Oven Baked Tostadas

Are you or your family in a dinner funk?  Does is seem like you always eat the same thing each week?  I will tell you that I love tacos and could eat them every week because they are fast, easy, and delicious.  I try to mix my menus up each week for the family to try new foods and to keep things lively, but sometimes you just want tacos!!  This is my way of having tacos again but adding a couple extra ingredients, baking the shell and calling it something different to make them think we are having something different!  

 

 

First things first is to preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  spray the flour or corn tortillas with oilive oil and place on a sheet tray.  Bake for 4 minutes on each side.  Now when they are done set them aside for tostada assembly. 

Now you need to cook and brown your ground beef.  Cook on medium high heat for about 6-8 minutes.

While the beef is cooking, open up and drain the beans.  The beans are my way of making my money go a little farther and also adding fiber into my families diet.

Wash the beans, nobody likes dirty beans!

After the ground beef is cooked, add the beans, taco seasoning, and some water and mix.  Heat on medium heat until beans are hot and sauce starts to thicken. 

Now that the meat mixture is ready add it to the tops of the toasted tortillas and add cheese.  From here you can pop the tray back in the oven if you want to melt the cheese otherwise just add cheese and start adding toppings that you desire.  The cheese usually melts anyways with the meat being so hot from the pan.

And now the fun part.  Add the topping that you like and desire. 

 

Sometimes I go with what is in my fridge and top my tostada with the standard lettuce, salsa, and Greek yogurt.

Other times I just want to spice things up and have more of a fiesta.  These times I add lettuce, salsa, Greek yogurt, diced tomatoes, sliced avocados and jalapeños.  

It's your tostada, you do what makes your belly happy!  

 

Have a happy week!

Tostadas

Serves 8

 

8 8-inch flour tortillas

1 lb. ground beef or turkey, cooked

1 15-oz. can pinto or kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tbsp. taco seasoning

1 Tbsp. water

1 ½ c. Shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese

Additional Toppings if desired:

Cut romaine lettuce

Diced tomatoes

Salsa

Greek yogurt

Avocado slices

Jalapeno Peppers

Black Olives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray the tortillas with olive oil, place on a sheet tray and bake 4 minutes on each side.  Set aside for assembly.  In a medium skillet over medium high heat add the ground beef or turkey and cook until browned, about 6-8 minutes.  Add in the beans, taco seasoning and water and cook until meat and beans are coated and sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.

For assembly take the tortilla shell, top with bean mixture, shredded cheese and top your tostada with any other toppings that you desire.  Serve immediately.

 

-Cool

 

Hot Dogs! My Decade Indulgence

I cannot tell you the last time I ate a hot dog. They are not my favorite food, I never buy them and they probably do not make any dietitian's "Top 10 Food" list. But I get it. Hot dogs = summer. Today is National Hot Dog Day. And this summer, I had my first hot dog I have had in probably more than a decade.  To preface, I did consume a lot of water with this salty treat and I was a little nervous to dig in.

I was with a group of new friends that told me I had to partake in this summer tradition. Outside of this adorable establishment, you could watch the hot dog magic happen. 

Chili, hot dogs, cheese and more chili to top off this dining experience. 

The place was full of jovial hot dog lovers!

I was kind of feeding off the energy there and did get a little excited to dig in. And then it arrived...

First bite...good. 2nd bite....oooo yum.  Add a few fries and it became one of my favorite moments...and food of the summer. 

I was so glad I let down my dietitian guard and enjoy this summer favorite.  I am not sure when it will happen again, but when it does, it will be enjoyed in the summer, with good friends and a whole lot of laughter. This summer, I started a new "Top 10" list of foods, maybe not the most healthy foods but foods that made healthy memories with amazing people.

~Crazy

Probiotics: Why Your Tummy Needs Them

Do you eat food? Do you have a stomach? Have you ever been sick? Have you ever taken an antibiotic? Do you get heartburn or other related tummy issues?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, you need probiotics!!!! A probiotic is a food or a dietary supplement containing live bacteria (as lactobacilli) that is taken orally to restore beneficial bacteria to the body.

Why do you need probiotics? We all are born with lots of good bacteria in our gut and as time passes, so does our good bacteria. Age, illness, medications, environmental factors and much more depletes our massive stores of this life-enhancing substance. Probiotics helps us digest food, absorb nutrients, build a strong immune system and prevent illness.

Probiotics may also help prevent or ease the symptoms of a lot of GI issues many people experience: bloating, gas, IBS, diarrhea, constipation, acid reflux, food intolerances/allergies, vitamin and mineral deficiencies and the list goes on and on.

70% of your immune system is in your gut and if you are missing good bacteria, your immune system is suffering. Every medication you take and every time you take an antibiotic, you kill off good bacteria. If you find yourself with numerous colds, infections and doctor appointments, you need to be replacing your good bacteria.

Probiotics are naturally found in many foods with the most common one bring yogurt. Greek yogurt usually has 5 different strains of good bacteria and standard yogurt has 1 strain. Both are a great choice and should be eaten every day. You can also find probiotics in fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, kombucha, miso and ginger beverages.

 

 

Pharmax Probiotics are Dietitian and Pharmacist Recommended.

Not into a yogurt a day or fermented foods? There are supplements available that can also be taken daily. But there is not a one-size-fits-all oral probiotic pill. You must seek out a professional to navigate the probiotic pills. I have favorites that I recommend to my clients and will be happy to discuss the one that is perfect for you.

 

Bottom line: Make probiotics part of you daily routine. Dietitian recommended!

~Crazy 

Sunday Funday: Chicky Dinner

Today, you may be a little exhausted from a weekend full of fireworks, food and fun.  I know I enjoyed all 3, maybe a little too much. But I ended the weekend with a delicious and healthful meal on Sunday with these 2 chickies and with the rest of my family, giving a whole definition to Sunday Funday.

Sunday dinners never really were a tradition in my family. We usually had Sunday brunch after everyone got up and got going, usually around the 11 a.m. time. But I love the idea of having Sunday dinner and want to start this tradition in my life.  Having dinner with your family has a ton of benefits!  According to the Family Meal Project, the magic of family meals provide the following benefits:

• Better academic performance
• Higher self-esteem
• Greater sense of resilience
• Lower risk of substance abuse
• Lower risk of teen pregnancy
• Lower risk of depression
• Lower likelihood of developing eating disorders
• Lower rates of obesity

If you are interested in reading more about the benefits of family dinner, check out their Family Dinner References page.  Dinner does not need to be fancy or traditional. It could be anything from sandwiches and soup to tacos. I ended up going an easy direction with one-pot cooking and decided on a roasted chicken and vegetables. 

 

The preparation was so easy!  I placed my whole chicken in the bottom of the baker and drizzled olive oil over the top, rubbing it in. I placed 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary and 3 sprigs of fresh time into the cavity of the bird.  Feel free to use dried herbs, but if you have some fresh in the garden, these flavor your chicken and veggies wonderfully.  I sprinkled the bird with fresh ground pepper and kosher salt. I surrounded the bird with various vegetables and then covered the baker. The ceramic handles a high temperature, so the oven was pre-heated to 425 degrees and the chicken cooked for 1 ½ hours. For the last 10 minutes, I took the lid off and spooned some of the juices on the bottom of the baker on top of the chicken for additional browning.

I chose celery, tomatoes, carrots, onions and potatoes. I always go with the Yukon Gold potatoes because they have a creamy and buttery flavor, so you don't have to add a bunch of toppings to make them taste good. Use any vegetables you have in the house, next time I am going to be adventurous and try fennel and Brussels sprouts.

The vegetables turn out perfectly, tender but not mushy. And the color stays beautiful! (Remember you eat with your eyes too!)

You just can't beat a healthful meal like this to end a holiday weekend. Another weekend is soon approaching, what will you be making for Sunday Funday?

Sunday Funday Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Ingredients

1 – 4 lb. whole chicken

6 Yukon Gold Potatoes, cut in half
6 carrots, peeled and sliced into sticks
3 celery stalks, sliced into sticks
2 medium tomatoes, cut into fourths and deseeded
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions

1.       Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Place chicken in the baker, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper and salt

3.       Place 3 sprigs of rosemary and thyme in the cavity of the chicken.

4.       Place vegetables around the chicken and put the last sprigs of rosemary and thyme on top of the chicken.

5.       Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, removing the lid of the baker the last 10 minutes. Spoon juices from the bottom of the baker on top of the chicken for continued browning.

6.       Removed vegetables and place in a bowl to serve.

7.       Cut chicken and place on platter to serve.

8.       The remaining juices can be used for gravy or a stock.

  ~Crazy

 

Dairy Inspired Vacation Getaway

Summer is all about vacations and making lasting memories. June has been a whirlwind of crazy cool travels and some amazing friends and food.

 

One of my favorite people and my best friend, Carlena and I had the joy of a girls trip to Florida. You might be asking why in the world would we travel to Florida during the hot summer month of June? Because we love the beach and we love the sun! 

 

While in Florida, we soaked up the rays at New Smyrna Beach and the Siesta Keys. We went on a nighttime bioluminescent kayaking tour and saw the life under the water glow in the dark and made friends with a few Dolphins. One of my "must- dos" in Florida was dine on key lime pie. Key lime pie is one of my top 3 favorite desserts and there was no way I was passing it up on my trip. 

 

Upon my return, I wanted to take my inspiration of the warm and sunny citrus flavors of the key lime and recreate a healthier version of my favorite sweet treat. I was inspired by celebrating my trip and the memories I made with one of my favorite months being June: National Dairy Month. 

Key lime pie is traditionally a lot of sugar, so I wanted to health it up a bit. With the flavor of the fresh key lime juice and the protein packed creaminess of Greek yogurt, I created a key lime pie dip that I can eat when not on vacation. 

 

 

It is refreshing and so easy to do!  All you do is combine the key lime juice, yogurt, marshmallow fluff and fat-free condensed milk and stir. But it must be fresh squeezed key lime juice to get the true flavors you would on vacation. By combining the juice with yogurt, you also get protein and calcium for a healthier and more satisfying treat. Using nutrient-dense dairy foods in recipes boost the nutrition in anything that you make and while I am eating my delicious sweet treat, I want to share with you my "Top-10" Reasons that I love dairy:

 

1.  Dairy foods are full of 9 essential nutrients that I need to get from the food I eat, in a pinch, I always can find milk in any situation, especially at convenience stores.

2.  Yogurt saves me from the hungries as my afternoon snack. The protein keeps me full and focused during a busy day. 

3.  Fat-free milk is my go-to to make my oatmeal creamy and delicious in the morning. 

4.  Cottage cheese mixed with salsa and served with homemade tortilla chips, is the appetizer I take to many events for a healthy and tasty alternative to nacho cheese dip. 

5.  Fat-free chocolate milk is a great way to curb a sweet craving (and trust me, I have them often!)

6. The more cheese the merrier!  I keep a variety of 2% milk cheese sticks in my refrigerator for a perfect portion size of cheese for snacks and for various recipes I make.

7. Yogurt is packed with probiotics that help keep our tummies happy and our immune systems strong. It is one of few foods that has this incredible benefit.

8. I have a secret obsession with marscapone cheese. I use this creamy cheese on fruit and whole grain bread and then sprinkle cinnamon all over this twist on cream cheese.

9. Mozzarella is the cheese I recommend to most of my clients as the healthiest choice of cheese because it is made with part-skim milk and melts amazingly in a variety of recipes.

10.  After I have a morning workout, I start out each day with a protein-packed drink of fat-free milk, spinach, frozen blueberries and whey protein powder. I love it for breakfast!

For other ideas and suggestions for dairy foods, check out some of my fellow dietitians and my favorite dairy farmers share their own ideas for the versatility of dairy:  Dairy Makes Sense Blog. This recipe also shows how versatile dairy foods are. I like to serve the dip with graham crackers (Star Wars character grahams were a must for this dish) or it is also delicious with apple slices. It makes a generous amount so it would be a great dish to take to a weekend barbecue or picnic with family and friends.

 

All You Need:

• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice (this is around 10-12 key limes)

 

All You Do: 

1. Mix all ingredients together with a whisk and until smooth.
2. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Serve with fresh fruit and graham crackers.

 

Cheers to summer; vacations; friends, the deliciousness of dairy, lasting memories and the food that reminds us of it all! 

~Crazy

 

The carrot dilemma and when is enough enough?

I like carrots a lot.  Actually I will even go out on a limb and say I LOVE CARROTS!  (Yea, it's that serious that I have to yell it)!  I don't cares who know it.

I mean who wouldn't love the carrots attributes?  They are super sweet and crunchy but they also have a mysterious side to them.  Have you ever bitten into a carrot to not have it be the sweet and succulent tasting carrot that you were expecting?  It's like it almost taste dull and full of dirt. This is what I classify as a "bad carrot."  

The thing is that with most fruits and vegetables give you a little warning (appearance, smell or touch) on whether they have passed their prime ripeness.  With carrots it could look like all the other carrots and all of a sudden, "Yuck, gross!  That carrot didn't taste delicious!" This is where the carrot dilemma starts.   

Can you tell which one is the bad carrot?

 

When I was in high school whenever I would go over to my friend Sarah's house, we would go into her fridge and always pick out the nicely cut carrots that her mom had just cut.  I mean these were the REAL carrots that you had to peel and cut, not those convenient baby carrots.  We would eat the whole entire Tupperware container of carrots every single time, and it's not like it was a small container.  There must have been 2lbs of carrots that fit in there.  I not only would feel bad for her mom for taking so much time to cut the carrots, but I felt horrible and full from all the carrots I had just eaten.  Of course it didn't stop us doing the same thing every single time, because it was carrots they were good for us!  This is actually where the talk of the carrot dilemma started.  We would eat a carrot and it would be sweet and crunchy so we would want to eat more.  We then would go for just one more, and then out of nowhere you would bite into a bad carrot.  We knew you couldn't end eating with a bad taste in your mouth, so we had to keep eating till we found a good carrot.  Then again the carrot was so sweet an delicious that we would keep eating.  As you can see this is a never ending cycle because carrots don't give any indication that they are a bad carrot!  

Now you understand the carrot dilemma? No, still lost?  Stay with me till the end.

Just this past weekend my husband and I were watching some Netflix when we had a late night craving. We went out to the kitchen and I decided to grab a handful of baby carrots that were in the fridge.  Remembering the carrot dilemma, when I got down to the last three carrots in my hand I had a small bite of each of them.  It was true all the carrots tasted different.  Since you CAN'T end on a bad carrot, I took a bite of each one and ranked them from best to worst.  My husband then came out of the kitchen and sat on the couch and I stopped him to tell him about my carrot dilemma.  (We have only been married 7 years so I have to bring out my crazy ideas out slowly so I don't scare him!)  I had him try both the carrots.  He tried the first one and asked him to classify it as a bad carrot or good carrot.  Of course he thinks I'm crazy and eats the whole carrot saying he would classify it as a bad carrot.  I then gave him the last carrot, as I eat the pretty good carrot in the middle, and he said he would classify it as a good carrot.  I then told him that "I love you too much to end on a bad carrot! " 

 

And just like that the carrot dilemma was solved!  When do you stop eating?  When is enough enough?  Remember you can have too much of a good thing.  Luckily for you I think after almost 20 years of my carrot dilemma I have found a solution that might sound simple but not always easy.  Moderation is the answer to everything in life.  Love yourself and others to much not let them end on a bad carrot!  Life is short, enjoy the ride!

-Cool

 

Chicken Pizza Pie Pockets

Most nights I have a plan for dinner and then some nights I like to open up the fridge and see what I have in there and what new experimental recipe I can feed my family.  I found some premade pie crust in my fridge so I decided we would start with that.  I also had a opened jar of marinara and ground chicken so I decided to put it all together with some cheese and make dinner.  Turned out pretty well!

You only need a few ingredients and a couple seasonings (not pictured).

First you need to cook up the ground chicken.  It only takes about 8-10 minutes to cook. The chicken does need seasoning so I added some Italian seasoning and garlic salt.

When the ground chicken is cooked I drained off some of the water and added in the marinara sauce.

Next just mix it up and season to taste.  I ended up adding a little more Italian seasoning because I love extra flavor.

I then took the two pie crusts that had been sitting out for about 20 minutes and rolled them out on the counter top.

I sprinkled some Italian seasoning and garlic salt on the pie crust and got out my  "biscuit cutter."  I will tell you the hard thing about cooking in two completely different kitchens messes with me sometimes and I think I have one thing at home when actually it's something I have in my work kitchen.  For this reason I thought I had biscuit cutters at home that would work perfectly for this part of the recipe but instead they were at my work kitchen and I was home.  I decided to improvise and use the top of my burger press which worked well but they were just bigger.  Use whatever works for your family, just know that you will use 2 circles per sandwich, so make sure there is an even amount.

Once we got all the circles punched out, I put half of them in a greased sheet tray with the seasoning side facing down.  I then topped them with pizza cheese. Try keeping the cheese and ingredients in the middle of the crust so it doesn't come out of the pocket.

Then add the ground chicken mixture on top.

Add finally top with the asiago cheese.

When all the ingredients are in, top each one with another pie crust circle.  Again making sure the seasoning side is on the outside.  

**TIP: You always want to make sure you seasoning at every stage of cooking. **

Since we already seasoned the meat, we want to make sure the pie crust are seasoned well.  Putting the seasoning on the outside of the pizza pie pocket will wake up your tastebuds first, before biting into the rest of it.

Now it's time to crimp the edges to give you a little pizza pocket.  The best way is to use your thumb and pointer finger and just go around the entire edge, making sure you are getting the top and bottom pie crusts pinched together so that the insides don't  all come out.

You then want to cut two slits in the top of the pie crust and oil the tops with olive oil.  Pop the sheet tray into the oven at 425 degrees for about 14-16 minutes until the crusts brown.

Here's my two little helpers!  About 7 minutes into cooking they wanted to know what smelled so good, I told them dinner and they wanted to see. This is a typical image in my kitchen.  I love their curiosity. 

Since they were so excited for dinner I recruited them to help finish the meal while the pizza pie pockets were finishing cooking.  

Yea, the pizza pockets are done!  Look how good they look.

Paxton approves and asks me to make them again!

Hope you all try out this fun recipe.  

Chicken Pizza Pie Pockets

1 package (2 crusts) premade pie crusts

1/2lb. Ground chicken

1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning, divided

3/4 tsp. Garlic salt, divided 

1/2 c. Marinara sauce

2/3 c. Pizza cheese

1/3 c. Asiago cheese

Olive oil (to brush tops)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Take out pie crusts and let it come to room temperature, about 20 min.  In a medium skillet over medium high heat add the ground chicken with 1 tsp. of Italian seasoning and 1/2 tsp. of garlic salt and cook for 8-10 minutes.  Drain off excess moisture and add in marinara sauce.  Taste and season accordingly if needed. Set aside.  When the pie crusts are at room temperature, roll them out on the counter tops and sprinkle with the remaining Italian seasoning and garlic salt.  Take a cookie or biscuit cutter and cut out 12 to 16 mini crusts.  On greased sheet tray place half of the mini pie crusts  on it, with the seasoned side facing down.  Divide the pizza cheese, ground chicken mixture, and Asiago cheese equally between the pie crusts.  Top with the remaining pie crusts and crimp the edges.  Brush tops of each pie crust with olive oil and place in the oven.  Cook for 14 to 16 minutes until pie crusts have browned.  Remove from oven and serve immediately. 

Enjoy!

-Cool