Penne with Chicken Sausage, Mushrooms, & Broccoli

Hello all! How was your work week? Are you as happy as I am for the lovely weather this weekend? It is just spectacular today! It will make all of those little weekend errands we have to do today much more pleasant. If you are busy as we are today, you may want to include this lovely pasta dish on your menu. I had intended to post this mid-week; however, I am back to work and have had yet to make it home before 6:00 p.m. While there was not much time for blogging, this dish pulled together quickly despite the time pinch.

This dish is loaded with super friends broccoli, mushrooms, and lean chicken sausage so there is no need for loads of additional pasta noodles. Make this dish if you are looking for a quick meal that is satisfying and ready in about 20 minutes.

Penne with Chicken Sausage, Mushrooms, & Broccoli

1 cup brown rice noodles
3 cups water
1/2 pound ground Italian chicken sausage (I used Isernio's)
2 cups sliced mushrooms (I used baby portobello)
12 oz. bag frozen broccoli florets, thawed
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped
1/4 cup reduced sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup pasta water (reserved)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste

Fill a medium sized stock pot with 3 cups water. Bring to a boil and add the 1 cup brown rice noodles. Cook according to package directions and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining the noodles.

While the noodles are cooking, bring a large non-stick skillet to medium heat. Add the chicken sausage. Cook, stirring frequently until the meat is loosened and browned. Place the sausage in a small dish and set aside. Add the mushrooms to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes). Add the garlic and broccoli and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until heated through. Add the sausage, noodles, pasta water, chicken stock, and Paremsan cheese to the pan. Toss together until the cheese is melted and the liquid has become thickened to a creamy sauce. Season with the red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to your taste and serve.

For those of you who follow my weekly menu posts, I will be posting later today along with this week's final recipe Steak & Summer Salad. Have a great Saturday!

Lighter Balsamic Dressing

I know it is only Tuesday, but I am pretty proud of how well the first week of the Drop 10 challenge is going. I was a little worried about today, as it was our first day to officially report back to school. It is now becoming a tradition that we are welcomed back with an awesome omelette bar. I was thrilled to see egg whites as an option! Not to mention the array of veggies and salsa available for topping. I also made it to the gym without talking myself out of it. Post workout, the Bear and I enjoyed a large salad made with spinach, artichoke hearts, chickpeas, red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, and grilled chicken topped with my Lighter Balsamic Dressing. Check out this lovely bowl of goodness...

Did I mention that there is spinach under there? I've been so in love with the cucumbers Justin got me from a colleague at work combined with the juicy tomatoes I bought at Costco over the weekend that I realized you can't see any of the super food spinach. I swear there is spinach under there:)

This dressing doubles as a great marinade for chicken, fish, or beef. It is super easy to make and store in the fridge. I plan on using it for salads, dipping veggies for a snack, and as another marinade later in the week. This vinaigrette is so versatile you won't need another recipe.

Lighter Balsamic Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 teaspoon herbes de Provence

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, more or less depending on how spicy you would like your dressing

Whisk all ingredients together in a resealable container or jar until emulsified. Cover and store in your fridge for up to two weeks. 

Baby Steps Update

The week before last, I gave you all an update on where Justin and I are at with our adventures in trying to have a family. Yes, it is a deeply personal experience I am sharing with the world. I know some might be asking themselves, "Why is she posting this all over the Internet?" Well, this is for a couple of reasons. One reason is to keep family and friends who do read the blog updated. I also feel that it is important for anyone who has been through this or might be experiencing the same issues a means of support and valuable information. It has taken me some time to digest the whirl-wind of appointments, tests, and results. This has all been even harder to share personally with others without breaking down into tears or deterring my eye contact from a conversation because I am on the verge of possible tears. I am actually finding it easier to type this all out and share it via my little food blog versus verbally telling the story.  I'm not looking for sympathy, but empathy. I feel, for some reason out of some journalistic integrity, information needs to be shared for no one is alone in the human experience. 

After we got Justin's test results back, my doctor felt that further testing needed to be done on me. I went in for a procedure called a hysteropingogram. My x-ray results displayed that something was occurring on my left side. Originally, the radiologist told me that I was not ovulating on my left side. We departed the office thinking that I had a bum ovary. This left us with a lot of questions because the copious amounts of blood work I've had up to this point have always tested positive for FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and positive for ovulation. On top of blood work, I have even bought numerous ovulation predictor kits over the course of three years all of which tested positive for ovulation. Later, while we were on vacation, my doctor called to further discuss the results. This answered a lot of our questions. Both of my ovaries are working; however, my left fallopian tube is blocked. While my body is trying to ovulate and is producing all of the hormones necessary to do so the poor little egg is not getting where it needs to be in order for conception to be possible on the months my left side chooses to operate. The right side is all fine and dandy. Good news, there is a chance!!! Bad news, the blockage will need to be investigated and fixed or there are some health risks. We will also need a little assistance from a fertility specialist in order to figure out when the right side is working and up the ante on our chances for a baby. Long story short, we're having to work a little harder than others. I am just happy that we have some answers. There is hope:)

Good Times & BBQ Black Bean Burgers

This weekend my good friends Jessica and Hilary came to visit. I feel so lucky that we've gotten together twice this summer! We shared many good stories, laughs, and libations. I feel so blessed that we have stayed in touch over the years. You know you have great friends when you can pick up conversations right where you left off and finish each others' sentences:)

I apologize for the blurriness. This photo was taken via my new phone so we could upload it to Instagram. Love, love, love Instagram! 

After last months binge on my three d's (dips, desserts, and drinks), cream cheese, mayonnaise (not the light kind), and everything else that pairs with a dip, I am officially back to clean eats. My gut is already thanking me. One of the dinner selections on the menu were these lovely black bean burgers.

I'm beginning to feel like a majority of my burger photos include a side of sweet potato fries. These were homemade using a little bit of non-stick spray, salt, and pepper. I first baked them for about 15 minutes on 425. Then, I set my broiler on low and crisped the top of the fries for another five minutes. This worked out great! No tricky flipping of the fries involved!

The burgers were somewhat of a success. The meal included a lovely array of super foods. Sweet potato fries, spinach, mushrooms, and black beans all contain power boosting vitamins, iron, and healthy resistant starches. Justin said out of all the bean burgers I've made, these had the best flavor. Not too shabby for a healthy, vegetarian meal.

BBQ Black Bean Burgers

adapted by Self's Bean &'Bello Burger

1 cup portobello mushrooms, chopped

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained & rinsed

1/4 cup gluten-free BBQ sauce

2 tablespoon ground flax seed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

4 gluten-free sandwich buns

Place the mushrooms and red onion a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Add the remaining ingredients to the sandwich buns, and pulse until roughly chopped and combined. The mixture should look like any ground meat. Remove the mixture from the food processor and place in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes so flax seed has time to bind the ingredients together. 

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Spray with non-stick spray. Remove the bean mixture from the refrigerator. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop the bean mixture into the heated pan. Depending on the size of your skillet you should be able to cook 2-4 burgers at a time. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until lightly browned, then flip the burgers and cook the other side for another 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining mixture until all burgers are cooked. Place the burgers on the buns and top with all of your favorite burger toppings.

Just an FYI for anyone following our baby-making adventure, I will be posting an update sometime today. It is taking me a little while to digest and figure out how to share our recent information. Until then, happy Monday!

Saturday Menu Post

It feels like a really, really long time since we've had our last menu post. None the less, it is good to get back into the routine:) I don't know if you noticed, but last month was filled with a lot of cream cheese, bacon, and mayonnaise. Sometimes not the lighter versions either. I feel like the weight I worked so hard to lose in June crept back to my midsection in July. Not to worry or feel down on myself though! After the success I experienced in March and April with the Drop 10 challenge, I ended up buying the book over vacation. It is chuck full of valuable strategies, nutrition, and recipes that all include super foods. After trying a new one last week upon our return, I must say they are pretty tasty too. No deprivation, no starvation. That is what I love about the plan. This week's menu is based all around Drop 10 super foods and their super powers.

Sunday 8/5          Black Bean Burgers with Grilled Sweet Potato Fries

Monday 8/6        Mediterranean Salad with Grilled Chicken

Tuesday 8/7        Left-overs

Wednesday 8/8  Brown Rice Penne with Chicken Sausage & Broccoli

Thursday 8/9      Left-overs

Friday 8/10 or    Steak & Summer Salad with Garlic Bread
Saturday 8/11

Here is a list of grocery and pantry items you will need. I am including them all in one, departmentalized list as my pantry is a little bare. I am also including fruit that is on the super food list for snacks and smoothies.

1 bag apples
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
1 lemon
1-2 bags baby spinach
1 bag baby carrots
1 yellow or white onion
1 red onion
1 head garlic
1-3 sweet potatoes
2 boxes portobello mushrooms
1 bag whole wheat buns (for the Bear)
1 can great northern or cannelloni beans
1 can black beans
1 box reduced sodium chicken stock
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
1 pound chicken breast
1 pound Italian chicken sausage
1-2 pounds flank steak, or other lean cut
1 box brown rice penne pasta
1 bag gluten-free rolled oats
1 bag frozen broccoli florettes
1 bag frozen corn
1 bag frozen blueberries
1 bag frozen strawberries
Hebes de Provence
Cumin
Chili powder
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
String cheese
Parmesan cheese
Yogurt

Have a great weekend!

More on Lake Life

I really got used to life on the lake. I even started pretending I had a boat. Actually, not just a boat, a yacht! Ha ha! If the person who owns this boat ever reads this blog, I thank you for the photo opportunity. I know this might have been close to trespassing, but I only borrowed your boat for a picture:)


When we weren't playing around near the docks, lounging by the pool, or dragging each other to different tourist locations, the Bear and I were just enjoying each others' company. Something we haven't been able to do, just us, in a long time. I also made these delicious crab cake sandwiches!!

Even though the Lake of the Ozarks is nowhere near the ocean, there is a surprising array of fresh seafood available in the grocery stores and restaurants. Just because I was gluten-free I was not going to let it stop me from enjoying one of may favorite seafood dishes, crab cakes. Yes the bun and breading on this little guy is all g-free baby!

Lake Lump Crab Cakes


For the crab cakes:
1 can lump crab meat, drained
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup crumbled gluten free table crackers (I used Shar brand), divided
2 tablespoon canola oil

For the corn salsa:
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup diced red onion
3 strips cooked center cut bacon, crumbled
1 avocado, diced
1 Roma tomato, diced
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice (about half a lime's worth)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a bowl, mix together the crab meat, Old Bay, red bell pepper, red onion, mayo and 1/4 cup of the table crackers. Set aside so the crackers have time to absorb the excess water in the mixture.

In another bowl, toss all ingredients together for the corn salsa, cover so the avocado does not brown, and set aside.

Heat the canola oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup cracker crumbs on a plate. Divide the crab mixture in half and form two patties with your hands and dredge each patty in the cracker crumbs. Gently place in the pan and fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Flip the patties and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.  Line a plate with paper towels and place the crab cakes on the plate to absorb any excess oil. Place each patty on a bun and top with the corn salsa. You could also go bunless if you please!  I hope you enjoy these as much as we did!

Lake of the Ozarks

This was our view outside our condo every morning...

and the Paradise Parasailors...

The parasailing trips would start at 8:00 a.m. and go until dusk. It was pretty much 180 degrees of lake front viewing all day everyday.

This is my weak panoramic photography attempt. Actually, it isn't too bad for the first time ever using this option on my phone.

We also learned a little about the lake's history through a tour on the Tom Sawyer paddle boat.

Justin was just absolutely thrilled I made him ride 90 minutes on a boat that only went 7.5 miles per hour. Ha ha! I will post more about our trip later today. I have yet to unpack and get organized to go back to school next week. Have a great day!