With her recipe in mind, I made Date Nut Oatmeal. I’m finding that a lot of dessert foods can be turned into healthy and delicious oatmeal breakfasts (i.e. Key Lime Pie Oatmeal, Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal with Sliced Bananas, Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal, etc).

Date Nut Oatmeal

I was happy to find dates without any added sugar- and they were still sweet! The dried fruit and nuts add some heartiness to a winter breakfast.

Sweet dates and crunchy almonds

Cinnamon and spice and everything nice…

The spices made the oatmeal extraordinary

Date Nut Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal (Quaker)
• 1 cup water
• 6 pitted no sugar added dates (SunSweet)
• 1/4 cup roasted and salted mini almonds (Wonderful)
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• dash ground cloves

Directions:

1. Combine oats and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 3 minutes.
2. Chop dates into thirds. Add to cooked oats along with almonds, cinnamon, and cloves. Enjoy!

Serves: 1

• Nutrition note: Fiber, fiber, fiber. The oatmeal, dates, and almonds are all good sources of it on their own- so put them all together (like in this Date Nut Oatmeal) and you’ve got a breakfast that’s an excellent source of fiber! A good source of fiber has at least 2.5 g of fiber per serving (10% of the Daily Value) and an excellent source of fiber has at least 5 grams of fiber per serving.

Amish Friendship Bread

I received a starter bag to make Amish Friendship Bread from a fellow Registered Dietitian and co-worker, Kathleen. We call each other “roomies” because we share an office.

The starter bag and directions/recipe

After 10 days of nurturing the bag (squishing and mushing it, adding ingredients on day 7 because I was a day late, squishing it and mushing it again, and adding all the rest of ingredients), it was baking time! And at 7:30 AM (I got up super early before work) out came two hot loaves of friendship bread! Baking day was my Dad’s birthday, too! (I sent him pictures.)

It makes a lot- definitely enough to share

I don’t know why they call it bread- it’s definitely cake in my eyes.

That's cinnamon/sugar on top

Or maybe a coffee cake is a more accurate description. The cinnamon/sugar mixture on top is my favorite part.

I cut it up into rectangles

I decided I wanted to make this bread friendship bread squared (in a mathematical sense) – meaning I’d share the friendship bread AND give away the starter bags to new friends.

I brought around the tray to my new neighbors

So, I went around to every apartment in my complex and knocked on doors, sharing this bread as an offering of friendship. Everyone seemed pretty excited to get a piece. It was a nice way to meet my neighbors, too.

I went back home to get more and went back out to meet some more of my neighbors

The cake is so moist and sweet. I love the cinnamon sugar on the top and bottom.

And I saved a piece (or two or three) for me, of course

The recipe for Friendship Bread can be found on many web sites, but here’s the one I followed: The Happy Zombie. Enjoy- and don’t forget to share.

• Nutrition note: Sharing food is an act of kindness that also helps prevent you from overindulging.

My Big Fat Italian Lasagna- with Kale, Zucchini, Mushrooms, Onions, and Ground Chicken and/or Tofu

This was my first time ever making lasagna. I didn’t follow a recipe either…just called Mom for a pep talk.

I made two trays- one with meat (chicken) and one vegetarian (tofu)

It was a lot more work than I expected. It took about 1 1/2 hours to make, but I did it! I made my 1st lasagna!

My 1st homemade lasagna!

And you can do it, too!

Since it can appear to be a somewhat daunting task, here is a step-by-step picture guide on how to layer it once you’ve cooked everything that needs to be cooked. (This will make two trays of lasagna- one with meat (chicken) and one vegetarian (tofu).

Step-by-Step Lasagna Layering Guide:

1) Spread sauce on the bottom of two pans (to prevent sticking), then add boiled lasagna, and cooked kale to each pan.

Sauce, lasagna, kale...

2) Spread ricotta on top.

Ricotta...

3) Next add your second layer of lasagna.

Lasagna...

4) Then add sauce and ground chicken to one pan…

Sauce, chicken...

And add sauce and crumbled tofu to the other.

Sauce, tofu...

5) Next it’s time for another layer of lasagna, then raw mushrooms, and zucchini.

Lasagna, mushrooms, zucchini...

6) Finish off that sauce.

Sauce...

7) And finish up that lasagna, by adding your final layer of lasagna and shredded mozzarella cheese.

Lasagna, mozzarella

8) Put it in the oven and wait patiently. Then you’ll have the lasagna you’ve been waiting for!

A tray of lasagna with ground chicken and...

Really, two trays of them!

Tofu lasagna

Want a side profile of those layers?

Check out those layers!

Yeah, onions and ogres (like Shrek) aren’t the only things with layers.

There are lots of layers!

Ready for a slice?

A slice

Why not try one of each?

Even if your not vegetarian, try the tofu one, too!

We topped it with garlic salt. (Later I added parmesan cheese on top, too. This was the best!)

Cheesy goodness

Feeling so Italian-American right now.

I did it! I successfully made my 1st lasagna! And now you can, too!

My Big Fat Italian Lasagna- with Kale, Zucchini, Mushrooms, Onions, and Ground Chicken and/or Tofu

• 28 oz (1 lb 12 oz) tomato puree (Cento)
• 28 oz (1 lb 12 oz) petite diced tomatoes (Cento)
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 Tbsp basil
• 2 Tbps parsley
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp garlic salt, divided
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 14 oz block extra firm (Nasoya tofu plus)
• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic
• 16 oz kale greens (Glory Foods)
• 2 medium zucchini
• 12 oz prewashed sliced white mushrooms (Publix)
• 13.24 oz box whole grain lasagna (Ronzoni Healthy Harvest)
• 16 oz. extra lean ground chicken breast (Perdue)
• 32 oz. part skim ricotta cheese (Polly-o)
• 2 cups shredded low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese (Kraft)
• 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese (Publix)

Directions:

1. In a large pot with a lid, add tomato puree and petite diced tomatoes. Cut an onion in eighths and add to sauce along with basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, 3/4 tsp garlic salt, and freshly ground pepper. Stir and heat on medium-low heat for 1 hour.
2. Drain tofu. Wrap in a few paper towels and place on an empty and clean spot on the kitchen counter; then balance something heavy on top. Allow to drain for at least 30 minutes.
3. In a large pot on medium heat, add extra virgin olive oil. Thickly mince garlic and add to oil. Use a paper towel to dry kale and add to pot once garlic has slightly browned. Stir well to mix. Cook for 10 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently.
4. Use a grater to shred zucchini into thin pieces.
5. Fill 2/3 of a very large pot with water. Add lasagna pieces one by one. Gently stir to make sure they are all covered by water. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove with tongs and lay on wax paper so the pasta doesn’t stick.
6. Brown ground chicken breast in a saute pan on medium heat for about 7 minutes or until cooked, stirring frequently.
7. Crumble tofu with clean hands.
8. Cover the bottom of two 13 x 9 inch baking dishes with a few scoops of sauce. Begin layering- i.e. lasagna, kale, ricotta, lasagna, sauce, chicken (in one dish) and tofu (in the second dish), mushrooms, zucchini, sauce, lasagna, and mozzarella cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle with reserved garlic salt and then Parmesan cheese. Enjoy in good company!

Serves: 12 (6 servings with chicken and 6 with tofu)

• Nutrition note: This lasagna received a healthy makeover from your average lasagna. It’s full of healthy surprises, like whole grain lasagna, part skim ricotta, part skim mozzarella, lean meat, and vegetables.

Pesto Salmon Wrap

It was a tasty lunch with good-for-you fats.

A heart-healthy lunch

The salmon was nice and moist. The walnuts added a nice crunch, too.

Gotta love that pesto

It was a little messy, but sometimes, that’s half the fun!

Wrap it up and dig in!

Pesto Salmon Wrap

Ingredients:

• 0.5 lb salmon fillet
• pesto sauce with basil, garlic, and pine nuts (Monterey Pasta Company)
• 2 slices tomato
• 1 slice onion
• 1 low carb high fiber whole wheat tortilla (Smart & Delicious)
• 1 1/2 cups pre-washed fancy greens- romaine lettuce, green tango, radicchio, and carrots (Fresh Express)
• 10 walnuts
• dash salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse salmon, pat dry with a paper towel, and place on a baking sheet. Spread pesto on top of salmon. Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked.
2. Chop tomato and onion and place on a tortilla along with lettuce and walnuts. Top with salmon. Sprinkle with salt. Enjoy!

Serves: 1

• Nutrition note: Dietary fat (that means fat in your food) is not bad. In fact, some fats are very good for you, such as the fat that is in the salmon, walnuts, and the canola/olive oil blend (from the pesto)  in this wrap! Fat also helps you absorb nutrients, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K. How about that!

For some reason, it reminded me of when I was living at home and in school… I would do my homework on the bar counter top while my Mom cooked dinner. I could easily have done my homework at my large desk in my room, but for some reason, that wasn’t where I wanted to be. I didn’t care that in the kitchen sometimes a little water would splash around and get my homework assignment or book or that the phone would ring and phone calls would be had or that everyone would be walking around and talking. That was my homework spot. Looking back on it, even then the kitchen was my comfort zone.

Turkey Taco Spinach Salad with Pita Chips

I did realize I had turkey taco salad earlier in the week, but this one was different (granted, it was the same meat- frozen and defrosted, of course- and seasoning mix). I loved the crunchy pita chips and the extra boost of flavor from the taco seasoning mix.

Ground turkey taco-style on a bed of spinach with fresh avocado, tomatoes, onion, and green bell pepper; crunchy pita chips; shredded cheese, and smooth sour cream... yum!

Turkey Taco Spinach Salad with Pita Chips

Ingredients:

• 1/3 lb lean ground turkey (Jennie-O)
• 1/4 tsp and a dash taco seasoning mix (Publix), divided
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups spinach
• 1/2 slice onion
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 tomato
• 1 slice green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream (Breakstone’s)
• 1/4 cups reduced fat shredded 4 cheese Italian (Sargento)
• 10 Parmesan garlic & herb pita chips (Stacy’s)

Directions:

1. In a small saute pan over medium-high heat, brown ground turkey for about 5 minutes or until cooked. Add water and 1/4 tsp seasoning mix. Stir. Reduce heat to medium-low and heat for about 4 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, pour spinach on a plate. Chop onion, avocado, tomato, and bell pepper. Add to spinach salad.
3. Scoop dollops of sour cream around salad. Sprinkle a dash of taco seasoning on top.
4. Scoop cooked ground meat on top of salad. Sprinkle cheese on top and add pita chips. Enjoy!

Serves: 1

• Nutrition note: Look for lean- meat that, is. On the package, this may be written simply “lean” or “extra lean,” or it may be described in a less clear fashion as “93/7″ or “99/1″- meaning the percent of lean meat to fat. You want the first number to be higher and the second number to be lower.

Quick Shrimp, Kale, and Black Bean & Corn Salsa Over Brown Rice

The flavors culminated together nicely, with the salsa and kale dressing up the rice and shrimp.

The Golden Tray returns!

I used the good, ol’ Golden Tray to dine on. Remember the Golden Tray? This one is the sister of the original! (It actually is the sister. The original one was from my mother and this new one was kindly given to us by my aunt when the original tray broke and she realized how much we used and loved the thing.)

A good, quick meal

Quick Shrimp, Kale, and Black Bean & Corn Salsa Over Brown Rice

Ingredients:

• 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cups kale (Glory Foods)
• dash salt
• dash freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup instant whole grain brown rice (Publix)
• 1/2 cup water
• 10 medium frozen shrimp, peeled & deveined, tail off (Publix, freezer by seafood section)
• 1/3 cup fire roasted salsa with black beans and corn (Publix Deli)

Directions:

1. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a medium-sized pot on medium-high heat. Add kale, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Stir. Cook for about 10 minutes or until soft, stirring frequently.
2. In a small pot with a lid, bring water to a boil. Stir in rice, reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid, and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Spread shrimp on a microwave-safe plate. Cook in the microwave for about 2 1/2 minutes, rotate and stir shrimp (to promote even cooking), and cook an additional 2 1/2 minutes or until pink and thoroughly cooked.
4. Scoop rice on plate and top with kale, shrimp, and salsa. Enjoy!

• Nutrition note: If you want to include more whole grain rice in your diet, but don’t like to wait for it to cook, look for instant whole grain brown rice at the grocery store. It’s parboiled- meaning they do some of the cooking for you ahead of time- so you don’t have to wait.

Roasted Curry-Cumin Brussels Sprouts

I like how the leaves are tender and crispy and flake off with the gentle prying of a fork.

Say goodbye to gross Brussels sprouts and say hello to these delicious little packages of flavor!

Roasted Curry-Cumin Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts
• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp curry
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Wash Brussels sprouts. Cut off stems and cut each in half.
2. Toss Brussels sprouts in a baking dish or on a baking sheet with extra virgin olive oil, curry, cumin, and sea salt. Roast for about 40 minutes or until tender. Enjoy!

Serves: 2

• Nutrition note: Broccoli and cauliflower aren’t the only cruciferous vegetables. Brussels sprouts are part of the family, too. This means they also have those cancer-fighting properties that help lower your risk of getting cancer.

Jamie's Famous Sweet Potatoes

I could probably eat these everyday and still not get tired of them.

One of my favorite foods in the world!

Jamie’s Famous Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 5 cloves garlic
• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp oregano
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• dash freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Wash and chop sweet potatoes into cube-like, bite-sized pieces. Chop garlic into small to medium-sized pieces.
2. Place sweet potatoes and garlic in a large baking dish. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle oregano, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper on top. Mix well.
3. Bake for about 40 minutes or until soft and slightly browned. Enjoy!

Serves: 2-3

• Nutrition note: Sweet potatoes have lots of beta carotene (aka vitamin A). Leave the skin on ‘em for some extra fiber, too.

Lemon Sesame Green Beans

They were simple to make, refreshing, and light. A perfect accompaniment for the Panko-Crusted BBQ Chipotle Chicken Tenders!

Lemon Sesame Green Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 12 oz bag trimmed and washed, steams in a bag, fresh green beans (GreenLine Quick & Easy)
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Pour sesame seeds on a small metal baking sheet with a rim. Toast for about 8 minutes.
2. Poke holes in green bean bag using a fork.  Microwave for 4 minutes. Let stand for 3 minutes. Drain liquid from bag and pour green beans on a serving plate.
3. Juice lemon. Pour lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and sesame seeds on green beans. Enjoy!

Serves: 4

• Nutrition note: Fresh, frozen, canned? What’s best? Frozen is good for locking in the nutrients. Fresh is good for flavor. And canned food is good for conveience. From a nutritional standpoint, fresh and frozen are usually better than canned because canned food often has a lot of added sodium and/or sugar.

Well, I’m a woman of my words, and I invited the two of them over for dinner. For the main dish, I made Panko-Crusted BBQ Chipotle Chicken Tenders.

Panko-Crusted BBQ Chipotle Chicken Tenders

The chicken tenders were delicious! The chipotle gave ‘em a nice kick, too!

I served the tenders with Lemon Sesame Green Beans and my Famous Sweet Potatoes (their locally famous, at least).

The spread...

We enjoyed the meal, a bottle of wine, cookies and pudding for dessert, and most importantly, each other’s company.

Panko-Crusted BBQ Chipotle Chicken Tenders with Lemon Sesame Green Beans and my Famous Sweet Potatoes

Panko-Crusted BBQ Chipotle Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup old fashioned oatmeal (Quakers)
• 2 eggs (4 Grain, omega 3)
• 1 1/4 cup BBQ sauce (Bull’s Eye,brown sugar & hickory), divided
• 1 cup whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs (Ian’s)
• 1 Tbsp parsley (Publix)
• 1/2 tsp chipotle (Penzeys Spices, ground red)
• 1.75 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast (Publix)
• no-stick cooking spray (PAM)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350⁰F. Lightly grease two baking sheets with cooking spray.
2. Pour oatmeal into a mini blender. Blend until oatmeal becomes powdered (like flour). Spread oatmeal “flour” on a plate.
3. Crack eggs in a medium bowl, and beat with a fork. Add 3/4 cup BBQ sauce. Stir to combine.
4. Pour breadcrumbs, parsley, and chipotle on a large plate. Toss to mix.
5. Slice chicken breasts into thick strips to make chicken tenders.
6. Roll chicken tenders in oatmeal “flour,” dip in BBQ-egg mixture, and then roll in breadcrumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 18 minutes or until cooked throughout.
7. Serve chicken tenders with reserved 1/2 cup BBQ sauce. Enjoy!

Serves: 4

• Nutrition note: For an extra nutrient boost, this recipe uses oatmeal instead of all-purpose flour. By making this substitution, you’ll get more whole grains in your diet and the nutritional benefits that come along with them (such as fiber). Plus, you can’t even taste the difference!