Claude's Chicken Fajitas

1 lb chicken breasts
½ bottle of Claude’s Fajita sauce
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 orange or red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 large onion cut into thin strips
Fresh tomatoes, cut into chunks, optional
4 avocados, removed from skins and sliced
Burrito-style Tortillas
Shredded mozzerella cheese


1.) Heat skillet to medium-high heat. Place chicken in skillet and pour fajita sauce over chicken.

2.) Cover and let simmer 15 minutes, turning after the first five minutes.

3.) Add both sliced green and red/orange bell peppers and sliced onion.

4.) Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and let simmer for an additional 10 minutes, or until
chicken soaks up the majority of the fajita sauce. Add optional tomatoes.

5.) Serve hot on tortillas with sliced avocados and shredded mozzerella cheese.

Annie's Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

Submitted by: Ann Renzino Page Rated: 5 out of 5 by 1623 members

Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Ready In: 45 Minutes Yields: 10 servings

"This delicious salsa made with fresh kiwis, apples and berries is a sweet, succulent treat when served on homemade cinnamon tortilla chips. Enjoy it as a summer appetizer or an easy dessert."

INGREDIENTS:

2 kiwis, peeled and diced 2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced 8 ounces raspberries 1 pound strawberries 2 tablespoons white sugar 1 tablespoon brown sugar

3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor 10 (10 inch) flour tortillas butter flavored cooking spray 2 cups cinnamon sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
2.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3.	Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.
4.	Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit and spice mixture.

Suzanne's note:
I found this recipe last summer. It is so good, it can be addicting. It is great when you feel like splurging and buying the raspberries, even though they are usually expensive. I will be making this whenever I feel like a healthier dessert.

Salad benefits

Since I am a big nerd and wanted to recap on my nutrition class, I looked up some of the nutritional benefits of some of the ingredients of the broccoli salad on www.wikipedia.org.

Broccoli:
It is high in vitamin C and soluble fiber and contains the multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties including diindolylmethane and selenium. The 3,3'-Diindolylmethane found in broccoli is a potent modulator of the innate immune response system with anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer activity.^{[10] [11]} Broccoli also contains the compound glucoraphanin, which can be processed into an anticancer compound sulforaphane, though the benefits of broccoli is reduced if the vegetable is boiled.^[12] A high intake of broccoli has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

Craisins:

Cranberries are good for you. Not only do they provide antioxidant vitamins and flavonoids, but they also have an anti-adhesion quality that keeps certain bacteria from sticking to cells in the urinary tract, the mouth and stomach. Cranberries are known to reduce the occurrence of urinary tract infections.

A third of a cup of Craisins provides the same health benefits as 8 ounces of Cranberry Juice Cocktail.

Sunflower Seeds:

In addition to linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid), sunflower seeds are also an excellent source of dietary fiber, protein, Vitamin E, B Vitamins, and minerals such as magnesium, iron, phosphorus, selenium and zinc.[6] Additionally, they are rich in cholesterol-lowering phytosterols.[7] They are also a good source of calories

Broccoli Salad

3 heads broccoli
1/4 cup Bermuda (red/purple) onion
1/2 cup craisins
3 slices of bacon
1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar

Cut broccoli into small bite-sized pieces. Cut onion into small pieces. Mix together all salad ingredients. Make dressing and slowly pour desired amount over broccoli mixture.

Suzanne's tips:
This salad is so addicting! I love it, it is a nice crunchy salad. Joe loves it too and he doesn't normally like raw broccoli. I usually only use about half of the dressing. I also think that this salad is best when you use all of the ingredients.

Holiday Chicken Salad

4 cups cubed, cooked chicken
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 cups dried craisins
1 cup chopped celery
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup minced green bell pepper
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
ground black pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise with paprika and seasoning salt. Blend in the rest of the ingredients. Chill 1 hour.

Our adaptations: This is a really good recipe. The Paprika gives it a good flavor. I haven't ever let it chill before we serve it and it is still fine. We like to serve it in tortillas as a chicken wrap or on rolls. It makes for a great dinner in the hot summers when you want a cold dinner.

Toasted Tuna Melts

Makes: 4 servings, one tuna melt each

4 slices white or whole wheat bread, toasted (I use whole wheat bread)
1/4 cup philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread
1/4 cup miracle whip Dressing
2 cans (6-1/2 oz. each) tuna, drained, flaked
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup sliced green onions (optional)
1 cup kraft Shredded Cheddar Cheese


1.) Preheat oven to 400°F. Place toast slices in single layer on baking sheet; set aside. Mix cream cheese spread and dressing in medium bowl until well blended. Stir in tuna, celery and onions.

2.) Spoon evenly onto toast slices; sprinkle with Cheddar cheese.

3.) Bake 5 min. or until Cheddar cheese is melted.



Note by Ashlee: This tastes great without the cream cheese. Also, a slice or two of tomato underneath the cheese adds nutrition and flavor. This is great for a fast and healthy lunch.

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

Ready in 30 minutes or less, this meal is easy and one of Paul's favorites.

6 oz. uncooked fettuccine
1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli flowerets
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup OR Campbell's® Condensed 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Spicier option: ½ to 1 tsp ground red pepper flakes


COOK fettuccine according to pkg. directions. Add broccoli for last 4 min. of cooking time. Drain.

HEAT butter in skillet. Add chicken and cook until browned, stirring often.

ADD soup, milk, cheese, pepper and fettuccine mixture and heat through. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.


Note by Ashlee: To increase nutrition, substitute whole wheat spaghetti for fettuccine, and use fat free milk. I also add a handful of steamed baby carrots.

Skillet Penne and Sausage Supper

Ready in 30 minutes

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, minced
Salt
1 pound sweet or hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed (I use center cut bacon)
3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped fine
8 ounces penne (2 ½ cups)
2 ½ cups chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach (or frozen spinach, thawed)
1 ounce parmesan, grated ½ cup
Pepper
Spicier Option: Add ½ to 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes


1.) Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

2.) Stir in the sausage (or cooked bacon) and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.

3.) Stir in the Garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Sprinkle the tomatoes and penne evenly over the sausage. Pour the broth and cream over the pasta. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.

4.) Stir in the spinach a handful at a time and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4 to 6.

Cookie in a Jar

Great to use as a gift for anyone for any special occasion, the dry ingredients in this recipe fit in a quart glass jar. You can decorate the jar with ribbons, and attach a list of the wet ingredients and instructions, and voila! Especially fun to use as a Christmas gift. These cookies are delicious, just make sure to use real butter!!


INGREDIENTS:

· 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
· 1/2 cup crispy rice cereal
· 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
· 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
· 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
· 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
· 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
· 1/2 cup rolled oats
· 1/2 cup white sugar



DIRECTIONS:

1. In a 1 quart jar, layer the ingredients in the order listed. Pack down firmly after each addition.

2. Attach a tag with the following instructions: Cookie in a Jar 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 2. In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup margarine until light and fluffy. Mix in 1 egg and 2 tablespoons water. Add the entire contents of the jar, and stir until well blended. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. 3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

Beef Shepherd's Pie

1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1 Tablespoon of butter
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 rib celery
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms(or other mushrooms), cut up
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3 Tablespoons tomato paste or half a can of tomato sauce
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
3-4 cup mashed potatoes
parmesan or cheddar cheese for the top

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic, a little salt, and oregano. Cook until vegetables are tender about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste or sauce. and cook until mushrooms are soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in the ground beef, broth, Worcestershire sauce, and some pepper and salt. Cook until meat is no longer pink.
Transfer the meat and vegetables to a 2-quart casserole dish and spread the mashed potatoes over the top. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the mashed potatoes.


Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 40 minutes.

Turkey Cranberry Wreathe

2 pkg. refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 C. mayonnaise
2 T. honey Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
2 C. cooked turkey, chopped
1/2 C. celery, sliced
3 T. fresh parsley, snipped
1/2 C. dried cranberries
4 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded (1cup)
1/4 C. walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 egg, separated


Preheat oven to 375°F.

Unroll crescent dough; separate into 16 triangles. With wide ends of triangles toward the center, arrange 8 triangles in a circle on Large Round Stone or cookie pan. Corners of wide ends will touch and points will extend 1 inch beyond of baking stone. Arrange remaining 8 triangles in center, matching ends. Seal seams using pizza roller. (Points will overlap in center; do not seal.)

Measure mayonnaise, mustard and black pepper into a bowl. Grate cheese into a bowl. Mix filling. Scoop filling over seams of dough, forming a circle.

Coarsely chop walnuts; sprinkle over filling. Beginning in center, lift one dough triangle across mixture. Continue alternating with outer triangle, slightly overlapping to form wreath. Tuck last end under first.

Separate egg over bowl. Beat egg white lightly; brush over dough. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Yields 8 servings.

Per serving: 363 calories; 17 g protein; 24g fat; 20g carbohydrates; 521 mg sodium

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Ashlee's Meatless Meals

Goes great with cornbread!! Another meatless meal; this is healthy and delicious. I always use fat free milk and low fat margarine, and it still tastes wonderful. You can even try sprinkling your crumbled corn bread into your soup. Yummy!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes


½ cup butter or margarine
½ cup flour
3-4 cups milk
4 cubes chicken boullion
Pepper to taste
3-4 cups vegetables (I use red, steamed potatoes, steamed broccoli, and steamed baby carrots)
2 cups water
2 large handfuls of shredded cheddar cheese


1. In a medium saucepan, combine water, bouillon cubes, and 3 cups of
vegetables. Bring to a boil, and simmer until vegetables are tender.

2. Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour, and cook for 2 minutes.
Gradually whisk in milk. Cook over low heat until thickened. Add cheddar cheese, and pepper to taste. (Add more milk when adding the other soup ingredients, depending on
desired thickness.)

Seasoned Whole Roasting Chicken

Goes great with mashed potatoes, salad, and roles. The seasonings and slow baking time make this chicken tender and flavorful.

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Ready in: 5 hours and 15 mins.


1 Whole Roasting Chicken
½ small onion (optional)

Seasoning mix:

4 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp white pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp black pepper


Preheat oven to 250.
Mix together seasoning mix and rub on to chicken (can do the night before and keep covered in fridge to soak up seasonings).
Stuff chicken with chopped onion (optional)
Place chicken upright in 13X9 pan. (Chicken is upright when thermometer is upright.)
Cook in preheated oven for 5 hours – ignore pop-up thermometer
Baste with baster every ½ hour with chicken’s own juice
If chicken is dry then baste with butter and water

Apple Crisp

Topping:
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and softened
Optional – 2 Tbsp. to ¼ cup quick cooking oats

Filling:
3 pounds apples (recommend Granny Smith, 6 to 8), peeled, cored, and sliced or cut into 1/2-inch chunks
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. grated lemon zest

1.) For the topping: Mix the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together. Add the butter and toss to coat. Pinch the butter chunks and dry mixture between your fingertips until the mixture looks crumbly like wet sand. Add the nuts and toss to incorporate. Refrigerate the topping for at least 15 minutes before baking.

2.) For the filling: Adjust oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix the apples, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest together and place in a glass or ceramic 13X9 baking pan. Distribute the chilled topping evenly over the fruit.

3.) Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is deep golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before serving

Rich Belgian-Style Waffles

1 egg
1 cup sour cream
½ cup milk
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 cup flour
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. baking soda

1.) Preheat waffle maker.
2.) Put all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat on low until moistened and smooth.
3.) Pour a rounded ¾ cup of batter over grids.
4.) Close waffle maker, bake 2-4 minutes until golden brown.
5.) Repeat. Serve with hot or warmed syrup. Yield: 3 waffles.

Chicken Enchiladas

1 Tbsp. butter plus a little olive oil
3/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. chili powder
A few drops hot red pepper sauce (optional)
1-2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chilies
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
¾ to 1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast meat
2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
6 (12 inch) flour tortillas or 8 small flour tortillas
1/4 cup milk

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13X9 baking dish.

2.) In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and sauté the green onion until tender (about 3 to 4 minutes). Add the garlic powder and other seasonings, and then stir in the green chilies, cream of chicken soup and sour cream. Mix well. Reserve 3/4 of this sauce and set aside. To the remaining 1/4 of the sauce in the saucepan, add the chicken and 1 ½ cups of shredded Cheddar cheese. Stir together.

3.) Fill each flour tortilla with the chicken mixture and roll up. Place seam side down in the prepared baking dish.

4.) In a small bowl combine the reserved 3/4 of the sauce with the milk. Spoon this mixture over the rolled tortillas and top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

Healthy Refried Beans

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder, or other chili powder
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed
Salt and Pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chili powder and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the beans and chicken broth and cook until the beans are warmed through, about 5 minutes. Mash the beans coarsely with a potato masher, adding more chicken broth to moisten, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the cilantro.

My adjustments:
To help me rotate my food storage, I used dried beans. For one recipe, I use two cups of dried beans. You soak over night in water. Then put beans in a pot, cover with water and cook for a few hours until done on medium low heat. (It took mine 2-3 hours to get done). I also don't like cilantro, so I omitted that. These beans are so good. It is refreshing to eat refried beans that you can feel good about. They are great in tacos or dip.

Artichoke Spinach Lasagna

Ashlee's Meatless Meals

cooking spray
9 uncooked lasagna noodles (or 12 Barilla no-boil lasagna noodles)
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp. italian seasoning)
1 (14 ounce) can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (save marinade)
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry OR 2, 6 ounce packages fresh spinach
1 (28 ounce) jar tomato pasta sauce (prego spaghetti sauce tastes great)
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (4 ounce) package herb and garlic feta, crumbled
Spicier option: add ¼ to ½ tsp. ground red pepper flakes to simmering artichoke/spinach mixture


1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2.) Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
3.) Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium-high. Saute onion and garlic for 3 minutes, or until onion is tender-crisp. Stir in broth and rosemary; bring to a boil. Stir in artichoke hearts, marinade, and spinach; reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce.
4.) Spread 1/4 of the artichoke mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish; top with 3 cooked noodles. Sprinkle 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese over noodles. Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with artichoke mixture and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle crumbled feta on top.
5.) Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, and bake 15 minutes more, or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Ashlee’s Variation: I like less tomato sauce because I can taste the seasonings and other vegetables more. At the end of step 3, it says, “Stir in Pasta sauce.” I prefer to leave out the pasta sauce until after I have layed down one layer of the spinach/artichoke mixture. After I have put down ¼ of the portion of the spinach/artichoke mixture into the 13X9 pan, I then put down 4 no-boil, oven ready lasagna noodles, and then put just enough pasta sauce on the noodles to cover them so they can bake correctly. Then a layer of cheese and the next layer of noodles. Then I add the rest of the pasta sauce to the spinach and artichoke mixture, continuing to create layers as the recipe steps suggest.


Note by Ashlee: This is the best Lasagna ever! It is another meatless meal full of vegetables– healthy for you! I use Barilla no-boil lasagna noodles which decreases prep time significantly. I also don’t use Rosemary for the spice. Instead, I use 1 tsp. italian seasoning, and then keep the marinade from the artichoke jar and add that to the artichoke mixture after the artichokes have been chopped. Use as much spinach as you like. If you struggle with acid reflux, reduce the amount of spaghetti/pasta sauce you use – tastes great with less.

Veggie Lover's Baked Ziti

Ready in 30 minutes
Ashlee's meatless meals

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 26 ounce jar Prego spaghetti sauce
1 jar Roasted Garlic Parmesan Ragu Alfredo sauce
1 lb box Ziti noodles (for more nutrients: Barilla Plus multi-grain Elbow noodles)
2-3 Zucchini Squash
1 lb bag frozen, chopped spinach
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1.) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 13X9 pan and set aside. Cut zucchini squash into coins and place in skillet. Heat skillet to medium high heat, adding 2 tablespoons olive oil. Watch the zucchini carefully, as they will burn easily. Continue stirring and flipping zucchini coins until browned and a little tender. Add frozen spinach to skillet and continue to cook until spinach is thaw and warm.

2.) While Zucchini and spinach are cooking, boil and cook noodles according to their package directions.

3.) In a large bowl add cooked noodles, 1 and 1/2 cups mozzarella shredded cheese, full jar of Spaghetti sauce, full jar of alfredo sauce, and the entire skillet of vegetables. Stir until evenly blended and pour into 13X9 pan. Smooth mixture until evenly placed in pan and then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top. Bake for 10 minutes.


Note: Even if you aren’t usually a big fan of veggies, this dish is fabulous; so fast and easy to make!

Coconut Curried Chicken

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 tsp. salt and pepper, or to taste
1 1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3-4 Tbsp. curry powder
1-2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed or crushed
1 green pepper, seeded and sliced into small squares
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed, diced tomatoes or 2-3 fresh tomatoes, cut
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
3 Tbsp. sugar
1.) Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
2.) Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes. Stir in onions and garlic, and cook 1 minute more.
3.) Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear.
4.) Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, green pepper, remaining seasonings and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine.
5.) Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
6.) Serve this mixture over steamed rice.

Suggested variation: Omit steamed rice. Double the amount of tomato sauce and add 4-6 steamed, cubed red potatoes and 1-2 cups of steamed, cut carrots. Simmer these additional ingredients with those listed above in step 4.

Quick and Spicy Tomato Soup

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 (26 ounce) jar marinara sauce
2 (140ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup of any small pasta
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the jar of marinara sauce, chicken broth, cannellini beans, red pepper flakes, pasta, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.

courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

My adjustments:

I add diced chicken and a can of corn to this recipe. I use chicken bullion to make my broth, it is about 3.5 cups of broth. I also found that the carrots were still crunchy so I pre-cook the carrots in the microwave with a little bit of water for four or five minutes. This recipe may sound simplistic but it is really quite flavorful. The red pepper flakes add a nice punch. I also love it because you can experiment and try different marinara sauces for slightly different flavors.

Pancakes

This is my mother-in-laws recipe. It is great with canned peached and whipped cream or strawberries. I also like it because it just has a good wholesome taste. After getting used to this recipe, I can't go back to eating bagged pancakes that just add water. For now I just make one recipe for our family but I will have to start doubling it as Ethan gets bigger.

1 egg
1 cup milk
1 cup flour (white, wheat, or half of each)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp oil
1 Tsp. baking powder

Mix the ingredients in order. For thinner pancakes add more milk.

For Waffles: omit the baking soda, one egg-separated. Beat the egg white until white and fluffy. Mix all the ingredients.

Health Tips

Here are some health tips that I got from Ellie Krieger, from the foodnetwork. I like her because she cooks healthy and is a Nutritionist.

-If you cut vegetable, nutrients will leach out so leave prep work to the last minute.
-Roasting, steaming, grilling, stirfrying vegetables is the way to go. The less contact with water, the more nutrients remain.
-use heart healthy oil such as Olive oil and Canola oil because they are important in absorbing fat-soluable vitamins.
-Eat meat with vegetables to help your body absorb the iron from the vegetables.

I thought these were good tips, though I am still working on sticking to them.