chipotle Mayonnaise.
Other Ideas: If you’re a hamburger lover, go ahead and substitute ground beef but be sure to buy good quality ground chuck, preferably naturally-raised. If you like to experiment, try using ground, dried chile powders such as guajillo and ancho chile powder which can be purchased in plastic packets at Hispanic groceries or the ethnic aisle of the supermarket.
Tools:
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Medium mixing bowl
Large, non-stick skillet
Pancake turner
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