Eating Clean: Broccoli and Cheese Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of cooked brown rice (or other whole grain)
• 1 ½ cups shredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese, divided (NOT fat free… unless you like the sensation of eating plastic) (I did half of the cheese as Parmesan Cheese)
• 1 ½ cups cooked, chopped chicken breast 
• ½ cup cottage cheese or plain yogurt
• ½ cup of finely chopped onion
• 1/3 cup egg whites (or 2 egg whites)
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 1 tbsp chopped green chilies, drained (optional)
• ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro (optional)

ONE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine rice, 1 cup cheese, chicken, cottage cheese/yogurt, broccoli, onion, egg whites, green chilies, and cilantro in a large bowl; Mix well. 
TWO: Spray an 8x8 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and dump the rice mixture in. Top with the remaining ½ cup of cheese.
THREE: Bake 45 to 50 minutes until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly. 

Special Holiday Feature: Trenice's Tasty Tips

Turkey Safety Tips

TIP# 1 
By now, I pray that you all have placed your turkeys in the fridge for thawing, if NOT, STOP and do so ASAP. If you haven’t done so, PLEASE don’t place it on top of your counter to thaw. Your TURKEY will be susceptible to all types of bacteria. Trust me you don’t want your guests to be awakened up out of their sleep in the middle of the night with horrific stomach cramps, because YOUR turkey was improperly thawed. My suggestion to you is to leave that frozen turkey in the freezer for CHRISTMAS and buy a thawed or partial thawed turkey. BUT if you want to be HARD HEADED and most of you WILL, place that turkey, with its wrapping still on, in a CLEAN sterilized SINK, run COLD water over it and let sit for about 4 - 5 hours, insuring that water remains cool, then stick it back in your fridge. That will get it partially thawed and it will continue to thaw HOPEFULLY safely in your fridge. So GOOD LUCK!

TIP#2
Here’s the PART EVERYONE needs to pay CLOSE ATTENTION to because again, you don’t want to get sick behind THANKSGIVING DINNER. Please try your BEST to time your TURKEY to be done along with your sides. Please don’t get up and cook your turkey at 8:00am and by 12:00pm it’s cooked, and NOT one side dish is done. Once your turkey is cooked, let it rest for about 15 – 30 min, if your sides are not completed and dinner is still some hours away, place your turkey in a cool area or in the fridge. You can reheat, it will not dry your turkey out if you reheat with a lid or foil over the top, BUT DO NOT let your TURKEY sit out, AGAIN it will be susceptible to bacteria that ONLY like to show themselves in the wee hours of the morning, LOL. 

TIP#3
Look, the bottom line is this, maybe you haven’t gotten sick, BUT just because you haven’t does not mean that your guests won’t, especially the younger kids and older adults/senior citizens. Your hot side dishes should be HOT, and your COLD side dishes should be cool. Hope everyone has a blessed, YUMMY Thanksgiving!

Special Holiday Feature- Trenice's Tasty Tips!!

I am so pleased to introduce my very special sister Trenice, who will be a feature over the next few days to share some priceless tips to make your holiday meal extra special. 

First stop...

Mac and Cheese

TIP 1#: When boiling your Pasta for your Mac and Cheese, do NOT follow the instruction on the back of the Pasta Box. If you do, you WILL have mushy PASTA in your Mac and Cheese. If the BOX says cook for 8 - 10 Minutes, only cook for 4 - 5 Minutes. REMEMBER your Pasta will continue to cook once you add ALL your ingredients together and bake in the oven.

TIP 2#: Velveeta Cheese sodium is OUT the DOOR, and it changes the texture of your Mac and Cheese, puts you in mind of Stove Top Mac and Cheese. STAY AWAY from the Velveeta, especially if you or your guest have Blood Pressure issues. Colby, Jack, Cheddar (sharp and mild), American (NOT the SLICES!!!)

TIP 3#: If you USE evaporated milk, use either half and half, heavy cream, or milk along with the evaporated milk. Just using evaporated milk alone will leave your Mac and Cheese somewhat dry and dense.

Tommorrow come back for Turkey Tips! (hygiene, preparation, thawing) 

Be a Meal Planning Guru - DAY 5 - Bringing it All Together

Now it's time to put it all together! Using the lists you made this week, you can easily compose several meals with one item from each list (starch, veggie, protein) On 1-2 nights a week, integrate the one pot wonders. If you plan carefully you can make one pot wonders from leftover proteins and sometimes veggies. 

You can plan your weekly meals by first deciding what three major proteins you are going to eat for the week, then you can make them do double duty! For example, if I buy a rotisserie chicken, I prepare a salad one night and chicken tacos the next. If I’m making roasted pork loin with veggies and rice on Monday, I may use the leftover for pulled-pork sandwiches and sweet potato fries on Wednesday night.

Use combinations that your family enjoys but don't be afraid to change it up! If you always have mashed potatoes with meatloaf, mix it up and do couscous instead one evening. Or a different form of potatoes, home fries!

Here are some nifty combinations:

Speedy Tips 

Spend time each week looking for recipes...

Create a place to save recipes, and keep it SIMPLE...

Check the weather...

Keep a meal journal...

Start a calendar...

Go with theme nights (soup night, pasta night, beans).

Check these awesome templates to guide you along the way!

I like this one for posting on the fridge for the family to see what is coming up next.

This is a more detailed one that you may want to keep close by so that you can have a readily accessible grocery list.


THIS IS THE BEST GIFT I COULD GIVE YOU! There is an actual meal planning book you can put together. Print this pdf here Print page 2 several times and you have a beautiful meal planning journal. You can place this inside of a tradition report cover or have the front and back page laminated at a teacher's store. OR you can have all three pages laminated and you can use a dry erase marker to simply erase your meals after the week is over and start again. I like to keep my meal sheets because I can use them all over again next year or next month!