Indulgence: S'more Cookies

Nothing says summer like s'mores. Am I right? Or am I right? We love s'mores, but we have one little problem... we don't have a fire pit. It's makes it a little hard to make them the traditional way, and I'm not brave enough to let my kids do it using our gas stove, so these are our next best alternative. :) And though we try to keep things healthy around here, an indulgence every now and again is just fine. Happy 4th of July!

Indulgence: S'more Cookies
24 SERVINGS 
PREP: 12 minutes           COOK: 12 minutes            READY IN: 24 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 11 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 heaping cup of mini marshmallows
• 1-2 packages graham crackers, broken into squares (I used 24 squares, but how many squares you use will ultimately depend how much dough you put on top of them)
• 3 regular sized Hershey’s bars, broken into single squares

DIRECTIONS

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1. Mix together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar together until nice and creamy.
2. Add in the eggs, one a a time. 
3. Once mixed, add the vanilla. Mix.
4. Add the baking soda, sea salt, and flour. Mix together.
5. With a large spoon, or spatula, mix-in the chocolate chips and marshmallows.
6. Chill the dough for one hour in the refrigerator.
7. Preheat the oven to 375º.
8. One a cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper, lay out the graham crackers, side by side. (For step by step pictures, click here).
9. On top of each graham cracker, place a tablespoon of dough on top. (I used my regular sized cookie scoop and it worked great).
10. Bake the cookies for 5-6 minutes, add the Hershey bar to each graham cracker cookie and bake for another 5-7 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely (I threw them in the freezer for about 20 minutes) and cut them with a sharp knife.

Enjoy!
Recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Skinny Shrimp Potato Chowder

We have declared this a winter of soups at our house. Anyone else? It just feels so cold all the time and soup seems to bring that needed warmth and comfort. Funny thing is, we lived in Minnesota last winter, and this winter in Colorado should feel quite warm to us, but I guess it's easy to forget -40º weather and anytime the weather is subzero, it feels cold.

This soup is very easy to make and it tastes wonderful! If you or your children aren't quite sure of shrimp, feel free to omit it, but I think it brings a nice texture and flavor to the soup.

Skinny Shrimp Potato Chowder
6 SERVINGS 
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 75 minutes            READY IN: 85 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 6-8 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 12 ounce bag small pre-cooked shrimp
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup green onion (use the white ends for the soup, and reserve the green ends for the toppings for the soup)
• 3 cups skim milk
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS

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1. In a large pot, boil potatoes in water until cooked. Drain water.
2. Add corn, shrimp, water, and white onions. Bring to a boil.
3. Combine milk and flour in a separate container. Add to soup while stirring.
4. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium/high and cook until it thickens. (It took about an hour for me).
5. Add salt and pepper (to taste).
6. Serve with toppings if you'd like. We like green onions and bacon. Cheese would be yummy too.

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1 serving    260 calories   .8g fat   49.8g carbs    15.5g protein    10.2g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Food.com.

Recipe Refresh: Low Cal Green Bean Casserole

One of the dishes I love having on a Thanksgiving spread is the beloved Green Bean Casserole. My Grandma makes it like none other, and I think that has something to do with the fact that she uses her very own green beans from her garden - frozen and saved just for the feast. In an effort to maintain this dish's yumminess, but also keep it healthy by using only real food instead of canned, I made over this traditional dish and am very pleased at the results! As a comparison, I used Paula Deen's Green Bean Casserole recipe as this is pretty close to how my Grandma would make it.

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below on your favorite Thanksgiving dish. I feel like it's so hard to choose. Is it the pie? The stuffing? The yams? Or does your family have "weird" traditions that you look forward to each year? For instance, my Grandma also serves duck meat each Thanksgiving. It's tradition, and I love it! 

Recipe Refresh: Low Cal Green Bean Casserole
10 SERVINGS 
PREP: 40 minutes           COOK: 35 minutes            READY IN: 75 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 medium shallots, diced
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh string green beans
• 1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups milk (I used skim)
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS

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1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
2. In a medium skillet, on medium-high heat, put a couple tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the diced shallots until they are golden brown and crispy. They should look nice and caramelized (it took me about 6 minutes to achieve this.) Place in a separate dish off to the side.
3. In the same skillet, add a little more olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) and sauté the mushrooms until they are golden brown. This will take longer than the shallots, about 12 minutes. 
4. Once the mushrooms are golden brown, add the garlic and thyme. Mix together for 1 minute in the skillet.
5. Place the mushroom mixture in a separate bowl, off to the side.
6. Mix together milk and flour until the flour is dissolved. 
7. In a larger skillet, heat up the milk & flour mixture, stirring frequently, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to med-low until the mixture thickens. This took about 15 minutes.
8. Remove pan from heat, and add green beans, mushroom mixture, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, an pepper.
9. Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Put the green bean mixture in the dish, top with the shallots and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and cook in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until golden on top and bubbling.

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1 serving    161 calories   8.4g fat   15.1g carbs    9.5g protein    5.5g sugar   

Original Recipe (Paula Deen's)	Refresh Recipe by Pass the Fresh
1/3 stick butter 1/2 cup diced onions 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 2 cups sliced green beans 3 cups chicken broth 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup 1 (2.8-ounce) can French-fried onion rings Pinch House Seasoning (salt, black pepper, garlic powder mixture) 1 cup grated Cheddar	4 tablespoons olive oil, divided 4 medium shallots, diced 1 1/2 pounds fresh string green beans 1 pound button mushrooms, sliced 6 garlic cloves, minced 3 cups milk (I used skim) 3 tablespoons flour 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, divided 1/2 cup chopped parsley 3/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Prep: 10 minutes, Cook: 30 minutes (Total: 40 minutes)	Prep: 40 minutes, Cook: 35 minutes (Total: 75 minutes)
217 calories, 15g fat, 11.7g carbs, 8.4g protein, 1.8g sugar	161 calories, 8.4g fat, 15.1g carbs, 9.5g protein, 5.5g sugar

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Kitchen Konfidence.

Recipe Refresh: Apple Streusel

Is it just me, or are apples far more addicting this year than in years past? I feel like I can't go a single day without craving one - which I guess is good because they keep the doctor away, right?? And now that we've tried this apple streusel - I think it may just become a new staple recipe at our house. We had it for our Halloween night treat and it was a hit! So simple to make and a great healthy alternative to so many other apple desserts out there.

Apple Streusel
6 SERVINGS 
PREP: 5 minutes           COOK: 30 minutes            READY IN: 35 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 6 apples, cut in half with seeds and core scooped out (a melon baller does a great job)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

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1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Mix together melted butter, oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl. 
3. Scoop mixture onto halved apples, packing securely.
4. Spread evenly onto baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, or until apples begin to swell.

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1 apple    178 calories   8.2 g fat   24.7 g carbs    2.1 g protein    11.8 g sugar   

Original Recipe: Betty Crocker Apple Crisp	Refresh Recipe: Apple Streusel
4 medium tart cooking apples  3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats 1/3 cup butter or margarine 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Cream or Ice cream	6 medium apples 1/4 cup butter or margarine 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of salt
320 calories per serving	178 calories per serving
11 g fat, 52 g carbs, 2 g protein, 36 g sugar	8.2 g fat, 24.7 g carbs, 2.1 g protein, 11.8 g sugar

Enjoy!
Recipe from Cooking Outside the Box.

Recipe Refresh: Hawaiian Haystacks

My children are in love with Hawaiian Haystacks. I'm 99% sure it has something to do with the fact that they can choose what they want to put on their haystack. Oh, the freedom of making choices is so liberating, right?  The "original" recipe I'm using is posted on Redhead Recipes (I doubled the sauce to be comparable to my refresh). The only challenge in making over this recipe is in the sauce. The original recipe calls for cream of chicken in the sauce, which doesn't exactly classify as healthy in my book. Anything that keeps its shape when poured out of a can grosses me out.

When I asked my husband if he liked the taste of the new sauce, he asked if he should be scared what I put in it. I admit I can be a little too creative when it comes to these things. The final review of the sauce was a B+. I liked it, my children preferred it over the original, but my husband still said he preferred the original.

Recipe Refresh: Hawaiian Haystacks
12 SERVINGS 
PREP: 15 minutes           COOK: 30 minutes            READY IN: 45 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 2 chicken breasts
• 4 cups of brown rice, cooked
• Sauce:
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• Desired toppings (these are what I use):
• black olives
• green onions
• cheese
• tomatoes
• chow mein noodles
• crushed pineapple

DIRECTIONS

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1. Boil the chicken until it's cooked and then shred. (Or buy a cooked rotisserie chicken and debone it). 
2. Start on the sauce. First melt the butter in a large saucepan. Once it's completely melted, add the flour and wisk together. Add the chicken broth and milk. Bring to a boil for a couple minutes. Bring it to a simmer and cook until it sets up and is to the consistency you like.
3. While the sauce is simmering, cut up the toppings of your choice and place them in little serving dishes.

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1/2 cup serving    446 calories   16.6g fat   57.2g carbs    17.7g protein    3.6g sugar   

Original Recipe	Refresh Recipe
Sauce: 2 cans cream of chicken, 1 cup sour cream, and 2 cans chicken broth	Sauce: 8 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour, 1 can chicken broth, and 1 1/2 cups milk
White Rice	Brown Rice for the extra whole grains and nutrients
Low in sugar	Low in sugar as well, but high in manganese and vitamin B6. Not as many preservatives in this recipe.

Though this recipe doesn't change much in the nutritional facts, I like that everything is made right in my kitchen and it didn't take anymore time than the original recipe. If you have any ideas on how you would make the sauce even healthier, I'm all ears! Please share in the comments below.


Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Redhead Recipes.