I know I have been very absent for a very long time, but I'm doing my best and hopefully you are still with me :)  I have been fairly busy at work and in my free time I've been getting involved in a new hobby... couponing! To some of you this is probably not a shock because I instagram and tweet about my couponing ventures but it's definitely something that I'm really enjoying.  I so far have been doing a good job of resisting clipping coupons for items I don't need and I have not bought anything we don't already use.  So no hoarding for me!  

One of the things I really love about couponing is it almost makes meal planning easier!  Instead of planning our meals for the week based upon what sounds good, I go through the stores' circulars and find things that are inexpensive and plan that way!  It makes a world of difference.  It makes planning the meals less confusing and allows me to feed Matt and myself on the cheap :)

Above you can see what a coupon clipping night looks like.  I clip all the coupons from my paper inserts (I get one paper, and sometimes take the inserts out of the mailroom recycling bin when people throw them out).  I then organize them into categories and put them into my coupon organizer.  I also try to take advantage of grocery store deals like Kroger online coupons or Harris Teeter E-vic coupons (online) and Harris Teeter ("HT") rotates "Meal Deals" which are sometimes really awesome so you should check them out on the HT website if you live near a Harris Teeter.  

One Meal Deal from a month or so ago was Turkey Chili (1lb ground turkey, 1 pack of chili seasoning, 1 can of beans, 1 container of sour cream, and 1 bag of shredded cheese...all for $6.99!).  I used that Meal Deal to make a batch of my tomato-less chili a few weeks ago. We don't typically put cheese on our chili, so I got the mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar and used it to make lasagna and, you guessed it, this pizza!

This pizza was honestly so easy to make that you could make it every night practically!  It's so simple, and thanks to couponing, it was SO cheap.  I'll give you the recipe and also tell you how I got everything on the cheap!  I'm no couponing expert and I'm not an extreme couponer (I only buy things I use and my stockpile is relatively small), but I am happy to answer basic couponing questions that readers may have and am happy to help!

The Verdict:
This pizza was phenomenal.  Even Matt loved it, and he is never into pizza for dinner.  He likes a hearty dinner and pizza doesn't usually give him that, but this pizza definitely did.  There is a lot of chicken on it and it has the right amount of spice, because the greek yogurt kind of tones down the spice level of the buffalo sauce, but it's still hot.  I brought it to work for leftovers and it was fantastic!!

Below, I'm going to share with you my latest haul and my "stockpile."   At first I was really not into the whole stockpiling thing because I thought it was basically like glorified hoarding, but because I only stock up on stuff that we use, it actually has turned out to be extremely convenient.  We never run out of the things we need, like TP or laundry detergent etc.  Matt can just go in the pantry and find his favorite spaghetti sauce or cranberry juice.  It's made shopping a whole lot easier!

So this next picture is my latest "haul".  This was the biggest trip I have made, and that had a lot to do with the fact that many of my coupons were expiring!  I used the almost expiring coupons to stock up on things we use all the time, like laundry detergent, dryer sheets, and dishwasher detergent.  The coupons I didn't use I left next to the corresponding products in the hopes that someone else could benefit from those coupons.  I had other coupons that were expiring that I held on to, because you can actually donate them to military personnel and they can use them at the commissary for up to 6 months past the expiration date!!  I prefer this kind of a donation, rather than buying products I don't need and donating them, because we live in a small place and don't have room for stuff we won't use.  All the red stickers on the products indicate that they are on clearance.  I paired the clearance items with manufacturer coupons and saved BIG on a lot of these products.  Some of the items were free (the Bounty DuraTowel was free with the purchase of the Bounty paper towels and the Lysol Wipes were free with the Clorox Toilet Wand Refills, which we were out of anyway!)

Below is my pantry stockpile.  I have lots of cereal (Cheerios, Mini Wheats, and Special K).  I have about 18 jars of pasta sauce (Matt has spaghetti almost every day!), 16 boxes of pasta, Motts applesauce (Matt eats it every morning), lots of peanut butter, and Matt's favorite cranberry juice.

Next is my laundry room... we obviously love Tide pods (mostly for their convenience) and dryer sheets!

Next is our linen closet, where we keep our medicines and toiletries!

Dental Care has all the toothpaste, floss and spare toothbrushes.  Soap has all of the Dove soap bars that Matt loves.  Medicine contains the medicine that we use most often (just one box of each thing).  I also keep my contacts in there :)

Here you can see all of our medicines etc.  ZzzQuil, NyQuil, Advil, Bandaids, and Thermacare heat wraps (I have chronic back/neck pain).  To the right you have all of the feminine products.

Here we have the Q-tips, deodorants, razors, lotions and body washes.  I wrote the expiration dates on the deodorants so we can use up the ones that expire first in the right order!  You have to keep in mind when you create your stockpile that many medicines and toiletries expire, so don't buy 100 deodorants unless you are planning to make a donation.  I would recommend donating to a women's shelter or a local church who help the poor.  Just my .02!  

So there you have it!  Again, I'm not an expert but I'm happy to answer any questions about couponing that I know the answer to :)

I absolutely adore chili.  Usually filled with tomatoes.  Big plump, juicy tomatoes.  But as I've mentioned in posts pasts, my significant other cannot stand them.  So as much as it pains me, I have created a recipe for tomato-less chili.  I find this chili to be really good, despite it's lack of tomatoes.  I use tomato paste to get some tomato flavor in there without having the actual tomato pieces in there.  I think this recipe is perfect for someone looking to de-tomato-ize their chili (not sure how many of you exist!)  You can also make this a more traditional chili by adding 2-3 fresh tomatoes :)

The Elements:
One yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 lbs. ground beef (you could also use turkey if you want to make it a little healthier)
2 TBS chili seasoning/chili powder etc.
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1-2 habanero peppers, seeded and diced (I typically use 2)
1 can of kidney beans, drained
1 cup beef broth
1 cup beer (I suggest using a Lager, but I usually use New Castle because you can buy them in the single bottle at Harris Teeter and not have to get a six pack and there is always some left and it's Matt's favorite beer so BONUS!  This time I used Fat Tire and it was just as good!)
2 TBS tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste

The Procedure:
I like to prep all of my ingredients first... chop the onion, dice the garlic and peppers (I recommend wearing gloves for this), drain the beans and measure out the broth and beer.
Then I take a large pan and drizzle olive oil in it (you could use vegetable oil if you don't have olive oil on hand though).
Over low to medium heat, soften the onions in the pan (this usually takes about 10 minutes).
Then add in the garlic until fragrant (a couple minutes at most)
Then, working in batches if necessary, brown the meat.
After the meat is browned a bit, add in the chili seasoning and stir in.  Add a little salt and pepper (I don't measure, just do what feels right).
Add this mixture to your slow cooker (I like to turn the setting on to low just before this point).
The pictures pretty much tell the rest but I'll just sum it up here: add the peppers, the beans, the beer, the broth and the tomato paste.  Add a little more salt and pepper if you feel so inclined.  Stir.
Put the lid on your slow cooker and cook it on LOW for 6-8 hours.  If it's still too liquidy after this, remove cover and turn up to high for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

The Verdict:
Easy and delicious.  Inexpensive and hassle-free!  Love everything about this.  Still miss the tomatoes but at least now there is a tomato-less recipe out there for people trying to accommodate tomato-haters :)  The best part?  See picture below... I obviously did not clean up at all (see crumbs).  This is the mess created by this meal (really the lack of mess!)  Love the easy cleanup of this meal!  PS that giant tupperware is what I use to keep the chili in the fridge all week for easy hassle-free meals on the fly!

Hey guys!  I'm back after a little hiatus... crazy holidays, lots of stuff going on at work and was sick all week!  I just had to tell you about this asparagus.  My Aunt Beth made it for Christmas Dinner and it was the biggest hit at the table.  I immediately harassed her via text for the recipe and she sent it to me right away (she's a sweetheart!)... This is a pretty healthy side-dish as long as you don't use too much sugar.   As you all know from my previous post, I've been really trying to watch what I eat, without depriving myself.  This is the perfect dish for that.  I felt like I was eating the most amazing thing ever and it was not going to destroy my healthy eating.  Truth be told, I ate more of this than anything on my plate.  I accompanied it with some veal cutlets and it was lovely.  We had it with beef tenderloin on Christmas, which was a far superior pairing than my veal cutlets but for real, I'm not made of money. Anyway, make this immediately and then thank me later ;)

The Elements:
1-2 bundles of asparagus
Olive Oil (for drizzling, so a couple teaspoons worth)
Garlic Salt (a couple pinches)
Pepper  (a pinch or so for taste)
Feta Cheese (about 2 oz)
Balsamic Vinegar (about 1/4 cup)
Brown sugar (or splenda if you are watching your waistline...one packet or approximately 1 tablespoon)

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 400
Reduce the balsamic vinegar with the sugar or splenda
Drizzle olive oil over asparagus and mix with hands
Sprinkle garlic salt and pepper over the asparagus
Roast for 10 minutes or until tender, depending on the thickness of your asparagus (I prefer thin)
Take asparagus out of the oven and drizzle with the balsamic reduction and then top with the feta cheese
Serve immediately and enjoy!

BONUS?  You can make this exact same recipe with Brussels Sprouts-- I used one bag from the store produce aisle :)
--use the same amount of balsamic and feta-- I first seared them, cut side down (I cut them in half) and then put them in a 325 oven for about 8-10 minutes

The Verdict: I love it so much and honestly can't say enough good things about it, other than do yourself a favor and try it immediately.  The other major plus is that it is super easy and simple to make!  PS feel free to add some toasted walnuts for extra crunch with the asparagus!

This picture depicts 4 months of work and approximately 18-19 pounds lost, muscle developed and super increase in energy levels!

SOME BASIC INFO:
If you are a woman and not eating 1200 calories AT LEAST that actually can be a huge problem (men have different requirements but I'm sure those can easily be looked up). It's better to be over by a couple hundred than to not eat enough. You would need to eat like 1600-1800 calories a day to consistently GAIN weight (according to what I've read on the internet) so if you sometimes eat 1300 or 1400 you don't need to fret. I found the biggest impact in my weight loss when I started using MyFitness Pal religiously.   I use it more to learn good habits though than to really stress out over it.  If I eat something and then later realize how much it is, I don't freak out, I just learn for the future what is and what is not "worth" the calories.  I find that keeping up motivation is key.  This has been the background on my computer screen since I started trying to lose weight:

I think motivation is important.  So much so that I have a whole board for motivation on Pinterest (lots of people do, I know I'm not alone!).  I also pin workouts to that board.

EXERCISE:
I run a lot but not every day. I found a plan and stuck to it and that's probably the easiest way to do it (at least for me). You don't have to do a half marathon, you could do a 10k or a 5k program. I have found that Hal Higdon is the best. There are even iphone apps for hal higdon so you can check off every day that you are following the plan.
Incorporating strength can be amazingly helpful in weight loss because it helps you burn calories even while you are sleeping. I don't have specific plans but I do like the app iPTrainer. You put in your goals (lose weight, tone etc.) and it will tell you what to do every day or however often you go. It chooses the muscles to work and tells you what to do, including instructional videos (without sound so they don't interrupt your music!). If you want to work different muscles, it's easy to change the selected muscles (it's usually 4-5). I've found that to be a huge help with regards to strength training. Honestly, I need to do more strength training but with all the running, I'm usually too tired to do both. After the marathon in a month I plan to get back into more strength training but right now mostly all I do is run.  I also bought a Groupon for a month of unlimited CrossFit and can't wait to try it out!

DIET/FOOD:
I would suggest, if possible, don't eat after dinner. Go to bed hungry. I don't do this every night obviously because I think depriving yourself is a huge hinderance to weight loss. If I'm really hungry I eat a snack (not fruit because it is higher in sugar) but usually like greek yogurt or something. Sometimes I'll throw in a green tea or chamomile tea (there are also teas that are in these bright cans and one is called "Get Lost" and it's like cinnamon flavor and incredible, I think it might be Republic of Tea but I'm not positive).

I have basically cut out alcohol and I think this makes a huge difference. When I drink, it's almost always wine (sometimes a light beer if I feel like it) and it's only a glass or two, once to twice a week max. Alcoholic drinks mixed with soda or juice are the worst. Not only are the mixers high in sugar, but so is hard liquor (especially margaritas...which are like my FAVE, so I let myself have them occasionally...like once every few months). I think this is something that is often overlooked or viewed as not making a big difference but I have found that it has. Make sure that you drink a LOT of water. If you are cutting out sodas that is HUGE but just make sure you are replacing it with water instead of just not drinking anything. I always drink water or unsweet iced tea. I have a coffee most mornings but I make it myself and use Skim Milk instead of half and half or cream... I read somewhere that drinking a cup of coffee a day with half and half and sugar can add 10 lbs a year! scary... So I try to keep that in check by making my own. Coffee is actually quite good for you if you have 2 cups max (it supposedly increases your metabolism).

For breakfast it depends. Usually during the week I'm in a huge rush so I drink an Ensure. I know, I know, these things are for old ladies who can't eat food and need nutrition but they are so incredible. I get Dark Chocolate. You can get them at the drug store or any grocery store in the medicine aisle (not like Whole Foods or Fresh Market but in places like Harris Teeter or Kroger). They are 250 calories and fill me up til lunch. They are also freaking delicious, especially when refrigerated. On the weekends when I have more time, I typically eat a Bagel Thin (by Thomas... I love "everything" and "cinnamon raisin") with 2 TBSP of peanut butter (not exact measurements but no more than that, it might even be less), a coffee, and either a half grapefruit (no sugar added) or a single serving of applesauce (I like Mott's Natural). If I'm especially hungry, I'll add a greek yogurt to go alongside. Fage 0% is my favorite greek yogurt. I don't add any sugar to it because I like the bitter taste. Sometimes I have cereal (Special K Red Berries, Special K Cinnamon Almond, or Peanut Butter Cheerios) and sometimes I have low-sugar oatmeal by Quaker.

I eat Subway a lot for lunch. I used to hate Subway because I didn't think it was very good, but I found a couple sandwiches I love, and it fits my lifestyle perfectly because I know exactly what I'm putting into my body. My go-to sandwich is: Turkey on Wheat or Honey Oat (depends on mood) with provolone (toasted) with onions, spinach, banana peppers, avocado and red wine vinegar. Absolutely no mayonnaise! I can't stand mayo so that's just a personal preference but it's also terrible for you. I go to Chick-fil-a a lot too because it's nearby and I usually get the 8 piece nugget and a side salad with the berry balsamic or honey sesame (higher in cals but delish).

At night I am pretty boring lately hah. On Sundays I make a giant batch of lentils with turkey sausage (I actually posted the recipe on the blog so you can use it to make your own!). Then I eat 1 cup for dinner on most weeknights. I know 1 cup doesn't sound like a lot but it's actually incredibly filling. Lentils are fantastic because they are filling for how much you eat, low in calories but super high in protein and fiber (major important stuff!). I sprinkle some red pepper flakes on it and sometimes have saltines with it (5 saltines = 70 calories). If I'm really hungry I'll eat an extra half-cup. I sometimes have a small piece of dark chocolate for dessert. 

All of your starches should be wheat, within reason. Cut out white potatoes except occasionally (sweet potatoes are much better for you). Always substitute whole wheat pasta for regular pasta (I actually think it tastes better than white, because it actually has flavor) and brown rice for white rice. I read in Bob Harper's book "The Skinny Rules" that the pasta should just be a base for whatever veggies and lean meats you are putting on it, not the main focus. This kind of stuck with me because I used to think of pasta as what I was eating, now it's more of a base or side.

I always give myself one cheat meal per week where I eat whatever the heck I want (but honestly, that usually means our favorite restaurant where I get filet kabobs, rice, onions and pita...it's a Lebanese place) so still no fast food (although I DID eat Arby's the other day...and it made me feel gross because I just don't eat stuff like that anymore). That's mostly what I eat... I've been fairly boring recently but it has really helped my lifestyle.  I also use Pinterest a lot to pin healthy recipes and try them out as often as possible.  Head on over to my Healthy Bites board to see what I'm pinning in the realm of healthy eats!

Okay sorry I know that was a TON of information so I will stop there lol... but if you have any questions about anything I said or want clarification feel free to email me!  Again, I am not an expert, I can only speak to my experiences but I'm always happy to help in any way I can!

Sorry for the dork-fest post title, it's just from one of my favorite shows, New Girl, which, if you don't watch it already, you definitely should and it's all available on Hulu.  So Matt and I were discussing how deli turkey just doesn't cut it sometimes.  Sometimes you want the real thing.  And by real thing I mean the thing that you are normally only lucky to have once a year? Black Friday.  The perfect Turkey Sandwich with real turkey meat and not some processed sliced turkey sitting in water or some other liquid wrapped in a plastic container (and it won't expire for like a month?? Weird).  So anyway, I had some time to spare, which is incredibly rare for me.  A day off is a fantastic blessing in my life, so I use it to make turkey for "real turkey" sandwiches for Matt all week.  Yum-my.

I stayed pretty traditional and just roasted the breast in a roasting pan (okay that's a total lie, I had to use a casserole dish because I don't actually OWN a roasting pan... but whatever, plenty of people out there don't own them and they deserve turkey too!)  So basically what I did is rubbed the turkey breast with about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (olive oil would be fine too but olive oil has a distinct flavor so I opted for a flavorless oil).  I then slathered the oiled turkey with salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme and tucked some sage leaves (four to be exact) into the tressing string.  I made it look super fancy by alternating the strings (over-under) for the sage leaves and that step is probably totally unnecessary. 

The first time I tried this recipe, I browned the turkey on all sides, few minutes per side in a pan that had already been heated to medium-high with a few tablespoons of vegetable oil, waiting until it started steaming before adding the turkey in to brown.  This really is probably completely unnecessary, as I did not do so this time around and it was still browned on the outside, just not as much.  

After that, I transferred the turkey to my "roasting pan" and roasted it at 350 for an hour, then flipped it over and roasted it for another hour.  

I took it out of the oven and let it rest at least 20 minutes before slicing it (with a Chef's knife... I don't own a carving knife either... it's almost hard to believe that I worked at Williams-Sonoma and don't own these things but you are talking to a girl on a budget here!)  

So that's how I got the "real" turkey to make real turkey sandwiches for the whole week.  It was so easy and I highly recommend you boost your lunches up this way.  Takes minimal effort and results in a very yummy sandwich!  Tonight I served up the turkey with Smitten Kitchen's Sweet Potatoes with Pecans and Goat Cheese.  Scrumptious!

Need a quick fall snack?  I've got just the thing.  Pepitas!  Also known as pumpkin seeds, these are super simple to make and delicious to snack on for days (keep in an air tight container).  You can season or flavor them however you'd like, I just thought I'd take them in a bold direction with Tandoori!  I followed this exact step by step from The Pioneer Woman and used sea salt, a teaspoon or so (maybe 1.5) of Tandoori Spice, and a few pinches of smoked paprika.  Click "Read More" to see my step by step photos and final product!  

Ohhh guys...I'll be honest, making these this morning was pure torture.  I had already pureed my pumpkin last night but I should have mixed the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl last night.  Because here's the thing... I like to eat as soon as I can in the morning.  Sometimes it's okay and I can wait about a half hour or so but generally I like to eat at least a little something right away.  This morning I woke up famished.  As I've mentioned before, I'm training for a marathon (Disney 2013!) and yesterday was my long-run day.  I ran a whopping 12 miles.  The furthest I've ever run on my own (i.e. not in a half marathon with 1000 other people).  So, although I ate enough yesterday, my body still wanted fuel 18 hours later, and sitting there mixing ingredients to make waffles was torture.  Next time, I'll make things the night before so I can go ahead and pop em right in the waffle iron.  I've also been dying to test out my waffle iron that I got months ago on sale at Williams-Sonoma.  It's so shiny!

But on to the waffles... so last week in my produce basket I got a pumpkin.  The possibilities seemed endless.  I pulled out one of my favorite go-to cookbooks, Healthy in a Hurry.  I looked in the index under pumpkin, and saw pumpkin waffles.  It jumped off the page.  There wasn't a picture in the book to get my mouth watering but the ingredients alone had me ready to make these immediately.  

Unfortunately, right away wasn't really an option.  See, I don't do mornings.  Like AT.ALL.  I saw this some-ecard that totally summed up my life... "I'm not a morning person, I'm not a night person either...but I can rock 11:30 am like nobody's business."  That is me.  I do not do mornings at all.  So I knew I would have to wait until the weekend to make these bad-boys.  

The first thing to do was puree the pumpkin.  I followed the Pioneer Woman's directions for this:

So I pureed the pumpkin last night, then mixed the batter this morning.  Below is a picture of the finished batter, and below that is the recipe!

Pumpkin Waffles (adapted slightly from Healthy in a Hurry)
The Elements:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon (this is the best cinnamon ever)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup skim milk
Fresh puree from one small to medium pumpkin
2 large eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I recommend this one)
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

Procedure:
Mix the dry ingredients in a small bowl (first 5 ingredients)
Mix the wet ingredients in a large bowl (last 6 ingredients)
Now add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in the large bowl, in parts, and mix just until combined.
Take about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of batter and put in the middle of a waffle iron set on your desired temp. (I would suggest medium to medium-dark because although the outside was crispy, the inside was a nice warm soft pumpkin-y center).  I like to use an offset spatula to spread the batter a bit before closing (see below).  When waffle iron says the waffle is done, check to see if it's to your liking then take out. 

Drizzle with some 100% Pure Maple Syrup... yum!

The Verdict: I just made one and enjoyed that with some delicious syrup.  Then I later made the rest of the batter and individually put each waffle into a ziploc bag to freeze so I could enjoy 1 waffle later during the week without much effort (and no wait time except the toaster!).  These were delicious.  Soft in the middle, crispy on the outside and full of pumpkin goodness.  These screamed fall and were absolutely fantastic.  I will probably make them for the family over Thanksgiving, as they are easy to make and a nice twist on plain waffles!

I don't even know where to begin.  So much going on in my life right now.  Training for a marathon being one of them.  Some family issues being another, but all in all I'm just insanely busy right now.  Last weekend, Matt and I had a pot-luck dinner at his former boss's house.  Since this is our third or fourth dinner there, and I've always brought something tasty, there have been some built-up expectations of me.  Unfortunately, with my crazy busy schedule, I seriously could not even conceive of having the energy to go to the grocery store to make something on Thursday night when I had court Friday morning (the party was Friday night).  So basically, I decided I was going to make something with what I had on hand and that could be made as quickly as possible.  I happened to have 2 cans of cannellini beans, fresh sage and garlic (I always keep plenty of garlic in my house!).  All I needed after that was olive oil and some salt and pepper and I was good to go.  Next time I would consider adding some lemon juice just for an extra tang, but it was very well received at the party and the sage gave a nice fall flavor :)  

The Elements:
2 cloves of garlic
2 cans white beans (I used cannellini but you could use something else if you prefer)
4 tablespoons of olive oil (more to reach your desired texture if necessary, I used a bit more I think)
4 teaspoons freshly chopped sage, plus a bit more for garnish
Good sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Procedure:
Put the garlic in food processor.  Pulse to roughly chop. 
Add in the beans and olive oil and turn on processor until smooth.  Add more olive oil until texture is as desired.  Add in sage and give some more processing.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with fresh sage and serve with baguette slices.

The Verdict:
So easy you can make it on a Thursday night when you've already had a rough week and have court in the morning.  That makes this a winner in my book.  Will definitely be making this again!

This is LITERALLY a one-pot wonder.  My favorite kind of meal.  This is another reason why I'm obsessed with my pressure cooker!  Easy to make quick meals that taste amazing and clean up is a cinch! Lentils are one of my favorite foods.  They are so easy to make (and quick with a pressure cooker), taste delicious, are incredibly filling, and very nutritious! The beauty of lentils is you can make them a million different ways.  This is just one example below.  Feel free to mix it up with whatever veggies you have, add pancetta, prosciutto, or simply make them plain with just a little garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes with a drizzle of olive oil and shredded Parmesan cheese on top.  Oh the possibilities!  Oh and did I mention they are cheap??  A one pound bag is only about $4-5 and will make enough food for half the week for two people eating it every day! They are so good for you, I can't get enough!  High in protein and fiber, low in calories, carbs, sodium and all the other bad stuff we don't like :)  Below is just what I made tonight, but please feel free to mix it up and let me know what your favorite combos are!  I make lentils almost weekly and will be sure to post other good combos in the future.  I know that when the time comes and I have a family and need a quick nutritious meal on the fly, this will definitely be a good go-to!  Let me know what you guys think!

The Elements:
Olive Oil
1 package (5 links) turkey sausage (Hot Italian), just like in my last recipe!
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
5 patty pan squash (mine were local from NC!), chopped *In case you don't know what these look like, see below*
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1 lb. bag green lentils8 cups water
1 TBSP salt
1/2 TBSP pepper

A little more on lentils:  They are from the legume family.  They usually come in bags like this.  They come in different varieties, such as Green, Red, etc.  Try them all!  Be SURE to rinse rinse rinse them!  They are similar to mushrooms or leeks in that if you don't rinse them properly you will get a mouthful of grit....yuck, totally unpleasant.  I usually take a colander, put it in the sink, pour in the lentils and then run water over them rubbing them to get the grit off with my hands.  This has been doing the trick for me, but I'm open to other ideas :)
Read on here for more info about their nutritional benefits.  Oh and notice the expiration date?? You can keep these babies in your pantry for awhile... I always like to have a bag or two on hand as a go-to when I don't feel like actually making a meal.

These are patty pan squash...aren't they adorbs?

Procedure: (see first picture for finished product).
Turn your pressure cooker onto "Browning" and brown the sausage pieces for about 5 minutes.
Switch the electric function to Saute and add in the onions, letting them soften.
Add in the squash, stir to mix it all up.  Add in the garlic.  Allow all of these to saute for an additional 5-10 minutes until you are sure the sausage is cooked and the onions and squash have softened.
Add in your (cleaned) lentils and about 8 cups of water.
Add the salt and pepper.
Drizzle a little olive oil over the top (this keeps the lentils from rising too high in the pressure cooker and potentially blocking the valve)
Turn off the saute function.  Lock in the lid and turn the valve to "pressure".  Cook the lentils on High Pressure for 8-9 minutes.  

Serve plain, with crackers, with toast, with a bit of olive oil on the top, or with a bit of red pepper flakes on the top!  The lentils are your oyster!  Do what you wish!

Below are lentils plain, with just a bit of salt, pepper and garlic. 

I even got Matt to try them (YES, the infamous meat eater) without any meat added to them, just the simple lentils  (with a bit of squash) and he loved them!  
Below you have plain lentils (just a bit of garlic, TRUFFLE SALT (omg this stuff is amazing), a few sprinkles of Maldon salt, red pepper flakes, a drizzle of good olive oil and a drizzle of good balsamic)  See here for suggestions on olive oils and balsamic vinegar.

Below are red lentils.  These ones got a little jacked up.  Either they need to be cooked for less time, or I just cooked them a minute too long (I did these for 10).  They all exploded and it was more like mush.  The flavor was great (I used carrots and red peppers) but the texture was off.  I like my lentils with a good texture.  Not quite as much of a bite as al dente pasta but definitely with a slight bite.

The Verdict:  
Isn't it obvious?  I'm obsessed.  In love.  I could eat lentils almost every day, as they can be prepared in unlimited ways!  They are amazing and I really really hope you try them.  You could use less water and have it be a little more solid, less soupy.  You can also use some Indian seasonings and then serve over basmati rice.  Seriously...endless choices.  I'll add more to the blog as I find ones that I love.  Feel free to add your favorite lentil combos to the comments below.  Thanks for tuning in!

Hey guys!  Again please forgive my absence!  A lot has happened in the last few weeks!  I signed up for a freaking FULL marathon.  Like a crazy person.  I'm still trying to watch what I eat and come up with healthier things to eat.  This is certainly a good one and I'll be using it again.  My favorite part is that it's a one-pan wonder (except for the pot you have to use for cooking the pasta...but the rest can all be done in a single frying pan).  Read on for the Verdict to see more about how much I liked this recipe, and how my co-workers liked it as well!

The Elements:
1 box whole wheat pasta shells (or other kind of pasta that holds sauce well, so not noodles, but things like rigatoni, shells, penne, etc.)
Approximately 2 tsps of Olive Oil
1 package (5 links) of turkey sausage, Hot Italian (if you don't like it hot, go for the mild Italian...you can find these at any grocery store)
1/2 onion, chopped 
1 bunch kale--remove stems, roll up two to three pieces, then slice as thinly as you like--for this dish I say thinner is better
1 large pinch of red pepper flakes 
Salt & pepper to taste
1 can of San Marzano Crushed Tomatoes (you could also use another form, with more solid tomatoes, but as I've mentioned before, Matt doesn't eat anything with tomatoes).  I highly recommend San Marzano tomatoes.  Their flavor is incredible and they really top any other canned tomatoes I've ever had.  These are available at both Harris Teeter and Fresh Market, as well as Williams-Sonoma.  They usually look like the can below, just the top and bottom color is different based on what kind they are (strained, diced, etc.).

Procedure:
In a large fry pan over medium heat, drizzle a little olive oil in the pan, so it isn't dry.
Sear the turkey sausage for a few minutes on each side, then remove, and slice into approximately 1-inch slices (let's be real, I did not measure them, just use your best judgment).
Put the sausage pieces back into the same pan and then add in the onion.
Meanwhile, put water on to boil, and then cook the pasta according to instructions.
Cook this until the sausage and onions are caramelized and the sausage is cooked all the way through... I didn't really time this part, sorry, you again need to use your judgment but I would say it took between 15-20 minutes.
Stir occasionally to ensure that the onions don't burn.

Once you are fairly confident that the sausage is mostly cooked, add the kale on top and let it wilt a bit. 

After the kale has wilted a bit, use tongs to stir it with the sausage and onion.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper and add in the red pepper flakes (not toooo much, because remember we used the Hot Italian sausage!) Mix it all up real nice! 

Then add in the crushed tomatoes.  Mix that as well.  Spoon it over your cooked pasta and enjoy a healthy home-cooked meal! 

The Verdict:
So easy, and very delicious!  Because the sausage is turkey sausage and the pasta is whole wheat, this is a fairly healthy pasta dish.  Not using a jarred sauce, and simply using canned tomatoes and then adding your own flavors eliminates a lot of additives and imparts a more natural flavor.  The turkey sausage is high in protein but low in calories and carbs.  The kale is an awesome leafy green that is hearty enough to allow you to have a smaller portion for dinner.  The whole wheat pasta provides whole grains and fiber.  All in all, very healthy and delicious.  I even brought the rest of it to work today (because I had a LOT left over) and everyone loved it...even my friend who didn't think she liked whole wheat pasta!  Highly recommend!