Shannon's Kitchen Creations

One of my favorite comfort foods in Spaghetti and Meatballs. But portion size is key to enjoying this meal at home. Most restaurants serve you a HUMUNGOUS plate and the amount they give you could probably feed a family of 4. These meatballs are delicate and juicy. Your family will never guess they are filled with veggies and are low fat. There are some great alternatives to regular pasta. One of my favorites is the Smart Taste line by Ronzoni. It is high in fiber and low in points and tastes great!

I also use Ragu’s light sauce. It is delicious and has no added sugar. Enjoy!

Meatballs

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So I have been reading this amazing new book called Wildly Affordable Organic by Linda Watson and she gives you wonderful ideas of how to shop on a budget and still feed your family organic.

She has shopping lists, menu planning and recipes in her book in such a simple format. Since, I am trying to integrate as much organic, local food into my diet; I am integrating her suggestions in baby steps into my daily routine. I have planted an organic vegetable garden, so I know all my produce is fresh and pesticides free and we are visiting a local farmers market this weekend to buy more “local” ingredients. So far I have made her No Knead “Wisk” bread, (it is so simple and really easy) her Hot milk cake (we used this for strawberry shortcake over the weekend) and tonight I am trying her Noodles in Spicy Peanut Sauce with Seasonal Vegetables. I like this recipe, because she tells you how to use different vegetables depending on the season. I used the things in my fridge. I had some cauliflower, cucumbers, carrots and a yellow pepper. I also topped it with my basil from my new herb garden on my deck! I love Thai Food, so this was really yummy. The sauce gives it a smooth, peanut buttery kick, while the fresh veggies add those important nutrients and a great crunch factor.  I changed a few ingredients along the way, but stayed pretty true to her recipe. Enjoy!

Spicy Peanut Noodles

“Thai” Spicy Peanut Noodles with Seasonal Vegetables

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Do you like Goat Cheese?? I love it! Feta is one of my favorites, but I also love soft creamy goat cheese spread on crusty bread or in pasta. I have recently discovered how healthy goat milk is for us. It is a closer make up to human milk than cow’s milk so our body can digest it easier. It is also lower in fats and is great for people who are lactose intolerant. I have found some amazing goat’s milk products that can be found at whole foods : Redwood Hill Farm Goat’s milk yogurt (with wonderful flavors like cranberry orange and apricot and mango) and La Loos Goats milk ice cream (with divine flavors like Deep Chocolate and Rumplemint) * I will be doing giveaways for both of these companies soon!**

Image from YumSugar

Anyways I picked up some chevre (soft goat’s cheese) at the grocery store yesterday and decided to make one of my favorite pasta dishes. It is delicious!!! Enjoy!!

Tomato, Chicken and Goat Cheese Pasta

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Preparation time: 35 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes

GNOCCHI

You Will Need
2 cups mashed potatoes
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (more for dusting)
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1 egg beaten
2 tablespoons softened butter
salt and pepper to taste
large pot boiling  water
1 jar (26 ounces) spaghetti sauce, warmed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

What to Do
1. In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes,  parmesan cheese, flour, butter, egg, pepper and salt. Mix with  your hands or a spoon.

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