There are many variations on how to cook or fill an eggplant. I decided to prepare mine today in thin sliced eggplant rolls filled with ricotta cheese and fresh chopped seasoned salmon. Then I cooked it in a basil and garlic marinara sauce. It doesn’t take too much time to make it and the outcome is mouthwatering.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Approximate Cost: $11.82 or $5.91per serving
Difficulty Level:     X    Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 2
 
Ingredients
1 large size eggplant ($2.45)
1 ½ cups organic basil and garlic sauce ($1.00)
1 large salmon steak cut in small bite size pieces ($3.76)
½ cup of Fat Free Ricotta cheese (.85)
1 egg (.16)
1 ½ tsp. Angie’s Dried Seasoning (.25)
1 tsp. Garlic powder (.25)
1 tsp. Dries Onion Flakes (.25)
¼ cup olive oil ($1.10)
¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (.75)
1 avocado ($1.00)
Salt and pepper to taste
  
Directions

1. Wash the eggplant, pat dry and slice from top to bottom very thin.
2. Prepare a baking Pyrex mold with oil spray and ½ cup organic basil and garlic sauce.
3. Sprinkle the eggplant generously with salt and pepper on both sides and set aside for about 15 minutes. This will make the eggplant sweat. After time is up, dry the liquid on both sides with paper towel.
4. Sprinkle lightly again with salt, pepper and olive oil. Bake the slices until golden and tender. Remove from oven and let them cool.
5. While the eggplant slices bakes, prepare the filling. Clean and pat dry the salmon, cut in small cubes and season with 1 tsp. of my dried seasoning.
6. In a separate bowl add the ricotta, egg, ½ tsp. Angie’s Dried Seasoning, garlic powder, dried onion flakes and chopped salmon. Mix well until all ingredients are combined.
7. At this point, spoon 1 tbsp. plus in one end of the eggplant and roll it carefully. Place the roll seam faced down on the baking mold, where you poured ½ cup of organic basil and garlic sauce previously. Sprinkle with sauce and Parmigiano Reggiano.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, just until the salmon cooks and the cheese melts.
9. Serve, if you wish, over a handful of baby spinach and avocado slices.

Traditionally, meatloaf is a bit heavy on ingredients, ground beef, pork, lamb… breadcrumbs and the such. I always try to cook healthy and tasty, therefore, my recipe today will deliver both. Try it.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Approximate Cost: $11.31 or $3.77 per serving
Difficulty Level:  X    Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 3
 
Ingredients
1 lb. ground turkey 98% fat free ($4.10)
1 egg (.16)
1 tbsp. milk (.10)
2 ½ tbsp. EVOO (.65)
1 tbsp. Adobo (.35)
3 cups of Kale (1 cup chopped real fine and 2 cups in medium size pieces ($2.20)
1 lb. Pumpkin-Calabaza cut in cubes ($1.75)
2 Avocado ($2.00)
Salt and pepper to taste
 
Directions

1. Season the ground turkey with Adobo, milk, 1 tbsp. EVOO, and egg.
2. Chop 1 cup of kale real fine and add to the turkey. Mix well, form a thick roll.
3. In a saucepan with salted water, cook the cubed pumpkin until tender but not mushy. Drain the water and set aside. Keep it warm.
4. In a skillet, with 1 tbsp. of EVOO, sauté 2 cups of kale until bright green, remove set aside.
5. In the same skillet, sauté the meatloaf roll until nicely golden and cooked. The meat thermometer must reach 170 F temperature inside. Remove from skillet and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing it.
6. You are almost there, slice the avocados, plate the pumpkin, add a scoop of kale to the plate, top it with turkey meatloaf slices and avocado and finally, drip some EVOO on top of each plate.  DONE!

​Really simple and no need to get your BBQ going, since you can make this in minutes in your indoor grill or iron skillet. A bit expensive though, but is so worth it. Just a few ingredients needed. The bonus is that they are all so good for your health. Fix a salad and you are done!
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: Under 30 minutes
Approximate Cost: $22.90 or $11.45 per serving
Difficulty Level:     X    Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 2
 
Ingredients ($20.49)
2 filet mignon steaks cut in cubes ($18.00)
1 red pepper cut in cubes (.92)
1 yellow pepper cut in cubes (.92)
Salt to taste (.15)
Pepper to taste (.15)
2 tbsp. olive oil (.35)
 
Salad ($2.41)
2 cups mixed greens ($1.50)
2 Roma tomatoes (.66)
1 tsp. olive oil (.25)
Salt and pepper to taste
 
Directions
Clean the fillet, cut in cubes, season with 1 tbsp. EVOO, salt and pepper to taste, Refrigerate.
In a bowl add the salad greens, slice the tomatoes, add salt, pepper and oil to taste. Refrigerate.
Clean, pat dry and cut the peppers in cubes.
Assemble the kebobs with peppers and fillet to your like. I alternate. Add onions if you like.
In a stove top grill, add 1 tbsp. of olive oil and when is hot, add your kebobs and cook just until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side, then rotate until they are golden brown throughout. When done they will be medium-well. If you prefer them well-done, cook longer.
They only thing left to do is to let them rest for few minutes while you get ready to serve. Enjoy!

Sandwiches don’t have to be boring. There is a million ways to make them and you just don’t have to make a ham and cheese sandwich any more. These ones today are not your everyday sandwiches. Be creative and make them with whatever you have in your fridge, including leftover mac and cheese, of course fried! Ha, ha, ha. Don’t you dare!
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Approximate Cost: $23.50 or $2.69 per serving
Difficulty Level:    X     Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 9
 
Ingredients
2 Avocado ($2.00)
½ pack Smoke salmon ($7.00)
9 Roast Beef slices ($2.50)
9 Turkey Pepper slices ($3.00)
9 Chicken slices ($3.00)
9 Cheese slices: Cheddar, Swiss and mozzarella Cheeses ($2.75)
9 rolls: potato, wheat, and hamburger rolls @.21/roll = ($1.89)
EVOO or butter to spread on bread ($1.00)
 
Directions

1. As easy as 1-2-3: Slice the avocado, spread butter or humus on the bread.
2. Start layering the sandwiches with cheese, Chicken, Roast Beef, Turkey Pepper, Smoke salmon and finish with avocado.

 
Done!

​There must be a zillion ways to prepare ground turkey. I always try to make it as tasty as possible, since this cut doesn’t have any flavor. I used the unexpected factor, a bag of Grill Mates Garlic, Herbs & Wine and a lot of onions, added flavorful sautéed mushrooms prayed for a delicious dish. It was amazing!
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time:  30 Minutes
Approximate Cost: $9.18 or $4.59 per serving
Difficulty Level:      X   Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 2
 
Ingredients
½ lb. of ground white turkey enough to make 6-7 baby rolls. ($1.85)
1 Grill Mates bag of the flavor of your choice (.98)
1 onion (.40)
10 Baby Bella mushrooms ($1.45)
3 tbsp. Olive oil (.70)
4 scallion springs (.30)
1 avocado ($1.00)
1 jalapeno pepper (.30)
1 box of whole wheat couscous ($1.90)
1/2 cup beef stock (.30) (for an optional gravy)
 
Directions

1. Add to a bowl the ground turkey, 1 tbsp. of EVOO and as much as you want of the Grill Mates bag, for flavor. Mix well, assemble the baby rolls by adding one scoop of meat in your wet hands, roll it as a ball and then make the roll shape. Briefly sauté until golden in EVOO. Remove and set aside.
2. Cook the couscous according to the package directions. When done, set aside.
3.  Chop the onion, mushrooms and sauté in 2 tbsps. of EVOO. Add a few jalapeno pepper slices and cook until the mushrooms and onion are golden brown.
4. Add the turkey baby rolls and beef stock and cook until the stock almost dries out in med-low.
5. To serve, slice the avocado and garnish with scallions and pinch of dried parsley.

A fish meal is always light, (if you don’t deep fry it, of course) very healthy and delicious. Combined with asparagus, my dish today promises empty plates at the end, Smile.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Approximate Cost: $16.83 
Difficulty Level:     X    Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 3 servings at $5.62 per serving
 
Ingredients
3 Haddock filet @ $3.26ea = ($9.78)
1 pk. Grill Mates Mesquite Marinade ($1.17)
2 tbsp. EVOO (.35)
½ cup White wine ($2.00)
½ large Onion (.35)
1 Tomato (.33)
2 tsp. Capers (.20)
½ pk. Asparagus (1.45)
¼ cup chopped parsley (.20)
1 Avocado ($1.00)
Salt
 
Directions
Clean cut diagonally and season the fish with 1 pk. Grill Mates Mesquite Marinade and 1 tbsp. EVOO. Refrigerate.
Start a saucepan with ½ cup of salted water, clean, cut the ends and blanch the asparagus until bright green and tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, set aside.
Chop the onion, tomato and sauté in 1 tbsp. of EVOO with the capers until golden.
Add the chopped parsley and the wine. Cook for few minutes until the sauce is lightly reduced.
On a separate skillet, sauté the fish pieces until light white. Do not overcook them.
Add the fish to the wine sauce carefully and cook for 3 minutes in medium.
In 3 soup dishes, add avocado slices, garnished with asparagus, spoon in the fish with some of the sauce. Done!

​Orzo is a simple pasta that I prefer over rice. Is easy to cook and it tastes based on the flavors that you add to it. I used red wine and Italian cheeses blend today for an unexpected flavor, the end result was delicious!
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: Under 30 Minutes
Approximate Cost: $12.05 or $6.02 per serving
Difficulty Level:     X    Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 2
 
Ingredients
6 chicken tenders cut in cubes ($4.25)
1 tbsp. Angie’s Dried Seasoning (.30)
1 ¼ cups Orzo ($1.15)
2 ½ cups chicken broth ($1.50)
½ cup red wine ($1.50)
5 cloves garlic, chopped (.35)
1 ½ tbsp. EVOO (.70)
¼ cup Italian Cheese Blend (.85)
Few springs of Parsley to garnish (.45)
1 Avocado ($1.00)
 
Directions

1. Season chicken with 1 tbsp. EVOO and my dried seasoning, briefly sauté in its oil. Remove from skillet, set aside.
2. In the same skillet, add ½ tbsp. of oil and brown the garlic.
3. Add the orzo and cook to brown a bit.
4. Add 1 cup or broth and the wine and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat and cook according to package directions from this point. I would uncover every 4-5 minutes and add more broth until the grain is tender and the dish is moist but not soupy.
6. About 4-5 minutes before is done, add the chicken, stir and cover just to warm and finish cooking the chicken. Add the shaved cheeses, parsley and avocado.
7. You are done and ready to eat.

I like my chocolate chips cookies crispy, but then again, I never met a chocolate chip cookie that I didn’t like. Smile. It’s no rocket science to make them. Regardless of how many recipes are out there, they all have similar ingredients; flour, sugar, chocolate chips, butter, vanilla, eggs, yeah, no surprises. My recipe is no different, my cookies come out today just as I intended them to be, huge and crunchy. Next time who knows, I might make baby cookies and add 1/2 cup of pecans. Smile.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 25-30 Minutes
Approximate Cost: $7.40 or .29 cents per cookie
Difficulty Level:    X     Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 25 to 30 Cookies
 
Ingredients
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (.95)
½ tsp. baking powder (.15)
½ tsp. baking soda (.15)
½ tsp. regular salt (I use Kosher) (.10)
1 stick of unsalted butter (make sure is at room temp. before using it) ($1.31)
½ cup brown sugar (.30)
½ cup granulated white sugar (.30)
2 tsps. Good vanilla ($1.98)
1 large egg (.16)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips ($1.35)
½ cup of Reese’s Peanut Butter morsels (optional) (.65)
  
Directions
 

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheet molds with parchment paper. In a med size bowl, whisk well all your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl and using an electric mixer, cream the butter, white and brown sugars. Then add the vanilla and egg. Beat until the egg is totally incorporated in the mix.
3. Add the flour in stages, so it will be easy to incorporate into the wet mix. Do not overbeat.
4. Add your chips now and fold them into the mix with a spatula.
5. With an ice cream scooper, scoop the mix into rounded cookies, one at a time, on your parchment paper molds and carefully press lightly down in the middle. Give them space, since they will expand as they cook.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes, (depending on your oven calibration) you will see that the cookies grew in size and the edges are light brown.
7. Remove them from oven and let them rest.

 
HACK: I used only butter for my recipe, however, if you want more crunchiness, use ½ butter and ½ Crisco shortening. (I prefer not to use this method.)

Thank God is FRIDAY! Today you have a simple and yet elegant dinner for two that can be prepared during any weeknight. It takes no time to put together and is super healthy and mouthwatering. What more can you ask?
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: Under 35 Minutes
Approximate Cost: $11.37 or $5.69 per serving
Difficulty Level:         Easy __X__ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 2
 
Ingredients for the fish ($1.74)
2 flounder fillet (at .67ea. = $1.14)
1 tsp. Angie’s Dried Seasoning (or the one of your choice with Paprika) (.25)
1 tsp. EVOO (.35)
 
Ingredients for the Cauliflower Rice ($7.58)
3 cups of cauliflower rice ($2.25)
10 Baby Bella mushrooms ($1.40)
½ cup White wine ($1.75)
6 garlic cloves chopped (.35)
1 tbsp. of store bought Pesto at room temperature (.45)
1 tsp. Capers (.35)
1 Lemon (.33) Cut in ½. 1 ½ for the guacamole the other half to garnish.
1 ½ tbsp. EVOO (.40)
1 tbsp. Angie’s Dried Seasoning or the seasoning of your choice (.30)
 
Ingredients to Garnish ($2.05)
2 Baby Cucumbers (.30)
2 vine tomatoes (.50)
1 Avocado, ½ tsp. Adobo, onion flakes, oil, ½ lemon juice ($1.25)
 
Directions

1. Guacamole: mash: 1 avocado, ½ tsp. Adobo, 1 tsp. onion flakes, oil, ½ lemon juice squeezed. Refrigerate.
2. Slice the Baby Cucumbers and vine tomatoes, refrigerate.
3. Season the flounder fillet with1 tsp. Angie’s Dried Seasoning (or the one of your choice with Paprika), and 1 tsp. EVOO. Refrigerate.
4. In a skillet, add 1 ½ tbsp. EVOO, when hot, sauté the chopped mushrooms with the chopped garlic until golden, add1 tbsp. Angie’s Dried Seasoning or the seasoning of your choice and 1 tsp. Capers.
5. Add the 3 cups of cauliflower rice, the Pesto and stir until well mixed. Then add the ½ cup White wine and stir to combine all the ingredients.
6. Cook for few minutes, 2 to 3, since the cauliflower rice should be crunchy.
7. Just before ready to plate, sauté the fish briefly, add the tomatoes and cucumbers to your plates, scoop the guacamole in and garnish with a slice of lemon. Finally, add the cauliflower rice, the flounder and ENJOY! 

 
My Link: Angie’s Dry Seasonings: http://www.angieslifehacks.com/family-life/oven-roasted-bacon-chicken-and-angies-seasonings