Clean Eating Italian Wedding Soup

Makes 14 servings, 1 cup each (I think…)
I first made this soup when my superbly awesome and wonderful sister, Anthea, was visiting me over the summer. (Hi, Anthea!) We eat a LOT of soups in our house because it’s such a great vessel for throwing a ton of veggies into which my kids will happily eat because they are soft and too hard to pick out. Also, soups freeze exceptionally well which is always a plus in my book. If you search for Italian Wedding Soup you will find literally thousands of different recipes… so naturally I couldn’t follow any of them and had to make my own :)

I poured over the bazillion variations to get a general idea of what the main idea of the soup should be and then made some substitutions and adjustments. It made a HUGE pot… and I'm not totally sure how many servings it was because we ate it so fast I didn’t get a chance to count. All of the kids scarfed it down with little to no coercion, even my super picky nephew. And then we made it again and again and again.

How I “healthified” it:
Many of the recipes used ground beef or fattier types of ground pork for the meatballs. I stuck to ground turkey and added some chopped sundried tomatoes and some other seasonings to tasty them up.

Many of the recipe were basically just broth, eggs, and cheese with little to no veggies. I added carrots and celery to my broth because these tend to do really well in soups and lend a nice texture. Plus I bumped up the greens from a measly ½ or 1 cup to 5 cups and used kale for it’s power packed nutrition profile. It shrivels and gets all soft in the soup anyway so you don’t even really notice it’s in there. I like to get as much greens into my family as possible :)

Many of the recipes used orzo or some other type of pasta. None of my stores carry whole grain orzo and Anthea insisted that big pasta was just not right so we used quinoa instead. Quinoa is great in soups because it softens but doesn’t lose it’s texture and it’s a complete protein all in itself. Plus it gets those curly ribbons when it’s cooked so it’s just fun.

I substituted some of the broth for water because, when we made it with all broth, it was too salty. Plus, I knew for a fact that we were going to sprinkle a little extra parmesan cheese on top before serving which would make it even more salty.

Finally, a LOT of the recipes had an egg or two and a bunch of parmesan cheese stirred into the soup. I felt like the soup was tasty enough and a nice texture without this addition and I like to sprinkle my little bit of parmesan on top at serving so I skipped it. I’m sure this means that this is not an “official” Italian Wedding Soup but I’m cool with that.

The results: Only 143 Calories but it packs a whopping 12g of protein, 2g of dietary fiber, 118% of your daily value of Vitamin A and 51% of your daily value of Vitamin C. In one little bowl of soup… that my kids will happily eat… and tastes delicious while being filling. Yay :)

Ingredients:
Soup –

• 7 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 4 tsp minced garlic
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
• 2 stalks of celery, sliced
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 5 cups of kale (or other greens)
• 1 Tbsp dried fennel (Anthea did NOT like this addition and she felt it was a weird taste [not that it stopped her from inhaling two full bowls mind you] so the next time we made it we didn’t put it in. I thought the second batch was missing something and that the fennel really added a nice flavor so, when she’s not here, I always add it. I say, if you have fennel on hand, sniff it and if you think it would be a taste that you’d like, throw it in there. It kind of has a licorice flavor but it worked for me.)

Meatballs-

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1/3 cup finely diced onion
• 3 big sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ¼ cup whole wheat bread crumbs (I use unfrosted miniwheats ground in the blender)
• ½ cup parmesan cheese

ONE: Add a little drizzle of olive oil to a big pot and toss in the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, fennel (if you’re using it) and quinoa. Cook over medium high for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onions just start to soften and the quinoa is slightly toasted.

TWO: Add the broth, water, and pepper and bring to a gentle boil. While the soup mixture is heating up, begin cutting the kale into small pieces and adding it into the liquid. I hold a bunch of kale in one hand and use my kitchen scissors to snip the leaves into the pot. Discard any stems or tough pieces.

THREE: Once the soup is boiling, reduce to a simmer. In a medium bowl combine all of the meatball ingredients and mix well. (I use my hands which is totally gross-feeling but does the best mixing job)

FOUR: Using your hands, roll the meatball mixture into mini meatballs and drop them into the pot. (If the mixture seems too dry and the meatballs won’t stick together, add a splash of egg whites.) After about every 10 or so meatballs, use a spoon to push them down into the soup. You might need to add a little extra water or broth if there’s not enough liquid to submerge them all.

FIVE: Once the last meatball is in the pot, increase the heat to medium and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through, the veggies are tender, and the quinoa has little curls. Serve garnished with a bit of extra parmesan cheese if desired.

Freeze leftovers using the medium/large portions method to feed your freezer stash. Defrost in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Nutrition info:
Per 1-cup serving – 143 Calories (40 Calories from Fat), 4g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 26mg Cholesterol, 160mg Sodium, 14g Carbohydrates, 2g Dietary Fiber, 1.5g Sugar, 12g Protein, 118% DV Vitamin A, 51% DV Vitamin C, 10% DV Calcium, 10% DV Iron.
:)

Clean Eating Unstuffed Peppers Casserole

Do you want to eat something AMAZINGLY delicious for dinner tonight? Look no further!

Those of you who know me know that I almost never follow a recipe exactly. I can't help but tweak or modify as I go. But my very good friend, Mandy, has made this casserole for me a few times and when I make it for myself, I follow the recipe word for word :) It seems so simple but it is to die for. 

The thing I like best is that I can throw it together so quickly using my freezer stash. Two of the main ingredients are cooked brown rice and chopped bell peppers. I always have cooked brown rice at the ready in my freezer and when bell peppers are on sale I buy a bunch, chop them all up, and throw them in a freezer bag to use  in recipes just like this one.

This recipe is Clean as long as you read the label really carefully on the pasta sauce and choose one without anything undesirable added. The only modification I might make would be to decrease the amount of cheese from 2 cups to one. My family loves cheese and we aren't trying to eat a reduced fat or calorie diet so I use the full amount. However, if you are trying to lose weight or lower your cholesterol or something, there will still be plenty of flavor with less cheese. 

For the full recipe, check out the post on my friend, Mandy's, blog HERE! Thanks, Mandy!!!!!!!:)

Clean Eating Sausage Egg Casserole (OAMC)

Makes 12 servings
Wouldn't you love to wake up and find that someone else has cooked you a delicious and healthy breakfast? That's how I feel when I pull this egg casserole out of the freezer. It's the perfect blend of savory sausage, eggs, and cheesy goodness. Plus it has some kale snuck in so you can start your day right with a power packed veggie :) I make this using homemade breakfast sausage based on THIS recipe from one of my favorite sites but you can use 3/4 lbs of whatever breakfast sausage you prefer.

How I "healthified" it:

• The original recipe called for 10 whole eggs. I used 2 whole eggs and 10 egg whites.
• The original recipe used 16 oz of cottage cheese and whole pound of shredded cheddar. I reduced both of them by half and added a little bit of Parmesan for some extra cheese flavor.
• The original recipe used butter and white flour. I substituted olive oil and whole wheat flour and added and extra 1/4 tsp of sea salt.
• The original recipe used regular breakfast sausage. I made a homemade version of breakfast sausage using lean ground turkey.
• Finally I added some finely diced kale to boost the nutritional profile. Plus, I like it when my kids eat a green vegetable in the morning because then I don't have to think about it at dinner LOL.
• The results - A decrease in calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium and an increase in Vitamin A and Vitamin C.

Ingredients:
Breakfast Sausage-

• 3/4 lb ground turkey or chicken
• 1/2 C diced organic dried apples (or 3/4 cup shredded fresh apples)
• 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup or honey
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp Allspice
• 2 Tbsp dried Sage (1 Tbsp if ground)

Casserole-

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 green onions, chopped
• ½ lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 16 oz carton of egg whites (or 10 egg whites)
• 8 oz low-fat cottage cheese
• 2 cups (½ lb) shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• 4oz can diced green chile peppers, drained
• 1 1/2 cups very finely chopped kale/spinach
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil

ONE: In a large bowl, using your hands, mix sausage ingredients well. Place into a large, deep skillet and cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and set aside. Add olive oil to skillet; cook and stir the green onions and mushrooms until tender.

Browning the homemade sausage

TWO: In a large bowl, mix eggs, egg whites, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, Parmesan, kale, and chiles. Stir in sausage, green onions, and mushrooms. Cover, and refrigerate overnight (you can cook it right away but refrigerating it overnight lets the flavors blend a bit more).

THREE: Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. In a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Blend in the olive oil. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake 40 to 50 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Flour mixture before it was blended

Cut into individual servings and freeze using the flash freeze method to feed your freezer stash. To reheat, microwave loosely covered for 2 minutes at 50% power. Cut into pieces and microwave an additional minute at full power.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving "healthified" recipe – 301 Calories (152 Calories from Fat), 17g Fat, 5g Saturated Fat, 77mg Cholesterol, 615mg Sodium, 16.5g Total Carbohydrates, 1g Dietary Fiber, 4g Sugars, 22g Protein, 32% DV Vitamin A, 27% DV Vitamin C, 36% DV Calcium, 10% DV Iron

Per serving original recipe – 393 Calories (252 Calories from Fat), 27g Fat, 12g Saturated Fat, 223mg Cholesterol, 791mg Sodium, 13g Total Carbohydrates, 1g Dietary Fiber, 1g Sugars, 27g Protein, 17% DV Vitamin A, 9% DV Vitamin C, 61% DV Calcium, 10% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Healthy Sneaky Lasagna (with Spinach!) OAMC

Makes 10 servings
This is hands down one of our family favorites and we ALWAYS have some in the freezer. This recipe makes one pan but I always double it and make 2 at once because I figure I’m already making the pans dirty and heating up the oven, I might as well make it worthwhile :) I assemble the first one and pop it into the oven and I can usually have the second one assembled (and sometimes even get the dishes done!) so that when the first one is ready I can put the second one in and sit down to have the first for dinner.


You will see that this recipe has you making homemade spaghetti sauce which I really like to do when I have the time because then I know exactly what we are eating and can be sure that there are no random added ingredients. However, if I am crunched for time, I have used jars of premade sauce and then just browned the ground turkey and added it in. You will need about 4 1/2 cups of sauce to equal 6 cups total after adding in the meat. Just make sure you read the ingredients list really well when you pick a sauce. You would be amazed at the things that get added in to some.

Ingredients:
Sauce -

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, diced (2 Tbsp)
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
• 28oz can crushed tomatoes
• 28oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 Tbsp dried basil
• 1 cup pureed cooked sweet potato (optional, but I always add it in because it gives the sauce a slight sweetness, which most commercial sauces achieve by adding sugar. When I first started adding it Matt said, “Wow. This is awesome! It tastes just like Chef Boyardee!” Thanks hunny, that’s totally what I’m aiming for. Homemade sauce that tastes like processed crap in a can, LOL. What he meant in his own goofy way was that the sauce was so good it tasted like it was professionally made… which he apparently thinks Chef Boyardee is…)

Filling and Pasta Layers -

• 1 lb fat-free ricotta cheese
• 3 cups reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (This is bolded because I ALWAYS forget to divide it!)
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 Tbsp dried basil (or ½ cup minced fresh basil)
• 1 large egg lightly beaten or equivalent of egg substitute
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 12oz bag fresh spinach, roughly chopped or torn
• 12 whole grain lasagna noodles uncooked (not no boil noodles, just regular whole wheat noodles. The whole no boil thing is a scam, you don’t need to boil any noodles. My friend, Ariana, taught me that :) Before that I was preboiling all my lasagna, grrrr)

ONE: Combine the onion, oil, and ½ tsp salt in a large saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ground turkey and cook until it’s JUST starting to brown, about 4 minutes.

TWO: Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and measures about 6 cups, about an hour (the sauce might spit while it’s cooking so I always cover the pot with one of those mesh screen things that prevent splattering). Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

THREE: Dump the ricotta, 2 cups of the mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, egg, salt, and pepper into a large bowl and stir well.

FOUR: Preheat the oven to 375 and spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1 ½ cups of the sauce evenly over the bottom.

FIVE: Rinse 3 uncooked lasagna noodles under cold running water and lay them on top of the sauce spaced evenly apart. Place 1/3 cup of filling on each one and spread it out evenly over the entire noodle. Lay 1/3 of the bag of spinach over the top of the filling (this will seem like a big pile of spinach and will make the layers really tall but it will wilt during cooking and you won’t even notice it’s there).Spread 1 cup of sauce evenly over the spinach. Repeat this layering two more times, rinsing each lasagna noodle before placing it in the pan.

SIX: Lay the remaining 3 noodles over the top and cover with the remaining 1 ½ cups of sauce, making sure to cover the edges. Spray a large piece of foil with cooking spray and cover the lasagna tightly. Place the lasagna pan on a cookie tray (to catch any bubbling over sauce) and bake for 45 minutes.

SEVEN: Remove the foil and sprinkle the lasagna evenly with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella. Continue to bake, uncovered, until the cheese is bubbling and slightly brown, 10-15 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Let the leftovers cool completely in the fridge overnight. Slice into individual servings (one pan should yield 10 servings) and freeze using the flash freeze method to feed your freezer stash. Reheat in the microwave or thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven @ 350 for about 30 minutes.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving - 424 Calories (136 Calories from Fat), 15g Fat, 7g Saturated Fat, 90mg Cholesterol, 590mg Sodium, 38g Total Carbohydrates, 7g Dietary Fiber, 7g Sugars, 35g Protein, 181% DV Vitamin A, 60% DV Vitamin C, 50% DV Calcium, 21% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Sweet and Savory Turkey Cheddar Meatballs in the Crockpot (OAMC)

Makes approx 35 meatballs
My mouth is watering right now just thinking about these. They are my personal favorite. They are so good that I want to make them and go door to door to share them with everyone in a ten mile radius, LOL :) Not only are they delicious but they combine a lean protein with a green veggie AND an orange veggie. What more could a mother want?! Plus my kids get really excited because they have raisins in them and they feel like dinner involving raisins is just the coolest thing ever. I got the idea for these meatballs from THIS totally awesome crockpot blog.


These are one of my top go-to items for a quick and easy dinner. I serve them crumbled into a bowl of brown rice and they are so moist and tender that you don’t need any type of sauce. I scoop a cup of rice from my freezer stash, plop 3 or 4 meatballs on top, microwave for a minute and a half and presto, a complete meal :)

Ingredients: (Can be doubled... which I do every time because otherwise I am immediately bummed that we've eaten half of them. I like seeing a big bag of meatballs in the freezer.)

• 1 ½ pounds 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 tsp kosher salt OR ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato
• 1 ½ cups pureed broccoli *
• ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup raisins

*If you are making a small batch of pureed broccoli for this recipe and you are using a blender instead of a food processor (especially if your blender isn’t very good…Mom), you can add one or two egg whites to the broccoli for easier pureeing. Broccoli is sometimes hard to puree without adding liquid but adding water will make the meatball mixture very sloppy. The egg whites will make for a slightly wetter and stickier “batter” but will not negatively affect the firmness and cohesiveness of the finished meatballs. It will work best if you put the egg whites into the blender first and then add the broccoli in a little at a time, pureeing as you go.

ONE: In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Mix VERY well (I use my hands… which I HATE doing but it really does do the best job).

TWO: Scoop out a level 1/8 cup and use your hands to roll it into a ball.

CROCKPOT: Place formed meatballs into your crockpot, stacking them gently on top of each other once the bottom is covered (like a bucket of golf balls). Cook on high 4-5 hours or on low 6-7 hours.

OVEN: Place formed meatballs in rows on a cooking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. (I’ve cooked a batch in the crockpot but kept just enough out for dinner and baked them in the toaster oven before. They came out great!)

Remove from the crockpot or baking tray and cool on a wire rack over a double layer of paper towels (to catch the drips). Freeze using the flash freeze method.

TIP: When cooking them in the crockpot, don’t worry that they don’t look brown at first. I promise you that they will eventually brown and you will be able to gently separate them when they’re cooked. The bottom ones will be slightly moister and mushier than the top ones but we mash them into brown rice anyway so that doesn’t bother us. If you want them firmer you can use a turkey baster to remove the juices from the bottom of the crock halfway through cooking. You may need to increase the cooking time if you do this due to heat loss from uncovering the crock.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving (4 meatballs) -  236 Calories (88 Calories from Fat), 10g Total Fat, 4g Saturated Fat, 75mg Cholesterol, 348mg Sodium, 17g Total Carbohydrates, 3g Dietary Fiber, 8g Sugars, 21g Protein, 107% Vitamin A, 51% Vitamin C, 18% Calcium, 10% Iron.

:)

Clean Eating Lean Stuffed Peppers

Makes 5 servings, 1 pepper each
Oooooooohhhhh boy these are good! For some reason when I was younger, the thought of stuffed peppers never appealed to me. They always seemed greasy and flavorless. But this recipe is a real winner. Plus I love that it’s a complete meal all in one – protein, grains, and veggies – so I don’t have to cook any side dishes. Not to mention I can prepare it earlier in the day (like during naptime) and then just throw it in the oven before dinner time (instead of cooking while certain people in my house are bringing every toy they own into the kitchen).

This is one of my husband’s favorite meals and my kids love it too. They both eat it happily without me having to feed it to them so I actually get to eat mine with two hands while it’s hot. As my sister would say, “That’s very nice for Mommies.” The boys always eat the filling right away but are sometimes hesitant about the pepper. Once I cut it up and sprinkle some extra parmesan cheese on it, though, they are back to eating happily.

How I “healthified” the recipe:

• The original recipe called for 1 lb of ground beef. I substituted 93% lean ground turkey and reduced the amount to 12oz because I am adding some extra rice.
• The original recipe used ½ a cup of cooked white rice. I substituted cooked whole grains (like brown rice) for more nutrition and I increased the amount to yield more pepper filling. Meat is expensive so, if I can add veggies or grains to stretch my meat into more servings without compromising the flavor, it’s a win-win.
• The original recipe used 3 cups of shredded Monterrey Jack cheese and a jar of marinara sauce. I substituted Parmesan cheese and was able to reduce the amount to 1 cup because of its stronger flavor. I felt like the sauce made the filling too sloppy and the extra liquid made the peppers fall part. I liked the tomato flavor, though, so I used a can of tomatoes instead which I drained.
• The original recipe called for ¼ cup of parsley. Once it’s cooked, kale actually has a similar flavor and texture to parsley but is a nutrient packed super green veggie. I replaced the parsley with kale and increased the amount to ½ cup.
• In the original recipe, the peppers were topped with plain ketchup. The ketchup was too thick and got dried out so I mixed it with a little bit of the juice from the tomatoes.
• The original recipe used 4 large peppers. The portion size was really big so I used 5 medium bell peppers instead.
• The results – A huge decrease in calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup ketchup
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained w/ ¼ cup juice reserved
• 5 medium bell peppers, with tops removed, stemmed, and seeded (I use red when they’re on sale because they are slightly sweeter but green works fine too)
• 1 cup cooked whole grains (such as brown rice or quinoa)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)
• 12 oz 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• ½ cup kale, chopped fine (I use scissors, hold a handful of leaves, and snip little tiny pieces off right into my measuring cup)
• Salt and pepper to taste

ONE: Stir ketchup and reserved ¼ cup juice together and set aside. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a large pot. Once boiling, add peppers and 1 Tbsp salt and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes until peppers are JUST beginning to soften. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon, tip them upside down to drain the excess water, and place them cut side up on paper towels while you assemble the filling.

TWO: Combine oil, onion, and ½ tsp salt in a 12” non-stick skillet. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until onions begin to soften, 8-10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, stir in ground turkey, and cook until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.

THREE: Add garlic to skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and kale and cook until warmed, about 2 minutes. Combine with 1 cup cooked grains and parmesan and season with salt and pepper (I never do the salt and pepper part and mine are still totally scrumptious).

FOUR: Preheat oven to 350. Place peppers cut side up in a 9” square baking dish (you’re going to have to squish them together a bit. If you have really big peppers use a bigger baking dish instead but make sure they will stay upright). Divide filling evenly among peppers, packing lightly, and spoon 2 Tbsp ketchup mixture over each. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.

Freeze leftovers using the flash freeze method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:
Original Recipe: 690 Calories (451 Calories from Fat), 50g Fat, 22g Saturated Fat, 142mg Cholesterol, 1305mg Sodium, 30g Total Carbohydrates, 5g Dietary Fiber, 16g Sugars, 34g Protein, 107% DV Vitamin A, 282% DV Vitamin C, 54% DV Calcium, 20% DV Iron

New Healthier Recipe: 321 Calories (108 Calories from Fat), 12g Fat, 5g Saturated Fat, 66mg Cholesterol, 506mg Sodium, 28g Total Carbohydrates, 5g Dietary Fiber, 11g Sugars, 24g Protein, 102% DV Vitamin A, 288% DV Vitamin C, 31% DV Calcium, 15% DV Iron