Sunflower Seed Butter, Banana and Chocolate Oatmeal

Oatmeal can be boring.  But it doesn’t have to be.  Sunflower seed butter is used in this recipe as a nut-free alternative but feel free to use peanut butter or almond butter.  Recipe serves 1.

What you’ll need:

• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• dash of salt
• 1/2 large ripe banana
• 1 tablespoon sunflower seed butter
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon shaved dark chocolate

What you’ll do:

• Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
• Stir in the oats and a dash of salt.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Slice the banana.
• Mash 1/3 of the slices in a small bowl.
• Stir the sunflower seed butter, brown sugar and mashed banana into the warm oats.
• Top with the remaining banana and chocolate shavings.

Recipe and image from Cooking Light.

So what are you waiting for…Get dinner on the table!

Spiced Pork and Mango Tacos

A spin on the traditional taco night with pork and mango.  If you can’t find mango, substitute pineapple.  Recipe serves 4.

What you’ll need:

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• 2 (6-ounce) boneless pork loin chops
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup sliced onion
• 1 cup sliced red bell pepper
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups sliced mango
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 8 lime wedges

What you’ll do:

• Combine the salt, garlic powder, cumin, paprika and allspice in a small bowl.
• Rub the spice mixture evenly over the pork.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the oil to the pan; swirling to coat.
• Add the pork to the pan and cook 3 minutes on each side or until done.
• Remove the pork from the pan and let stand 5 minutes.
• Add the onion and bell pepper to the pan and saute 5 minutes or until lightly charred.
• Remove the onion mixture from the pan.
• Warm the tortillas according to package directions.
• Top the tortillas evenly with the pork, onion mixture, mango and cilantro.
• Serve tacos with a lime wedge.

Recipe and image from Cooking Light.

So what are you waiting for…Get dinner on the table!

Roasted Shrimp with White Beans and Feta

Roasting the shrimp prevents overcooking the shrimp while still keeping them tender.  Recipe serves 4.

What you’ll need:

• 2 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
• 1 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
• 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta

What you’ll do:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Combine 2 teaspoons oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a dish.
• Add the shrimp; toss to coat.  Set aside.
• Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add the onion; saute for 2 minutes.
• Stir in the beans, chicken broth, 1/8 teaspoon salt.
• Cook for 3 minutes.
• Arrange the shrimp on a baking sheet; roast for 4 minutes.
• Combine 2 tablespoons of oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, lemon rind, vinegar, mustard and black pepper in a bowl.
• Pour half of the mixture over the beans and toss.
• Stir in the mint.
• Divide evenly among 4 plates.
• Sprinkle with feta and arrange the shrimp alongside the beans.
• Top with the remaining dressing.

Recipe and image from Cooking Light.

So what are you waiting for…Get dinner on the table!

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Bacon and Sage

Five ingredients is all you’ll need for this insanely delicious dinner.  Gnocchi is a potato dumpling and you can find them in the refrigerated section at your grocery store.  Recipe serves 4.

What you’ll need:

• 2 (9-ounce) packaged refrigerated sweet potato gnocchi (such as Nuovo)
• 2 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 12 fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

What you’ll do:

• Cook the gnocchi according to package directions and drain.
• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add the bacon and cook 8 minutes, or until crisp, stirring frequently.
• Remove the bacon from the pan; drain on a paper towel.
• Reserve 1 1/2 tablespoons bacon drippings; discard remaining.
• Add the butter to the drippings; cook 1 minute.
• Add the sage and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
• Add the cooked gnocchi to the pan and saute 1 minute or until lightly browned.
• Divide the gnocchi evenly among 4 plates.
• Top evenly with bacon, cheese and pepper.

Recipe and image from Cooking Light.

So what are you waiting for…Get dinner on the table!

Butternut Squash, Kale and Black Bean Quesadillas

By mashing half of the beans, the quesadillas are creamier and stay together better.  Serve with a fruit salad.  Recipe makes 4 quesadillas.

What you’ll need:

• 2 cups prechopped peeled butternut squash
• 6 tablespoons water
• 2 cups baby kale
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 (8-inch) whole-wheat tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

What you’ll do:

• Heat a skillet over medium heat.
• Add the squash and 6 tablespoons of water; cover and cook for 6 minutes.
• Uncover and stir in the kale, oil and salt.
• Cook for 2 minutes; remove from heat.
• Place 1/2 cup of beans in a bowl and mash.
• Add the remaining 1/2 cup of beans and the squash to the bowl.
• Toss.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the tortillas.
• Top evenly with cheese.
• Fold each tortilla in half over the filling.
• Wipe the skillet clean and return to stove over medium heat.
• Spray with cooking spray.
• Add 2 tortillas and cook 2 minutes on each side.
• Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Recipe and image from Cooking Light.

So what are you waiting for…Get dinner on the table!

Friday Tip {mind the day}

If your end goal is to lose weight, focus only on what you can do that day—not the daunting final goal.

tip and image from Cooking Light

Friday Tip {put other things aside}

When you sit down to eat, just eat.

The experience is so much more vivid, so much better.

Enjoy the bite you’re eating, focus on it, and finish it before you take the next.

You enjoy it so much more, and you have much greater control of portion sizes.

image and tip from Cooking Light

Easy Chicken and Dumplings

With a few store-bought ingredients, this family favorite is not only quick but also tasty.  Recipe serves 6.

What you’ll need:

• 1 (32-ounce) box chicken broth
• 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 (10.2 ounce) can refrigerated jumbo buttermilk biscuits
• 2 carrots, diced
• 3 celery ribs, diced

What you’ll do:

• In a Dutch oven, bring the chicken broth, rotisserie chicken, chicken soup and poultry season to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Increase the heat to medium-high; return to a low boil.
• Place the biscuits on a lightly floured surface.
• Roll or pat each biscuit into an 1/8-inch thickness.
• Cut into 1/2-inch strips.
• Drop the strips, 1 at a time, into the boiling broth mixture.
• Add the carrots and celery.
• Cover, reduce the heat to low, simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the dumplings from sticking.

Recipe and image from Southern Living.

So what are you waiting for…Get dinner on the table!

Friday Tip {check the freezer aisle}

Quick-frozen fruits and veggies—like berries, peas, and spinach—are nutritionally equal to fresh

and may be better than many produce items that travel far in winter, losing nutrients along the way.

tip and image from Cooking Light

Pecan-Crusted Chicken and Tortellini with Herbed Butter Sauce

Nutty and buttery, this is your new solution to getting dinner on the table in 30 minutes.  Recipe serves 4.

What you’ll need:

• 1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
• 4 (4-ounce) chicken breast cutlets
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

What you’ll do:

• Prepare tortellini according to package directions.
• Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
• Place pecans in a shallow bowl.
• Place the egg in a second bowl.
• Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off.
• Dredge the chicken in the pecans, pressing to coat.
• Cook the chicken in 1 tablespoon hot oil over medium-high heat 2 minutes on each side or until done.
• Remove from skillet and wipe the skillet clean.
• Melt the butter in the skillet.
• Add the garlic and saute 5-7 minutes.
• Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the basil and the parsley along with the cooked tortellini.
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Serve with the chicken.

Recipe and image from Southern Living.

So what are you waiting for…Get dinner on the table!