Beef braciole is more than just a dish; it's a culinary adventure that will transport your taste buds straight to the heart of Italy. This traditional Italian favorite never fails to impress with its exquisite flavors and irresistible textures.
At the core of this mouthwatering dish lies thinly sliced beef, prepared with some care to ensure tenderness. But what truly sets beef braciole apart is the cheesy stuffing that takes it to another level. A symphony of breadcrumbs, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and aromatic herbs harmoniously blend together to create a savory sensation that will leave you craving more…
Cheeseburger Gnocchi
I’ll be honest in saying that anytime I’ve had gnocchi before, it’s usually been in an Italian soup or as part of a Mediterranean sheet pan. Which, both are amazing. It did make me wonder though - why don’t I use gnocchi more often as a part of other cuisine styles? Enter Cheeseburger Gnocchi. Gnocchi are lovely little pillows of pasta that are usually made at least partially with potato or some other vegetable. It kind of makes them a really good filler or substitute for traditional pasta.
This Cheeseburger Gnocchi starts off with the gnocchi which is sautéed quickly in a pan and then set aside. After that? It’s cooking up all the meat and veggies. I kept this light by using a whole lot of onion and a lean ground beef instead of, well, not lean. After a quick simmer, the cheese and cream is added and you end up with a perfectly cheesy burger dish!…
Read MoreMozzarella & Basil Stuffed Meatloaf
Meatloaf is one of those tried and true dinners that has withstood the test of time through the generations. I saw the idea for stuffed meatloaf a while back though and thought it would be pretty fun to play around with that idea. So. Enter this Mozzarella & Basil Stuffed Meatloaf. The original called for some ham to be among the things rolled up in the meatloaf, but I decided against it to save on not only the calories, but also the sodium!
This meatloaf itself starts off pretty standard with ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs and some veggies and seasonings, so it’s good stuff all the way around. After that you flatten out the meat and top it with cheese and fresh herb then roll it all up together to bake.
It’s lightened up with using a lean ground beef, and of course a fat free mozzarella. Other than that, it’s fairly straight forward. This will give you 8, count them 8, fairly big servings of meatloaf, and as you can see below, that loaf pan is pretty damn full! Another nifty thing? You can make this meatloaf ahead of time. I put mine together the night before and stored it in the fridge until I was ready to bake it for dinner the next day.
I served mine with what my kiddo is dubbing ‘space broccoli’ which is AKA romanesco that I roasted. I also topped mine off with just a little more marinara sauce for good measure.
Mozzarella & Basil Stuffed Meatloaf
Yield: 8
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 H & 30 MTotal time: 1 H & 45 M
A fairly traditional meatloaf that's rolled up and stuffed with mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. Delicious. Easy to make. And great for a weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, Chopped
- 1 Red Onion, Diced
- 2 Minced Garlic Cloves
- 2 Lbs. Lean Ground Beef
- 3/4 C. Whole Wheat Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 C. Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 2 Whole Large Eggs
- 2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
- 1 Tsp. Salt
- 1/2 Tsp. Pepper
- 2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Parsley
- 12 Fresh Basil Leaves, Chopped
- 1 1/4 C. Shredded Fat Free Mozzarella Cheese
- 1/2 C. Marinara Sauce + More for Garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and lightly coat the inside of an 9x5" loaf pan with non-stick spray; set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook the 1 Red Bell Pepper and 1 Red Onion over a medium-high heat until soft and tender.
- Add in the 2 minced garlic and continue to cook until fragrant; set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, add in the 2 Lbs. Lean Ground Beef, 3/4 C. Whole Wheat Breadcrumbs, 1/2 C. Grated Parmesan Cheese, 2 Whole Large Eggs, 2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste, 1 Tsp. Salt, 1/2 Tsp. Pepper, and 2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Parsley along with the pepper and onion mixture. Stir to combine until well mixed.
- Set the meat mixture out onto some parchment paper and flatten it out into a rectangle shape, making sure the width is no larger than the loaf pan.
- Top the meat with 12 Fresh Basil Leaves and 1 1/4 C. Shredded Fat Free Mozzarella Cheese.
- Using the parchment paper and your hands, roll the meat up.
- Transfer to the loaf pan and top with the 1/2 C. Marinara Sauce.
- Place it in the oven to bake for about 1 1/2 hours or until cooked through.
- Once done, remove from the oven, slice into 8 pieces, and enjoy right away with more marinara sauce if desired!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
271.41Fat (grams)
8.94 gSat. Fat (grams)
3.89 gCarbs (grams)
13.73 gFiber (grams)
2.35 gNet carbs
11.36Sugar (grams)
2.9 gProtein (grams)
34.89 gSodium (milligrams)
781.73 mgCholesterol (grams)
119.85 gNutritional Claims: Low Carb • Sugar Conscious • Peanut Free • Tree Nut Free • Soy Free • Fish Free • Shellfish Free • Pork Free • Crustacean Free • Celery Free • Mustard Free • Sesame Free • Lupine Free • Mollusk Free • Alcohol Free
Step-by-Step Photos:
Taco Jar Salad
If you can’t tell, I’ve been in jar salad mode for a while now. For me, it’s super easy to accidentally skip out on lunch, so having prepared jarred salads ready to go in my fridge means that I don’t have any excuse to miss out on a meal! These Taco Jar Salad are another great option too. You get a lot of bang for your buck here since there technically isn’t any salad dressing. We’re using salsa here!
The salsa naturally gives the salad a dressing of it’s own that is low in calories and in guilt. Which means you get to load this salad up with all the more taco goodness. We’re talking beans, corn, cheese, tomatoes. All of it! Even the meat and cheese…
Read MorePastitsio
I’m just going to start this one out by saying that this recipe does take time. While it’s fairly easy to make, there are layering components that each take some time to put together. That being said, this dish is a great one. It tastes like all the time and effort that’s been put into it. So, what is Pastitsio anyway? It’s a Greek style of lasagna basically. The main difference between lasagna and Pastitsio is that Pastitsio is made with a different style of noodle and also with a béchamel sauce rather than ricotta. It’s layered a bit differently than lasagna too.
Now, I’ve never made a béchamel sauce, and even with this being my first time doing so I found it to be pretty easy to do and is very similar to any sort of roux based sauce. The béchamel gave this dish life. There’s so much flavor packed into the sauce that the béchamel is needed to sort of cut through that intense flavor…
Read MoreBeef Stew Casserole
Like I’ve said, it’s the end of the school year and quick and easy meals are what I’m about. This Beef Stew Casserole is going to be a new family favorite that I think has to go into general rotation. It’s filling and savory and is so easily put together. So what is Beef Stew Casserole anyway? Well, it’s exactly what it sounds like, beef stew in the form of a delicious casserole and doesn’t take hours on hours to make.
Everything you love about beef stew traditionally is here; beef, carrots, potatoes, celery, onion. All the goods. And to make this a casserole, it’s tossed together and baked with some tasty egg noodles! The noodles soak up a lot of the broth goodness as it bakes together and you end up with a delicious pasta dish that the whole family will love…
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