Meatloaf Stuffed Bell Peppers

Hey Loves!

One of the meals I used to hate as a kid was meatloaf, but as I have grown older I have learned to love it! I am always trying to come up with new ways to re-create it and make it better! I also like to, when I can, make things into "mini" forms haha! These mini individual meatloaf's are TO DIE FOR! 

Serves 6 - 230 Calories & 6 WW PointsPlus


Ingredients:

• 6 Medium bell peppers
• 1.5 Pounds lean ground turkey
• 3 Tbsp flat leaf parsley chopped
• 1 Medium white onion diced
• 3 Cloves garlic diced
• 1 Tsp salt
• 1 Tsp pepper 
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 2 oz Tomato paste
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp Paprika

 Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F
2. Mix all ingredients together except bell peppers
3. Remove tops and core bell peppers
4. Stuff with meatloaf mixture with at least 1/2 inch of room at the top left.
5. Cook at 400°F for 20 minutes then turn down to 375°F 20-30 more minutes
6. Remove from oven and let sit for 3 minutes and then enjoy!

Hope you think these are as yummy as I do! If you remake any of my recipes please tag them with #foodcourtt and make sure to follow me on instagram @foodcourtt!

Happy Creating!

XO, Courtney
 

Auntie Noni's Crockpot Tortilla Soup

Bailey Lynn & Auntie Noni. Man time flies!

Afternoon all! 

So I personally think that the crock pot is the greatest invention known to man! I love cooking and spend hours in my kitchen doing it (I did 7 hours yesterday haha, oops) it can be really therapeutic to listen to music and get to creating, BUT sometimes after a long day at work the LAST thing I want to do is stand on my feet for another hour making dinner! It is also particularly nice because I can just text Joe when I am at work what to throw in there and turn it on and its easy enough for him and way less work for me (; 

Kaiden now & baby Kaiden! Awwww (:

Kaiden with Uncle Joe & Baby Wyatt! Our newest edition, March 2013

For all of you who know me, you know that I am Auntie Noni to my two adorable and wild nephews Kaiden & Wyatt and my sassy and beautiful niece Bailey Lynn! Moving to San Diego was really hard on me because I used to see Bailey everyday. I remember crying just at the sight of her pictures I had hanging EVERYWHERE in the apartment and I would say to Joe I hope she doesn't forget me :( It is truly amazing how much love you can hold in your heart for one (or three) little person(s). She definitely has me in the palm of her hands. The best part about moving here though was being closer to My sister, brother-in-law, Kaiden and Wyatt so I try to focus on the fact that I get to build a relationship with my nephews now like I have with Bailey and I still see her once a week on FaceTime (thank goodness for modern technology!). If I ever opened a restaurant (which is a dream I have along with many, MANY others) I would base my menu on family recipes like my Grandpa's DELICIOUS garlic bread (maybe one day I will post that for all of you!), so that is how this recipe got its name because it is an Auntie Noni Specialty! Hope you enjoy it and if you have any little people in your life, give them an extra "hug squeeze", as Bailey would say, because they grow up way to fast! xxxCourt 

Serves 7-8 (Great for dinner parties!) - Serving size 1 Cup - 268 Calories & 6

His & Hers! Can you guess which one is mine?!

WW PointsPlus

Ingredients:

• 2 (4 oz) Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 cup Black beans (I soak mine over night but drained and rinsed canned black beans with no added salt is perfectly okay!)
• 3 Coves garlic
• 1/2 Large onion (or two small any color is fine!)
• 1 cup Corn (I use frozen organic its cheap and easy)
• 1 can of Crushed tomatoes (no added salt)
• 1 Lime juiced
• 1 cup Low sodium chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cup Water
• 1 tsp seasoning salt (I use Low-Sodium Morton's)
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 - 1 whole seeded jalapeno (optional, keep seeds in if you like it really spicy!) 

Instructions:

For Crockpot: 

You guessed it! Joe's!

1. Throw everything in EXCEPT the corn and jalapeno give it a stir and turn it on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours. 
2. Add remaining ingredients 30 minutes before serving.
3. Top with 1/4 an avocado and a few corn tortilla chips or even some low-fat cheese and shredded lettuce! The possibilities are endless! I always shake some tapatio on mine to spice it up even more! 
4. Enjoy!

For Stove Top: 

Trying to watch my figure, no cheese or chips! Go me!

1. Bake or grill chicken all the way through (350 degrees for 30 minutes covered or grilling for 30 minutes!) remove from juices and shred.
2. Bring all other ingredients (EXCEPT jalapeno and corn) in a large pot to a boil 
3. Add shredded chicken and then simmer for 1-3 hours partially covered
4. Add jalapeno and corn 30 minutes before serving.
5. If soup gets too reduced (thick) add water to loosen up (only add 1/4 cup at a time to not OVER add).
6. Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!

Veggie Chicken Roll-Up with Balsamic Glaze!

Hey There!

Have you ever wanted to impress a dinner guest or even your man with a fancy looking meal? Honey look no more! This DELICIOUS meal is to die for and it really isn't all that hard to put together! By a long shot this is my FAVORITE meal I make right now! It is that good. Not to mention its hearty and healthy. I really hope you love this as much as I do (that's probably impossible haha). Don't forget to use the hashtag #foodCOURTT when you get cookin' with my recipes! Cheers!! xxxCourt

Serves 4 - 182 Calories/Roll-Up (by itself) & 4 WW PointsPlus (by itself)

Balsamic Glaze - 4 Servings - 57 Calories/Tbsp of Glaze & 2 WW PointsPlus

GRAND TOTAL: 239 Calories & 6 WW PointsPlus for Chicken Roll-Up WITH Glaze!!!

Ingredients:

Veggie Chicken Roll-Up

• 2 (5 ounce) Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Bell pepper (you pick the color!)
• 4 Cloves of garlic
• 1/2 Medium onion (you guessed it, you pick the color again!)
• 8 Asparagus sprigs (2 per chicken roll up)
• 1 Zucchini
• 2 tsp EVOO
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 12-16 toothpicks

Balsamic Glaze

• 1 tsp Butter
• 1 tsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
• 1/3 cup Onion/Shallot finely chopped (haha pick again!)
• 1/4 cup GOOD balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp Organic light agave nectar
• 1/4 cup Chicken stock (low-sodium preferred)
• A splash of good red wine (& a glass to drink while you cook yum!)

Instructions:

I like to make the sauce first and then just nuke it in the microwave for 30 seconds before serving it but you can most certainly make it 20 minutes before your chicken is done. I would just rather relax and drink my red wine (;

Step 2: Caramelizing Onions/Shallots

Balsamic Glaze:

1. Heat up butter and EVOO in a saute pan over medium heat let heat up (not too hot, be careful not to burn your butter!).
2. Once the butter and oil is heated up add onions/shallots to pan and caramelize on med/high heat for 5-6 minutes until they are a pretty caramel color.
3. De-glaze the pan by adding in balsamic vinegar (make sure your nose is not right over the pan, this can be a little powerful haha)
4. After de-glazing the pan for 1 minute or so add the agave, chicken broth and red wine. Turn up the pan and bring mixture to a boil.
5. Once the glaze begins to boil turn back down the heat to medium (my stove is 1-10 and I put it on 5) and let simmer and reduce to half its volume for 8-10 minutes.



Step 4: Boiling Glaze!

6. It will be a syrup like consistency when it is done. Turn off the heat and move into a separate bowl if making glaze before the chicken, otherwise spoon onto your cooked chicken!

Veggie Chicken Roll-ups:

1. Begin by chopping all veggies (think of McDonald's fries for the size)
2. Heat up 2 tsp EVOO in saute pan and cook veggies for NO MORE than 3 minutes. You just want to get them started not fully cooked. 

   

   Step 1: Chopped Veggies

3. After 3 minutes is up transfer out of pan to a plate to stop the cooking and give them a chance to cool down so you can handle them with your hands.
4. While the veggies are cooling take chicken breasts and very carefully using your knife slice each of them in half horizontally (think hamburger style).
5. Then using parchment/wax paper or plastic wrap cover each breast so they won't splatter and pound them out into about a half inch thickness. You can use a meat mallet with a flat side if you have one, I just use a drinking glass from my cupboard.

   

   Step 4: Slicing Breasts

6. You now should have FOUR chicken cutlets, season both sides with salt & pepper.
7. Now your veggies should be cool enough to touch. Evenly distribute them into the center of each piece of meet and add 1 peeled clove of garlic to each as well. 
8. Carefully grab the two ends of each cutlet and over lap them and close shut by using 3-4 toothpicks to keep veggies inside. Continue this process with all 4 pieces. 

   

   Step 8: Veggie Roll-Ups PRE-Cooking

9. If you are ready to cook them place on the grill for 30 minutes and flipping about half way in-between. You could also cook them in the oven at 350° F for 30 minutes flipping once as well if you do not have a grill. 
10. After the 30 minutes or the internal temperature has reached 165° F make sure to REMOVE TOOTHPICKS & top with 1 tbsp of Balsamic Glaze per breast and ENJOY!!!

**I have made these up to 24 hours before cooking and covered with plastic

Final Step: EAT UP! NOM NOM NOM!!

wrap in the fridge if you would like to prep the night before I would say go for it but make sure you cover them and NO MORE than 24 hours!

These truly are so yummy! 

Happy Creating!!

Limeberrymelon-Pops!

Hello there!!

Living in San Diego, or even just California, it gets pretty hot around this time of year! I have been craving cold sweets like crazy so I have been in my kitchen creating ways to enjoy these treats without feeling super guilty about what I am putting into my body. So yesterday the Limeberrymelon-Pop was born!! I do have to say these are very tasty! I named them these because it sounds a bajillion times cooler then Strawberry Lime Watermelon Popsicles, haha (: I hope you will love these on a hot day, or any day as a matter of fact because they are THAT good! xxxCourt 

Serves 4 - 52 calories & 1 WW PointsPlus

Ingredients:

-1 1/2 cups strawberries
-1 1/2 cups watermelon
-1/2 lime juiced
-1 tbsp organic light agave nectar

Steps:

1. Place all ingredients into blender or food processor (I have a magic bullet) and blend until smooth. 
2. Pour into Popsicle molds and freeze minimum of 8 hours (I did mine overnight).
3. You can also put a few chunks on strawberry or watermelon into the molds to have fruit chunks in your Popsicle!
4. Enjoy!!

Happy Creating! 

P.S. I got my Popsicle molds at Walmart for $1!!!! Cheap, healthy and delicious?! Hells ya!!

P.P.S. if you recreate any of my recipes hash tag me on Instagram #foodCOURTT so I can see them all!! 

Waistline Friendly Strawberry Vanilla Parfait!

So Yummy & Healthy!!

Good Evening All! 

Tonight I was having a craving after I saw a picture on Pinterest (am I the only one who pronounces it Pin-ER-est? haha, I spend way to much time on there) any who I was inspired to create a waistline friendly version of a parfait! There are many different combinations that can be put together but this is what we had and I do have to say its pretty damn delicious and now I am going to snuggle up with my honey on the couch and watch Hawaii Five-O! Hope you all enjoy this as much as I do and head to my "PinERest" and follow me if you have one! haha (; (C_Sjoberg) xxxCourt P.S. I just discovered Agave Nectar - one word HEAVENLY!! 

2 Servings: 124 Calories & 3 WW PointsPlus!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup 0% plain fat free Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp Light Organic Agave Nectar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup strawberries
• 1.5 tbsp All Natural Slivered Almonds

Instructions:

1. In small bowl mix together Greek yogurt, agave & vanilla extract.
2. Layer into 2 bows or cups (I used stemless wine glasses to feel fancy haha) starting with yogurt, then strawberries, then more yogurt & then the almonds.
3. Repeat until both glasses are evenly filled and all ingredients have been used.
4. Eat & Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!

About Courtney!

Me, Joe (My Handsome Boyfriend) & My Favorite Meal!

Hello Everyone! My name is Courtney! I am 22 years young and decided to start this blog to share my creations (recipes) with my family and friends. I have had a love for cooking since I was about 8 years-old. I recently picked up and moved 500 miles from the Bay Area to Sunny San Diego with the love of my life, Joe. Although it has been challenging, every second has been worth it! My style of cooking is more focused on making comfort meals and "not so good for you" food into healthier versions. Like many people I struggle with my waistline and have hopes that by starting this journey I can change some of my habits and start living a healthier life!

A little bit about me!

I am addicted to the San Francisco Giants, the 49ers & Instagram (LadySjoberg). Cupcakes are my weakness. Purple and Orange are my favorite colors. Food Network and ESPN are always on our television. I want a lab puppy (and probably will have one soon). I crank my music really loud when I drive and clean the house. I am a nanny and work in retail. I go to school for business and hope to graduate from SDSU one day.