Gina Homolka's Blog, page 201
February 2, 2017
Burger Bites
Mini burgers with bacon, layered on a bamboo skewer with lettuce, tomatoes and pickles! Who can resist your favorite foods on a stick – not me! These burger bites make the perfect low-carb appetizer to please everyone from age six to age sixty, just set out some ketchup and mustard for dipping and watch them disappear! (more…)
February 1, 2017
Mini Bell Pepper Loaded Turkey “Nachos”
Loaded mini bell pepper nachos – game changer!! These low-carb nachos are loaded with turkey taco meat, cheese and all your favorite nacho toppings!
With Superbowl happening this weekend, I thought these would make a lighter alternative to traditional nachos. Mini rainbow bell peppers are the perfect size for eating with your hands, but heck, you could even make this for lunch or dinner and call it a meal! These are so good, and picky-husband approved!
Print Recipe
Mini Bell Pepper Loaded Turkey "Nachos"
5 Smart Points
187 calories
Total Time: 20 minutes
Loaded mini bell pepper nachos – game changer!! These low-carb nachos are loaded with turkey taco meat, cheese and all your favorite nacho toppings!
Ingredients:
olive oil spray
1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 onion, minced
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
21 mini rainbow peppers, halved and seeded (about 13 oz seeded)
1 cup sharp shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tbsp light sour cream, thinned with 1 tbsp water
2 tbsp sliced black olives
1 jalapeno, sliced thin (optional)
chopped cilantro, for garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F and line a large baking try with parchment or aluminum foil. Lightly spray with oil.
Spray oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Add onion, garlic and cilantro and saute about 2 minutes, add ground turkey, salt, garlic powder, cumin and cook meat for 4 to 5 minutes until meat is completely cooked through. Add 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and chicken broth, mix well and simmer on medium for about 5 minutes, remove from heat.
Meanwhile, arrange mini peppers in a single layer, cut-side up close together.
Fill each with cooked ground turkey mixture, then top with shredded cheese and jalapeno slices, if using.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melted.
Remove from oven and top with black olives, sour cream and cilantro. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
Yield: 6 servings, Serving Size: 7 nachos
Amount Per Serving:
Smart Points: 5
Points +: 5
Calories: 187
Total Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: g
Cholesterol: 62mg
Sodium: 418mg
Carbohydrates: 6.5g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 0.5g
Protein: 18g
January 31, 2017
Hot Spinach Dip
Hot and cheesy spinach dip, grab some chips, toasts or crudites and dig in! Perfect for parties or gatherings, you can double or triple the recipe as needed.
I first posted this recipe back in 2010, my oldest daughter Karina loves this dip! It was the only way I could get her to east spinach and made it often for her as an after school snack. With the Superbowl coming I thought I would revive it! You can prepare this a day ahead and bake as needed. It can also be frozen before heating up if you want to prepare this a few days ahead.
January 30, 2017
Kale Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato, Dried Cherries, Feta & Pepitas
This beautiful salad, made with massaged kale, roasted sweet potatoes, dried cherries, crumbled Feta cheese and pepitas is both nourishing and delicious!
January 29, 2017
Crab Cakes Benedict with Avocado Relish
Treat yourself or your loved ones to this special dish – crab cakes topped with avocado relish and a poached egg. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or brunch!
Traditional Eggs Benedict are made with Hollandaise sauce, but I prefer to skip the Hollandaise which shaves off about 200 calories, the egg yolks are perfectly silky on their own!
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January 28, 2017
Skinnytaste Dinner Plan (Week 61)
Skinnytaste Dinner Plan (Week 61). This past week I returned to one of my favorite places… Charleston! While there I cooked a few Skinnytaste recipes for a group. One of those recipes was the roasted cauliflower rice that we had with fresh fish we picked up at the local fish market. It was so good, I added it back on the menu this week, hope you enjoy!
Skinnytaste Dinner Plan (Week 61)
Monday: Crock Pot Minestrone Soup (Making in my Instant Pot)
Tuesday: Turkey Taco Spaghetti Squash Boats (on taco shells for Madison)
Wednesday: Stuffed Pepper Soup
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Flounder Piccata with Roasted Cauliflower “Rice” with Garlic and Lemon
Saturday: Dinner Out
Sunday: Pressure Cooker Stewed Chicken With Corn (Pollo Guisado Con Maiz) over brown rice
January 24, 2017
Roasted Cauliflower “Rice” with Garlic and Lemon
I love cauliflower “rice”, and I love the nutty flavor of roasted cauliflower so I combined the two to make this easy low-carb side dish that goes great with just about anything from chicken, to steak or fish.
Cauliflower “Rice” uses finely chopped cauliflower, which makes a fantastic low-carb, grain-free stand in for rice. Many supermarkets carry it already chopped which is super time saving, but it’s just as easy to make at home with a food processor. The upside to chopping it yourself is you’ll save money and the shelf life of cauliflower is longer before it’s cut. (more…)
January 23, 2017
Quinoa Huevos Rancheros Bowls
Eggs are not just for breakfast, I love them for lunch or dinner too! These flavorful protein-pack bowls topped with salsa verde, black beans, avocados and queso fresco.
January 22, 2017
Skinnytaste Dinner Plan (Week 60)
As we are getting closer to Superbowl Sunday, make sure you check out my Superbowl section for appetizer and dinner ideas! Also, just want to share, my husband got me the Alexa Echo Dot for Christmas and recently discovered the shopping list feature, game changer! Anyone in my house can tell Alexa what to add to the shopping list, which sends everything to my phone app. No more forgetting the list at home, or forgetting to add something!
Pictured below is The Skinnytaste Meal Planner where I plan my dinners for the week (you can of course use any meal planner). Meal planning is a great way to get organized before heading to the supermarket to get ready for the week! My breakfast is usually something quick like eggs with fruit, a smoothie or avocado toast. We’re a family of four, so if a recipe serves more, it’s either packed up for everyone’s lunch or eaten the next day as leftovers. If you would like to see some of the previous week’s dinner plans, click here
Skinnytaste Dinner Plan (Week 60)
Monday: Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Soup with garlic toast and salad
Tuesday: Zoodles and Meatballs (Zucchini Noodles with Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs) pasta for Madison
Wednesday: Headed to Charleston! (Leftovers for everyone else!)
Thursday: Away
Friday: Cheeseburger Casserole
Saturday: Chicken Shiitake and Wild Rice Soup
Sunday: Sun Dried Tomato and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Rollatini with My House Salad (from The Skinnytaste Cookbook)
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January 21, 2017
Instant Pot Tomato Basil Soup
This is the soup I crave on nights I want soup with a sandwich (great with grilled cheese or garlic bread!). It’s super easy and can be made anytime of the year because it uses canned tomatoes.
This soup is adapted from my Slow Cooker Tomato Soup recipe which I changed up a little to make it work in the Instant Pot. I also changed the method and ingredients slightly so if you notice the nutritional info is different, that is why. I highly recommend using Pecorino Romano, I’ve tried this with other brands and the flavor just doesn’t compare. This soup freezes well which is great for meal prep if you want to make a few dishes ahead for the month.
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