Tamale Pie and Toffee Brownies

I am always looking for easy recipes to make for dinner that are healthy and fast. When I saw this recipe on my friend Nicole’s blog, I knew I had to try this. I did however change it around some. Instead of using the crock pot, I decided to place the dish in the oven and make it that way instead of the crock pot as I simply forgot to make the meal before I left for work and did not feel like waiting 6 hours until it was finished. I also added a few things as well.

Tamale Pie

Serves 6

From Prevention RD

Ingredients:

Cornbread topping
3/4 cup cornmeal

1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup skim milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp baking powder

Filling
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can fire roasted tomatoes

1 can corn, drained (I used Trader Joe’s Roasted Corn)

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 epazote mexican seasoning

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 cup (1/2 small onion), diced

1/2 cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup gouda cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 8×8 pan with cooking spray. Place all the ingredient minus the cornbread mixture into a bowl and stir. Pour filling in the pan.

In a separate bowl, mix together the cornbread topping. When finished, pour evenly over the filling, spreading with a spatula if needed.

Bake for 20-25 minutes depending on when the cornbread looks finished and the top is browned.

Nutrition Information (for 1/6th of recipe, without the Gouda cheese): 323 calories; 5 g. fat; 43 mg. cholesterol; 335 mg. sodium; 57.5 g. carbohydrate; 10.8 g. fiber; 12.2 g. protein

This dish was delicious and perfect to celebrate Cinco De Mayo tomorrow. As far as the Epazote seasoning goes, that was a gift from my Aunt Jill (I mean my Uncle Mark) for Christmas from Penzey Spices. It is a Mexican spice and therefore thought it would be a great addition to this dish. This was delicious and highly recommended it.

Another quick recipe I wanted to share with you was Toffee Brownies. We made this in my cooking class last night. They are so easy to make and so good….mmmm

Toffee Brownies

From Paula Deen

Ingredients

1 (17.6-ounce) package brownie mix with walnuts

Vegetable oil cooking spray

3 (6-ounce) candy bars with almonds and toffee chips

Directions

Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions.

Line a 13 by 9-inch cake pan with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil cooking spray. Spoon in half of the brownie batter and smooth with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Place the candy bars side by side on top of the batter. Cover with the remaining batter.

Bake according to package directions. Let cool completely, then lift from the pan using the edges of the foil. This makes it easy to cut the brownies into squares.

Holy richness, these are divine.

Any plans for Cinco De Mayo tomorrow? I’m thinking Corona’s for sure

Crock Pot Hawaiian BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Mondays are extremely busy for me as I usually don’t get home until 8:30 pm, making it a LONGGGG day. Since, I don’t get home until late and eat with my eating disorder patients, I usually try to put something in the crock pot for Mr. Healthy Junky, because lets be real, he would be eating PB &J’s every Monday if that was the case. Can we say spoiled?

I saw this recipe on Tasty Kitchen Blog and knew Andy would love this as he is a huge chicken fan. I am glad to make chicken on Monday’s as I am not a big fan and therefore won’t be eating it.

Andy raved about this recipe, so if you are looking for something easy, give this recipe a try. “You won’t be disappointed” states the sampler.

Hawaiian BBQ Pulled Chicken

From My Retro Kitchen

Source

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds Boneless Chicken Breast, Thighs Or A Combo Of The Two
• 1 whole Onion (large), Sliced Into Chunks
• 1 can (20 Oz. Size) Pineapple (Nibblits)
• 1 bottle (18 oz. Size) BBQ Sauce Of Your Choice (I used Sweet Baby Ray’s)
• Hamburger Buns Or Kaiser Rolls

Directions:

If you use frozen chicken, make sure it is completely defrosted. If you cook it frozen, it will indeed cook but it will make a very “wet” sauce. Place your chicken in the bottom of the crock pot. Top with onions, then pineapple. Pour the entire bottle of BBQ sauce over the whole thing.

Note: If you want a sweeter BBQ, add up to half a cup of the pineapple juice you drained, depending on how sweet you want it. This is optional.

Turn your crock pot on LOW and cook for 8–10 hours (or on HIGH for 4–6).

An hour or two before it is finished cooking, carefully remove the chicken from the crock pot and shred it using two forks. Place chicken back in the crock pot and stir well to combine. Finish cooking an additional hour or two so the chicken can absorb most of the sauce. Serve on hamburger buns or whatever you prefer.

Place chicken in the  bottom of a crock pot.

Top with onions of your choice, I used red.

Top with pineapples.

Top with your favorite BBQ sauce and turn that crock pot on low for a few hours.

I also added some cayenne pepper as Andy likes his food spicy.

After shredding the chicken, serve on a Kaiser Roll, Bun, or Bread.

Enjoy!

Double Tomato Goat Cheese Bruschetta Pizza

Thanks again Erin for the awesome pizza recipe. I had a few people text me saying they can’t wait to try that recipe.

Awhile back, I had Andy’s parents over for dinner. For an appetizer, I made Double Tomato Bruschetta and everyone loved it, so I thought why not take bruschetta and use it for a pizza topping. This is definitely a new favorite pizza topping for me, especially with the sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil….mmmmm

Double Tomato Goat Cheese Bruschetta Pizza

Ingredients

• 6 Roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles
• Prepared Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine the Roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, pepper, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
3. On a floured surface, roll out prepared pizza crust dough and lay or pizza stone or pizza pan
4. Place the tomato mixture evenly over the pizza dough. Top the slices with remaining mozzarella cheese and goat cheese
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until crust is baked and cheese is bubbling.

This is great on either pizza or a french banquette.

Enjoy!

Roasted Tomato, Onion, and Basil Pesto Pizza

Happy Hump Day, well almost

Hope everyone had a great Easter. Mine was busy but well spent with family, great food, and awesome memories, which makes for a fun time.

Last week I asked if anyone was willing to share their favorite recipes with me in order to post on my blog. My friend Erin over at the The Healthy Apron shared this recipe with me as she was raving about. I love how there are orange beets on this pizza as I found that very intriguing.

Anyway, here is the recipe, ENJOY!

Roasted Tomato, Onion, and Basil Pesto Pizza

 Adapted from Oh She Glows

Herb-Infused Pizza Dough:

• 1 c. white bread flour + 3/4c. flour, divided
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1.5 tsp white sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp pizza yeast OR Instant yeast
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3 T olive oil
• 2/3 c. very WARM water (not lukewarm)
• Extra flour for kneading

Directions

Mix 1 cup of flour, salt, sugar, herbs, and yeast in a large bowl, stirring well. Quickly add in 2/3 cup very warm water + 3 T oil. Stir well. Add in 3/4-1 cup more of the flour, gradually as you combine. Once all the flour is incorporated, pour dough on to floured surface and knead for ~5 minutes, adding more flour if needed. You want the dough to be smooth, not sticky.

Now, form dough in to a ball and place in a large, oiled bowl, covering with a towel. Allow to rise ~1 1/2 hours (punching down halfway through).

Basil Pesto

• 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ~3 T raw cashews
• 1 1/2 T olive oil
• 2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ~3-4 T organic basil pesto
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Add cashews and oil to food processor and blend well. Now add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

Roasted Tomato, Onion, Garlic, Beet, and Parsley topping

• 2-3 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 3 small orange beets, diced, optional
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 2 T freshly chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 T Olive oil
• 1/2 T Balsamic vinegar
• couple grinds of sea salt
• 2 more T parsley, fresh
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions:

Beets: Wash and peel the skin, dice in to small 1/4-1/2″ cubes. Place on lined baking sheet  in a 400 degree oven for ~25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together oil, salt, vinegar, parsley (1-2 T), and garlic. Whisk. In another bowl, add chopped tomatoes, onions, and the rest of the parsley. Pour oil mixture over the veggies and spread on baking sheet with the beets (after the 25 minutes), baking at 400 degrees for another 40-45 minutes. Watch closely.

Assemble Pizza:

Preheat pizza stone for ~15 minutes at 500 degrees.

On a separate cookie sheet, shape pizza crust, lightly brush with a drizzle of olive oil, spread pesto, top with roasted vegetables, and sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Transfer crust to pizza stone carefully, bake ~10-13 minutes at 500 degrees.

What is your favorite pizza toppings?

Mine is roasted garlic, sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and since I am not a vegan fresh mozzarella cheese….mmmm

Have a great day!

Banana Split Dessert

Ask and you shall receive. Last night, I asked for recipes from any of my readers who were willing to share some of there favorite recipes. I thought for the next few post, I would share YOUR favorite recipes versus always sharing mine.

This next recipe is a recipe that my aunt Gerri sent me. Although I know my blog is titled “The Healthy Junky”, it’s good to have a few treats here and there. Here was my aunt’s comment when she sent the email:

“Erica, I have a favorite recipe to share, but your Mom probably already has it too. I like this recipe so much because of the tons of butter in it. (Paula Deans favorite ingredient for ALL recipes)  Guess I will never make it as a “healthy” junky?? ” So, here it is! Thanks Aunt Gerri

Banana Split Dessert

source

Ingredients:

½ cup butter or margarine, melted

2 cups graham cracker or vanilla wafer crumbs

2 eggs

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

¾ cup butter , softened (not melted)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 – 20 oz. can crushed pineapples (drained)

4 medium bananas

10-12 oz. carton of Cool Whip

½ cup chopped pecans

¼ cup maraschino cherries

 Directions:

Combine melted butter or margarine and graham crackers crumbs. Pat in 13” x 9” x 2” pan. Beat eggs on high speed of electric mixer about 4 minutes. Add powdered sugar, softened butter and vanilla. Beat 5 minutes. Spread over Crumbs. Chill 30 minutes. Spread pineapples over creamed mixture. Arrange bananas over pineapples. Cover with whipped topping. Sprinkle with pecans. Cover and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. Garnish with cherries.

I have had this dessert before, and it is delicious. Makes me wanna go to the store and get the ingredients. I love desserts.

My friend Erin over at the The Healthy Apron  sent me a recipe as well today that I will share tomorrow.

So glad tomorrow is Friday

Parmesan Bowl

Hello everyone,

So purchasing a home is a lot of work, especially when the inspection proves otherwise. Although I must say I have not been doing all that much as that is what boys are for, I just sit and look pretty LOL JUST KIDDING! Anyway we are still hoping to move in at the end of May, which is exciting Here are some more pictures:

The other day when I called my mom, she was telling me how she was making a bowl. I was like out of what? Parmesan she said. She later gave me her creation as she did not have anything to do with it, and so I put it to use, as my salad bowl. She saw this on the local news and knew she had to try it.

Parmesan Cheese Bowl

This recipe was given to me by my mom as seen on our local news station

Ingredients:

Shredded parmesan cheese (use as much or little as you want depending on how big you want your bowl to be)

Parchment paper

Black pepper

Dried Basil

Cookie sheet

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grab your favorite small bowl, glass, or any shape you want to form

Shape your cheese on parchment paper and sprinkle with pepper and basil. Bake for 3-5 mins

While the cheese is still warm, place hot cheese over desired shape

Let stand for 2-3 minutes until it cools, and then serve with your favorite salad, dip, veggies, bread, etc

This is a really fun bowl that is edible and really makes entertaining fun and easy.

So, I am seeking out some help. I am looking for your favorite recipes with pictures of course to share on my blog. If anyone is interested, please email me at thehealthyjunky@gmail.com.

Have a great night

Hot Wing Burgers

The other night before Andy and I were signing our life away on this new home we just purchased, we were thinking of having a BBQ, however it never happen as we were doing some signing on some major documents, which caused us both to lose our appetite.

He wanted wings, while I was thinking burgers. I am not a wing fan by any means, as the only thing I like from the wings is the sauce they may be prepared in. So, I thought why not combined them to be a hot wing burger. I am by no means a master at creating recipes, so I thought there had to be a recipe on the internet. Who else but the one and only Rachael Ray.

My sister Victoria came over to help Andy and I indulge in these burgers that were suppose to be made on Sunday, however got pushed back just a bit. They did however taste fabulous.

I did alter this recipe some, as Rachael recommended using turkey, while I opted for beef.  If I am going to eat meat, I try to purchase hormone/antibiotic free grass-fed meat, and therefore spent a fortune on two pounds of meat this past Sunday. Priorities right?

Rachael Ray’s Adirondack Red Wing Burger

Inspired by Rachael Ray

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 rib celery with leafy tops, finely chopped (I didn not have any, so therefore left them out)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey or chicken (I used grass-fed beef)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup hot pepper sauce
• 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 4 sandwich-size english muffins, toasted (I used whole wheat hamburger buns toasted)
• 4 deli slices cheddar cheese (completely left them out)
• 1/4 head iceberg lettuce, shredded (yep, did not add that either)
• 1/4 cup pickle relish (nor this)

DIRECTIONS:

In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Reserve the skillet. Mix the turkey, dill and poultry seasoning into the vegetable mixture; season with salt and pepper. Form into 4 patties.

Grill on high for 4-5 minutes on each side depending on how you like your burger.  Add the butter to the skillet to melt, then stir in the hot sauce. Add the patties to the sauce, turning to coat. Top each with some of the blue cheese and serve.

May want to try topping each muffin bottom with some lettuce, a patty, some relish and a muffin top.

These were good, and I would definitely have these again. Try it, especially if you love burgers and wings!

Black Bean Hummus and Homemade Pita Chips

Why Hello Blog World,

Things have been busy as usually, especially since I just bought a house on Sunday. CRAZY, considering we were not really taking house hunting all that serious. It was the last house we viewed on Sunday and got there before the open house started, therefore we meet the owners and they showed us around like we were there best friends We left with our realtor, had lunch, and said this is the one. So, we put in an offer and it was ours!  Here are a few pictures. This is NOT our furniture, as our house will definitely not look like this anytime soon. Some day though

I am super excited about the kitchen and to start cooking some of my favorite dishes.

Anyway, the other day, I saw this black bean hummus recipe in new Cooking Light Magazine. I love hummus and make it often since I received a food processor from my mom for Christmas. This recipe called for black beans instead of garbanzo beans, so I knew I had to give it a try. Don’t let the picture fool you. I won’t even tell you what Andy compared it to. I will tell you, that it tasted awesome and had a nice kick to it.

Black Bean Hummus  and Homemade Pita Chips

From Cooking Light Magazine

Total: 20 minutes
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 3 1/2 tablespoons hummus and 3 pita wedges)

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 2  tablespoons  tahini (this is roasted sesame seed paste)
• 2  tablespoons  water
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lime juice
• 1  tablespoon  extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1  (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1  garlic clove, peeled (I put 2 garlic cloves in)
• 1/2  small jalapeño pepper, seeded
• 3  (6-inch) pitas

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Place 1/4 cup cilantro, tahini, and next 8 ingredients (through jalapeño) in a food processor; process until smooth. Spoon into a bowl; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro.

3. Cut each pita into 8 wedges. Arrange on a baking sheet. (I added olive oil, and sprinkled with garlic powder, paprika, and salt and pepper) Bake at 425° for 6 minutes, turning once.

Nutritional Information: Calories: 127, Fat: 4g (sat 0.5g,mono 2g,poly 1.1g),  Protein: 5.1g, Carbohydrate: 18.5g, Fiber: 2.4g, Cholesterol: 0.0mg, Iron: 1.7mg, Sodium: 138mg, Calcium: 41mg

I love dips of any kind, and with this one being low if fat, cholesterol, and sodium, it a fabulous substitution to those oh so good gooey cheesy dips that we all love so much.

What is our favorite dip?

Blueberry Coconut Muffins

Thanks everyone for the congrats on the engagement. I am so happy and excited to start wedding planning, however first comes finding a place to live as our lease in up in July, and I surely don’t want to be living on the streets nor doing an hour commute to work having to live back at home in the meantime.

Anyway, this weekend was super busy and that means spending some time in the kitchen. Obviously it was not going to be spent outside as it was snowing oh say 3-6 inches in St. Louis yesterday…..really? It’s March mother nature.

I digress, so today I woke up and had muffins on my mind. I saw this recipe on Jessica’s How Sweet It Is and thought today was a perfect day for whipping these up.

Blueberry Coconut Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose

1/2 cup whole wheat  flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup coconut oil, liquid (I used canola oil)

1 egg

3/4 cup light coconut milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup shredded coconut

3/4 cup blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Mix flour, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl. Add coconut oil, coconut milk, vanilla, and egg, and mix until combined. Fold in shredded coconut and blueberries. Top with a sprinkling of raw turbinado sugar and coconut if desired.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Top with light butter and serve.

 

These tasted delicious. I loved that the coconut did not over power the blueberries. Great start to a Sunday!

 

Guacamole Salad and Great News

Hello Blog World!

Wow, it has been awhile since my last post. Things have been busy as usually with the three jobs, mini vacation to Florida to watch Cardinals Spring Training, and getting engaged. YAY! All these things combined, has been putting a toll on my time in the kitchen and blogging

I am doing some serious thinking in regards to my jobs and trying to decided how long I can hold on to three jobs working almost 50-55 hours/week. This has been going on since January, so I am definitely ready to explore my options in regards to giving myself some more free time. Not to mention, I have a big project ahead of me in the next year or so with wedding planning.

To start, here are just a few pictures from our trip to Florida

After that great trip, it was back to reality and starting to plan a wedding….so excited!

Last night was a gorgeous evening in St. Louis, which meant many people were lighting up their grills, and that included Andy and myself. Andy wanted chicken wings, and I wanted something a little more refreshing. I saw this recipe on Food Network shortly before leaving to head to Florida for a Guacamole Salad by Ina Garten. My cousin Samantha who lives in West Palm Beach had Andy and I over for dinner our last night there. We made burgers on the grill,  grilled Caesar Salads, Ina’s Guacamole Salad, and enjoyed grilled bananas with toasted coconut and sea salt caramel sauce. It was amazing, not to mention, I have been craving that Guacamole Salad since we left there.

Last night was a great time to whip up that recipe again. It was delicious and refreshing.

Guacamole Salad

Adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (I used one can of fire roasted tomatoes)
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and 1/2-inch diced
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup small diced red onion
• 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno peppers, seeded (1 peppers)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes)
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 2 ripe Hass avocados, seeded, peeled, and 1/2-inch diced

Directions

Place the tomatoes, yellow pepper, black beans, red onion, jalapeno peppers, and lime zest in a large bowl. Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, and cayenne pepper and pour over the vegetables. Toss well.

Just before you’re ready to serve the salad, fold the avocados into the salad. Check the seasoning and serve at room temperature.

I served this with chips, so it was more like an appetizer, however if you are looking for a light, refreshing, appetizer that is quick and sure to please, then give this a whirl.

Happy Monday!

The Health Junky