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Out of this world – with an amazing sauce!

Wow – did these patties completely blow my mind! I don’t know why, but I had always just made ground beef patties and fish patties. I guess it’s because those are what my mother always used to make, and my grandmother as well. That’s how it often is with recipes; there are staples that get passed on from generation to generation and we love those familiar flavors so much, that we don’t even think of trying something else for a change.

I’m really glad my sister is crazy about trying all kinds of lean alternatives when it comes to cooking. This recipe probably wouldn’t have been my first choice (or even the second) if I had just randomly come across it. But she was serving these for dinner last weekend and they were so incredible that I don’t know if I can ever go back to my old patty recipe again.

These turkey patties are scrumptious on their own, and I can imagine they would make really tasty turkey burgers! But the sauce is what takes these to a whole new level. I swear, I wanted to eat it straight from the serving bowl!

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Quick Tip: Try ground chicken instead of turkey!

Imagine a dish so quick and so easy, but whisks you away to the Greek Isles, in flavor?

Not only is it savory and tangy, it’s also incredibly light!

So you don’t have to worry about cheating on that New Year’s diet!

Although this soup is robust with ingredients, every single last one seems to dance like magic on your tongue.

I personally love making this soup at home, when the kids come to visit.

Everyone sits around the table, speaking in silly Greek accents, and it reminds me of home!

This recipe takes about 45 minutes to make and serves up to 8 people, so there is absolutely plenty to go around!

I always serve it with a side of fresh crusty bread, but it truly is a meal all in itself.  It also keeps really well, so why not double down on the recipe?

And have no fear about cooking Quinoa!

If you aren’t familair with Quinoa, the folks over at 12Tomatoes will tell you:

“If you haven’t tried quinoa before, think of it as rice’s healthier, more mature cousin – it’s packed with protein and fiber, and has a slightly nutty flavor, making it one of our all-time favorite health foods. Quinoa also cooks up quicker than rice, making this soup a perfect weeknight dinner option.”

Recipe and photo courtesy of 12 Tomatoes

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Ok, so now that the holidays are over, it’s time to start thinking healthy, right?  Well you can still enjoy your greens, with a recipe like this.  This guilt-free version includes sweet potatoes, kale and quinoa, so you don’t have to worry.

This recipe serves 4-5 people, and is ready in minutes.  Why not trick your family into eating a little healthier?  With a name like “fritter,” no one will ever know!

Recipe and photo courtesy of 12 Tomatoes

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Just 15 minutes of basic cooking, a little prep, 20 minutes of baking, and you can have this Quinoa Banana Nut Bread ready. And with a good helping of essential vitamins, fiber, and protein, this dessert isn’t just good but also surprisingly good for you. I have always enjoyed banana nut bread (rare is the time I’ve passed up getting some of it when I happen to pass by it at Kroger), but I can’t say that I have tried a healthy, gluten-free banana nut bread recipe before now. Well, I give this two yums up, and as easy as it is to make, I’m sure it will be making plenty more appearances in my kitchen in the future.

I have several friends with celiac disease and sometimes it’s difficult to find a nice gluten-free recipe. I always want to serve something delicious, and many of those gluten-free dessert have seemed a bit on the dry side. This banana bread is such a wonderful exception!

Recipe and photo courtesy of Lou Lou Girls

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Quick tip: Use a greased 9″ x 9″ baking pan for this recipe.

Casseroles are rather convenient and often very flavorful, but not all of them exactly have a reputation for being extremely healthy.  If you are looking for a health-conscious, veggie-heavy casserole with rich flavor and creamy texture, this Healthy Spinach & Artichoke Casserole is an excellent choice! This is also a great way to make your kids eat their greens – with a recipe like this, it’s not going to be a problem!

I like spinach raw, in generous amounts in salad, and boiled artichoke with some salted butter is a nice treat, to me.  Not everyone is so keen on these vegetables in their basic or raw form, however, and after a while, they can be boring to eat by themselves.  Easy solution: mix them together with some cheese and bake them in a casserole.  Yummy!

Recipe and photo courtesy of iFOODreal

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Quick tip: You can make this ahead by freezing the dish assembled and bake from frozen, increasing baking time by about 15 – 20 minutes.

There isn’t much out there that beats Latin American cuisine on the “comfort food” scale, but it doesn’t exactly have the reputation for being super-healthy, and if you go to enough Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurants, you may feel that you are just ordering the same items over and over again, just with different names.  This tasty quinoa enchilada casserole is creative, original, filled with vibrant color…and HEALTHY! Wow!

If any region of the world has a comfort food tradition to rival good-old Southern soul food, it is Latin America.  Mexican and Tex-Mex food is nice, warm, and filling.  It’s relaxing.  It makes for good snack food, but it also makes for a great full meal.  And it’s not expensive at all.  You can’t go wrong with it, really.  Taco nights were a regular thing in my home when I was growing up, and I loved them.  I still have a bit of a tradition with Dad, when I go to visit him on the Gulf Coast:  On the day of my departure (pretty much the last thing I do before hitting the road back home, actually), we have lunch at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants.  That journey back home isn’t typically a grand Zen experience for me, by any means, but that soothing fare puts me in the right mindset and helps the trip go along that much more easily.

Still, I find myself limiting my intake of Latin American dishes at this point in my life. Most Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in my part of the world don’t offer much in the way of variety, and let’s face it:  Most of the items served at these establishments won’t exactly be making an appearance on any Jenny Craig meal plan.  Not so with this recipe, though–it remains true to the tradition but offers it a much-needed, exhilarating breath of fresh air, and it’s healthy.  How healthy?  Well…

Recipe adapted by Damn Delicious

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Quick Tip: Serve with fresh homemade bread – such a yummy combination!