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Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Spinach and Bean Taquitos

This recipe was developed of necessity when I found myself with a very limited amount of time for dinner. I was planning on making Giada DiLaurentiis' taquitos but ended up converting the stove top portion of the recipe to a quicker microwave variation. The final result turned out absolutely delicious- crispy tortillas with a cheesy vegetable filling. Don't worry if your tortillas break or tear- mine did but it certainly didn't affect the taste! Keep this meal in mind for nights when you don't have time to stand over the stove.


Spinach and Bean Taquitos
Gluten Free
Serves One

Ingredients--
1/4 cup pinto beans
1 wedge Laughing Cow Light Swiss cheese, broken into pieces
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. parsley
1/2 cup packed baby spinach
2 (6 inch) corn tortillas, check for gluten
1 slice fat free Cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Optional-- hot sauce, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.

2. Place beans in a microwave safe bowl and microwave 1 minute, or until beans are softened.

3. Use the back of a spoon to mash the beans slightly. Add in cheese wedge, cumin, chili powder, and cumin.

4. Cover bean mixture and microwave 30 seconds or until cheese is melted. Stir to evenly incorporate all ingredients.

5. Stir in spinach and season mixture with salt and pepper. Microwave 10 seconds or until spinach begins to wilt.

6. Lay tortillas on a flat surface. Place half of the filling in a log shape in the center of each tortilla. Roll up each tortilla tightly around the filling, then place tortillas seam side down on baking sheet.

7. Tear cheese slice into 4 strips and place 2 strips on top of each taquito.

8. Bake taquitos until cheese is melted and tortilla is golden and crisp around the edges, 12-15 minutes.

9. Use a spatula to transfer taquitos to serving plate and drizzle with hot sauce, if desired.

Nutrition Information--approximately 208 calories per serving

Crispy Curry Scallops

Sea scallops are the perfect dinner option since they are extremely quick to cook and extremely healthy. While scallops can be expensive, stores will often have them on sale for a much more reasonable price. Crispy Curry Scallops, adapted from Cooking Light, takes mere minutes to make and yields decadent golden scallops with a hint of exotic spice.

Crispy Curry Scallops
Gluten Free
Serves Two

Ingredients--
3/4 lb. large sea scallops
1 tsp. gluten free soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh gluten free breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. canola oil

1. Pat scallops dry with paper towels.

2. Place soy sauce and breadcrumbs in separate small bowls beside each other. Stir spices (curry powder, pepper, salt, ginger, and red pepper flakes) into breadcrumbs.

3. One at a time, coat the scallops in soy sauce, then dredge in breadcrumbs. Carefully place breaded scallops on a large dish.

4. Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallops to the pan and cook 3-4 minutes per side or until golden.

Nutrition Information--approximately 230 calories per serving

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Turkey & Quinoa Stuffed Grape Leaves

Stuffed Grape Leaves is a delectable dish that is you've probably seen at Greek restaurants but never thought of making at home. They typically contains some variation of a meat and rice filling rolled inside a grape leaf. The recipe that I made uses ground turkey and quinoa for healthier not mention tastier variation.  I actually saw the recipe in Eating Well magazine over a year ago and saved it to possibly make in the future. I thought it looked delicious but wasn't sure if the recipe would be  too complicated or time consuming to make. Luckily, I finally tried out the recipe this weekend and the stuffed grape leaves were absolutely amazing. The process really isn't challenging at all, you just need to plan ahead and have a little extra time. This is the perfect type of recipe to make on the weekend or when you have someone to cook with you. The recipe is a little lengthy but it can be summarized as: (1) boil the grape leaves so that they are pliable for rolling, (2) stir together the filling, (3)scoop the filling into the grape leaves and roll up tightly, and (5) place the stuffed leaves in a large pot and boil until the filling is cooked through. Also, if you're not interested in making the full recipe (about 50 grape leaves), it works really well to simply cut the recipe in half (that's what I did since I was only making them for a few people). For a main course serving, 6-7 stuffed grapes leaves per person is more than enough.


Turkey & Quinoa Stuffed Grape Leaves
Makes 45-55 stuffed grape leaves
Active Time: 1 1/2 hours
Total Time: 2 1/2 hours

Ingredients
1 15- to 16-ounce jar grape leaves*, drained
1 pound extra lean ground turkey
1 cup quinoa
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), reconstituted and finely chopped
1/4 cup Greek olives, finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil.

2. Meanwhile, carefully remove grape leaves from the jar and unroll. Separate into two piles—one of whole leaves and one with any torn leaves or pieces of leaves. (The whole leaves will be used for rolling. Set aside the torn leaves for Step 6)

3. Place the whole grape leaves in the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes; transfer with tongs to a colander to drain.

4. Next, to prepare filling: Combine turkey, quinoa, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, lemon zest, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

5. Then, to assemble the grape leaves: Lay a clean kitchen towel on a work surface. Place 4 to 6 whole grape leaves at a time on the towel with the stem-side up and stem end pointing toward you. Pinch or trim off any long or tough stems. Depending on the size of the leaf, shape 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon of the filling into a 1 1/2- to 2-inch log and place it on the leaf, perpendicular to the stem end. Roll the end of the leaf over the filling, tuck in the sides and roll tightly into a cigar shape. Repeat with the remaining grape leaves and filling. (You may have filling or grape leaves left over.)

6. Place the torn or very small leftover grape leaves in a separate large saucepan covering the bottom completely; this will prevent the stuffed leaves from sticking as they cook.

7. Place about half of the stuffed grape leaves in one tight layer in the saucepan and drizzle with 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Make a second layer of grape leaves on top of the first and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice.**

8. Place the largest heatproof plate you have that will fit in the pot on top of the grape leaves. Next, place a small-to-medium heatproof bowl on top of the plate and fill it three-quarters full with water (this will act as a weight to keep the grape leaves submerged).

9. Add water to the saucepan until it reaches the rim of the plate.

10. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the quinoa is tender, adding water as necessary to keep the grape leaves submerged, about 45 minutes. (To check if the quinoa is done, carefully remove the bowl and plate, take out one stuffed grape leaf using a slotted spoon and cut it open.)

11. Once you have tested one stuffed grape leaf that is cooked through, transfer the remaining grape leaves from the water using a slotted spoon.

Nutrition Information--approximately 30 calories per stuffed grape leaf

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate cooked stuffed grape leaves for up to 3 days. Reheat with a little water in a skillet or in the microwave.

*Jars of grape leaves can be found with other Middle Eastern ingredients in large supermarkets, Middle Eastern markets, natural-foods stores or online at amazon.com. If you only use part of a jar, you can freeze the leftover leaves in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

**How to Arrange Stuffed Grape Leaves in the Pan: The stuffed grape leaves should be tightly packed in your saucepan to prevent them from floating up and unwrapping during cooking. Working with about half of the stuffed grape leaves, nestle them into your pan in concentric circles, working from the outer edge toward the center. Make a second layer directly on top of the first with the remaining stuffed grape leaves.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Three Cheese Spinach Soufflé

Three Cheese Spinach Soufflé is an adaption of an Eating Well recipe that is quite elegant but still simple to prepare. This scrumptious dish is certainly not a traditional soufflé but the name has a nice ring to it so I just went with it. All it takes to make this tasty "soufflé" is stirring together finely chopped spinach, various cheeses and spices and then putting it in the oven. Twenty minutes later, you're ready to eat!

Three Cheese Spinach Souffle
Gluten Free
Serves 1

Ingredients:
3 ounces fresh baby spinach
2 tbsp part-skim ricotta cheese
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tbsp reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tbsp liquid egg substitute
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash of ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a small ramekin thoroughly with nonstick spray.

2. Place spinach in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped (if using a small food processor you might have to do two separate batches). Transfer spinach to a medium bowl.

3. Add ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, egg substitute, garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper to spinach. Stir to combine.

4. Transfer spinach mixture to prepared ramekin. Bake soufflé until set, 18-22 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes, then loosen the edges with a knife and turn out onto serving plate. Garnish with a sprinkle of Parmesan, if desired.

Nutrition Information--approximately 113 calories per soufflé

Shrimp Tacos with Green Apple Salsa

Are you craving tacos for dinner? Thanks to this fast and flavorful recipe adapted from Cooking Light, any night can be transformed into taco night. In this dish, shrimp gets coated in a flavorful spice rub before being topped with a unique salsa, and wrapped in warm tortillas.

Shrimp Tacos with Green Apple Salsa
Gluten Free
Serves 4 (serving size: 2 tacos)

Ingredients:
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, check for gluten
1 recipe Green Apple Salsa*
Optional--hot sauce for topping


1. Combine cumin, paprika, red pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Rub shrimp on all sides with spice mixture.

2. Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat and spray with nonstick spray.

3. Add shrimp to pan; sauté 4-5 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through.

4. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Place dry tortillas in skillet, one at a time, and cook until pliable and heated through, 20-30 seconds per side.

5. Place 2 tortillas on each of 4 plates, and divide shrimp evenly among tortillas. Spoon salsa evenly on top of shrimp.

Nutrition Information: approximately 210 calories per serving (2 tacos)

*Green Apple Salsa--http://spicysweetpotato.blogspot.com/2012/09/green-apple-salsa.html?m=1


Chipotle Pumpkin Grilled Cheese

Pumpkin and chipotle take an ordinary grilled cheese to a new level of creamy, gooey, decadence in this adaptation of a Hungry Girl recipe. If you're not familiar with chipotle peppers then it's about time you discovered this fantastic ingredient! Chipotle Peppers in Adobo sauce are dried jalapeños in a red, adobo sauce. You can find them in a small can in the ethnic section of most grocery stores but be sure to check the ingredients since a few brands contain flour. Chipotle peppers are a great panty staple to have on hand since they are an easy way to add a smoky and spicy flavor to dishes. Typically a recipe will only use a small amount but you can save ant leftovers so they don't go to waste. Simply empty the remainder of the can into a freezer safe ziploc bag and freeze (it will turn into a frozen block). In the future when you want Chipotle, just cut off what you need and defrost for a few seconds in the microwave.

Chipotle Pumpkin Grilled Cheese
Gluten Free
Makes 1 Sandwich

Ingredients:
1/2-1 tsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (depending on heat preference), finely chopped
1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss cheese
2 dashes cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1/8 tsp garlic powder
Dash black pepper
2 slices light gluten free sandwich bread
2 tsp. light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown), room temperature
1 slice fat-free cheddar cheese


1. In a small bowl, combine chipotle, pumpkin, cheese wedge, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and black pepper. Mix until smooth and set aside.

2. Lay bread slices flat and evenly spread the upward-facing sides with butter. Flip slices over. Evenly top one slice with pumpkin mixture, followed by the slice of cheese. Place the other bread slice on top, buttered side up. Set aside.

3. Spray a small nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and bring to medium-high heat on the stove.

4. Gently place sandwich in the skillet and cook until lightly browned on the outside and hot on the inside, about 2 minutes per side, flipping carefully with a spatula. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Information-- approximately 215 calories per sandwich



Monday, September 17, 2012

Green Apple Salsa

Never tried apple in a salsa before? Then it's about time you did! This super easy topping, inspired by Cooking Light, is the perfect combination of sweet apple and spicy jalapeño. Try this savory salsa on anything from burgers to vegetables.

Green Apple Salsa
Gluten Free
Serves 4*

1/3 cup green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced and seeded

1. Combine green onions, olive oil, lime juice, salt, lemon zest, apple, and jalapeño in a medium bowl. Toss until ingredients are well mixed.

2. Cover and refrigerate salsa until ready to use.

Nutrition Information--approximately 28 calories per serving (1/4 of the recipe)

*serves approximately 4 people when used as a topping for entrees such as fish or chicken

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Blackened Jerk Tofu

Blackened Jerk Tofu is a creative new way to prepare tofu. In this spicy dish, tofu is marinated in an amazing mixture that's bursting with flavors of the Caribbean, and then broiled until crispy perfection. The ingredient list may look daunting, however, 98% of the ingredients are for the marinade which couldn't be easier to prepare- just purée all the ingredients together. Furthermore, the marinade can easily be prepared a day ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to use. This marinade is also great to use on pork or chicken. In fact, this recipe was actually based on a recipe for Jerk Chicken from Clean Eating Magazine.

Blackened Jerk Tofu
Gluten Free
Serves 4

Ingredients--
1 (12.3 oz) package extra-firm light tofu (like the kind by Mori-Nu), cut into 4 slabs,
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Marinade:
1 small shallot, cut into chunks
3 jalapeno peppers, cut into chunks (remove seeds from jalapenos for a milder dish)
3 tbsp. scallions, cut into 1 inch spears
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp. canola or grape seed oil
1.5 tbsp soy sauce
1.5 tbsp Truvia sweetener
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1.5 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1. Place all marinade ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend into a puree, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Transfer 3 tbsp of the mixture to a small container, cover, and place in refrigerator (this will become part of the dipping sauce when serving).

2. Pour remaining marinade mixture in a tupperware container, large enough to hold the tofu pieces in a single layer.

3. Cut tofu width wise into 4 even slabs then cut each piece diagonally, so you are left with 8 triangular pieces. Pierce each piece a few times with a fork. Gently place tofu pieces in marinade and use a spoon to cover all sides of tofu in marinade. Cover container and place in fridge for 15-20 minutes. Flip tofu and continue marinating for 15-20 minutes.

4. Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray.

5. Remove tofu from fridge and place on baking sheet. Discard any leftover marinade.

6. Broil tofu, 12-15 minutes or until slightly crisp and blackened. Flip tofu halfway through cooking.

7. Meanwhile, remove the 3 tbsp of reserved marinade from fridge to finish the dipping sauce. Pour mixture into a small bowl and stir in yogurt. Set aside.

8. Plate blackened tofu and serve with dipping sauce on the side.

Nutrition Information--approximately 105 calories per serving

Eggplant Rollatini

Eggplant Rollatini from Hungry Girl is the absolute perfect dish for when you're craving Italian food. This version of Eggplant Rollatini is quite healthy but no one will even notice since it tastes so decadent. A delicious mixture of ricotta cheese and spinach, is rolled up in thin eggplant slices and covered in marinara sauce and cheese. The eggplant rolls are then baked to melted, bubbling perfection.

Eggplant Rollatini
Gluten Free
Serves Four


Ingredients:
1 large eggplant, ends removed, cut lengthwise into 8 slices
One 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 1/2 cups low fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup liquid egg substitute
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups low-fat marinara sauce (check for gluten)
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Salt
Black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two foil lined baking sheets and a 9" X 13" baking pan with nonstick spray.

2. Lay eggplant slices on the baking sheets. Spray with nonstick spray and season with salt. Bake for 10 minutes then flip slices. Bake until soft, about 10 more minutes. Leave oven on.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, thoroughly mix spinach, ricotta cheese, basil, egg substitute, garlic, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/8 tsp salt.

4. Lay eggplant slices in front of you with the short sides on the top and bottom. Distribute spinach-ricotta mixture among the bottoms of the eggplant slices.

5. Roll up each slice around the mixture, and place them in a single layer in the baking dish, seam sides down.

6. Cover rolls with marinara sauce. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.

7. Remove foil and sprinkle rolls with mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, until cheese has melted, 10 - 15 minutes. Serve it up!

Nutrition Information--approximately 305 calories per serving (1/4 of the recipe)

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Salmon Burgers with Honey Mustard Sauce

If your family is split between wanting beef burgers and turkey burgers then salmon burgers are the perfect compromise that everyone can enjoy. Today's recipe is the perfect blend of fresh salmon, vegetables, herbs, and spices that yields a  light and flavorful burger.The fantastic thing about these salmon burgers adapted from Cooking Light, is that there is no need for any binders or fillers- the patties are just salmon and veggies.

Salmon Burgers with Honey Mustard Sauce
Gluten Free
Makes 8 Burgers

Ingredients--
1.5 lb salmon filet, skinned and cut into 1 inch pieces
3 tbsp dijon mustard
3 tsp lemon zest
3 tbsp fresh tarragon, roughly chopped
1.5 tbsp shallot, roughly chopped
1 small green bell pepper, roughly chopped
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1.5 tbsp honey
8 large butter lettuce leaves


1. Place 1/3 lb of salmon, 1.5 tbsp of the mustard, and lemon zest in food processor. Pulse until smooth. Spoon purée into a large bowl and set aside.

2. Place remaining salmon, tarragon, shallot,bell pepper, salt and pepper in food process, pulse 5-6 times or until salmon is coarsely chopped and ingredients are incorporated together.

4. Add chopped salmon mixture to puree and stir gently until ingredients are evenly combined. Form salmon mixture into 8 even patties and place on a large plate. Cover burgers and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (but no more than 6 hours).

5. Preheat grill pan to medium heat and spray with nonstick spray.

6.To make the sauce, stir together honey and remaining 1.5 tbsp of mustard in a small bowl. Set aside.

7. Place salmon burgers on grill and cook 3-4 minutes per side, or until desired doneness is reached.

8. Place each burger in the center of a  lettuce leaf and top with honey mustard sauce. Wrap up your burger and enjoy!


Nutrition Information--approximately 175 calories per burger

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Crustless Crab Quiche

Crustless Crab Quiche is the perfect recipe for those times when you need a meal that's sophisticated but doesn't require much effort. This beautiful crab and egg dish from Hungry Girl will impress anyone you serve it to yet involves nothing more than stirring together all of the ingredients in one bowl. The tasty quiche is also very versatile and can be served any time of the day.

Crustless Crab Quiche
Gluten Free
Makes 4 (large) servings


Ingredients:
2 cups Egg Beaters, Original
1/2 cup unsweetened original almond milk
12 oz. lump crabmeat, drained
1/2 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
3 tbsp green onions, chopped
1/2 cup bell peppers (any color), diced
1 and a 1/2 cups baby spinach
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tbsp.parmesan cheese, grated
Optional-- hot sauce for topping


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.

2. Add all ingredients, except for the grated parmesan, to a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.

3. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish. Use a fork to ensure that all of the veggies and crab are submerged in the egg mixture.

4. Place dish in the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Remove quiche from oven and evenly distribute grated Parmesan over the top; return to oven.

5. Allow quiche to cook for approximately 20 minutes longer, until quiche top has puffed and is firm & golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting. Drizzle each piece with hot sauce, if desired.

Nutrition Information--165 calories per serving

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Jammed with Cheese French Toast


Here's another simple yet amazing breakfast dish from Hungry Girl. In this tasty twist on the traditional dish, a sandwich, stuffed with Laughing Cow cheese and jam, is transformed into golden French toast. The result is a meal that is perfectly sweet with a touch of savoriness and a ton of scumptiousness.


Jammed with Cheese French Toast
Gluten Free
Serves One


Ingredients--
2 tbsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute
2 tbsp. unsweetened plain or vanilla almond milk
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 slices gluten free light sandwich bread
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons sugar-free strawberry preserves
2 tbsp sugar-free pancake syrup


1. Whisk together egg substitute, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla extract in a small bowl (but large enough for a slice of bread to fit in). Set aside.

2. Lay bread slices on a clean dry surface and spread half of the cheese wedge on each slice. Spread preserves over 1 slice of bread, and place the other slice on top with the cheese-side down. Press gently to seal.

3. Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat and spray with nonstick spray.

4. Meanwhile, evenly coat both sides of your sandwich with egg mixture. Coat the sides of the sandwich as well.

5. Place sandwich in the skillet and cook for 2 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Serve with syrup for dipping and enjoy!

Nutrition Information--approximately 205 calories per serving

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

BBQ Bella Burger

While there may be countless mushroom burger recipes out there, BBQ Bella Burger is my version of the classic vegetarian dish. The meaty and juicy portobello mushroom gets the star treatment in this recipe as it gets coated in a spicy dry rub, smothered in a delectable sauce and finally blanketed in melty cheese. Who needs meat when you have mushrooms?


BBQ Bella Burger
Gluten Free
Serves 1

Ingredients--
1 large portabella mushroom cap, stem and gills removed
1/2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1.5 tsp BBQ Dry Rub * (Use your favorite spice blend or try one of the recipes below)
2 tbsp. HG BBQ Sauce**
1 slice fat free cheddar cheese
2 slices gluten free sandwich bread
zero-calorie butter spray
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. herbes de provence

1. Place mushroom in a medium bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Rub mushroom on all sides with dry rub. Set aside.

2. Spray a medium skillet with nonstick spray and bring to medium heat.

3. Add mushroom to pan, rounded side up, and brush top with 1 tbsp. of BBQ sauce. Cover pan, and cook, 4-5 minutes.

4. Remove lid and flip mushroom. Brush with remaining BBQ sauce and top with cheese slice. Re-cover and cook until mushroom is softened, 4-5 minutes more.

5. While mushroom is finishing cooking, toast bread then immediately spritz one side of each piece with butter spray. Sprinkle the buttered side of each piece with garlic powder and herbes de provence. Place bread on serving plate, seasoned side up.

6. Place mushroom on one slice of bread then top with remaining bread slice. Cut sandwich in half diagonally, and enjoy.

Nutrition Information--Approximately 209 calories per sandwich

*Spicy Seasoning Blend--http://spicysweetpotato.blogspot.com/2012/05/spicy-seasoning-blend.html
*Sweet & Spicy Rub-http://spicysweetpotato.blogspot.com/2012/07/sweet-and-spicy-rub.html

**Hungry Girl BBQ Sauce--http://spicysweetpotato.blogspot.com/2012/09/hg-bbq-sauce.html

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

HG BBQ Sauce

I use this amazing Hungry Girl sauce in so many different recipes that I realized it deserves it's own post.  Try this super easy and scrumptious sauce on everything from shrimp to vegetables.

HG Barbecue Sauce
Gluten-Free
Makes about 6 tbsp.

Ingredients--
1/4 cup crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp. ketchup
2 tsp. brown sugar (not packed)
2 tsp. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Information-- about 13 calories per tbsp.