Muesli Parfait

For Christmas, this very thoughtful friend gave me a gift card to Barnes and Nobel for a new cookbook (along with other goodies). I was all set to get some fabulous baking cookbook but then I spotted Ellie Krieger's So Easy and I couldn't put it down. I love this book! It has so many wonderful, healthy and easy recipes. I already made made a bunch with great success and these muesli parfaits are from this book too. I made them for the kids and me one afternoon last week for snack.

These parfaits are a creamy and filling...a great, easy breakfast or snack. I did modify the kids' parfaits though b/c my daughter can't have either nuts or honey yet. The kids can also use the extra fat, so I used low fat instead of nonfat yogurt and milk to make theirs. Also, the yogurt was vanilla flavored which saved me the step of having to add in the flavoring. I will definitely be making these again for them and me. Below, is the original recipe and at the end of this post is the version I made for the kids.

Ingredients:
Makes 4 servings

1/2 cup unsalted almonds
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 cup nonfat milk (I would only use 3/4 cup)
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups mixed berries, fresh or frozen (strawberries sliced)

Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over a medium-high heat until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Chop them coarsely then set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, milk, honey, oats, and vanilla. Divide the oat mixture evenly among 4 small dishes or parfait glasses. Top each with a half cup of berries, then 2 tablespoons of nuts. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

Source: Ellie Krieger So Easy


The kids loved these!



Ingredients:
Makes 2 servings

1 (6oz) low fat or whole fat vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup low fat or whole fat milk
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen (strawberries sliced)

In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, milk, and oats. Divide the oat mixture evenly among 2 small dishes or parfait glasses. Top each with a half cup of berries. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

Chicken, Mushroom and Spinach Quesadilla

Here is another fantastic recipe from Ellie Krieger. These chicken, mushroom and spinach quesadilas taste like something you might have in a restaurant....they are so good! I like them so much I've actually made these twice in one week!

This can be a great, quick weekday dinner if you do the prep work ahead of time. For me, I grilled up the chicken the night before (though you can use any kind of cooked chicken). I also prepped the veggies and measured out the spices. When it was time to cook the quesadillas, it only took about 15 minutes.

One more look...these were delish!


Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
8 ounces white button mushrooms, (about 3 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked chopped skinless, boneless chicken breast (1 breast half)
1 teaspoon ground cumin *
1 teaspoon chili powder *
1 teaspoon dried oregano *
2 cups baby spinach leaves, sliced into ribbons
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
4 (10-inch) whole-grain flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese mix or Cheddar
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the mushroom water is evaporated and they begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add chicken, cumin, chili powder and oregano and stir until all spices are incorporated. Add spinach, salt and pepper and cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.

Lay 1 tortilla on a flat work surface and sprinkle with 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Spoon 1/2 chicken and vegetable mixture on top of cheese, then top with an additional 1/4 cup cheese. Top with another flour tortilla. Heat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray over medium heat. Carefully place 1 quesadilla in pan and cook 3 minutes. Using a large spatula, gently flip quesadilla and cook an additional 3 minutes until lightly browned and cheese is melted. Repeat with second quesadilla. Slice each quesadilla into quarters. Place 2 quarters on a plate with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 2 tablespoons salsa.

*I used a little less b/c the kids aren't huge fans of spicy foods.

Source: Ellie Krieger, Food network