HEALTHY RANCH DIP

I really had hoped to post something a little sooner, but my plans were foiled a few days ago when my 2 year old spit an entire mouth full of apple juice right into the key board of my lap top. At the time I had one of those..."Why am I having another child??? moments". But I'm over it now, and my little r is once again the light of my life. She's just lucky she has a "computer nerd" daddy that knows how to fix just about everything electronic around here.

So I thought it only fitting that my first post of the new year, be something healthy. It seems like everyone I know has set goals for weight loss or healthy eating. One of the benefits of pregnancy at the new year; not really worrying about weight loss. However, I know that will be my number one goal come April. Anyway, this little recipe is one of my all time favorites.

Years ago, and I do mean many years, I really got into Body for Life. Some of you may have heard if it. It's a great program. I've done it twice in my life and both time lost a considerable amount of weight. The first time I lost 30 pounds and the second time I lost 25. I have many recipes from the program that have stuck with me over the years, not just because they're healthy, they also happen to be yummy. This was one of them.

I also thought this was a great fit for the upcoming Super Bowl Sunday. This is a perfect healthy munchie. Even my 2 year old gobbles this stuff up. She is a veggieholic though...strange but true.


HEALTHY RANCH DIP
(Recipe by Body for Life)

1 C. regular or low-fat cottage cheese
1 green onion, chopped
2 t. Italian seasoning
1/4 t. ground black pepper
1/2 t. salt

1. Combine the cottage cheese and green onion in a blender or food processor. Blend on high speed until smooth.
2. Stir in the Italian seasoning, pepper and salt.
3. Serve with Veggies, Pita chips, crackers etc...

HOMEMADE REFRIED BEANS

If you live here in Utah, you're most likely familiar with Cafe Rio. It's a fresh Mexican restaurant that has very yummy food. Well the first time I ever ate at a Cafe Rio, I made the mistake of asking them if they had refried beans. I love refried beans! The response I got from the cute guy behind the counter was, "Miss, (I was a miss back then) If you had any idea what happens to the poor pinto bean in order to make it refried...you'd never eat refried beans again."

Honestly I'd never given the process of making refried beans much thought. But as I looked into it, most refried beans sold in stores and served in a large majority of your favorite Mexican restaurants, are loaded with fat or lard. I think that's what my Cafe Rio friend was talking about.

Well, needless to say I eventually came up with my own homemade refried beans. These do not contain lard and are full of flavor. They're also rather easy to make. I use this recipe to make all kinds of meals, dips, and side dishes. Some favorites include, tostadas, bean and cheese burritos, or 7 layer dip. But as I mentioned before, I love refried beans, so a big bowl topped with cheese works for me too.


HOMEMADE REFRIED BEANS
(Mindi Original)

2 cans Pinto Beans; drained and rinsed
2 T. butter
1-2 cloves garlic; minced
1 small can green chili's
1 T. fresh ground pepper
3/4 C. chicken stock

1. In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for a 2 minutes until the garlic is soft.
2. Add the beans, green chili's, pepper and chicken stock. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil.
3. Turn the heat back down to medium and allow to simmer/boil for 10 minutes, or until the stock has reduced by half.
4. Take off the heat and blend, using an immersion blender, food processor, or stand blender. You can blend as much as you like, either making the beans very smooth, or leaving chucks of bean etc.

Potsticker Experiment...

I must have been on a international kick last week. From Jagerschnitzel to Potstickers, my family took a trip across the globe.

When I saw Rachael Ray make these on her show a few weeks ago, I really wanted to try them. I'd never made potstickers before, and they did take a little work...especially because I burned them on my first try. Ooops! When I attempted them for the second time, my husband asked..."What's the back-up plan?" Does he really have such little faith in me?? :)

Anyway, they turned out great the second time around. I'm actually excited to experiment and come up with my own recipe and flavor for Potstickers. I'll keep you posted...pun intended!



POTSTICKERS
(Recipe by Rachael Ray)

1/2 pound ground pork
1 1/2-inch knob ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 clove garlic, finely chopped or grated
2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced, green tips reserved for garnish
1 t. Chinese 5-spice powder
A few dashes Sriracha or hot sauce
2 T. sesame oil, divided
4 T. soy sauce, divided
16 round wonton wrappers
1 T. vegetable or peanut oil
1/4 C. chicken stock or water, plus more as needed

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the pork, ginger, garlic, whites of the scallions, 5-spice powder, hot sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Mix well with your hands.
2. Cover the stack of wonton wrappers with a damp towel and fill a small bowl with water.
3. Working with a couple of wrappers at a time, place about a tablespoon of the meat mixture in the center of the wrapper and wet the edges by dabbing your finger in the water and running it around the edges. Fold the wrapper over to wrap the meat up so it looks like a half moon. Press the edges lightly to seal them and, if you like, crimp the edges for decoration. Continue filling and shaping the dumplings until all of the meat mixture and wrappers are used up.
4. Place a large skillet with a lid over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of oil, about 1 tablespoon.
5. Add the dumplings, flat side down, into the pan and sear until deep golden brown, about 1 minute on each side.
6. Add the stock or water to the pan and quickly place the lid on. Steam the dumplings until the meat is cooked through and most all of the liquid has been absorbed, 3-4 minutes (if all of the liquid absorbs but the potstickers aren’t done yet, add a few splashes more liquid and continue cooking).
7. While the potstickers are steaming, in a small bowl, stir together the remaining soy sauce, sesame oil, reserved scallion greens and 2 tablespoons warm water. Serve the potstickers immediately with the dipping sauce alongside.

A "Super" delish thumbs up!

This is just a little something I whipped up on Super Bowl Sunday. I had some ripe avocado's that were at the "use or throw away" stage. For some reason I wasn't in the mood for just plain old guacamole, so I decided to be creative. The risk paid off. This got a "super" thumbs up from my hubby!


BLACK BEAN CORN AND AVOCADO SALSA
(Mindi Original)

1 Can Mexican style diced tomatoes; do not drain
1 Can black beans; drained and rinsed
1 Can sweet corn, or 2 C. frozen corn; defrosted
2 avocados; diced
½ large red onion; finely diced
½ C. cilantro; chopped
2-3 T. lime juice
1 t. cumin
3 cloves garlic; crushed and minced
salt & pepper to taste

1. In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients and gently stir to combine.
2. Serve with chips, on tacos, or over fish or chicken.

A seedy little snack...

Carving pumpkins this week?? Well you should be! As a kid my favorite part of carving pumpkins was the seeds. My mom would toast them up with salt for a tasty little snack. We would all dive in.

I'm sure most of you already save and toast your seeds, but I have a couple of idea's that will put a twist on this classic childhood treat. Whether you have sweet teeth or salty buds try a one of these fun recipes for a seedy little snack.

Have a Happy Halloween!!

(Classic on the left...Sugar & Spice on the right.)

TOASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

SUGAR & SPICE
1 C. raw pumpkin seeds, rinsed and dried
6 T. white sugar, divided
¼ t. salt
½ t. cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1 T. vegetable oil

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Spread the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until seeds are dry and lightly toasted. (Larger seeds may take a little longer.)
3. In a large bowl, stir together 2 Tablespoons of the sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
5. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar melts, about 45 seconds.
6. Pour sees into the bowl with the spiced sugar and stir until coated.
7. Allow to cool before serving.
8. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.


SAVORY
1 ½ T. butter, melted
½ t. salt
1/8 t. garlic salt
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
2 C. raw whole pumpkin seeds

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
2. Combine the butter, salt, garlic salt, Worcestershire sauce and pumpkin seeds. Mix thoroughly and place in shallow baking dish.
3. Bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove seeds from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving.
5. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

MOMS RECIPE
2 C. raw pumpkin seeds
1 t. salt
1 T. vegetable oil

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Spread the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until seeds are dry and lightly toasted. (Larger seeds may take a little longer.)
3. Remove the seeds from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the seeds and sprinkle with salt.
5. Cook until toasty.
6. Remove seeds from the pan and allow to cool completely before serving.
7. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Want to start a creepy tradition...

I'm so excited for Halloween! I don't know why. It's always been my least favorite holiday. I've never really thought much about it until this year. I'm sure it has something to do with little "R". I know she won't remember this Halloween and the whole dressing up and trick-or-treating may just freak her out...who knows! But I'm so excited to find out. Honestly, I'm pretty sure she's going to love it. As soon as she gets one taste of the good stuff...the treats...I think she'll be a fan.

As many of you know, well most of you probably don't, I didn't get married until I was 32. Little "R" was born when I was 34. So I had many years of childless years waiting for my turn to bask in the joy of kid loving holidays.

My sister however was married at 18 and now has 3 teenagers, who still love Halloween! Probably because she always made it, and all other holidays, special and exciting. My sisters pretty crafty and amazing! She has been brilliant at creating the best traditions for her family; both meaningful and whimsical.

One such tradition that I think is pretty cool; Halloween inspired dinners. The week or several days leading up Halloween, she always makes spooky, gross, or scary snacks and meals for the kids. They love it and always look forward to her annual creepy creations.

This year little "R" isn't quite old enough to really appreciate or "get" the concept of creative cooking, but by next year I'm hoping to start this same tradition. If you think this would be a cool tradition as well. Click here for some awesome Halloween inspired recipes that are sure to please all the little goblins in your house.

Recipe and photo's from "Family Fun Magazine"

Swamp Juice

Mummy Pizza's

Carrot Finger Food

Apple Bites

When the husbands away...

...the wife eats left over appetizers for dinner. It's sad but true. For some reason, when my husband is out of town I just don't feel like cooking. I don't know what's happened to me. I was single until I was 32 and used to love to cook, even if it was just for me. But now...maybe it's the idea of having one night of no dishes, or it could be that I love playing with my little munchkin so much I can't tear myself away...no... it's definitely the dishes.

Last night I hosted a baby shower for my friend Lacy. I made these fun little appetizers. They tasted good at the shower and they still tasted good reheated tonight for dinner.

Don't worry, I made a healthy dinner for little "R". She had chicken, potatoes and broccoli. She had two helpings of broccoli. That's my little veggie lover.


SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP OR APPETIZER CUPS
(Mindi Original)

DIP
1 lg. pkg. thawed & well drained, chopped frozen spinach
2 cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 pkg. cream cheese
1 C. sour cream
1 C. mayonnaise
1 C. grated Parmesan
1 C. mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese (or blended)
2 t. red pepper flakes
4 T. hot pepper sauce
2 t. salt
2 t. garlic powder
tortilla chips (for dip) or 50 wonton wrappers (for cups)

1. Slightly melt cream cheese in microwave.
2. Mix in all ingredients, adding the spinach and artichokes last.
3. Pour into 9x13 baking dish.
4. Heat at 350, until hot and bubbly. (approx. 15 - 30 min)
5. Serve with tortilla chips or torn crusty bread.

APPETIZER CUPS
1. Divide the above ingredients in half and mix as directed.
2. Spray the mini muffin tin's with cooking spray and then place wonton wrappers in the mini muffin tin's.
3. Fill each wonton cup with one tablespoon of mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes, or until crispy and heated through.
5. Allow to cool in pan for a minute.
6. Remove and serve warm.
7. Makes 50 appetizers.

Is it a salad or a salsa??

I'm headed to a neighborhood baby shower tonight and will be taking this yummy salad with me.

It's actually a recipe I've had for years, adapted from my "Body for Life" cook book. The only thing I really do differently is add cheese. But when I'm not taking it to a group function or I'm trying to be really healthy, I leave the cheese out. It's still really yummy and full of flavor.

It's definitely a family favorite and works well as a salad or served with tortilla chips as a salsa or dip.


MEXICAN RANCH SALAD
(Recipe adapted from Body for Life Cooking)

2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained (or 1½ C. fresh corn, cooked and cut off the cob)
½ large red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper diced
2 C. shredded cooked chicken (or 2 can’s cooked chicken, shredded)
2 C. sharp cheddar cheese
½ C. light mayo
½ C. reduced fat sour cream
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
1 ½ t. cumin
½ t. salt
½ C. cilantro
½ t. red pepper flakes

1. In a large mixing bowl add beans, corn, red onion, red pepper, chicken and cheese.
2. In a small mixing bowl add mayo, sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, cumin, salt, cilantro, and red pepper. Mix well, forming a dressing.
3. Mix the dressing in with the bean and corn mixture.
4. Allow to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
5. Serves 6-8 people.

Taste memory...part II...

As mentioned yesterday, you can't have the best Texan fajitas without mouth watering salsa and guacamole.

I have spent years perfecting my salsa recipe, to my version of perfect that is. I think I finally have it down. This has been the recipe we've stuck with the longest. It also seems to be a crowd pleaser everywhere we go.

I can't take credit for the guacamole, however. This is my sisters recipe. It seems almost too simple to even really be a recipe, but I promise it's the best guacamole you'll ever taste. Sometime simplicity is divine.


MINDI'S BEST EVER SALSA
(Mindi Original)

1 large Roma tomato, quartered
½ small yellow or red onion; quartered
½ C. cilantro (a hand full)
2 small cloves garlic or 1 large clove
1 chipotle chili in Adobo sauce*

1 t. of the Adobo sauce
Zest of one lime
Juice of one lime
1 T. white vinegar
1 t. cumin
Salt & pepper
2 t. sugar
1 can diced tomatoes with cilantro and lime, do not drain (Western Family brand is my favorite)

1. Put all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until desired consistency; fine or chunky.
2. Chill in the refrigerator.

*All chili's are not created equal, even in the can. If you are sensitive to heat, be sure and take a small little taste of your chili to check the heat level. To control the heat in your salsa add the chili last, incorporating just a quarter or third of the chili at a time until you reach your desired heat level. If you add too much and you need to tone down the heat in the salsa, adding more sugar will help to balance out the heat. Just add a little at a time.

GUACAMOLE
(Recipe courtesy Jen Uibel)

4 large Hass avocados
1 small red onion (or half a large onion)
1 Roma tomato

1. Put all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until desired consistency; fine or chunky.

KIWI MANGO SALSA

Although the majority of recipes I've posted to date haven't been super health conscience, we actually do eat very healthy around here. Especially as I'm desperately trying to take off my baby weight. Who am I kidding...most of the weight I needed to loose before the baby. But sense I can blame it on pregnancy, I might as well.

Anyway, this tasty salsa is super healthy and very versatile. You can serve it over chicken, fish, or with tortilla chips if you feel like splurging.


KIWI MANGO SALSA
(Mindi Original)

4 medium peeled and diced kiwifruit
1 C. peeled and diced mango (1 large or 2 small mangos)
2 T. minced green chili peppers
¼ C. minced red onion
2 T. fresh lime juice
1 T. honey
¼ C. chopped cilantro
¼ t. salt

1. Prepare all ingredients and place into medium size bowl.
2. Mix gently.
3. Serve with chips, or over cooked fish or chicken.

Tonight I served this over grilled chicken. I also love it over Salmon or Tilapia.