Tasty Tuesday: All-American Beefy Mac

Thank you Hungry Girl for today’s recipe….

Do you remember Hamburger Helper?  When life was crazy busy – full-time job, active kid and not a lot of time to plan meals, this and macaroni and cheese was a go to meal.  I kind of miss those days so this is a great way to enjoy the same yummy taste in a healthier way.

Whether you call it beefy mac, beefaroni, or American chop suey, a hearty pasta meal full of ground beef and rich tomato sauce rocks. Indulge in our AMAZING recipe without a lick of guilt…

Prep: 20 minutes     Cook: 30 minutes     Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 cups frozen cauliflower florets
• 4 1/2 oz. (about 1 1/4 cups) high-fiber elbow macaroni
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
• 1 lb. raw extra-lean ground beef (4% fat or less)
• 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp. each salt and black pepper
• 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup diced tomato
• 2 tbsp. canned tomato paste
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• Optional seasoning: crushed red pepper

Directions:

1. Place cauliflower in a large microwave-safe bowl; cover and microwave for 3 minutes. Uncover and stir. Re-cover and microwave for 2 minutes, or until hot. Drain excess liquid.
2. Roughly chop cauliflower, return to the bowl, and cover to keep warm.
3. In a large pot, cook pasta per package instructions, about 7 minutes. Drain pasta, and stir into cauliflower. Re-cover to keep warm.
4. Spray the pot with nonstick spray, and bring to medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and cook and stir until browned, about 4 minutes.
5. To the pot, add ground beef, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stir, and crumble until beef is fully cooked and veggies are soft, about 6 minutes.
6. Add all remaining ingredients to the pot, and stir well. Bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat to low, and stir in cauliflower-pasta mixture. Cook until hot and well mixed, about 2 minutes.

Serving Size: 1/4th of recipe (about 2 1/2 cups):  Calories: 375; Fat: 6g; Sodium: 690mg; Carbs: 50g; Fiber: 10g; Sugars: 13.5g; Protein: 33g     PointsPlus® value 9*

Be sure to pack your leftovers for lunch the next day in Thirty One’s Around the Clock Thermal.  This is one of our most versatile totes.  It is great for lunch or snacks anytime, anywhere—work, school, festivals, road trips, pool, beach, golf course, boating or sporting events. The water-resistant thermal lining keeps contents cool and makes cleanup easier. A removable shoulder strap means you can carry it any number of ways, including crossbody for hands-free movement. An interior mesh pocket and exterior front zipper pocket provide separate storage options when needed. Makes a great gift for friends, neighbors, kids, teachers and everyone else on the go!

Have a blessed day!

Sheet-Pan Sausage & Pepper

Thank you Hungry Girl for this yummy recipe….. I usually do sausage and peppers on the stove top butI figured I would give this a try.  I’m cooking lots more meals right now since hubby is off work for 2 weeks.  Trying new versions of old things so I have yummy dinners with some leftover to freeze for when he goes back to work.

1/2 of recipe (about 1 3/4 cups): 299 calories, 14g total fat (3g sat fat), 648mg sodium, 27.5g carbs, 4.5g fiber, 7.5g sugars, 17g protein  Freestyle™ SmartPoints® value 8*

Prep: 10 minutes     Cook: 30 minutes      Makes:  2 servings

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. (about 2 links) fully cooked chicken sausage with 8g fat or less per 3-oz. serving (like the kinds by Al Fresco), sliced into coins
• 6 oz. (about 3) baby red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 cups sliced bell peppers
• 1 cup sliced onion
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• Dash ground thyme

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
2. Combine all ingredients and seasonings in a large bowl. Toss to coat.
3. Spread mixture onto the center of the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. Flip/rearrange mixture on the baking sheet. Bake until veggies have softened and potatoes are tender and lightly browned, 10 – 12 minutes.

Be sure to pack your leftovers for lunch the next day in Thirty One’s Around the Clock Thermal.  This is one of our most versatile totes.  It is great for lunch or snacks anytime, anywhere—work, school, festivals, road trips, pool, beach, golf course, boating or sporting events. The water-resistant thermal lining keeps contents cool and makes cleanup easier. A removable shoulder strap means you can carry it any number of ways, including crossbody for hands-free movement. An interior mesh pocket and exterior front zipper pocket provide separate storage options when needed. Makes a great gift for friends, neighbors, kids, teachers and everyone else on the go!  The best part is they are on SALE right now for just $15 with a $35 purchase.  Be sure to check out all of the Sale-a-bration items too with new things released every Thursday.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Tasty Tuesday – Fudge Brownies

Today’s recipe is courtesy of Hungry Girl. The actual name of the brownie is “secret-ingredient” fudge brownie BUT I figured you would’t check it out if you knew there was a secret ingredient. LOL.  I’m trying to get back on track but I do love my sweets.  I never remember craving them this much but lately it has been really bad!  The best part about this recipe is I can make it gluten free with almond flour.

NUTRITION FACTS:  1/9th of pan (1 brownie): 107 calories, 2g total fat (1g sat fat), 190mg sodium, 23g carbs, 5.5g fiber, 4g sugars, 5.5g protein

Freestyle™ SmartPoints® value 2*  MAKES: 9 servings

Prep: 10 minutes     Cook: 30 minutes    Cool: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• One 15-oz. can cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
• 1/4 cup (about 2 large) egg whites or fat-free liquid egg substitute
• 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/4 cup Truvia spoonable no-calorie sweetener (or another natural brand that’s about twice as sweet as sugar)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8” X 8” baking pan with nonstick spray.
2. Place all ingredients except chocolate chips in a food processor. Puree until completely smooth and uniform.
3. Fold in 1 tbsp. chocolate chips. Spread mixture into the baking pan, and smooth out the top.
4. Evenly top with remaining 2 tbsp. chocolate chips, and lightly press into the batter.
5. Bake until a toothpick (or knife) inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, 25 – 30 minutes.
6. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.

Want to take these yummy treats on the road?  What better way than with a Thirty One thermal.  First up is the Cool Zip Snacker a perfect size to keep one of these yummy brownies from melting in the summer heat.  The best part is they are in the Summer Sale-a-bration and are only $8 (while they last).  Kids love snacks, and the Cool Zip Snacker makes it fun for them to enjoy their favorites! Available in two-themed characters, our snacker is food safe and reusable. The water-resistant thermal lining and polyester shell are hand-washable and easy to care for.

Looking for something a little bigger?  Why not try the Thermal Tote?  This is one of our most popular items, the Thermal Tote is the perfect-sized lunch bag for work, school, play dates, sporting events, golf outings, fishing trips or travel. The thermal lining and zipper closure help keep your food cool or warm, while an exterior pocket is the perfect place to keep your cell phone, wallet or other important small items. Also makes a great gift for your kids’ teachers, tutors and babysitters, or your coworkers, neighbors and friends!

Share a recipe with us and if I post it, you will get some AWESOME happy mail from me.  Let’s us know what you think about this recipe.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Tasty Tuesday: Yippee-Ki-Yay Spicy Southwest Chicken Chowder

Thank you Hungry Girl for another AWESOME recipe.  I am such a soup girl when the weather gets cold.  I usually need to be warmed up AND it is so easy to heat and make when dinner is just me while hubby is at work.  I like to create my own “concoctions” with things I have on hand so trying new recipes is always fun.  Hungry Girl helps us to spice up our life with a bowlful of this hearty soup!  Flavor, fiber, and all that protein — poultry power!!

1/10th of recipe (about 1 cup): 163 calories, 1.5g total fat (0.5g sat fat), 654mg sodium, 18.5g carbs, 3g fiber, 4.5g sugars, 18.5g protein. MAKES 10 SERVINGS.  Freestyle™ SmartPoints® value 2*

Ingredients:

2 – 14.5-oz. cans (about 3 1/2 cups) fat-free chicken broth
15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
14.75-oz. can cream-style corn
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1 pepper)
1 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 onion)
2 tbsp. chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (about 2 peppers)
1/2 cup plain light soymilk
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 lb. raw boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved
1/2 tsp. each salt and black pepper
1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. In a slow cooker, combine broth, beans, corn, bell pepper, onion, chipotle peppers, soymilk, garlic, and cumin. Stir well.
2. Season chicken with salt and black pepper and place in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 – 4 hours or on low for 7 – 8 hours.
3. Transfer chicken to a bowl. Shred with two forks — one to hold chicken in place and the other to scrape across the meat and shred.
4. Stir shredded chicken into the soup in the slow cooker. Stir in potato flakes, sour cream, and cilantro. Enjoy!

NOTE:  HG Alternative! Skip the chipotle peppers for a deliciously mild chicken chowder.  Although I LOVE spicy, I will probably skip the peppers this time around.

This is an AWESOME hearty lunch on those chilly days…..What’s the perfect way to take your lunch to work?  That’s right – one of Thirty One’s thermal totes is the correct answer.  The Around the Clock Thermal is one of our most versatile thermal totes.  It is great for lunch or snacks anytime, anywhere—work, school, festivals, road trips, pool, beach, golf course, boating or sporting events. The water-resistant thermal lining keeps contents cool and makes cleanup easier.   If you need a visual for size – think a six-pack of soda!  Yes, it will fit in it and still have some room at the top for some more snacks.  A removable shoulder strap means you can carry it any number of ways, including as a crossbody for hands-free movement. An interior mesh pocket and exterior front zipper pocket provide separate storage options when needed. Makes a great gift for friends, neighbors, kids, teachers and everyone else on the go!

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

 

Tasty Tuesday: On The Go Apple Pies

Fall is here and so is apple season…. I know most of you think of “everything pumpkin” BUT I LOVE apples.  So check out these YUMMY Hungry Girl Apple Pies On the Go.

1/6th of recipe (1 pie): 96 calories, 0.5g total fat (0g sat fat), 162mg sodium, 22.5g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 6.5g sugars, 2g protein      SmartPoints® value 2*

Prep: 15 minutes      Cook: 25 minutes      Cool: 20 minutes     MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Ingredients:

2 tsp. cornstarch
3 cups peeled and chopped Fuji or Gala apples (about 3 apples)
2 packets no-calorie sweetener (like Truvia)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
6 large square egg roll wrappers (stocked with the tofu in the refrigerated section of the market)
Optional topping: powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium nonstick pot, combine cornstarch with 1/2 cup water. Stir to dissolve.
2. Add apples, sweetener, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir well.
3. Set heat to medium. Stirring frequently, cook until apples have slightly softened and mixture is thick and gooey, 8 – 10 minutes.
4. Transfer to a medium bowl. Let cool slightly, about 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
6. Lay an egg roll wrapper flat on a dry surface. Evenly distribute 1/6th of apple mixture (about 1/3 cup) on the bottom half of the wrapper.
7. Moisten all four edges by dabbing your fingers in water and going over the edges smoothly. Fold the top half over the mixture so the top edge meets the bottom. Seal edges by pressing firmly with the prongs of a fork.
8. Place on the baking sheet, and repeat to make 5 more pie pockets.
9. Spray with nonstick spray. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

What better way to either keep your apple pie warm or cold then with a Thirty One Cool Clip Thermal.  The Cool Clip Thermal Pouch makes a great addition to any tote, bag or backpack when you need a little extra space or just need to keep items separated and easy to access. Great for snacks, sunscreen, medicine, make-up, valuables, cell phones, baby food, bug spray, first-aid supplies and many other items. Features a washable and wipeable thermal lining, exterior clip, zipper closure and front pocket.

Have a favorite recipe? Share it with us.  If I use it in my blog, you will receive a FREE gift in the mail.  Who doesn’t like “happy mail”?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!