Squash Gratin

 Squash Gratin is a healthy spin on potato gratin, which usually includes heavy cream and lots of butter. This is flavored with seasonings and only a pinch of butter is added to make bread crumbs crunchy. I still included cheese in it of course. I prefer feta, but you can use your favorite cheese to make it your own.



Ingredients:

zest of one lemon
3 large zucchini, sliced
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp parsley
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp minced garlic, or powdered garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 cups fresh bread crumbs **See Note
5-6 small red potatoes, thinly sliced, transparently thin
1/4 cup feta cheese

Heat oven to 400. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil and zest of a lemon on bottom on a baking or casserole dish. Set the sliced zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let it sit for about 10 minutes so excess water can drain off of them. Melt butter in pan until browned but not burned, add fresh bread crumbs, and toss together. Set aside off of heat. In small bowl, mix olive oil, oregano, parsley, garlic, sea salt, and red pepper flakes with a whisk. In large bowl, mix the sliced potatoes, feta, and drained zucchini. Add olive oil mixture to the potato and zucchini bowl. Add all the mixture to the prepared pan and sprinkle the bread crumbs on top. Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and cooked through. This will vary greatly with the amount of water in each potato and zucchini as to how long it needs to cook. Enjoy! We ate it too fast to get a finishing picture. It was delicious!

*Note:  I just put whole wheat bread slices on the oven racks while the oven was preheating to make them toasty. It helps to have bread somewhat stale or toasty to absorb the butter.

Granola Bars

These granola bars are packed with protein and fiber which will surely get you motivated to start your day! Rolled oats have so many healthy benefits. They contain 5 grams of protein and 2 grams of soluble fiber per serving. Did you know that 3 grams of soluble fiber from oatmeal daily may reduce the risk of heart disease? I also am using wheat germ which contains Vitamin E and Folic Acid, and whole wheat flour that has a good source of fiber as well. Along with the healthy benefits, these bars are so delicious and addicting. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup splenda (or 1/2 cup regular sugar if you prefer)
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dried cranberries (craisins)
1/2 cup honey
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
sprinkle of brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13 baking pan. Mix in large bowl oats, splenda, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, and cranberries. Make a well in the center of the bowl and add honey, beaten egg, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix with your hands to ensure all the oats are covered. Spread mixture evenly over the greased pan. If needed, grease the back of a spatula to prevent mixture from sticking to your hands and not spreading. Sprinkle brown sugar on top of granola mixture. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until edges are browned. Let cool for about 5 mintues and cut in squares. If you let them cool completely, they will be too hard to cut. Continue to cool before eating.

Salsa Verde Turkey Burger

Salsa Verde is a green salsa you will find right beside the red salsa in the grocery store. It has a different taste than regular red salsa because it is made with tomatillos, which are from the tomato family, but look like small green (verde) tomatoes.

Ingredients:
Drizzle of olive oil
1 lb ground turkey meat (not ground turkey breast, you want the dark meat for this dish)
1/4 cup salsa verde (green salsa)
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (or if you prefer no feta, top the burger with provolone cheese slices)
1 tbsp dried cilantro
1/4 cup of dried Italian bread crumbs
1 avocado
1/2 cup light mayo
1 tsp minced garlic
splash of lime juice
Kaiser rolls or regular burger buns, toasted
1 small green tomato, cut in slices

Mix turkey meat, salsa, feta, cilantro, and bread crumbs in a large bowl. If you think the mixture looks too dry, add more salsa. Drizzle a large skillet with olive oil and turn to medium heat. Form turkey patties and place on hot skillet. Cook on each side for about 2-4 minutes or until seared through and no longer pink inside. While the burgers are cooking, mix in small bowl the avocado, mayo, garlic, and lime juice (I smash the avocado with a fork until slightly chunky). This can be used to top on just burger with no bun, like I do, or as your spread for the buns. Once burgers are done, spread avocado mixture on toasted buns and top with a slice of green tomato. Enjoy your healthy meal!