Turkey & Bean Hotdish. (For Swimmers.)

I feed two growing teenage swimmers everyday. One happens to be nationally ranked. And a 15 year old boy. And a distance swimmer.  Remember all the talk in 2008 about how many calories Michael Phelps consumed everyday at the Olympics?  It’s real.  The amount of food consumed in my house is impressive. Fortunately, my new recipes are welcomed and I never have to worry if anyone is “hungry enough” to eat what I cook.  The time between school and practice everyday is open season on my refrigerator. (And you don’t even want to know how much I pack in school lunches everyday!) One thing I try to do is prepare hearty, healthy dishes that can be reheated after school. This hotdish – casserole for those not from the Midwest – is a dish that is quickly prepared- and just as quickly disappears at my house.

• 1 pound extra-lean ground turkey
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ sweet yellow onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 stalks (or more) celery, chopped
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 1 can pinto beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes (I used Italian seasoned, because it’s what I had in the pantry)
• 1 ½  tsp paprika
• 2 tsp parsley
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup small pasta (I used farfalline – mini bowties)
• 1 cup water

In large stockpot, sauté onion, celery, and garlic until onion and celery are getting soft and garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Add ground turkey and cook until no longer pink, breaking up the meat with a spoon and turning often.  (Note: extra lean ground turkey contains very little fat and therefore requires a bit more attention when browning than ground beef does, to keep it from over-browning and sticking to the bottom of your pan.)  Add both cans of beans, tomatoes, and seasonings.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Stir in pasta and add water. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, or until pasta is tender. Add more water if necessary to keep the pasta submerged and the pot simmering. Serve immediately or refrigerate and reheat later – it’s one of those dishes that improves with time!

Pear and Cranberry Tart.

I set out to make a rustic, free-form pear tart…and ended up making five of them!  Four of my tarts were pear & walnut, and one was pear, walnut & cranberry.  The recipe can be adapted for just about any fruit – just be sure to include more corn starch, flour, or potato starch if your chosen fruit is juicier. Stay tuned for a future attempt with raspberries… Until then, ENJOY this recipe!

Recipe for one tart

• crust for 1 pie
• 3 to 4 pears, peeled & sliced
• 1 Tbsp Lemon juice
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 Tbsp rounded cornstarch
• ¼ c Brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ c chopped walnuts
• 1 egg white
• 2 tsp sugar

If adding cranberries, also use:

• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• ¼ c sugar
• ¼ c water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Place rolled out pie crust on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

If adding cranberries, cook cranberries, sugar & water over low heat for five minutes, until cranberries split open.  Set aside.

Toss sliced pear slices with lemon juice and vanilla.  Add cornstarch, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Toss gently.  Add walnuts and cranberries, if using.

Spread fruit over pie crust, leaving about an inch around the outside. Crimp crust all the way around, folding in slightly over fruit.  Brush edge of crust with egg white and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake for 35 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned and fruit is tender.

Sweet Potatoes and Pomegranate.

I combined three of my favorites in this dish to create an easy, yummy side!

• 2 cups diced sweet potatoes
• 1 T olive oil
• 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
• 3-4 mint leaves,chopped
• salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9x13 baking pan with foil.  Toss sweet potato cubes with olive oil. Spread in a single layer in baking pan.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Roast for 25-30 minutes, until soft (but not mushy).  Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.  Add chopped mint and pomegranate seeds.  Gently mix and serve warm.  Delicious chilled too!

Walnut Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin.

This recipe is an adaptation of a Sirloin Tip Roast recipe in the November/December issue of Clean Eating.  It's easy to prepare and there was not one bite remaining!  I served the pork with fresh green beans seasoned with butter & truffle salt and a whole grain & cranberry side dish.  It was a great combination!

• 1 unseasoned pork tenderloin
• 1/4 cup unsalted walnuts
• 1/2 cup panko
• 1.5 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line baking pan with foil.  Rinse and pat dry pork.  Set aside.  In food processor, chop walnuts until finely ground.  Add panko, thyme, marjoram, salt & pepper, and spin in the food processor until mixed.  Spray pork lightly with cooking spray.  Press walnut mixture over entire tenderloin.  Bake for 25 minutes, then wrap foil around the meat and bake another 10 minutes.  Let sit for 10 minutes, slice, and serve.

Ting-a-Lings!

This easy no-bake cookie is one I remember from my childhood. My Grandma made them and sent them to us every year. Today, this is a favorite in my house.  However, it's true confession in the kitchen time: I have never actually measured the ingredients.  This is a recipe that just looks right when it's ready.  

• semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted (about 2 cups)
• chow mein noodles (1 package)
• cocktail peanuts (1 cup or so)

The key is to mix the ingredients until you notice the following: 1) there isn't extra chocolate dripping, and 2) the chow mein noodles and peanuts are well-covered in chocolate.  I start with about 2 cups of chocolate chips, then add 1/2 package of chow mein noodles and mix.  Then I add peanuts - maybe a 1/2 cup.  Back to the noodles, add some more peanuts, and keep tossing until it's well mixed.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet covered in waxed paper. Chill until chocolate hardens.  Keep in a cool place to prevent melting. Bring to room temp just before serving.

Cake Pops!

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program, I received coupons for Duncan Hines products - and with those came motivation to make my first Cake Pops!  We followed the method many have recommended: bake the cake according to package directions, cool completely, crumble it up and add frosting (we used about 3/4 of the can).  Next, we shaped the balls and inserted sticks that were dipped in our candy coating.  After chilling the pops for a half hour (let's hear it for sub-freezing Minnesota temps and a three-season porch off the kitchen!), we returned to the kitchen to dip them into peppermint chocolate coating.  And here was the result!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts.

This recipe is a variation on one that appears in this month's issue of Clean Eating.

• 25 to 30 small brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 T white wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 c panko
• salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss brussels sprouts with lemon, oil, vinegar, & garlic. Sprinkle panko over sprouts and toss gently.  Spread in a single layer on a baking pan.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn and return to oven for 10 more minutes.

Ready for the oven.

Ready to eat!