Cheesy Jalapeno Cornbread

Cornbread is so easy to make - especially if you purchase a box of cornbread mix. I try to always have a box on hand, to make meals easy during the week. You just add in whatever flavors you'd like and within minutes you've got a savory or sweet bread. I've made a variety of cornbread - blueberry, extra cheesy, smoky, and of course super spicy. This is my version of a southwestern cornbread. Slightly spicy and a bit cheesy. I like having some texture, so the corn kernels are great to have. I love serving cornbread with something wet, like chili or gravy. I will slice a piece, and toast it a bit (so it is nice a crunchy on the outside) and then crumble it on top. Or I'll just lightly butter it and scarf it down. I apologize in advance that there are no pictures of the cornbread sliced - it was eaten before I got a chance to take a picture. I guess it means it was good :)

I've made this cornbread with unsweetened almond milk and it turns out just fine. Also I do recommend using the sugar, it really helps bring out the sweetness in the corn. It's subtle, but sure makes a huge difference! I used Jiffy cornbread mix, but any brand will do. I've tried many varieties and they are all good. I just make sure to purchase the ones that are plain (with no added flavorings).

Cheesy Jalapeno Cornbread

Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Prep Time: < 5 minutes
Serves: 9  

Ingredients:

• oil spray
• Box of cornbread mix
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 jalapeno, minced w/ seeds (optional)
• 1/2 cup frozen white corn kernels
• 1 tbsp sugar
• pinch of pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F. Prep a 9 x 9 pan with oil spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Mix until it had all come together. 

Pour the mixture into the greased pan and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes

Once the corn bread is golden brown and completely cooked, allow it to cool for about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Nutritional Info per Square:
Calories: 135 ; Fat: 4.5g; Carbohydrate: 21g ; Fiber: 1g ; Sugar: 6g ; Protein: 3.5g

Skinny and Speedy Cuban Moros (Rice and Beans)

Moros is a typical Cuban side dish of rice and beans cooked together. Usually it is cooked with pork belly chunks and can take awhile to cook. This is a lighter, vegetarian version that is cooked up in less than 20 minutes. I love eating Moros with any meal, but most versions that are available at restaurants are so greasy and heavy, it makes it hard to really enjoy. I've taken matters into my own hands and made this lovely side dish figure-friendly and easy enough to serve any night of the week. Not only is this a complete protein (yeah Veggies!) but it is a great side dish for any meal. 

If you decide to eat this as a main dish, this will serve 2. I usually will end up eating this as a main meal or lunch because it's really filling and really hits the rice/beans craving right on the nose. If you decide to make a larger batch, you'll have to adjust the cook time. Next day lunch anyone? 

Skinny and Speedy Cuban Moros

Cook Time: < 20 minutes
Prep Time: < 5 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked black beans (or canned - rinsed and drained)
• 1 cup dry white rice
• 1 clove of garlic, minced or smashed 
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp of ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp oil
• 2 cup vegetable stock
• salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes:

• fresh cilantro, minced
• fresh lime juice

In a rice cooker - place all of the ingredients in and stir well. Turn on and let cook until done. 

Remove the bay leaf (and garlic if smashed) and serve hot.

On the stove - Heat a medium/large pot over high heat. Add all of the ingredients in and stir well.

Allow it to come to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let the rice cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.

Remove the bay leaf (and garlic if smashed) and serve hot. 

Nutritional Info for 1/4 of the recipe:

Calories: 180 ; Fat: 1.5g ; Carbohydrate: 32.5g ; Fiber: 4g ; Sugar: 0g ; Protein: 6g 

Whipped Skinny Potatoes

Who doesn't love whipped potatoes?! Whipped potatoes were a staple in my house growing up. My mom would boil the potatoes, then add a stick of butter, about a cup of milk and salt/pepper. Very easy recipe but very fattening. Potatoes are not to be feared or avoided. I'm a big stickler in having everything in moderation - especially my favorite comfort foods. Potatoes are often seen as a fattening food or not diet friendly, but in reality it's what you put on/in them or how they are cooked, as to what changes their nutritional value. Potatoes are rich in nutrients, just like all other veggies. Sure they are a starchy vegetable, but they still provide valuable vitamins and minerals. I recommend eating them as a side item, rather than a meal. I find that combining a small portion of starchy foods with protein and fat, helps my body metabolize it better. Eating a predominantly starchy meal leaves me feeling sluggish (known as the"Itis"). So eat your potatoes in moderation and enjoy them guilt-free!

I found over the years I really like my potatoes to have a tang to them. Sometimes I add sour cream, but I really like using Greek yogurt instead. It's super thick and tangy, which is perfect for whipped potatoes. I used about 1 cup of milk for the amount of potatoes cooked. I like pretty thick whipped potatoes, but if you prefer a thinner version, just add a bit more milk.

I used KerryGold's Garlic and Herb Butter in this recipe - this is one of my favorite butters!! It is super flavor packed and from grass-fed cows. Most grocery stores now carry it, so check it out, it's truly an awesome butter to have on hand.

Whipped Skinny Potatoes

Cook Time: < 30 minutes
Prep Time: < 10 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 2.5lbs of russet potatoes, peeled and halved
• 2 tbsp herbed butter 
• 2/3 cup 0% plain Greek yogurt
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2-3 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1 cup organic skim milk (approx)

Fill a large stock pot with water and a bit of salt. Place the peeled and halved potatoes inside. Bring to a boil and allow the potatoes to cook until fork tender. 

Drain the potatoes well and transfer the potatoes back to the stock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients except the milk (gradually pour the milk into the potatoes as you are whipping them). 

Using a hand blender (or whatever device you'd like), whip the potatoes on low and begin pouring in the milk in 1/3 cup increments. Depending on how wet you'd like you potatoes, add more or less milk. Also make sure to taste the potatoes to check for any adjustments in seasoning. Try not to over whip, it will make them gummy. 

Serve the whipped potatoes piping hot, along side whatever main dish you have prepared.

Nutritional Info per Serving (approx. 2/3 cup):
Calories: 210 ; Fat: 3.5g ; Carbohydrate: 38g ; Fiber: 2.5g ; Sugar: 4g ; Protein: 8g

Baked Italian Zucchini Boats

I wanted to thank all of the guest bloggers from the past week for the awesome posts!! If you missed any of them - check my archive section from Week 7/15-7/22. Different recipes and topics such as Date Balls, Open Faced Baked Stuffed Peppers, Tips for Staying Motivated and Chardonnay Steamed Mussels. I'm starting to settle back in at home with the new babe and enjoying being a new parent. I definitely underestimated how time consuming a newborn can be! I've been eating up all of my freezer meals (that I prepped beforehand) and meals made by family members the past 2 weeks. I'm glad to start cooking again, but I'm not sure how much time I'll have to writing up the posts, taking pictures, etc. I'll try to post something new every couple days and hopefully over time get back to posting daily. Ok enough talk.... on to the recipe...




I got a bunch of great looking zucchinis at the farmers market and was looking to make a simple side to go with the main dish I had made. Since I had some ricotta and some jarred pasta sauce in the fridge just hanging out, I decided to put them to use. I wasn't sure whether to cut up the zucchini into slices and toss it with the tomato sauce and ricotta or make a stuffing out of it. It looks much prettier as a zucchini boat :) . Super simple to make and took practically no time to prep. I could totally eat these as a first course or as a side to any meal - they are just so tasty!!


I used Newman's Own Organic Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce as the sauce (my favorite go-to sauce). Any pasta sauce you enjoy will work in this dish. I chose to not cook the zucchini too much, because I like my veggies to have a bite to them. Baking the boat helps dry them out some - since zucchini can be quite wet. By omitting the bread crumbs this dish is gluten-free and low carb. Happy eating!

Baked Italian Zucchini Boats

Cook Time: 25 minutes @ 400F
Prep Time: < 5 minutes
Serves: 2


Ingredients:

• 1 large zucchini, split in half horizontally (2 pieces)
• 2 tbsp part skim ricotta cheese, divided
• 2 tbsp jarred organic pasta sauce, divided
• 1 tbsp whole wheat breadcrumbs, divided
• 1 tbsp fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
• fresh parsley, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400F and get a cookie sheet out to place the boats on.


Take the zucchini halves and scoop out the center some with a spoon. Just enough to make a "boat".

Spread 1 tbsp of ricotta and 1 tbsp of tomato sauce on each half.

Sprinkle the parsley, 1/2 tbsp of breadcrumbs and Parm on top of the tomato sauce.

Salt and pepper to taste and lightly spray with a little oil over the breadcrumb topping.


Bake at 400F for 25 minutes, or until the zucchini is slightly soft. Serve warmed

Nutritional Info per serving:
Calories: 100 ; Fat: 3g ; Carbohydrate: 12.5g ; Fiber: 2.5 ; Sugar: 4g ; Protein: 5.5g 

Guest Post - Ellen's Asparagus Soup

Hello everyone, I'm Ellen from Ellenbcookery .   I'm so pleased to be guest posting again here at Laurie's cravings and happy you're back today.  Laurie and I would like to show you what was done with the leftover asparagus stems we didn't use in yesterday's stuffed pepper recipe .  Since the previous recipe only calls for the asparagus tips, I also made an asparagus soup with the remaining sticks.  It's really tasty and uses simple ingredients.  We hope you enjoy!


- EllenB 

Ingredients:

• 1 large organic onion, diced
• approx. 3-4 cups of water (add more if you'd like)
• 1 organic vegetable bouillon
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 organic potatoes, quartered
• leftover asparagus spears
• splash of cream (optional)

Instructions:  


Saute the organic onion in a large pot until well cooked. 


Add water to pot,  an organic vegetable bouillon, salt & pepper.  


Once bouillon dissolves, add 4 quartered organic potatoes and cut up asparagus sticks.  


Once potatoes are cooked, puree with hand blender.  


Tasty on it's own, or you could add a splash of cream.

Guest Blogger - Ellen B's Baked Open Faced Pepper Surprise

I'm so pleased to be guest posting on Laurie's Cravings.  I'm more than thrilled to help Laurie while she takes this time to bond and get into a routine with her newborn son, Jared.

This stuffed pepper recipe is one that I found in a Belgian TV guide like magazine while I was living in Belgium.  It was so similar to something my mother-in-law used to make.  I hope you enjoy.  This recipe only requires asparagus tips.  Please come back tomorrow and we'll show you what I did with the remainder.

EllenBCookery

Cook Time: 30 minutes @ 350F

Ingredients:

• About 4 bell peppers
• 4 finely sliced small zucchini
• 1 diced large tomato
• 1 small diced onion
• 3 diced garlic cloves
• olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• asparagus tips
• crumbled feta cheese

Thank you tons to Ellen B for such an awesome post - check out her site (Ellen B Cookery)

Vegetarian Southwestern Black Bean Chili

I made a huge batch of black beans and was wondering how I was going to use them. I used my slow cooker to cook the beans during the day, while I ran my errands. Taking dried beans, soaking them and then allowing them to cook in water for 6-8 hours on low is a great money saver! Canned beans can have a canny taste and cost a lot more. For 1 can of organic black beans (about 2 cups) it is about $1.30 ish and 1lb of dried organic black beans is about $1.50 ish (which produces about 5-6 cups of cooked black beans). It only makes sense to get the dried ones. Since I had this large batch of beans on hand, I decided that I'm going to put some to use for my dinner. A simple vegetarian chili sounds like a good idea to me. I can use up the fresh corn, kale and tomatoes that I have on hand. Also it makes for great next day lunch. I'm not sure if this is an authentic chili, but it has the flavors of a chili and has a nice thick consistency. I served it over fresh white rice and a bit of hot sauce. 


If you want to omit the cayenne, that's fine. This chili isn't very spicy but it does have some warmth. As for the beans, you can use canned black beans if you'd like. Just make sure to rinse them well and drain any excess water. Also if you prefer a thinner chili, just add a bit more stock. Start with a 1/2 cup and work your way up if need be. 

Vegetarian Southwestern Black Bean Chili

Cook Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: < 10 minutes
Serves: 4 (1 cup) servings


Ingredients:

• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 roma tomatoes, diced 
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 2 cups cooked organic black beans (or used canned black beans, drained)
• 1 cup organic vegetable stock
• 4 kale leaves, chopped and stems removed
• 1 ear of organic sweet corn, kernels removed
• 1/2 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar

In a large stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat.


Add the onion and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, or until softened. 


Add the tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, bay leaves, black beans and salt & pepper (to taste). Stir well. 


Allow the mixture to come to a boil and then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

While that is simmering, chop up the kale leaves into bite-sized pieces. Then shuck the corn and remove the kernels using a knife. Set aside.


Once the black beans have simmered for 20 minutes, add the kale, corn, cilantro and vinegar and stir in well. Cover again and allow it to simmer for 5 more minutes. 


Remove the bay leaves. Serve piping hot over rice (if you'd like).

Nutritional Info per Serving:
Calories: 205 ; Fat: 3g ; Carbohydrate: 40g ; Fiber: 9.5g ; Sugar: 9g ; Protein: 11g 

Roasted Garlic and Cilantro Rice

Rice is a staple grain in my house growing up. I ate rice at most meals, but it was usually plain long-grain white rice. Since eating rice so often can be boring, why not change things up a bit? Trying different varieties of rice is a great way to start. In this recipe, I chose to use jasmine rice, since it is so aromatic and went well with the main dish being served. I threw in a few cloves of roasted garlic and tossed with fresh cilantro at the end. Turned out wonderfully. Very fragrant, flavorful and not boring be any means! 

I mashed up the garlic cloves to almost a paste and throughout the cooking process, they melted like butter into the rice. There were speckles of garlic, but not huge bites - which I like. If you don't have jasmine rice on hand, any rice will do. The basic flavors will work well with any rice, just make sure to adjust the cooking time, depending on the type of rice. This recipe doubles easily, in case you want to make extra. I like to make double batches on occassion so I can use the leftover rice for lunches, rice patties or fried rice. If you will be using the remaining rice as leftovers - make sure to add about a tbsp or 2 of water to the rice when reheat to prevent it from being too dry.

Roasted Garlic and Cilantro Rice

Cook Time: < 15 minutes

Prep Time: < 5 minutes

Serves: 4 (1/2 cup) servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup jasmine rice, uncooked and rinsed well
• 2 cups organic low-sodium vegetable stock
• 5 cloves of roasted garlic, smashed (to paste like consistency) 
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated black peppercorns
• 2 tbsps fresh cilantro, minced

Using a rice cooker:

add the rice, stock, garlic, oil and salt & pepper. Stir everything well. Turn on and allow to cook all the way through.

Cooking on the stove:

Heat a medium/large pot over high heat. Add the rice, stock, garlic, oil and salt & pepper. Stir everything well.

Allow it to come to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let the rice cook for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.

With a fork, fluff the rice well and gradually add the cilantro as you are fluffing. 

Serve the rice piping hot :)  

Nutritional Info per 1/2 cup cooked serving:

Calories: 190 ; Fat: 1.5g ; Carbohydrates: 38g ; Fiber: 1g ; Sugar: 1g ; Protein: 4g

Latin Quinoa and Black Beans

Black beans are a staple in my home. Especially when paired with rice. Instead of rice, I'm switching it out for quinoa, to bump up the protein and to give it a twist. If you've never tried Quinoa, this could be a great recipe to introduce you to its texture and flavor. Quinoa has a slightly nutty flavor and a has a unique fluffy texture. It comes in a variety of colors, as vibrant as red. I used the white/cream colored version, which is most widely available. I highly recommend rinsing the quinoa very well, to remove the bitterness and dirt. I have tried quinoa that hasn't been rinsed and it really is off putting, so please, rinse well. I usually rinse mine 4 or 5 times through a mesh colander. 

This serves about 4 people as a main dish or 6 as a side dish. I usually eat it as a main dish and pair it with a mixed salad or use it as a filling for a burrito. 

Latin Quinoa and Black Beans

Cook Time: <30 minutes
Prep Time: <10 minutes
Serves: 4-6 


Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 small organic bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1.5 tsp of cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup dry organic quinoa, rinsed very well
• 1 cup of low sodium organic vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup of water
• 1 (15oz can) of organic black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp of fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 small lime, juiced

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add the cumin, bay leaves, cayenne, salt and pepper. Stir in well. Add the quinoa, veg broth and water. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove the bay leaves. Add the black beans, cilantro and juice of 1 lime and incorporate well. Allow the mixture to heat through. Taste and check if any additional salt is needed. Serve warmed or cooled. 

Roasted Summer Squash

Now that it is getting much warmer, fresh produce is in abundance! I went to the farmer's market and got some lovely local summer squash, super inexpensive. My favorite way to eat my veggies is roasted - a little seasoning and let them come to life on their own. I love to taste my food, not mask it. It is a very simple recipe with ingredients most people have on hand. 

Roasted Summer Squash

Cook Time: <30 mins @ 425F
Prep Time: <10 mins
Serves: 4


Ingredients:

• 3-4 large summer squash, sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces
• 1 tsp of olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped

Preheat oven to 425F. In a large bowl toss the squash with the rest of the ingredients. Coat well with the oil and spices. Place in the oven for about 25-30 mins. Stir the squash half way through the cooking process. Try not to over cook, as it can dry out. Serve immediately.