My Favorite Brownies

This is by far my favorite brownie recipe I've ever come across. It's super easy and the ingredients are things that you'd find in most people's pantries. I got it from AllRecipes.


Servings: 16


Prep Time: 25 min   Cook Time: 35 min   Total Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
•  
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
4. To Make Frosting: Combine 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Frost brownies while they are still warm.

My Modifications

I didn't have honey so I used agave nectar, it's very similar to honey. I added a dollop of natural peanut butter and stirred the mixture until the peanut butter melted into the batter. It gave the brownies just a hint of peanut butter flavor and since I think chocolate and peanut butter make the most delicious combination ever, I thought it turned out great! You can add nuts or candies to this as well.

Fettuccini with Red Pepper-Feta Sauce and Asparagus

This is probably my favorite pasta sauce I've ever made. It turned out so good! I usually just toss asparagus in olive oil and grill it but I found a recipe to make asparagus a little more interesting. I got the pasta recipe from FoodNetwork and the asparagus recipe from AllRecipes.


Fettucini with Red Pepper-Feta Sauce
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 12 min   Cook Time: 25 min   Total Time: 37 min

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1 (16-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese or a 6-ounce block
• 1 pound whole-wheat fettuccine
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes. Add roasted peppers and saute until heated through. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Place mixture in the bowl of a food processor with stock and all but 2 tablespoons of the feta. Process until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Toss pasta with sauce, adding pasta water by the tablespoon, if needed. Sauce should cling nicely to pasta. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Divide among pasta bowls. Sprinkle with parsley and remaining feta cheese.

Nutritional Information

1 Serving

Calories: 430

Fat: 15.97g

Carbohydrates: 53.38g

Protein: 18.67g

My Modifications

I used chicken broth, but vegetable broth would work well and I cut the recipe in half. I think it's really important to use whole wheat pasta for this dish because otherwise you're not getting much protein, unless you serve it with meat of course. Jars of roasted red peppers are expensive and one way to get around buying it is taking a red pepper, putting it under the broiler in your oven for a couple of minutes (checking on it frequently to make sure it doesn't burn) then put the pepper(s) in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the peppers sit for awhile until they are cool enough to handle. Letting it sit in the covered bowl steams the peppers and allows you to easily take off the skin. Once you take off the skins, it's the same exact thing as the jarred peppers, only several dollars cheaper.

Asparagus with Parmesan Crust

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 min   Cook Time: 15 min   Total Time: 25 min

Ingredients

• 1 pound thin asparagus spears
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ounce shaved Parmesan cheese
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, or to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat. Arrange asparagus spears in a single layer. Spread Parmesan cheese over asparagus, and season with freshly ground black pepper. Bake 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is melted and asparagus is tender but crisp. Serve immediately on warm plates, sprinkling with balsamic vinegar to taste.

Nutritional Information

1 Serving

Calories - 93

Fat - 5.6g

Carbohydrates - 7g

Protein - 5.3g

My Modifications

I cut it in half but other than that, didn't change the recipe at all. I love this recipe! You could wrap the asparagus in foil and throw it on the barbecue.

Guacamole, Fresh Lime Margaritas, and Vegetarian Enchiladas

For Cinco de Mayo I made guacamole, margaritas, and vegetarian enchiladas. The guacamole and margaritas are my own recipe and the vegetarian enchiladas I got from AllRecipes. I know buying the bottle of pre-made margarita mix is tempting, but making them with fresh limes is SO delicious and you cut out a lot of the sugar!


Fresh Lime Margaritas
2 Servings
Prep Time: 5 min


Ingredients
3 - 2 oz. shots tequila (I use silver)
1 generous splash Orange Liquor
3 Limes
2 tablespoons Agave Nectar
Ice
Coarse Salt (optional)


Directions
Put the ice in a drink mixer and add tequila, orange liquor, lime juice from the limes, and agave nectar. Shake until mixed well. Take two plates, put some tequila on one and salt one the other. Dip the rim of your glass in the tequila and then the salt. Poor margarita in the glass and enjoy!


Modifications
You can always add more or less agave nectar in the margaritas, depending on how sweet you like them. I really like agave nectar, it's like honey only thinner and not as sweet. But, you can substitute it with honey or simple syrup.




Guacamole
1 small bowl full
Prep Time: 15 min


Ingredients
2 Ripe Avocados
1 Lime
1 Garlic Clove
1 Jalepeno
1/2 Medium Yellow Onion
1 Small Handful of Fresh Cilantro
Salt and Pepper


Directions
Cut up the avocados by halving them, taking out the seeds (reserve one*), and cutting the flesh horizontally and vertically and taking a spoon and spooning it out into a food processor or a medium bowl. Dice the onion, garlic, jalepeno and cilantro put it in the bowl with the avocados, juice the lime on top of the ingredients in the bowl. Pulse in the food processor until the mixture is smooth. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking.


Modifications
You definitely do not need a food processor to make guacamole, I just find it to be a lot easier. If you don't have one or prefer chunky guacamole, just be sure to dice the onion and jalepeno really small. My recipe makes a decently spicy guacamole so if you don't like that, take out the ribs and seeds of the jalepeno or omit it altogether. Sometimes I like to dice up a roma tomato and throw it in too, after the guacamole has been mixed with the food processor.


My favorite chips to dip in the guac are Garden of Eatin' Blue Corn Tortilla Chips.


*A little tip I learned from someone awhile ago, put one of the avocado seeds in the guacamole, it keeps it from going brown as fast. I thought this person was crazy but it totally works!

Vegetarian Enchiladas
8 Servings
Prep Time: 40 min   Cook Time: 30 min   Total Time: 1 hr 10 min


Ingredients

• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
• 1/4 cup picante sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 8 (6 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup reduced fat shredded Cheddar cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 
  
• Directions
• 1. In a large nonstick skillet, saute the green pepper, onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the beans, tomatoes, picante sauce, chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until heated through and mixture thickens. Add rice; cook 5 minutes longer or until heated through.
• 1. Spoon a rounded 1/2 cup down the center of each tortilla. Fold sides over filling and roll up. Place in a 13x9x2 in. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon salsa over each tortilla. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese and cilantro. Bake 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Nutritional Information

1 Serving

Calories - 307

Total Fat - 6.38g

Carbohydrates - 49.71g

Protein - 12.94g

My Modifications

I cut the recipe in half to make 4 enchiladas rather than 8. I used regular cheddar cheese since that's all I had. I topped it with olives, non-fat sour cream and some of my guacamole. Some green onions on top would go well too. I don't use minute rice, so if you use regular brown rice, it takes about 45 minutes to cook, this recipe doesn't figure in that time. If you want it to be more healthy, you can use whole wheat tortillas instead of regular flour tortillas, I did that the first time I made these and it turned out well. I also added some corn to the bean/rice/tomato mixture and that was yummy as well! 

Spinach Lasagna

Here's a really easy, quick (for lasagna) and healthy recipe. I got it from AllRecipes.

8 servings

Prep time: 30 min   Cook Time: 1 hr 10 min   Total Time: 1 hr 40 min

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 (32 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups non-fat cottage cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) package part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 egg
• 8 ounces lasagna noodles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large pot over medium heat saute spinach, onion, oregano, basil and garlic in the olive oil. Pour in spaghetti sauce and water; simmer 20 minutes. In a large bowl mix cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper and egg.
3. Place a small amount of sauce in the bottom of a lasagna pan. Place 4 uncooked noodles on top of sauce and top with layer of sauce. Add 4 more noodles and layer with 1/2 sauce and 1/2 cheese mixture, noodles and repeat until all is layered, finishing with sauce.
4. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven for 55 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information

For one serving

Calories - 361

Fat - 11.8g

Carbohydrates - 41.6g

Protein - 23.4g

My Modifications

I've made this recipe with spinach and then I made it again with ground turkey in place of the spinach. I prefer using ground turkey. If you do make this recipe with spinach, I'd try using fresh instead of frozen. I used frozen and I just think it would taste a lot better with fresh. Also, this recipe says to not cook the lasagna noodles. I half cook the lasagna noodles and I think it turns out perfectly. Criss-crossing the noodles when assembling the lasagna will help it stay together when you cut it to serve it. I cut the recipe in half and used an 8x8 baking dish. You may have to cut some of the noodles to make it fit, but it's well worth it because this lasagna is really yummy!