family meals Archives — Thrifty Mommas Tips

Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef and Rice: Inspired by Travel to Cartagena Colombia

Paula — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 11:06:00 +0000

Stuffed Peppers with ground beef and rice are a family favourite now and a recipe that we frequently enjoy together. Hard to believe that 20 years ago before a trip to Cartagena, Colombia, I’d never even heard of this dish. Now we have this one in the rotation routinely for dinner. My youngest daughter asks for these stuffed peppers with ground beef and rice and many nights she enjoys helping to make them too. There are a few variations you could take on these. Add cheese on the finished product if you want. Add corn into the mixture. Get creative if you want. You could even remove the meat for a vegetarian version of this and just go all in on veggies. I don’t eat corn because of the Crohn’s disease, but I know many people love corn in all of their tex mex stuffed vegetable kinds of meals and appetizers. My favourite time to buy green peppers is in the fall well before the snow. I love to get them fresh at the market and turn them into stuffed green or sometimes red peppers. I built this recipe here at home in London after a trip to Cartagena, Colombia many years ago. For our first wedding anniversary my husband Jim and I took a trip to Cartagena, Colombia. I recall the exotic beaches and stunning architecture in the old section of the city. The food was rich and fresh and unexpected. We enjoyed a week of touring the city during the day and then relaxing on the beach and indulging in the Colombian meals at night. To be clear though it was an all inclusive resort so it was big batch cooking and buffet style meals. Generally that means the food sits a bit longer and also it is occasionally less flavourful. One night we tried stuffed Bell Peppers and I fell hard for this delicious meal. It is a regular recipe in the rotation here because my entire family loves these. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do. First Steps: Brown the lean ground beef in a frying pan. Add diced onion and garlic. Add a dash of soya sauce and dash of Worcestershire Sauce and remaining spices. Follow the recipe above. Don’t forget to drain those peppers well though because otherwise they will be watery. Some people might not cook the peppers first but I do because I like them to be a bit softer for everyone in my family (mostly me.) This actually lasts us two meals sometimes so the four peppers provides plenty of leftovers unless you have huge appetites. An Affordable Family Dinner That Brings Back Memories For me, stuffed peppers is routine now and it is also a fairly affordable recipe. The only variations really are the peppers. I mean occasionally I swap out for red peppers which my kids seem to like more than green and sometimes I go with the entire rainbow – green, red, yellow and orange. The level of heat can be tweaked with a bit of chili pepper flakes. This one often reminds me of that first trip to Colombia. I have been back a couple of times since. Cook for one hour covered at 350 or 375 degrees. Scoop and serve one stuffed pepper per person. (Sometimes my kids only eat half of a pepper so we have lots of leftovers. These are overflowing typically here. So don’t be shy with the stuffing. Enjoy!

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Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts #BornOnTheFarm

Paula — Mon, 08 May 2017 12:02:38 +0000

Healthy living is a constant process. We exercise and are a very active family. We strive to improve as often as possible. But, like everyone, we falter. It’s super simple to reach for takeout on a night when we are frazzled and running. Meal planning goes out the door when we are racing from activity to activity and working at night too. So, what is a busy family to do to help build healthy meal options weekly? Well, here are a few thoughts. I hope they help. Four Ways To Build Healthier Family Meals: USE YOUR WEEKEND – Do a Few Simple Things to Prepare for the week ahead. Brown some beef on the weekend and refrigerate for a day or two until you need it for the casserole. Wash the vegetables, maybe chop some too. Wash the fruit and place individual potions in small containers in the fridge. Take a moment to think about the week ahead and map out which nights are chaotic. Then make a plan for those nights. Get or use a CROCK POT, Slow COOKER or FAST SLOW PRO – I rely on these all winter long and during the weeks when we have Show Week, or when we’ve added an extra activity like Basketball after school. HAVE A FEW STANDBY RECIPES – These spinach and cheese stuffed chicken breasts are going right into the regular rotation. Chili is another one we make often and I make it a lean and healthy variation that’s also gluten free and low sodium. I can make big batches of that once a week or every two weeks all winter. DON’T FORGET TO GET CHEESE and DAIRY – We Like Gay Lea. I like their dairy options because they are low sodium and there are many that are also low fat. If you have low fat sour cream, cottage cheese and Ivanhoe Cheese stocked in your fridge often, then you have some high quality dairy staples that will help you build great meals and snacks all week. Plus these are time savers for me. If I need to make tacos quickly what item is it that I would run out of most? Sour cream. And having to race out mid week for more groceries – or even worse that one ingredient – is a time suck. Buy Gay Lea products like cottage cheese and sour cream and Ivanhoe cheese every week or two and you will save time and money. We’ve come up with a few good habits to build healthy meals together. Keep lots of white meat options handy to help with health eating all week long. Pork and chicken are affordable and healthy meats. Have them ready to thaw. Use fewer prepared meals because there are too many additives, preservatives and sodium in pre-made store bought meals. Bake or slow cook big batches if possible. Use the leftovers another night, or freeze some for later. These simple scrumptious spinach and cheese stuffed chicken breasts are a new recipe. I have been trying to add some more vegetables to some of our dinners and I know the kids love stuffed chicken breasts. The ones we sometimes get in the store are high in sodium and always breaded. But I thought I would try to make a healthier version at home. My version is gluten free, low sodium and made with lean white meat. These spinach and cheese stuffed chicken breasts are pretty healthy options for a family meal. The spinach adds some iron and a serving of vegetables and of course the cheese makes them tasty. This particular Ivanhoe cheddar adds a grownup feel to the protein with a hint of smoky woodsy flavour. It is a really rich cheese taste-wise. Here’s how to duplicate these simple and healthy spinach and cheese stuffed chicken breasts at home yourself. PIN FOR LATER Scrumptious and healthier spinach and cheese stuffed chicken breasts for dinner. These are gluten free and low sodium. IVANHOE CHEESE: Gay Lea is a cooperative steeped in tradition. Gay Lea’s selection of cheeses are made of fresh, local dairy. Ivanhoe cheese, began over a century ago and has a reputation for its high quality, aged artisan cheddar cheese and specialty cheeses. As the oldest cheese company of its kind in Canada, it still remains a local attraction in the hamlet of Ivanhoe. In 2008, Ivanhoe joined with Gay Lea. WHAT IS YOUR QUICK TIP FOR HEALTHY EATING DURING THE WEEK? I created this post as a paid ambassador with Gay Lea Foods and PTPA for 2017. My opinion is all my own and it is truthful. I only work with brands I love and use.

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One of my Favourite Dishes: Chicken Piccata Recipe

Paula — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 14:45:12 +0000

One of my favourite dishes ever to order when we go out is this: chicken piccata. I love the flavour combinations of capers and lemon and wine with chicken served on a bed of noodles. Of course there is always just a tiny hint of olive oil in the mix to make this dish, and the chicken, super moist and succulent. I wish I had a dish of it handy right now actually. This, and chicken masala, are two chicken dishes I could exist on. No question, chicken is a staple in many family homes at dinner time. It is versatile and fairly inexpensive. Plus it really absorbs spices and sauces to become flavourful and lovely. So today I thought I might share with you the my chicken piccata recipe. It might be what’s for dinner this weekend because even just looking at the pictures here makes me crave this dish. Incredibly, chicken piccata recipe is easier to make than you might think. With the exception of the capers and maybe the white wine vinegar, you might have most of these ingredients on hand already. [tweetthis]What’s your favourite chicken dish?[/tweetthis] Give it a try. I think you will enjoy this one as much as I do. Capers are actually one of my favourite ingredients to add to several dishes I love. I add them here, of course as detailed below and then I also add to some salmon dishes as well. [tweetthis]Do you love capers as much as I do?[/tweetthis] [tweetthis]Looking for a scrumptious chicken meal tonight? Look no further. [/tweetthis] Scrumptious chicken piccata is one of my favourite meals to order at the restaurant. Now you can make it at home for a fraction of the cost.

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Twenty Fantastic Gluten Free Recipes

Paula — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 09:30:19 +0000

Are you gluten free? I know well the struggle to find good wheat free products, and great recipes to build meals out of when you are trying to avoid gluten. The positive news is that there are a lot of products and recipes out there than there ever were before. Here is a roundup of 20 Gluten Free Recipes you will want to save. Do you know someone who is on a gluten free diet? Are you on a gluten free diet? I read something recently in market trends that indicated what I already suspected. Gluten free eating is a way of life. In fact, gluten free eating is a lifestyle for as many as 44 million people. So what is gluten? Many people actually still don’t know what gluten is, so don’t feel bad if you fumble for the words to explain what gluten is. Gluten is a type of protein found in grains like wheat. Many people cut gluten out of their diet to test the idea that gluten has impact on behaviour and energy. This is the fastest growing segment of people on a gluten free diet. Roughly one percent of those who are gluten free have celiac disease. For that group of people gluten actually harms the intestinal lining of their digestive tracts and that causes illness. Some people are gluten intolerant, but the biggest group avoiding gluten is health conscious consumers worried that grains have been modified. That group is striving for a healthier diet. Although many might have thought this a passing fad it’s clear gluten free eating is here to stay. I was gluten free way back in my 20s for a significant period of time. I avoided a lot of foods then, at a time when my Crohn’s Disease was very acute. Back then inflammatory responses were common with a lot of foods in my diet. Right now, my health is much better and my diet is broader than in my twenties. However, I have been giving some thought to this again. Several of my readers are gluten free and that works for them. I know that finding fantastic gluten free recipes can be tricky so I thought I would round up 20 fantastic gluten free recipes for you. Hope you enjoy some of these. Thanks to the bloggers who contributed their recipes here. You might also enjoy the gluten free holiday treats post I wrote in December. And although this giveaway has ended, I also shared some new gluten free products with scrumptious baked goods here. What is your biggest dietary challenge? Are you gluten free? Twenty Fantastic Gluten Free Recipes: Gluten Free White Chicken Lasagna from Tastes of Lizzy T Fully Loaded Gluten Free Granola Bars from Grace and Good Eats Crustless Chocolate Cheesecake from Little House Living Creamy Tomato Basil Soup with Popcorn Croutons from Hello Little Home Gluten Free Homemade Taco Seasoning from Our Small Hours Tasty Cheesy Frittata with Zucchini and Red Peppers from One Creative Mommy Oven Roasted Parmesan Green Beans from Ann’s Entitled Life Cheese Crispies from Little House Living Bean and Cheese Tostadas with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa from Hello Little Home Tropical Mango Muffins from Snappy Gourmet Zuppa Toscana from Tastes of Lizzy T Lettuce Tacos from Our Small Hours Gluten Free Maple Pecan Muffins from Grace and Good Eats Best Ever Gluten Free Brownie Recipe from One Creative Mommy Chocolate Coconut Bars from Vegetarian Gourmet Maple Glazed Chicken from Living on a Dime Healthy Mexican Quinoa Casserole from Hello Little Home Gluten Free Banana Bread from Minimalist Baker Super Easy Gluten Free Monkey Bread from Gluten Free on a Shoestring Savory Chicken Casserole from He and She Eat Clean Here’s hoping you find something here that works for you.

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