Time for Tex Mex Burgers

Well BBQ time is upon us in full force! With the thermometer rising, it’s a perfect time for me to share my take on a ‘healthified’ Tex Mex Burger.

Here’s what I do. Take some lean ground beef, add in some Tex Mex  seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and form patties, cut some colourful peppers into strips now you are ready for the grill.

Now get your BBQ Chef (Brent) to grill the burgers and peppers while you prepare the sides- homemade oven fries and a fresh vegetable salad and there you have it! A wonderfully yummy, colourful and nutritious meal. We added salsa to our burgers to go with our Mexican theme and they were delicious!  You could add some guacamole and jalapeno- which the BBQ Chef did!

Roasting Red Peppers- BBQ's Best!

We eat with our eyes, so there is nothing better than preparing delicious, colourful veggies and fruits for dinner. Well, now that it's BBQ'ing season, Brent broke out the BBQ roasting pan and cut up some red and yellow peppers.

We just added a bit of Kraft Light Sundried Tomato dressing and tossed them in a bowl to coat and then placed them in the pan.

They come out so delicious, the little burnt edges are so good- it caramalizes the sugars in the pepper, so they taste even sweeter.

We served it with another BBQ favourite- steak and basmati rice.

We then cut up some fresh watermelon and had a healthy, colourful, nutritious feast.

Light Pasta Night- Fettucine with red peppers, chicken and basil

This recipe is light and fresh- the fresh basil really makes the dish. You could add any veggies you enjoy, but these are some family favourites.

Fettucine with peppers, chicken and fresh basil (adapted from eatingwell.com)

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves of minced garlic
2 red peppers cut into chunks
1 cup frozen peas
2 cup cooked chicken
2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz whole wheat fettucine
1/2 cup freshy grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for cooking pasta.  Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant bu not browned, about 1 minute. Add peppers and peas and increase heat to medium- high, cook, stirring occasionaly, until tender and lighty browned, 3-4 minutes then add chicken to warm it up. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 9-11 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking liquid.  Add the pasta, the reserved liquid, parmesan and 1/4 cup basil to the skillet, toss to coat well. Serve immediately, garnished with remaining basil.

Nutrional Information (serves 4 people)
438 calories
51g carbs
13g fat
30g protein
9g fibre
7g sugar

Soupy Sundays - Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Soupy Sunday was Saturday last week because of a Birthday Celebration for my dad on Sunday night. But I still wanted to make this soup that my friend Nancy gave me the recipe for, you see she claimed it was her favourite and I just had to make it.

Well she was right, Brent and I just loved it. It was so flavourful. It's a winner! Thanks Nancy.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup (from Nancy’s Kitchen)

3 Tbsp butter

2 medium onions

4 cloves chopped garlic

3 carrots, chopped

3 potatoes, peeled and chopped

4 cups of chicken broth

Roasted Red Peppers – 375 ml jar, cleaned and cut

2 cups 1% milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

Melt butter on medium high in large stock pot, add onions and garlic, stir and cook until translucent. Add carrots and cook for about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, cut up roasted red pepper and chicken broth, bring to a boil and then simmer until potatoes are cooked through (about 20 minutes).

Puree the mixture using a hand blender until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add 2 cups of milk and mix together and bring soup back up to warm temperature.

Serves about 6

Nutritional Information:
251 calories

40g carbs

7g fat

 8g protein

 3g fibre