Butternut Squash Pasta

I took this recipe from "First Meals", a book Lisa recommended to try to entice Ashley to eat solids. I adapted it a little so that Ben and I would eat it, too. We were pleasantly surprised at how good it was:

3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
pasta, whatever kind you like
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tbsp chopped fresh sage (I used the ground sage spice)
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Put the squash in a steamer and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Blend to a puree with 4-5 tbsp watter from the bottom of the steamer. Cook the pasta, according to the directions on the box. Melt the butter in a pan, add the sage and cook gently for 1 minute. Mix the sage, butter and Parmesan cheese with the squash and pasta. Also, we recommend adding a little salt to taste.

Margerita Pizza

Okay, here's my fast version. Trader Joe's pizza crust. If I'm in the mood, I'll do homemade crust, but when am I ever in the mood? TJs works for me. Toppings for Margerita: Olive oil, salt and pepper, fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, fresh chopped basil. I also like to add some parmesan cheese around the edge of the crust.

Chicken Soft Tacos and Healthy Refried Beans

From Robert Ferguson's DietFREELife Clinic (Marrianne's trainer/nutritionist)
Chicken Taco Ingredients:

• 2 precooked skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tsp grape seed oil
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into long strips
• 1 green pepper, seeded and sliced into long strips
• ½ large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 8 (6-inch) low carb tortilla's (La Tortilla Factory)
• Salsa of choice
• Healthy refried beans - see recipe below

Method:

Place chicken chunks in a small bowl, cover with chicken broth, and then set aside in the fridge. In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté bell peppers and onions until the onions are clear. Add garlic, cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth mixture, stir for 3 to 4 minutes until the broth evaporates. Add cumin and stir well. Cover and simmer until the tortillas are ready. Heat tortillas on a hot frying pan one at a time for 15 seconds per side. Or you can heat all of them in the over or the microwave. Fill each taco with the chicken mixture, top with salsa, and serve with ½ cup healthy refried beans.

Serves: 4 (2 tacos per person)

Approximate nutritional values per taco: 135 calories (15 grams of protein, 15 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fat, 10 grams of fiber).

Healthy Refried Beans Ingredients:

• 2 tsp grape seed oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (15 oz) cans reduced sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup canned unsalted whole or chopped tomatoes
• ½ cup water
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• 1/8 tsp cayenne peppers
• 1/8 tsp salt

Method:

In a large nonstick pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and cook until carrots are soft and onions are clear. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Use a potato masher to mash everything together, being careful not to scratch the nonstick pot. Cook for about 5 minutes until heated throughout. Great side dish!

Serves: 6 (serving size is ½ cup)

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 130 calories (7 grams of protein, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 1.5 grams of fat, 9 grams of fiber).

Easy Pumpkin Cookies

1 15 oz can of pumpkin

1 box of spice cake mix

1 bag of chocolate chips (I prefer milk chocolate but whatever floats your boat)

Preheat oven to 400. Mix pumpkin, cake mix ( just the powder--you DO NOT prepare the cake mix) and chocolate chips together. Place spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet and cook 10-15 minutes depending on your oven and cookie sheet. ENJOY!

They also make great mini muffins.

Conference Muffins

2 cups boiling water
4 cups bran cereal (All Bran or Bran Buds)
1 pound pitted and chopped dates (ick) OR 2 cups raisins
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
5 tsp baking soda
1 cup crisco
2 cups sugar
4 beaten eggs
1 quart buttermilk
2 cups bran flakes
1/3 cup molasses

You'll need a huge bowl for this one. Makes 6 dozen muffins! But trust me, if you share with neighbors or family, they'll be gone!
Pour boiling water over bran cereal and raisins. Sift dry ingredients together. Cream shortening and sugar; add eggs, hot bran mixture, dry ingredients, molasses and buttermilk. Add the 2 cups of bran flakes cereal. Mix just enough to combine. Baked in greased and floured muffin tins or line with cupcake liners at 400 degrees for 15-20 mintues. Batter can be stored in a covered container in a fridge for up to 6 weeks! Bake any amount as desired!

Orange Julius

1/2 can frozen orange juice concentrate
3/4 c. milk
3/4 c. water
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
15-20 ice cubes
Blend together and serve. Serves 4.

Café Rio

Café Rio Pork
3 lb. pork roast
16 oz. salsa
1 can of Coca Cola
2 cups brown sugar
water

Fill your crock pot with just the roast, and fill it half way with just the water.
Cook on high for 5 hours.
Take the pork out after the 5 hours, and drain the liquid.
Cut the roast into 3 or 4 sections and place back into the crock pot.
Puree the salsa in the blender and transfer to a bowl.
Add the Coke and brown sugar and mix.
Pour over the roast and cook on high for 3 more hours.
Shred with a fork.

An additional recommendation:

I also added ½ pack of fajita seasoning, 1 can green chilies, and about 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning during the last hour of cooking. Also, when it was done cooking, I drained out all the liquid and reduced it in a saucepan so it was thicker. With my additions, it tasted AMAZING!

Also, here's the recipe for the dressing, rice, chicken, and homemade tortillas:

Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
or if you don't have time to make this, I have also used ElTorrito's "green dressing".

1 package Hidden Valley Ranch
1 cup mayo
1 cup cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tomatillos - peel off paper, chop
1/3 - 1/2 cups buttermilk, to consistency you want
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Put in blender and mix.

Homemade tortillas
3 C. flour
1/2 C. veggie or olive oil
1 1/8 C. lukewarm water
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Mix all ingredients and knead. If too hard to knead, add a little water but if too sticky add a little more flour. Let stand for about 10 minutes. Makes about 12 small balls. Flatten each by rolling them out and then cook them in a frying pan.**I usually have 2 frying pans going at once so they all get cooked faster

This is the yummiest rice!

Café Rio Rice
3 c water
4 t chicken bouillon
4 t garlic –minced
½ bunch cilantro
1 can green chiles—or equivalent fresh
¾ t salt
1 T butter
½ onion
3 c rice (see note)

Blend cilantro, green chilies and onion together in food processor. Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients, simmer covered 30 minutes.

For Dad or who every can't eat pork!
Cafe Rio Chicken
1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic—minced
5 lbs chicken breast

Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour.

I shred up lettuce and heat black beans to add to the meal. Dan likes to eat it as a burrito. I eat it as a salad with everything stack on top of each other. Yummo!