Smothered Mushrooms ~ Healthy and Clean Eating

Smothered Mushrooms ~ Healthy and Clean Eating
As shared by Mari at Once Upon a Plate
www.onceuponaplate1.com
2 servings (easy to multiply servings as needed)
These make a delious first course, or a light entree ~ very low in calories and fat


Ingredients:
2 medium large/large portobello mushrooms
1/2 cup chunky salsa (your choice & low sodium if desired)
2 Tablespoons green onions, chopped or sliced) both white & green parts
1/2 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
Optional Garnish: 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds, or thinly sliced green onion
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400˚F
Wipe mushrooms to remove any debris, remove stem (and gills if desired). Lightly mist (or lightly brush) shallow oven-safe baking dish with olive oil. Place mushrooms cap side down (gill side up), on prepared baking dish. Spoon salsa into each mushroom cap, dividing salsa evenly. Sprinkle chopped green onions and cheese over salsa. If desired sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Add additional garnish of sliced green onion.
Serve hot.


Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from "Clean Eating" magazine




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Ranch Dip & Dressing ~ the HEALTHIER way!

Ranch Dip and Dressing ~ the HEALTHIER way
Recipe from the kitchen of Once Upon a Plate by Mari
www.onceuponaplate1.com
Yields a little over 1 cup of dressing/dip (8 servings; 2 generous Tablespoons per portion)
Ingredients:
1 cup 0% fat Greek-style plain, unflavored yogurt*
2 Tablespoons Best Food/Hellmann's Low Fat mayonnaise**
1 large clove garlic, finely grated
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves (or scant 1 teaspoons dried)
1 scant Tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley, minced
2 teaspoons fresh chives, minced, or thinly sliced cross ways
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Generous amount of salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Optional: a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice, if you like your dressing/dip slightly tangy
Directions:
Whisk all ingredients together until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. Best if consumed within 3 to 4 days.
For dressing thin with non or low-fat milk to desired consistency.
Suggestions for use:
Topping for baked potatoes
Spread for sandwiches or wraps, particularly sliced turkey, chicken, or steak sandwiches/wraps
Sauce for grilled chicken or fish tacos
Substitute for mayonnaise in chicken or tuna salad
Flavorful sauce for pasta salad


Less than 15 calories per Tablespoon, negligible amount fat
* Low-fat plain Greek-style yogurt may be substituted
** Regular whole fat Best Foods/Hellmann's mayonnaise may be substituted

Italian-Style Turkey and Spinach Pasta Roll-Ups ~ Healthy

Italian-Style Turkey and Spinach Roll-Ups, Clean Eating

As shared from the kitchen of Once Upon a Plate, by Mari

www.onceuponaplate1.com

Recipe yields 8 rolls,  (1 roll per serving)

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning blend

1 pound ground lean turkey breast

1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes in juice
1 to 2 Tablespoons good red wine (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

8 dried lasagna noodles (high-protein, whole-wheat, or whole-grain)

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1 15-ounce container nonfat ricotta cheese

1 egg

3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, add a teaspoon or two of water to the pan to help wilt the minced onion. Add garlic and cook another minute. Turn heat to medium-high and add ground turkey, breaking it up with a spatula until meat shows no sign of pink. Stir in dried herb(s), then add tomatoes, the wine (if using) and salt. Reduce heat to low, stir, cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes, occasionally stirring and breaking up tomatoes with a spoon or spatula.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, rinse and lay out in a single layer on a piece of wax paper or aluminum foil (to prevent sticking to each other.)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Squeeze remaining moisture from thawed spinach and place in large bowl. Add the ricotta cheese, beaten egg and a 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese to bowl. Stir until well combined

Spread one cup of cooked tomato sauce into bottom of a 9 x 10-inch casserole dish. Lay a cooked lasagna noodle in a perpendicular position in front of you. Use your fingers to spread 1/8th of the ricotta mixture evenly on the noodle and roll it up. Place the rolled pasta seam side down, into the casserole dish. Repeat with all noodles. Spread remaining tomato sauce over roll-ups, then top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella

Bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes. Remove foil and broil for 5 minutes or until the rollups are browned and bubbly.

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 234, Total Fat: 3 g, Sat. Fat: 0 g, Carbs: 27 g, Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 7 g, Protein: 28 g, Sodium: 508 mg, Cholesterol: 76 mg. This recipe also provides 90% of your daily requirement of vitamin A, as well as 366mg of calcium.

Recipe adapted from The Best of Clean Eating: Over 200 Mouthwatering Recipes to Keep You Lean and Healthy

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Turkey Mini-Meatballs with Chipolte-Honey Glaze ~ Healthy!

Turkey Mini-Meatballs with Chipolte-Honey Glaze ~ Healthy!
As shared from the kitchen of Once Upon a Plate ~ by Mari
Makes 16 meatballs or about 34 mini-meatballs
8 Servings 
(2 large meatballs each = about 149 calories, 7 g fat/2 g sat fat, 17 g protein, 5 g. carb, 0 g fiber)
Meatballs:
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 yellow onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
For sauteeing ~ 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Preheat oven to 375˚F
Mix all ingredients, except oil, until combined, don't overmix. Form into 16 meatballs, (for mini-meatballs form into 1-inch balls)
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large ovenproof skillet; add meatballs and cook until nicely browned on all sides (about 10-12 minutes--reduce time by a few minutes for mini-meatballs.)  When cooked transfer skillet to oven and bake 5 minutes.
Glaze:
1 to 2 Tablespoons chopped chipotle in adobo sauce
2 Tablespoons honey
While meatballs are in oven mix both ingredients together in a small bowl.
Remove skillet from oven and pour honey mix over meatballs; swirl pan to coat meatballs and cook briefly over medium heat to slightly reduce glaze, swirl pan again to coat each meatball.


Serve hot or warm. Enjoy!


Recipe adapted from "Everyday Food" magazine






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Healthy Spicy Spinach Dip with Pine Nuts

Healthy Spicy Spinach Dip with Pine Nuts
Makes about 1 1/2 cups dip or spread
As shared from the kitchen of Once Upon a Plate by Mari
www.onceuponaplate1.com
Can be refrigerated overnight. Serve with pita crisps, tortilla chips,toasted baguette slices or crudites. Can be thinned down with a little milk if you like a thinner dip/spread. It also makes a nice condiment for grilled chicken, fish, or beef.
Ingredients:
1 cup thick Greek Style nonfat yogurt
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 small yellow, white, or sweet onion, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon pure chili powder (I used chipotle chili powder for it's hint of smoke)
Pinch of cayenne (small pinch if you like it mild, large pinch if you like it spicier)
One 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed OR 10-ounces baby spinach, steamed until just tender
Salt
Optional; a few drops lemon juice, additional toasted pine nuts for garnish
Method:
Heat olive oil in a small skillet, add minced onions and pine nuts, stir over high heat until onion and pine nuts are golden brown, watch carefully as this mixture can go from golden to overdone in a moment. Stir cumin, coriander and chili powder into pan, then remove from heat and allow mixture to cool.
Meanwhile, squeeze as much liquid from the spinach as possible; using your hands or a potato ricer. Finely chop spinach, paying particular attention to cut the stringy stems and veins into small pieces.
Place spinach in a medium bowl and stir in onion-pine nut mixture to thoroughly combine, add salt to taste and stir again.  I add a few drops of lemon juice with the salt.
Note: This may be made up to 24 hours before serving (store covered, in the refrigerator.)
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart online.


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Italian-Style Sausage Soup with Kale (or Escarole, Swiss Chard, or Spinach)

Italian-Style Sausage Soup with Kale (or Escarole, Swiss Chard, or Spinach)
As shared from the kitchen of Once Upon a Plate
www.onceuponaplate1.com
4 or 5 servings
This recipe can be found on various sites on the internet; I've read that it is similar to The Olive Garden's "Toscana" soup, but never having tried the OG's Toscana soup, I can't confirm that. I've tweaked the recipe a little to make it more to my liking; I've put asterisks next to the things I changed; my changes are indicated by brackets.
Ingredients
3 links Italian Sausage [I use 8 ounces Italian bulk sausage]*
*2 medium size baking potatoes (Russet) cut into very large chunks,[I peel the potatoes first]
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 to 3 slices bacon, diced
3/4 cups onions, cut into medium small dice [I use yellow onions]
1 large clove of garlic, minced [I use 2 if they are smallish]
2 cups [loosely packed] kale, escarole, Swiss chard, or spinach [tough center stems removed, then coarsely chopped or sliced]
*2 Tablespoons chicken base (the paste kind which comes in a jar)
*4 cups water
[In place of the chicken base and water, I used 4 cups organic chicken broth/stock from the carton, and added 2 teaspoons of chicken base to enrich the stock,(optional)]
1/2 cup to 1 cup whipping cream (heavy cream)
*Note: I also added a couple of small pinches of whole fennel to the sausage meat as it was browning (optional)
Method: If using link sausage, remove meat from casings, brown sausage meat in large pot or Dutch oven, breaking up large chunks, until cooked through. Remove browned sausage and set aside. Drain fat from pot and discard. Add bacon to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring until it begins to release some fat; then add onions and continue cooking over medium heat until onions are translucent and tender. Add garlic, stir in and cook 1 minute longer. Add broth/stock and optional 2 teaspoons of chicken base and potatoes & carrots (OR 2 Tablespoons chicken base, 4 cups water and the potatoes & carrots) Simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the sausage, kale or other greens. Simmer 4 minutes. Stir in cream and allow to simmer 1 more minute  until heated through, then serve.  Hope you enjoy!


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