Green Bean Lasagna (Lean & Green)

Green beans are a family favorite! 

(My dear daughter typed this up for me...as co-author of my blog, she's a great help to me in a number of ways.  After all - SHE'S the reason I began a blog..

Deb: "Mom...you should start a recipe blog!"  

Me: "But I won't know what to do and I'll need lots of help"...

(And there you have the rest of that story!) 

She is a GREAT help to me!! 

This is a very tasty dish, even if you're not following the

Lean & Green 'program'. 

It's so cheesey and good.  I tried it with cut beans first, and prefer

using the french cut green beans 10 TIMES better than the cut. 

It makes an awesome lunch or a 'dressed up' side dish for your family meal. 

Do hope you'll have fun with it...the kids will love it too! 

 A note from my daughter, Deb:

Every time I see green beans, I will always think of Dad. I remember him telling us that when he was sick as a little kid and had to start eating, the only thing he would or could eat was beans right from the can! [Hence, his nickname, BEAN. lol.]  I remember our garden when we lived in Washington. Dad always asked me to weed around the green beans (and we ALWAYS had green beans growing in every garden). I would get SUCH an itchy rash from the leaves and HATED weeding them. I remember sitting on the back patio cleaning them and then you would cook them and they would be SO DELICIOUS!!! I can't believe I married a man who hates green beans, but I still eat them and think of Dad when I do.

Needless to say, this casserole would be a big hit for my kids, and bonus: It's Lean 'n' Green to boot!!!

GREEN BEAN LASAGNA

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups green beans, cooked (from frozen or can) and drained
(I prefer french cut over regular cut) 

1/2 tsp basil

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/4 cup skim ricotta cheese
(I used lowfat cottage cheese) 

2 Tbsp marinara sauce (no sugar added)

3/4 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese

1 Tbsp low-fat grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place beans in bottom of lightly sprayed baking dish.  Mix basil & garlic with ricotta cheese and spread evenly over top of the beans.  Spread the marinara over the ricotta cheese mixture and cover with mozzarella cheese.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  

Lean 'n' Green:   1 Lean, 3 Greens, 2.75 Condiment

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BBQ Chicken Pizza with Cauliflower Crust (Lean & Green)

Oh my!  Once you've tasted this amazing dish, you'll want it again and again!

What wonderful flavor!  And that cauliflower crust is not only simple but AH.MA.ZING! 

If you're on the lowfat/lowcarb 'program' of 5 fuelings a day and one 'real food' meal...

this is my absolutely favorite Lean & Green!

1 Lean, 3 Greens, 3 Condiments

A fabulous way to enjoy your low carb meal of veggie and protein without a lot of fat!

Trust me - it's worth trying!  PLEASE! 

Even if you're not on 'program'! 

I really really like the G Hughes sugar free BBQ sauce, but if you have another favorite....go for it! 

This crust is just simply spread out on parchment paper and baked about 30 minutes, so you do have to plan ahead...

BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA 

Crust:

1/4 c low fat shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 c egg beaters

1 c grated raw cauliflower

Toppings:

4 1/2 Tbsp chopped cooked chicken breast

1/4 c low fat shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 c your favorite veggie topping 

(I have only tried broccoli, but there are plenty of options!) 

3 Tbsp sugar free BBQ Sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly.

Combine cheese, egg beaters, and cauliflower.  Spoon mixture onto prepared parchment paper and form crust shape, about the size of a dinner plate.  Bake 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and turn over and bake 8-10 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool slightly.

Spread BBQ sauce over crust.  Top with chicken and your veggies.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and broil for 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.

1 Lean, 3 Greens, 3 Condiments

You might also enjoy this Lean & Green...

Crustless Spinach Quiche

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Crustless Spinach Quiche (Lean & Green)

Oh my - this pie is SOO good!

I've made it numerous times in the last few weeks..it always gets

'gobbled up' quickly.  I've been dying to share it with you...

today's the day!  Whoop!

After sharing the recipe with a friend, who had just found out she was low on iron (& realized that eating spinach made her feel better!) she said she will make this

again and again. She enjoyed it for breakfast, lunch and dinner (not

all the same day=) but loved that she could enjoy it any time of day.

This would make an awesome side dish with your entree. 

I like adding a little bit of minced garlic also...to each their own...

It's a great 'Lean & Green' if you are on that program - 

otherwise, it's just plain good for you.

Since I'm not big on eating meats, 

I LOVE when I can get my protein with cheese...and eggs! 

I got this L & G recipe from Pinterest (click on the link for my page) - I don't have a link back for the original recipe. 

Hope you enjoy soon. 

CRUSTLESS SPINACH QUICHE 

5 servings total...

l serving = 

1 Lean protein

1 vegetable

2 condiments

Non-stick baking spray

1/2 c. onion, chopped

1 (10 ozs.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

6 eggs, beaten

3 c. low fat shredded Muenster cheese

(I've also used Gouda) 

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350*. Spray a 9" pie pan with non-stick baking spray. 

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft. (I've also done this in the

microwave with a little 'light' butter - which would add another condiment) Stir in spinach and continue cooking until excess moisture has evaporated. 

(If I cook the onions in the microwave, I dry the spinach with paper towels) 

In large bowl, combine eggs, cheese, salt & pepper.  Add spinach mixture; 

stir to blend. (I use a whisk). Pour into prepared pan. 

Bake until eggs have set, about 30 minutes.  Let cool for 10 minutes

before serving...if you can wait that long! 

You might also like this Lean & Green 

Taco Bake

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Copycat Panera Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

With all the 'goodies' we enjoy this month, we all need some comfort food that fills us with healthy ingredients and can be made during the week...

Here you go...you're welcome! 

I use to not enjoy soup...at all.  I avoided it like the plague.  I know we were married

several years before I ever tried my hand at making it.

I believe that was because I grew up in a very frugal household...and we had soup...A LOT!  

I needed a break...then, in 1987, when I was in the hospital recovering from 2 surgeries to remove a brain tumor (thank the good Lord it was benign)...I would watch soup commercials and my mouth would salivate!  

I couldn't wait to get home and open a can of Progresso!

But then it got even better...I began making my own soup at home...SO.MUCH.BETTER! than from the can.  

And here we are...enjoying soups often and loving them. 

I made this batch to take to a friend recovering from surgery.  Also took some muffins - which are great any time, but I especially love them with soup.  Or cheese and crackers...or a grilled cheese sandwich!  

Soups are so forgiving to make - add what you have and what you like...thicken them if you like them creamier...

Do hope you'll enjoy this one soon!  I think it could easily become a family favorite. 

COPYCAT PANERA CHICKEN & WILD RICE SOUP 

1/2 c. diced carrots
1/2 c. diced celery
1 small onion, finely diced
1 tsp. olive oil (or coconut oil)
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 c. (32 ozs) chicken broth 
2 c. water
2 c. milk, divided
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 c. cooked chicken breasts, diced
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 sm. box (about 4 ozs) long grain & Wild Rice mix
salt & pepper to taste
chopped green onions for garnish, optional 

Place olive oil in large saucepan; add carrots, celery and onion. Allow veggies to
simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until softened.  Add garlic cloves, chicken broth and water and 1 c. milk; stir until combined.  Add pepper, oregano, and chicken; heat on med low for 15 minutes.  Whisk together remaining 1 cup of milk with 1/2 c. flour, stirring until no lumps remain.  Pour this into the soup; whisk until combined and it's getting thick.  Place the rice and seasoning packet into the soup; mix until blended.  Allow soup to simmer for 20 more minutes or until the rice is tender.  Add salt & pepper to
taste...enjoy with chopped green onions for garnish.  

Enjoy!  

Linked to 
Meal Plan Monday

You may also enjoy...

Easy Clam Chowder with Bacon (Copycat Sweet Tomatoes)

Copycat Strawberry Julius

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Flashback Friday - Soup-er Soups to Warm you (& a bonus link!)

WELCOME TO FLASHBACK FRIDAY! 

Do hope you'll enjoy one or two of these tasty soups to help take the chill off and fill your belly with goodness! 

For hubby and me, pot pies are always so comforting.  Here you can have it in soup form...sooo good!  Enjoy every slurp! 

Chicken Pot Pie Soup (with seasoned toppers)

One of the most popular recipes on my blog!  Delicious and Satisfying! Love letting my slow cooker do most of the work for me. 

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup

So filling and flavorful! You'll want to make this again soon. 

Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup

Tasty Chicken (or Turkey) Barley Soup

(with butternut squash) 

Seasoned Buttery Crackers

The Bryan Times - August 5, 2019 - Fruits & Veggies

Creamy Taters, Green Beans & Caramelized Onions

I do hope you've been enjoying a super summer. It always seems to fly by so quickly - maybe because we stay so busy? For many of us, one of the highlights of summer is the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables.  

Color, color, color is the rule to live by. Health gurus encourage Americans to eat at least five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily. The more reds, oranges, greens, blues, and yellows you see on the plate, the more health-promoting properties you are getting. So fill your plates with lots of nutrients and colors. 

I'm excited that farmer's markets have been up and running in the area. I so enjoy seeing town-folks when they come visit my baked goods stand in Pioneer. Hope you'll support the local folks who take time to share their goods.  Be sure to stop by and get some of those fresh-picked fruits and veggies. You won't be sorry!

I recently made this awesome dessert and fell in love with it again! When a good friend served this crisp to me years ago, I swooned!  Perfect served warm with vanilla ice cream.  Yes please! 

Peach Blueberry Crisp

PEACH-BLUEBERRY CRISP

3 - 4 peaches, about 1-1/2#, peeled and sliced into wedges

2 c. blueberries, cleaned

1 hp. TB. cornstarch

2 TB. lemon juice

1/3 c. sugar

TOPPING:

2/3 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. old-fashioned oats

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. light brown sugar

5 TB. (unsalted) butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly grease a 2.5 qt. baking dish. In a large bowl, combine peaches, blueberries, cornstarch, lemon juice and sugar; set aside. In small bowl, combine flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; stir in brown sugar, then butter, mixing by hand until blended and crumbly. Spread fruit mixture in prepared baking dish and sprinkle with oatmeal mixture. Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping. Yield: about 6 servings

I've never been fond of cukes, but I have a hard time staying away from this very simple recipe.   

EASY PICKLED CUKES

1 c. white vinegar

1 c. water

1/2 tsp. salt (or less)

3/4 c. white sugar, or more to taste

(I use xylitol or Swerve)

3 lg. cukes, peeled and sliced

sliced onion, to taste

In large bowl, add vinegar, water, salt and sugar; stir until dissolved. Add cuke slices and onions.  Eat right away or refrigerate.  These keep up to 2 weeks in the fridge (can reuse the brine a second time).  

Yield 4 - 5 servings (or maybe 2 or 3...depending on who's eating them!) 

For me, every bite of this fabulous veggie combo is roll-your-eyes-back delicious!  

CREAMY TATERS, GREEN BEANS & CARAMELIZED ONIONS

6-8 small new potatoes or 3 or 4 large ones

1 lb. green beans (fresh or frozen) 

1 medium onion, sliced

1/4 c. butter (1/2 a stick), divided

4 ozs. cream cheese 

1/2 c. milk

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

While veggies are cooking, melt 2 Tb. butter in large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion slices and cook, stirring often, until tender and are getting nice and brown, about 8-10 minutes. 

Remove from skillet, and place over veggies in colander while you make the sauce. In same skillet you used to brown the onions, add remaining 2 Tb. butter, cream cheese, milk, salt, and pepper. Over low heat, stir constantly until cheese melts. Use a whisk to beat lightly until smooth and creamy. Add a little more milk if you want a thinner sauce. Remove from heat. Add veggies from colander; stir to coat with luscious sauce. Sprinkle with more pepper if desired. Serve warm. 

"If at first you don't succeed, try doing it the way mom told you in the beginning." . -Unknown 

Easy Peasy Slaw Salad (quick & easy)

Summer is just around the corner!

This is a wonderful salad that's full of flavor, and color too.  Perfect for

making ahead or making and serving right away. 

And it's ready in minutes!!!! 

It's a Taste of Home recipe so you know it's gotta be good. 

I love that it uses pre-packaged slaw mix (I used tri-color for more pop!). 

It's beautiful and so delicious. It fulfills my need for C-R-U-N-C-H too!  I enjoyed a BIG bowlful soon after I made it. 

EASY PEASY SLAW SALAD 

1 - 1# bag frozen peas, thawed

(about 4 cups)

1 bag (14 ozs.) coleslaw mix

4 - 5 green onions, chopped

1 c. poppyseed dressing

1 c. (honey roasted) peanuts

Place peas, coleslaw mix, and onions in large bowl.  Stir in poppyseed

dressing.  May refrigerate until ready to serve or serve immediately. Stir in peanuts just before serving or just sprinkle over the top. 

Yield: 10 - 12 servings

Linked to 
Meal Plan Monday

You may also enjoy these...

Best Broccoli Salad

Simple & Creamy Pea Salad

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Flashback Friday - Tasty Breakfast Dishes to begin your day

WELCOME TO FLASHBACK FRIDAY! 

Sharing some delicious breakfasts to help get you going...enjoy every tasty bite! 

These magnificent 'muffins' are soo delicious - good for you - and versatile.

Add what your family loves best to the beaten eggs....veggies, cheese, meat....great to have on hand for a protein boost any time of day.
Great to make ahead and reheat when you want. 

Mini Omelet Muffins

Nothing like 'dressing up' some canned cinnamon rolls for ease!  And fabulous taste too! Do try these soon - you'll be so glad you did!  You don't have to wait for a holiday to come along to try these.  Today would be perfect! 

Upside Down Cranberry Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

My oh my! With layers of scrambled eggs & sausage gravy, topped with biscuits, this dish is sure to please any hungry man (or woman) you need to feed!

Best Breakfast Casserole Ever

You just can't beat this awesome and tasty fruity dish!!

Made ahead...refrigerated overnight...what's not to LOVE????  
It makes me swooooonnn!  

Baked Waffles with Raspberry Cream Cheese