Pizza Bagels

Hello and welcome!

I'm sure you're looking at "Pizza Bagels" and wondering where the fitness comes into play. Fitness is determined by a lot of factors, and sometimes, it is good for your body to eat the healthier version of something entirely "normal" rather than deprived of one ingredient or another. In the long run, as long as you don't overeat, you can really eat whatever you want.

That said, this recipe is one I made with a friend yesterday. We are on fall break now, which means the cafeteria is closed, so cooking is a must if you plan to eat and not go broke. Fortunately for me, cooking is no problem! Especially with a recipe that is so quick and easy.

The bagels for these pizza bagels were originally from Panera Bread, but I kept them in my freezer for a  few weeks and thawed them out for an hour or so before cooking. Thank you to my grandmother for that bread-saving tip!

The Recipe: Pizza Bagels

• Three bagels (of any kind), sliced in half
• Prego Traditional Pasta Sauce (amount to your liking, I used about 1 TBSP per 1/2 bagel)
• Low Fat Mozzarella Cheese

The Process:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Thaw bagels if necessary.
3. Spread sauce on inner face of each bagel half. 
4. Sprinkle shredded cheese on inner face of bagel half. 
5. Bake for about 10 minutes (depending on your oven). 
6. Enjoy! 

The Calories:

1/2 Bagel: 105 calories

1 TBSP Sauce: 10 calories

1 TBSP Mozzarella: 50 calories

______________________________________

TOTAL: 165 calories

Not bad!! This is about as filling as a slice of pizza, but much lighter and more healthy. There is far less butter involved in bagels compared to pizza crusts. My friend and I each ate three, making our total consumption 495 calories. 

What went right: 

          The bagels came out nicely, they were cooked for the right amount of time to allow the sauce to soak into the bread. Additionally, we used a plain, whole wheat, and cranberry raisin bagel, and all three had a completely unique but amazing taste. The cranberry raisin was the best in my opinion. 

What went wrong: 

          While I thought there was plenty of sauce, my friend felt there was not enough. Because sauce is a matter of personal preference, it is best to apply the sauce yourself so you know how much looks like a good amount to you. I think he thought there was not enough because, as pasta sauce rather than pizza sauce, the sauce that remained on top of the bagel rather than soaked into it was not still liquid like pizza sauce, but firmly attached to the bread the way baked pasta sauce soaks into pasta. I might try this again with pizza sauce instead, to see if there is a difference. 

Would I do this again?:

           Yes! I loved these and will definitely be making more pizza bagels in the future. Look out for Pizza Bagel Sandwiches, which will happen after I acquire toppings to put in the middle of two Pizza Bagel slices. 

Overall, a fun, easy meal to make. It was healthy and satisfying, and clean up was not very labor intensive. A perfect college meal if I do say so myself! 

Sauteed Vegetables in Penne Rigatoni

Hey pasta lovers!

This dish was inspired by my want for sauteed vegetables and my mom's want for pasta...yay for collective efforts!

Since it was first made, I have also been able to make the dish in college, as it uses a single pan, and really any combination of preferred vegetables.

The Recipe: Sauteed Vegetables in Penne Rigatoni

• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1 cup green beans
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 box Penne Rigatoni pasta 
• 1/4 tbsp butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• Water

The Process: 

• Boil 1-2 inches of water in a covered, stove-top pot.
• Once the water is boiling, cook pasta for 7-9 minutes on medium to low heat, depending on your stove. 
• Heat a stove-top pan on high. 
• Once the pan is heated, allow the butter to melt on the pan, turning the pan to help the butter spread. 
• Turn the heat to medium. 
• Add carrots, salt, and pepper.
• Allow to cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. 
• Add green beans, and mix the pan with a spatula by folding it over itself multiple times. 
• Allow to cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. 
• Add mushrooms, and mix the pan with a spatula by folding it over itself multiple times. 
• Allow to cook for 5-7 minutes, checking and turning the mix periodically. 
• Once the pasta is finished cooking, strain it and allow it to cool slightly. 
• Once the vegetables are finished cooking, remove the top of the pan, and turn off the heat.
• Once the pasta is cooled, serve it into bowls (should be 2-4 servings). 
• Once the pasta is in bowls, top it with vegetables as desired. 
• If desired, sprinkle cheese on top of the vegetables (at most 1 tsp). 
• Enjoy!

The Calories: 

Pasta: 800 calories

Carrots: 50 calories

Green Beans: 77 calories

Mushrooms: 68 calories

Butter: 25 calories

Salt/Pepper: insignificant calories

Water: 0 calories

________________________________

TOTAL: 1020 calories

This sounds like a lot, but if split between two people, that's only 510 calories each for two portions. If split between three people, 340 calories. If split between four people, 255 calories. 

What went right: 

        The pasta was a nice al dente, the vegetables cooked well, and the combination of ingredients worked in happy harmony. 

What went wrong: 

         Personally, I think the dish is carb-heavy. It would be nice to balance the carbs by altering the vegetable ratio, but in this case it might need some meat to ensure it is still just as filling. 

What I would do next time: 

         It would be good to try the dish with other seasonal vegetables, like a squash and pasta medley, or try varying the pasta:vegetable ratio and adding meats like sausage or chicken. 

Would I make this in college: 

        Oddly enough, I already have! I didn't make the dish as it is, but I held a pasta party and made pasta with marinara sauce for my dorm building, and sauteed vegetables for those who were Gluten Free. It's a very simple, quick dish to make, and leftovers are easy to keep and reheat. 

Overall, a quick, easy, healthy meal. No complaints :) 

Vegetarian Stuffed Pasta Shells (2)

Hello and welcome Italian Food lover!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog :) Apologies for the lack of posts since I've started college. There's plenty of time to cook but not enough time to write about cooking!

Today's recipe was inspired by my love of Italian food, and the success of prior Stuffed Pasta Shells. 

The Recipe: Vegetarian Stuffed Pasta Shells (2)

• Jumbo Pasta Shells
• 1 bunch Spinach 
• 1 cup Pasta Sauce
• 1 cup Broccoli
• 1/2 cup Peas
• 1 cup Italian Mix Shredded Cheese
• 1 cup Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced
• 1 sweet Red Pepper, sliced and diced
• 1-2 pieces Garlic, sliced and diced
• 5 stalks of Green Onion, chopped
• 1/4 tsp butter (one small slice) 
• Salt and Pepper as desired

The Process:

• Boil water on the stove in a pot that will be large enough to hold all 20 pasta shells comfortably. 
• Once there are bubbles in the water, carefully add the pasta, be sure to not let any break. 
• Cook the pasta for 5-6 minutes. It should be al dente.
• Remove and strain the pasta. Allow it to cool. 
• Chop the Spinach into smaller pieces. 
• Using a Magic Bullet or other powerful blender, puree the Spinach. You will have to do this in smaller bunches, adding slight amounts of water. 
• Use paper towels to drain the Spinach. 
• Heat a pan on the stove. 
• Melt Butter on the pan. 
• Add Salt and Pepper to the pan. 
• Lower the heat to medium-low (depending on your stove).
• Add Garlic and Green Pepper to the pan.
• Add Broccoli to the pan. 
• Add Red Pepper to the pan. 
• Add Mushrooms to the pan. 
• Add Peas to the pan. 
• Cover the pan and continue to rotate the ingredients with a spatula until all are cooked. This should take 5-7 minutes. 
• Mix the sauteed vegetables, Spinach, and Cheese in a large bowl. 
• Pre-Heat the oven to bake at 350 degrees F.
• Pour a small amount of Sauce in an oven-safe dish. 
• Put a small amount of stuffing in each shell, and place it in the dish with the Sauce. 
• Once you have filled all shells, if you have any stuffing left over, put it on top of the pasta. 
• Coat the pasta with the remainder of the Sauce. 
• Cover the dish with an oven-safe top, or aluminum foil.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce begins to bubble. This time will depend on your oven, but the dish will also emit a powerful aroma, so you should be able to tell about when it is finished.
• Switch your oven to roast on High.
• Remove the aluminum foil or cover.
• Roast the oven safe dish on a rack close to the flame for 3-5 minutes.
• Carefully remove the dish from the oven.
• Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes before serving.
• Enjoy!

The Calories:

Pasta: 720 calories
Sauce: 190 calories
Spinach: 144 calories
Broccoli: 41 calories
Pepper: 31 calories
Mushrooms: 75 calories
Garlic: 5 calories
Green Onion: 15 calories
Peas: 59 calories
Cheese: 180 calories
Butter: 20 calories
Salt and Pepper: insignificant amounts
___________________________________
TOTAL: 1480 calories for 20 shells

Keep in mind that this amount also yielded additional stuffing that did not necessarily need to be included in the dish; instead, it could be refrigerated or frozen for future use. Additionally, there will be some sauce left in the jar, bowl, and dish.

Also keep in mind that one person will not eat 20 shells. 1480 calories for 20 shells means 74 calories per shell.

What went right:
         The pasta shells were delicious and the stuffing came out very nicely. I kind of liked having some of the stuffing outside the shells.

What went wrong: 
         According to my dad, the stuffing does not have enough spice, but he eats Indian pickle, so I've learned to take comments like this with a grain of sugar. Additionally, the individual shells may have been overstuffed, or cooled too long, because they were reluctant to remain closed.

What would I do next time:
         Next time I would like to try adding meat, which will also mean cooking/marinating the meat separately. The meat would determine the remainder of the stuffing, so I may need to use Italian sausage in order to balance out the vegetables.

Would I make this in college?:
         I definitely have the capability to make this in college, but not the time at present. It might be something to try over fall break (hint hint wink wink nudge nudge).

The photo below is our family dinner the night I made this dish. The two plain pasta and sausage link plates belong to my little brother, and my "little brother", who are just about the pickiest eaters I've ever met. At least they make cooking easy!

Overall, I'm a little too addicted to stuffed pasta shells now, but I really don't see a problem with that considering how healthy they can be. Especially if gluten free pasta and low fat cheese were used. Definitely can't wait to make these again! 

Happy Eating!

Grilled Portobello Sandwich

Welcome veggie lovers! 

It probably won't surprise you to hear, that I'm not a fan of burgers. It's not that I have anything against them, they just don't taste right to me. The same goes for steak, pork chops, pork roast, ribs, and most seafood. Because of this, I eat a lot of bacon, salami, ham, and chicken, but if you're not into meat at all, a fantastic substitute is portobello mushrooms!

This recipe was a team effort by me and my dad, and uses three of my favorite ingredients of all time. 

The Recipe:Grilled Portobello Sandwich

(Amounts are per sandwich)

• 1 small bun
• 1/4 Avocado, sliced
• 3 slices of a Portobello mushroom (about 1/3 mushroom)
• 1/4 cup Red Bell Pepper, sliced
• Salt 
• Pepper
• 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• (Marinade for mushrooms) Lemon juice, Garlic Salt, Pepper, Olive Oil

The Process:

• Set your broiler to high
• Place the red pepper slices in a small pan
• Add olive oil, salt, and pepper
• Toss to coat red pepper in marinade
• Broil close to the flame for about 10 minutes, or until the edges blacken 
• Put mushroom marinade in a sealable bag,
• Add mushroom slices
• Toss for a few minutes
• Grill on a Weber grill or stovetop grill pan for about 10 minutes, 5 on each side. (may differ based on type of grill)
• Lay mushroom slices on one side of bun
• Lay avocado slices on other side of bun
• Lay red pepper on side of bun with mushrooms
• Close sandwich
• Pair with low-fat snack or other side dish, such as steamed corn. 
• Enjoy!

The Calories:

Bun: 113 calories (depends on your bun)

Mushrooms: 10 calories

Peppers: 13 calories

Avocado: 58 calories

Olive Oil: 40 calories (keeping in mind that some of this will end up as residue on the pan)

Salt and Pepper: insignificant amount

Marinade: 20 calories (most of this will still be in the bag when you're done)

_____________________________________

TOTAL: 254 calories

Pretty fantastic considering one hamburger alone (not including the bun or condiments) is 280 calories at a minimum! 

What went right:

        Everything. This is now on my list of favorite sandwiches!! 

What went wrong: 

       Nothing, delicious, filling, addictive taste. Loved it. 

What I would do next time: 

       There's always a way to improve, even when something is wonderful...I might add some shredded cheese, make the same recipe in the form of a panini, or add some roasted zucchini :)

Will I do this in college?: 

       Yes, for sure! Since I won't have a grill in college, it might be faster to just throw the pepper and mushrooms in the same pan and roast both, for faster cooking and faster cleanup. But I will definitely be making this in college. 

Overall, nothing bad to say about this sandwich, and I'm very excited to have it again!

What would you put in a vegetarian sandwich?

Fridge Cleaning Pasta Salad

Hello and welcome! 

Today's dish was inspired yet again by having lots of leftovers in the fridge that all look great on their own, but may or may not have worked well in anything else...

The Recipe:Fridge Cleaning Pasta Salad

• 1 cup Pasta (previously cooked)
• 1/4 grilled Chicken Breast (previously cooked)
• 1 cup halved Strawberries
• 1/8 Cucumber, sliced and chopped
• 1 cup Romaine Lettuce, chopped

The Process:

• Wrap the chicken in a paper towel
• Use a microwave to reheat the chicken. It should take 1-2 minutes on high. Be careful taking the chicken out of the microwave. 
• Put the pasta in a microwave-safe bowl with a paper towel over it.
• Use a microwave to reheat the pasta. It should take 1-2 minutes on high. Be careful taking the pasta out of the microwave.
• Toss all ingredients together. 
• Enjoy!

The Calories:

Pasta: 100 calories (depending on brand and type)

Chicken: 60 calories (depending on how it was marinated)

Strawberries: 49 calories

Cucumber: 8 calories

Lettuce: 16 calories

_____________________________

TOTAL: 241 calories

What went right:

          This was a very filling and well-rounded meal, especially considering the final calorie count!

What went wrong:

          While everything tasted good on its own, combining a very summery salad with a pollo pasta this way wasn't the best choice. It was good, but would have been better in separate courses. 

What I would do next time:

         As previously mentioned, I would make two separate dishes: one, a salad, with lettuce, cucumber, and strawberries. The other, pasta, chicken, and maybe some alfredo or marinara if I had some on hand. 

Would I make this in college?:

        Yeah, for a late night leftovers meal, this turned out pretty great! Definitely the kind of thing for a college student menu. 

Overall, I ended up with an easy, low-calorie meal that just needed to become two separate plates. I'd call that a successful fridge cleaning experiment :) 

   

What would you make if you were cleaning out your fridge?

Skinny Pizza Panini

Hey Pizza Lovers! 

Ever had that moment where it's late at night, you just gotta have that pizza taste, and there's no pizza to be found? 

This recipe is the result of that moment for me, and unlike your traditional pizza, it's quite healthy and guilt-free! 

The Recipe:  Skinny Pizza Panini

• 2 slices of Cinnamon Raisin Bread
• 2 tsp Pizza Sauce
• 1 leaf Basil
• 2 tbsp shredded Four Cheese Italian
• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 1/4 tsp (small slice) unsalted Butter

The Process: 

• Heat your panini pan with the stove on high
• Melt your Butter and mix it with the Olive Oil
• Using a basting brush, coat both sides of your Cinnamon Raisin Bread with the Butter and Olive Oil Mix
• Lay the Cinnamon Raisin Bread open on your panini pan 
• Lower the heat to medium-low
• Sprinkle the Four Cheese Italian on both slices of your Cinnamon Raisin Bread 
• Allow the cheese to melt slightly
• Shred your Basil, and put some on both slices of your Cinnamon Raisin Bread
• Use a spoon to apply and spread the Pizza Sauce on one slice of your Cinnamon Raisin Bread
• Turn the slice without Pizza Sauce over and place it on top of the slice with Pizza Sauce
• Use the panini pan press to complete your panini. It should be left on top of the panini for 1-2 minutes depending on your desired heat and grill marks. 
• Use a spatula to remove your panini from the panini press
• Enjoy!

The Calories: 

Cinnamon Raisin Bread: 156 calories (varies by brand, check your package!)

Butter: 25 calories

Olive Oil: 40 calories (In all reality you don't use all of this...much of it will end up as residue in whatever bowl you mix with, the basting brush, and on the panini pan and press)

Four Cheese Italian: 20 calories

Basil: 0 calories

Pizza Sauce: 50 calories

__________________________________________________________

TOTAL: 291 calories!

Compared to a slice of pizza (300-400 calories depending on your brand, and generally these contain many chemicals as well), that's not bad at all. For my dinner, I combined it with 1 cup of air popped, low fat kettle corn. The total dinner was about 360 calories, and very satisfying. 

What went right: 

         Everything. This is going on my favorite sandwiches list! It may sound strange to make a pizza on cinnamon raisin bread, but it works so well together. 

What went wrong: 

         Nothing. (I love when I can say this!)

What would I do next time:

         I might make it a veggie pizza panini next time, by adding my favorite vegetables in the middle, like tomato slices, mushrooms, zucchini, and maybe even some avocado! Additionally, it would be fun to try some different cheeses, and just play around with my favorite kinds of pizza and flatbreads. It would also be fun to try with different breads, bagels and bialys. Granted additional ingredients and thicker breads mean more calories, but they also mean a well-rounded, more filling meal, which would allow for fewer sides and less hunger later. 

Would I make this in college?: 

        Did I buy a mini panini press just for college? Why, yes. Yes, I did. This recipe in particular only takes a couple ingredients in low quantities, so the total cost is around $1, when buying some pretty high quality brands. It is also quick and easy to make without a lot of effort. If all that doesn't sound like college to you, I would love to have your college experience!

Overall, a yummy new way to satisfy that pizza craving without breaking your diet, or your bank!  

Macaroni & Cheese a la mi Padre

Hey Cheese Lovers!

This recipe was part of a four person family dinner including Macaroni & Cheese, Mushroom Risotto, and Easy Chicken Wings. We used to have it with French bread, but have since learned that Pretzel bread is a much better complement!

Special thanks goes to my dad, who is always willing to teach me his cooking methods. I'm more than happy to play Sous Chef :)

The Recipe: Macaroni & Cheese a la mi Padre

• 1 box of Macaroni
• 1 packet cheese mix

The Process:

• Boil 1-1.5 cups of water on the stove (depends on your pot. Essentially you want enough to saturate your macaroni)
• Cook the macaroni for 7-8 minutes on low-medium heat (around the 6 minute mark, watch it closely and remove 1-2 test noodles. Be sure to run a small amount of cold water over the noodle before eating!)
• Pour the macaroni in a strainer to remove excess water.
• Put the macaroni back in the pot and add the cheese packet as directed.
• Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
• Pour into a deep plate or shallow bowl. Be sure it is oven safe. (I used a ceramic plate.)
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or until your macaroni becomes slightly browned at the edges.
• Enjoy!

The Calories:

Macaroni noodles: 442 calories

Cheese packet (depends on your brand): 112 calories

___________________________________________________________

 TOTAL: 554 calories

What went right:

         The macaroni was the right consistency and tasted very nice!

What went wrong: 

          Lots of cheese? Honestly that's the only thing that could ever be wrong for the diet.

What would I do next time: 

           I would like to make mac and cheese with real cheese next :)

Would I make this in college?:
           Potentially? I think the process is a larger takeaway than the dish itself.

Overall, I love mac and cheese, but I love it too much to make it in school.