Dinner is served! Gnocchi with Pesto

Hello, friends! This week for What's for Dinner? Wednesday I shared a recipe for Gnocchi with Pesto.  Wondering what gnocchi looks like?  I say it looks like a bunch of cute little pasta kisses that taste as yummy as they look.  See what you think by checking out the bowl of gnocchi pictured above.  This recipe is a great way to start with a healthy 2014 goal because you can have this meal on the table in 10 minutes or less.  Want to learn how to cook it yourself? Check out the full recipe HERE>>

Missed out this week? Make sure you get on the A-List, The Fit Armadillo E-mail List that is! Enjoy receiving the ingredients for each recipe in your inbox on Mondays so you can get cooking with us on Wednesdays each week.  Sign up HERE>>

Did you cook some pasta kisses of your own tonight? What do you think of this recipe idea? Share your thoughts with a comment below: 

What's for Dinner? Wednesday: Gnocchi with Pesto

We're one week into 2014!  If you've been thinking about working on your eating habits this year, you've come to the right place.  Every Wednesday at Fit Armadillo is What's for Dinner? Wednesday where I share one of my favorite recipes. This Wednesday, I'm also joining in on the Workout Wednesday Linkup.  I learned about the linkup from Diatta Harris, one of the awesome ladies from the Twelve Days of Fitness Blog Challenge that I hosted.  Visit her page HERE>> to learn more about the WOW Linkup.

For those of you new to my page, I'm going to be totally transparent, I'm not a chef! I'm just a personal trainer who likes cooking healthy.  All of my recipes are modified from ones made by real chefs. They are recipes that I enjoy, that are healthy, and that are easy to make. Because remember, I'm not a chef! Like, seriously not a chef. Like, I've almost cut the index finger on my left hand off three times not a chef. So you're in good hands, er...you know what I mean! I'm not going to have you slaving away in the kitchen. 

Speaking of not slaving away in the kitchen, this week's recipe will take ten minutes or less to complete.  That's because tonight's meal is Gnocchi with Pesto!  Haven't had gnocchi before? Neither had I until the Christmas holidays. It's a delicious pasta that reminds me of a dumpling without any filling.  Super delicious! Ready to try it out? Here are the ingredients you'll need:

Ingredients for Gnocchi with Pesto for 4:

1 (17.5 oz) package fresh gnocchi
3/4 cup chopped parsley
3/4 cup chopped basil
3 tbsp Parmesan
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp capers
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

How to put it all together:

Step One:  Open up your package of gnocchi and admire those cute little pasta pillows.  Check the box for your cooking directions and set up up a pot to boil with the correct amount of water for your batch.  

Step Two: While your gnocchi are enjoying a lovely soapless bubble bath (Please don't put soap in your pot! Unless, of course one of your kids was being bad. Then just add the soap in for a small batch at the end. Kidding! Kidding!), make your pesto.  All you have to do is combine the remaining ingredients and mix them together in your food processor until they form a sauce (about 2 mins).

Step Three: By the time your pesto is done, your pasta should be ready! Drain out the water and introduce the two.  Divide up your final product among four bowls and enjoy a delicious dinner for less than 300 calories. Serve with your choice of veggies or a great big salad for a complete meal. 

And that's it! Told you it would be easy.  This recipe was adapted from one in the Weight Watchers book, In No Time Delicious Dishes in 20 Minutes or Less.  

Are you going to cook with us tonight? Wanted to join in, but didn't have time to go to the store? Make sure to sign up for my newsletter so you'll always get the list of ingredients at the beginning of the week by clicking HERE>> Have you ever tried gnocchi? Share your thoughts with a comment below and share this recipe if you enjoyed it!: 

Dinner is served! Single Serve Lasagna Rolls

Here's the final product for What's for Dinner? Wednesday: Single Serve Lasagna Rolls!  It's hard to tell from this view, but this lasagna roll is chock full of spinach in addition to a blend of four cheeses.  We love this recipe because it helps us practice two healthy living tips: portion control and meal planning. The single serve size allows you to know just how much you're eating.  Since these rolls can easily be frozen, pack some extras in tin foil and heat them up on a busy night.

Did you make these lasagna rolls? Would you try them? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below: 

What's for Dinner? Wednesday

Happy What's for Dinner? Wednesday! Today we're making a healthier version of a comfort food favorite: lasagna!  We love this recipe because it makes it easy for you to practice two tried and true healthy eating tips.  What are these healthy eating tips, you ask? Portion control and meal preparation.

Go to a restaurant these days and it's hard to find a meal that doesn't contain close to 100% of your daily caloric needs because of out of control portion sizes.  With portion sizes out of control everywhere you look, it can be hard to figure out what to serve at home as well.  For this meal you'll be able to easily see how many portions you are serving.

Another reason it can be hard to eat healthy is that life can get pretty busy.  When you are running out of hours in the day and starving, the last thing you'll want to do is run to the grocery store to cook up a healthy meal.  Especially if you can buy something that's already made for you - healthy or not! This week's meal can also be a part of your healthy meal preparation plan for those busy nights.  How? Instead of preparing your lasagna as one dish, you'll make lasagna rolls.  Each roll is about 250 calories and can be frozen individually so you can easily reheat one or more on one of those chaotic days coming up this holiday season!  Excited to practice portion control and meal preparation with one easy meal? So are we! Here are your ingredients:

Makes 10 Lasagna Rolls:

10 whole wheat lasagna noodles
24 oz marinara sauce (no sugar added)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups baby spinach, loosely packed and chopped
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups part-skim, shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup non-fat cottage cheese
1 egg white
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

How to make lasagna rolls Garfield would be proud of:

Step One: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  While it's warming up, get out a 13" x 19" casserole dish and spread 1 1/4 cups of your marinara sauce along the bottom and boil water in a pot so you can cook your lasagna noodles.  When the water is ready, cook the noodles for 8 minutes.  Drain the noodles and set them aside.  If you're feeling adventurous, you can start step two while cooking the noodles. Just don't try this with more than one person in the kitchen (trust us, it will not end well).

Step Two: Take out a large skillet and add your olive oil.  Heat your oil over medium-low heat and add in your minced garlic.  Saute the garlic for about 1 minute or until it is fragrant (did we mention this recipe will help keep any vampires away? You're welcome!). Next add your chopped spinach and cook it until it wilts (about 3 minutes more).

Step Three: In a large bowl, mix together the contents of your skillet (garlic + spinach) with your ricotta, 1 cup of your mozzarella, cottage cheese, egg white, oregano, salt and pepper. Can you tell this is going to be good? Mmmmm....

Step Four:  Flatten your lasagna noodles on a clean work surface and spread 1/4 cup of the cheese/spinach mix over each noodle.  Roll the noodle by starting at the end closest to you.  Once your lasagna roll is rolled up, place it seam side down on the bed of marinara in your 13" x 9" pan. Continue this process for all 10 noodles.  Then add another cup of marinara over your rolls and sprinkle them with the rest of your mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. 

Step Five: Cover your pan and lasagna rolls with aluminum foil and bake them for 20 minutes, or until your cheeses are bubbling. (You'll probably smell the cheesy goodness before then - mmm mmm mmmm!)

Step Six:  Take your lasagna rolls out of the oven and serve them to your guests.  You'll have extra marinara so, add some to the top if you wish (you'll want to heat it up a little first). We love these lasagna rolls with a side salad made of any leftover spinach, fresh tomato and balsamic vinegar. However, feel free to add your own side of choice.

Step Seven (optional):  If you have some rolls left, pack them up and put them in the freezer so you can make this meal again in 5 minutes or less! Wrap them in tin foil and freeze for up to three months, however, you'll probably use them before then.  To reheat out of the freezer warm on low for 1-2 minutes and then on high for 1-2 minutes. 

Are you going to try this meal with us? How do you prepare for busy nights? Share a thought with us by posting a comment in the space below:

Dinner is Served! Healthy Mac 'n Cheese

Last night we enjoyed some healthy Mac 'n Cheese (to see the full recipe CLICK here). Check out the final product above made with whole grain pasta, green peas, ham, and mushrooms. Enjoy cheesy goodness without the guilt when you cook up this dish.  Not a big fan of ham or our veggie choices? Feel free to experiment with your Mac 'n Cheese masterpiece.  

Did you cook with us? Let us know how it went by posting a comment below: