Bang Bang Cauliflower- Sides with a kick!

Ok So I am super Excited about this post. Life has just been so busy lately. My parents were here visiting recently, so I have a few recipes from when they were here coming up soon!
 Now that it has cooled off a little here in the beach, I have had more of an urge to hang out in the kitchen, cooking up some yummy stuff.
Lately my focus has been sides. Sure, everyone knows when cooking for your husband, they get excited about the chicken, the steak, the pork roast....but I really cannot tell you how much I enjoy a really great side. Lately I have been just, obsessed with spaghetti squash and garlic mashed potatoes. I can seriously eat myself into a coma with those things, so try em..
Recently I have just been needing spicy foods. I just have had a little tastebud screaming at me to feed it spice, spice, spice! Now, I don't know if any of you have ever been to Bonefish, but they have this bang bang shrimp that like, makes me weak in the knees. The shrimp is crunchy, the sauce is creamy and spicy, it is just perfection.
Well, I don't have shrimp on hand all the time, and I really wanted bang bang shrimp. What is a girl to do?
I had a head of cauliflower, and I had panko breadcrumbs, chili sauce, mayo- ding ding ding. I will make it with cauliflower. I have never breaded it before, so I was nervous about how it would turn out, but lemme tell you- it was easy, and divine.

(This would actually be a perfect companion to my Take out fake out mongolian beef!)

Ok, so to make this kickin side you will need:

2 egg whites
1 head cauliflower
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Salt & pepper
Green onion (optional! I just thought it would taste good)

and for the sauce, you will need:

1/4 cup lite mayo
1/4 cup Sweet Chili Sauce or Siracha ( I used chili sauce and it was delish)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar

1. Slice your cauliflower florets into bite sized pieces. Mix salt, pepper into your panko breadcrumbs in a shallow dish or bowl. 

2. Set separate bowls aside with egg whites and panko. Dip florets into egg whites, and then coat with panko mixture.Your hands will get messy, but that's ok! All part of the fun!

3. After coating all of your florets, put them on a foil lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until brown and gorgeous

4. In a small bowl mix all of your sauce ingredients, but try not to taste test the sauce too many times- it's delicious!

5. Coat your breaded and pan fried florets with sauce, top with sprinkles of green onion and serve right away!

And there ya have it! Easy peasy! :) You will be craving these little guys once you get a taste. The cauliflower gets so crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside- the texture is just to die for. I could sit and eat a huge bowl as a meal, and honestly, I might just do that this week. Sides can be really special, and really outshine the main course- but that's ok! Time to give the unappreciated food a little time in the spotlight! 

Happy cooking!

Two minute breakfast carrot cake (with banana ice cream!)

Hello!

Virginia is a rainy mess today. It has been for a few days now. It is kind of reminding me of fall time in Buffalo when it will rain for a week straight, so it has been oddly comforting. If you know me, you know that without fail, EVERY fall I get strep throat. Seriously. Last week I had a nasty flu, so I am hoping that I will skip the strep this year because I am in a different climate. *fingers crossed*

Because it is such a crummy day today, I really wanted a really good, hearty breakfast. Something warm with fall flavors to warm us from the inside out. While browsing pinterest, I came across a pin for a breakfast carrot cake. My husband adores carrot cake, so I thought I would take a stab at it. Boy am I glad I did. It is just what we both wanted. A little bit, sweet, warm, a moist and delicious little cake topped with a little bit of banana ice cream. Delicious! ( and totally vegan too! )
It was also not heavy, I don't like to start my day with something that is going to make me feel sluggish the rest of the day.

Anyway, the other day my husband and I went to Target. We just love walking around and looking at everything, pricing things out, browsing the grocery section, etc. It is no secret that I love  Giada De Laurentiis products. I have her ceramic bakeware, panini pan, wooden spoons, vegetable peelers, pots and pans....she makes a great product, PLUS all of her packaging is Robins egg blue and well, that color makes me melt. So, while browsing the food section, we decided to finally treat ourselves to a bag of her Italian Roast coffee....

                                       "rich and smoky with a hint of chocolate" YES PLEASE

 I am so glad we purchased this because it was the PERFECT companion to this little cake. The banana ice cream was a perfect topper. Banana "ice cream" has been a staple for vegans for awhile now, because it is literally 3 ingredients-banana, vanilla and salt. And it. is. delicious. So we will start there: NOTE: all of these steps, can and should be done the night before, so your breakfast will literally only take 5 minutes in the morning!

1 very ripe banana, cut into chunks
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt

Place the banana chunks in the freezer until almost frozen. Put the banana, vanilla and salt in a food processor (or use a potato masher!) until smooshed up and smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl, and place it back into the freezer. It will be perfect by morning.

For the cake:

Dry ingredients:
3 tbsp flour
2 tsp sugar
1 packet of stevia (optional, but it adds the perfect amount of sweetness) 
1/4 tsp baking powder 
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp all spice or pumpkin pie spice 
1 tsp shredded coconut (optional, but I would add it if I were you!) 

Wet ingredients:
1 tbsp oil (or applesauce if you want!)
3 tbsp vanilla rice milk 
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup shredded carrot 

*Do these steps the night before!* 
Put all of the dry ingredients in one bowl, and all the wet ingredients in another, and stick both bowls in the fridge overnight. 
When you wake up in the morning, simply add the wet ingredients into the dry, stir until completely incorporated, and pour into a small ramekin (or mug if you are on the go!), and microwave for 2 minutes. It should be firm to the touch when it comes out of the microwave. 
Then, just top with a scoop of your banana ice cream, sprinkle with some cinnamon, and enjoy! 

(For anyone who is wondering, the cake with the ice cream is 350 calories, use applesauce in place of the oil for fewer calories :D) 

And there you have it! The cake pairs PERFECTLY with a cup of french press coffee! Voila! 

 

 
                                         

Gingery Peanut Noodles-perfect as a side, or as a meal!

Hello!

I have been getting into Asian and Thai flavors a lot lately. I have been experimenting with different kinds of sauces and fusions and things and I think I have a good one here. I love love love soba noodles with all my heart, there is just something about the size and texture-it really is the perfect noodle to me. I knew that these noodles needed a great sauce and my mind immediately went to spicy peanut noodles. I also wanted there to be some good veggies in there. I think I hit the nail right on the head!

This was seriously so easy to make. Now, I like making my own peanut butter because I love having an excuse to use the food processor, and I like knowing exactly what I am eating, but if you prefer store bought peanut butter, that will work fine too! If you want to know how to make peanut butter you can follow my tutorial on almond butter here. Just use peanuts instead of almonds :) OK ready to get started? You will need:

1/2 cup peanut butter
3 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp ginger (powdered or grated)
8 oz soba noodles (regular pasta, or brown rice noodles will work fine too)
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 cucumber, sliced into strips
carrot shreds
red pepper flakes 
sesame seeds, or crushed peanuts for the topping

First off, cook your noodles of choice, drain, and return to the pot.
While the noodles are cooking, start the peanut sauce: In a food processor, combine the peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and 1 cup of water and blend until smooth.
Slice your veggies and add to a skillet with a small amount of oil, and cover to "sweat" them (you can learn more about the reason behind sweating vegetables here!)
Dump the veggies in the pot with the noodles, pour in the sauce and stir to combine.  Top with a little red pepper flake, sesame seeds and peanuts. Presto! If you are looking for a more substantial meal-feel free to add some tofu, chicken, turkey or whatever you are in the mood for!

Happy eating :D

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies. Oh so delicious!

Hey there!

I had fallen off the wagon a little bit, but now I am back and ready to make your mouths water! I have recently been experimenting with a lot of vegan baking. I know, I know, I bet you think that sounds awful and bland but I will tell you what- Most vegan baking, if done correctly, will taste incredible (sometimes even better than non vegan) Case in point: These cookies. Moving to VA was a blessing because I am now mere minutes away from Trader Joe's, and I have been able to find everything and anything I could need for vegan baking. Every time I walk in there I feel like a kid in a candy store-there is always something new to discover! So without further adieu, I present you with my vegan chocolate chunk cookies....

Now, you are probably wondering where I got this recipe from and the answer is quite predictable: Pinterest! hahaha This was my one "feeling sorry for myself" baking experience for the month and I am so glad I made them. Making them literally took a half hour and they were ready to eat in no time!

For these amazing, gooey cookies, you will need:

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vanilla rice milk
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups flour (or any kind of flour you choose: brown rice, spelt, all purpose gluten free...)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
vegan chocolate chips or chunks (high quality chocolate does not normally contain any dairy though. You can read more about that HERE) I used Trader Joe's brand

It is really quite simple- Mix up all the dry ingredients in one bowl, mix up all the wet ingredients in another, combine and mix up until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Use a little coconut oil to grease the cookie sheet, drop them by the tablespoon, and bake for 15 minutes. You will LOVE how moist, and gooey and chocolately these cookies turn out. If you want my two cents, the whole experience is complete eating them with a tall, cold glass of vanilla rice milk-delish!

So give it a try, research some vegan recipes that would interest you and go for it. I think you will be surprised at how tasty it can be-and so much better for you too!

Meatless Pizza made from farmers market finds!

Pizza is one of my favorite things to eat, but I really hate all the grease and fat that comes along with eating it. I have been trying to supplement at least one meatless meal per week in my diet, and I thought that I would maybe try a pizza. I have been seeing a lot of shows on the food network, and the travel channel that have these pizzas with a cracked egg on top. It sounds and looks strange to some, but it looked absolutely delicious to me and I have been dying to try it.

I am very lucky because I have an incredible farmers market nearby that has the most amazing, colorful produce that I have ever seen. I was sitting here, thinking about how absolutely starving I am, so I went into my fridge looking for something. I noticed I had a few mini pizza crusts, my favorite sauce from home: wegmans Grandma's pomodoro sauce, cheese...It was looking like I was going to make a cheese pizza. After a little searching in the vegetable drawer I pulled out a zucchini, fresh spinach and eggs from the market, along with parsley and oregano from my little herb garden. I will tell you- This pizza was legit. I mean, literally the best thing I have tasted in awhile!

Now, of course you can make your own pizza dough if you'd like, and if I was feeling more ambitious I am sure I would have taken a stab at it, but I was so hungry I needed the instant gratification haha.

Alright, these are the exact ingredients I used in my mini pizza:

One mini boboli pizza crust
1/4 cup pasta sauce
1 tbsp flax meal
1/2 cup low fat mozzarella cheese
half zucchini, cut into half moons
handful of fresh spinach
few sprigs of fresh parsley
fresh oregano
1 egg

I sauteed the zucchini first in olive oil, and seasoned it with Lowry's seasoned salt. I cooked until they were slightly brown on each side. While the zucchini was cooking I spread the sauce on my pizza crust, followed by a sprinkling of flax meal, and topped it off with cheese. Next, I added the zucchini, parsley, oregano and spinach, and cracked an egg right on top of everything.

Put the pizza in the oven on the highest shelf, about a few inches from the top-it ensures that the egg with cook all the way through. Cook for about 15-20 min-or until the cheese is melty, and the egg is set, but the yolk is still runny. Let cool for a few minutes, cut into quarters, and DIG IN! I inhaled my pizza and I am positive you will too.

Other ingredients you can use from your market:

green pepper
mushroom
jalapeno
yellow squash
onion
red onion

you can even top it off with some avocado after you are done cooking it-that actually sounds pretty delightful! Just get creative...having a meatless meal does NOT mean eating something bland and boring. Try a meatless Monday in your home and see what you come up with! Happy eating :)

Keeping the snackers at bay-the healthy way!

Hello! As summer is readily approaching (it is in the high 90s here!), it is a time for picnics, and beaches, and fun outdoor activities. But food can be expensive! If your family is anything like my husband, and is always saying how darn hungry he is, and how there is nothing to snack on-this post is for you. You see, we always have PLENTY of food in the house. Plenty of things to make great snacks out of, plenty of great nuts, dried fruits, cheeses, granola, veggies, etc. I think that he just wants to open the fridge or pantry and have instant gratification of there being snacks already made-all the time. And, you know, I thought to myself that it was not a half bad idea! So i bought a bunch of those little snack sized baggies, and filled them up with all sorts of good stuff...

For the fridge snacks I included:

Green pepper slices and ranch dressing
Green pepper slices and clean eating salad dressing (find the recipe here)
Peach slices
Carrot slices and hummus
Watermelon chunks
Red grapes and Mozzarella cheese
Cheese and crackers with pepperoni
Fruit Salad (with watermelon, honeydew, pineapple, grapes)
Grapefruit quarters
Pita Chips and chicken salad
and Protein energy bites

Now, these little energy bites are quickly becoming my husbands new favorite thing to eat on the go, and I love to pop one or two before a run. In fact, he told me to "make them by the truckload" ahaha! They require no baking, are ready in minutes, and use things you probably already have in your pantry! First things first-ingredients:


1 cup dried oatmeal (I actually used 2 packets of raisins and spice)
2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter (I prefer crunchy)
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
1/3 cup honey
dash of coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all of your ingredients in a bowl, chill for an hour, roll into balls, and put into snack sized baggies (6 per bag) and you are good to go! You can sub out anything you want though-add dried fruits, sunflower seeds, mixed nuts, etc. It's up to you-make it the way you will like it! :)

For the pantry snacks I included:

Fruit and nut mix-Includes soy nuts, sunflower seeds, peanuts, dried cranberries and raisins
Tropical Fruit Mix- Includes dried mango, coconut, dates, dried pineapple, and peanuts
Pita Chips-My pitas were getting stale so I brushed them with olive oil and baked them at 350 for 10 minutes until crispy. You can also make cinnamon ones to have with fruit salsa!
Toasted coconut flakes-  I could eat that stuff by the spoonful
Kashi cereal and chocolate chips - to eat with some Greek yogurt
Almond and chocolate granola- again, for yogurt
Roasted sunflower seeds
Dried fruits-dried cherries, strawberries and cranberries are my favorite

To make your own dried strawberries just bake at 200 for 3 hours-they will turn out like gummies!

The possibilities for these snack bags are ENDLESS-fill em up with stuff you know your family will eat, plus it is a great way for kids to decide what they want in their lunch. On family outings, have each person choose a few things (one fruit, one veggie, one with nuts or something for protein), and pack em up and you are good to go!

Happy Snacking! :-)

Heart healthy beef stir fry- delcious and great for you!

Hello all! It has been awhile, hasn't it? Life has been so nutso crazy, and my family was here this past weekend so the blog was neglected a little. womp womp. BUT I'm back! I have really been getting into healthy foods, and eliminating processed foods, and sugars, and trying to up my protein and raw fruit and vegetable intake.

While my family was here, we had burgers (I slipped up a lot while they were here haha-but it was technically a vacation for all of us and I am back on track yet again!), and I had a whole platter of all different sorts of vegetables. It was beautiful. But we did not use nearly as much as I thought we would, so I had all these gorgeous veggies leftover, but did not want to throw them all away. So I sealed them up in a freezer bag, figuring I could use them again another time. When I got home from my run today, I was absolutely starving, and I had thawed out some stir fry beef the night before. Then I remembered all the veggies I had frozen from burger night. I went searching for healthy beef stir fry recipes and this recipe from Prevention Magazine popped up, and it looked delicious! Bonus: I had most of the ingredients on hand, so I tweaked it just a little bit but it still came out spicy, and crunchy, and the beef was so tender, and after only a small portion I was actually stuffed!

As soon as I read that this was cooked in sesame oil, I was sold. Literally nothing smells better to me than garlic sizzling in sesame oil. YUM! Alrighty, here are your ingredients:

1 package stir fry beef
1 green pepper, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced in half moons
1 large carrot, cut into thin slices
3 tbsp reduced soduim soy sauce
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
freshly grated ginger
2 tsp crushed red pepper 
2 tsp black pepper

Toss steak with 2 teaspoons of the soy sauce. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large wok. You know me- I love cooking in a wok, it is just so much fun! Next, add ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add steak and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.


Return the pan to heat, and add remaining 1-teaspoon oil, carrots, green pepper, onion, crushed red pepper and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the reserved beef and juices, and remaining 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Serve over rice, if desired. I ate it without the rice, and it was delicious as is. BONUS: Antioxidant-rich carrots, onions, bell peppers, and garlic keep your arteries healthy, which makes this recipe so heart healthy!


I saved the other half for my husband to take for lunch tomorrow. I put his over rice because he LOVES rice, and stir-fry. We'll see if it is husband approved, but I am not too worried about it ;)

Carrot Fries-quick, simple and delcious

Ok, as I am writing this post, I am chowing down on these carrot fries. I might need to make another batch because these things are amazing! Last weekend my husband and I checked out the farmers market, in hopes that we could get some amazing, fresh, colorful produce. Boy, did we hit the jackpot! We came home with onions, lemons, limes, potatoes, fresh herbs, peaches, strawberries, tomatoes, the list goes on...

But perhaps the most impressive thing we bought were these GIGANTIC carrots that are just this beautiful, vibrant orange. We got a bag of six for $3.00. They were a steal! So of course, with all these carrots in the house, I needed to find a creative way to use them up. I was browsing pinterest last night, and I pinned a recipe for "carrot chips", but to me they are more like fries. :)

Aren't they gorgeous? These little fries could not be easier to make either. You know me, I like easy recipes that taste like you spent hours preparing (shhhh) Ok, so first things first, ingredients:

carrots
olive oil
whatever spices and seasonings you like best

The amount of carrots depends on how hungry you are! The carrot I had was HUGE so I sliced up one into matchsticks. To cut matchsticks, cut the carrot lengthwise in half. Take the halves, and cut down the length into thin, perfect little carrot fries. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the carrots in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, and sprinkle with whatever seasonings you'd like. I used salt, pepper, and garlic. They are sweet and almost a little spicy from the pepper-but you could also use any kind of dried herb you have on hand. Salt, pepper, oregano, garlic and parsley, just salt and pepper, the possibilities are endless!

Next, bake in a 350 degree oven for 12 minutes, cool completely and CHOW DOWN! I just love how bright and vibrant the color is in these fries, it makes them sooo appealing to me.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! This is becoming a regular snack for me. Not only do they taste great, they look just as good....

Homemade ice cream without an ice cream machine!!

I am really super excited about this post. I was looking at my favorite blogs awhile ago, and I stumbled on this post from Kevin & Amanda for homemade ice cream that you can make without an ice cream machine! I was a little skeptical at first, but after reading the post I HAD to try it. And with only two ingredients, it could not be easier. Note: this is not the healthiest of recipes, but my family is coming to visit this weekend and I am SURE that the kiddos will LOVE putting their own mix-ins to the ice cream and eating something that they created :)

First things first, here are your ingredients:

1 pint of heavy cream
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
your choice of mix-ins

That's it! First, take a hand mixer, or stand mixer and beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. While it is beating, take the sweetened condensed milk and put it into large, deep tupperware container, using a spatula to get every bit out of the can. Take your mix-ins and add it to the condensed milk. I used chocolate sauce, hazelnuts, and pieces of chocolate chip cookie for good measure. Once the heavy cream is thick like whipped topping, fold it into the sweetened condensed milk until well combined. Put the lid on the container, and freeze for 6-8 hours. When you return you will have a whole lot of sweet, creamy, delicious ice cream goodness that everyone will love! I am a nut about toasted coconut, so I put some on top. It was PERFECT! I seriously suggest you try it. It has easily become my favorite ice cream topping ever.

I am really looking forward to seeing my family this weekend and making ice cream with them and treats with my nieces and nephew. I have not seen them in  over a month, and it has been way too long...I will be sure to take lots of pictures of all of the kids creations :)

ENJOY!

Lightened up Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower

Ok, so I have been on a bit of a hiatus lately. I have kind of been slacking off, and not experimenting and cooking as much as I was before. I needed a little inspiration. Ok, Ok, I am not even going to lie. I have been spending most of my time pinning recipes, but not trying any of them. Well it stops here! I recently found a really awesome blog through pinterest called Eat Yourself Skinny. The girl that runs this blog is a genius! She has a whole recipe box filled with literally hundreds of lightened up food, including nutrition information and points+ values. As I was scrolling through her recipes, I was really craving mac & cheese and POOF-she's got an incredible lightened version, and I had everything in the house to make it! Let me tell you this recipe is a keeper. You still get all that awesome cheesiness, and creaminess, but with a wholeee lot less calories and fat.

First things first!! Ingredients:

1 (14.5 oz) box Ronzoni Smart Taste elbow macaroni, or penne pasta

1/2 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

4 Tbsp reduced-fat grated Parmesan cheese

8 oz. grated sharp cheddar( I used extra sharp white cheddar)

4 oz. fat-free cream cheese

1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 Tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped 

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add macaroni and cauliflower.  Cook until the cauliflower is fork tender. Drain, but reserve a 1/2 cup of the water.  In a separate bowl, combine Italian breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese and the chopped parsley to make the beautiful topping for this mac & cheese. Set aside, because that we will be the grand finale of this dish

Place the cheddar, cream cheese, 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, half-and-half, salt and pepper in the already heated pot you just used and mix in the macaroni and cauliflower.   Stir until well-combined and cheese is completely melted and ooey, and gooey and amazing-don't forget to add the reserved water from before!

Place in 8 greased ramekins (or a 9x13 baking dish) and top with bread crumb mixture.  Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes, or until bubbling and the crumbs are browned.  Enjoy! ( and trust me, you will enjoy!) The cauliflower works perfectly in this dish, and it is an excellent way to get some extra veggies in your diet!

 

 

Spinach and feta meatballs with homemade pasta sauce

Spaghetti and meatballs is one of my very favorite meals. I love it because my dads side of the family is Sicilian, so it's basically in my blood. Seeing as I do have Sicilian roots, I felt it necessary to learn how to make my own pasta sauce-a sauce my family would be proud of. I had a few tomatoes on the vine leftover from grocery shopping that I had not used yet, that were at their peak of ripeness. They were gorgeous. PERFECT for sauce! I also had onion, garlic cloves, tomato paste-hey I was in business! Sauce is one of those things that you can make a ton of, and store it in mason jars for later use, or you can put them in mason jars and freeze! I like knowing exactly what is going into what I am eating so this recipe is definitely a keeper-no more store bought sauce for us! For my sauce I used:

4 very ripe tomatoes, diced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of water, or dry red wine 
1 large onion, chopped (or 1 1/2 cup frozen onion)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
a healthy pinch of sugar
a healthy pinch of cinnamon
dried oregano
1/4 cup tomato paste

I know, the sugar and cinnamon sounds strange but it cuts the acidity of the fresh tomatoes, and makes the sauce sweet-which I absolutely love. If you are not a fan of sweet sauce, just omit completely.

Take out that trusty, huge stockpot and heat the oil over medium heat (I have burned oil many, many times, and medium heat is the best way to go) and add the onion and garlic. Cook until the garlic smells heavenly and the onions are soft and clear. Next add your tomatoes and crush with a potato masher until very juicy. Add the water, or wine if you choose, and the spices. Bring to a boil. Add the tomato paste and stir until well combined, and simmer for 20 minutes. And there you have it! Super simple and a good way to use up those tomatoes you aren't sure what to do with. :)

Next, the meatballs. I knew I wanted to incorporate vegetables in them, so I went looking in my fridge and saw that we had fresh spinach and feta and onions-perfect! The feta allows you to omit using salt in the meatballs, which saves sodium intake, and the caramelized onions it gives it a flavor that just bursts through the roof!

As always, first things first! Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef, turkey, chicken - I always use extra lean meat
10 oz spinach-if it is frozen, thaw it out, if it is fresh-cook it first
4 oz feta cheese
1/2 onion, cut into half-moons and caramelized
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
and the sauce you just made :)

Take out a big glass bowl and add all ingredients, except the sauce. Mash them all together and roll them into perfect little meatballs, like so:

Next, take out a deep skillet and add just a tiny amount of oil, add the meatballs and cook until browned on all sides. Don't nudge them around too much because they will break. They are ready to be turned when they move easily, and do not stick to the bottom of the skillet.

(Don't they look tasty with all those onions in them??)

Once they are browned on all sides, remove from the skillet onto a plate, and drain the fat, if any. Add your tasty sauce to the skillet, re-add the meatballs, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the biggest meatballs is cooked through. Serve over your favorite pasta-next time I might try to make my own pasta. These little meatballs were perfectly stuffed with cheese, spinach and feta-this one is a keeper! Enjoy! :)

Tex-Mex Chicken Soup: light on calories, but heavy on taste!

I was at the grocery store with my husband the other day, and the new issue of "cooking light" was displayed at the check-out line. It had the most amazing looking grilled veggie pizza on the cover, and I have been dying to find a good veggie pizza recipe, so I thought why not? And bought it. Boy, let me tell you I am glad I did because it had a recipe in it for a light tex-mex chicken soup that turned out so hearty, and flavorful I ate 3 bowls of it in the last two days!

I absolutely loved this soup because not only was it super easy to make, it had real great, fresh ingredients and real rich flavored spices to make it a filling, spicy, soup. And, with the different textures from the chicken, and the crunch of the corn, and the bite of the jalapeno-it really turned out amazing. First things first! Ingredients:

1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (fresh or frozen-doesn't matter!)
3 garlic cloves-minced
1 bell pepper-chopped
1 jalapeno-seeded and minced
1 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (you can get them at the grocery store for like $5)
2 cups corn (fresh or frozen-canned has high salt content)
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 large tomatoes-chopped
1 can-no salt added-black beans (drained and rinsed)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (optional)

My husband used to work in a Mexican restaurant, and when they closed he brought home all the dried peppers, chilis, and spices-so I already had all of these things on hand. The upside of buying these spices is that, guaranteed you will use them over and over again!  First I did all my prep so that the oil didn't burn in the stockpot before I could get the onion in there. I chopped the onions, garlic, jalapeno, and pepper and mixed them up in one big pile. Next, I heated the oil in a big 'ol stock pot over medium high heat, and added my big pile of veggies. Saute for about 3-5 minutes. Next, add the chili powder, crushed red pepper, salt, cumin, and pepper and saute for about 30 seconds-1 minute. Add the shredded chicken, corn, chicken broth, tomatoes, and beans; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 6 minutes or so. Top with fresh cilantro if you choose. There you have it! A healthy, filling soup. Each serving (1 cup) clocks in at:

186 calories
5.4g of fat
18g of protein
18.4g of carbs
4g of fiber
67mg of calcium
571mg of sodium-It sounds high, but you saved about 500mg using low sodium ingredients! 

Now if you'll excuse me, I have another bowl waiting for me...

Mini kale frittatas with herbed goat cheese

Lately I have been trying to fit lots of greens into my diet, as well as my husbands. We were not getting nearly enough leafy greens so I bought a ton of spinach, and most importantly kale. Kale has recently been named a "superfood" because it is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein and is rich in calcium. It's basically one of the healthiest vegetables there is. Last time we went grocery shopping I bought a few bundles, figuring I would find uses for it. I wanted to make a frittata this morning out of spinach and feta BUT realized a had a little bit of kale left. So, I used that in place for the spinach, and used a very creamy and flavorful goat cheese in place of the feta. The goat cheese was reasonable at $3.99 for a few ounces at Farm Fresh. It is loaded with all sorts of herbs and the taste just pops in these little frittatas.

Making them could not be easier either. You only need a few ingredients, and you can make it in a 9" pie plate, or you can make individual frittatas (like the one above) by using a muffin pan :) To make them you will need:

2 cups chopped kale
3 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, sliced thin
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
6 eggs
crumbled goat cheese

In order to chop the kale you first have to remove it from the rib. After doing so, cut it into thin strips. Heat the 3 tbsp oil in a 10" skillet and heat the garlic, kale and red pepper until the kale begins to wilt, around 2 minutes or so

Next, in a medium bowl, crack the eggs and whip them up real good, and add the kale mixture-whisk until well combined. Grease 6 wells in a standard sized muffin pan (that makes 12 muffins). I have a wilton muffin pan that I got from my mother a million years ago, and I still use that one today :)

Using a laddle, or a very large spoon, fill the prepared wells about 2/3 of the way with the egg mixture. Then sprinkle the tops with as much, or as little goat cheese as you would like. I like a lot!

Then, pop 'em in the oven and bake for 23-30 minutes until the tops are set, and the goat cheese is melted. Once they cool a little, the tops may cave in a little bit-totally normal. We aren't making perfect souffles here!  If you prefer, you can leave them in until the tops get browned, but I like mine just done enough...

 PERFECT! :D

Chicken Souvlaki salad with homemade dressing and tzatziki sauce

Yesterday I was really missing home, and a lot of the restaurants and hidden gems that I used to eat at. One of these places is a little diner tucked in between consignment stores on Main St. called Rachel's. On Mondays, at the chiropractor I used to work at, we had weekly staff meetings, and we would normally order from Rachel's-and their open chicken souvlaki salad was uh-mazing. Now, after week after week of eating the stuff it got a little tiring but I was really wanting it BIG time yesterday. Naturally, I tried to recreate it myself, and I got pretty darn close!

Rachel's makes everything from scratch, including the dressings and sauces and making my own as well was a challenge I was definitely up for. Let's start with the tzatziki sauce! It is made from yogurt, and cucumbers, and garlic and not only is it great with souvlaki, it tastes really good as a veggie dip as well, and it is SO refreshing, especially with cucumber in it.  I just happened to have everything needed to make it right in my fridge:

8 oz plain yogurt (regular or Greek)
1 cucumber, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 of a lemon, juiced
1 tbsp fresh dill
3 chopped garlic cloves
salt and pepper to taste

This one is easy peasy-just throw everything in the trusty food processor and blend until a it turns into a lovely sauce. Store in the fridge in a squeeze bottle or mason jar!

Next, comes the Greek salad dressing. You know the one-when it sits on the table the oil is on the top, the vinegar at the bottom, and all the herbs and spices are sitting at the bottom of the bottle, and you have to shake it up real good before you use it. Yeah, that one. Equally as easy, and it turned out just like the kind you get it the restaurant. It was oily, and herby, and garlicly-divine! And, as always, can be made with stuff you probably already have in your kitchen:

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2-3 minced garlic cloves
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
pinch dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

I always use fresh garlic, and not the jarred kind so I chop and mince all the garlic myself. Mincing the garlic would be your first step but if you have minced, jarred garlic-use about 3 tsps. Combine the lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Slowly whisk, slowly stream the olive oil into the lemon/vinegar mixture until it begins to emulsify (thicken), then just transfer to a squeeze bottle, or mason jar and store in the fridge! I reserved about a cup of the dressing to use as a marinade for my chicken, and let it soak for about 3 hours in the fridge.

I do not have a grill, but I have a cast iron panini grill for the stove, so I just used that and it worked great! Before grilling the chicken, I pounded it so flatten it out a little, so it would grill up faster without drying up or burning and it worked perfectly! Then, I served it with a spinach salad topped with fresh tomato, feta, and whole grain pita and BOOM-Chicken souvlaki salad. Keep the dressing and sauce on hand, and it will play a huge role in a quick weekday meal. Winner winner, Greek chicken dinner ;)

Raspberry crumb bars with homemade raspberry filling

I absolutely love streusel topping. I love crumbly toppings made of flour and oats and butter. I love it atop muffins, cobblers, coffee cakes...to me it really takes baked goods to a whole notha level. That topping makes me weak in the knees. If I see something covered in it I have the urge to gobble up the whole thing-but, that would not be very ladylike of me. (Or I do it in private ;D) Well if you are like me you will love these bars because the top AND bottom are made of crumbly goodness. These bars come out chewy on the bottom, soft and oh-so fruity in the middle, and crunchy and crumbly on the top. Its a triphecta of serious tastiness.

Now, you could just use store bought jam for these babies, but what's the fun in that? Go the little extra mile, and make the filling yourself. It will be a fun and useful thing to add to your repertoire (and a reason to use all that cornstarch that's just been sitting in the pantry doing nothing)

Also, you don't have to do raspberry. You can make the filling blueberry, or strawberry rhubarb, or just plain strawberry...again, whatever you have on hand. But I will give you the recipe I used and you are more than welcome to tweak it accordingly.

2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
3 tbsp cornstarch

Add 2 cups raspberry to pot. Add 1/4 cup water and all of the sugar and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Cook the mixture on medium-low until the berries burst and the mix looks mostly like liquid with a bunch of seeds in it. (around 5-10 minutes). If you don't mind there being lots of seeds in your fruit filling-you can skip this step. I chose to leave the seeds in, but if you prefer you can remove the mixture from the heat and push through a sieve to remove the seeds. Add the mix back to the pot, and return to medium-low heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes and add the rest of the berries. Lastly, add the cornstarch to the other 1/4 cup of water to make a slurry, and add it to the pot-this will thicken the mixture and give it a jam-like consistency. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes. After it is done thickening, remove it from the heat and set aside until you are assembling the bars.

For the bars you will need:

1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
and the raspberry filling that you just made

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bust out that food processor again! Putting the butter in first, put all ingredients EXCEPT the jam in the processor and mix until it's very crumbly and gorgeous. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the crumbs. Put the rest of the crumb mixture into an 11x7 cake pan and press down to make sure it is evenly distributed and there are no holes or gaps. Next spread that beautiful fruit filling over the top with the back of a spoon, and cover with the reserved crumbs from before. Then you just bake for 30 minutes, or until perfectly golden, cool to room temp and enjoy! I know, I know, it is not exactly the most healthy recipe because of the sheer amount of butter that goes into the crumb topping but they are delicious with a cup of coffee or tea, and you can't say no when you cut out that first piece...

Homemade salt and vinegar chips-bet you can't eat just one!

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Boy let me tell you-I woke up with a SERIOUS hankering for salt and vinegar chips today. Well, we don't have any because I try not to put junk in the house. Kind of an "out of sight, out of mind" kind of thing. Shew, lord- those chips were on my mind today! Two little problems though-I didn't feel like getting out my pajamas and I also didn't feel like going to the store (Hey! we are all entitled to lazy days every now and again!) So naturally I went looking in my pantry for anything that resembled a chip knowing full well there was nothing in there. But wait! I noticed a lone potato sitting on the shelf, *gasp* and the apple cider vinegar, and could it beeee? Kosher salt. Heck, I'll just make my own chips! But how do I go about doing so? Do I sprinkle them with salt and vinegar and throw them in the oven? Nah. They wouldn't come out crunchy because the potatoes would have to be boiled and cooked ahead of time. WAIT!I'll consult my kitchen guru, Martha Stewart. She can make literally anything. After about 2 seconds of searching I found her recipe for S+V chips. I just added my own little twist on them. She suggested boiling them in vinegar, letting them soak, THEN roasting them! Eureka! Man, they came out like kettle chips and satisfied my chip craving immensely. I don't think I'll ever buy another bag of chips again! Imagine all the flavor possibilities!

Making these chippies is a lot simpler than you would think. It is just a time consuming process that is soooo worth it. Trust me. You will never go back to store bought chips again! First things first! Depending on how many people you're making these for you will want more or less of the ingredients. But we will start off as if you were making a whole bag. You will need:

4 potatoes (russet, yukon gold, red..whatever is your favorite!)
4 cups vinegar, apple cider vinegar-whichever you have on hand. No need to rush out to get ingredients!
1 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tsp of salt (I prefer kosher salt)
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried oregano

Wash and slice the potatoes very thin-use a very sharp knife, or a mandolin if you have one. Place the sliced potatoes in a large pot and cover them with vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let them soak in the vinegar for 30 minutes. **Preheat the oven to 425 degrees when you have about 5 minutes left in the soaking process**

Drain the potatoes and lay them out in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano--mix together with your hands to get every inch. At this point I sprinkled a little more kosher salt on them before putting them in the oven.

Then you just bake in the oven for about 45 minutes until nicely browned and beautifully crispy. Just be sure to flip them halfway! Serve plain, or with ketchup if you prefer. Bet you can't eat just one! ;)

Light Raspberry Crumb Cake-delicious without the guilt

After a very relaxing day off, and a day of beach and margaritas, I feel relaxed and refreshed and ready to tell you about this very exciting and delicious cake. I am so excited about this because it is absolutely delicious, but uses all light ingredients so you can have a second piece without feeling too guilty. And trust me-you'll want the second piece. (my husband nearly ate the whole thing himself!)

I was browsing one of my favorite food blogs mysanfranciscokitchen, and she had this lovely raspberry crumb cake (although it is more of a pie to me), and I HAD to give it a try. I am so glad I did! This will be my go to dessert if I ever need to bring one to a BBQ or party or anything :)

First things first-ingredients:

1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar (1 tbsp extra for sauce)
pinch of salt
5 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup no fat yogurt-vanilla or plain
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
4 oz light cream cheese
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
hazelnuts (optional)

I know, I know-it's a ton of ingredients, and it might be intimidating, but trust me...it is so simple to make this. Ready? Great!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut the butter into the mixture with a pastry cutter or two knives, until very crumbly. Remove 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture and set aside for later. Add yogurt, vanilla, egg, baking powder, and baking soda to crumb mix. Beat with a mixer, or hand mixer for about 2 minutes on medium speed. Pour into 9" pie plate

 Next step: Add raspberries, 1 tsp sugar, and cornstarch to a small saucepan and heat on medium until it reaches a soft rolling boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until a nice thick sauce forms

combine cream cheese and raspberry sauce and beat with a mixer or hand mixer until well combined. Spread over batter in the pie plate. Lastly, top with the reserved crumb mixture and top with chopped hazelnuts

Bake for 45 minutes, cool completely, and refrigerate for 3 hours before serving. Delish! Keep on eye on it though because when you go to get a piece, this maybe what it waiting for you-one very lonely piece of cake because your husband ate the rest of it ;)

Homemade Almond Butter: Simple and Delicious

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Ok, so I am super excited to write this post. Last year for my bridal shower I received a food processor and I was too afraid to try and use it because I have crazy anxiety and just assume I am going to chop my fingers off or something, but I digress. I had a large mason jar of cinnamon roasted almonds, and I have had them for awhile and it seemed like I just was never making a dent in the jar, so I decided to bust out that food processor and make some almond butter! YUM! I will show you how to make it, and incorporate it in my new favorite breakfast-this one is going to be good. Let's get started!

First things first-in order to make almond butter you need a food processor, otherwise you won't be able to get the correct consistency soooo go buy one haha, or borrow one! Anyhoo-in order to make this butter you will need two things:

2 cups almonds
1 or 2 tsps of vegetable oil

Now, they have to be roasted almonds. So if you have raw almonds on hand put them in a 400 degree oven and roast them until they are just right for you. If you have roasted almonds, you are good to go! I used cinnamon roasted, but I bet the cocoa roasted, or even plain or salted would be just as good. Note: Before you use the food processor, make sure you read the safety instructions to be sure that you are using it correctly. (that's the anxiety talking!) Make sure the blade is on snugly and dump in the almonds, secure the top, and start off on low. Let it puree for about 1-2 minutes, it will look like this:

At this point you will want to add 1 tsp of vegetable oil to start. Put the top back on and blend a little longer, about 1 minute. Check the consistency. It should be smooth and creamy, like this:

If it isn't as creamy as you would like, add the other tsp and blend it until it is perfect! Once it's done store it in a jar, and put it in the fridge, it should last about 1 1/2-2 weeks-if it lasts that long!

Now, in order to make my new favorite breakfast you will need just a few things:

1 cup vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup old fashioned oats (not the quick cooking)
cinnamon and brown sugar
2 tbsp almond butter
1 banana, sliced

If you don't like almond milk-no worries! You can substitute vanilla rice milk, soy milk, or even regular milk if you prefer. Whatever you like is perfect :)

Step 1 is to warm the milk. Put the milk in a small saucepan and turn the heat on high, but keep an eye on it! It will go to rolling boil, to boiling over in seconds. Once it has reached a rolling boil, add the oats and stir. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle a little, or a lot of cinnamon and brown sugar on the top and stir. Then, turn it down to a simmer and let it cook until it reaches the consistency you desire. While it's cooking down, slice the bananas into a bowl, and top with the almond butter. Then, pour the oats over the top, and enjoy!

Take out fake out-my take on mongolian beef

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My husband I both really love Asian food. We love it. But we are not fond of the MSG or the cost of take out, so I decided to tackle Mongolian beef to see if I could make it good, if not better ;) This recipe uses less than 10 ingredients, and took a zippy 15 minutes to whip up-and it was FABULOUS!

You can use chicken in this recipe if you are not a fan of beef, but trust me, you'll want to try the beef. You can buy a flank steak and cut it real thin, or you can buy the pre-sliced stir fry beef they sell at some supermarkets. That's what I used and the beef cooked up really nice, and remained very tender.

We went grocery shopping tonight, and we were both starving when we got home, and when I say it took 15 minutes to cook, it was seriously that fast. So this is perfect for a weeknight dinner if you are late coming home from work and need a filling dish that everyone will love (because they WILL love it). Ok, so I really only needed to buy the beef for this dish because everything that went into it I already had, and I am sure that it is the case for you as well. They are all pantry/fridge staples:

1 package of Stir fry beef
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tsp vegetable oil, divided
1  tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup water
1/2 soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp red pepper flakes
sesame seeds for garnish
rice to put the beef on

I always cook my rice in vegetable stock. It gives it a nice flavor, and the rice comes out really fluffy when I cook it that way-so use chicken or vegetable, or even beef stock to cook your rice. You won't regret it. I started to heat up the stock for the rice at the same time I started heating the oil in the wok for the beef. Both took about the same time, so it timed out perfectly when I was ready to plate it. OK first things first! Pat dry your strips of beef. Put 1/4 cup cornstarch in a large Ziploc bag, or tupperware container and add the beef. Shake it up real good to be sure that all pieces are evenly coated, and set aside. Heat 1 1/2 tsp of oil in a large wok, or non-stick skillet if you don't have a wok, on medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic (I had my husband mince some fresh garlic-it was divine), and cook until slightly browned and very fragrant. Add soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. When you add the liquid the wok is going to be violently bubbling, and steaming, that's normal, just be careful of flying oil! I've burned myself more than once with hot oil and it's not fun. Cook the liquid for about 2 minutes, and transfer it to a bowl, and set aside. Turn the heat to high and add the beef until browned on all sides, about 7-9 minutes. Pour sauce back in, add about a tsp more cornstarch, and cook it until it reaches the thickness you want. I cooked mine down until it was almost caramelized and it was perfect! Serve over your tasty, fluffy rice and garnish with sesame seeds.

I really hope you enjoy this as much as we did! Give it a try-using a wok is a blast! :)