Menu   Breakfast 6AM – 8AM   Yogurt Parfaits   Make a wonderful breakfast or snack. When fresh strawberries aren't in season, use sliced frozen strawberries for this yogurt parfait recipe. Or change it up a bit by substituting blueberries or raspberries for the strawberries. Prep Time: 10 minutes   Ingredients:   ·                    1 cup low-fat or non-fat vanilla yogurt ·                    1/2 cup granola ·                    1 cup sliced strawberries ·                    1 Tbsp. maple syrup   Preparation:   1.                  Place 1/4 cup of the yogurt in the bottom of two glasses or parfait dishes. 2.                  Top with one tablespoon of granola. 3.                  Top with 1/4 cup of the sliced strawberries. 4.                  Repeat the layers. Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of the maple syrup over each yogurt parfait.   Lemon Blueberry Smoothie   If you like the flavors of lemon and blueberries in coffee cake, you'll appreciate this lemon blueberry smoothie recipe. The intense lemon flavor comes from lemonade concentrate. It's a perfect pairing with blueberries in these fruit smoothies. Prep Time: 5 minutes   Ingredients:   ·                    1 cup frozen blueberries ·                    1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks ·                    1 cup low-fat vanilla soy milk ·                    1 Tbsp. frozen lemonade concentrate ·                    1/2 cup vanilla yogurt ·                    1 Tbsp. honey (optional)   Preparation:   1.                  Place the blueberries and pineapple chunks in a blender or food processor. 2.                  Pour soy milk in next. Add remaining ingredients. 3.                  Puree until smooth, stopping to press fruit into the blades of the blender, if necessary.   Crockpot Breakfast   Using the Crockpot to make breakfast is one of the smartest, easiest ways to enjoy a hot breakfast. This Crockpot breakfast casserole is fancy enough to serve to company for a special occasion breakfast or brunch. Just put everything in the Crockpot at night, and wake up to this delicious Crockpot breakfast casserole in the morning. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 hours   Ingredients:   ·                    32 oz. frozen hash browns with onions and peppers ·                    1 small red pepper, diced ·                    1/2 lb. regular bacon or vegetarian bacon (optional) ·                    2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ·                    12 eggs ·                    1 cup milk ·                    1 tsp. kosher salt ·                    1 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper ·                    6-8 drops hot sauce ·                    1 tsp. dry mustard   Preparation:   1.                  Spray the slow cooker stoneware with cooking spray. 2.                  Place hash browns in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top with diced red pepper. 3.                  If using, cook bacon until crisp. Crumble on top of the diced red pepper. 4.                  Top with cheddar cheese. 5.                  Whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour evenly over the mixture in the Crockpot. 6.                  Cook on low 10-12 hours. Fruits Galore A healthy breakfast consists of fruit, which is an excellent source of fiber. It's a great idea to stock up on fiber first thing in the morning to help keep your body running smoothly for the rest of the day. Try cutting up all your favorite fruits to make a fresh fruit salad, and eat as is or add yogurt, honey or almonds for more flavor and crunch. You can also use fruit as a topping for just about everything, from cereal and instant oatmeal to pancakes and waffles.   Berry Banana Smoothie Ingredients: 1 frozen banana, peeled and cut up 1/4 cup fresh or frozen berries (such as raspberries, blackberries and/or strawberries) 1 cup orange juice 3 tablespoons plain yogurt Preparation: Throw all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.   Toast   Toast with butter or Toast with Fruit preserves.     Lunch 11:30AM – 1PM   Couscous Salad   A great summery lunch -  prepare the couscous according to the packet and add mint, parsley, tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, sunflower seeds, olive oil and lemon. Yummy!   Ham and Cheese sandwich   A simple but good lunch!  Prepare by putting ham and cheese on wheat bread with mustard or low fat mayo.  For a side do celery filled with peanut butter plus raisins or veggie dip.  Some apple slices would be nice too!   Strawberry and Cream Cheese Sandwich   Ingredients: 1 tablespoon reduced-fat cream cheese 1/4 teaspoon honey 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest 2 slices very thin whole-wheat sandwich bread 2 medium strawberries, sliced Preparation: Combine cream cheese, honey and orange zest in a bowl. Spread bread with the cheese mixture. Place sliced strawberries on 1 piece of bread, top with the other.   BBQ Chicken Sandwich and Sweet Potato Fries   Ingredients: 1/2 cup shredded cooked chicken 1/4 cup shredded carrots 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce 2 teaspoons light ranch dressing 1 small whole-wheat sandwich bun 1 leaf romaine lettuce Preparation: Combine chicken, carrots and barbecue sauce in a bowl. Spread ranch dressing on the bun. Top with the chicken mixture and lettuce.   Sweet Potato Fries   Ingredients: Cooking Spray 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Preparation: Arrange potato wedges on prepared baking sheet in 1 layer and coat them with cooking spray. Sprinkle potatoes with salt and black pepper. Roast 30 minutes, until tender and golden brown. If preparing in advance, fill a medium saucepan 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Add the potato wedges and boil for 5 to 7 minutes, or until just beginning to get tender. Drain well. When you plan to serve them, bake  par-boiled potatoes at 400 degrees F until golden brown, about 10 minutes.   Pizza Roll-Up Bento   Ingredients: 1 8-inch whole-wheat flour tortilla 2 tablespoons prepared pizza sauce 12 leaves baby spinach 3 tablespoons shredded part-skim mozzarella 1/2 cup cucumber spears 1/2 cup cauliflower florets 2 tablespoons low-fat creamy dressing, such as ranch Preparation: 1. Place tortilla on a plate and spread pizza sauce over it. Top with an even layer of spinach and sprinkle cheese on top. Microwave on High until the cheese is just melted, about 45 seconds. Carefully roll the tortilla up. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing into pieces, if desired. 2. Pack cucumber and cauliflower in another medium container. Nestle a small, dip-size container among the vegetables   Bean and Cheese Burrito   Ingredients:   ·         Flour tortillas ·         4 cups Refried beans (canned is fine) ·         1 cup Monterey Jack cheese ·         1 cup Cheddar cheese ·         Sour cream ·         Salsa   Preparation: Preheat oven to 350. Warm flour tortillas in the microwave (wrap them in a dish towel in batches of 4), or in the oven (wrap them, 4 at at a time, in foil and warm for 15-20 minutes). Meanwhile, heat refried beans in a saucepan over medium heat, grate cheeses together.  When tortillas are warm, fill each one down the middle, stopping about an inch before the bottom edge, with 1/2 cup of the beans, 1/4 cup of the cheeses.  Fold up bottom of tortilla, then roll it over to form a tube. Put rolled tortillas on baking sheet, seam side down, and bake about 5 minutes.   Cheese and Broccoli Soup   Ingredients: 1 (10 ounce) package frozen broccoli 2-1/2 cups milk 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 2-1/2 cups cubed processed cheese 1 cup heavy cream 1 cube chicken bouillon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper Preparation: Place broccoli in a medium saucepan with just enough water to cover. Cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Set aside and do not drain water. In a large saucepan, heat milk. Blend in the flour and cheese until smooth. Stir in the cream and bouillon cube. Add the broccoli and its water to the mixture and season with salt and pepper. Heat soup to warm and serve immediately.   You can also have the soup in a bread bowl.  Get a roll and cut the center out of it, and fill with soup!   Easy Chicken Noodle Soup   Ingredients: 1 (26 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup 3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth 2 cups diced cooked chicken breast meat 2 teaspoons onion powder 1 teaspoon seasoning salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 2 (9 ounce) packages frozen egg noodles Preparation: In a large pot, mix the cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, and chicken meat. Season with onion powder, seasoning salt, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, and stir in the noodles. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.     Afternoon Snacks 2PM – 3PM   Cheesy Popcorn   Ingredients: 4 cups hot air-popped popcorn 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Cayenne pepper to taste Preparation: Toss popcorn with Parmesan and cayenne to taste.   Creamy Veggie Dip and Veggies   Ingredients:   1 Container Veggie Dip and Any veggies you would like.  Vegetables, such as baby carrots, sliced red bell peppers, snap peas, broccoli and cauliflower florets, cucumber spears, grape tomatoes and celery. Preparation: Cut and eat!   Mini Rice Cake Snack   Ingredients:   ·         8 mini apple-cinnamon rice cakes ·         1 1/2 tablespoons natural peanut butter ·         4 banana slices   Preparation:   Spread 4 rice cakes with peanut butter; top each with a banana slice and the remaining rice cakes.   Quick Applesauce   Ingredients:   ·         4 McIntosh apples, peeled and chopped ·         1 tablespoon brown sugar, or more to taste (optional) ·         Pinch of cinnamon   Preparation:   Place apple pieces in a medium microwaveable bowl. Cover and microwave until softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, add brown sugar, if using, and cinnamon and puree until desired consistency.   Smoothie   Ingredients:   ·         1 cup frozen mixed berries ·         1/2 banana ·         1/2 cup apple juice   Preparation:   Combine berries, banana, apple juice in a blender; blend until smooth.   Any Fruit   Apple, Banana, Orange, Grapefruit, Mango, Kiwi, Plum, Pear or Grapes.       Dinner 5PM – 7PM   Hash Brown Casserole Ingredients: 1 onion, chopped 1 (2 pound) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed 1 pint sour cream 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of celery soup 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce 3 tablespoons butter 4 ounces buttery round crackers, crushed   Preparation:   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 8x12 inch baking dish. 2. Over medium heat, cook the onion until soft. 3. In a large bowl, combine the onion, potatoes, sour cream, soup, cheese, pepper and hot sauce. Mix well and pour into baking dish. Bake for 50 minutes. 4. In a sauté pan, heat butter or margarine and crackers. Cook until golden brown. Sprinkle over casserole and bake for 30 additional minutes.   Tijuana Torta   Ingredients:   ·         1 15-ounce can black beans or pinto beans, rinsed (see Note) ·         3 tablespoons prepared salsa ·         1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeño ·         1/2 teaspoon ground cumin ·         1 ripe avocado, pitted ·         2 tablespoons minced onion ·         1 tablespoon lime juice ·         1 16- to 20-inch-long baguette, preferably whole-grain ·         1 1/3 cups shredded green cabbage   Preparation:   1. Mash beans, salsa, jalapeño and cumin in a small bowl. Mash avocado, onion and lime juice in another small bowl. 2. Cut baguette into 4 equal lengths. Split each piece in half horizontally. Pull out most of the soft bread from the center so you’re left with mostly crust. Divide the bean paste, avocado mixture and cabbage evenly among the sandwiches. Cut each in half and serve.   Inside Out Cheeseburger and Sweet Potato Fries   Ingredients: 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese 1 pound 90%-lean ground beef 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper   Preparation:   1. Preheat grill to medium-high or preheat the broiler. 2. Combine Cheddar and Gruyere in a small bowl. 3. Gently mix beef, Worcestershire, paprika and pepper in a large bowl, preferably with your hands, without overworking. Shape into 8 thin, 4-inch-wide patties. Mound 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture on each of 4 patties, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Cover each with one of the remaining patties. Crimp and seal the edges closed. 4. To grill: Lightly oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the stuffed patties over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes per side for medium-well. (Be sure not to press the burgers as they cook or they’ll split open and the cheese will ooze out.) To broil: Cover a broiler pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Broil the stuffed patties in the upper third of the oven, about 4 minutes per side for medium-well. In either case, let the burgers stand for 5 minutes before serving.   Sweet Potato Fries   Ingredients: Cooking spray 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.   Preparation:   Arrange potato wedges on prepared baking sheet in 1 layer and coat them with cooking spray. Sprinkle potatoes with salt and black pepper. Roast 30 minutes, until tender and golden brown. If preparing in advance, fill a medium saucepan 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Add the potato wedges and boil for 5 to 7 minutes, or until just beginning to get tender. Drain well. When you plan to serve them, bake  par-boiled potatoes at 400 degrees F until golden brown, about 10 minutes.   Baked Macaroni and Cheese   Ingredients:   ·         2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni ·         4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter ·         2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided ·         2 large eggs ·         1/2 cup milk ·         paprika, for the top   Preparation:   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Cook macaroni in boiling salted water, following package directions. Drain well; return to pot. Add butter and stir until melted. Add 2 cups of the shredded cheese. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with the milk. Add the milk mixture to the macaroni. Stir until well combined. Spoon into the greased pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted and browned and casserole is cooked through. Serves 4 to 6.      Mexican Tortilla Soup   Ingredients:   ·         2 cups diced tomatoes (canned is fine) ·         1 onion, cut into chunks ·         1/2 cup cilantro leaves, packed ·         1 tbsp canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce ·         4 cups chicken broth ·         1 chicken breast, diced (or see note below) ·         1 lime, juiced ·         tortilla chips ·         diced avocado   Preparation:   1. Combine the tomatoes, onion, cilantro leaves and chipotle peppers in a blender or food processor. Add a small amount of the chicken broth and blend the mixture until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and stir in the remaining chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Add the diced chicken breast or leftover chicken and continue to simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the flavors are blended. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice. 3. To serve, place a handful of tortilla chips into each bowl and ladle the soup over them. Top with diced avocado and, if you want, an additional pinch of chopped fresh cilantro.   Quesadillas   Ingredients:   ·         Large flour tortillas ·         Grated cheese - either mild or sharp cheddar, or Monterey Jack ·         Olive oil ·         Green onions ·         Fresh tomatoes, diced ·         Chicken pieces ·         Avocado ·         Lettuce ·         Salt   Preparation:   Heat a pan to medium high heat and put a dash of oil.  Place Tortilla in pan and put topping on it.  Then put another tortilla on top of that heat till golden brown flip and do the same to the other side.  Pull it off and cut into four triangles.  Eat with salsa and sour cream.