Healthy Eats- Gringo’s Starr

I’m not sure if I’ve raved about the Looneyspoons cook books yet… oh wait that’s all I talk about when I blog about food. I like cooking, I find it relaxing and enjoyable. I like following a new recipe and then fixing it up a tad to suit me more. I’m also in love with Pinterest and the amazing recipes you find on there, I could pin about a 100 a day but I will never be able to make them all! so I try to pick some healthy and some splurge meals and have slowly been attempting them.

Anywho I want to share the Gringo’s Starr (Looneyspoons)

What you’ll need:

12oz uncooked cavatappi or medium shell pasta

2 tsp olive oil

1 lb ground turkey or chicken (I used shredded turkey left from turkey dinner since we were getting sick of turkey sandwiches)

1 cup chopped onion

2 tsp minced garlic

3/4 cup each diced red & green peppers, and jalapeño

2 cups low sodium tomato pasta sauce

3/4 cup salsa

1 tsp each dried oregano, cumin and chilli powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1cup 1% cottage cheese

1/2 cup shredded light monterey jack or cheddar cheese

What you’ll do:

prepare pasta and set aside

heat olive oil in large skilled over medium-high heat. add turkey onions, garlic, peppers and jalapeños. cook until turkey is no longer pink (since mine was pre cooked it didn’t take very long at all) drain any fat. add pasta sauce, salsa, spices and bring to a boil. reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Spray 9x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. spread a bit of pasta sauce over bottom followed by 1/2 the pasta 1/2 the remaining pasta sauce. Spread cottage cheese evenly over sauce. Spread remaining pasta over cottage cheese followed by sauce and shredded cheese.

cover and bake at 350F for 30 minutes

423 Calories per serving (the recipe says serves 6, I made a bit more)

I didn’t have cottage cheese so I improvised with Boursin Gourmet Spreadable Herb and Garlic light.  I tossed the noodles in it and then put the sauce on… Ryan ate a bunch for lunch, packed it for his dinner at work, and even texted me to tell me it was good, so that means it was an A+

looks like yum… and it was

Great eats-Love me some Thai

I’ve been making some healthier food later (shhh don’t tell Ryan, though he doesn’t eat half of it because he’s so picky it’s actually annoying RE: my bday dinner I took him to a restaurant where I knew he would eat other wise I would have gone for Thai food, which I made on my actual birthday) Anyways figured I’d share if you don’t have the recipe book. All are super easy to make and very enjoyable.

The Looneyspoons Collection-I always rave about it. Love Janet and Greta Podleski!

Tongue Thai’d

• 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 3 tbsp Asian fish sauce 2 tbsp ketchup
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp grated ginger root
• 1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or hot sauce
• 8 oz rice stick noodles (ideally 1/8 inch wide)
• 2 tsp peanut
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions or shallots
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced or sliced
• 8 oz uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used leftover chicken breast for the one in the picture)
• 2 cups bean sprouts 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional) i hate Cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts (optional)

It also called for tofu but I skipped that as well (1 cup if you are interested)

Gather and prep (chop) everything before hand.

Prep the sauce first. Whisk lime juice, fish sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, ginger root, soy sauce, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper flakes. Set aside.

Place rice noodles in bowl, pour boiling water over and soak for 7 minutes, drain.

While noodles soaking, heat peanut oil in none stick wok. Add onions and garlic. cook and stir over medium hight heat until onions are tender, about 2 minutes.

Add red pepper and cook for 2 more minutes. Add shrimp (or chicken and tofu. cook about 3 minutes. Add reserved sauce, noodles, bean sprouts, green onions and cilantro. toss and cook about one minute.

Says it makes 6 servings for 306 calories per serving!

Served with homemade coconut rice