Kristen Johnson, RD, Meijer Healthy Living Advisor

Visit www.meijermealbox.com for more recipes and weekly menu planner

                    Happy & Healthy Holidays with Meijer

 

Holiday Entertaining as Easy as 1-2-3

 

Spanakopita Bites

Serves 15 (2 bites per serving)

 

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. Meijer Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 small onion, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach. thawed and squeezed dry
4 to 6 ounces domestic feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup Meijer Fat-Free Cottage Cheese
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
2 boxes of Athens Mini-Fillo Shells
Meijer Organics Canola Oil Cooking Spray

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add white and green chopped onions; cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
3.  Meanwhile, mix spinach, feta, cottage cheese and egg in medium bowl. Add cooked onions and season with salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

4. Remove the fillo shells from package and place and baking sheet. 

6. Place a heaping teaspoon of spinach mixture into each fillo cup. 

7. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. 

 

Snowman Cheese Ball

Serves 10-12

 

Ingredients:

1-8 oz. container Meijer Light Cream Cheese, softened

1-8 oz. container Meijer Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese, softened

1-8 oz. container Meijer Onion and Chive Cream Cheese, softened

1-4 oz. pkg. Goat Cheese, softened

2 cups Meijer Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 cup of grated parmesan cheese

 

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, goat cheese, and mozzarella cheese until smooth. 

2. Divide mixture into 3 different sized balls to make the body.

3. Place parmesan cheese in a shallow bowl.  Coat each ball in parmesan cheese.

4. Place peppercorns in for eyes, mouth and buttons. Place a carrot sliver on for the nose.

5. Place on a serving tray. You can chill the balls until ready to serve and put together and serve right away. Serve with whole grain crackers of veggie sticks. 

 

Baked French Swirl Toast

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz.) loaf Udi's Cinnamon Bread, cut into cubes

¾ cup dried cranberries and/or raisins

4 eggs

3 cups almond milk

2 tsp. Meijer pure vanilla extract

Cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar

Maple syrup (for serving)

Directions:

1.      Place bread cubes and cranberries into a lightly greased 3-quart shallow baking dish.  Mix egg substitute, milk and vanilla extract in a medium bowl with a fork or whisk.  Pour egg mixture over bread cubes.  Stir and press bread cubes into egg mixture to coat.  Refrigerate 1 hour or up to overnight.

2.      Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  Serve with maple syrup.

 

Gifts From the Kitchen

 

C rockpot Gifts

-Fill large Crockpot with broth/stock, olive oil, utensils, dishtowel and Southwest Three-Bean & Barley Soup Mix (recipe below). 

 

Southwestern Three-Bean & Barley Soup Mix

Makes 8 cups

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/3 cup dried black beans

1/2 cup pearl barley

1/3 cup dried kidney beans

1/3 cup dried great northern beans

 

Directions:

1. Layer chili powder, cumin, oregano, black beans, barley, kidney beans and great northern beans in a clean, dry 2-cup mason jar.
2. To turn the soup mix into a pot of soup: heat 1 tbsp. Meijer Extra-Virgin Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 diced large onion, 1 diced celery stalk and 1 diced carrot; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add onion mixture to Crockpot and add in 9 cups water, 4 cups broth and the soup mix. Turn Crockpot to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender about 1 ½ to 2 hours (adding more water, 1/2 cup at a time, if necessary or desired). Season with 3/4 tsp. salt, or to taste.

 

The Gift of Baking

-Fill a basket or cake pan with decorative cupcake shells, baking utensils, chocolate chips, homemade vanilla extract (recipe below), Fig & Flax Cookies (recipe below), Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips (recipe below).  

 

Homemade Vanilla Extract

 

Ingredients:

3 vanilla beans

1 cup vodka

Glass jar with tight fitting lid

 

Directions:

1.      Use kitchen scissors or a sharp paring knife to cut lengthwise down each vanilla bean, splitting them in half, leaving an inch at the end connected.

2.      Put vanilla beans in a glass jar or bottle with a tight fitting lid (mason jars work well). Cover completely with the vodka.

3.      Give the bottle a good shake every once in a while. Store in a dark, cool place for 2 months or longer.

*Homemade vanilla extract lasts for years. You can keep topping it off with vodka once in a while as you use it- just remember to give it a good shake.

 

Fig ’n’ Flax Thumbprint Cookies

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Meijer Organics Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup packed Meijer Dark Brown