Hearty Winter Meals

Corner Kick Pita Pocket

Ingredients:

• ½ cup spinach, trimmed leaves
• ¼ cup cucumber, peeled and sliced
• ¼ cup carrots, shredded
• 1 tablespoon salsa, mild
• 1 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
• 1 (6 ½ inch) whole wheat pita pocket
• 4 slices turkey breast deli meat

Directions:

Combine spinach, cucumber, and carrots with salsa and greek yogurt, mix well. Cut pita in half. Using your finger, slowly open the pocket so as not to tear the bread. Divide turkey and veggie mix in half and place in each pocket half.

Creamy Avocado & White Bean Wrap

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, (see Note)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded red cabbage
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• 4 8- to 10-inch whole-wheat wraps, or tortillas

Directions:

1. Whisk vinegar, oil, chipotle chile and salt in a medium bowl. Add cabbage, carrot and cilantro; toss to combine.
2. Mash beans and avocado in another medium bowl with a potato masher or fork. Stir in cheese and onion.
3. To assemble the wraps, spread about 1/2 cup of the bean-avocado mixture onto a wrap (or tortilla) and top with about 2/3 cup of the cabbage-carrot slaw. Roll up. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut the wraps in half to serve, if desired.

Tips & Notes

• Ingredient Note: Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce are smoked jalapeños packed in a flavorful sauce. Look for the small cans with the Mexican foods in large supermarkets. Once opened, they’ll keep at least 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.
• Substitute green bell peppers if chilies in adobo are too spicy

Banana Dog In a Bun

Ingredients:

• 1 whole wheat hot dog bun
• 1 tbsp natural peanut butter or almond butter
• 1 tbsp strawberry or other jam (or raw honey, if preferred)
• 1 whole banana
• Raisins, shredded coconut or chopped peanuts

Directions:

1. Spread one inner surface of a split hot dog bun with peanut butter or almond butter. Spread the other side with jam or honey. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in your child’s lunch bag. Also, pack a whole banana (in the peel) and a small container of toppings, such as raisins, coconut, peanuts or whatever else you can think of.
2. At lunchtime, your child can peel the banana and place it in the bun, sprinkle on the toppings and eat.
3. Let the other kids drool. It’s your lunch, kiddo, and you’re the boss of it.

California Veggie Wrap

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp Garlic or plain hummus (whatever flavor your kid likes most)
• 1 whole wheat flour tortilla
• 2 tbsp shredded carrot
• 2 tbsp thinly sliced red or yellow pepper
• 1/4 cup low fat shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 avocado, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) baby spinach leaves (or torn arugula)
• 1/4 cup (30 mL) alfalfa sprouts

Directions:

1. Spread hummus over the tortilla to within 1/2 inch of the edges.
2. Arrange all the filling ingredients in a row along the center one-third of the tortilla. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Roll the tortilla up as tightly as possible to enclose the filling without tearing the tortilla. Cut in half crosswise and eat immediately, or wrap both halves in plastic wrap to pack into a lunch bag.

Sweet Potatoes with Warm Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream or greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Slice sweet potatoes into ½ inch cubes. Place in a pot of water with a vegetable steamer and cover. Let steam for about 5-8 minutes or until fork is easily entered into a sweet potato cube.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, oil, cumin, coriander and salt; heat in a small saucepan over medium heat until tender and mixed (about 3-4 minutes)
3. Place cubes of sweet potatoes on the bottom of a plate or bowl, and top with bean mixture. Dollop with greek yogurt and fresh cilantro.

Dominique’s Award Winning Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• ½ green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 can kidney beans, drained
• 1 can pinto beans, drained
• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes (with sauce)
• 8oz tomato sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place ground turkey, onion, bell pepper, and spices into a large, deep nonstick skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Cook until meat is no longer pink and onion and bell pepper are tender. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes and enjoy!

Citrus Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
• 1 3/4 cups Chicken Stock or vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 cup uncooked wild or brown rice
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Cook the chicken in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until it’s well browned on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet.

Stir the stock, orange juice, onion and rice in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Return the chicken to the skillet. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked though and the rice is tender. Stir in the parsley.

Easy Asian-Style Chicken & Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
• 1 ½ cups of Portobello mushroom soup
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp minced fresh garlic
• Dash of soy sauce (to taste)
• 1 bag (16 ounces) frozen stir-fry vegetables
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked instant brown or wild rice

Directions:

Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and ginger, plus the dash of soy sauce (you may add more later if need be) Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet.

Stir the soup, water, and vegetables in the skillet and heat to a boil. Stir in the rice. Return the chicken to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.

Chickpea Burgers & Tahini Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 19-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
• 4 scallions, trimmed and sliced
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 6-1/2-inch whole-wheat pitas, halved and warmed, if desired

Tahini sauce:

• 1/2 cup low-fat plain or Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp tahini, (see Ingredient note)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. To prepare burgers: Place chickpeas, scallions, egg, flour, oregano, cumin and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Pulse, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides, until a coarse mixture forms that holds together when pressed. (The mixture will be moist.) Form into 4 patties.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties and cook until golden and beginning to crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes more.
3. To prepare sauce & serve: Meanwhile, combine yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Divide the patties among the pitas and serve with the sauce.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the uncooked burger mixture and tahini sauce for up to 2 days.
• Ingredient Note: Tahini is a smooth, thick paste made from ground sesame seeds and commonly used in Middle Eastern foods. Look for it in the Middle Eastern section or near other nut butters in large supermarkets.

Oven Baked Greens Quesadillas

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• Salt and pepper
• A handful of chopped sweet basil
• 2 cups mozzarella (shredded)
• A “bunch” of Swiss chard
• Whole wheat tortillas

Directions:

Sauté the garlic in the oil until just softened. Add the greens and sauté until tender. (Note: Don’t use too much oil or the end result will be soggy. If your greens give off a lot of juice, cook until the excess liquid evaporates for the same reason.)

When cooked, season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the chopped basil.

Spread tortillas on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with a thin layer of cheese. Spread greens over cheese, then sprinkle more cheese on top and cover with another tortilla to make a “sandwich.” (You need two layers of cheese to make sure the tortillas stick together when melted.) Heat at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes, or until the quesadillas hold together. (Bake a bit longer if you like them crispy.)

Check the bottom wraps to see if they’re wet from juice or oil. If so, flip the quesadillas over and toast in the oven a few minutes longer.

Dominique’s Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients:

• 1 egg slightly beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 3 slices whole grain bread torn into small pieces
• 1 tbsp diced or dried onion
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1lb ground turkey

Directions:

Mix everything in a bowl, place in a loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 ½ hours.

Five Spice Scallops

Serve on a bed of arugula and spinach with a side of wild or brown rice

Ingredients:

• 1 pound large dry sea scallops, quartered (see Note)
• 2 tsp avocado oil
• 1 tsp five-spice powder, (see Note)
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Toss scallops with oil, five-spice powder and salt. Broil on a baking sheet until cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve with toothpicks.

Tips & Notes

• Notes: We prefer “dry” sea scallops (not treated with sodium tripolyphosphate, or STP). Scallops treated with STP (“wet” scallops) are mushy, less flavorful and will not brown properly.
• Often a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns, five-spice powder was originally considered a cure-all miracle blend encompassing the five elements (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, salty). Look for it in the supermarket spice section.

Quinoa & White Bean Chili

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup uncooked Quinoa
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped (2 cups)
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped (2 cups)
• 1 tsp ground chipotle pepper
• 2 15-oz cans white beans drained and rinsed
• 4 large fresh tomatoes, chopped with juices (4 cups)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 6 oz. fresh spinach, chopped (4 cups)

Directions:

1. In a 4-qt pot, combine quinoa and 4 cups water and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Add bell peppers, chipotle (if it’s too spicy for little ones, just omit), beans, tomatoes, cumin, and oregano to pot with quinoa. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes. When chili is appealingly thick and quinoa is throwing off its tiny white haloes, stir in spinach and cook for 1 more minute or until wilted.

Squash Casserole

Make this casserole on a low key night, and enjoy throughout the week!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked and mashed squash
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 small bell peppers, red or green, minced
• 5 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup plain or greek yogurt
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

If you cook the squash ahead of time, this is quite a quick meal. Put the mashed squash into a large bowl. In a skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion. Saute over medium heat until the onions are soft. Add the salt, bell peppers, garlic, and pepper. Continue sauteing until the peppers are soft. Add this saute to the squash. Add the yogurt and feta. Mix well. Spread into an ungreased 9 inch square baking pan. Bake, uncovered, until warm and bubbly (about 30 minutes).

Shrimp with Rice and Greens

This is a good one pot meal, Use vegetable stock in place of chicken stock if you’d like.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp/olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/4 tsp/salt
• 1/4 tsp/pepper
• 1 1/3 cups/long-grain rice
• 2 2/3 cups/ chicken stock
• 1 tsp/ grated lemon rind
• 3 cups/packed, coarsely chopped spinach
• 1 tbsp/chopped fresh (if you don’t have fresh, use 1tsp of dry) dill
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 lb shrimp

Directions:

In a large covered saucepan or skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for another couple of minutes. Add the rice, stock and lemon rind. Stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the liquid is almost absorbed (about 15 minutes). Add the spinach, dill and lemon juice. Stir gently. Cover and cook until the spinach is wilted (about 5 minutes). Add the shrimp. Stir gently, and cook for a couple of minutes more until the shrimp is warmed.

Chicken Balsamico

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ sweet onion chopped and sautéed until tender
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 ¼ cups of Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• ¼ cup of milk
• 1 cup diced plum tomatoes or 1/2 cup thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves, crushed
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Brown or wild Rice

Directions:

Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sautee 4-5 minutes or until onions are tender and translucent. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet.

Stir the garlic, vinegar and water in the skillet. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the broth, milk tomatoes, olives, if desired, and oregano and heat to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with the cheese. Serve the chicken and sauce with the brown rice.

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Apples

Ingredients:

• 1-2 med acorn squash
• 3-4 apples (peeled, cored, and cut into small chunks)
• 1 tbs all-purpose flour
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 Tbs butter
• 3 Tbs light brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

To facilitate slicing, partially bake or microwave the acorn squash until the skin can be broken easily by the pressure of your thumbnail. Transfer to a colander and allow to stand.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a large shallow pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine the apples and flour and toss to coat evenly.

When the squash is cool enough to handle, cut each one in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and fibrous tissue. Transfer the shells to the prepared baking dish. Spoon the apples into the squash cavities and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Brush over the exposed flesh of the squash and then drizzle what remains over the apples. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover the dish and continue baking for 20 to 30 minutes or until the squash is tender.

Hearty Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 3 1/2 cups Chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 can (14 .5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning, crushed
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked mafalda or corkscrew-shaped whole wheat pasta
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook the turkey, onion, garlic and parsley in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, or until it’s well browned, stirring often to break up the meat. Pour off any fat.

Stir the broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning in the saucepan and heat to a boil. Stir the pasta in the saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Stir in the cheese. Serve with additional cheese, if desired.