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One of the keys to keeping my weight under control is to have grab and go options ready for me in my fridge. Right now, my family’s schedule is jam packed and I’m finding myself constantly in need of something quick, filling and healthy to grab for lunch or a snack. Quinoa salads (or grain salads in general) have always been a great option for me and this Corn and Black Bean Quinoa Salad has particularly been one of my favorites for years. You can pretty much always feel good about eating a protein rich salad like this when you are hungry and don’t want to sabotage all of your efforts at the gym (if you know what I mean!).

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Summer vacation has officially begun in Casa Goodman. Last week was our first full week out of school and we kicked off the break with some time at a resort in Orlando using my parent’s time share points. Though it rained mostly every day, it didn’t stop my kids from non stop swimming, sliding, lazy river-ing, playing water volleyball and basketball.

I am always amazed at their endless energy and I have to say I am thankful they are at the age they can be in the pool without me physically by their side with them every minute – this mama needed a few lounge chair breaks to regain strength and un-prune her fingers and toes from all the water. I loved seeing them so active all day long, and honestly, the cloudy weather was actually a blessing – the sun came out in full force Saturday and whoa was it hot.

As always, there’s no place like home and we were all happy to get unpacked and back to normal yesterday. Since I didn’t have time to get to the grocery store before family hunger kicked in, I fell back on an ole reliable meal I tend to make pretty often throughout the summer – Grilled Italian Chicken Sausage and Peppers.

I pretty much always have a pack of precooked chicken sausages or two in the freezer (I stock up on several of the Aidell’s varieties every time I go to Costco, this time I picked up a new Italian style one from Casual Gourmet) and I usually have at least bell pepper or two along with onions in house too.

I love using soft pita bread to hold the final grilled product together as a sandwich as a opposed to a bun, and even throwing on a little feta sometimes to change things up (note: my favorite pita bread is this one from Joseph’s Bakery – only 60 calories, 6 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber – I have seen it at Publix and Walmart in the deli section). This meal always comes together in under 30 minutes, and I know everyone in the fam will eat it up (minus the peppers for the kids) alongside a salad or some raw veggies and ranch.

A perfect easy summer meal to add to your menu in my opinion! Happy grilling! 🙂

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There are some nights where I just have no idea what to make.  As much as I’ve tried to be that person with a meal plan each week, it just doesn’t happen for me.  My moods and tastes for food change on the spur of a cooking show, blog post or conversation.  So that makes the planning part kind of difficult.  I’ve come to just accept it.

Because of my spur of the moments meals, I’ve learned it’s best to always have some staples on hand.  In this case, tortillas, refried beans and enchilada sauce saved the night.  I wanted a quick, healthy meatless dinner for my husband and me so with the help of those staples, I just added whatever fresh (or frozen) veggies I had on hand, which happened to be green pepper, tomato and corn.  Trust me, there would have been some onion in the mix but unbelievably so…I had NO onions in the house.  That had to have been a first.  I did momentarily get excited about some green onions I found, but after some quality control inspection, they just didn’t make the cut.  And as much as I hate waste, they just had to go.

The veggies were first quickly sauteed in a little olive oil and garlic, then cooled slightly before I added them to the enchiladas.  I layered the refried beans, a little shredded cheese and the veggies over the tortilla before rolling them up.  Baked at 375 for about 25-30 minutes (until bubbly) and dinner is served.

Don’t forget the hot sauce.  Makes great leftovers for lunch!

Quickie Meatless Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• vegetarian refried beans
• tortillas (I love La Tortilla Factory's Low Carb/High Fiber Whole Wheat tortillas)
• can verde enchilada sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 med green peppers, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped (wasn't included this time but will be next time!)
• 1 tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 2 tsp cumin
• salt and pepper
• shredded monterey jack cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray a baking dish with non stick spray.
3. In a nonstick skillet, saute peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, corn in a little olive oil until soft, about 8 minutes. While sauteing veggies, season with cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool slightly.
4. Take tortilla and spread about 2 tablespoons refried beans in the middle.  Sprinkle a little shredded cheese over beans, then top with veggie mixture.  Carefully roll up and place seam side down into baking dish.  Any leftover veggie mixture can be sprinkled over prepared enchiladas in baking dish.  Pour desired amount of sauce over enchiladas (I like mine saucy).  Add desired amount of shredded cheese to top and bake in oven for about 25-30 minutes until sauce is bubbly and top is golden brown.  Enjoy with your favorite hot sauce like Tabasco Green Jalapeno Sauce (not too hot but great flavor)!

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