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easy vegetarian spinach manicotti with no boil noodles

Easy Meatless Manicotti

September 5, 2012 ·
Easy Meatless Manicotti | alidaskitchen.com


I don’t know about you, but I am very excited for Fall.  It is my favorite time of year for cooking and baking, plus I love the cooler temperatures.  Even though the season has not technically changed, Labor Day is kind of an unofficial kick off to the Fall season.  At least that’s what I’m telling myself.  I have already made a pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes, chili and cornbread, beef stew, and a few other Fall-inspired goodies to be posted soon.  (Ok, confession…I may have done some of this before Labor Day).

In any case, this Easy Meatless Manicotti is one of my favorite dishes and is a perfect comfort food for the cooler temperatures.  There are a couple time-saving steps in this recipe to help make it “easy.”   First, no boiling of the noodles is required.  Not having to boil the noodles is not only a time-saver, but filling firm shells is a whole lot easier than flimsy cooked shells.  This recipe also uses a jarred pasta sauce, though if you want to make your own, go for it!  The filling is very flexible – I’ve used cottage cheese or ricotta, and either works fine.  I have used frozen broccoli in place of the spinach; I have added onions, shredded zucchini, whatever extra vegetables that needs to be used up.  Leftovers heat up beautifully, which make for great lunches or quick dinners.  Easy Meatless Manicotti is healthy and delicious and a regular in our dinner rotation.

easy vegetarian spinach manicotti with no cook noodles

Easy Meatless Manicotti
 
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Yields: 7 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella, divided
  • ¼ cup (1 ounce) grated parmesan cheese
  • 16 ounces nonfat cottage cheese
  • 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
  • 1½ teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning (or dried oregano)
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • Cooking Spray
  • 3 cups marinara sauce (or 24-28 ounce jar pasta sauce)
  • 1 package (14 noodles) manicotti noodles - uncooked
  • ½ cup water
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, combine 1½ cups mozzarella, Parmesan, and cottage cheese, along with the spinach, garlic, Italian herb seasoning, red pepper and salt/pepper to taste.
  3. Spray 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray. Pour ½ of the sauce in the baking dish.
  4. Fill the manicotti noodles* with filling mixture until full, about 3 tablespoons.
  5. Pour the remaining sauce over the noodles, making sure the noodles are covered.
  6. Slowly pour ½ cup water around the perimeter of baking dish. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese on top. Cover with nonstick foil (or spray foil with cooking spray) and bake for 1 hour. Let sit uncovered for 10 minutes and serve.
Notes
Filling tips: Put filling in a ziploc bag, cut off a corner and fill shells OR I have found an iced tea spoon is the perfect size for spooning the filling in the shells.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 2 shells

 

Adapted from Cooking Light

Filed Under: Featured, healthy, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Ginger Chicken Satay

August 30, 2012 ·

Chicken Satay is one of my favorite chicken dishes.  While I doubt there will ever be anything that comes close my favorite recipe, I enjoy experimenting with different versions from time to time.  The thing that caught my eye in this particular version was the interesting use of pineapple juice.

The result was a subtle yet delicious Ginger Chicken Satay.  The flavors are mild yet interesting.  The pineapple juice isn’t obvious, but was indeed a tasty addition.  The heat can obviously be adjusted to taste with the crushed red pepper.   I’m not really a skewer fan, so I just grill the chicken directly instead of threading it on skewers.  If you want to do skewers, then cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces before marinating.  Then thread the chicken on the skewers once you are ready to fire up the grill.

Ginger Chicken Satay
 
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Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders
  • 1 cup pineapple juice
  • 6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • Crushed red pepper, adjust to taste
Instructions
  1. Put the chicken in Ziploc bag.
  2. In medium bowl, combine pineapple juice, peanut butter, sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper. Pour the marinade over chicken in the Ziploc bag. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to overnight.
  3. Preheat grill (or grill pan) to medium high. Cook chicken 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with additional crushed red pepper, if desired.

 

Adapted from Fitness, May, 2011

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Parsley Sauce

August 15, 2012 ·

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Parsley Sauce is a light and healthy dish that tastes like summer.  Plus it’s a great way to use some of the parsley that may be taking over your herb garden!  The lemon in the chicken is subtle and fresh tasting, which serves as a nice contrast to the tangy parsley sauce.  The marinade is quick and easy to make, using simple ingredients, and then pop the chicken in the refrigerator until you’re ready to grill.  As with any citrus marinade, it acts quickly so can be grilled within 15 minutes.  I’ve also let the chicken marinate overnight, and that works fine too.  For the parsley sauce, I just toss everything in my Magic Bullet (which I love any excuse to use!), and it’s done in a minute.  Easy! 

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Parsley Sauce
 
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Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • Chicken:
  • zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken tenders or breasts (4 4-ounce breasts)
  • Sauce:
  • ⅔ cup parsley
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped shallot
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
  1. Prepare marinade: In a bowl, whisk together zest, juice, oil, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar until combined.
  2. Put chicken in a Ziploc bag and pour marinade over chicken. Shake to coat and put in the refrigerator to marinate until ready to use (at least 15 minutes to overnight).
  3. Prepare sauce: In a blender, add parsley, oil, shallot, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and juice. Blend until smooth (about 1 minute).
  4. Preheat grill. Place chicken on grill (discard marinade) and cook chicken on 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until thoroughly cooked.
  5. Serve chicken with a drizzle of sauce and garnish as desired. (Store any leftover marinade in the refrigerator).

Adapted from Health, July, 2006

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
Black Bean Brownies

Black Bean Brownies

August 8, 2012 ·


Black Bean Brownies

Black beans and brownies…sounds crazy right?  Well, as many have discovered, using black beans in place of flour is a clever way to make brownies a bit healthier (and gluten free) without sacrificing a delicious chocolaty, rich-tasting dessert.  Black Bean Brownies have been on my list of things to make for years, and had I realized how easy they are to make, they would have been made a long time ago!  Essentially you just throw everything in a food processor (or blender), process for a minute, pour in pan and bake.

Then comes the true test…how are they?  Amazing!  Mike and I were both excited to try them and very pleasantly surprised how good they are (or were…the brownies are long gone!)  They have a deep chocolate flavor, a not quite cakey and not quite fudgy texture, and were some of the best brownies I’ve had in a long time!

Black Bean Brownies
 
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Yields: 16 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
  • Cooking spray (or additional oil)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray (or brush with oil) and set aside.
  2. Put black beans in a food processor and process until smooth.
  3. Add eggs, oil, cocoa, baking powder, vanilla and brown sugar, and process until completely blended. (Note: You may need to stop and scrape down the sides a couple times during this step).
  4. Add ¼ cup chocolate chips and pulse 5 times.
  5. Pour mixture in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle top with remaining chocolate chips.
  6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Put on a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.

Source:  Whole Living

Filed Under: dessert, Featured, gluten free, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , ,

Chicken and Potatoes with Mustard Vinaigrette

July 31, 2012 ·
Chicken and Potatoes with Mustard Vinaigrette | alidaskitchen.com
 With temperatures hitting record highs this summer, I am always happy to be able to cook a quick and healthy dinner that does require turning on the oven.  This Chicken and Potatoes with Mustard Vinaigrette can be made on the stovetop in less than 30 minutes.  It’s served over a bed of fresh baby spinach, making it healthy and delicious.  I’d say this dish fits the bill of quick and healthy, making it a perfect dinner!

I actually found this recipe in a magazine at least 10 years ago and gave it to my mom.  She has made it regularly ever since, and everybody is happy when she has it on the menu.  This salad became an instant family favorite!  While the original recipe calls for rotisserie chicken, my mom bakes chicken breasts and shreds them.  In this recipe, I poached the chicken.   The original recipe calls for watercress, but the spinach gives the salad a bit more substance.  Arugula would also be a tasty substitution.  Basically what I’m telling you is that this recipe is flexible.  Go with what works for you to make this a family favorite of your own.

Chicken and Potatoes with Mustard Vinaigrette
 
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Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 1 pound small red potatoes
  • salt
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • black pepper, to taste
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 10 ounces fresh baby spinach
Instructions
  1. Put chicken in a large sauce pan and then add enough water to cover the chicken. Add a couple pinches of salt. Bring liquid to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Then cover, remove from heat and let sit for 12 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
  2. While the chicken is cooking, put potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt in a medium sauce pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
  3. While chicken and potatoes are cooking, whisk together mustard, vinegar, garlic, honey, and pepper in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, whisking constantly until incorporated. (Note: I then pour vinaigrette into a cruet for ease of pouring).
  4. Once chicken is cooked, transfer to a separate bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons vinaigrette over warm chicken and let sit for a minute to soak in. Then use 2 forks to shred chicken.
  5. Cut cooked potatoes into quarters (or halves, depending on size).
  6. Place spinach in a large serving bowl. Add potatoes and chicken, and toss to combine. Serve immediately, drizzling with additional vinaigrette as desired.
Notes
You can add the vinaigrette to the serving bowl and toss, but I prefer to let others control the amount of dressing on their salad. For me, a little goes a long way!

Adapted from Real Simple

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes, salad Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
healthy buttermilk banana bread pancakes

Banana Bread Pancakes

July 24, 2012 ·
healthy buttermilk banana bread pancakes

I love having extra bananas around the house because inevitable it means they will be made into something yummy.  In this instance, I turned them into Banana Bread Pancakes.  I have been looking for a good banana pancake recipe for years and, as usual, have never found what I was hoping for.  I decided to modify my go-to pancake base recipe, mix a few things up, go heavy on the bananas and see what happens.  The result are a healthy banana pancake that tastes just like banana bread.   They are delicious plain (that’s how Adam likes them) but for myself, I whipped up a little cream cheese drizzle from my Carrot Cake Pancakes.  No matter how you top them, these Banana Bread Pancakes are simply delicious.  Adam also gives his official toddler seal of approval, which is always a win in my book!

   

Banana Bread Pancakes
 
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Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup low fat buttermilk
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 3 to 4 overripe bananas, mashed (approx 1½ cups)
  • Cooking spray
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, oil and mashed bananas until well-blended.
  3. Add flour mixture to banana mixture, stirring gently until just moistened (batter may be lumpy). Let batter sit for about 10 minutes.
  4. Preheat nonstick skillet to medium heat and spray with cooking spray.
  5. Spoon batter onto skillet by the 2 tablespoonfuls to ¼ cupful, depending on desired size (Note: If batter is a little thick, use the back of your spoon to spread/shape the pancakes). Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until bubbles form and the edges look set. Flip pancakes and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden.

 

Filed Under: breakfast, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
healthy buttermilk oatmeal peach muffins

Oat Peach Muffins

July 17, 2012 ·
healthy buttermilk oatmeal peach muffins

One of the first cookbooks I purchased was the Better Crocker’s New Choices Cookbook.  I have found several wonderful recipes in that book, including these Oat Peach Muffins.  These muffins are one of my very favorites from the book, and it’s nice knowing they’re made on the healthier side.

What really makes these muffins amazing is the molasses.  Molasses adds such a delicious character to the muffins and really goes well with the peaches and cinnamon.  The oats give a hearty texture, while the buttermilk yields a moist crumb.  These muffins are a great way to put to use all of those fresh peaches this time of year.   I do often use frozen peaches though, so we can enjoy these muffins all year long.

Oat Peach Muffins
 
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Yields: 12 muffins
Ingredients
  • 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup chopped peaches (thawed if frozen)
  • Cooking spray
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray (or line with paper liners).
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, combine oats and buttermilk. Add brown sugar, oil, molasses, vanilla and egg, whisking until blended.
  4. Fold in flour mixture with buttermilk mixture until moistened (batter will be lumpy). Fold in peaches.
  5. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

Adapted from Betty Crocker’s New Choices Cookbook

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
peanut butter peanut butter chip chocolate chewy cookies

Double Peanut Butter Chocolate Chewies

July 13, 2012 ·
peanut butter peanut butter chip chocolate chewy cookies
I don’t even know where to begin about these cookies. They have the peanut butter and chocolate combination, which we all know and love. But these Double Peanut Butter Chocolate Chewies are truly not any ordinary chocolate and peanut butter cookie. They are amazingly chewy, without being cakey. They have a delicious balance of peanut butter and chocolate. These cookies are made without any butter and have yogurt and oats to add some wholesome goodness (dare I suggest this makes them fit for breakfast?)

A couple tips:  When flattening the cookies before baking, keep in mind they will spread.  Just flatten them a little bit and you will be fine.  Keep an eye on the bake time, because over baking the cookies will result in a less chewy cookie.  I baked mine for 8 minutes and that was perfect with my oven…but definitely keep an eye on them.

Double Peanut Butter Chocolate Chewies
 
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Yields: 36 cookies
Ingredients
  • 1 cup chunky natural peanut butter
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup rolled oats (I used quick oats)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup peanut butter chips
  • ¼ cup turbinado sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, oats, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat peanut butter, oil, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until blended. Beat in eggs, yogurt and vanilla until combined.
  4. Gradually add flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture, stirring until blended. Stir in chocolate and peanut butter chips.
  5. On prepared cookie sheets, place rounded tablespoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart.
  6. Dip the bottom of a class in water, and then dip the class in turbinado sugar. Using the sugared glass, flatten the dough slightly, leaving a thin layer of sugar on top. Re-wet glass, as needed.
  7. Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes (be sure not to over bake!). Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Barely adapted from Eating Well

Filed Under: dessert, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
healthy grilled barbecue chicken with DIY barbeque sauce

Grilled BBQ Chicken

July 10, 2012 ·
grilled barbecue chicken with DIY barbeque sauce

I can’t believe I haven’t posted this recipe for Grilled BBQ Chicken already!  It’s been almost 2 months since I posted teaser pictures on my Drumstick Party post.  Oops!  Fortunately there is still plenty of summer time left to fire up that grill and enjoy some tasty Grilled BBQ Chicken.

Homemade barbecue sauce is one of the easiest things to make using simple pantry ingredients.  I have several homemade versions that I love.  Each one is a little different and each one has its time and place.  This recipe below is based on the sauce from my Pulled Chicken Sandwiches.  I absolutely love the spice combination in that recipe and thought it would translate nicely to the grill.  We were so pleased with the result, this is now my go-to recipe for any time we want a classic Grilled BBQ Chicken!

Grilled BBQ Chicken
 
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Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 4 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Cooking spray or oil, for grill
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, mix ketchup and next 8 ingredients (through cumin) until sauce is combined. Set aside.
  2. Put chicken in a Ziploc bag and pour half of the sauce in the bag, making sure chicken get coated. Put in refrigerator for at least an hour (to overnight).
  3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Spray the grates with grill cooking spray (or rub with oil), if needed.
  4. Put chicken on grill and discard the bag with marinade. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Serve with additional sauce, as desired.
Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
healthy baked buffalo chicken breast tenders

Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders

June 27, 2012 ·
healthy baked buffalo chicken breast tenders
Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders are made with simple pantry ingredients, and because they are so delicious and easy, they have become a fixture in our dinner rotation.  The seasoned flour gives an interesting boost of flavor to these otherwise basic baked chicken tenders.  It also is a nice complement to the hot and spicy buffalo sauce.  While either buttermilk or egg whites work great for moistening the chicken before breading, I tend to prefer the tang from the buttermilk.  The buffalo sauce makes a modest amount to contribute the spicy  buffalo flavor without excess, thus making it a bit lighter.  The result is a spicy buffalo baked chicken dish that is as delicious as it is easy.  The recipe also halves easily, making a simple dinner for 2.  I enjoy my buffalo chicken plain, but it is also delicious served with your favorite side of blue cheese dressing for dipping.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders
 
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Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup buttermilk OR 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 pound chicken tenders OR boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
  • Cooking spray
  • ½ cup hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Place a wire rack on rimmed baking sheet (optional). Set aside.
  2. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder and salt.
  3. Put buttermilk (or egg whites) and breadcrumbs, each in separate shallow bowls.
  4. Working with one tender at a time, dredge chicken in flour mixture, then dip in buttermilk and then toss with bread crumbs, making sure chicken is coated, and then place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tenders.
  5. Spray tops of chicken with olive oil cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
  6. Meanwhile, whisk the hot sauce and butter until combined. Once chicken is done, remove from oven and drizzle with hot sauce mixture, making sure to flip to get both sides.. Serve immediately.

Adapted from Food.com

Filed Under: healthy, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , ,