Brown Fried Rice with Turkey Meatballs and Spinach

I made some brown fried rice a couple days after New Year's Eve since I had leftover meatballs and brown rice sitting around in the fridge. I didn't feel like eating them separately so I decided to combined them together to make some fried rice. I was always so curious about how brown rice would taste fried rice style. After making some brown fried rice, I thought the taste was amazing. I didn't add too much soy sauce so the fried rice still tasted relatively healthy :)

I believe this was actually my second time making fried rice. The first time I ever made fried rice when when I started college. I was completely clueless on how to cook anything so my fried rice turned out being mushy. I didn't know fried rice called for leftover rice. Haha.. silly me! Well, at least I know now so it is never too late. I would say that my second time making fried rice was a successful!!

Ingredients:
Olive oil
2-3 eggs
4-5 garlic cloves - minced
~ 3.5 cups brown fried rice
2 leftover turkey meatballs - diced
2 handfuls spinach

Directions:
1. Minced garlic cloves and dice the leftover meatballs. Set aside.
2. Heat pan on medium-high. While you are waiting for the skillet to heat up, whisk your eggs together. Drizzle oil into the skillet, then pour the egg mixture in. Be sure not to over-cook your eggs or it will be too dry. When the edge of the eggs start to pop up a little, start to scramble your eggs. Set aside the scramble eggs.
3. Drizzle oil into a pan then add garlic. Saute the garlic then add brown rice. Stir-fry the brown rice for a couple of minutes until rice is heated up thoroughly.
4. Stir in desired amount of soy sauce.
5. Add leftover meatballs and spinach. Continue to stir-fry until spinach is fully cooked and meatballs are heated up (add green onions if desired).

**Note: For best results, use rice that has been previously cooked - about 2-3 days. This prevents fried rice from becoming mushy. You may also use overnight rice.

Turkey Meatballs - New Year's Eve Dinner

Happy New Year's Everyone! 

As always, I'm a little late. A little late is better than never though they say. I feel that every year is the same. Everyone starts by writing a list of resolutions.. I guess deciding what they want to accomplish by the end of the next year. This year I didn't think about it much I guess because every year I have the same goals. I feel that New Year's isn't the only time to make a new goal but you can do that any time throughout the year. Every day is another day to better your life, your health and of course helping those around you better themselves as well. I understand that a new year signifies a new start and I agree that some people may need that. I remember two years ago, I didn't know who I was at all. I felt lost and negative. All I did before the year 2012 was go clubbing then sleep. I would also go to work of course. I had a job at school but sometimes I could barely even make it to work with my heavy drinking. I would say that my biggest influence would be my boyfriend though. Since I meant him, I feel that all I want to do is become a better me. I never met anyone who would go to the gym everyday except my mom. I guess seeing it from someone else made a difference especially if it was someone I could possibly be with almost every waking moment. I have to admit that I am still not working out as much as I want to or eating as healthy as I want but I am better than I was two years ago before I meant him. I am more positive, more healthy, more happy with life. Most importantly, I am trying to improve myself even though I was better than two years ago when I was depressed, drinking and partying all the time. This year I didn't get to celebrate New Year's Eve with my boyfriend who I felt has made me a better person. I didn't go to any huge parties or count down with people dancing around me but yet I still felt happy. I was with one of my lovely sisters and my adoring nephew but yet it was so exciting. I spent my night tickling my nephew until he laughed like there was no tomorrow. I listened to my little sister yell and scream with exciting/anger as she was playing Settlers of Catan online but I still felt so content. I also of course cooked us New Year's Eve dinner. I could never leave the food out! I wanted to try something new from the usual food I cook. New Year, new recipe right?! Hahaha. I decided to make turkey meatballs so I went on a hunt once again for another recipe! :)

I would have to say that my turkey meat balls were pretty successful. I was a little worried that the meatballs weren't cooked fully so I put them in the oven for another 5 minutes. I would say that was a bad idea on my part. The turkey meatball turned out to be a bit dry. Luckily, I had some left over marinara in the fridge so I put some on my meatballs for a moist taste! Perfect idea and delicious!

Recipe adapted by Shannons's Knits .
Yields: 12 meatballs

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey breast
3/4 cup chopped cilantro
3-4 cloves of garlic - minced
1/2 small yellow onion - diced
2 eggs
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 cup instant oatmeal

 Directions:
1. Preheat oven at 450 degrees F.
2. While waiting for the oven to preheat, chop cilantro. Mince garlic, and dice the onions.
3. Place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix using your hands. Add egg whites if the ingredients do not bind together (I used a little over 1 lb of turkey so I added a little egg whites so all my ingredients would stick together).
4. Shape the ingredients into 12 balls and place into the baking dish evenly.

5. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil to keep meat moist while cooking.

6. Place the baking dish in the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until meat is fully cooked.
7. Serve meatballs with marinara sauce or salsa and enjoy.

I ate my meatballs with marinara and a side of brown rice and asparagus.

Creamy Tomato Pasta w/Asparagus, Spinach & Tofu Sausage

So excited that this will be my first pasta post! I know my sister, Tiffany, would really appreciate this post. I decide to make a post about pasta because she reads my blog and I know she LOVES pasta!! I hope she enjoys the picture posted on this blog and decides to use this recipe one day. Also, this posted is dedicated to all the pasta lovers out there :)

This was my first time making a creamy tomato sauce. I accidentally added 1 whole bag of pasta instead of half a bag so I ended up having extra to give my sister to try! I thought my first time making this pasta was amazing expect I felt it didn't have enough sauce since I added to much pasta! Please remember not to make the same mistake :D The pasta still ended up being pretty amazing though and I loved the twist of adding the asparagus. My boyfriend thought it was odd that I added asparagus into the pasta.

The tofu sausage - not really sausage - was actually pretty amazing. I couldn't tell that there wasn't any meat even though if I knew it's simply tofu. Perfect substitution for meat. I think the pasta would also be amazing with grilled chicken. If you do not have access to tofu sausage, you should definitely add grilled chicken.

Recipe adapted from Budget Bytes.

Yields: ~6 servings (or more if you accidentally add too much pasta :D)

1/2 bag of whole wheat penne pasta - from Trader Joe's

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat then add a pinch of salt. Add the pasta into the pot and cook until tender - it'll take about 10-12 minutes (look at your package of pasta because it depends on the type you get). Drain the pasta and pour cold water over the pasta so that it stops cooking. Set aside.

While you are waiting for the pasta to cook, you can dice the onions and mince the garlic. Cut the asparagus into about 1-1.5 inch pieces. Cut the tofu sausages into pieces as well.

1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 small onion - diced
4 cloves of garlic

Add olive oil into the skillet over medium heat then add onions and garlic. Cook until softened and transparent - took about 3 minutes since my heat wasn't on low.

1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes - you can also use fresh tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Freshly cracked pepper- for taste
1/2 tsp Pink Himalayan salt

Add the can of diced tomatoes (include tomato juice), dried oregano, dried basil, pinch of red pepper flakes, pepper and salt into the skillet. Stir to combine all ingredients.

2 tbsp tomato paste
3/4 cup of water

Add the tomato paste and water into the skillet. Stir until the tomato paste dissolves into the sauce - do not let it sit there because it will not dissolve (trust me, I tried haha).

1 oz. cream cheese
1.5 tbsp Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

Turn the heat down to low. Add 1 oz of cream cheese and 1.5 tbsp of greek yogurt into the sauce mixture and stir using a whisk. Add half of cheese then stir until melted. Add the other half of the cheese and do the same.

1 bundle of asparagus
1 package of tofu sausage from Trader Joe's (no actual meat in the tofu sausage)
1/2 (9 oz) bag Spinach
1/2 lb cooked wheat pasta

Add the cut asparagus into the sauce along with the tofu sausage. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until wilted - about 3-5 minutes.

I recommend adding the sauce only when ready to serve - in case there is extra pasta and sauce. The pasta tends to soak up the sauce after a period of time.

Enjoy :D