I picked up a London Broil the other day on sale at Publix.  I wanted to treat my husband to a good steak dinner….since that is his favorite…and since I’m watching my calories, I compromised by picking up a leaner cut of beef like this one so I wouldn’t feel too guilty eating it with him.  I love how economical London Broil is…it’s often on sale and you can get several meals from one good sized steak.

Like this easy London Broil recipe? Pin it here!

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If there is one thing I’m learning it’s that I will always thank myself on Tuesday night for cooking up a batch of brown rice Sunday. Food prep like cooking grains, baked potatoes and even shredded chicken in the slow cooker ALWAYS saves me during the school week.

When I find myself unsure of what I want to make for dinner (not to mention, short on time), it’s always incredibly helpful to have a few staples already cooked up and waiting in the fridge. Brown rice is one of those staples and helps to make this super quick and easy Vegetable Fried Brown Rice possible even on the busiest of nights.

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Another great Ellie Krieger recipe! This salmon recipe comes from one of my favorite healthy cookbooks, The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger. I highly recommend it to anyone who is new to cooking salmon or trying to introduce new salmon recipes to their family. This healthy salmon recipe is always a winner and has been my go-to recipe for years.

I’m a huge fan of sweet and spicy flavors…though I wouldn’t consider the flavor in this dish spicy. It has great chili flavor but there isn’t any heat, so don’t let the term “spicy” mislead you. It’s the perfect amount of seasoning.

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Click here to pin this Italian Stuffing recipe!

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This post was originally published August 15, 2014. Since then, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made these Turkey and Spinach Baked Tostadas for dinner. This method of baking tostadas has inspired other baked tostadas recipes as well, like these Salsa Chicken and Bean Tostadas and these Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Pork Tostadas.

From August, 2014:

My goal these days is to make one dinner that everyone in my family will eat. It is not easy! As my kids have gotten older, there are foods that they used to like that they no longer like and of course there are foods that one likes and the other does not like. It’s hard to keep track of at times that’s for sure.

For the most part, I don’t tend to make any “special” meals, meaning I won’t make myself crazy by making individual meals driven by pickiness. I do expect my kids to try everything once (or twice, or more…I never give up), but there are some food battles that are just not worth fighting at times. I will, however, try to make our meals where I can leave out certain ingredients or parts of the meal off the plate (more for others). For example…this bean salad I recently made – my son wanted no part of it (that’s fine, he’ll get carrot sticks) and my daughter loves beans but not so much the onions and peppers (no problem, more veggies for me and my husband). I can work with that. Especially when the other part of the meal is something like this recipe for Turkey and Spinach Baked Tostadas that EVERYONE loved (phew!).

This is the kind of recipe I normally don’t think of posting here on the blog. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that most of us are probably in the same situation – busy and trying to feed a family healthy and nutritious meals most of the time. I always feel extra good on the days I accomplish that task so when I make something that works for my family and fits that criteria I will share it here – even if it seems a bit basic. (After 6 years of blogging I have learned that the most basic recipes I’ve shared here on the blog have been the most popular!)

These baked tostadas come together very quickly. I actually cooked up the turkey and spinach mixture earlier in the day which made it even easier to pull together at dinnertime. If you cook your turkey and spinach mixture at dinnertime, make sure it cools down a bit before topping the tortillas to prevent the tortillas from getting soggy.

Make sure you drain your defrosted frozen spinach well before adding it to your pan, if you don’t things might get a little watery but it will eventually cook off. I used my favorite homemade taco seasoning blend from my friend Julie.

Hope your family enjoys these as much as mine did! 🙂

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This post was originally published September 24, 2014. I’ve updated it with new pictures and wanted to share it again since it’s apple season!

When Fall (and football season) hit I pretty much crave two specific (adult) beverages – pumpkin beer and hard apple cider. It’s a happy day when the pumpkin beer display appears at the grocery store. Hard apple cider, I’ve noticed, seems to be available all year round which is a treat because sometimes a cold, refreshing, slightly sweet apple bevvy really hits the spot on a warm evening on the patio.

I don’t cook pork chops very often at home. No reason why really, it just doesn’t seem to be something I remember to include when I am planning our meals. I really should start adding them into regular rotation because I’ve noticed when I do make them, everyone devours them – including the kids (the whole family loves these Parmesan Baked Pork Chops!).

I’ve always loved the flavor of pork chops with apples – adding the hard cider the mix just makes it better! If you are cooking for your family, don’t worry – the alcohol cooks off in the skillet making them kid friendly. (You can always use regular apple juice or apple cider instead.)

How to make Skillet Pork Chops with Apples and Onions

1. In a small bowl mix together salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic powder. Season both sides of pork chops liberally.
2. In a large heavy skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Place the pork chops into pan. (If not enough room, cook pork chops in batches). Cook on one side for 4 minutes until chops are golden brown and releases from pan easily. Cook other side for additional 3-4 minutes.
3. Take pork chops out and place on to a plate. Repeat with remaining pork chops, if needed.
4. Add sliced onions and apples into skillet. Season with pinch salt and pepper. Pour in part of hard apple cider (about 1/4 cup) to deglaze pan while tossing apples and onions. Add rest of hard apple cider and let simmer for 5 minutes uncovered or until liquid reduces a bit. Add pork chops back into skillet and cover.
5. Turn off heat and let sit for 1-2 minutes. Using tongs, take out pork chops and place in dish. Pour apple and onion mixture over pork chops and serve.

Since the pork chops are boneless and thin, this Hard Cider Skillet Pork Chops with Apples and Onions recipe cooks up fairly quickly making it a good option for a weeknight dinner. I don’t know about you, but I love skillet meals like this.

We ate these skillet pork chops with apples alongside these Cheddar Dill Roasted Red Potatoes but mashed potatoes or wild rice would be another great side as well.

PS…I’m curious, what’s your favorite hard cider or pumpkin beer?

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This recipe was inspired by one I found in Everyday Food Magazine – does anyone remember that magazine? It was always one of my favorites, and I’m so happy I chose to save a huge stash of them. I was just looking through them the other day and I can’t tell you how many pages I dog-eared with recipes that I want to make. Their recipes are always simple and straight forward, which is definitely my style of cooking.

I originally made this Mini Honey Mustard Meatloaf recipe in June of 2008 when I first started blogging. Here’s the picture I took of dinner that night:

You have no idea how it feels to look back almost 9 years to one of the first recipes I shared on this blog. It’s like I remember exactly the day I made the meal, and served it to my, at the time, 2 children who were only 3 and 1 years old!! It’s crazy. I remember my husband loving this one, and he still does. My kids too – I don’t make a lot of meatloaf, so this was a real treat for them and their response is always a good one. I need to put this back in the rotation more often!

Like I said before, these are simple and straight forward. I used ground chuck in the recipe this time around but I’ve used lean ground beef before as well. Your choice. I tend to pick up ground chuck occasionally when I shop at The Fresh Market for their $2.99 chicken and chuck Tuesdays.

What’s great about this meal is you can use the oven to roast up the potatoes at the same time. My kids adore roasted potatoes so I make them pretty often. This is one of my go-to ways to make them – a little olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Easy peasy.

Round out your plate with a nice green salad and you’ve got yourself a nice home cooked meal. Comfort food right? The best part for me is the portion controlled meatloaf. It’s the perfect amount and although it’s not the leanest of meats, I know I’m not eating more than I should. If you are concerned about your fat intake, then definitely switch to lean ground beef.

Need more ground beef recipe ideas? Take a look at this Ground Beef Stroganoff and this Instant Pot Low-Carb Soup with Ground Beef.

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Mini Honey Mustard Meatloaf with Roasted Potatoes

• Author: Aggies Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Category: Dinner
• Cuisine: American

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Mini Meatloaf recipe topped with homemade honey mustard and cheddar cheese. Portion controlled and cute for kids! Serve with roasted red potatoes and salad and you’ve got yourself dinner!

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil or cooking spray
• 3 tablespoons mustard
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1.5 pounds ground beef chuck or lean ground beef
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1 cup shredded white cheddar (about 4 ounces)
• 1.5 lbs baby red potatoes, quartered
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Set oven racks in top and bottom thirds of oven. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with oil or spray with cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, mix together mustard, ketchup and honey.
3. In a medium bowl, combine beef, eggs, panko, garlic powder, 1/2 mustard mixture, 1/2 cup cheddar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and teaspoon pepper. Form into six 2-by-4-inch loaves; place on baking sheet. Brush with remaining mustard mixture and top with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar.
4. On another baking, toss cut potatoes with olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
5. Transfer meatloaves to top rack in oven and potatoes to bottom rack. Bake until loaves are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating baking sheets after first 10 minutes. Remove meatloaves from oven and continue to cook potatoes for another 10 minutes, until browned and crisp. Serve with oven roasted potatoes and salad.

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Notes

Nutrition info is based on using lean ground beef.

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Click here to pin this Harvest Farro Salad recipe!

Originally published in November, 2016.

Have you all tried farro yet? I’ve shared a few recipes using it here (like this Garden Farro Salad with Feta and Italian Tuna and White Bean Farro Salad – you must make both!). Farro is amazing – and for so many reasons. It’s a hearty whole grain with a lot of oompf to it, quite the opposite of quinoa or couscous. It’s got so much texture and a nutty flavor that I love, which is why I enjoy it so much in salads like this.

Here’s the other thing I love about it, it’s got 7 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber in it. It will fill you up and make you feel good. Salads like this are perfect option for lunches in my opinion. A no brainer.

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This post was last published in November, 2015. It is still one of my favorite soups that can be made with lean ground beef and all the veggies in your fridge (specifically zucchini, green beans and carrots). Although we are still experiencing 90+ degree weather in Florida, I crave this light, yet hearty, soup all the time. It’s perfect for light lunches and dinners – it’s nice to make ahead so that you have something to quickly reheat when you are short on time.

Click here to PIN this Italian Vegetable Beef Soup recipe!

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Are you all turkey’ed out or what? I know I am. I had a few good leftover turkey recipes swirling in my head over the weekend (my daughter wanted me to make a turkey pasta salad, mmm), but honestly, I just didn’t get around to any creative leftover creations. We had a lot of turkey paninis and just straight up Thanksgiving plate reruns. It’s all good.

Moving on from turkey…I’m bringing up this Italian Vegetable Beef recipe from the archives. I originally posted this recipe back in December of 2009. Crazy how long ago that was! I remember I made this soup to take to my daughter’s preschool teacher who had just had surgery. When she got back to school, she told me her and her daughters loved the soup so much and wanted more. Yea, a compliment like that pretty much always makes my day. 🙂 Since then, I have made this soup quite a few times. It’s a great change from my typical chicken based soups, the lean beef (or bison) makes it a little extra hearty but still easy on the calories.

I’m sure most of you will agree that a bowl of good homemade soup is total comfort.  Soup has a way of warming up the body while nourishing it with so many health benefits at the same time.  I’m more of a broth base soup person, so I’m not really referring to the heavier creamy soups…not that those are bad, but they just don’t make me feel the same as a soup filled with lots of herbs and vegetables in broth.

Whenever I find that I have lots of vegetables in the veggie drawer that need to be used up, I usually make soup.  This particular day I had a nice variety of veggies….zucchini, squash, carrots and green beans. 

Add some dried herbs, lean ground beef and chicken broth and you’ve got Italian Vegetable Beef Soup.

Healthy Italian Vegetable Soup

1. In large stock pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and add zucchini, squash, carrots, garlic and onions. Cook for about 8 minutes until vegetables start to soften.
2. Add seasonings, tomatoes and chicken broth to pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer.
3. Add green beans and cooked ground beef.
4. Simmer soup for about 20 minutes.
5. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve with Parmesan cheese and cooked pasta if you like.

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Italian Vegetable Beef Soup

• Author: Aggies Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian

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Break out the vegetables for this light and savory Italian Vegetable Beef Soup recipe. It’s loaded with great vegetables like zucchini, squash and carrots. Healthy (and easy) comfort food!

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Ingredients

• 2 tb olive oil
• 2 zucchinis, quarter chopped
• 2 squash, quarter chopped
• 2–3 carrots, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1–2 cups green beans, cut in 1 inch pieces
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• good pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 32oz can of Italian diced tomatoes, with juices
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 – 1.25  lb lean ground beef or bison, cooked and crumbled
• Parmesan cheese, optional

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Instructions

1. In large stock pot, heat 2 tb olive oil and add zucchini, squash, carrots, garlic and onions. Cook for about 8 minutes until starting to soften. Add seasonings, tomatoes and chicken broth to pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Add green beans and cooked ground beef. Simmer soup for about 20 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve with Parmesan cheese and cooked pasta if you like.

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Notes

Note:  amounts of vegetables can be varied.  Use what you have on hand.

Healthy Soup Recipes

Soup is one of my go to meals when I’m trying to trim some pounds or just generally feel healthier. Some soups I tend to make often are  Slow Cooker Italian Sausage and Kale Soup with Sweet Potatoes, Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup, Italian Tomato and Lentil Soup and Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup. I’m ready to try this Beef Taco Quinoa Soup and Fall Vegetable Quinoa Soup!

Follow Aggie’s Kitchen’s board Soup, Stew and Chili Recipes on Pinterest.

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Click here to pin this healthy Bison Burger recipe!

My husband has been on a health kick lately. I love it. He’s really making an effort to cut back on calories, make better food choices and squeezing in exercise throughout the day. He’s taking walks around his building during restroom breaks, and trying to get a two mile walk around the neighborhood in the evenings as well as getting to the gym to hit the elliptical or play basketball with our son on the weekends. It all adds up!

Him being on a health kick gives me more motivation to put together healthier meals for us to eat together. We are trying to lighten things up wherever we can and using bison in place of our regular ground beef is one way we can lighten up our burgers on the grill. Since bison is pricier than ground beef, this is a treat for us that we look forward to whenever we can.

Where to buy ground bison for this recipe?

I have been buying bison meat from Costco regularly, but have seen it at my local grocery store (although in much smaller packages) as well as Fresh Market and Whole Foods.

Healthy Bison Burger Ingredients

I like to keep my burger seasonings pretty simple so that you really enjoy the flavor of the beef you are cooking with.

• ground bison
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• your favorite barbecue sauce, for basting

The toppings though, that is where you can have fun. I love adding caramelized onions to my burgers and of course cheese!

How To Cook Bison Burgers On The Grill

1. In a large mixing bowl, gently combine ground bison with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Divide meat mixture into 5 even sections and form into patties. When forming, gently press down your thumb in center to help keep it’s shape and avoid turning into a meatball on the grill.
2. Pre-heat your grill to medium high heat. Place burgers on grill. Cook for 6-7 minutes on each side (for medium well – well done burgers) or 4-5 minutes for juicier, medium burgers. After first flip, brush cooked side liberally with your favorite barbecue sauce. Once burger is cooked through, quickly flip and brush other side before taking off the grill. Transfer to top rack of grill (or plate) and place a slice of pepper jack cheese on each burger.
3. For serving: Place each burger with cheese on your hamburger bun. Top with extra barbecue sauce (if desired), caramelized onions and shredded lettuce. Dig in.

Along with the extra exercise, packed lunches and a little extra involvement with meal planning and creating recipes are part of this health kick too. That’s where this burger comes in. I know ground buffalo (bison) has been around for a while, but it’s not something I’ve ever cooked with at home. My husband has enjoyed a healthy bison burger at a local restaurant a few times and asked if we could grill some up at home. Buffalo is a leaner type of ground beef and a great alternative when looking to indulge in a hamburger.

Burger Recipes To Try:

Smoky BBQ Turkey Burger Sliders

Bruschetta Patty Melts

East Meets West Burger

Sanford Burgers

Love cooking with bison like I do? Try these recipes using bison:

Sweet Potato Bison Shepherd’s Pie

Bison Black Bean Chili

Bison and Brown Rice Stuffed Peppers

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Grilled Barbecue Bison Burger

• Author: Aggies Kitchen
• Yield: 4-5 burgers
• Category: Burger
• Method: Grill
• Cuisine: American

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Try a lean Grilled Barbecue Bison Burger for a healthier alternative to your traditional hamburger – they are juicy and flavorful with less guilt!

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Ingredients

• 1.5 lb ground bison (or buffalo) meat
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• good pinch coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• your favorite barbecue sauce, for basting

For serving:

• 5 slices of pepper jack cheese
• hamburger buns
• shredded lettuce
• caramelized onions (see this post for instructions on how to caramelize onions)
• barbecue sauce

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Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, gently combine ground bison with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Divide meat mixture into 5 even sections and form into patties. When forming, gently press down your thumb in center to help keep it’s shape and avoid turning into a meatball on the grill.
2. Pre-heat your grill to medium high heat. Place burgers on grill. Cook for 6-7 minutes on each side (for medium well – well done burgers). After first flip, brush cooked side liberally with your favorite barbecue sauce. Once burger is cooked through, quickly flip and brush other side before taking off the grill. Transfer to top rack of grill (or plate) and place a slice of pepper jack cheese on each burger.
3. For serving: Place each burger with cheese on your hamburger bun. Top with extra barbecue sauce (if desired), caramelized onions and shredded lettuce. Dig in.

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