What’s for Dinner?

By Jodee Weiland

“What’s for dinner?” is a common refrain in many households. With that particular question, “What’s for dinner?” is usually directed to the person who cooks for the household. That same person either has no idea until they check what they have on hand and what they may need to get, or they know for sure what they’ll be cooking on that particular day. Either way, if you’re the person who does the cooking, you will always have those special recipes you turned to when asked, “What’s for Dinner?” on any given day!

There are so many meals for me to choose from, but here are just a few of mine:

http://learnfromyesterday.comFresh Homemade Margherita Pizza

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Homemade Barbecue Sauce from Mom

Delicious Sirloin Meatballs with Jalapenos or Not

Salmon with Sweet Bourbon Glaze

Italian Basil Pesto…a Classic Italian Meal

Aunt Rose’s Eye of Round Roast Italian Style

Rolled Italian Meatloaf…With Spinach, Mozzarella, and Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce

Fabulous Shrimp Creole with Rice

Seared Sea Scallops with Parmesan Prosciutto Risotto

Deciding “What’s for Dinner?” is not always easy, and sometimes it takes a little creativity to make a dish that’s both delicious and healthy for your family. But the above list may help you come up with just the right dinner for your family and if not, take a look at some of the other recipes I have on the site. There are so many wonderful dishes you can make for dinner, but first you need to find the one that’s right for your family, so take a look! Once you decide, enjoy!

Delicious Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Slices with Thyme

By Jodee Weiland

There are so many wonderful ways to cook a sweet potato, but around this time of year everyone is thinking about eating healthier. An oven roasted sweet potato is a great way to have a healthy sweet potato with your meal. These sweet potatoes are so delicious, you won’t miss the brown sugar, butter, or marshmallows at all. Sweet potatoes are definitely sweet enough on their own, so why not roast them with a few seasonings and have my Delicious Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Slices with Thyme!

http://learnfromyesterday.comIt doesn’t take much to make a delicious oven roasted sweet potato. All you need is some extra-virgin olive oil and the right seasonings. Thyme is an excellent seasoning to add flavor to a sweet potato. Add some garlic and onion powder as well, and the flavor is outstanding! Lightly use some sea salt, but ever so lightly, and ground pepper to taste, and the result is perfection!

http://learnfromyesterday.comDelicious Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Slices with Thyme

2 to 4 sweet potatoes peeled (depending on the number of people and size of the potatoes)
Extra virgin olive oil
Garlic powder to taste (1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon)
Onion powder to taste (1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon)
Ground thyme to taste (1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon)
Sea salt lightly and black pepper to taste

http://learnfromyesterday.comhttp://learnfromyesterday.com

These are the basic seasonings, but you can add any other seasonings you may like. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees. Prepare your baking sheets with parchment cooking paper. Cut the each potato in  ½” slices to create your oven roasted sweet potato slices just before you are ready to cook. You may do this sooner and leave in cold water, but I prefer to do it just before baking.

http://learnfromyesterday.comhttp://learnfromyesterday.com

Put the slices in a large bowl and pour some olive oil over the slices. Toss the slices until all of them are coated with some olive oil. They do not need to be drenched, but just coated. Once coated in olive oil, season the slices with the above seasonings to taste. It does not take much of any of the seasonings to add flavor, so add seasonings carefully. Place the slices evenly on your baking sheets. You may add any additional seasonings you may like, but if serving guests, I suggest you always ask about preferences as some people may not like or tolerate well certain seasonings. When done seasoning, place the baking sheets in the oven for about 16 to 20 minutes or until fork tender. Watch them carefully when baking so that you do not burn them.

http://learnfromyesterday.comMy Delicious Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Slices with Thyme are so good, you will want to eat sweet potatoes like this forever! Not only are they delicious, but they are healthy as well. What more could you want? We love these sweet potato slices, and we are seriously considering doing the sweet potatoes this way next Thanksgiving as well. Give them a try and see what you think! Enjoy!

http://learnfromyesterday.com

 

Grapefruit Strawberry Mango Smoothie Plus

By Jodee Weiland

I never tire of new smoothie combinations, especially before or after working out! Each smoothie combination is carefully thought out for the maximum boost I may be looking for on any particular day. Because I use mostly fruit and vegetables for my smoothies, each one is sure to be full of needed nutrients of all kinds. My Grapefruit Strawberry Mango Smoothie Plus is full of healthy nutrients and is delicious as well.

http://learnfromyesterday.comThis smoothie uses grapefruit, so if you are on certain medications for cholesterol control, you may want to substitute the grapefruit with orange segments and orange juice instead. The fruits have many of the vitamins and minerals that we all need to keep healthy. I like to use fruits with Vitamin C during the cold and flu season, to give me a little extra something to help fight germs and stay healthy. The plus in this smoothie is a carrot. This adds a vegetable to my smoothie, and it adds to the great flavor as well. All in all, this smoothie gives me the energy boost I need in the afternoon or mid-morning hours.

http://learnfromyesterday.comGrapefruit Strawberry Mango Smoothie Plus

  • 1 large carrot peeled and cut up
  • 1 cup grapefruit segments packed in light syrup
  • 3/4 cups fresh strawberries halved
  • 1 cup frozen fresh mango slices
  • OPTIONAL: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon organic honey

http://learnfromyesterday.comBlend all of the above ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. I did not add honey, but for those who prefer a sweeter flavor, add the honey as well. Pour into a glass to serve. This recipe makes one serving.

http://learnfromyesterday.comMy Grapefruit Strawberry Mango Smoothie Plus is both healthy and delicious tasting! This great smoothie is only 181 calories without honey, making it less than 200 calories. Even with honey, it will be only another twenty calories. It has no fat and six grams of fiber plus various nutrients. There are 305 milligrams of vitamin C for those of us looking to avoid colds and the flu this season. I love it because for me, it is a great energy booster before or after a workout without being high in calories. For whatever reason you choose to try this smoothie, I feel certain you will love the flavor, so enjoy!

Hearty Homemade Lentil Soup

By Jodee Weiland

One of my favorite soups to make on a cold winter day is lentil soup. My recipe for lentil soup is both delicious and healthy because I power up the amount of vegetables I use to make it. I have always liked a lentil soup with substance, but most recipes I find use things like carrots and celery as a slight touch of flavoring for their lentil soup. For me, I have always felt a bit more is needed, so I add more to my Hearty Homemade Lentil Soup!

http://learnfromyesterday.comCarrots and celery are wonderful vegetables that are full of great nutrients. They are both low in calories and add great flavor to any dish. In my lentil soup, I add three times or more the amount of carrots used in most recipes. With celery, I add two times or more the usual amount. As you can see, I favor the carrots, but I love the flavor carrots add to many recipes and especially, to soup. I, also, use organic vegetable broth in my lentil soup because I want it to be a true vegetarian soup. I think these things make my lentil soup tastier and heartier as well.

http://learnfromyesterday.comHearty Homemade Lentil Soup

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 large celery stalks chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil or 3 teaspoons of fresh basil chopped
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can organic diced tomatoes with juice
  • 2 cups dried lentils, picked over, rinsed, and drained
  • 8 cups organic vegetable broth plus 1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth (fat-free chicken broth may be used, if preferred)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup fresh spinach chopped
  • OPTIONAL: Sriracha hot chili sauce ( a drizzle per serving)

http://learnfromyesterday.comhttp://learnfromyesterday.com

http://learnfromyesterday.comhttp://learnfromyesterday.com

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. When the oil is heated, add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and basil. Saute this mixture for five to seven minutes. Then add the diced tomatoes, lentils, 8 cups of vegetable broth, and lemon juice. Stir this all together and bring to a boil. When this comes to a boil, lower the heat to simmer at medium-low to medium heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 40 minutes, while stirring once or twice, if needed.

http://learnfromyesterday.comhttp://learnfromyesterday.com

After 40 minutes, remove the bay leaf and add the 1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth or as much of it as needed, if the soup needs to be thinned out at this point. You will be simmering it again, so you don’t want it too thick at this point. I add the whole can of vegetable broth at this point. Then stir in the chopped spinach. Bring to low boil again, then lower the heat to simmer once again and simmer, while stirring occasionally, for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the soup is at your preferred consistency.

http://learnfromyesterday.comMy Hearty Homemade Lentil Soup is absolutely delicious and so healthy, you will want to make it often for your family. Great for lunch or dinner, serve this hearty soup with a crusty multigrain bread and side salad. I love adding a drizzle of sriracha hot chili sauce to spice it up a bit as well. Also, this soup pairs well with either a Pinot Noir or Chianti. However, you decide to serve this great soup, you will love it, so enjoy!

Good Morning Strawberry Mango Plus Smoothie

By Jodee Weiland

Getting up in the morning and grabbing a healthy smoothie is a great way to start your day! A smoothie, done right, can be a high-fiber breakfast, which can help you lose weight if that’s a personal goal. But even if you are not looking to lose weight, a healthy smoothie has all sorts of health benefits, like reducing the risk of heart disease. My Good Morning Strawberry Mango Plus Smoothie does all of that for you, and it tastes delicious as well!

http://learnfromyesterday.comIn my smoothie, I intentionally wanted to make sure I had at least 200 calories because anything less is not substantial enough to substitute for breakfast. Everyone needs fuel for their bodies to function properly. I wanted to make sure I had minerals and vitamins included, plus some protein and at least five grams of fiber. It was for these last two reasons, I included fruits, a vegetable, and almonds.

http://learnfromyesterday.comGood Morning Strawberry Mango Plus Smoothie 

  • 1 large carrot, peeled and cut up
  • 3/4 cup fresh strawberries
  • 3/4 cup fresh frozen mango, cut up
  • 6 whole almonds
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • Optional: 1/2 teaspoon organic honey or more to taste, if preferred

http://learnfromyesterday.comBlend all of the above ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. I did not add honey, but for those who prefer a sweeter flavor, add the honey as well. Pour into a glass to serve. This recipe makes one serving.

http://learnfromyesterday.comMy Good Morning Strawberry Mango Plus Smoothie is a great way to start your day! This smoothie is both healthy and delicious, while giving you seven grams of fiber along with five grams of protein, as well as numerous other vitamins and minerals. This smoothie is 202 calories and has 0 trans fat, reducing the risk of heart disease. What a great way to start your day, especially if you want to lose weight. Make yourself a healthy smoothie that fuels your body wisely, and enjoy!