Eggplant Rollatini

I love Sundays.  This Sunday is a little bittersweet though.  On Friday, after school, I drove straight up to Wisconsin to visit one of my best friends, Tamara.  Tamara is also a teacher and we became besties while in college together.  I truly think we're soul-mates.  We met because when asked to draw a picture of something that represented who we are, we both drew cupcakes.  Seriously.  So it was just wonderful to be able to spend the weekend with her.

She is a basketball coach and so I got to see a bunch of games this weekend.  It was really neat to see her school and her teams playing and it was also relaxing since I got to just sit around and chill out!  I met some of the teachers she works with and it was just nice to see what she has been up to.  On Saturday, we had a great night catching up over some homemade butternut squash risotto, bruschetta, and wine.  We watched movies and had some quality girl time.  I couldn't believe how much I missed those nights from college and it made me nostalgic.  However, it also made me so grateful how close she still is and how easy it was to pop in for a visit.  Friends like this are one in a million and I am so thankful for her and this great weekend.

This is why I am feeling slightly bittersweet on this Sunday.  I had to say goodbye.  But, then I went home to my family, went for a run outside (since its incredibly above freezing today!) and got to spend some time hanging out and just catching up on schoolwork for the coming week.  Finals start Thursday, and so I am organizing my review materials, reviewing the finals, and getting ready for the new semester!  I can't believe second semester is basically here!  This year is flying by!

Anyways, besides that risotto recipe that I linked to (definitely try it!) I have a new recipe to share! THis is going to be consistent with my attempt to eat healthy and lose a little bit of weight.  It is a recipe for baked Eggplant Rollatini.  This looks like lasagna roll-ups, but instead of noodles, you use eggplant!  The extra veggies combined with the delicious cheese and spinach filling is just amazing!  If you are looking for a great meal that is healthy and can feed a crowd (or give you tons of leftovers) this is a great one to try!

Baked Eggplant Rollatini

(adapted from Skinnytaste)

Ingredients:

2 eggplant sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices

salt and pepper

your favorite marinara sauce

1/2 cup light ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Romano

shredded light mozzarella

10 oz frozen spinach, cooked and drained

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions:

1. Place sliced eggplant on paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt.  Let sit for 15 minutes and then pat dry.

2. Preheat oven to 400 and place eggplant slices on a lightly greased pan.  Season with salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes or until eggplant slices are slightly softened.  Pat dry again with a paper towel.   

3. In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, cooked spinach, egg, and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper. 

4.  Pour some sauce into a 13 by 9 inch pan and spread it out to cover the bottom.  Take each eggplant slice and spread some of the cheese mixture down the middle.  Roll up the slice as tightly as you can.  Place into the pan.  Repeat with all of the eggplant slices.  Pour some sauce over the top of the eggplant rolls and then sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top.  

5.  Bake for 60 minutes or until eggplant is very soft and cheese has completely melted.  

Enjoy :)  

Easy Quesadillas

I have a day off of school today due to the extremely cold temperatures!  It is currently -15 degrees where my apartment is and since school is so far north, it is -17 up there!  Jeez!  It is really really cold and so I am planning on staying in, cooking up some comforting Healthy Mac and Cheese, and watching a movie!

I am also going to get an extra head start on more of my schoolwork since I want to be prepared for the next four days as well as the week after.  Finals are coming up and I want to make sure that I am ready with plenty of review activities so that I can help my students be as successful as they can be!

Today, I wanted to share another good "Cold Day" recipe.  It is easy, uses ingredients that you just have lying around, and is delicious.  I love a good clean-out-the-fridge recipe that is also comforting and yummy!

Easy Quesadillas

Ingredients:
medium whole wheat tortillas
light cheddar cheese (or your favorite)
pepperjack (this is the only must-have, it makes them so good)
sliced vegetables (I used red peppers)
avocado, sliced

Directions:
1. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Place tortilla on skillet for a few seconds and then cover half with some cheese, then peppers and avocado slices, and then more cheese.  Take empty half of the tortilla and fold it over to cover the other side.  Let it heat up for about 2-3 minutes and then flip the quesadilla and continue to warm for a few more minutes.  The cheese should melt and the quesadilla should stick together.
Serve with salsa or sour cream if you want!

Enjoy :)

Benny's all set for this crazy cold day :)

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

As Winter Break winds down, I have to say I have been so grateful for these two weeks off.  I have slept in, ate when I actually felt hungry, ran almost every day, cooked, played with Benny, watched a ton of Netflix, and read four books! It has been amazing.  Stay-cations really are wonderful!

Last night, I got to have dinner with my mom and saw a ton of my girlfriends at Love's.  It was just like old times and it was great to be with so many wonderful people.  Now that the weekend is here, I have a ton to catch up on for school!

There are two more weeks of first semester which means finals are right around the corner.  I am busy planning lessons to re-teach some of the things we learned right before break (I'm pretty sure I forgot everything over break when I was in high school) and lessons to review before finals.  I can't believe I am nearing the end of my first semester as a teacher.  I have learned so much, gotten to know my students (who are awesome) and have already survived 2 of my 3 evaluations.  I feel like I am well on my way to becoming a pro, but I know I am going to continue to learn for the rest of my career!  For example, I recently went to a co-teaching conference and learned a ton of great strategies to incorporate into my teaching style.  I am excited to try to incorporate a few in the new semester!

And, to celebrate a wonderful break, today I have a recipe that is just delicious.  I know that many of you are trying to eat well and keep to your new years resolutions, but once in a while, it does not hurt to have a little treat!  These White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies are just the trick!  They are chewy, tasty, and comforting!

White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3 tsp cornstarch
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tbsp vanilla
1 cup macadamia nuts
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk four, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch.
3. In another large bowl, beat butter with sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and egg white until well combined.  Beat in vanilla.  Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until just combined.  Stir in macadamia nuts and chocolate chips.
4.  Spoon about 2 tbsp of cookie dough and form into a ball.  Place all cookies on cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Bibimbap

Well, Happy New Year! I can't believe 2014 is here.  2013 was always such an important year in my mind because of my graduation, job search, and move to a new apartment.  Growing up, I always thought of myself as a member of the "Class of 2013."  I never really thought about 2014, but here it is!

In the spirit of New Years Resolutions, I am trying to be healthy and happy in this new year.  While I'm not sure that I believe in hard-core dieting to lose weight, I do want to focus on maintaining my health and keeping up my workout routine.  I downloaded a cool app yesterday that encourages a healthy lifestyle.  It is called Lose It! and it is about weight loss.  You log what you eat and how you exercise.  What I like about the app is that it creates a calorie budget for you based on your age, height, and weight.  Then, you get to set your personal goals, join communities, and record your progress.  I like that this app is personalized and allows me to create a totally manageable goal.  I don't want to do anything extreme, just stay healthy and this app is great for that purpose.  Plus, this app is available for iPhone and Droid as well as a website if you don't want to get the app!

In the spirit of healthy choices, today's recipe is super healthy and easily adapted for any diet.  Bri and I made this to use up a ton of veggies that we had on hand and it ended up being a fantastic meal!

Bibimbap
(adapted from Snapfood)

Ingredients:
2 cups brown rice, cooked according to directions
sesame oil
light soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
assorted fresh vegetables, your favorites!
(I used mushrooms, green onions, shredded carrots, zucchini, spinach and sweet onion)
2 eggs

Directions:
1. All you have to do is sauté the veggies in the sesame and soy sauce.  Use as much oil as you like, less if you want to be healthier!
2. Serve mixed vegetables on top of the cooked brown rice in a bowl.  Top with a fried egg, more soy sauce, and siracha (to taste).

Enjoy :)