Eating with the Season

Tequila Lime Chicken & Cilantro Lime Rice

2014-05-05T10:42:00.003-04:00

Cinco de Mayo has long been one of my favorite holidays. What's not love about a holiday that involves tortilla chips, guacamole and margaritas? That's right, absolutely nothing. Also, I love tequila - which works well, especially for this holiday...and this recipe.

Unfortunately, this year instead of drinking margaritas and each far too many tortilla chips, I'll be in class taking a final. Sigh, the glorious life of a masters student. But the good news it, my last final of the semester is tomorrow, so I'll be saving my Cinco de Mayo celebrations for Seis de Mayo.

But yum, this chicken is delicious and so easy to make. So many good flavors packed into a healthy, colorful and festive meal (adapted from this recipe). Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Tequila Lime Chicken

Yield: 4 servings | Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1/3 cup tequila

2/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (3-4 limes)

1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (1-2 oranges)

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 Tbsp. minced garlic (3 cloves)

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 oz. each)

2 tomatoes diced

1 avocado, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

2 cups cilantro lime rice (recipe follows)

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the chicken breasts, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Heat a grill (or grill pan). Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes on each side.
Remove chicken to a plate, cover tightly and allow to rest 5 minutes.
Slice chicken and serve over cilantro lime rice. Top with diced tomatoes, cilantro and avocado slices.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Yield: 4 servings | Prep time: 5 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice

1 Tbsp. minced garlic (3 cloves)

1 onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. tumeric

2 1/3 cups chicken broth

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice (1/2 lime)

2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat a pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add a small amount of olive oil (enough to coat the pot). Add onion and garlic, cooking for 3-5 minutes or until onion is tender and translucent. Reduce heat to low and add rice. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly to make sure the rice doesn't burn.
Add cumin, tumeric and chicken broth. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and allow to simmer for 30-40 minutes or until rice is tender.
Once cooked, stir in lime juice and cilantro.

Nutritional information per serving (1 chicken breast, 1/2 cup cooked rice):

Calories: 620

Total fat: 21 grams

Carbohydrates: 57 grams

Fiber: 9 grams

Protein: 42 grams

Weight Watchers points: 15

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce

2014-04-29T10:16:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure if I've said it before, but I really don't like tomato sauce. Fresh tomatoes - yes. Ketchup - yes. Tomato sauce - nope. I'm sure your mind is buzzing with all the foods delicious foods that I rule out of my diet because they include tomato sauce: lasagna, pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, meatloaf...oh, the humanity!

Okay, but really, my dislike of tomato sauce doesn't affect my life negatively. I still eat more than enough white pizza and vegetarian lasagna, and I love pasta with garlic and olive oil. And I won't melt if I eat tomato sauce {I've matured since my youth}, but I really prefer to not do so. Meatloaf, however, is still off the table and one of my least favorite foods. Ever.

Anyway, back to the point - tomato sauce. This one is amazing. It's sweet. It's juicy. It's not a tomato sauce so much as it is a tomato topping. So maybe I should call this "Roasted Cherry Tomato Topping." Either way, it's ~~good~~ super delicious. Plus, it's good on everything! Aside from being the most delicious topping for pasta, it can be eaten warm or room temperature and it's great with crunchy bread or crackers, chicken, eggs - the possibilities are endless!

Oh and did I mention it's almost completely hands-off? Simply mix together the ingredients, pour them into an oven-safe dish, cook for an hour and voila! - deliciousness awaits! Mmm also, as I'm sitting here and eat the leftovers now, I can verify that it's still great (adapted from this recipe).

Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce

Yield: 2 cups | Prep time: 5 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Ingredients:

22 oz. cherry tomatoes (nearly 1.5 pounds)

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp. fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried thyme)

2 tsp. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix together tomatoes and garlic in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, thyme, brown sugar and salt. Drizzle over tomato mixture.
Bake until tomatoes are soft and caramelized, about 1 hour.

Nutritional information per serving (1/2 cup per serving);
Calories: 260
Total fat: 26 grams
Carbohydrates: 9 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Protein: 2 grams
Weight Watchers points: 8

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Almond Honey Mustard Dressing

2014-04-24T09:12:00.000-04:00

My semester is winding down and my summer semester of classes is quickly approaching. And when I say "winding down" I really mean becoming-completely-crazy-and-I-have-no-time. All I want to do is eat apples, cheese and chocolate - basically all comfort foods all the time.

As I write this, I realize that comfort food usually entails unhealthy foods. Is it weird that apples are a comfort food for me? What are you top comfort foods? Are they all unhealthy? Either way, another one of my comfort-food guilty pleasures is honey mustard sauce/dressing/deliciousness.

Okay, you got me, honey mustard isn't really a "food." BUT it is something that can be added to most foods. And there in-lies my problem - I want to add honey mustard to everything right now: sandwiches, chicken, even salads. I typically avoid honey mustard salad dressing at restaurants because it's creamy and packed with sugar.

But if I make my own honey mustard dressing it will be healthier and then I don't have to feel (as) guilty about eating it on everything! This recipes (adapted from this) is great because, well, no sugar is added. Light agave, almond butter and orange juice give this dressing all of its sweetness as well as a nice smooth texture.

Also, this take literally minutes to create, so you no longer have an excuse for eating store-bought honey mustard dressing. You simple add all the ingredients into a jar, put on the lid and shake it...like a Polaroid picture (is anyone else now singing that song?). That easy. And it makes everything better - even these Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Quinoa Cakes on a salad. Yum.

Almond Honey Mustard Dressing

Yield: 3 servings | Prep time: 2 minutes | Total time: 3 minutes

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. almond butter

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

3 Tbsp. water

2 Tbsp. stoneground mustard

1 Tbsp. light agave nectar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. minced garlic

Directions:

Add all ingredients into a mason jar (or another jar with a tightly fitted lid). Securely attach the lid and shake for about 1 minute.

Nutritional information per serving (about 1/4 cup):

Calories: 175

Total fat: 14 grams

Carbohydrates: 10 grams

Fiber: 1 gram

Protein: 4 grams

Weight Watchers points: 5

Mediterranean Wrap

2014-04-17T09:57:00.000-04:00

In my last post I wrote about the nice weather and the sun. I took a walk through the park near my house and explored some trails. All the deck furniture was reclaimed from the dust a cobwebs and placed out in the sun. Basically, I was pretending it was summertime.

Unfortunately, that was short lived. It's not summer, it's spring, and spring is fickle. I guess I have to be appreciative of the nice day that I had. But now it's cold. Like really cold. And I just want to go back to that beautiful, warm, summer-like day.

My solution is to go to a happy place in my mind and pretend it's beautiful outside. {As I'm typing this, my deck furniture is literally getting blown off the deck. Sigh.} To aid in my summertime fantasy, I decided to make a Mediterranean wrap with some delicious, summery Tzatziki Sauce.

And let me tell you, it's summertime goodness all wrapped up. Okay, fine, not exactly, but it is really tasty! So whip this up for lunch today while you blast your space heater and look at pictures of the Dominican Republic - as least that's my plan!

Mediterranean Wrap

Yield: 1 serving | Prep time: 2 minutes | Total time: 2 minutes

Ingredients:

1 whole wheat wrap

2 Tbsp. hummus

8-10 cucumber slices

1 tomato, diced

2 Tbsp. feta cheese

1/3 cup Tzatziki Sauce

Directions:

Spread hummus on one side of your wrap. Top hummus with sliced cucumbers. Sprinkle with diced tomatoes and crumbled feta. Drizzle with Tzatziki sauce.
Roll the wrap like a burrito. If you wrap is round, tuck in the sides of the wrap as you're rolling it to help hold the ingredients inside. Cut in half and eat.

Nutritional information per serving (1 wrap):

Calories: 315

Total fat: 16 grams

Carbohydrates: 35 grams

Fiber: 12.5 grams

Protein:19 grams

Weight Watchers points: 9

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Tzatziki Sauce

2014-04-14T11:07:00.001-04:00

I don't know how the weather is wherever you live, but it's sunny and almost 80 degrees today (which is more than 100 degrees warmer than it was 3 months ago - crazy, right?) As I'm writing this, I'm basking in the warmth of the sun as it spills through my window and pretending it's summertime.

Given the summer-like weather, I can't think of a better thing to eat than tzatziki sauce - the cool yogurt and cucumbers combine to make the perfect warm-weather dip. If you've ever eaten a Gyro, this is that creamy deliciousness that's inside. And like the infomercials say - but wait, there's more! The best part about this is its versatility. You can dip veggies or pita into this goodness, eat it on top of a sandwich, use it as a sauce with grilled chicken - endless possibilities!

Also, 1 serving of this is less than 65 calories. That means you can eat this creamy, delicious dip guilt-free! So go pick up some cucumbers on your way home from work and make this, you won't regret it!

Tzatziki Sauce

Yield: about 3.5 cups | Prep time: 5 minutes | Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

24 oz. plain greek yogurt

3 cucumbers, peeled and seeded

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 lemon, juiced (2-3 Tbsp.)

2 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a food processor or blender, combine yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, garlic, salt and pepper. Process until well-combined and creamy.
Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving so that flavors can fuse.

Nutritional information per serving (about 1/3 cup):

Calories: 62
Total fat: 4 grams

Carbohydrates: 5 grams

Fiber: 0.5 grams

Protein: 3 grams

Weight Watchers points: 2

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Vegetarian Chili

2014-04-07T15:14:00.000-04:00

I like to pretend that I'm not a picky eater and that I enjoy all foods. Truth be told, while I'm not picky, there are some foods that I dislike. Growing up, I basically didn't like eating at all. I thought eat was something you just had to do so you could keep moving and dancing and playing. {I know, it's crazy, I don't know what I was thinking}

When I was about 16, I started realizing that food wasn't just something that your body converts into energy. Food was amazing and rich and complex, and I fell in love. I began everything I could get my hands on. I also developed a new rule for myself for anything that I "didn't like": I had to try at least 2 more times, prepared in different ways, before I drew any conclusions.

For example, I didn't like mushrooms as a kid. The idea of eating a fungus was too much for me. But 4th of July, 2010, my parents grilled giant portobello caps and, please believe me when I tell you this, it was one of the greatest things I've eaten in my life. It was so delicious and I wondered: why had I been missing out my whole life?! Today, mushrooms are one of my favorite things to eat.

And eggplant. I still don't love eggplant. It's a texture thing - the inside get soft and the skin stays taught and waxy. So I tried egg plant again: eggplant lasagna - not bad. Then again: eggplant parmesan - again, not bad. Then a third time: caponata of eggplant - THE BEST THING EVER.

Before you go thinking that I'm special...or strange, you should know there are certain foods I still don't like. For example, I don't like ground meat. I will occasionally dabble with ground turkey, but never ground beef. I also dislike tomato sauce. Fresh tomatoes, bruschetta, ketchup - all good in my book. But warm, oozy tomato sauce - ick. Oh and I can't eat spicy things. Like not even too much ground black pepper. Negative 18 on the spiciness scale. Now you know my Achilles heels.

So what does this mean - I was a strange kid. Instead of eating pizza or hamburgers, I had salads or fresh sandwiches. In fact, cooked spinach was one of my favorite things to eat as a kid. Today, I'll eat pizza with sauce but I much prefer white pizzas. And my least favorite foods of all time? Meat loaf (ground beef + tomato sauce) and chili (ground beef + tomato sauce + spice). But vegetarian chili is an entirely different story.

First of all, instead of ground beef, the soup's "meat" is a variety of delicious vegetables, black beans and brown rice. Second, the broth is about half tomato sauce and half vegetable broth giving it a good balance of flavors. Third, I added no spiciness to this chili. You, of course, can add chili powder and hot peppers until your eyeballs sweat, but I liked mine just the way it was! (adapted from this recipe)

I know spring is here and the cold is behind us {fingers crossed}, but this vegetarian chili is so good. I'm actually quite sad I didn't make a larger batch and freeze some for later. However, this isn't difficult or time consuming, so I'll just have to make another batch again soon.

Vegetarian Chili

Yield: 4 servings | Prep time: 15 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper

1 Tbsp. garlic

1 cup diced zucchini

1 cup corn kernels

8 oz. portobello mushrooms cubed

2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 cup black beans

2/3 cup tomato sauce

1 cup vegetable stock

1 cup cooked brown rice

2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese - optional

Directions:

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add a small amount of oil (enough to coat the pan). Add the onion, bell peppers and garlic and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
Add the zucchini, corn and mushrooms. Cook and stir vegetables until soft and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add cumin, salt and pepper, and stir to evenly coat vegetables. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce and vegetable stock. Stir well and allow mixture to come to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
In a bowl, add 1/2 cup cooked brown rice and top with 2 cups of chili. Sprinkle 1/2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro and 1 Tbsp. shredded cheddar cheese.

Nutritional information per serving (2 cups):

Calories: 460

Total fat: 5 grams

Carbohydrates: 87 grams

Fiber: 14 grams
Protein: 21 grams
Weight Watchers points: 12

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Guava and Cheese Pastelitos

2014-04-02T13:10:00.000-04:00

I feel as if the line between breakfast and dessert is blurred. In fact, I feel like sometimes I accidentally cross over from breakfast to dessert. But you know what? I don't mind at all.

You've heard it before - breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If I can eat dessert for "breakfast" and say I'm doing something good for my body, I'm all about it. So let me present: pastelitos.

These treats literally translate to "little pastries" (pastel=pastry, ito=little). While pastelitos have a Cuban origin, you can find them in many Latin American bakeries today. Pastelitos are often filled with sweetened cream cheese and tropical fruit pulps. However, like empanadas, pastelitos can also be made with savory fillings like beef, chicken or ham and cheese.

When I was in a specialty store in Pittsburgh the other weekend, I found some guava paste {can you think of a more tropical fruit then guava?} and felt inspired to make these. Guava paste is more solid than guava jelly, so it doesn't tend to spread and leak from the pastries when baking. However, guava paste is more difficult to find and either one will work - so go with what is easiest for you.

I used frozen puff pastry to make these because making puff pastry from scratch is very time consuming and I just wanted to eat these as soon as possible. In fact, once these came out of the oven, I felt an overwhelming urge to eat them immediately even though I knew they were molten lava in the center. Needless to say I burn my tongue, but it was well worth it. These are that good.

Guava and Cheese Pastelitos

Yield: 20 pastries | Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. lemon juice

8 oz. guava paste

1 egg, whisked

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a mini-muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and lemon juice with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; set aside. Cut guava paste into thin 1-inch squares (about 1/2-inch thick); set aside.
Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut puff pastry into 2 1/2-inch squares - this should yield about 20 squares. Place squares into prepared mini-muffin cups and gently shape puff pastry into the cups.
Into each puff pastry cup, place 1 guava paste square and a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture. Brush the edges of the pastries with the whisked egg. Bake pastries in a preheated oven for 22-25 minutes. Allow pastries to cool before devouring (can be served warm or at room temperature).

If you somehow have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutritional information per serving (4 pastries):
Calories: 200
Total fat: 12 grams
Carbohydrates: 20 grams
Fiber: 1.5 grams
Protein: 4 grams
Weight Watchers points: 6

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Quinoa Cakes

2014-03-31T14:38:00.001-04:00

While my friend was visiting this past weekend, I decided to make something fun for dinner. While she and my boyfriend aren't picky eaters, they both like different kids of foods.

She likes a huge plate-full of every kind of vegetable (brussels sprouts, asparagus, zucchini, etc.) and salmon (aka overcooked), but no fruit in dinner foods and not much meat. He likes all the typical foods: meat, potatoes, vegetables, but none of the vegetables listed above and no fish.

The point is, I was racking my brain for something that would please everyone. After much consideration, I found the perfect middle-ground: sweet potato, black bean and quinoa cakes (adapted from this recipe).

They have sweet potatoes - delicious and fiber-filled. They have black beans - while that's not "meat" it's still healthy protein. They have quinoa - good, healthy grains. Not to mention chopped walnuts, giving these cakes a nice crunch as well as flavor packed rosemary and cumin. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is.

We ate these over a big salad of mixed greens with a clean, homemade honey-mustard dressing (recipe to be posted soon). Needless to say, these were a hit. My only regret is not making more!!

Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Quinoa Cakes

Yield: 5 servings | Prep time: 30 minutes | Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

1 cup water

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 sweet potatoes)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup milk

1 cup cooked black beans

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 garlic cloves, diced

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium pot, bring 1 cup of water to boil. Once boiling, add the quinoa, cover and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is soft. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and set aside.
In another medium pot, bring a few cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, add cubed sweet potatoes and cook until tender, about 20-30 minutes. Strain water from potatoes and return potatoes to empty pot. Add butter, milk, cumin and salt and pepper, and mash potatoes (by hand or with hand mixer) until smooth. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, add mashed sweet potatoes, black beans, quinoa, Parmesan, garlic, chopped walnuts and rosemary. Mix well.
Shape the mixture into 16 patties about 2 1/2-inches in size. Place on prepared baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Flip and bake for another 15 minutes.

Nutritional information per serving (3 cakes per serving):
Calories: 350
Total fat: 13 grams
Carbohydrates: 50 grams
Fiber: 8 grams
Protein: 13 grams
Weight Watchers points: 9

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Meringue Cookies

2014-03-27T15:03:00.001-04:00

If you haven't noticed, I'm all about eating delicious things that are also healthy. For example, making a lighter (315 calorie) version of a classic dish - chicken francese. Or a creamy, rich, flavor-bursting alfredo sauce for only 130 calories. And, one of personal favorites, a dessert that contains only natural ingredients is actually good for you to eat - raw chocolate truffles.

So, how do you feel about cookies that taste amazing and are less than 10 calories each?! If your jaw is hanging open, you're not the only one. When I calculated the nutritional information for each cookie, I couldn't believe it. These cookies taste so good, I can't believe I can eat 4 and still be under 30 calories!

Okay, so let me explain these cookies. First of all, the are so light, you would think they could float. Second, they're dry and hard {this results from the meringues being slowly cooked in the oven for a long time to gradually evaporate the moisture from the meringues}. Third, they taste like toasted marshmallows AND they melt in your mouth. I'm not kidding, this is real.

You would think these cookies have to be made up of a ton of crazy ingredients, but guess what? They're not. Meringue cookies are made with two main ingredients: stiffly beaten egg whites and sugar {yes it's that easy}. Which also means they're gluten-free.

In order to make very stiff egg whites, you can add some cream of tartar. Cream of tartar helps to stabilize the protein in the egg whites and make sure they get super fluffy and stiff. I have an amazing copper mixing bowl that basically whips egg whites perfectly every time without using cream of tartar.

In summary, these cookies are:

Amazingly delicious
SUPER low in calories and have no fat
Ridiculously easy to make

Do yourself a favor and make these. Now. Go.

Meringue Cookies

Yield: 80 one-inch cookies | Prep time: 5 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes (plus drying time)

Ingredients:

3 large egg whites

2/3 cup white sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, whip egg whites on low speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar (if you're using it) and continue to beat egg whites until they begin to hold peaks.
Gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat on medium-high speed until the meringues hold very stiff peaks. Beat in the vanilla extract and any coloring you want {I choose green for the "Late Patrick's Day" party I attended}.
*If you rub a little of the mixture between your fingers, it shouldn't feel gritty. If it does, that sugar hasn't completely dissolved, so beat the mixture a bit longer until it feels smooth between your fingers.
Fill a piping bag with some of the mixture and pipe 1-inch sized shapes onto the prepared cookie sheets. Alternatively, spoon mounds of meringue onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake the meringues for 1 1/2-1 3/4 hours, rotating the baking sheet about half way through. The meringues are done when they are pale in color and easily release from the parchment paper. The meringues are even better if you let them dry for several more hours - so turn off the oven, creak the door and leave the meringues for a few hours or overnight.

If you want to be really adventurous, you can dip the bottom of the meringues in melted chocolate!

Nutritional information per serving (4 cookies):
Calories: 28
Total fat: --
Carbohydrates: 7 grams
Fiber: --
Protein: 0.5 grams
Weight Watchers points: 1

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Light Soba Noodle Stir Fry

2014-03-25T16:11:00.002-04:00

It was a busy weekend: I finally celebrated St. Patrick's Day and I have a big exam this week...aka I have no time.

While I would be perfectly okay eating grilled cheese, kale chips and leftover cookies from the party every day until life settles down, nutritional balance and acting like an adult gets in the way. So I decided upon a light stir fry - quick, easy, filling and nutritionally balanced.

I love adding noodles to my stir fry, but all noodles are not created equal! Soba noodles are not only quick to make, they're also made of buckwheat (soba is actually the Japanese name for buckwheat), so they have more fiber and nutrition than other noodles!

To keep this dish light, I also made my own sauce - lower sodium, healthy sugars and no preservatives! Added bonus: it only takes 1 minute to whip up. And since this recipe makes 5 servings, I have leftovers to get my through the next few days.

Okay, back to studying...and maybe a few leftover cookies {I can't be a responsible adult all the time}!

Light Soba Noodle Stir Fry

Yield: 5 servings | Prep time: 20 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

3 bell peppers, sliced

5 cups bok choy, chopped into 1-inch pieces

16 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced

8 oz. soba noodles

2 Tbsp. garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp. garlic

2 tsp. ginger

2 tsp. light Agave nectar

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

Heat a pot of water. Once boiling, add soba noodles and cook according to package. Once cooked, strain noodles and set aside.
In a medium bowl, stir together all the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.
Heat wok over medium heat. Once hot, add a small amount of oil (enough to coat the pan). Add chicken, salt and pepper and cook until chicken is browned and fully cooked - about 6 minutes. once cooked, remove chicken to a plate.
Add a bit more oil and cook garlic until fragrant but not browned - about 1 minute. Add shiitake mushroom and pepper, cooking for 3 minutes. Add bok choy and cook until wilted - another 2 minutes.
Add cooked chicken and soba noodles to wok. Add about 2/3 of the sauce and stir to evenly distribute the sauce. Let everything simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add remaining sauce and serve.

Nutritional information per serving (about 2 cups):
Calories: 435
Total fat: 10 grams
Carbohydrates: 52 grams
Fiber: 3.5 grams
Protein: 37 grams
Weight Watchers points: 11

Raw Chocolate Truffles

2014-03-21T12:00:00.000-04:00

I know what you're thinking - raw? Like uncooked? Like raw uncooked eggs?! What if I told you these truffles have no egg, no sugar, no butter, no oil and no flour? Believe it.

As if it couldn't get any better, these truffles also contain only natural, healthful ingredients, are packed with important nutrients that are good for you and take only 5 minutes to make.

So, these are basically the perfect dessert.

I'm sure you're skeptical, don't worry, I was too. The original recipe from My New Roots promised to change my life....that's a big promise. But when the ingredients came together, they formed a gooey, rich, chocolate-y "dough" and I knew My New Roots' promise had been fulfilled.

These truffles are surprisingly rich and satisfying. They key ingredient in giving these a fudge-y consistency are Medjool dates. Medjool dates are actually the key ingredient in many raw desserts because they're sweet, without having a strong flavor, and are very tender.

Medjool dates are different from regular dates - they're bigger and sweeter. I know it isn't easy to find Medjool dates and they're more expensive, but you just cannot make these without them! {Seriously though, these won't turn out the same without Medjool dates, so scour your local grocery store for these or buy them online.}

And if you're like me and simply cannot image a chocolate dessert without more chocolate, you can add a few mini dark chocolate chips :)

If you need more convincing, you can read all about the benefits of these great ingredients and why you must make and eat these here. Okay, now go make them.

Raw Chocolate Truffles

Yields: about 20 truffles | Prep time: 5 minutes | Total time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup whole walnuts (unsalted)

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/8 tsp. salt

8 oz. Medjool dates

1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

3 Tbsp. mini chocolate chips - optional

Directions:

Remove the pits from the dates.
Place walnuts in a food processor and blend on high until they're finely ground.
Add the cocoa powder and salt. Pulse to combine.
While the processor is running, add the dates one at a time through the feed tube. Once all the dates have been added, your "dough" will look crumbly but, when pressed, will easily stick together (if it doesn't, add more dates). If you're adding mini chocolate chips, stir them in by hand.
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of "dough" into your hands and form a 1-inch ball. Roll the remaining "dough" into truffles. Place the truffles into a container and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.

Oh also, this recipe can also be used to make brownies (I know, it gets even better).

Nutritional information per serving (1 truffle):

Calories: 85

Total fat: 4.5 grams

Carbohydrates: 11 grams

Fiber: 2 grams

Protein: 2 grams

Weight Watchers points: 2

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Strawberries and Cream Pancakes

2014-03-19T13:55:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago was National Pancake Day - better late than never, right? Here is me finally uploading a wonderful pancake recipe. I can't take all the credit, however, my wonderful boyfriend cooked the pancakes, I only helped!!

Actually, a long time ago, my boyfriend was making me pancakes and started adding lemon juice...I was mildly concerned. As it turns out, he knows a secret about making the fluffiest, lightest, best pancakes - adding lemon juice and baking soda! The chemical reaction between these two ingredients causes bubbles aka fluffy lightness.

Don't worry, this isn't going to cause an explosion or anything. Just make sure you mix the lemon juice and baking soda into the batter when you're ready to make it (i.e. don't mix the ingredients, then let the batter sit on the counter/in the refrigerator for an hour).

And yes, in case you're wondering, my boyfriend is wonderful and loves making pancakes for us for breakfast (I definitely lucked out). My contribution to the pancake making is adding fruit or other delicious ingredients to the pancakes and, occasionally, whipped cream.

Strawberries and Cream Pancakes

Yield: 5 servings | Prep time: 5 minutes | Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups low-fat baking mix (like Bisquick)

1 cup almond milk

2 eggs

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 cup sliced strawberries

1/2 cup homemade whipped cream

1/2 cup sliced strawberries

Directions:

Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat.
In a large bowl, combine baking mix, milk and eggs. Add sugar, baking powder and lemon juice. Whisk until just combined, then gently stir in sliced strawberries.
Once griddle is hot (a drop of water sizzles), pour about 1/4 cup of batter. Cook until tops are bubbled and the edges begin to look dry (and bottoms are golden).
Flip pancakes and cook until this side is golden as well. Repeat until all batter is used.
Top with whipped cream and sliced strawberries.

Nutritional information per serving (3 pancakes):

Calories: 380

Total fat: 23 grams

Carbohydrates: 39 grams

Fiber: 5.5 grams

Protein: 7 grams

Weight Watchers points: 10

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Eat the Rainbow: Fruit Salad

2014-03-17T14:19:00.001-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Unfortunately, because this festive holiday falls on a Monday this year, I'll be spending my day at work and school (don't feel too badly - I'm going to celebrate over the weekend). However, some celebration is necessary, so I prepared some festive food to celebrate.

I'm sure you heard the myth growing up: there's a pot of gold or treasure at the end of a rainbow guarded by a leprechaun. Given that the weather is beginning to warm up and a variety of fruit is starting to become available, I thought what if the rainbow is the treasure? So for my St. Patrick's Day meal, I decided to eat the rainbow.

If you look around, you'll realize that nature provides us with fruits and vegetables is every color you could imagine. Eating a "rainbow" helps give your body the nutrients it needs in addition to fiber, vitamins and minerals. Also, each color naturally contains a variety of healthful vitamins and minerals - here are a few:

Reds: vitamin C and lycopene

Blues & Purples: vitamin C and antioxidants

Oranges & Yellows: carotenoids, vitamins A and C, potassium

Greens: vitamin K, potassium

So, reward your body and celebrate St. Patrick's day with a rainbow!

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Mini Berry Pies

2014-03-14T18:30:00.002-04:00

Happy Pi Day!! For those who are unfamiliar with this holiday, let me give you some background. Pi (π) is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of a circle's circumference to the circle's diameter. The value of pi is approximately 3.14159, but pi's actual value is infinite in length and its digits have no pattern (it's captivated people throughout history).

So, 3.14 = March 14 = Pi Day! In case you think I'm pulling your leg (I'm not), the House of Representatives designated March 14 as National Pi Day in 2009 (see, it's real). Also, I just learned, March 14 is Albert Einstein's birthday.

I can't think of a better way to celebrate Pi Day than with pie. And because I can't commit to one large pie, I decided to make 2 different flavors of mini pies: mixed berries and blueberry. Thanks to my friend Liz for helping to make these tasty little treats!

Mini Berry Pies

Yield: 24 mini muffin-sized pies | Prep time: 15 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Pate Brisee (pie crust)

1 egg yolk

1 Tbsp. water

1-2 Tbsp. sugar (for dusting)

Mixed Berry Filling

2 oz. strawberries

2 oz. raspberries

2 oz. blackberries

1 tsp. cornstarch

4 1/2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. lemon zest

Blueberry Filling

1 cup blueberries

1 tsp. cornstarch

4 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. water

1 tsp. lemon zest

Directions:

Prepare mixed berry filling: coarsely chop the strawberries and break up large raspberries and blackberries. Put all the fruit in a mixing bowl and stir in cornstarch, sugar and lemon zest. Set aside.
Prepare blueberry filling: put half of the blueberries in a small pot with the cornstarch, sugar and water. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until the blueberries begin to ooze their juice and the sauce thickens. Remove pot from heat and add the remaining blueberries.
Prepare dough: allow Pate Brisee dough to warm to room temperature (warm enough to roll out, not too warm that is becomes soft and buttery). Roll the pie dough out thinly on a lightly floured surface. Using a round cookie cutter (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter), stamp out 24 circles (reroll the trimmings as needed). Gently press the circles into mini muffin pans*.
Assemble pies: In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and 1 Tbsp. water. Brush the top of the dough with egg glaze, then spoon in the filling. Sprinkle with a little sugar.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes. Leave mini pies in the pan to cool for 10 minutes.

*The pies are very fragile and I had a not-so-easy time removing them from the pans. As you can see, I ended up putting them in mini-muffin papers so they're easier to move. I don't know if I would recommend cooking them in mini-muffin papers. I also don't think greasing the pans would have helped. If you have a suggestion - let me know!

Nutritional information per serving (1 mini pies):

Calories: 72

Total fat: 4 grams

Carbohydrates: 9 grams

Fiber: 1 grams

Protein: 1 gram

Weight Watchers points: 2

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Glowing Green Smoothie

2014-03-12T14:09:00.001-04:00

Given that St. Patrick's Day is less than a week away, I figured a themed post was in order. I know St. Patrick's Day is typically associated with green beverages, green baked goods and pretty much anything {artificially colored} green and unhealthy.

HOWEVER, why don't you try something a little different this year? How about a healthy, nutrient-packed smoothie that is green without the help of any food coloring! And if you happen to wander out for a St. Patrick's Day parade, eat a green cookie and drink a green beverage {or 3}, you'll at least be happy to know you started your day off right.

Aside from the smoothie being a festive color and tasting great, why should you drink it? Well, because it's packed with vitamin C, fiber and other great nutrients! While all the ingredients in this smoothie are great, two of the powerhouse ingredients are ginger and spinach.

Ginger is known to sooth the stomach and, evidence shows, is beneficial in fighting the symptoms from a cold or flu. And spinach, in addition to its nutritional benefits, has been found to have a powerful effect on muscle strength. In other words, Popeye got it right!

So, whether you want to power-up before a work-out or bike ride (the weather is getting warmer, right?), need help fighting off a cold, or just want a great way to start off your morning, try this smoothie - you'll be glowing after you drink it!

Glowing Green Smoothie

Yield: 1 serving | Prep time: 1 minute | Total time: 2 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup almond milk

2 cups spinach

1 apple

1 orange

1 lime - juiced

2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 Tbsp. chia seeds

Directions:

Grate the ginger*, core and cut the apple into slices, peel the orange and separate the segments (remove the seeds if there are any).
Load items into your blender in the order listed above (milk first, seeds last).
Blend until smooth, pour into a glass and enjoy!

*Note: grating the ginger works much better if your ginger is frozen!

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories: 330

Total fat: 8 grams

Carbohydrates: 66 grams

Fiber: 18.5 grams

Protein: 8 grams

Weight Watchers points: 9

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Light Chicken Francese

2014-03-10T15:45:00.000-04:00

Chicken Francese is one of those dishes you always see at weddings and catered events. Unfortunately, it's sometimes hit or miss. Too much lemon, not enough lemon, I'm like goldilocks, it's not always quite right. Not to mention the butter in the sauce - so many calories!

Well, a lighter Chicken Francese isn't hard to create: substitute egg whites for whole eggs, using a little flour instead of butter to thicken the sauce, and as always, using fresh ingredients. And guess what? It tastes delicious - you can't even tell the difference. Well, that's not entirely true, you can feel the difference. Eating good makes you feel good!

And as per my truffle oil obsession that began last week, those garlic mashed potatoes you might notice in the background of these pictures is indeed drizzled with truffle oil. In case you're wondering, they were amazing (as if there was a doubt).

Light Chicken Francese

Yield: 4 servings | Prep time: 5 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

16 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 Tbsp. flour (for dredging)

1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper

3 Tbsp egg whites (about 3 egg whites)

1/2 lemon, cut into 4 thin rounds

1/2 lemon, juiced (about 3 Tbsp.)

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup chicken broth

1 Tbsp. flour

1 Tbsp. butter

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Directions:

Place chicken breasts on cutting board, cover with a piece of plastic wrap and pound breasts with a meat mallet until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Slice so you have 4 cutlets total, then set aside. In a shallow bowl, mix flour, salt and pepper. Place egg whites in another shallow bowl.
Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add a small amount of olive oil (enough to coat the pan).
Dredge both sides of the cutlets in seasoned flour, then dip them in egg wash to coat completely (allow excess egg to drip off). Place cutlets in hot pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, until golden. Once cooked, remove chicken cutlets to a plate and set aside.
Add the lemon slices to the pan, cooking for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add wine, broth and lemon juice to pan, and simmer for about 5 minutes until sauce reduces slightly. Add butter and 1 Tbsp. flour, stir to incorporate flour.
Reduce heat to medium-low and return chicken to the pan. Place lemon slices on top of the chicken cutlets and simmer for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Nutritional information per serving (1 cutlet):

Calories: 315

Total fat: 12 grams

Carbohydrates: 9 grams

Fiber: 1 gram

Protein: 36 grams
Weight Watchers points: 7

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Smoothie

2014-03-07T08:24:00.000-05:00

My newest breakfast obsession are smoothies. A few weeks ago I posted a recipe for a green pineapple power smoothie and promised more smoothie recipes to come. Okay, so it's been a few weeks, but at least I can finally share this wonderful smoothie with you! This smoothie is perfect. It tastes indulgent and packed with great flavors, but it's under 350 calories and keeps me full for hours (which I've said many times before isn't an easy feat for breakfast foods for me).

One of the ingredients in this smoothie that help to keep the fat and calories low while providing a ton of flavor is PB2. I talked about this ingredient in my last post - homemade peanut butter oreos. PB2 has far less fat and oil as compared with regular peanut butter, and still has plenty of flavor and protein. So, spend two minutes tomorrow making this smoothie and make you day 300% better.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Smoothie

Yield: 1 smoothie | Prep time: 1 minute | Total time: 2 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup vanilla almond milk

1 banana

1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

2 Tbsp. PB2

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 Tbsp. chia seeds

Directions:

Load items into your blender in the order listed above (milk first, seeds last).
Blend until smooth, pour into a glass and enjoy!

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories: 340

Total fat: 6 grams

Carbohydrates: 66 grams

Fiber: 8 grams

Protein: 11 grams

Weight Watchers points: 9

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Homemade Peanut Butter Oreos

2014-03-05T17:00:00.000-05:00

Last week, a few friends from school and I were talking about desserts. One friend, Steve, told me about his love for peanut butter everything, and later in the conversation, I learned Steve's birthday was a week away. So, what's a friend to do but bake something peanut buttery and delicious?

I've been wanting to make these homemade oreos from Smitten Kitchen and felt like this was the perfect reason. Chocolate and peanut butter are a classic combination and work so well for these cookies (I also tried to make blonde/golden oreos, however that recipe still needs to be perfected).

To make the peanut butter filling, I used one of my favorite products, PB2. If you haven't heard of PB2 (or have seen it but you're not quite sure what it is), let me tell you about it. PB2 is powdered peanut butter which can be either mixed with water to form a spreadable peanut butter or used as a powder. PB2 is formed by slow roasting peanuts, then pressing them to remove "85% of the fat and oil." And although PB2 is healthier than peanut butter, it still has all the flavor!

If you've gotten down to the ingredient list, I'm sure you noticed one of the ingredients is shortening. I know, I know, it's absolutely not healthy. I don't like shortening any more than you, but it gives the frosting a thickness you just can't achieve with butter. But look at it this way, these cookies are still better than store-bought oreos!

Homemade Peanut Butter Oreos

Yield: 12 sandwich cookies | Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 25

Ingredients:

Chocolate cookies:

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup sugar

9 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room-temperature

1 large egg

Filling:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room-temperature

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup PB2

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add butter and egg and mix until dough comes together in a mass.
Place rounded teaspoons of dough on prepared baking sheets about two inches apart (the cookies will expand!). Slightly flatten dough balls with your hands.
Bake for 9 minutes in preheated oven. Let cookies sit on baking sheet for 3 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
To make the filling, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl and mix on low speed. Gradually add PB2 and powdered sugar. Mix on high for 2-3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
To assemble the cookies, spread a tablespoon of cream on one cookie. Find another cookie equal in size and place it on top of the cream, lightly pressing to evenly distribute the filling.

Nutritional information per serving (1 sandwich cookie):

Calories: 310
Total fat: 17 grams

Carbohydrates: 41 grams

Fiber: 2 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Weight Watchers points: 9

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Pizza Del Re

2014-03-04T17:17:00.004-05:00

Let me tell you a story about the best pizza I've ever eaten. I was walking down a little street in Pittsburgh with a friend, about 2 years ago, and saw a new place opening - Mercurio's. This little restaurant serves 30+ flavors of homemade gelato, and rotates their daily selection among over 100 flavors. My favorites so far? Dark chocolate stracciatella, raspberry and truffles, dulce de leche, nutella and pumpkin spice. Okay, fine, I love them all.

So what does this have to do with pizza you ask? Well, I love the gelato at Mercurio's and thought it couldn't possibly get better. But it could, and it did. A few weeks later I walked by Mercurio's and they were now a full-blown restaurant - gelato was just the beginning while their stone oven was being delivered and installed. And, as if you couldn't guess, their pizza is something out of this world.

The first thing I love about their pizzas? They're the perfect size. You can split one with a friend and have just enough room left for gelato. My second favorite thing? They're made with fresh, delicious ingredients and each pizza is a work of art. And while the menu at Mercurio's menu isn't long, they only need one thing on it to keep me happy - pizza del re. Mercurio's describes this as a pizza with "house made mozzarella, truffle spread, mushrooms, Proscuitto di Parma, extra virgin olive oil."

Every time I go within a 30 mile radius of Mercurio's, I want to go get pizza del re. And if I'm not eating it, I'm talking about how delicious it is.While all the ingredients are so good (house made mozzarella, mushrooms, Prosciutto), the ingredient that ties is all together is truffle oil. I can't explain exactly what it is about truffle oil that is so intoxicatingly good, but you'll just have to trust me and try it.

Then it dawned on me the other day - why do I need to torture myself waiting for pizza del re when I can just make it myself?! So off to the grocery store I went to collect all my ingredients. Have you ever tried to recreate something amazing that you ate a restaurant? And it didn't quite live up to the original? This is not one of those time. Not to brag, but my pizza was spot on and delicious. When my boyfriend realized when I was making, he was overwhelmed with excitement (he also has a love affair with this pizza).

And as if recreating the most amazing pizza in my own kitchen wasn't excitement enough, I also have a bottle of truffle oil I will now be adding to everything - because it can only make things better. Two things I do recommend, a pizza peel and a pizza stone. These aren't absolutely necessary to make a perfect pizza, but they do help. The pizza stone helps get your pizza nice and crispy and cooked perfectly (because we can't all have stone ovens to cook pizzas). And while your stone is heating up in the oven, the peel will help move your pizza from your counter to the oven (you might thing this is easy, but I have a disastrous story to convince you otherwise - I'll save that story for another day).

Pizza Del Re

Yields: 14-inch pizza | Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Pizza dough

2-3 Tbsp. White truffle oil

8 oz. mushroom, sliced into 1/4-inch slices (I used baby portobellos)

2 oz. Proscuitto, very thinly sliced

12 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch disks

Directions:

Place pizza stone in a cold oven, then preheat the oven to 400°F.
Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add a small amount of olive oil (enough to coat the pan). Add sliced mushrooms and cook for 3-5 minutes.
Roll out your pizza dough into a 14-inch disk. Brush truffle oil over the top of the pizza. Evenly spread with cooked mushrooms and Proscuitto (torn into smaller pieces) over pizza. Next, top pizza with mozzarella disks.
Cook pizza on hot stone for about 20 minutes or until crust is browned and cheese is bubbling. Attempt to not eat the entire pizza in one sitting.

Nutritional information per serving (1/6 of the pizza):

Calories: 260

Total fat: 17 grams

Carbohydrates: 8 grams

Fiber: 1 gram

Protein: 19 grams

Weight Watchers points: 7

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Chicken Quinoa and Broccoli Casserole

2014-02-28T11:11:00.001-05:00

Growing up, my family didn't eat many casseroles. It wasn't until very recently that I finally tried green bean casserole (before then it was just a myth I heard about on Campbell's soup commercials). And while I was glad to finally experience this amazing dish that I'd heard people talk about for years, I'm disappointed to report that it wasn't that amazing: the green beans were soggy and there wasn't a lot of flavor. I did like the little fried onion bits, but I mean, who doesn't like those?

My perception of casseroles is that they're unhealthy and kind of bland. Maybe it's just me. I know, there are some great casseroles and they're not all unhealthy and bland....case in point: this casserole. I added lots of spices and nutritious ingredients, so this casserole is flavorful and healthy! (adapted from this recipe)

Chicken Quinoa and Broccoli Casserole

Yield: 6 servings | Prep time: 15 minutes | Total time: 65 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 cup skim milk

1/2 cup flour

1.5 tsp. garlic powder

1.5 tsp. onion powder

1.5 tsp. thyme

1 cup water

1 cup uncooked quinoa

1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips

4 cups fresh broccoli florets

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Grease a 9x13 baking dish (do a good job with this so all your casserole goodness doesn't stick to the sides).
In a medium pot, bring the chicken broth and 1/2 cup of milk to a low boil. Whisk in flour, 1 tsp. of each garlic powder, onion powder and thyme, and remaining 1/2 cup of milk. Continue whisking until a the mixture forms a creamy, smooth sauce.
Mix the sauce with water and quinoa. Pour the quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish, then lay chicken strips on top. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tsp. of each garlic powder, onion powder and thyme. Cover with foil and cook for 25 minutes.
After 25 minutes, uncover and stir. Then cook uncovered for another 20 minutes.
While casserole is in the over, steam broccoli for 1-2 minutes, until the broccoli turns bright green. Run the broccoli under cold water then set it aside.
Remove the casserole from the oven and add the broccoli. You can also add a little extra water (up to 1/2 cup if you want a creamier consistency). Sprinkle cheese on top of the casserole and bake, uncovered, for another 5 minutes.

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories: 430

Total fat: 12 grams

Carbohydrates: 33 grams

Fiber: 4 grams

Protein: 45 grams

Weight Watchers points: 10

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Syrian Sleek

2014-02-26T10:28:00.000-05:00

Sleek is a tasty, protein and nutrient packed vegan dish! From what I've read, it's a traditional dish in Syria. Sleek is easy to make and only contains 6 inexpensive ingredients. The hardest part about this dish is letting the dry black eyed peas cook for an hour. And if you're tight for time and can't wait an hour for your beans to cook, you can always substitute canned black eyed peas (just be sure to find low sodium ones).

Basically, this dish is easy to make and has great flavor. What are you waiting for? In my opinion, the best part of this dish are the caramelized onion. Caramelizing onions is a process you can't rush. You need to slowly cook the onions on a medium-low heat. This slow cooking causes the sugars in the onions' layers to caramelize steadily (not burn) and becoming golden, delicious and oh-so sweet!

However, I have to admit, cutting onions is a rough process for me. I know most people tear up when cutting onions, but my reaction is so out of control. Tears literally drop out of my eyes and I look as if I'm full-on sobbing. When cutting a large amount of onions (i.e. more than one small onion), I have to stop frequently for fear that I'll cut off a finger because I can't see. But I love onions, especially caramelized onions, so I feel like it is all worth the effort (and tears).

Also, I should warn, this recipe makes a lot of sleek. But good news, the kale/black eyed pea/Bulgar mixture freezes really well (i.e. sleek sans caramelized onions). So make this whole recipe and freeze it in airtight containers for future healthy meals!!

Syrian Sleek

Yields: 6 servings | Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup dried black eyed peas

1 pound fresh kale, trimmed from the rib and torn into 1-inch pieces

1 cup dried Bulgar wheat

1- 1 1/2 pounds onion, sliced

4-6 Tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Fill a large pot with water. Add the black eyed peas and bring to a boil. Cook beans about 1 hour, or until peas are tender.
Meanwhile, caramelize the onions. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add a small amount of olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pan). Add the onion slices and stir to coat them with oil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the onions turn golden brown (do not allow the onion to burn). Set aside.
When peas are tender, add kale and Bulgar wheat and cook for another 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove pot from the heat and drain off any remaining water. Toss mixture with olive oil, salt and pepper, then top with caramelized onions and serve.

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories: 390

Total fat: 13 grams

Carbohydrates: 63 grams

Fiber: 19 grams
Protein: 15 grams

Weight Watchers points: 10

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Chicken "Pot" Pie

2014-02-24T14:37:00.000-05:00

When I moved just over a year ago, I went from a one-story apartment with a small kitchen to a two-story home with a beautiful, spacious kitchen (and, just as exciting, a backyard and a driveway!). In my apartment, my roommate and I stored kitchen supplies everywhere. We filled up all the cabinets in our little kitchen pretty quickly, then moved on to some shelves in the living area.

After that proved to still be an insufficient amount of space, we repurposed the linen closet to a pantry/kitchen storage closet. And the things that we used less frequently (i.e. cake forms, serving platters, etc.) we kept in our storage unit in the basement of the building.

So once I moved and saw the plethora of cabinets in my much large kitchen, I expected everything to fit with room to spare. I know, as I write this I know it sounds ridiculous, who was I kidding? It's like my kitchen supplies multiplied in the move and I soon realized that everything again wouldn't fit and we now have shelves in the basement holding excess kitchen supplies.

However, don't take any of this as a complaint. I loved my apartment and my lack of space, it made me appreciate space much more and prevented me from having anything but the essentials (mostly). And I adore my house, I have to much room to move (and dance) it my kitchen. And while I still can't fit everything, I can still fit much more than before (plus I know I could fill an entire house with kitchen supplies).

The point of all this is I just don't have the space (or the money) to buy every kitchen gadget out there. I would if I could, but I can't. So I have to do things the "old fashioned way" or be inventive with the gadgets I have. For example, I make dough with a dough hook attachment on my mixer and then kneaded it by hand because I don't (yet) have a bread machine.

And I only have 1 size ramekin, because who has the space for more? While these ramekins are perfect for molten chocolate cakes, they're not large enough to make individual chicken pot pies. What's a girl to do? Instead of cooking the filling, pouring it into a ramekin (or pie crust) then adding the top crust, I decided to "deconstruct" the chicken pot pie and do it a little differently. I cooked the chicken filling in a crock pot then served the meal with a buttermilk biscuit (adapted from this recipe). Not only is this healthier, it also is easier because it's mostly hands-offs!

Chicken "Pot" Pie

Yield: 4 servings | Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 8 hours

Ingredients:

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

8 oz. mushrooms, quartered

1 cup carrots, 1/2-inch slices

1 cup celery, 1/2-inch slices

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 cup water

1 bay leaf

1/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp. thyme

16 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 cup frozen peas

1/3 cup skim milk

Salt and pepper to taste

4 buttermilk biscuits (recipe below)

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
Place mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion, water and bay leaf into a slow cooker. Sprinkle with flour and thyme. Top with chicken. Cook for 4-5 hours on high or 7-8 on low.
10-minutes before serving, add the peas, milk and salt and pepper to taste, and stir to combine. Cook for another 10 minutes.
To serve, place chicken mixture in a bowl and top with a buttermilk biscuit.

Buttermilk Biscuit

Yield: 6 biscuits | Prep time: 20 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup cold buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like crumbs (move quickly, you don't want to butter to melt!)
Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the cold buttermilk. Stir the mixture just until the dough comes together - it will be very sticky.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and dust the top with flour. Spread the dough out (you don't need to use a rolling pin, just roughly spread it out) and fold it in half. The spread the dough out a again and fold in half again. Do this 5-6 times to create the "layers" of the biscuit. Finally, spread the dough to be about 1-inch think and cut biscuits with a 2-inch round cutter.
Place biscuits on a baking sheet and bake until biscuits tall and lightly golden, about 15-20 minutes.

Nutritional information per serving (1/4 chicken "pot" pie mixture - about 1.5 cups, 1 biscuit):

Calories: 460

Total fat: 13 grams

Carbohydrates: 42 grams

Fiber: 6 grams

Protein: 41 grams

Weight Watchers points: 11

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Skinny Alfredo Sauce

2014-02-21T12:39:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago I made a light alfredo sauce for a delicious, light chicken and mushroom spaghetti squash alfredo. And because I love alfredo sauce, I decided to make another version. And this time, I was able to make the sauce taste even richer while still cutting about 20 calories and 3 grams of fat. The secret? Light spreadable cheese wedges!

I'm sure you've seen the Laughing Cow brand before; they're creamy, tasty and so low in calories - I just don't know how they do it. And while I love the Laughing Cow cheese wedges (so many flavors that are all so delicious), they can be a bit pricy (about $3.99+). But I found that Aldi carries light spreadable cheese wedges in their "Happy Farms" brand that usually cost under $2.

Okay but is it the same? Well, not only does Aldi carry Happy Farms light spreadable cheese wedges in a variety of equally delicious flavors, they're also ever so slightly healthier than the Laughing Cow brand (slightly healthier: 10 less calories and 1/2 grams less fat per wedge)! So Aldi's light spreadable cheese wedges are less money, less calories and have the same creamy and delicious taste - what could be better?

But whichever you choose*, the sauce will still be delicious and creamy and roughly the same calories/fat/nutritional value (see below). You can put this sauce over anything (and you will want to because it is so good). I put the sauce over some ravioli for dinner and it was fabulous. Like I keep saying, being healthy isn't about sacrifice, it's about learning how to make the foods you love in a healthier way!

Skinny Alfredo Sauce

Yield: 2 servings | Prep time: 2 minutes | Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup skim milk

1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. butter

3 wedges light spreadable cheese wedges*

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a small pot over. Heat over medium-low heat until melted and thickened, about 20 minutes.

Nutritional information per serving (1/2 the sauce):

Calories: 130

Total fat: 6.5 grams

Carbohydrates: 8 gram

Fiber: 0 grams

Protein: 9 grams

Weight Watchers points: 3

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Cinnamon Raisin Breakfast Buns

2014-02-19T17:19:00.000-05:00

Growing up, my mum would make homemade breakfast buns as a special treat. Sometimes she would make them with cinnamon and raisins, other times she make them with fruit preserves and chopped nuts. But no matter how she made them, they were always delicious and didn't last long.

While my mum made them in the bread machine and assembled them the morning of, my life is just not conducive for that. I like to sleep in. And as much as I love fresh, homemade breakfast buns, I can't get myself out of bed early enough to make and cook these while it's still "breakfast" time. Also, I don't have a bread machine, so I have to make dough the old fashioned way.

But guess what? This is an overnight recipe! When you first make the dough, it will rise. Then, once you assemble the buns, the dough will rise again over night. SO you (I) don't have to wake up at the crack of dawn to make breakfast buns. Also, by allowing the buns to rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight, the flavor will be enhanced.

Also, like my mum, you can change up the filling of your breakfast buns. Don't like raisin - don't add them! Want to add apples instead - do it! The possibilities are endless. So please, stop what you're doing and go make these right now. You can put them in the fridge and bake them tomorrow and have a breakfast of champions. I promise, this can only end well (adapted from this recipe).

Cinnamon Raisin Breakfast Buns

Yields: 12 buns | Prep time: 45 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes (plus resting time)

Ingredients:

Dough

1 packet dry active yeast

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 cup warm water

4 egg yolks

1 egg

3 Tbsp. sugar

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 3/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

Filling

1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

1 cup raisins

Icing

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Dough

In the bowl of your stand mixer, add sugar and warm water. Stir to dissolve sugar in water. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and allow to sit for 10 minutes (the mixture will get bubbly)
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, egg, melted butter, sugar and buttermilk. Pour this mixture over the yeast. Add 2 cups of flour and the salt. Stir until evenly moistened.
Add remaining 1 3/4 cups of flour and use the dough hook attachment on your stand mixer to knead the dough until well mixed. The dough should be soft and moist and not overly sticky.
Turn dough out on a floured counter and knead for another minute. Oil a mixing bowl and place dough inside it. Cover with a towel and let sit on the counter at room temperature until it doubles in size, between 2 and 2 1/2 hours.

Filling

Melt butter in a small bowl, set aside.
Whisk together brown sugar and cinnamon, set aside.

Assembly

Oil a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Turn out dough on a floured counter and roll it into a rectangle that is roughly 12-inches tall and 18-inches long.
Brush the dough with melted butter. Evenly sprinkle with sugar mixture. Evenly sprinkle with raisins.
Roll the dough into a tight 18-inch long log. Using a sharp knife, gently saw the log into 12 buns (they'll be about 1 1/2-inches long each). (I cut my log in half, then half again, then each section into thirds to make sure each buns was roughly the same size and I didn't need to measure)
Evenly arrange and spread the buns in the oiled baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night (or up to 16 hours).
The next morning, allow your buns to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
Heat your oven to 350ºF. Bake buns for about 30 minutes, or until their puffed and golden brown.
Transfer baking dish to a cooling rack and cool slightly while you make the icing. Whisk together milk, powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread a little on each bun or drizzle it all over the baking dish.

Nutritional information per serving (1 breakfast bun, 1 Tbsp. icing):

Calories: 405

Total fat: 10 grams
Carbohydrates: 73 grams

Fiber: 2 grams

Protein: 7 grams

Weight Watchers points: 11

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Waffles

2014-02-17T15:50:00.003-05:00

Happy {belated} Valentine's day lovelies! While Valentine's Day may be a holiday for greeting card companies and florists, it is always a great excuse to eat decadent waffles for breakfast (and lots of chocolate).

And whether you love Valentine's Day or not, waffles are always good. Especially ones with cinnamon and brown sugar. Especially with your mum's Heart Shaped Waffle Iron. Especially topped with homemade whipped cream and sliced strawberries. Yes, basically the best breakfast for Valentine's Day or any day you want to make a hundred times better (adapted from this recipe).

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Waffles

Yield: 4 servings | Prep time: 5 minutes | Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg (yolk and white separated)

1/2 cup homemade whipped cream (recipe below) - optional

1/2 cup sliced strawberries - optional

Powdered sugar for dusting - optional

Directions:

Preheat waffle iron.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Set aside
Beat egg white until stiff peaks form. Set aside
In a small bowl, whisk together milk, vegetable oil and egg yolk. Pour onto the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in beaten egg white.
Pour about 1/2 cup of batter onto preheat waffle iron. Cook waffles according to manufacturer's directions.
Top with whipped cream, sliced strawberries and a dusting of powdered sugar if desired (but you should definitely do it).

Homemade Whipped Cream

Yield: 4 servings | Prep time: 1 minute | Total time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 tsp. powdered sugar

Directions:

In a medium bowl, beat ingredients until soft peaks form. Be sure NOT to over-beat (cream will become lumpy and butter-like)
**Fun fact: cold cream is fast and easier to whip!

Nutritional information per serving (1 waffle, 1/4 whipped cream, 1/4 cup sliced strawberries)

Calories: 380

Total fat: 19 grams

Carbohydrates: 47 grams

Fiber: 3 grams

Protein: 7 grams
Weight Watchers points: 10

Enjoy and thanks for reading!