Mini Zucchini Meatloaves

So, I disappeared for awhile, my guess is that no one really noticed.  My sister likes to pretend it matters, though.  My daughter's activity schedule has gotten just a bit out of control and my evenings are no longer my own.  My work filter does not allow for posting on blogger, except during a 1 hour window at lunch, which lately has not been used much for lunch.  All of a sudden, every part of my life has been busier!


This is, of course, exactly what mealpods are perfect for.  Just because I have been super busy, does not mean that I have been eating badly.  I try and keep at least one week, if not two weeks of lunches frozen as mealpods, so I am covered in cases of circumstances that don't allow for my usual Sunday cooking schedule.


So, almost three weeks ago, I made a bunch of mini zucchini meatloaves and I've been enjoying them greatly.

Mini Zucchini Meatloaves

Prep Time: 10 min                

Cook Time: 45 minutes             

Yield: 4

INGREDIENTS:

16 oz ground beef

1 cup zucchini, grated

¼ cup onion, grated

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped finely

1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped finely

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

¼ cup feta cheese

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350˚

Shred the zucchini and grate the Parmesan cheese and onion before starting to mix the beef.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl being sure everything is distributed evenly.

Portion into mini loaf pans and cook for 45 minutes. 

Allow to cool, then portion for freezing.

Nutrition: 356 calories, 20g fat, 813g sodium, 5G carb, 2g fiber, 39g protein

nutrition information estimated at Livestrong.com:

http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/mealpod-mini-zucchini-meatloaf/

Deviled Chicken Salad

Behold!  The mealpod in it's natural habitat!   Most of my lunches are eaten at my desk, in front of my computer, during the hour that our filter is turned off.   Today lunchtime caught me perusing one of my favorite Paleo recipe websites, Chowstalker!

This is one of my all time favorite Paleo recipes.  Combining egg salad and chicken salad makes it packed with protein and fairly low calorie.  If I wasn’t so lazy I would totally make my own mayonnaise. It’s supposed to be easy, but it is totally one of those things that scares me.  I usually eat it right from the container, at my desk, at lunchtime, but I have been known to occasionally eat it with gluten-free crackers or in a carved out tomato or green pepper.  That probably would make a gorgeous photo.  I should do that some day. 

Deviled Chicken Salad

Prep Time: 10 min               

Cook Time: 0 minutes            

Yield: 6

INGREDIENTS:

12 oz chicken breast, cooked and cubed

3 hardboiled egg, chopped

1 cup celery, finely chopped

6 tablespoons mayonnaise

3 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 bunch green onion, diced fine

salt & fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

·         Cube chicken and put in mixing bowl

·         Mix in chopped egg, celery and green onions

·         Fold in mayonnaise and mustard, mix gently until well distributed

·         Add salt and pepper to taste.

Portion 1 cup per mealpod and store in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

 6 PODs: 216 calories, 8g fat, 201g sodium, 3.5G carb, 0g fiber, 10g protein

nutrition information estimated at Livestrong.com:

http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/mealpod-deviled-chicken-salad/

Chicken Drumstick Vesuvio

Like a lot of households, things have been kind of lean around here.  Gas and grocery costs seem to keep going up, but nothing new is coming in.  One thing I love about chicken drumsticks is they are CHEAP, but they are also easy to make and easy to eat.  If you grow your own herbs like my sister Nicole, it's even cheaper. This recipe freezes well and reheats even better, the freezing / reheating process seems to make the herbs really sink in.

 Chicken Drumstick Vesuvio

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 60 minutes            

Yield: 8

INGREDIENTS:

8 chicken drumsticks

4 average sized potatoes, cut into wedges

1 cup fresh green beans

1 tbsp fresh oregano

½ tsp sage

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

¼ cup coconut oil, melted

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup chicken broth

2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced

DIRECTIONS:

·         Preheat oven to 375

·         Cut potatoes into wedges

·         Place drumsticks, potato wedges and green beans into a 9 x 13 dish

·         Sprinkle with oregano, sage, salt & pepper

·         Drizzle with melted oil

·         Bake 30 minutes, stirring once, be sure to flip each drumstick

·         Sprinkle with garlic and chicken broth and continue baking another 30 minutes

Once cool, garnish with parsley and store as mealpods

Nutrition: 8 PODS 235 calories, 13g fat, 231g sodium, 16G carb, 2g fiber, 15g protein

nutrition information estimated at Livestrong.com:

http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/mealpod-chicken-vesuvio-drumsticks/#ixzz1smNC5JAt

Chicken Taco Meatza

I think it's become obvious that my sister, Nicole is the chatty and artsy one in the family.  I like to cook, but this whole blogging thing and taking the pictures does not come as naturally to me.  I feel like there should be a "story" with each recipe, but honestly there isn't.   I tend to find recipes by googling ingredients that I think sound good together and then taking bits and pieces of each recipe I find and creating my own mealpod recipe.  


So... this is Chicken Taco Meatza.   What is Meatza?  It's one of my favorite Paleo recipes, basically you replace the normal crust with MEAT.  \o/  Yay!  My favorite Meatza of all time was my Margherita Meatza which was absolutely amazing.   The Greek Meatza was yummy but not as much of a home run as the first attempt.   The Chicken Taco Meatza, I think, is #2, even closer to #1 when garnished with sour cream and guacamole.

Chicken Taco Meatza

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Yield: 12


INGREDIENTS:


CRUST:
1 lb Ground Beef
1 can diced green chilis
TOPPINGS:
4 oz shredded cheese of choice
1 cups shredded chicken
½ cup salsa, drained
1 small can black olives, rinsed and drained
¼ cup onion, diced


DIRECTIONS:


Preheat oven to 450°


Measure and mix your crust seasonings together in a small bowl.


Flatten beef into a circle on a pizza pan roll pan and place into oven for 10 minutes.


Spread the crust evenly with shredded cheese.


Arrange shredded chicken on the top, then sprinkle with remaining ingredients


Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 10 minutes.


Allow to cool. Slice, then freeze.

NUTRITION: 6 PODS - 361 CALORIES, 21G FAT, 982G SODIUM, 4G CARB, .5G FIBER, 40G PROTEIN

My kitty liked the Meatza too!

Crockpot Greek Chicken

The inspiration recipe for this mealpod had carrots instead of parsnips.  Also, my recipe does not include the black olives I threw in at the end.  What I discovered while cooking this was that it was extremely ~WHITE~ which didn't look very appetizing, even though it tasted delicious.  So I threw in the black olives and sprinkled a little paprika on top.  Viola!  Color!  LOL.  

CROCKPOT GREEN CHICKEN

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 5 hours
Yield: 8


INGREDIENTS:
1 pound parsnips, cut into 1” pieces
1 pound mini potatoes, washed and sliced in half
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 ½ cups of chicken broth
¾ tsp salt
1 15oz can of artichoke hearts
1 large egg
2 large egg yoks
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup fresh dill

DIRECTIONS:
Spread parsnips, garlic and potatoes on the bottom of slow cooker. Arrange chicken
on top and pour broth over all. Cover and cook for about 3 hours on high.


Add artichokes to slow cooker, cook for five minutes.


Transfer chicken and veggies to serving bowl using a slotted spoon. Add ½ cup
cookie liquid to the egg mix and whisk until smooth. Add back to the slow
cooker, cover and cook an additional 15 to 20 minutes to thicken.


Add dill and pepper, then pour the sauce over chicken and veggie mixture.


Allow to cool, then portion 1 cup per mealpod for freezing


NUTRITION: 8 PODS 308 CALORIES, 14G FAT, 920G SODIUM, 23G CARB, 5G FIBER, 22G PROTEIN

NUTRITION INFORMATION ESTIMATED AT LIVESTRONG.COM:

http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/mealpod-crockpot-greek-chicken

Turkey & Veggie Skillet

This is a filling low calorie gluten-free, Paleo meal.  I have been having to concentrate on logging my food and watching my calories a little closer lately.  As someone that is formerly obese I have to be pretty precise about what I put in my body.  I add the coconut oil to give this a little bit of the good fat that I am losing by using something like ground turkey which is low fat.  

Turkey & Veggie Skillet

Prep Time: 10 min                

Cook Time: 15 minutes             

Yield: 6

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp coconut oil

½ cup onion, diced

2 medium zucchini, diced

2 yellow squash, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 lb ground turkey

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 box Pom chopped tomatoes

DIRECTIONS:

Heat coconut oil in skillet and add diced veggies, cook until onions are translucent

Add ground turkey and cook until done

Stir in tomatoes and Italian seasoning, simmer for 10 minutes

Once cool, portion into 1 cup servings mealpods and freeze.

Nutrition: 228 calories, 14g fat, 250g sodium, 10G carb, 2g fiber, 16g protein

nutrition information estimated at Livestrong.com:

http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/mealpod-turkey-veggie-skillet/

Cheesy Zucchini Egg Bake

I was going to call this a crustless quiche, but it really isn't very much like a quiche at all.  It's a breakfast casserole and not very different from the Omelet Muffins that I like to make.  This is kind of the lazy version of omelet muffins and also a little easier to wrap for mealpods than the muffins are.  The cheese seems to give this enough fat that it freezes and cooks well from frozen.  It works best if you put the mealpod in the fridge the night before and just pop it in the microwave for breakfast.  

Cheesy Zucchini Egg Bake

Prep Time: 10 min                

Cook Time: 30 minutes             

Yield: 6

INGREDIENTS:

6 eggs

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

¼ cup feta cheese

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

½ cup shredded mozzarella

¼ cup tsp garlic powder

½ tsp parsley

½ cup onion, diced

2 cups zucchini, shredded

Paprika

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350˚

Grate Parmesan cheese, zucchini and dice onions

Whip eggs in a bowl and add remaining ingredients, except Paprika

Grease 11 x 7 glass casserole dish with butter and pour egg mixture into dish, 

sprinkle the top with paprika

Bake for 25/30 minutes or until knife inserted into the center comes out clean

Once cool, slice into 6 square mealpods and freeze.

Nutrition:  238 calories, 17g fat, 450g sodium, 4G carb, .5g fiber, 17g protein

nutrition information estimated at Livestrong.com:

http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/cheesy-zucchini-egg-bake/

Make Ahead Ham & Cheese Casserole

Ham is such an Easter staple, many of us have left over ham tonight and are looking for something to do with it besides make sandwiches.  I am in love with the concept of the make ahead casserole because of my daughter's activity schedule.  Some nights I have more time to cook than others.  On softball practice nights we are out from 5:15 to 7:15, so something my husband can throw in the oven while we're out is perfect!  We come home and don't have to wait to eat.  


- Melissa

Prep Time: 10 min                

Cook Time: 90 minutes             

Yield: 6

      INGREDIENTS:

½ cup onion, chopped

1 tbsp butter

16 oz frozen green beans

16 oz mini red potatoes

8 oz shredded cheese

1 lb ham steak

DIRECTIONS:

·         Chop onion and cook in skillet until soft

·         Cook potatoes in microwave for 2 minutes to soften, then cut into wedges and add to skillet with onions to brown lightly

·         Add frozen green beans to skillet and mix thoroughly

·         Chop ham steak into bite size cubes and add to skillet mixture, combining until all ingredients are mixed throughout

·         Pour mixture into 9 x 13 dish and mix in shredded cheese, sprinkle additional cheese over top of casserole if desired

·         Cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours, when ready to cook, preheat oven to 350˚ and cook for 60-90 minutes until everything is warm and cheese is melty and bubbly

Store leftovers as mealpods once cooled

Nutrition: 6 PODS 270 calories, 9g fat, 836g sodium, 15G carb, 3g fiber, 30g protein

nutrition information estimated at Livestrong.com:

http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/make-ahead-ham-cheese-casserole/

Turkey Skillet Dinner

This recipe would have been quicker with leftover turkey or even a rotisserie chicken.  The turkey breast took two hours to cook, which was fine for me because it was my day of cookingn anyway.  This has bacon, potatoes and turkey.  You really can't go wrong with that combo.  I microwaved my potatoes for just 2 minutes before I diced them so they didn't need to cook in the skillet too long.   I probably could have thrown them in the oven with turkey, but didn't really think about it. 

Turkey Skillet Dinner

Prep Time: 20 min                

Cook Time: 25 minutes             

Yield: 8

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup onion, chopped

½ cup green pepper, chopped

½ cup red pepper, chopped

2 tbsp butter

4 cups cooked potatoes, diced

2 cups cooked turkey, diced

8 slices bacon, cooked

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

¼ tsp nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

·         Cook turkey breast completely, allow to cool.  Use precooked potatoes or cook until just soft.  Cook bacon until done, but not too crispy.

·         Prep all vegetables prior to cooking.

·         In a large, deep skillet, sauté onions and pepper in butter until soft.  Add the potatoes, turkey and bacon and cook until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add cayenne and nutmeg, stir through.

Allow to cool, then portion 1 cup per mealpod for freezing

8 PODS: 247 calories, 7g fat, 170g sodium, 25G carb, 3g fiber, 21g protein

nutrition information estimated at Livestrong.com:

http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/mealpod-turkey-skillet-dinner/

Make Ahead Ham & Cheese Casserole

So... um... that's not my casserole up there.  That's a random ham picture.   I made this Ham & Cheese Casserole and put it in the fridge on Sunday night.  Then I came in on Monday after my daughter's Book Club and threw it in the oven that my husband had thoughtfully preheated.  And we ate it.  Then I realized I needed pictures.  Doh!   


I didn't want to not post the recipe because it was GOOD.  And easy.  I am loving these make ahead type casseroles for Monday nights because Sunday is cooking day and Monday is an activity day.  It makes cooking a good dinner not so hard.  


We now have softball practice on Tuesday and Thursday and I need to come up with a better plan for these days.   We can either eat at 4:45pm or 7:30pm and frankly, neither works well for me or includes much time for cooking!

Prep Time: 10 min                

Cook Time: 90 minutes             

Yield: 6

INGREDIENTS: ½ cup onion, chopped 1 tbsp butter 16 oz frozen green beans 16 oz mini red potatoes 8 oz shredded cheese 1 lb ham steak DIRECTIONS: ·         Chop onion and cook in skillet until soft ·         Cook potatoes in microwave for 2 minutes to soften, then cut into wedges and add to skillet with onions to brown lightly ·         Add frozen green beans to skillet and mix thoroughly ·         Chop ham steak into bite size cubes and add to skillet mixture, combining until all ingredients are mixed throughout ·         Pour mixture into 9 x 13 dish and mix in shredded cheese, sprinkle additional cheese over top of casserole if desired ·         Cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours, when ready to cook, preheat oven to 350˚ and cook for 60-90 minutes until everything is warm and cheese is melty and bubbly ·         Store leftovers as mealpods once cooled 6 PODS (servings) 270 calories, 9g fat, 836g sodium, 15G carb, 3g fiber, 30g protein nutrition information estimated at Livestrong.com: http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/make-ahead-ham-cheese-casserole/