Easy Taco Salad

If you’re like me, you look for healthy recipes that you can make with little cleanup in 15 minutes or less and that everyone will love. Such recipes are pretty hard to come by, until now. My mom has been making this meal for years. In fact, the only time we ever got Doritos when I was growing up was when she made this, so I think that’s partially why I enjoy this meal so much. It’s fast, healthy, easy, and everyone’s happy. How can you get any better than that?

Ingredients

1/2 bag of lettuce

1/2 bag of spinach

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 white onion, diced

1 tomato, chopped

1 avocado, chopped

1 can of red kidney beans

¼ to ½ cup of lite Italian dressing (to taste)

Doritos

Instructions

Cook the turkey in a skillet until browned. Add the can of beans to the skillet without draining and allow to simmer on low heat. Meanwhile, mix lettuce, spinach, onion, tomato, and avocado. Pour Italian dressing over the mixture and toss. Add the meat and beans without draining the liquid and toss again. Crumble a handful of Doritos over the salad. Serve with Doritos. Enjoy! 

Family-Friendly Frozen Treats

Since the 4th of July is synonymous with eating delicious frozen desserts (or at least it is to me), I've been trying to find a healthy alternative to ice cream packed with sugar. And boy, did I find one. Best of all, the ingredients are things you already have around the house. This recipe is good for humans and animals alike, because the ingredients are all-natural. 

Ingredients

2 cups plain Greek yogurt

3/4 cup blueberries, or to taste

3/4 cup strawberries, or to taste

Ripe bananas

Ice cube trays

I made a few different batches: blueberry, strawberry, banana, and plain. Blend the fruit and yogurt in the blender until smooth. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze overnight. Baby, pooch, and kitties (give them the plain kind) can all enjoy this healthy frozen treat. Happy 4th of July! 

Zucchini Soup (Made with Two Ingredients!)

On this unseasonably cool, dreary and rainy day in July, all I want to do is snuggle up with a book and some soup. So, here’s one of my favorite summer soup recipes that’s quick and delicious, and only has a few ingredients! It is good served both hot and cold, depending on your preference.  

Ingredients

1 wheel of Laughing Cow cheese (I use the Garlic and Herb flavor)

3 large zucchini, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices

In a stockpot, bring lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pieces of zucchini and boil until cooked through. Drain and set aside to cool. Unwrap the wedges of Laughing Cow and put in a blender. Add the zucchini and puree until smooth. Pour back into the stock pot and heat through, if desired. If you want, you can season the soup with salt and pepper to taste, but I usually eat it plain. Serve with bread. Enjoy!

Easy Fish Tacos

We've had these twice now and they've been delicious both times. The total prep time is 5 minutes, cook time is 7, and everything is prepared in one skillet (and a cutting board). Gotta love an easy cleanup, especially on a weeknight.

Ingredients 

4-8 tilapia fillets, cut in 1-inch sections (I've used frozen and fresh and both turned out great). If you like more substance to your tacos or are cooking for more people, use more fillets.

Chili powder, to taste

Cumin, to taste

Onion powder, to taste

Garlic, to taste

Whole wheat tortillas, warmed

Taco toppings such as: diced onion, diced tomato, black beans, corn, lettuce, shredded cheese, avocado, lime (to squeeze), salsa, or buffalo ranch dressing

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation

Pour a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and heat. Add the tilapia and seasonings. Stir occasionally, until tilapia is cooked through and beginning to crumble. 

Warm tortillas in the microwave. 

Prepare tacos according to your liking. Create a taco bar if you're serving a lot of people. Pour some margaritas. Voila, you're done!

Pineapple Curry Chicken Recipe

My mother-in-law makes this often and I got the recipe from her a few months ago. It's delicious and fast with little cleanup because you cook everything in one skillet. It's great for leftovers and tastes better the next day because the spices have time to settle and blend. Oh, and it's not spicy, for those of you who don't like spicy foods. If you do like a little spice, get a different type of curry powder than the mild one I use here.

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 can crushed pineapple
1 can coconut milk
1 can bamboo
1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ginger powder
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Brown rice (I use the quick cook kind to save time)

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and cook in a skillet with the butter and onion until the chicken is cooked completely through.  Add the powdered sugar, ginger, and curry, and stir well. Add the pineapple (don't drain!) and drained bamboo. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 5 minutes, then add the coconut milk. Stir well to mix everything. Serve with brown rice. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 large servings

(I also sometimes cook this ahead of time and then freeze it into individual servings if we have a really busy week. It reheats great.)

Crock Pot Scallops Florentine

I love my Crock Pot and use it as often as I can. It's so nice to just throw everything in, turn it on and have dinner waiting when you get home. This recipe is one you start about two hours before you're ready to eat. I got the original recipe from 300 Low-Carb Slow Cooker Recipes by Dana Carpender. I've changed some of the ingredients and served the dish with pasta so it's no longer low-carb. It's easy and delicious! Scallops are a little pricey, so I would save this recipe for a special occasion.

What You Need:

1 pound of scallops, either sea or bay
1 box frozen spinach, thawed
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 bag Swiss cheese
1 tablespoon seafood seasoning (or a little more, to taste)
1 box whole wheat linguine

Put the spinach in a strainer and press all of the excess moisture out with clean hands. Dump it in your Crock Pot. Add the garlic, cream, 1/2 bag of Swiss cheese, and seafood seasoning. Mix well, cover, and set the crock pot to low. Let the mixture cook until it's hot, or about 30-45 minutes.

Lay the scallops on top of the spinach and cheese mixture. Add the rest of the cheese. If the mixture isn't liquid enough, add more cream. Cook for one hour. 10 minutes before you're ready to eat, cook the linguine according to the package instructions. Drain and plate the pasta, and spoon the scallop, spinach, and Swiss cheese mixture on top. Serve with salad. Enjoy!