Quinoa Bean Burritos - #16 TS Eatwell Choices Pack

Have you ever tried something and didn't care for it?  I did and then I made this . . . Wow!  It was delicious.  Proved that I didn't fix it (quinoa) correctly the first time.  One thing I learned, even using fresh corn tortillas, they are not the thing to use for making chimichangas and burritos.

This recipe takes about 20 minutes for baking, about 5 minutes assembling, plus the time it takes to cook the quinoa.  It can be fixed in advance and frozen for later use or to eat now.

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked quinoa
1 small onion, chopped
2 15.5 oz cans pinto beans, rinsed & drained
1 packet Red Bell Pepper Hummus Mix
3/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp Chipotle Seasoning
2 10 oz pkgs frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water
8 oz shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese
8-10 10-inch whole wheat tortillas or wraps

Assembly Instructions:  Combine all ingredients except the tortillas.  Place 1 tortilla on a sheet of aluminum foil.  Place approximately 1 cup of the quinoa  mixture on the tortilla, fold in sides and roll up from the bottom.  Wrap in foil to seal.  Continue  filling tortillas until all mixture is gone.  Place all wrapped burritos in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:  Thaw completely.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake foiled-wrapped burritos in a large baking pan for 10 minutes; remove foil and bake an additional 8-10 minutes until warmed through.  Makes 6-8 servings.

I normally take photos from beginning to end but we were in a hurry to fix the meals so only the end was photographed.

Did you know you can exchange ingredients or eliminate if it doesn't meet your dietary needs?  That is the wonder of using TS to You meals.  You are not limited in your choices.  For me, I eliminated the spinach and used regular fat-free cheddar cheese.

For more information about TS to You subscriptions, check out my website at www.tastefullysimple.com/web/mbelles1 and click on Subscribe.

Baked Chicken Chimichanga - #15 TS Eatwell Products Pack

I love my Tastefully Simple Meal Collections - I can fix something different every night and have leftovers for those nights that I don't have time to cook.

This was fixed in about 30 minutes or so.  One thing I learned, corn tortillas are not the best to use - they break up.  However, it was very delicious.  I fixed it fresh rather than froze.  Leftovers will be frozen for eating later.



Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 1/3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 jar Corn, Black Bean Salsa
1/2 - 1 Tbsp Chipotle Seasoning
8 8-inch whole wheat tortillas
Plain Greek yogurt (optional)
sliced green onions (optional)

Assembly Instructions:  Combine chicken, cheese, corn black bean salsa, and Chipotle Seasoning.  Spoon 1/3 cup of mixture in the center of each tortilla.  Fold in sides and roll up from the bottom.  Wrap each tortilla in waxed paper and place in gallon resealable freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.


Cooking Instructions:  Thaw completely.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove from wax paper and place seam side down on greased baking sheet and spray top of tortillas with non-stick cooking spray; bake uncovered 25 minutes.  Garnish with plain Greek yogurt and sliced green onions, if desired.  

Makes 6-8 servings.

If you like this recipe and the idea of freezer meals for those nights that you don't have time, contact me.  You can also check out collections on my website.

Sweet & Sassy Shrimp - #12 TS Eatwell Choices Pack

I loved this recipe from our Wholesome & Hearty collection!  Hubby wasn't as fond of it.  That's okay, I can use it for potlucks and eat the leftovers for those quick nights that I don't have time to cook.

The recipe calls for whole wheat pasta and frozen vegetables.  I prefer brown rice and fresh vegetables.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 c Sweet Mustard Moppin' Sauce
1 tsp Chipotle Seasoning
1/4 tsp pepper
16 oz whole wheat pasta, cooked (optional)
19 oz frozen vegetables, cooked (optional)

Assembly Instructions:  Combine first four ingredients in a gallon resealable freezer bag; squish to mix.  Seal well, label and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:  Thaw completely.  Broil or fry to desired doneness.  Serve over prepared pasta and vegetables, if desired.  makes 6 servings.

Smokin' Chipotle Burgers - #10 TS Eatwell Choices Pack

So many varieties of burgers . . .quick mixing.  Wholesome & Hearty.   

Substitutions were done - no pineapple; added grated Parmesan cheese in the mix; and used a slice of cheese.  We also used gluten-free English muffins for buns.  



Ingredients:

2 lbs ground turkey
2 Tbsp Chipotle Seasoning
1 fresh pineapple cut into 1/2-inch thick rings
6 onion or whole wheat hamburger buns
6 lettuce leaves
plain Greek yogurt (optional)

Assembly Instructions:  Combine first 2 ingredients; form into 6 patties and place between wax paper in gallon resealable bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:  Thaw completely.  Grill or fry to desired doneness.  In the meantime, grill pineapple slices 1-2 minutes per side.  Toast buns, if desired.  On bun bottom place lettuce, then burger and pineapple slice.  Cover with bun top.  Makes 6 servings.

Add Chipotle sauce to burgers if desired.  Mix yogurt and Chipotle Seasoning, a little at a time, to taste.

For me, I used the Dill Pickle Dip as a spread on the buns.  Also used sweet pickle relish.

Grilled Flank Steak with Pineapple Salsa - #5 TS Eatwell Choices Pack

"What's for dinner?"  Do you hear that often, well there is a solution for you . . . TS to You from Tastefully Simple.  You get products, menus, grocery list, & recipes every other month to make exciting meals like this. 

Tonight's dinner was grilled flank steak that was so unbelievably tender.  So here you go . . . the original recipe.

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 lbs flank steak

1 tsp olive oil

1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp Chipotle Seasoning

1/2 tsp pepper

8 (8 inch) whole wheat tortillas or wraps

1 fresh pineapple, cut into 1/2-inch thick rings

1 red bell pepper, finely diced

1/2 c finely diced red onion

1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Assembly Instructions:  Combine first 4 ingredients in a gallon resealable freezer bag; squish to mix.  Seal well, label and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:  Thaw completely.  Grill or broil steak 4-6 minutes a side. Let steak rest 8 minutes before slicing crosswise into very thin strips.  In the meantime, grill pineapple slices 1-2 minutes per side.   To prepare salsa, dice the pineapple, add red pepper, onion, cilantro and vinegar and a pinch of Chipotle Seasoning, if desired.  Serve steak with the pineapple salsa in warmed tortillas or wraps.  Makes 6 servings.

That was the original recipe.  Now, I customize to meet my family's tastes.  I only used 1 Tbsp of the Chipotle seasoning on the meat, used Avocado Oil instead of the olive oil, eliminated the bell pepper, used Walla Walla sweet onion instead of the red onion, used 1 tsp of dried cilantro instead of fresh, and finally, used Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar of Modena instead of the red wine vinegar. 

One thing we learned, the steak was too rare so we had to zap it in the microwave.

I served it over brown rice instead of using the tortillas.  Fresh steamed broccoli as a side.

Are you interested in meals like this?  Check out my website, www.tastefullysimple.com/web/mbelles1.  Find the TS to You and click on Subscribe - pick your choice of 10 Meals or 30 Meals or Party and have it shipped to you every other month.  New recipes every time.

Stuffed Apricot Pork Tenderloin

This is the second meal from the TS Eatwell Choices Product Pack.  Unfortunately, the pack is no longer available.  However, you can still purchase the individual items.

As always, feel free to do substitutions.  With it being so hot, I didn't want to cook in the house.  So, we grilled it on the BBQ.


Moist, tender, full of flavor . . . yummy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 - 2 lbs pork tenderloin
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 Tbsp + 1-2 tsp Chipotle Seasoning, divided
1/3 c chopped dried apricots 
3 Tbsp hot water
1 lime, cut in half
3 oz Greek yogurt cream cheese or light cream cheese
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Assembly Instructions:  Cut tenderloin horizontally to open like a book, not cutting through all the way.  Sprinkle with 3/4 Tbsp Chipotle Seasoning (I only used 1/2 Tbsp and it was still too spicy for hubby, so feel free to use less) and fold shut.  Pepper the outside of tenderloin and place in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  (I didn't freeze it but went on to the cooking instructions).

Cooking Instructions:  Thaw completely.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Stir together the apricots, hot water and juice from half a lime.  Let stand 15 minutes; drain.  In the meantime, stir together cream cheese, green onions and remaining Chipotle Seasoning (here again I only used 1 tsp but you can use less if you are sensitive to spicy heat).  Fold open tenderloin, place the apricot mixture on one side and cream cheese mixture on the other side.  Fold shut; double-wrap in foil and place on baking sheet; bake for 40 minutes.  Unwrap and bake an additional 20-35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.  Squeeze some of the remaining lime juice on top of tenderloin.  Slice and serve.  Makes 6 servings.

As you can tell from the photo, we didn't use the green onions either.

Sweet Mustard Bacon Burgers

This is from our TS EatWell Choices Product Pack 30 Day Meal Collection.  This is a real quick and easy meal.  It makes 6 servings.  Since we are empty nesters, I froze four of the patties as two separate meals.

The pack is available until 9:59 PM PT at my website (www.tastefullysimple.com/web/mbelles1) for a cost of $199.99 if you want to make any of these meals.  However, one lucky person can save $50 with my saver pass.

You can also purchase the individual products.

Please feel free to do substitutions of any of the ingredients.  I used ground turkey and Tastefully Simple's Bacon Bacon.  We also ate it as a patty and not as a sandwich.

Ingredients:


1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1/2 c real bacon bits
1/2 c Sweet Mustard Moppin' Sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp Chipotle Seasoning (optional)
6 slices Cheddar Cheese
Sliced red onion (optional)
6 lettuce leaves (optional)
6 whole wheat hamburger buns


Assembly Instructions:  Combine first 5 ingredients; form into 6 patties and place between wax paper in gallon resealable bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:  Thaw completely.  Grill or fry to desired doneness.  Toast buns, if desired.  Top burgers with cheese, onions and lettuce if desired, and place on buns.

I used a seal-a-meal (or vacu-pack) instead of a gallon resealable bag.  

As a side dish, we had raw veggies with the Tastefully Simple Dill Pickle Dip mix made with fat free sour cream and fat-free mayonnaise.

Yummy!  We grilled the burgers on our BBQ so no heating up the house on this hot evening.  I used the Chiptole Seasoning.