Unique Party Foods – Greek Turkey Meatballs with Skinny Tzatziki

I have been asked to give suggestions for unique foods to take to an office party.  Now taking something healthy that is also delicious is unique in and of itself, but I went searching for some things that are really unique.  So this is the first of a series that I will be working on for a while.  Some will be my own recipes and  some (like this one) will be other’s recipes that I have tried and found to be delicious!

Photo Courtesy of skinnytaste.com

These Greek Turkey Meatballs are awesome!  I made them last night (they made a great dinner with a side of roasted vegetables) and DH thought they were delicious.  He, of course, did not eat them with the Skinny Tzatziki sauce, as he doesn’t eat creamy things (I know, weird huh?), but said they are great all by themselves.  I really liked the sauce on them and could have just eaten it with a spoon all by itself!  I also made sure I tried them at room temperature, since that is probably how they would be served at a party, and they were still wonderful.  Just click on the recipe names to be taken directly to the recipes.

Both recipes call for several fresh herbs, some of which I had.  I did not, however, have any fresh dill or parsley, so I just used dry herbs in their place at half the amount.  It did not seem to hurt the taste at all.  I would suggest you use some fresh herbs though and not try to substitute all of them with dry ones.  You do want some of that fresh taste to come through.  Also, I made the meatballs quite small (about 1 inch) and they made more than 17, I would say about 25-30 meatballs.

So, try these for your next office party (or any party for that matter) and then please come back here and let me know how much they were enjoyed.  I will happily pass along all comments.  And I want to give a big thanks to Gina at skinnytaste.com for allowing me to use her recipe!

What is your favorite food to take to an office party?  Let me know and maybe I can help make it healthier!

Balsamic Marinated Cucumbers

For Easter I wanted something different than potato salad as a side for our ham.  All the members of my family (except my son) like cucumbers.  So I decided on a tangy Balsamic marinade.

Balsamic Marinated Cucumbers

Balsamic Marinated Cucumbers

• 2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 3 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard (I like course ground)
• 1/2 tsp. agave syrup
• Salt & Pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard and agave syrup.  Slowly add oil while continuing to whisk.  Toss dressing with cucumbers and onion.  Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.  You could substitute 1/2 tsp. sugar or Stevia sweetener for the agave syrup if you don’t have it.

So, I made this for Easter…and then forgot to serve it!  It was delicious the next day though.  🙂

What is your favorite salad vegetable?

Baked Turkey Breast Filets

The recipe name may not be very orignal, but the results are delicious!

Baked Turkey Breast Filets

• 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 lbs. Turkey Breast Filets
• 2 Tbsp. Brown Rice Flour (or All Purpose Flour)
• 1/2 Tsp. Salt
• 1/2 Tsp. Paprika
• 1/4 Tsp. Pepper
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1/2 Tsp. Butter
• 1 Onion, sliced
• 8 oz. Mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 28 oz. can diced Tomatoes, drained
• 2 Bay Leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix flour, salt, paprika and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge turkey filets in flour mixture and shake off extra.  You want them just barely coated.  In medium skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat and brown turkey filets on each side.  Place on lightly greased shallow baking pan.  Add remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil and the butter to skillet. Add onions and mushrooms, and cook until onions are softened.  Add garlic and cook slightly, being careful not to burn garlic.  Add tomatoes and bay leaves and bring to boil. Lower heat to medium low, cover and cook 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves and spoon vegetable mixture over turkey filets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until turkey is cooked through.  Serves 4-5.

This makes for really moist filets with lots of flavor.  We love lots of tomatoes, but if you like less tomato flavor, a 14.5 oz. can of tomatoes would probably be enough.

Can you tell we like garlic.  I use it in a lot of recipes.  It just gives such good flavor.  Let me know if you try this and like it (or if you don’t like it).  I really want to know.

Now I better get out in the garden.  The weather is rather cool this morning and it will be perfect for working outside.

What topics would you like me to write about on here?

I really would like to hear from you.  All topics will be considered.  Have a great day!

Garlic and Rosemary Pork Roast

Well, you already know I like cooking with fresh herbs.  But I also like cooking with garlic. Garlic gives so much flavor and can be used so many ways.  I always have garlic on hand.  One of our favorite garlic dishes is Garlic and Rosemary Pork Roast.  It is very easy to prepare and tastes great.

Rosemary and Garlic Pork Roast 

Rosemary and Garlic Pork Roast

• 3-4 lb. lean pork roast or pork loin roast
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 8-10 small cloves garlic (or 4-5 large cloves)
• 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Drizzle olive oil over all sides of roast and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  If using large garlic cloves cut them in half.  Cut 4-5 slits in the bottom of the roast, about 1/2 inch wide and 1/2 inch deep, scattered over the roast.  Insert garlic cloves in the slits.  Strip the leaves from 1 sprig of rosemary and sprinkle over the roast.  Turn roast right side up and repeat with the remaining garlic and rosemary.  Place meat on a roasting rack in a shallow pan and bake until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.  This should take about 20-25 minutes per pound.  Remove roast from oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

I know most people think pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.  This is because the USDA has always recommended that temperature…until now.  According to an article in the Huffington Post, in May 2011, the USDA lowered pork’s minimum safe temperature to 145 degrees.  This will leave the pork slightly pink, but oh so moist.

This roast is delicious served with a green vegetable, such as green beans, and a side of wild rice, and makes a wonderfully healthy meal.  I hope you will try it and let me know how you like it.

What is your favorite meat?

Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions

I love hamburgers!  I just had to get that out.  I like my burger fat and juicy and with so many toppings I can barely fit it in my mouth.  However, I am afraid the days of eating the big, juicy, beefy burger is mostly in the past.   Oh, I could probably have one once a year or so, but I have found I can make delicious turkey burgers at home and they are so much better for me.  So I thought I would share one of my favorite ways to cook them.

Turkey Burger with Caramelized Onions

Turkey Burger with Caramelized Onions

• 4 Turkey Burger Patties (about 1/4 lb. each)
• Worcestershire Sauce
• McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning (or your favorite steak seasoning)
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp. Butter
• 2 Medium Sweet Onions, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Sprinkle both sides of the burgers with a little Worcestershire Sauce and Steak Seasoning.  Heat an oven proof 12 inch skillet (I used my cast iron skillet) on medium high heat, and add 1 Tbsp. olive oil.  Brown burgers on both side and remove to a plate to rest.  Add remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil and the butter and

Caramelized Onions

let butter melt.  Add onions to skillet and stir and cook until brown and carmelized (about 8-10 minutes).  Remove onions from skillet.  Return burgers to skillet, top each burger with the caramelized onions.  Put skillet in oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until burgers are completely cooked.

For dinner tonight, I served them with boiled red potatoes.  I left the bun off mine as I am staying away from bread right now, but I am sure they would be great with your favorite burger toppings.  They were really delicious all by themselves!

I first tasted a turkey burger at an O’Charlies Restaurant, and it was really tasty.  That was when I decided I could cook them at home.  I just season them like I would regular burgers.  They don’t taste exactly the same, but they are very good and will satisfy my hunger for a hamburger.  Enjoy!

What are your favorite burger toppings?

Roasted Vegetables

I have discovered a new favorite way to cook vegetables…roasting.  Roasted vegetables are so good.  It seems like the roasting just brings out all the good flavors of the vegetables, and the seasonings don’t hurt either.

I’m sure there are a lot of vegetables that are good roasted, and by combining several together, it makes a colorful and delicious side for any meal.  One of my favorite combinations is red potatoes, acorn squash and carrots.  Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  I wash  the potatoes, cut off any bad places and cut them into bite sized pieces.  You don’t want small cubes, as they will go away to mush when roasted, so make them a good sized bite.  Then I halve the squash, remove the seeds, peel and cut it up.  Try to make all the vegetable pieces close to the same size so they will cook evenly.  Next, wash, scrape and cut up your carrots (same size pieces).  I usually cut all my vegetables into a large bowl so I can toss them easily.  Next, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over your vegetables and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss them to coat and spread them out in a single layer on a shallow pan.  Roast in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until they are tender and lightly browned.  Remove from oven and drizzle just a little more olive oil over the vegetables and serve immediately.

Another combination we like (DH and I) is zucchini, yellow squash, and onions (sometimes I add grape tomatoes if I have them).  I prepare them the same way (bite size pieces), then toss them in olive oil, salt, pepper and italian seasoning.  Roast at 425 for 25-30 minutes.  Another small drizzle of olive oil and they are ready to eat.  Mmmmm, delicious!

Roasted Zucchini, Squash and Onion

What combination of vegetables do you enjoy?  They would probably be delicious roasted!

Oatmeal…It’s What’s For Breakfast

Ok, so I like oatmeal.  I know not everyone does, but I do.  However, I don’t always want to eat just plain oatmeal.  As a matter of fact, I never do.  At the very least it needs brown sugar and butter.  But, lately, I have been experimenting with other oatmeal flavors, and some of them are very good.  I know these are more calories than plain oatmeal, but all ingredients are healthy and, sometimes, you just have to forget the calories and eat something that tastes really good, and if it is healthy, that is a bonus!

Apple Pie Oatmeal

I cook my oatmeal in the microwave and I only make one serving at a time (DH does not eat oatmeal).  It is easy and makes a quick breakfast if you are in a hurry.  My favorite flavor is Apple Pie Oatmeal.  In a medium size microwave safe bowl, combine 1/2 cup of oatmeal (I use regular oats, but you can use the one minute kind, just adjust the cooking time to what the package calls for); 1 pinch of salt; 1 small apple (or 1/2 of a medium apple), cored and chopped; 1 tsp. cinnamon (or a little more if you like it really cinnamony); 1 cup water (or you can use 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup milk) and 2-3 Stevia packets (or 2-3 tsp. sugar, depending on the tartness of the apple).  Then just microwave for 3 minutes.  Add 1 tbsp. butter, stir and enjoy!  You can also add a handful of chopped walnuts after cooking and it is even better.  Also, sometimes (depending on the juiciness of the apple), this oatmeal comes out a little thick, so I just add 1-2 tbsp. of milk, because I like mine creamy.  But do that as the last step, because the butter thins it a little too.

Another oatmeal combination I have come up with is Chocolate Peanut Butter oatmeal.  In the same size microwave safe bowl, combine 1/2 cup oatmeal; 1 pinch of salt; 1 tbsp. cocoa powder; 4 Stevia packets (or 4 tbsp. sugar); 1/2 cup of milk; 1/2 cup of water; and 1 tsp. vanilla.  I usually stir the dry ingredients with a whisk to break up the cocoa and then add the wet incredients.  Cook in the microwave for 3 minutes.  Add 1 tbsp. butter and 1-2 tbsp. peanut butter (depending on taste).  Stir and enjoy.

Peanut Butter and Banana Oatmeal

My third oatmeal combination is based on a southern favorite, peanut butter and banana sandwiches.  I am eating gluten-free right now, so that means no sandwiches.  I decided I would try Peanut Butter and Banana Oatmeal and it was really quite delicious.  Once again in your medium microwave safe bowl, combine 1/2 cup oats; 1 medium very ripe banana, peeled and chopped; 1 pinch of salt; 1/2 cup water; 1/2 cup milk and 1 tsp. vanilla.  Microwave on high 3 minutes.  Stir in 1-2 tbsp. peanut butter and enjoy!  You can add some Stevia or sugar if you want it a little sweeter, but if you use those almost rotten bananas that have been sitting around for days, they should make it sweet enough.  The banana kind of melts into the oatmeal and makes a smooth, creamy breakfast.

When cooking oatmeal in the microwave, the most important thing is to make sure your bowl is large enough, as the oatmeal will boil up to a little more than twice its original size while cooking.  I use my 4 cup Pyrex mixing bowl and it works great.

I hope this might encourage you to try oatmeal if you have never tried it, or if it has been awhile.  I have been reading studies about the health benefits of oatmeal and we can all use health benefits, right?  I have to go now, so I can finish my Apple Pie Oatmeal.  Until next time…

What is YOUR favorite breakfast food?

After writing this, I found one more oatmeal recipe but haven’t had time to try it.  It is called Cocoa-Date Oatmeal and I found it at www.eatingwell.com.  If you try it before I do, let me know what you think. ☺

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Over the years I have tried a lot of spaghetti sauce recipes.  In a pinch, I have used canned or jarred spaghetti sauce and added meat, onions, garlic and other goodies.  I have one recipe (that is delicious, by the way) that has chopped black olives in it.  But only recently have I made a spaghetti sauce that DH (Dear Husband) just can’t seem to get enough of.  Everytime I make it he tells me again that it is the best he has ever eaten.  What I don’t tell him is that it is the healthiest spaghetti sauce recipe I have made to date.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 lb. sweet turkey Italian sausage
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large can tomato sauce
• 1 large can diced or crushed tomatoes
• 3 tbsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 2 tbsp. chopped, fresh basil (or 1 tbsp. dried basil)
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, on medium high heat, stir and cook onions, ground turkey and sausage (removed from casing) until meat is browned and crumbled.  Add garlic and cook just a few more minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.  Add tomato sauce, tomatoes and Italian seasoning.  Bring to a boil and cook on low for about 30 minutes.  Add basil and cook an additional 10 minutes.  If you like your sauce thicker, you can cook it uncovered.  If you use dried basil, you can add it with the Italian seasoning.

Now, I serve this over pasta for DH, but to make it even healthier (and because I am eating gluten-free right now) I eat mine over spaghetti squash.  The spaghetti squash is easy.  Just cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp, put on a pan (I line it with non-stick foil) and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Then, using a fork, scrape out the pulp in shreds.  Season with some butter, salt and pepper.  It is very good just plain, but wait until you try it with the sauce and a bit of shredded parmesan cheese…YUM!

Spaghetti sauce over spaghetti squash

It’s even better the second night  Enjoy!

What is your favorite pasta dish?

Homemade Lentil and Vegetable Soup

In my last post, I promised to share one of my favorite recipes using fresh basil.

Homemade Lentil and Vegetable Soup

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2-3 carrots, chopped
• 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 28oz cans diced tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp. dried thyme
• 1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
• 1 package lentils, rinsed, drained and sorted
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 6 cups water

Saute chopped onions, celery, carrots and mushrooms in olive oil until onions are clear.  Add garlic and stir for just a few minutes, taking care not to let garlic burn.  Add tomatoes, thyme, lentils, salt and pepper, and water.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 35 minutes.  Add basil and continue cooking for about 10 minutes or until lentils are tender.  Add additional salt and pepper if needed.  You may need to add additional water during cooking, as the lentils will soak up a lot of the liquid.  I like mine rather thick, but you can make it thinner if you like.

This is a very hearty soup that I could eat every day.  I have called for one bunch of basil in the recipe, but I really like to use more if I have it (because I really like basil).  When I have my own, home grown basil, I will use a good, big handful.  When I have to buy it, I use one package from the grocery store.

Last weekend I made a delicious meat loaf with ground turkey and pork, and added dried basil.  It was really good, but I want to tweak the recipe a bit, and try it with fresh basil, before I share it.  DH (dear husband) doesn’t seem to mind being a guinea pig, so maybe it won’t be long before it is perfected.

There really are a lot of wonderful herbs and spices out there, so don’t be afraid to try some of them.

What is one of your favorite foods that you would like to see made healthier?