Green Bean "FRIES"

Green Bean "Fries"

Hmmmm... What should we have with our burgers tonight?

French Fries

Onion Rings

Chips

Doritos

Fritos

Smilie Fries

Tator Tots

Potato Wedges

That's when I decided to try making a batch of Green Bean Fries and guess what?

They were great!

Now I am going to share the recipe with you all...

Ingredients:

Green Beans - cut and washed

(as many as you want to eat!)

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Panko Bread Crumbs

Place your green beans in a bowl and drizzle them with some olive oil

Next salt and pepper them to your taste.

Shake on some Parmesan cheese & some Panko crumbs

Next place those bad boys on a foil lined baking sheet

(make sure to spray it with some cooking spray too - we don't want them to stick!)

Bake them at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes

(or longer if you like them overcooked and crispy like me!)

and VOILA!

Green Bean Fries

A healthy and tasty alternative to French Fries :)

ENJOY 

MEF

Meatless Monday's - Penne A La Vodka with Spinach & Tomatoes

I'm back with another recipe!

This is what I made for dinner tonight and I thought it was worth sharing!

MEF's Simple Penne A La Vodka with Spinach & Tomatoes

Ingredients:

 1 Box of Penne Pasta

(I only use Dreamfields Pasta because of the low glycemic index which is very important when following a diabetic meal plan)

1 can of diced tomatoes in tomato juice, drained

(if you choose a different kind of tomatoes it will change the flavor of this dish, so make sure to buy the tomatoes in juice)

1 jar of Bove's Vodka Sauce (see below for nutritional values)

A pinch of grated Parmesan cheese

I saw this pasta sauce @ Market Basket and after reading the label I threw it in my cart!

 Low sugar & low carbs are what I am searching for when I'm looking for new diabetic friendly recipes. With no added sugar I knew this sauce had to be a winner!

First boil your pasta according to the directions on the box

Next, saute your baby spinach in a little olive oil until wilted 

When your spinach looks pretty dead add in your tomatoes

Drain your pasta and add your spinach, tomatoes, & vodka sauce 

Top with a little Parmesan cheese

(live a little)

The key to eating pasta is to not overdo it!

Don't pile your plate full of carbs 

and think your scale will be spitting out smaller numbers in the morning. 

I paired my pasta with a giant plate of salad with some homemade dressing (see recipe below)

I find that putting my salad on the same plate as the pasta helps me

 to not overload my plate with carbs!

Quick & Easy Vinaigrette Dressing:

1/2 cup Olive Oil

1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 tbsp Dijon Mustard

Salt & Pepper to taste

Give it a good shake and voila!

A quick and easy dressing if you run out like I did & don't want to eat dry leaves :)

Enjoy!

MEF

MEF's Chicken Topped Sweet Potatoes

This is one of my favorite new recipes!

I have made this at least once a week since I've discovered it and you can play around with the ingredients to your liking.

The following list is what I used, 

but feel free to substitute or add whatever you like,

 this recipe is not only healthy but extremely versatile!

MEF's Chicken Topped Sweet Potatoes 

Ingredients:

(to serve 2)

2 medium sweet potatoes

2 chicken breasts

BBQ sauce

 (make sure to choose a sauce that has no high fructose corn syrup - 

I always use STUBBS - you can also make your own sauce !)

Salsa

That's it!

Could it be any easier?

I start by placing the chicken breasts in my slow cooker & add about half the bottle of BBQ sauce

Cook the chicken until it is falling apart and easy to shred

(on low about 6 hours - high about 4 hours) 

Depending on your crockpot the times will vary

*** Another option to save time would be to cook the chicken and shred it then add the BBQ sauce

While the chicken is cooking you can bake your sweet potatoes in the oven

I always cook my potatoes early and then just warm them up in the microwave 

before you are ready to eat -

 but you can cook them in the microwave too if that's easier for you!

 ( I start with 5 minutes then check them and add more time if necessary)

* Make sure to wash and clean the potato before baking if you are planning on eating the skin *

When the chicken is tender and falling apart remove it from your crockpot and and shred

Then add it back to your slow cooker and mix with the sauce.

Cut your sweet potato open & top with a scoop of chicken

Top it with a spoonful of peach or mango salsa (my faves) or regular if you prefer!

I've tried guacamole too and that's delicious as well - it's all about what your taste preference is!

I paired mine with a side salad and some sauteed veggies on top!

There are so many different things you can do with this recipe - 

add beans, veggies, whatever you like! 

Please let me know if you try it and what your favorite flavor combinations are!

Bon Appetit !

MEF

Papa's Famous Bean Burgers

The weekend is over...

And we all survived with our smaller portions.

I made a batch of Papa's famous bean burgers today and they were just as good as I rememered! I had never made them before and had a quick demo from Papa himself this morning. They were so simple and the best part is - as long as you have some black beans the rest of the ingredients are up to you! You can use whatever veggies you have in your fridge.

Ingredients:

2 cans of black beans (this made 10 burgers for me)

2 eggs

breadcrumbs

whatever veggies you want!

I used broccoli, carrots, & onions this time (because that's all I had but Papa recommends adding mushrooms too - even if you don't like them you won't have any idea they are in your burger after they get crushed in your food processor).

To season  you can use whatever you like, but this is what I used:

black pepper

chili powder

Worcestershire Sauce

Oregano

Garlic Salt

Onion Powder

Paprika

Using your food processor, chop up both cans of beans (after rinsing them) and put into a mixing bowl along with 2 eggs (Papa recommends cracking the eggs into a separate bowl to avoid losing shells in the bean mixture!)

Rinse the food processor 

Next chop up your veggies in the food processor and add them to the bean mixture

Add some breadcrumbs
 (just enough to help the mixture form into burgers without falling apart)

Your mixture should look like this:

Next form them into burgers

To cook the burgers:

Spray a grill pan or skillet with some cooking spray

 (these little guys love to stick to your pan)

Remember you aren't cooking a "real" burger so just grill them until they are cooked through 

I topped mine with a slice of spicy pepperjack cheese and some horseradish mustard 

* Remember to use a roll that isn't going to hurt you when it's time to weigh in!

 I used a wheat bun with NO high fructose corn syrup 

I got 10 burgers from this recipe and put them in the freezer 

They make a quick and easy dinner for nights when you are looking for something simple and healthy!

Pair them with a side salad or some coleslaw and you have a delicious meal!

Enjoy :)

MEF

Day ONE in the Books

January 1st has come and gone 

and day 1 of our healthy eating is in the books.

Is everyone feeling healthier already?

I know I am - I didn't cheat once and even went to the gym with Judy the chef.

My Instagram feed was full of delicious looking meals and Brittney's salmon dish from tonight looked scrumptious and has made me wonder if 2015 will be the year I try eating an ocean friend? 

I have been clicking away on Pinterest a lot since I decided I wanted to start this transformation. I found a few new recipe ideas I want to try and thought I'd share a few of them with you!

Click on the links to get the recipes.

Easy Spicy White Chicken Chili

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

Stuffed Red Peppers

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

I'm looking forward to making all of these!

Good luck on day 2...

MEF