Author: Esther

One of my all time favorite recipes, and now I am happy to share it with you! You will love how simple this recipe is and versitile too. You can make this with any type of meatballs and it will turn out great.  It is a wonderful dish to bring along for a potluck as well.  Even though we use a whole jar of the jelly, the sugar content is not that high because you are coating your meatballs. I don’t use the sauce I keep that in the crock pot and scoop out my meatballs on to a plate, and serve with the squash.  You will love how easy the squash is to make! No more messing with cutting up a whole squash and cooking it for over an hour.  The chunks of squash from Trader Joe’s is one of their greatest new additions.  This comfort food is sure to be a winner.  Be sure to keep sending me your pictures.

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	Ingredients Serve 6	Cost
1	2 Packages Frozen Turkey Meatballs	$7.98 ( for the two)
2	1 Jar Concord Grape Jelly	$2.98
3	1 Bottle of  BBQ Sauce	$2.69
4	1 Bag of spaghetti Squash Chunks	$3.29
	Total	$16.94($2.82per serving)

 

Nutrition Facts (Per 4 meatballs)
Calories	274
Carbs	28.5g
Fats	10.3g
Protein	24.7g
Sugar	14.5g
Fiber	5.4g
	Source: MyFitnessPal

*Ingredients sourced from Trader Joe’s and Giant Eagle

Directions

Step 1: Spray your crock pot with olive oil spray and set to H or L

Step 2: Pour in the entire jar of BBQ sauce and add entire jar of jelly,stir well.

Step 3: Add both bags of frozen meatballs, and coat with the sauce. Cook on high for 3hours low for 6 hours.

Step 4:  Pierce bag of squash and place in microwave for about 4 minutes. When done break apart in a bowl and store in fridge till your meatballs are done.

Step 5:  When meatballs are cooked through, warm up your squash and serve together.

Step 6:  Enjoy!

Crock Pot Chicken is one of the easiest and most versatile meals you can prepare.   I love it because you can mix up your sauces, and vegetables to get so many different variations of the same meal.  It is a great way to get creative with your cooking!!  Min Dins is an outlet for just that!  You may have a go to chicken recipe, but maybe you didn’t think about mixing Italian Dressing with Worcestershire sauce, or salsa with tarter sauce, or using straight balsamic dressing over pot roast….. I am not teaching brain surgery, I am just here to share some great recipes that I have prepared for years.  I hope that you enjoy them, and they inspire you to keep on cookin’. xoxo

	Ingredients Serves 6	Cost
1	5 LB ( or so they very) Whole Chicken	$8.36
2	1/2 Bottle Fat Free Italian Dressing.	$0.99*
3	1/4 C Worcestershire Sauce	$0.70*
4	2 Packages sliced Brussels Sprouts	$3.29 each
5	1 Orange	$ 0.89
	Total	$19.21($3.20 per serving)

When I think of fall, I always think of the leaves turning, sweater weather,  football, and CHILI!!!!! Who doesn’t love a good home made bowl of chili?  What would Crocktober be without a wonderful chili recipe?  I have taken my traditional recipe, that uses a zillion ingredients, and pared it down to just 5 simple ingredients. This not only saves you time, it saves you money.  By using the chunky salsa, and the corn salsa, you are getting a lot of the ingredients that I typically put in my chili, with out actually having to buy them and chop them up. Onions, bell peppers, celery, corn, and of course wonderful seasonings.  I always use mushrooms in my recipe, since this video is shot without edits, I popped them in at the end, yep I forgot to put them out with my ingredients, lol  as they say ” the show must go on” , so I improvised and I bring you the finished product photo complete with mushrooms,  on our Instagram site.

	Ingredients make 8 Cups of Chili	Cost
1	1 lb 4% lean ground beef	$5.49
2	1 Jar Cowboy Caviar	$2.79
3	3 Jars Chunky Salsa	$1.99(each
4	1 Can Organic Kidney Beans	$0.99
5	1 Carton of Mushrooms (optional)	$ 2.29
	Total	$17.53($2.19 per cup)

Nutrition Facts (Per Cup)
Calories	172
Carbs	25.5
Fats	2g
Protein	15.9g
Sugar	11g
Fiber	4.4g
	Source: MyFitnessPal

*Ingredients sourced from Trader Joe’s

Directions

Step 1: Spray pan with olive oil spray add meat and set pan to m/h heat.

Step 2: Using your handy dandy chopping tool, start chopping up meat.

Step 3: Place browned meat into crock pot

Step 4: Add remaining ingredients and stir with your handy dandy chopping tool

Step 5: Cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 hours.

Step 6: Enjoy!

I love this time of year, when the leaves start turning, the weather gets crisp, and the CROCK POT comes out!!!! If you don’t own a crock pot, now is the time to invest in one.  You can find them everywhere, but if you don’t want to go out shopping, Amazon has plenty to choose from for under $30.  Make sure you buy a nice size one so that it will fit a whole meal.  I have a whole series of Crock Pot Recipes to bring you this fall, that you will “fall” in love with. Super quick to prepare, and to clean, just throw in your ingredients turn on your setting, and walk away.  When you come home dinner is ready to be served, and with these fool proof recipes, your dinner will be a winner.

	Ingredients Serve 6	Cost
1	1 Pkg Cabernet Pot Roast	$12.98*
2	1 Container Diced Yellow Onions	$1.79
3	1 Bag of Little Potatoes	$2.49
4	1 Bag of Little Carrots	$3.99
5	1  Jar Fat Free Balsamic Vinegar Dressing	$1.99
	Total	$23.24($3.90 per serving)

*Please note: the cost of this item is for a 2lb roast.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories	228
Carbs	24.7g
Fats	3.5g
Protein	24.3g
Sugar	11.5g
Fiber	3.2g
	Source: MyFitnessPal

*Ingredients sourced from Trader Joe’s and Giant Eagle

Directions

Step 1: Spray a cast iron skillet with Olive Oil spray then set on M/H.

Step 2: Brown the pot roast on both sides.

Step 3: Spray your crock pot with a little olive oil spray. Place entire container of diced yellow onions on bottom of crock pot. ( set crock pot to high or low depending on the time you want to cook it.

Step 4:  Place the pot roast directly on top of the onions.

Step 5:  Put your potatoes, and carrots over your pot roast.

Step 6:  Pour the entire jar of Dressing over the top of everything.

Step 7: Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Step 8:  Enjoy!

Sometimes recipes happen by accident, such is the case with this one. I thought I bought Zoug, my families favorite spicy dip, but instead I bought a pesto….. hey they are both the same color, honest mistake! Rather than return the wrong purchase, I came up with a nutritious, delicious dish that I am super excited to share with you! Once again, you can swap the chicken out for your favorite vegetarian version. I hope you enjoy this one!

	Ingredients Serve 5	Cost
1	1 Pkg Chicken Tenders	$4.99
2	1 Bag Riced Broccoli	$2.29
3	1/2 Jar Artichokes in water	$1.35*
4	One large roasted red pepper in Jar	$0.67*
5	I container  Kale Pesto	$3.69
	Total	$12.99 ($2.59per serving)

*Please note: the cost of this items reflects the amount used for this recipe, not the total cost of the package. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories	308
Carbs	10.8g
Fats	19.2g
Protein	22.8g
Sugar	2g
Fiber	2.8g
	Source: MyFitnessPal

*Ingredients sourced from Trader Joe’s

Directions

Step 1: Spray a cast iron skillet with Olive Oil spray then set on M/H.

Step 2: Put the chicken tenders directly in the pan and cook through

Step 3: While the chicken is cooking, put the broccoli rice in the microwave for about 5 minutes. You can do this directly in the bag if you pierce it a few times.

Step 4: Add half a can of the marinated artichokes with the juice.

Step 5: Cut one large fire roasted pepper into pieces and put in pan.

Step 6: Pour the whole container of pesto into the pan and stir it all up.

Step 7: Heat through and enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers are one of those multicultural dishes that have been popular for generations. So many variations to the recipe, yet the one thing that is usually common is the time it takes to prepare this dish, not to mention the clean up….. ugh! Well, not anymore! You can now enjoy this classic favorite in about 10 minutes from start to finish when you follow the directions below.

What is great about this recipe is that it makes so many portions! I originally used 3 peppers cut in half, but after testing this numerous times, it has been modified so you can use 5 peppers and stuff them generously! The nutritional information is based per pepper half, so keep that in mind when deciding your portion. This recipe can please a crowd or make for an easy meal prep to enjoy all week. It’s simple to modify to suite your lifestyle just by changing the meat ingredient.

	Ingredients  make 10 halves	Cost
1	lb ground meat	$5.49
2	5 peppers	$5.00 ( $1 each for red)
3	1/2 container yellow onions	$0.80*
4	Jar Arrabiata Sauce	$3.29
5	1 bag riced cauliflower	$2.49
	Total	$17.07($1.71 per half)

Nutrition Facts (Per half pepper)
Calories	127
Carbs	9.4g
Fats	4.2g
Protein	11.9g
Sugar	5.8g
Fiber	2.2g
	Source: MyFitnessPal

*Ingredients sourced from Trader Joe’s

Directions

Step 1: Pierce the cauliflower bag and place in microwave for about 4 min.

Step 2: Spray your pan with olive oil spray and add your meat choice and onion to the pan. Break up the meat while cooking.

Step 3: Remove the cauliflower bag from the microwave so you can now add your peppers while the meat continues to brown.

Step 4: Prepare your peppers according to the video tutorial for this recipe found on Youtube. Place all the peppers in the microwave together and cook till soft (about 6 minutes). If you put one in at a time this long they will burn (trust me).

Step 5: While the peppers are in the microwave, pour the bag of cauliflower rice in with the meat and add the sauce. Continue to stir altogether. If you use a low fat meat option, such as the one in this recipe, you do not need to drain your meat.

Step 6: Your peppers should now be soft and ready to stuff with the meat mixture.

Step 7: Enjoy!

I love a good Gnocchi recipe, but what I don’t love are all the calories and carbs in traditional potato Gnocchi. Trader Joe’s has a frozen Cauliflower Gnocchi that has less carbs and fewer calories, yet all the flavor, making it a natural for this recipe. After reading the online reviews, I knew I had to come up with a way to make the Gnocchi so that it had the same texture as traditional Gnocchi, and guess what – I found that way!

Watch this video and you too will be able to make perfect Cauliflower Gnocchi every time. I love how the Olive Tapenade gives the sauce a little kick without being overbearing. If you are vegetarian, you can try this dish using a Fig Salami, and if you are Kosher, you can substitute the Turkey Summer Sausage with an all beef kosher salami! This quick and easy recipe can be enjoyed no matter what diet you follow.

	Ingredients Serve 4	Cost
1	1 and 1/2 bags frozen Cauliflower Gnocchi	$4.04*
2	1 Turkey Summer Sausage	$3.99
3	1/2 Carton Mushrooms	$2.00*
4	1/3 Jar Arrabiata Sauce	$1.10*
5	2 T Olive Tapenade	$0.22 *
	Total	$11.35 ($2.84 per serving)

*Please note: the cost of this items reflects the amount used for this recipe, not the total cost of the package. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories	279
Carbs	28g
Fats	10.4g
Protein	13.9g
Sugar	3.8g
Fiber	6.6g
	Source: MyFitnessPal

*Ingredients sourced from Trader Joe’s

Directions

Step 1: Turn on your range to med/high heat. Spray the pan with a little olive oil spray.

Step 2: Start browning your Gnocchi. (I don’t follow the directions on the bag – I defrost the Gnocchi the night before in my fridge and DO NOT add any water. Just keep giving little sprays of the olive oil if you think it isn’t sticking. They will brown up and have a nice texture if you prepare them this way.)

Step 3: Peel the casing off the Sausage and slice.

Step 4: Place them in the pan and fry up with the Gnocchi.

Step 5: Put half a carton of mushrooms in the pan and brown.

Step 6: When everything is browned a bit, pour 1/3 jar of sauce in the pan.

Step 7: Put 2 T Olive Tapenade in the pan and mix up.

Step 8: Enjoy!

Sometimes I come across an item that I really want to try, so I build a recipe around it. That is how I came up with this AMAZING recipe! I saw a can of Giant Baked Cannellini beans and thought, “I bet I can make an amazing vegetarian dish out of this.” I really think you will enjoy this one! It’s loaded with fiber, which is great for my fellow Weight Watchers as it allows you to bring the carb count down by subtracting the fiber from the carbs. Nutritionally, it has everything you’re looking for to make it a healthy meal of choice.

*Please note: the cost of these items reflects the amount used for this recipe, not the total cost of the package. 

	Ingredients Serve 2	Cost
1	One Package Portabello  Fresh	$2.79
2	1/3 Container diced yellow onions	$0.60 *
3	Can of Giant Baked Beans	$1.99
4	1/4 C Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese	$0.33 *
	Total	$5.71 ($2.85 per serving)

Ingredients sourced from Trader Joe’s

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories	282
Carbs	31g
Fats	10.5g
Protein	16g
Sugar	4g
Fiber	11.5g
	Source: MyFitnessPal

Directions

Step 1: Clean your mushrooms by removing the stem with a knife and carefully removing the black gills by and scooping them out with a spoon. Clean the back of the mushroom with a wet paper towel and then score it (i.e. make a little ‘X’ in it with a knife).

Step 2: Set your range heat to Med and spray your pan with a little butter spray.

Step 3: Place your mushrooms score side down in the pan and cover.

Step 4: Pour the diced onions in the same pan along with the can of Cannellini Beans and allow to simmer while mushrooms soften.

Step 5: Check mushrooms and flip over until they are soft. It takes about 5 minutes total for them to get soft.

Step 6: Flip the mushrooms back over and stuff them directly in the pan. Then sprinkle with half of the cheese.

Step 7: Enjoy!

I am super excited about this recipe – it’s sooooo amazing! It’s so good that you’ll want to make this one often and even without a taco shell altogether. There is just enough avocado to make it taste great without adding too many calories, and the tasty taco sauce… well let’s just say you will be putting it on your chicken and burgers, dipping fries in it – the list goes on! Trust me, it’s that good.

Remember the half bag of cabbage left over from the Unstuffed Cabbage? Well guess what…you can use that up in this recipe! What I like to do is come up with dishes that make use of the items that are already in your fridge.  Don’t worry, we will put that tarter sauce and salsa to good use in no time!

*Please note: the cost of these items reflects the amount used for this recipe, not the total cost of the package. 

	Ingredients Serve 4	Cost
1	1 box Mahi Mahi Burgers	$6.99
2	1/2 bag Shredded Cabbage	$0.84*
3	Trader Joe’s Tarter Sauce	$0.25*
4	Trader Joe’s Chunky Salsa	$0.10*
5	1/2 Avocado	$0.69 *
	Total	$8.87 ($2.22 per serving)

Ingredients sourced from Trader Joe’s

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories	187
Carbs	6g
Fats	11.1g
Protein	15.9g
Sugar	2.4g
Fiber	2.2g
	Source: MyFitnessPal

Directions

Step 1: Turn on your range to med/high heat. Spray the pan with a little olive oil spray.

Step 2: Place fish burgers in the pan and cook according to the directions.

Step 3: Cut your avocado in half. Place half in a bowl and cut into chunks.

Step 4: Mix 2T of tarter sauce and 2T of chunky salsa together.

Step 5: When the fish patties are done, remove from the pan. Empty the 1/2 bag of cabbage into the pan and cover, allowing the cabbage to soften.

Step 6: While the cabbage is softening, cut the fish patties on a cutting board. Then transfer the fish to the bowl containing the avocado chunks.

Step 7: Once the cabbage is nice and soft, place it in the bowl with the rest of your ingredients.

Step 8: Pour the tasty taco sauce over the contents of the bowl and give it a good stir.

Step 9: Enjoy!

My easy to prepare version of a classic favorite is so easy, you will want to make it on a regular basis! Since the eggplant is already breaded, clean up is a breeze, making this recipe a real winner. You can also change things up by putting a layer of fresh spinach under the eggplant, in place of the zucchini, or by adding sliced mushrooms over the eggplant.

*Please note: the cost of these items reflects the amount used for this recipe, not the total cost of the package. 

	Ingredients Serve 5	Cost
1	One Small Zucchini	$0.79
2	Eggplant Cutlets (full box)	$2.49
3	Organic Marinara Sauce	$2.49
4	3 Slices Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese	$0.99 *
5	2 T Shredded Asiago three cheese blend	$0.21 *
	Total	$6.97 ($1.39 per serving)

Ingredients sourced from Trader Joe’s

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories	189
Carbs	20.2g
Fats	8.6g
Protein	5.2g
Sugar	3.6g
Fiber	2.4g
	Source: MyFitnessPal

Directions

Step 1: Turn on your range to low heat. Spray pan with a little olive oil spray.

Step 2: Make your zucchini spirals over the pan (you can also use pre-made spirals).

Step 3: Defrost the eggplant in your microwave while doing Step 2.

Step 4: Place the defrosted eggplant in the pan over the zucchini noodles.

Step 5: Pour the whole jar of marinara sauce over the eggplant.

Step 6: Cut three slices of mozzarella cheese in half and place in the pan over the eggplant.

Step 7: Sprinkle the asiago cheese mix over the pan.

Step 8: Enjoy!