Grilled Eggplant Parmesan

Had some time on my lunch break and decided I could blog about my dinner last night! I've been on Weight Watchers the last few months and have had great success. One of my favorite dishes to make is Eggplant Parmesan. To make my dish less points on Weight Watchers I grilled slices of eggplant. Make sure to sprinkle salt on them and let sit in a colander. This break down the bitterness and makes the eggplant softer. Dry the slices by patting dry with paper towels and on a well lit grill, cook them up.

I swapped the ricotta cheese for fat free cottage cheese. First time I ever did this and it was delicious!

GRILLED EGGPLANT PARMESAN
By: Fallon Foale

Ingredients:
Grilled eggplant slices (2 medium eggplants)
1 cup fat free cottage cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (save 1/4 cup for the top)
2-3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (save 1 tablespoon for the top)
1 large egg
Dried basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper
Your favorite tomato sauce ( I love White Linen Marinara)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl combine cottage cheese, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, 2 tbsp parmesan cheese, egg and seasonings. Set aside.

In a medium sizes baking dish, layer sliced eggplant. Top with cheese mixture and sauce. Repeat till eggplant is gone. On the top add rest of shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle more basil and oregano on top! Place in oven till everything is heated through and cheese browns on top.

For fun we had extra whole wheat penne cooked and in the fridge. I sprinkled it in between the layers. Served with steamed brocolini. This made 6-7 large slices and I counted it as 6 points!

Enjoy,
Fallon

Happy Thanksgiving for TWO!

Hey Y’all! I am still around and thought it be nice to pop in and wish everyone (well if I still have any readers) a Happy Thanksgiving! This year I didn’t want to go anywhere. While I’m very thankful for our friends always offering my mama and I to come over, it just seemed right to enjoy this day with my mama. We worked out this morning, hit up Old Navy and Wholefoods (YES we had to do a little shopping!) and made our dinner together. We took a very easy approach to Thanksgiving and one I like because it is SIMPLE and you don’t have to feel guilty about gaining any extra weight.

We only eat white meat, the dark meat usually goes to my father or in the trash. This year we opted to buy a turkey breast on the bone, rather then a whole turkey. We stuffed it with fresh herbs and drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper. Instead of roasting the turkey in the oven, we did the slow cooker approach instead. It was DELICIOUS! Super juicy, very flavorful and easy clean up. We followed this approach when making our turkey.

I roasted the sweet potatoes, sliced in circles, olive oil, salt and pepper. My mom handled the green beans (steamed) and homemade cranberry sauce. We added 2 tablespoons white sugar, 2 tablespoons stevia, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, splash of orange juice and a dash of cinnamon.

For dessert, we used the slow cooker and I prepared a homemade apple crisp. It was gluten free and I made sure to just make enough (3 large apples), so we wouldn’t have a ton of leftovers. The house smelled amazing and this is something I’ll be making more often going forward. I will share the recipe with you next week.

Cheers,
Fallon

Baby meal!

Recently my best friend had her second child, baby girl Jenna! She is absolutely precious and I love getting to hold her. I wanted to do something for her and her family. I figured they could use help with a homemade meal. How does chocolate chip cookies and lasagna sound? Everything turned out great and they loved my lasagna. What can I say, when I cook it is definitely. treat ;).

Everything is courtesy of Trader Joe's. Their frozen chocolate chip cookie dough is pretty spectacular and they bake up so nicely. I cooked my own sauce for them, a little ground beef, garlic, onions, olive oil, san marzano tomatoes and a splash of red wine. I cooked it low and slow for about an hour. I used the lasagna sheets that you do not have to boil and you simply layer and bake. I made a ricotta cheese mixture with frozen chopped spinach and an egg to bring everything together. Lyssa told me everyone loved the meal and even Mason, their 3 year old son loved it!

Always,

Fallon

PS: All photos are from my new iPhone 5. Awesome quality right??? And if I wasn't lazier enough, I blogged from my phone too. ;)

Chicken and Sweet Potatoes and Shallots

Last weekend is when it all started. I just want comfort food. Its still in the 90’s here but the thought of warm dishes that are hearty and make tons of leftovers, is right up my alley right now. While perusing Paleo Plan I was trying to get ideas for something fresh to eat. The usual chicken seasoning,with roasted sweet potatoes just wasn’t cutting it out anymore. I came across this sautéed of chicken breasts in coconut oil and shallot fry and mashed sweet potatoes on the side. No dairy, no gluten, no wheat, I never thought food like this could taste so flavorful and it is so simple to prepare.

These sweet potatoes were simply seasoned with sea salt, black pepper and my favorite a dash of cinnamon. I decided to leave the skin on the potatoes for extra nutrition and a rustic home cooked feeling. I had fresh sage lurking in the refrigerator and subbed that for the fresh rosemary. It was a pleasant swap and paired deliciously with the shallots. I got a good 4-5 meals out of this dish. It was so easy to make and bring to work as lunch. I will definitely be making this again!

Please visit Paleo Plan for the recipe Chicken and Sweet Potatoes and Shallots.

I’m off to enjoy this beautiful second day of fall Sunday. Spin class at 8am, coffee afterwards and FOOTBALL!

Fallon

Spinach and Mozzarella Turkey Burgers

Summer is here and my favorite thing is to use the grill! Luckily ours is a gas grill and I can just light it up whenever I want. Charcoal grills are nice but for me I don’t like the fuss. I want my grill heated up quickly and get my food on there so I can eat. Grilling is easier and causes a lot less mess in the kitchen. I know that is something my mom can appreciate. She thinks I make such a mess in the kitchen. I think she is wrong! ;)

I made these turkey burgers on a whim. I’ve discovered that the only way to have moist turkey burgers is if you start throwing in random ingredients. It gives the turkey flavor and adds moisture. I sautéed up a few handfuls of spinach with garlic and olive oil. I set it aside to cool off before I added it to about 1.25lb lean ground turkey. With the spinach I added in a handful of shredded mozzarella, 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs, 1 large egg white and seasoned with salt and pepper. Form it into burger size patties, throw on the grill till no longer pink in the middle and then serve.

  

I had mine bunless with grilled sweet potatoes, grilled asparagus roasted cauliflower. It was one of the best meals I made to date in a long time. I enjoyed this meal with a new friend of mine and she was truly impressed. She mentioned no one ever cooks for her and one random night I knew I had all this food to cook and she finally had a home cooked meal made by someone else. Now all she ever wants me to make are these turkey burgers!

Enjoy,
Fallon

Quick and Healthy Turkey Bolognese

I always have to find a way to make ground turkey just taste good. I can’t stand how dry it is when made into turkey burger and usually flavorless. Turkey is a great alternative for lean protein but trying to find ways to make it taste good is tricky. My favorite way to enjoy ground turkey is cooked to be taco meat for Mexican night. That sounds good but I was really in the mood for a hearty tomato sauce. I remember last year I tried out Barefoot Contessa’s Weeknight Bolognese. I used grassfed beef and my own homemade sauce. This time around I wasn’t going to spend several hours in the kitchen making my sauce again (no time!) and I had this turkey that needed to be cooked up.

My favorite store bought sauce was in the pantry and then a light bulb clicked. I can make a bolognese sauce with ground turkey and my favorite sauce, it will be just as delicious and will be very quick to put together.

I didn’t use this sauce to top on pasta, instead I used it to top on sweet potatoes and roasted vegetables. It was a quick meal to take to work and kept me satisfied for hours. This recipe makes a lot and you can easily freeze it but that wasn’t the case for me.

Quick and Healthy Turkey Bolognese
By Fallon

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound organic ground turkey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/4 cup red wine (make sure it is a wine you love to drink)
2 cups of your favorite red sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons coconut milk (cream or half and half works too)

Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook, crumbling the turkey with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 7 minutes, and has started to brown. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits.

Add the red sauce, tomato paste, salt and pepper to taste, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

To finish the sauce, add the coconut milk and remaining wine to the sauce and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. The sauce will be thick and hearty.

The reason why I used coconut milk is because when I use it for my iced coffees, it is super creamy and delicious. You really can’t taste the coconut and I wanted to see how it worked in the sauce. My mom who isn’t a coconut lover said she didn’t even detect any flavor of it after I told her I added coconut milk.

If you are a pasta fan this will be delicious with rigatoni pasta or if your trying to watch your carbs like me, sweet potatoes and vegetables are just as good!

Enjoy,
Fallon    

Crockpot Cheddar Beer Chicken Tacos

Lately trying to find a balance has been quite a challenge. I want to do everything but at the end of the day, I’m lucky if I get to the gym and eat dinner. I like being busy but it comes to a point where being too busy isn’t too good either. Balance between work and having a life is very important. How do you balance long work days to have a life? I really need a vacation and I don’t see that in my future right now :(

What I do find time to make is delicious meals like this meal, Crockpot Cheddar Beer Chicken Tacos. The lovely Jessica from How Sweet It Is has the most creative mind when it comes to cooking, like lots of flavors that just work together. She has inspired me to be more creative in the kitchen and to try new things. I bookmarked this recipe because beer and chicken in a Crockpot sounded quite interesting. Trust me, it is delicious and you’ll want to eat it for lunch and dinner! I use the chicken as a salad topping, corn tortilla tacos and burritos. 

  
My favorite lunch as of late: Beer chicken, lettuce, avocado, onion, Greek yogurt and salsa verde wrapped in a brown rice tortilla.

My job can be quite entertaining most days. There is a station where you check in rental cars that are being returned after their rental is over. When people come to Las Vegas they are here for a good time, they drink, eat and party all night! These people purchase alcohol to have in their hotel rooms but when flying back home, they have to leave it  behind. We get a lot of alcohol left over and they like to leave it with us. Last night I lucked out and came home with a 12 pack of beer. The first thing I thought of was making the cheddar beer chicken! ;)

To get the recipe for Crockpot Cheddar Beer Chicken Tacos you must check out Jessica’s awesome website, How Sweet It Is.

Now time to go make a burrito for work! I think I’m on day 3 of burrito eating ;)

Fallon

Enchilada Casserole from Cooking Light

This is a recipe I’ve had saved from forever ago. The printed date on the copied recipe is 2007 and I’ve never once attempted to make it! I know I’m not the only one that does that, or am I? I knew this past weekend would be the perfect time to make this dish. It has been very cold in Las Vegas and I’m looking for a meal to warm me right up.

What I love about this recipe is the use of corn bread as the topping! I don’t know if you know but I love corn bread. I could eat it everyday if I could. Which in reality I can ;). I used my favorite gluten free mix from Bob’s Red Mill.

I made a minor mistake of not reading the directions because once I started I noticed this is suppose to be done in the SLOW COOKER!! Doh! So I improvised and cooked it on 375 degrees for about 35 minutes. I’m sure it be real tasty from the slow cooker because the corn bread would be a lot more crumbly and moist. Other then that the flavors were spot on and this dish had a good kick. I added pepper jack cheese to the top along with cheddar and mozzarella. I didn’t miss the fact that there was no beef or chicken in this dish. It was a really hearty meal with the black beans and roasted corn.

When I make this again I’m going to try the slow cooker method and see how it turns out. I’m usually really good about following directions.

To get the recipe for Enchilada Casserole please visit Cooking Light.

  

Enjoy,
Fallon

The Secret Recipe Club: Polenta Pizzas

It feels so good to be back and participating in The Secret Recipe Club. I missed a few months and couldn’t wait to start at it again. I can’t believe how many people are part of this club now. It is truly amazing.

For this month I was given the blog Penny Pinching Provisions. Robin has found a way to save money and not depend on using coupons. Thank you! I don’t get how the coupon people can get 5,000 bottles of mustard for free and if that is even necessary. I’m always looking for ways to save money at the grocery store but making sure it is healthy and fits with my dietary guidelines. I’m slowly easing into a gluten free diet and saw these cute polenta pizzas on Robin’s blog. She actually found the recipe through Trader Joe’s (my favorite store!). It is perfect to make after a long day of work. I can make these easily thanks to the premade polenta, that is sliced, top with sauce, cheese and in 20 minutes I have a healthy meal. I pair it with a side salad, glass of red wine and dinner is enjoyed. I added a little goat gouda and mushrooms for a different twist. Very versatile recipe and great to serve as appetizers as well!

Polenta Pizzas
Adapted from Penny Pinching Provisions

Ingredients:
1 package organic polenta
Favorite marinara sauce
Ricotta cheese
Goat gouda
Sliced mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a baking sheet with olive oil. Slice polenta into 1/2 inch thick rounds, 12 slices total. Top with a tablespoon of sauce and ricotta cheese. Place 1 sliced mushroom on each pizza and sprinkle goat gouda on top. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes and then turn broiler on for another 3-4 minutes.

The polenta rounds will crisp up and the cheese will be golden brown. Serve with a simple green salad and balsamic dressing.

Always,
Fallon

Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta with Grilled Chicken Breast, Roasted Tomatoes and Green Beans

Long title but in reality it was the easiest meal ever. Make sure to grill some extra chicken breasts from a previous dinner and save to use for other meals, like this pasta dish. The tomatoes and green beans can be roasted at the same time in a 425 degree oven, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil infused with garlic, sea salt and fresh black pepper. Takes about 20-25 minutes to roast vegetables and in the mean time you can be boiling water and cooking the pasta.

I used a thick noodle like pappardelle and it is infused with lemon pepper. Very light and refreshing. You can find it at my favorite store, Trader Joe’s. If you can’t find it, just use linguine. Boil water and cook pasta till al dente. Strain and add back to pot with chopped chicken, roasted tomatoes and green beans. Mix well and serve with goat cheese.

30 minutes later dinner is ready!

Buon Appetito,
Fallon

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Quinoa and Grass-Fed Beef

 

Ingredients:
3/4 cup cooked quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium sweet onion
2 yellow or green zucchini
1 large garlic clove
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1lb 100% ground grass fed beef (10% fat)
2 tablespoons red wine or tomato paste
Sea salt
Ground pepper
3 whole bell peppers, cut in half and seeded
2 cups of marinara sauce
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Prepare quinoa ahead of time by rinsing 1/4 cup in cold water. Place in a medium saucepan with water just covering the quinoa. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered until liquid is absorbed. In about 20-30 minutes quinoa will be cooked, allow to cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a cast iron pan, sautéed the onion and zucchini in olive oil over medium-high heat. Season with 1/2 teaspoon oregano,1/4 teaspoon thyme, salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, then add in the garlic and cooked quinoa. Mix together and remove from heat. Place the quinoa mixture into a separate bowl. In the same pan add the ground beef and the remaining oregano and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Add in 2 tablespoons of red wine. Cook until the beef is no longer pink and then add in 3/4 of the quinoa mixture. Mix well and remove from heat.

In a medium baking dish, place the 6 bell pepper halves and stuff each with the beef mixture. You will have leftovers of the beef, you can either stuff additional peppers or save for a different meal.

Cover the peppers with your favorite marinara sauce and place in the preheated oven covered for an hour. Once the peppers are soft, they are done. Top with your favorite cheese and serve.

  

I’m use to having stuffed peppers prepared with the meat raw and then baked. That is the mistake I made but in the end it still tasted delicious.The extra sauce help keep the meat moist.

I also forgot to buy tomato paste and saw an open bottle of red wine, I figured it won’t make the beef tomato-y but it will have a delicious wine flavor. It worked out perfectly. This is the perfect comfort meal if you are looking for something a bit healthier and gluten free!

Enjoy,
Fallon

Sunday Supper

I made a delicious lasagna Sunday night. I finished off all the red sauce I had stored in the freezer and decided to make use of it. Once I leave Augusta, Mike won’t get homemade meals and since he isn’t one to cook, unless you call boiling eggs a cooking technique he is going to rely on pizza and sandwiches. I’ve already started to freeze some items for him and this lasagna is one of them. It will be a delicious meal he can pull out of the freezer and enjoy for dinner one night.

These are awesome!

I made a ricotta mixture with fresh spinach, eggs, shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese. I added Italian sausage to his side of the lasagna, while mine was sausage free. I loved the no bake noodles I picked up, they were flat and so easy to assemble. Once cooked they were thin and light, just like a homemade lasagna noodle.

It was a delicious dinner that had Mike going back for seconds. I’ll miss cooking him dinner, especially our Sunday suppers.

   

Someone is camera shy!!

Buon Appetito,
Fallon

Grilled Basil Chicken Breasts

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this marinade for chicken breast. I usually let the chicken sit overnight till dinner the next day or in the morning till dinner that night. Something about the red wine vinegar really tenderizes the chicken. The fresh basil really shines through the recipe and works great with an Italian side dish. Mike isn’t a big chicken fan because of how it can get so dry when being cooked BUT this recipe he loves. It is absolutely tasty and keeps the chicken very moist. I found the recipe from Pam at For The Love of Cooking. She uses skinless chicken thighs instead but it clearly works with skinless chicken breast as well.

Grill Basil Marinated Chicken Breasts
Adapted from For The Love of Cooking

Ingredients:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (I used a garlic oil)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced finely
1 1/2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a zip lock bag add the oil, vinegar, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Whisk together and gently place the chicken in the bag. Close the bag and squish everything together. Place in the fridge for 3-12 hours under a plate incase there is a hole.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 20 minutes prior to cooking. Heat an indoor grill pan or your outdoor grill. Cook chicken over a medium-high heat and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Cook chicken till juices run clear and no longer pink in the middle. Rest meat for 5 minutes before serving.

Buon Appetito,
Fallon