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Chocolate Pumpkin Frosting

Chocolate Pumpkin Frosting

This 2 ingredient frosting is simple to make for those with a sophisticated pallet.  You may want to use milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet if you are preparing this for those who prefer sweets. Recipe from Food Network Ingredients: 1 15 ounce can pure 

Slow Cooker Chicken and Biscuits

Slow Cooker Chicken and Biscuits

This is a dinner you can throw together in minutes.  The biscuits will need an hour or two at the end to cook so I often make this on weekends when I am home and can add the biscuits at least 90 minutes before we 

Roasted Eggplant Salad

Roasted Eggplant Salad

I love eggplant fresh from the garden.  You can use a large eggplant or several small eggplants to make this dish.  I used a dozen or so small eggplants from my mother in laws garden to make this salad.  You can eat this by the spoonful or use it as a veggie dip either way works.

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant or 12 small eggplants

2 cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt

½ onion diced

2 cloves garlic

1 jalapeno pepper

1 tablespoon cilantro

¼ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon turmeric

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
  2. Pierce eggplants in the center 2-3 times with a fork.
  3. Roast eggplants for 35-45 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  4. Spray a nonstick pan with olive oil spray.  Cook onions and garlic over medium heat stirring often for 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.
  5. Slice open the eggplants and scoop out the insides.  Add the insides to the bowl with the onion and garlic.
  6. Add diced jalapeno, cilantro, cumin, and turmeric to the bowl.  Mix to combine.
  7. Fold in the yogurt.
  8. You can eat this by the spoonful or use as a dip for vegetables.
  9. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Before roasting
After roasting
Crab and Ricotta Stuffed Manicotti

Crab and Ricotta Stuffed Manicotti

Crab with ricotta and herbs stuffed in manicotti shells topped with marinara sauce.  This is a simple and delicious meal you can prep ahead of time and bake when you are ready. Ingredients: 1 box manicotti pasta 1 cup part skim ricotta cheese ½ cup 

Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Caramel Apple Dump Cake

If you are craving caramel apples and want an easy dessert to impress a crowd then you will love this cake.  Ingredients: 4-5 apples peeled and sliced 1 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ teaspoon cardamom 1 bag Kraft caramels 1 spice cake box mix 

Roasted Eggplant and Chicken with Feta and Dill Yogurt Sauce

Roasted Eggplant and Chicken with Feta and Dill Yogurt Sauce

The roasted eggplant makes this dish so creamy and delicious!  You can make this spicier by using harissa instead of chili powder, but it was delicious as it was.

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant or 6-10 small eggplants

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes

2 teaspoons oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

½ sweet onion diced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes

¼ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon fresh dill or ½ teaspoon dried dill

Juice from 1 lemon

2 tablespoons fresh mint

4 ounces feta cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 
  2. Cut eggplants in half and spray with olive oil spray.
  3. Mix oregano, salt, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl.
  4. Sprinkle half of the spice mixture over the eggplants.
  5. Roast eggplants for 30-40 minutes.  Set aside to cool.
  6. Spray a nonstick pan with olive oil spray. 
  7. Add the onion and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  8. Add the diced chicken and tomatoes.  Add the remaining spice mixture and 1 teaspoon (or more) of chili powder.  Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 20 minutes stirring often.
  9. Use a fork to scoop the insides out of the eggplant.  Add the roasted eggplant to the chicken mixture and simmer for 5 more minutes.
  10. Sprinkle feta cheese and mint over the chicken mixture and remove from heat.
  11. In a small bowl add yogurt, dill, and lemon juice. Mix.  Thin with a teaspoon or two of water if needed.
  12. Drizzle yogurt sauce over the chicken mixture and enjoy!
Turkey Chili and Cornbread Waffles

Turkey Chili and Cornbread Waffles

My kids love when I make cornbread to go with chili.  This time I took a recipe from Fixate and my kids devoured it.  This healthy chili over cornbread waffles topped with shredded cheese and plain nonfat Greek yogurt is a dish that is sure 

Grilled Italian Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Grilled Italian Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

This marinated chicken tastes amazing on its own, but it is truly memorable with the roasted red pepper sauce.  If you have leftover sauce it works on pasta or veggie noodles too. Recipe adapted from Food Network Ingredients: Chicken- 6 thin chicken breasts 2 tablespoons 

Roasted Rutabagas with Cranberry Sauce

Roasted Rutabagas with Cranberry Sauce

I love cranberries and recently fell in love with rutabagas as a healthier starchy vegetable.

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients-

1 rutabaga peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 shallot peeled and quartered or red onion sliced

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

12 ounces fresh cranberries

¼ cup stevia or ½ cup sugar

¼ cup light brown sugar

1 orange juiced with 1 inch piece of rind reserved

Coconut oil spray

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 8×8 pan with nonstick spray.
  2. Add the rutabagas and shallots to the baking dish.  Spray with coconut oil.
  3. Strip the leaves from 1 rosemary sprig.  Sprinkle the rosemary over the dish.
  4. Roast until rutabagas develop a golden color 45-55 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile combine the cranberries, sugar/stevia, brown sugar, orange juice, orange rind, 1 rosemary sprig, and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium heat until the cranberries burst in about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and discard the orange rind and rosemary sprig.
  6. Remove the rutabagas from the oven and stir to mix.  Drizzle the cranberries over the rutabagas.
  7. Enjoy!
cranberry sauce
roasted rutabagas without the cranberry sauce
Garlic and Parmesan Rutabaga Fries

Garlic and Parmesan Rutabaga Fries

Garlic and parmesan flavors pop on these low carb fries.  Simply drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with garlic powder and grated parmesan cheese, and air fry for a delicious side dish. Ingredients: ½ rutabaga peeled and sliced into wedges 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive