Pinterest Crockpot Pizza Casserole - Healthified

I have been seeing this pin float around Pinterest for a few weeks now, and I wanted to give it a try.  It's made with pretty basic ingredients that were easy to make healthier, and since I just threw everything in the crockpot and let it cook on its own, there was minimal prep.  The end result was so great.  Greg and I absolutely loved it, and we have tons of leftovers.  Below is the recipe I created, adapted from the original.  I omitted the pepperoni (you really don't need it) and used organic ingredients.  I also swapped out whole wheat pasta for the white pasta in the recipe.  Next time I'll try quinoa or brown rice pasta to mix it up.  When it comes to the cheese, use the real deal (even raw if that's your thing) and enjoy every last satisfying bite - no fat-free cheese around here!

When it comes to purchasing pasta or marinara sauce, make sure to check the label and ingredient list.  These kitchen staples tend to be made with hidden ingredients that you might not want to eat (or give to your family).  I look for three things:

1. Organic - conventional tomatoes are heavily sprayed with pesticides.

2. No high fructose corn syrup - many sauces are sweetened with the HFCS instead of sugar.  Look for sauces that have no sugar added, but if they do, make sure they're sweetened with sugar.  You won't be able to tell the added sugar content from the label, since it includes the sugar inherent in the ingredients (cooked tomatoes, onions, etc.) as well.  If the sugar is high up on the ingredient list (top 3-4 ingredients), you know your sauce is made with a decent amount of the sweet stuff.

3. Soy oil - I try avoiding highly inflammatory (and usually genetically modified) soy oil as much as possible, but it seems to be in everything.  Many marinara sauces are made without any oils, so they can be a good bet (especially if you use olive oil in the recipe).  Otherwise, try to pick one with olive oil only.

I recently found "Organic Marinara Sauce" from Trader Joe's in a clear glass jar with a yellow label and used it in this recipe.  It is sweetened with a bit of sugar and doesn't contain any oil.  There is enough fat in the rest of the recipe that it wasn't missed.

Healthified Crockpot Pizza Casserole

Ingredients:

16 ounces whole wheat spiral pasta, uncooked (but rinsed)
1 lb. organic grass-fed ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 organic green bell peppers
32 ounces pasta sauce (see above)
1 cup water
1 cup organic shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

In a skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic until cooked through. 

Rinse pasta and place it in the crockpot with the ground meat mixture.  Stir to combine.  

Pour pasta sauce and 1 cup water over noodle mix.  Top with shredded mozzarella.

Place on the crockpot and cook on low for 5-6 hours.  Look what I got to come home to!

I made this the night before, placed the crockpot in the fridge, and then set it on the heating element at lunch today to cook for about 6 hours.  It was divine and so nice to come home to!  Served with a big green salad or some hearty roasted vegetables for a well-rounded and fall-friendly dinner.

 Enjoy!

*M*

Guest Blogger: Brown Rice Penne Bake with Chicken Sausage

I am so thrilled and honored to be doing a guest post for my fabulous sister’s blog.  I am not what you would call a Chopped champion, Iron Chef, or Julia Child; therefore, I was very hesitant to try out a new recipe, all the while taking photos and pretending I know what I am doing.  Luckily, I was able to find a very simple recipe on Pinterest (inspired by this Real Mom Kitchen recipe), which I changed a little bit to make more Nutrition Transitions friendly :)

If you are looking for a quick, simple, hearty, delicious, Italian, somewhat rich, amazing, drool-worthy recipe…then this is definitely it! 

Here are the ingredients you will need to whip up this decadent dish:

1 bag of Organic Brown Rice Penne Pasta

1 jar of Alfredo Sauce (15 oz)

1 jar of Organic Marinara Sauce (26 oz)

2 cups of shredded Organic Mozzarella Cheese

1 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese

4 Smoked Andouille Chicken Sausages (precooked)

Instructions:

 

(I purchased all of my ingredients from Trader Joe’s, I love the one-stop-shopping and of course 3 buck chuck.)

Cook brown rice pasta according to directions and drain.  Mix the sauces together in a large bowl.

 

Add the mozzarella to the sauces and stir to combine, then throw (not literally) in the penne and toss to coat.

 

Pour pasta into 9x13 baking dish then add the sliced chicken sausage.  Cook at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese, then bake for another 5 minutes. 

 

My happy (and salivating) helpers:

I paired the main dish with a side salad and some delicious roasted garlic and thyme bread (and duh, 3 buck chuck) and my husband LOVED it!!  It makes more than enough for 2 so we will be having leftovers for days...oh darn. 

Jessica

Spaghetti Squash, Ricotta and Meatball Bake

Fall is the season of squash, and I'm always looking for an excuse to cook with it. Spaghetti squash is especially fun because it has a pasta-like texture and offers a healthy - and gluten-free - substitution that's nutrient-packed and tasty. It is also great for kids because it has a fun yet mild consistency that will help boost their vegetable quota for the day.

This recipe was inspired by a post from Big Girl Small Kitchen sent to me by my best friend. I expanded upon it by adding homemade grass-fed beef meatballs and sauteed mushrooms, and I modified the process. You can also use turkey meatballs or add a vegetarian protein source using canellini beans. My husband really liked it and said that he didn't miss the pasta!

In honor of Halloween and this year's nutrition-inspired costume, here's a shot of me as "grass-fed beef":

By the way, to make the meatballs I use a recipe I made up myself:

3 lb grassfed beef (I get mine at the North Scottsdale Farmers Market)

Homemade breadcrumbs (sprinkle olive oil over Ezekiel or other whole grain or gluten-free bread and add garlic powder; toast in a toaster oven until dark and pulse in a food processor to make crumbs)

1 organic egg

1/2 cup raw parmesan shavings

Garlic powder

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

Sea salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients and roll into 1-inch balls. Bake on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. This recipe made about 50 meatballs, and I froze most of them for a future recipe.

Spaghetti Squash, Ricotta and Meatball Bake

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash (4-5 lb)

2 teaspoons olive oil

12 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 cup organic marinara sauce, divided

3/4 cup ricotta cheese, divided

Grass-fed beef meatballs (12-15)

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Rinse the squash and cut in half length-wise.

Use an ice cream scooper to remove and discard the seeds.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet, flesh-side down.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until the skins have darkened on the edges.

While the squash is baking, heat olive oil in a pan and add garlic. Sautee the mushrooms until cooked through.

When the squash has finished baking, remove from the oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes. (Seriously, how pretty and delicious does this look?! I wanted to eat it plain, right then and there.)

Use a fork to scrape the flesh into a bowl.

Set into a strainer to remove some of the liquid.

Using a clean paper towel, squeeze the squash to remove as much liquid as you can. Nobody wants a soggy meal.

Place the squash in a mixing bowl and add 1/2 cups marinara sauce and 1/2 cup ricotta. (This is where you can play with spices too, such as oregano, additional garlic, or even a little rosemary.)

Pour the mixture into a 9x9 baking dish. Layer with meatballs, and then top with mushrooms and the other half of the marinara sauce.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and small dabs of ricotta.

Bake for 35-40 minutes at 375, or until the top is browned.

Enjoy with some roasted vegetables or a crisp green salad and a nice glass of cabernet! This recipe made about 6 servings.

Enjoy!

*M*

Hamburger Buddy

Everyone loves Hamburger Helper, right? This EatingWell.com recipe tastes a lot like the family classic but is full of veggies and has fewer additives. It's a great meal for kids who don't quite love vegetables (yet), and it makes for amazing leftovers too. I also really like it because (aside from the food processor), it's a one-pot dish!

Hamburger Buddy
Serves 6

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
2 medium carrots, cut into 2" pieces (I used 4 carrots)
10 ounce white mushrooms, large ones cut in half
1 pound lean ground organic beef (try grass-fed!)
2 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 tsp. Redmond's salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water
1 14-ounce can reduced sodium organic chicken broth, divided
8 ounces whole wheat elbow noodles (I used brown rice penne)
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. all-purpose flour (I used rice flour)
1/2 C. reduced fat sour cream (I used organic regular sour cream)
2 T. tomato paste - I added this based on feedback on the EatingWell site
1 T. chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

Fit a food processor with the steel blade attachment. With the motor running, drop garlic through the feed tube and processed until minced, then add carrots and mushrooms and processed until finely chopped.



Turn it off, add onions, and pulsed until roughly chopped.



Cook beef in a large straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3-5 minutes.



Stir in the chopped vegetables, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften and mushrooms release their juices, 5 to 7 minutes.



Stir in water, 1 1/2 cups broth, noodles, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato sauce (if using); bring to a boil.




Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, 8-10 minutes. If using brown rice pasta, make sure to not overcook.

Whisk flour with the remaining 1/4 cup of broth in a small bowl until smooth; stir into the hamburger mixture.


Stir in the sour cream. Simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley (or chives), if desired.



Of course, I forgot to take a picture of the finished product because I made this on a Sunday for a Monday dinner and didn't whip out the camera when I actually ate it. You can imagine the deliciousness, however :) It's actually really good sprinkled with Cholula, and I served it another way later in the week by topping it with shredded cheese and heating it in the toaster oven. Yum!

Enjoy!

*M*