Amy's Black Bean Enchiladas

Cast of Characters:
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic (equal to 1 garlic clove)
- 1 can of black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 1 4oz can of chopped green chilies
- 2 Tbsp taco seasoning (optional)
- 1 tsp dried cilantro flakes
- 8 whole wheat tortillas, soft taco size
- 1 can enchilada sauce
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or reduced fat cheddar)

Directions:
1. Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a large skillet. Add in minced garlic and cook for about a minute. Add in black beans, corn, green chilies, taco seasoning, and cilantro. Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
2. Spoon about 1/2 cup of black bean mixture in the middle of each tortilla, roll up, and place seam side down in a greased baking dish. Once all tortillas have been filled, sprinkle with cheese and cover with enchilada sauce.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Nutritional Info:
Servings: 8
Calories: 271
Fat: 8g
Carbs: 39g
Fiber: 8g
Sugar: 5.5g
Protein: 12g

No Mayo Potato Salad

Wow, it's been forever since I've posted! Thank goodness it is finally summer!

Speaking of summer, there are some foods that all of us associate with this time of year. One of those foods is potato salad. I've never been a fan of mayo though, so I've never seen the appeal of this summertime staple until I realized that it can be made without mayo. Traditional potato salad has about 360 calories and 20 grams of fat per serving (You should only have about 30-35 grams of fat per day)! This no mayo version has only 174 calories per serving and 9 grams of fat.

Cast of Characters:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 cup (6 tsps) lemon juice
- two garlic cloves, finely minced
- two tsps dried tarragon
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions (just the tops unless you like a really strong flavor)
- salt and pepper to taste (I used 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/8 tsp of salt)
- 1 1/2 lbs. unpeeled red new potatoes

Directions:

1. In a small bowl (I used my measuring cup), whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper. Set aside to let flavors mingle.

2. Scrub potatoes and then boil them for about 15-18 minutes. You can test one to see if it is done by inserting a fork or knife. If it goes in fairly easily, they're done. If it takes some extra pressure, give the potatoes a few more minutes.

3. Cut potatoes into about 1 inch chunks and toss with green onions and dressing.

4. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator.

5. Enjoy!

Nutrition Info:
Serves 6
Calories: 174
Fat: 9 grams
Carbs: 13
Protein: 0 grams

Swiss Vegetable Bake

     For the first time ever, I actually decided to look at my weekly email that I got from recipes.com and it was a good thing! The theme this week was vegetarian dishes! This is one that jumped out at me immediately because it's easy and the list of ingredients I needed to go out and buy was very short (the only thing I didn't have at home was Swiss cheese). This turned out so yummy! It's good enough to use for a special occasion, yet easy enough for a weeknight.

Cast of Characters:

• 1 lb (1 bag) mixed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots)
• 3 Tbsp butter (divided)
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 1/2 cup soft whole wheat bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook frozen veggies according to directions. Drain.
3. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add in onion powder, salt, and flour. Continue stirring until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in milk. Return to stove and heat until boiling. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in shredded Swiss cheese until melted. Stir in veggies.
5. Transfer to 1.5 quart oven safe dish and bake for 20 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden.
6. Enjoy!

Nutrition Info:

Calories: 219

Fat: 13 g

Carbs: 16 g

Protein: 8 g

Miss Amy's Cinnamon Banana Bread

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite things to bake (and eat) was banana bread. I learned early on that the riper the bananas the better (and sweeter) the bread. Fast forward to last week--> I bought some bananas and then managed to totally forget about them. I managed to stumble upon them in my kitchen on Friday, but by then they were all brown and over-ripe. Well, my forgetfulness turned out to be a blessing because I decided to continue poking around my kitchen to see what else I might have on hand. I ended up coming up with this recipe from the ingredients in my fridge and pantry.

Cast of Characters:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), room temp
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (1 single serving container)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2-3 tsp cinnamon (depending on your preference)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy
3. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
4. Mix in Greek yogurt.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
6. Alternate mixing in the mashed banana and the flour mixture. DO NOT OVER MIX! The bread will be tough and rubbery if you do :(
7. Bake for about 60 - 70 minutes. Test to see if the bread is done by inserting a toothpick into the middle of the bread. If it comes out clean, you're good to go. If it comes out with batter on it, keep the bread in a bit longer.

If you really like banana nut bread, try folding in about 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter before baking. Enjoy!

Soup on Sunday: Miss Amy's Vegetable "Beef" Soup

There's nothing better on a cold winter day than some warm comfort food like this vegetable beef soup. Well, the fact that it's so low maintenance may make it even better! I love this recipe because you cook it on low for several hours (8-10), so I can toss everything in the crock pot in the morning and it'll be ready by the time I get home from work!

I think this is a fairly versatile recipe. If you are a meat eater, you could certainly add in browned ground beef or even some chicken. You could also try changing up the veggies. If you give this soup a makeover, let me know how it works out!

Cast of Characters:

• 1 can vegetable broth
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 12 oz veggie burger crumbles (made by companies like Morningstar)
• 1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 can great northern beans
• 16 oz bag mixed veggies
• 1 packet of onion soup mix

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
2. And that's it! Only 1 direction!

Nutrition Info using burger crumbles:

Servings: 6

Calories: 210

Fat: 3 g

Carbs: 30 g

Protein: 17 g

Nutrition Info using lean ground beef:

Servings: 6

Calories: 281

Fat: 13 g

Carbs: 26 g

Protein: 17 g

Miss Amy's Belgian Spice Cookies

This week it was my turn to bring snacks for my small group and I was feeling quite festive, so I made some gingerbread men and these Belgian spice cookies. I liked them so much, I decided to post the recipe here so I wouldn't forget how I made them.

Cast of Characters:

• 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1.5 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1.25 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to blend together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then mix in egg and vanilla extract.
4. Gradually mix dry ingredients into butter mixture. Mixture may be a bit crumbly, but should still stick together when pinched.
5. Form dough into a disc and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 - 60 minutes.
6. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick and cut with cookie cutters. Be sure to use plenty of flour on your rolling pin, hands, and counter. This dough can be really sticky.
7. Spray cookie sheets with non-stick spray.
8. Bake each batch of cookies for about 8 minutes.
9. Enjoy!

Soup on Sunday: Miss Amy's Broccoli Cheese Soup

And the soup kick continues! Last week I decided to make a vegetarian version of broccoli cheese soup (most broccoli cheese soup uses beef broth).

Cast of Characters:

• 1 box of vegetable broth
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 cup flour
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 Cups milk
• 4 oz (half a block) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 10 oz bags of steam in the bag broccoli, cooked (chop any large pieces into spoon-sized pieces)

Directions:

1. In a small pot simmer half of the vegetable broth and onion for 15-20 minutes.
2. Heat milk in microwave for about 3 minutes.
3. In a large stockpot, melt butter and then gradually add flour while stirring constantly. Continue to cook and constantly stir for about 2 minutes.
4. Whisk in warm milk. Continue to cook and stir constantly for 5-8 minutes until thickened.
5. Add warmed broth and onions and remaining vegetable broth.
6. Add in shredded cheese. Stir and cook until completely melted.
7. Add steamed broccoli.

Nutrition Info:

Servings: 6

Calories: 354

Fat: 20 g

Carbs: 24 g

Protein: 18 g

Soup on Sunday: Spinach Soup

I have devised another healthy creamy veggie soup, just for you! (Ok, for me too) I know creamy spinach soup sounds a little strange, but it's really good!

Cast of Characters:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 small Vidalia onion
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 medium baking potato (diced)
• 6 oz fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion until tender.
2. Add broth and diced potato. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for about 8 minutes (until potato is very tender).
3. Add spinach and recover until spinach wilts (should take no more than 2 minutes).
4. Place soup and Greek yogurt in a blender to puree.
5. Pour soup into bowl and garnish with a dollop of Greek yogurt. Enjoy!

Nutrition Info:

Servings: 4

Calories: 112

Fat: 2.4 g

Carbs: 18.5 g

Protein: 6 g

Soup on Sunday: Miss Amy's Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

Nothing is better on a chilly fall day than a rich and filling bowl of soup. One problem with rich and filling creamy soups is that they're typically high in calories and fat, so I set out to attempt to fix that. Here's my first attempt (it was delicious!)

Cast of Characters:

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/3 Cup green onions (only the tops)
• 2 Cups vegetable broth
• 1 16oz bag of frozen cauliflower, thawed
• 1 1/2 Cups skim milk
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. In large saucepan, saute onions until tender.
2. Add in vegetable broth and cauliflower. Cover and simmer on high for 12 minutes or until cauliflower is very tender.
3. Stir in milk and cheddar cheese. Cook until cheese is melted (this shouldn't take very long at all).
4. Pour contents into a blender along with the Greek yogurt and puree. Be sure to occasionally release the steam.
5. Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese and/ or chives.

Nutrition info:

Servings: 5

Calories: 190

Fat: 12 g

Carbs: 10 g

Protein: 11 g

Soup on Sunday: Gingery Carrot Soup

No cute anecdotes about this recipe, sorry :) I was just craving soup and wanted something simple, so here it is!

Cast of Characters:

• 1.5 - 2 lbs of carrots (peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces)
• 1 small potato (peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes)
• 1 small Vidalia onion
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 32 oz vegetable broth (1 box)
• 2 cups water
• 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ginger
• 3 Tbsp heavy cream

Directions:

• Combine garlic, onion, carrots, potato, vegetable broth, and water in slow cooker.
• Cover and cook for 6 hrs on high
• Stir in brown sugar, ginger, and heavy cream.
• Use a blender to blend until smooth.
• Enjoy!

Nutrition Info:

Servings: 6

Calories: 156

Fat: 3.2 g

Carbs: 31 g

Protein: 3 g

Miss Amy's Sweet Potato Casserole

Last week, my mother mailed me a bag of sweet potatoes. It took me a while to decide what to do with them, but then I figured since Thanksgiving is coming up (sort of), I'd try my hand at making a sweet potato casserole. Here's how it turned out.

Cast of Characters:

• 4 lbs sweet potatoes (6-8 potatoes)
• 1/2 Cup evaporated milk (or lowfat milk, if you prefer)
• 1/2 cup plus 3 Tbsp packed brown sugar divided
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter divided
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2 eggs
• 6 oz pecans or walnuts (I recommend pecans)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup mini marshmallows

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 400. Place sweet potatoes in a parchment paper-lined pan and baked for about 1 1/2 hours.
• Turn your oven down to 350.
• Peel sweet potatoes. Mix them until they are a smooth paste. Beat in milk, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 4 Tbsp butter, vanilla, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice.
• Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp butter. Pour over the nuts until they are coated. Mix in remaining 3 Tbsp of brown sugar and the cinnamon.
• Spread sweet potato mixture evenly in a 13x9 baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the nut mixture and the marshmallows.
• Bake at 350 degrees for half an hour or until marshmallows are browned.

Nutrition Info:

Servings: 12

Calories: 280

Fat: 17 g

Carbs: 32 g

Protein: 5 g

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pound Cake

Fall is almost here! I'm so excited! I love fall food! Pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin torte, etc. To celebrate the coming season, I decided to try something new: Pumpkin Pound Cake.

Cast of Characters:

• 2-1/2 cups
• sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine sugar and oil until blended.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves; add to egg mixture alternately with pumpkin, beating well after each addition.
5. Fold in chocolate chips.
6. Pour into 10 in. bundt pan.
7. Bake for approximately 60 minutes.
8. Let cool for 10 minutes before flipping onto a wire rack.

Nutritional Info

Servings: 16

Calories: 420

Fat: 19g

Carbs: 60g

Protein: 4 g

Protein Packed Mac & Cheese

As you may have noticed by now, I'm not really a fan of meat, so I'm always looking for new delicious ways to get protein in my diet (and peanut butter gets old really quick). I just thought I'd share with ya'll one way that I do this. Instead of adding 1/4 cup of milk when making my mac & cheese, I add 1/2 cup of nonfat plain Greek yogurt instead. 1/4 cup of milk only has about 2 g of protein, but the Greek yogurt has 23 g! Big difference! Not to mention, it gives the mac & cheese a richer flavor (without adding any fat!) and makes the sauce a bit thicker... cause no one likes watery mac & cheese.

Strawberry Smoothie

Summer is the perfect time for smoothies. When in a hurry, I used to run by somewhere like Smoothie King to get a liquid lunch. Little did I know, the smoothie I typically got was 400 calories! And some of their smoothies are more than 1,000 calories for a small! After this little discovery, I thought it may be best to stay away from smoothies, but that's easier said than done, so instead I created my own healthier alternative.

Cast of Characters:

• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup nonfat milk
• 6 oz fat free vanilla yogurt

Directions:

1. Blend well in your blender (works best if frozen strawberries are on the bottom)
2. Pour into awesome reusable cup with straw.
3. Enjoy delicious summertime bliss! :)

I'm sure this could be done with many other frozen fruits (mango, pineapple, raspberries, blackberries, etc.), but I don't currently have the time to experiment right now. Let me know if you try another combo that works!

Nutrition Info:

Calories: 188

Fat: 1 g

Carbs: 34 g

Protein: 12 g

Grilled Peaches with Greek Yogurt

I decided that I would celebrate my last day of summer vacation by making this simple and delicious (not to mention healthy) dessert for myself that just screams summertime.

Cast of Characters:

• 1 ripe (almost overripe) peach
• 1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp granola
• 1 Tbsp honey (I prefer organic honey over the typical clover honey. It has more flavor)

Directions:

1. Cut peach in half and remove the pit.
2. Spray grill or peaches lightly with cooking spray. Place peaches with the skin side up on the grill. (I used my George Foreman grill for this part).
3. Remove peaches after about a minute or so.
4. Garnish the peach with yogurt, granola, and honey.
5. Enjoy!

Nutrition Info:

Calories: 160

Fat: 1 g

Carbs: 34 g

Protein: 7 g

Toffee Crackle Cookies

Baking as a result of boredom... Well, that, and I figured I'd do something nice for my coworkers at camp this summer, so I decided to bake some cookies to share with them. I made these to share with my family for Christmas one year and they were a hit and it's easy to understand why. They're not too sweet and they have a fabulously soft texture. Not to mention they have toffee in them! So without further ramblings from me...

Cast of Characters:

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature (don't microwave it)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup toffee pieces (If you're a chocolate lover, you can crush up bite size heath bars)
• granulated white sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until butter is softened.
3. Add brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally.
4. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined.
5. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Use a wooden spoon to incorporate the rest.
6. Stir in toffee pieces.
7. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar.
8. Place balls about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets
9. Bake for about 18-20 minutes. You'll know they are done when the tops are slightly cracked (these cookies don't brown).
10. Allow cookies to cool for a little while on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack, otherwise, the cookies will fall apart.

I know these cookies don't look that exciting, but please trust me, THEY'RE AMAZING! Happy Baking!

Easy Peach Crumble

As many of my friends know, my favorite fruit is peaches (what Georgia native doesn't love peaches?), so today while walking through the grocery store, I decided to grab a few and see what I could do with them. Here's what I came up with.

Cast of Characters:

• 4 Large Peaches
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 yellow cake mix
• 1/2 cup of butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel and slice peaches and plop them into a 9x9 baking dish. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over the peaches evenly.
3. In a medium (or large) mixing bowl, mix together the cake mix and melted butter until the cake mix is fully covered. It should be a crumbly texture.
4. Spoon your cake mix and butter combo over the peaches and spread evenly over the top.
5. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
6. Eat and enjoy!

I must say, I was pleasantly surprised by how this turned out. I think next time I'm going to try using apples and a spice cake mix. Anyone have any other good combination ideas?

Nutrition Info:

Servings: 9

Calories: 377

Fat: 16 g

Carbs: 57 g

Protein: 3 g

Dijon Green Beans

Last night's dinner was full of new recipes. To go along with my Panko Pan-Fried Fish Strips, I made a new green bean recipe. I'm still trying to decide if this recipe is a keeper or not, but I decided to post it anyway and let you decide for yourself.

Cast of Characters:

1 Tbs butter

2 tsp dijon mustard (more on this later)

1 Tbs fresh parsley

salt to taste (yes, my salt shaker is an owl)

Directions:

1. Cook the green beans according to the directions on the package or, if you bought fresh green beans like I did, cook them on the stove. (In a large saucepan on medium-high heat, bring water to a boil. Add in trimmed green beans and allow to boil, uncovered, for about 5-8 minutes until they are cooked to your liking.)
2. Once green beans are cooked and drained, mix in all other ingredients until coated evenly.
   
   Recipe Review: I am not a huge fan of dijon mustard, so I think the next time I make these, I will only use about 1.5 tsp of dijon mustard instead of the full 2. Aside from the small tweak that needs to be made, I really like this recipe. It's a little more exciting than just plain green beans and the only thing I had to buy for this recipe was the green beans. I think I just made up my mind about this recipe. I suppose I will try it again. :)

Nutrition Info:

Servings: 4

Calories: 35

Fat: 1.5 g

Carbs: 6 g

Protein: 1 g

Sweet Potato Fries

This past week, on their way to the beach, my parents decided to stop at a little roadside produce stand where they bought peaches, cantaloupe, and a big brown paper bag full of sweet potatoes. I decided that since we some sweet potatoes to spare, I would try a new side to go with my Meyer lemon and dill fish parcels that I was making. I settled on the sweet potato fries recipe that I found in the latest issue of GreenWise.

Cast of Characters:

• Sweet potatoes
• Salt
• Pepper
• Ground cumin
• Paprika
• Chili powder
• Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut potatoes lengthwise into quarters and then cut each quarter into thirds. (Anyone else feel like this is a 3rd grade math lesson?)
3. Spray a cookie sheet with the cooking spray and then spread out potato wedges. Wedges shouldn't be overlapping.
4. Sprinkle wedges evenly with salt, pepper, ground cumin, paprika, and chili powder.
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until soft.

Play around with trying some different seasonings. Let me know if you come up with a new combination.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love Starbucks! They have a banana chocolate chip muffin there that I absolutely love, so I just had to try to create my own.

Cast of characters:

• 1 1/2 cups of mini chocolate chips
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
2. - Cut butter into small pieces and melt in the microwave (about 30-45 seconds should do it) and then set it aside to cool
3. - In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nuts using a fork or a whisk. Set aside.
4. - In a medium mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted and cooled butter, and vanilla.
5. - Using a rubber spatula, fold banana mixture into your flour mixture just until combined. Do not overdo it because then you'll end up with tough muffins.
6. - Spoon batter evenly into 12 paper-lined or greased muffin cups and bake for 18-22 minutes.
7. - Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Nutrition Info:

Calories: 328

Fat: 15g

Carbs: 48g

Protein: 4 g