Tuesday night is rough for us. Little Guys has karate, the husband as Gaelic Football practice and I’m on dinner duty as usual. (note: I’m never NOT on dinner duty. That’s what happens when you marry a non-cook, non-foodie.)

Anyway it was very much a leftover, fend for yourself, sandwich kind of night and this is what I made with what I had in the fridge. The hummus was leftover from my birthday dinner (the husband took me out, the only time I get a break from diner duty!) The sun dried tomatoes were from my last grocery trip, I rarely buy them. And the feta.. well.. you know. ;) Oh! and the spinach and sandwich thins are stock items for me.

I decided to grill the sandwich but it’s totally optional. For me there is just something more satisfying about a warm sandwich. Especially for dinner. And this one was tasty! The hummus was oozing out, the feta got warm and soft and the tomatoes were a nice sweet bite. It was a fun change from the typical ham and cheese I normally have.

• A Sandwich Thin or 2 slices of whole grain light bread
• 2 tbsp hummus
• 3 sun-dried tomatoes
• Baby Spinach leaves
• 1 oz ATHENS Black Peppercorn Feta in 2 slices

Smear the hummus on the bread. Top with the tomato, then spinach, then feta.

Now, you could just eat it like that OR press it in a panini press or the George Forman. I just heated a skillet over medium high heat, sprayed it with non stick olive oil and placed it cheese side down.

The I pressed it with a full tea kettle for 1-2 minutes.

Flip, press again and cook for another minute. The final result…

I served it with some frozen peas. The Little Guy’s choice. :) We always have at least 1 veggie with dinner… no matter the dinner. Oh! and don’t ask about that expression and the dinosaur. I have NO idea what he’s doing. lol

FULL DISCLOSURE: I have partnered with ATHENOS Feta to serve as one of ATHENOS Change for the Feta Bloggers. I am compensated for my time commitment to the program, which includes blogging about my cooking experiences with ATHENOS Feta. I have also been compensated for the food purchased for my Change for the Feta creations. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments. Click here to see all my Feta Ideas!!

I used the Athenos Tomato Basil Feta but you could easily use regular or low fat. I’d maybe sprinkle a little more oregano or basil on top for an extra bit of flavor. I’m sure olives would be good on this too, but I’m not a fan. So I kept it simple with what I had on hand, a jar of roasted peppers and some baby spinach.

I had this for a late breakfast but I think I’ll make myself another one for lunch. :)

• 1 Whole Grain/Low Carb tortilla
• 2 tbsp (33g) tomato paste
• Kosher Salt
• Black pepper
• Dried Oregano
• About 1/2 cup baby spinach leaves
• 2 roasted red peppers
• 1/4 cup Athenos Tomato Basil Feta

Preheat the oven to 425 Degrees.

Place the tortilla on a piece of aluminum foil abd bake for about 5 minutes until it gets toasted.

Set up your station…

Smear the tomato paste on the toasted tortilla and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder and dried oregano. Just a pinch or 2 of each.

Top with the spinch leaves.

Lay the 3 slices of roasted red peppers on top.

Add your Feta!

Bake in that pre-heated over for about 5 more minutes until the edges get brown and everything is warmed through.

EAT! :)

The nutritional Information will vary greatly depending on your tortilla/wrap. I tend to only by whole grain/low carb options that are around 100 calories or less. Here’s what mine turned out to be…

FULL DISCLOSURE: I have partnered with ATHENOS Feta to serve as one of ATHENOS Change for the Feta Bloggers. I am compensated for my time commitment to the program, which includes blogging about my cooking experiences with ATHENOS Feta. I have also been compensated for the food purchased for my Change for the Feta creations. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments. Click here to see all my Feta Ideas!!

Both the husband and the child were not impressed. I got a "ewwwww green soup" from little guy and the husband said it looked "strange." However hubby was brave enough to give it a taste. He liked it but would never choose it over, say, Chicken Noodle. Hey.. that’s ok.. more for me! ;)

• 1 tsp olive oil (5g)
• 1 small to medium vidalia onion chopped
• 1 fennel bulb with stalks and leaves chopped
• 2 celery stalks chopped
• 2 14.5 oz cans of chicken broth (or veggie)
• 4 cups raw baby spinach (about 1/3 of an average bag)

In a large pot heat the tsp of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, fennel, and celery with a pinch of salt.

Sauté for about 10 minute stirring occasionally.

Add the broth and bring to a boil. Boil for about 10 minutes until all the veggies are soft.

Transfer the cooked soup in batches to the blender or use a hand blender (mine broke :(

Once liquified add the baby spinach and continue to blend until smooth.

serve!

The entire recipes makes just a bit over 6 cups. I’ll do the nutritional information per cup but just so you know, 2 cups is only 1 point! :)

Instead, I took an old time favorite, tomato soup and made it into a satisfying meal by adding a few additional ingredients and spices.

Speaking of… Did you see my A Super Seven Spice Giveaway! :)

• 1 10 3/4 oz condensed tomato soup (preferably low sodium or healthy request)
• 1 tomato soup can of water
• 1 15oz can of diced tomatoes (with green chillies would be tasty!)
• 1 15oz can of pinto beans drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp dried cilantro
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• About 2 cups baby spinach loosely chopped

Mix all ingredients except the spinach in a pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes allowing all the flavors to mix.

Turn off the heat. Add the baby spinach and remove from heat. Stir in the spinach and it should wilt in a few seconds.

Serve!

I love it when this happens!

I opened the fridge, looked in the pantry and came up with this. Now let me warn you the dressing is intense. You can replace with a store bought or whip up your own. I loved the kick from the raw garlic and the tartness from the vinegar especially mixed with the dried fruit.

• A few handfuls of baby spinach
• half a fennel base sliced
• 1/8 cup dried berries (I used half cranberries and half cherries) (20g)
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/4 tbsp honey (5g)
• 1/2 tsp olive oil (5g)
• 1/2 tbsp dried parsley
• Kosher salt and pepper

Pile the spinach, fennel and berries on a plate.

Puree the remaining ingredients in a small food processor to make the dressing.

Pour the dressing on the salad. Enjoy! :)

So tonight while watching TV and craving something, anything. I decided to pass up the husband’s chocolate chip cookies and the kid’s Devil Dogs to make my own snack. I find that when I take the few extra minutes to actually make something and consciously include fruits or veggies, I am ultimately more satisfied then if I would have just grabbed a bag of chips or break open a box of cookies.

Tonight this is what I did but remember the options are really endless. You can fill these things with all your fav veggies, beans, chicken, anything! So yummy!

• 1 oz/28g of Baked Scoops (I got 13 when I weighed them out)
• 3 pepper stripes (I used 1 yellow and 2 green)
• About 1/2 cup baby spinach leaves chopped
• 1 tbsp ready made salsa
• 1/2 oz fancy shredded mexican cheese blend.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

Fill the scoops with the veggies, dab with a bit of salsa and top with cheese.

Bake for 5-6 minutes.

Here’s how I built mine…

Anyway, I made the legs for "the boys" and rolled up my own chicken concoction using a few things I had in my fridge. I’m not sure I’ll make it this way again, but I’m glad I tried it. I’d like to replace the spinach with fresh herbs and possibly cook it in a red sauce. However, in a pinch this was great and I thought it might spark some ideas for you.

Warning.. this is just an idea… I didn’t measure anything.. just take the idea and roll with it. (pun intended) ;~)

• Thin cut chicken breast or regular boneless breast pounded thin
• tomato paste
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• kosher salt & pepper
• dried basil
• baby spinach leaves
• shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non stick cooking spray.

Smear the paste on the chicken. Sprinkle with spices. Top with spinach leaves and a bit of cheese. Roll. Secure with a tooth pick.

Bake for about 15-25 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken.

I went a bit picture happy with this one. I just think it could be such a pretty dish. As you can see in my main picture, I served it with brussel sprouts and corn on the cob. Next time I’m thinking I’ll simmer them in a sauce and serve with a side of whole wheat pasta.

I couldn’t be happier with the result. Except the spinach was a little stringy. Next time I think I’ll loose chop it before cooking. Other then that, this is a keeper for me.

Oh! and of course I dipped mine in ketchup! I was pleasantly surprised when the whole wrap stayed together. It’s the best kind of breakfast, fork-less! :)

• About 4 cups fresh spinach leaves loosely chopped (preferably baby)
• 2 tbsp real bacon bits (14g)
• 2 eggs (could use 1 egg/1 egg white to reduce fat by 5g)
• Kosher Salt & pepper
• non-stick cooking spray

Spray a non-stick skillet with non-stick spray. Add the spinach leaves and bacon bits and cook over medium heat. Sprinkle with a bit Kosher salt. Continue to stir as the leaves begin to wilt and reduce. Remove from heat once all leaves reduced a bit and set on the side.

Remove the skillet from the heat and wipe it dry. Re-spray with non stick cooking spray.

Beat the 2 eggs with a bit of salt and pepper until well blended. Add the egg to the skillet and swirl around to cover the whole skillet. Cook over medium-low/low heat. Covering will help the top cook faster.

Cook for about 5 minutes. Take spatula and run along the edge. Once the top of the egg is firm, slide the egg onto a plate. Let the cat investigate. :)

Place the cooked spinach in the center and roll like a burrito.

EAT! :)

Sorry.. went a little picture happy yesterday. :)

Roni, I love your recipes! I wanted to tell you about my roasted cherry tomato adventure! I made the roasted tomatoes as per your instructions. I roasted them a bit longer so they all popped and then, upon removing them from the oven, I stirred them so the oil and juice and herbs mixed. Then I tossed them, along with every bit of juice I could scrape from the roasting dish, with some penne pasta, sauteed mushrooms and steamed zucchini. IT WAS DELICIOUS! A meal itself, it’s wonderful hot or at room temp!

So I took her advice and made something similar for lunch today.

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 2oz (56g) Whole Wheat Angel Hair

Roast the tomatoes as per the original Simply Roasted Cherry Tomatoes recipe. This time using just a bit of the olive oil (out of the tbsp you will need for the whole recipe)

Now you can roast like Mary recommends but I was too hungry to wait so I just did the normal 20 minutes.

While the tomatoes are roasting prepare the pasta according to the package.

Once the pasta is done remove from heat. Drain. In the same pot add the remaining olive oil, baby spinach and cooked pasta. Toss. Add the roasted cherry tomatoes scraping everything from the pan and toss again.

Serve! SO YUMMY!

Note: If you take Mary’s advice and wait for the cherry to pop you will not have to use as much olive oil reducing the fat and calories of the dish. Add just enough for the pasta not to be dry. I used the full tablespoon.

Thanks so much Mary!!

As for the addition of Flax. I’ve been reading so much about how they are great additions to your diet. Like in 4 Ways to Feed Your Brain or 5 Foods to Try Now, Flax seem to be listed in more and more of these types of articles.

The thing about flaxseeds though, you have to ground them a bit to get their benefit. According to WHFoods.com "…the nutrients in ground seeds are more easily absorbed. "

However, they last longer whole. So I buy a bag of whole seeds and keep them in my freezer (they will go rancid otherwise) then throw them in my magic bullet or blender when I want to use them. It works for me.

• About 2 cups baby spinach leaves (2 big handfuls)
• Half of a large roasted red pepper cut into strips (reserve some of the liquid)
• about 1 tbsp your favorite light Italian dressing
• 3 oz leftover cooked chicken breast
• 1 oz shredded part skim mozzarella cheese (28g)
• 1/2 tbsp whole flaxseeds (5g) pulsed in the blender
• 1 tbsp bacon bits (5g)

Slice the red pepper. Take about a tbsp of the liquid in the pepper jar and combine it with the dressing. Toss the baby spinach leaves with the dressing/liquid picture and pile it on the a plate.

Top the spinach with the red pepper and chicken. Sprinkle the cheese, flaxseeds and bacon bits on top.

Enjoy! :)

Here are a few more shots. I wasn’t really happy with any of the pictures so I couldn’t decide on the best of the worst. I hate photographing salads!

My first experiment , Avocado Lime Dressing, was tasty but this idea takes the cake. Here’s the thought… I don’t like guacamole because of the texture but I like all the flavors that are in it. So why not use them and make something I do like?

Introducing the Guac Chicken Sandwich.

Let me just say… TASTY! and easy to make. I used a precooked chicken breast from Aldi’s (LOVE them by the way) but you could use leftovers or even a take this idea and run with it for a burger!

Here’s what I did…

• 1 cooked boneless chicken breast
• 1 whole wheat English Muffin
• about 1 tbsp avocado (15g)
• squirt of lime juice
• sprinkle of chili powder, cumin and dried cilantro
• 1/4 of a large green pepper
• handful of baby spinach leaves
• slice of tomato (or in my case a few cherrie ones – I was out)

Toast the English muffin.

On one side of the muffin smear the avocado. Splash the lime juice on and sprinkle with spices.

On the other side of the muffin, pile the spinach leaves, tomato and pepper (you may want to squash the pepper flat first).

Place the chicken on top of the pepper and put the avocado side on top.

Serve with a side of carrot sticks! :)

Here’s my 3 steps… now I’m off to make another one! (these pics were from yesterday)

The head count may be up to 13, THIRTEEN! I don’t think I even have 13 chairs! But that’s the least of my worries. Turkey day is a big deal. You got the bird, the potatoes, and most importantly the stuffing! It’s like the cooks signature on the Big Day. Right?

So I couldn’t wait until the big day to try a new stuffing recipe. I had to take at least one dry run. So I defrosted a small chicken and called Mom. :~)

See… mom makes a mean stuffing. She doesn’t have a recipe, every year it’s a little different but every year it’s good! (well, except the year she slipped on the pepper :~)

So this was a stab at Mom’s technique, with a GreenLiteBite makeover, of course. :~P I plan on doubling this recipe for my "Big Day".

Oh! and the husband liked it! He wasn’t as excited as I would have liked but, whatever. I thought it was AWESOME! The toddler, not so much. He tried but was turned off by the look of it. As you can tell, it’s hard to photograph a big bowl of stuffing and make it look appetizing! Or at least as good as it tastes! :~)

• 6 large slices of 100% Whole Wheat Bread
• 1 tbsp olive oil (14g)
• 1 medium onion (I used a red one it was all I had)
• 15 baby carrots (about 3 regular ones) diced
• 3 celery stalks diced
• 8 oz white button mushrooms diced
• 2 turkey sausage links
• 3-4 cups of baby spinach chopped
• Kosher Salt to taste
• 2 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 tsp each ground sage, garlic powder, onion powder
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1/8 – 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 cups of chicken fat free chicken broth

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Lay the bread slices on a cookie sheet and back for 1/2 hour flipping once until crunchy all the way trough.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots. Cook for a minute or two before adding the celery and mushroom. Stir and keep on heat while you prepare the sausage.

Lightly cut the sausage lengthwise by piercing the casing (skin). Remove and add the sausage meat to the skillet. Cook while breaking apart with a wooden spoon. As it browns it will get easier.

Start adding your spices while the sausage is browning.

Once the sausage is broken up, add the baby spinach. Stir in and it will cook down.

Now you may have some good bits sticking to the bottom of the skillet. That OK, good even! Add about half of the chicken broth, stir and all the goodness will come up. :~)

At this point the bread is probably done. Remove from the oven and cut into cubes. Add the cubed bread to the skillet with the remaining broth. You may want to add the broth a bit at a time, so you don’t make it too moist. If it’s not moist enough, add a splash of water.

Shut off the heat and let it sit a minute. Enjoy now or stuff in the cavity of a chicken or turkey. Put any leftovers in a bowl and keep warm in the oven.

I didn’t official weigh the serving sizes but I was able to estimate about 4-5 cups of finished stuffing. So I’m going with 6 servings of just over 1/2 cup each and that’s a conservative estimate. There was a lot of stuffing there! Worse case scenario, you can separate into 6 equal portions for more accurate nutrition information.