Roasted Chickpeas

Roasted Chickpeas

This snack is is the equivalent of pop corn - so crunchy, salty, and addicting. Chickpeas have tons of protein and fiber making them a more nutritious option.

Ingredients:

2 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sprinkling of Cajun spices

Sprinkling of salt and pepper

Pour cans of chickpeas into a colandar and rinse well. Pat them with paper towel to remove excess moisture. Spread chick peas onto a baking sheet and cover with oil, Cajun spices and salt/pepper. Shake the pan to evenly distribute oil and spices. Cover them lightly with tin foil - just lay the foil on top without folding the edges over the pan. The foil is to prevent them from exploding all over your oven. Place them in a 400 degree oven for 30-45 minutes, or until crispy.

Barbecue Burgers

In the midst of our 75 degree days I'm in the mood for every kind of summer food. This weeks dinners consist of salads, burgers and chicken salad sandwiches. These burgers are delish! I bet they would be even better on a grill (sad face for not having any outdoor space). I made mine bunless to lighten it up.

Ingredients:

16 oz ground beef

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons barbecue sauce (plus extra for topping)

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

Pinch of red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/4 cup chopped green peppers 

Optional toppings:

Green onions, chopped

Corn kernels 

Combine all the ingredients in a big bowl and mush together with your fingers until it's mixed well.

Form into four patties and put them in the fridge form at least 30 minutes (helps keep them together).

Before putting them on the heat sprinkle the outsides with a bit more salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook in a pan for ~5 minutes on each side. To serve, top with extra barbecue sauce. To add some color, top with green onions and/or corn.

Kale-raisin-orange salad

Shout out to my grandma who made a rendition of this salad for my future sister-in-law's bridal shower. We got soooo many compliments on the salad. It was supposed to be a side dish and ended up being the star of the show. She found a recipe in the newspaper and I made it my own.

Ingredients:

I bag Kale, chopped

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1 can mandarin oranges, oranges chopped in half

Handful of cashews for topping

1 tablespoon juice from oranges can 

Vinaigrette:

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Juice from 1 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons sugar 

Pinch of salt and pepper

Combine the kale, raisins, sunflower seeds and oranges in a large bowl. In a small bowl wisk the mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Pour the vinaigrette over the kale mixture and toss. Add 1 tablespoon of the liquid from the mandarin oranges can over the salad and stir again. Let the salad sit in the fridge for 10-20 minutes before serving to allow the kale leaves to soften. Top with cashews right before serving. 

Tip: this salad is even better by day 2...You can store the salad that has already been tossed in dressing in the fride over night and it won't be soggy the next day! It will be even better the next day!

Kelp Noodle Pad Thai

Kelp Noodle Pad Thai

I saw these kelp noodles in a recipe online and thought I'd give them a try. They seemed glassy like rice noodles so it seemed fitting to make a pad Thai-ish dish. I was a little nervous when I took them out of the bag since they were so plasticky so I rinsed them and then boiled them for a good 15 minutes. Oh, make sure you cut them before you boil them too because they are veryyyyy long. 

Ingredients:

1 bag kelp noodles, boiled for 15 minutes

I package tofu

1 cup of baby carrots

Handful of spinach

1/4 white onion, sliced

 2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2-3 tablespoons chicken broth or water

1 tablespoon coriander

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper

Crushed red pepper flakes

2 green onions, chopped

Handful of cilantro, chopped

Lime, for garnish

Sprinkle the tofu with half tablespoon coriander, cayenne, salt and pepper. Fry the tofu in a pan to make the outside crispy. I added 1-2 tablespoons oil on high heat and flipped them when they were brown. Boil the noodles while you're cooking the tofu.

In a sauce pan combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, coriander and pepper over low heat. Stir until the peanut butter melts into a creamy sauce. Thin the sauce out with the 2-3 tablespoons chicken broth or water. 

In another large sauce pan, add the carrots, onion, garlic (and whatever other veggies you have in the fridge!) and sauté in 1 tablespoon oil for 4-5 minutes on low heat. 

Now combine the noodles, tofu and veggies and spinach in the veggies pan. 

Top with the sauce and mix well. Top it all off with red pepper flakes, cilantro, green onions and lime!

Rainbow Kale Salad

Needed a little detox after Super Bowl festivities this weekend... This salad is sweet, spicey, salty, crunchy, chewy and every other word that you want in a dish!

Ingredients

8 oz kale, chopped tiny

1/2 red onion chopped

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed

1/2 cup shelled edemame 

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

A handful of shredded carrots

1/2 cup sunflower seeds (the crunch!)

1 jalapeño, chopped teeny tiny (the spice!)

1 orange, cut into bit size pieces

1 lime

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons honey (the sweet!)

A pinch of salt and pepper

Start by mixing together the olive oil, cider vinegar, juice of the whole lime, honey, 1/4 of the jalapeño,  salt and pepper. Pour a quarter of the dressing over just the chopped kale in a bowl. Mix to coat all the kale. Put the kale in the fridge and let it marinate for about an hour. (Marinating it makes it less bitter. Feel free to skip this step if you wish!) After an hour, add the onion, rest of the jalapeño, garbanzo beans, edemame, pomegranate seeds, carrots, sunflower seeds, and orange. Pour in the remaining dressing and toss. Top with avocado or chicken if you wish!

Lunch tomorrow:

Protein Pancakes

Who doesn't want pancakes every morning? Now you can, guilt free! 

I have these probably 3-5 days a week because they are so easy and healthy!

Ingredients:

1/2 banana, mashed

1 egg white

1/4 cup almond flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon almond milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Tiny pinch of salt

Mash the banana in a bowl and add the egg white. Wisk them together. Add the almond flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla and almond milk and mix well. It should be not thick but not watery either...ya know like typical pancake batter. Pour the mixture into a non stick pan with a teeny bit of oil or butter. Cook the pancake until the top is bubbly and the bottom is golden brown. It cooks for as long as it takes me to do my make-up :) or about 4-5 minutes. Flip it and cook for another 2 minutes.

I eat mine with a tiny pat of butter. Or, on the weekend I indulge with some real Michigan Maple syrup. 

Perfect morning....

Halibut and Antipasto Salad

Ingredients 

1/2 pound Halibut

1 jar roasted marinated red peppers, sliced

1 jar hearts of Palm, chopped into 1/2 pieces

2 tablespoons capers

6 slices salami, cut into strips

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon butter

1 wedge of lemon

Salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to taste

Start by putting a sprinkling of salt and pepper on the fish.  I like to wrap the fish in aluminum foil like a present to keep it from stinking up the house. Place the wrapped fish in a sauté pan and cover with a lid. Cook for ~10 minutes, depending on the thickness. When it is finished cooking, unwrap the foil and add 1 clove garlic and butter. Wrap it back up to allow the butter to melt for about one minute. Take it out of the foil and squeeze the lemon juice over the fish.

Meanwhile, combine the roasted red pepper, hearts of Palm, capers, salami, 1 clove of garlic and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in a bowl. 

Cajun Shrimp Quinoa Alfredo

This recipe was inspired by Guy Fieri's Cajun Chicken Fettucini Alfredo. My friend Brittany and I had it at Guy's restaurant Johnny Garlics in between wine tastings in Sonoma :) 

I came home and made his recipe and it was AMAZING - I highly recommend you try it. The link is here:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cajun-chicken-alfredo-recipe.html

Of course I substituted milk instead of cream to keep it somewhat healthy! Then I got thinking I could make it even more healthy...drummmmmm roll "Cajun Shrimp Quinoa Alfredo"

Ingredients 

12 shrimp, uncooked, peeled and deveined

Blackening seasoning (store bought or homemade) 

         1 tablespoon powdered garlic

         1 tablespoon black pepper
         1/2 tablespoon salt
          2 teaspoons cumin
          2 teaspoons onion powder
          1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
           1 teaspoon paprika
          1/2 teaspoon chili powder

           Crunched red pepper flakes

1 cup cooked Quinoa

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes (marinated - I recommend Trader Joe's)

3 green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

Splash of white wine

Wedge of lime

Start by covering the shrimp in 3/4 of the blackening spice mixture. Sauté the shrimp in a pan with olive oil for about 5 minutes or until they turn pink and no longer translucent. Meanwhile, add the sundried tomatoes, green onions, garlic, white wine, Parmesan cheese and remaining 1/4 of blacking spice to the hot quinoa. Mix together until the cheese melts into quinoa. 

Serve the shrimp over the quinoa with a splash of lime.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/cajun-chicken-alfredo-2-recipe.html?oc=linkback

        

Pumpkin patch stuffed peppers

I found the idea for these on Pinterest and I just couldn't resist!

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef or ground turkey

2 cups cooked rice (I used wild rice)

1/2 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes 

1 can tomato sauce

3/4 cup coconut milk

1 Tbsp cumin

1 Tbsp coriander

1/2 tsp oregano

Salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes to taste.

Carve your peppers into little jack-o-lanterns. I made them all the same for the sake of time (since I was making 20 of them!) but they would be extra cute if they were all carved differently.

Brown the turkey (or beef) with the diced onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, oregano, salt, pepper and flakes. Add the cooked rice, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and coconut milk. Stir until it is mixed well. I like to let the mixture sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight so that it becomes extra delicious. When you're ready to eat them spoon the mixture into the pepper.  Pop them in the oven for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees. 

Makes ~10 peppers. 

Quiche

For all those who don't know how to make quiche. Here is a no-fail way.

Ingredients
4 strips bacon (more if you're a bacon lover)
1/4 yellow onion sliced thinly
8 stalks of asparagus
1/2 cup Extra sharp cheddar cheese
5 eggs
1/4 cup of milk
Salt
Pepper
Flakes

This recipe makes enough for two people. Or one with left overs. If you want a thicker, for more people quiche, double the recipe.

Start by cooking the bacon in a sauté pan until crispy. Remove the bacon and let it cool on a paper towel. Pour out the bacon grease and leave just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook the onions and asparagus in the bacon grease.

Wisk eggs, milk, and a sprinkle of salt, pepper, flakes. Add the asparagus, bacon, onions and half of the shredded cheese to the eggs. Pour the mixture into a grease pan (I used an 8 inch circle). Cook in a 350 degree oven for 17 minutes. Remove from the oven, top with extra shredded cheese and cook for 3 more minutes to melt the cheese.

Barbecue Pizza

Barbecue Pizza

I make pizza just about every week. The Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza dough is just way too convenient. The first time I made this pizza I made it with olive oil and garlic as the sauce. I stretched the dough too much so ended up making a mini pizza. Since my S.O. loves barbecue anything, I made his with barbecue sauce. Both pizzas turned out delightful but the barbecue was *fantastic*!

Ingredients:
Pizza dough
barbecue sauce (I used Trader Joe's Kansas City)
2 Jalapeno, diced
1 small yellow onion, sliced
Garlic, minced
Bacon, cooked and chopped into bite size pieces
Pepper Jack cheese (~1 cup shredded)

Knead the dough and form it onto the pan. I usually cook the dough for 5-7 minutes at 400 degrees before putting the ingredients on (but the directions this is not necessary). I think the crust comes out more sturdy. Be sure to poke some holes in the dough first so that it doesn't bubble up!

While that's in the oven, saute the onions, jalapeno and garlic in the same pan you cooked the bacon in.  Saute until they are wiggly.  Next, spread a nice thick layer of barbecue sauce across the dough. Follow the sauce with the onion, jalapenos, garlic and bacon.  Top with shredded cheese. I go light on the cheese but load up if you like it more cheese-y.  Pop it back in the oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melty. No flakes needed on this one---it was hot enough with the jalapeno peppers!

Chocotinis

Chocotinis

These are DELISH and healthy (kinda)! I bought this bottle of Stoli in the checkout line a target. It was on sale for $6.99!!! It was like grabbing a candy bar while waiting to check out. Mind you, this was at 9:00am, but it was such an amazing deal and looked yummy so I had to buy it.

Ingredients:
1.5 oz Stoli Chocolat Coconut vodka
1.5 oz chocolate coconut milk

Pour over ice, shake, shake, shake and serve in a fancy martini glass.

Pizzettes

These little guys unfolded from the "I really need to go to the grocery store but feel too lazy" kinda night.  What I could make with the few contents in my fridge...

Ingredients:
1 Pita bread, sliced in half
2 Tablespoons Pesto
Asparagus, cut in bite size pieces
Sliced onion
2 cups fresh spinach
Goat cheese
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
Salt+pepper+flakes
Balsamic vinegar

Toast the pita under the broiler for a couple minutes on each side. In a pan saute 2 cups of spinach until it is wilted down. Add the oil, garlic, asparagus, onion, salt, pepper and flakes to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes. Spread the pesto on the pita and top with the veggies mixture. Top with goat cheese,  lemon juice and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Asparagus-Bacon-Chicken Rigatoni

One of my favorite pasta dishes that I make often so I figured why not throw it on the old blog!

Ingredients:
1/2 pound rigatoni (or any noodle of your choosing)
Asparagus, cut in thirds
4 Slices cooked bacon
Chicken breasts
Olive oil
3 cloves garlic
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of garlic powder
Pinch of paprika
Pinch of italian seasonings
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Cook the pasta as directed on the box. While the pasta is cooking season the chicken breast with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, italian seasoning and pepper flakes. I used the Griddler (or George Forman) but you could use a frying pan on stove if you don't have one.  Cook chicken through, about 4 minutes on each side depending on the thickness.

To make the asparagus I just popped them in a bowl in the microwave with a few tablespoons of water for about 1 minute. Just enough to take the "raw" taste out.

Coat the bottom of a frying pan with extra virgin olive oil and saute garlic over low heat. Add the noodles, asparagus and bacon. Season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Slice the chicken and either mix it in or lay it over the top.

Bacon wrapped dates + meatballs

It all started on date night at Avec (hands down best food I've had a looong time).  We had the "chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with smoked bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce" and never wanted them to end.  Recreating them was definitely a no brainer.  These are not nearly as delish as the ones at Avec, but they are still pretty damn good!

Ingredients:
6 Medjool Dates, halved
6 slices of bacon
1/2 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
1/4 small onion diced
2 cloves garlic
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 6 oz can tomato paste
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of dried basil
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes




I cooked the bacon half way on a baking sheet in the oven (about 10 minutes). After the bacon has cooled cut each one in half. Wrap the bacon around the date and place it seam side down in a frying pan. Cook them until they are crispy on both sides. Remove from the pan and let them cool. 


Next, prepare the meat. Mix in a couple tablespoons of the tomato paste, a sprinkle of salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.  Once the bacon wrapped dates have cooled, form a meatball around the date.  Add the meatball to the same pan you cooked the bacon in and cook the meatballs until they are browned on each side and cooked through.

To make the sauce, saute the chopped onion and garlic for 4-5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and remaining tomato paste. Sprinkle in the salt, pepper, basil and crushed red 
pepper flakes.  Stir well until the paste has blended into the sauce.

Add the meatball to the sauce and they are ready to eat!

Butternut Squash Soup

Fall is here...Which means squash is everywhere! I have never made butternut squash soup before so I started with a teeny squash to make a little batch. BIG mistake, this soup is amazing. I will certainly be making another batch soon. Inspired from Food Network, but without all the butter and cream!

Ingredients:
1 Butternut squash (mine was 1.25 pounds)
1 carrot, grated
1/4 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
1 tablespoon honey
1 table spoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 pinch cinnamon
1/2 pinch basil
Pinch red pepper flakes
1.5 cups chicken broth

Cut the squash lengthwise, sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil. Place on a baking sheet facedown. Bake the squash at 350 for 30 minutes. Let it cool then scrape out the inside and throw away the skin. In a medium pan over LOW heat, cook the carrot, onion and garlic until they are soft. 

Add the squash, honey, vinegar, brown sugar, cinnamon, basil and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and cook for 30 minutes at a simmer.  Let the mixture cool for a few minutes. Pour the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. (Tip: to avoid explosion do not put on the top of the blender - cover the top with a towel instead).

Return to the sauce pan and re-heat. Yummm, this soup makes me ready for winter!

Breakfast Tacos

Breakfast tacos for two hungover boys....

Scambled eggs, black beans, hot sauce, green onion, tomato and cilantro stuffed into corn tortillas

(Arranged in a pretty dish for ease of eating on the couch)

Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Chili

My obsession with buffalo chicken continues....

Ingredients:

1-2 pound Whole chicken (or substitute chicken breasts)

2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 Tablespoon oregano

1 Tablespoon coriander

1 Tablespoon pepper

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon onion powder

1 Tablespoon paprika

1 Teaspoon cumin

1 Tablespoon salt

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1.5 cup Frank's Red Hot

2.5 Cups Chicken broth

1 piece of celery, chopped

1/4 medium onion, chopped

4 Cloves of garlic, chopped

1 Can kidney beans

1 Can white beans

Cilantro

Blue cheese

Combine all the spices (chili powder, oregano, coriander, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper flakes) in a small bowl.  Sprinkle over the entire chicken.  Place the chicken in the crock pot with the onion, celery, garlic, and chicken broth. Add 1 cup of Frank's red hot to the crock pot and save the other 1/2 cup for later.  Cook on low for 8 hours. 

Now comes the tricky part...removing all those pesky bones...which is why next time I may sacrifice some flavor and use boneless chicken breasts! I scooped out the whole chicken and put it in a big bowl. From there I removed the meat and put it back in the crock pot. (I also gave a warning to everyone before eating about looking out for bones, yikes!).  Next I poured the contents of the crock pot into a big pot. I skimmed off some of the fat that covered the top layer. Add the two cans of beans and the 1/2 Frank's.  Let it simmer for about 15 minutes, just long enough to heat through the beans.  Top your bowl with some cilantro and blue cheese. But of course you cant have chili without cornbread ~ So I whipped up Trader Joe's cornbread mix because it is the most delicious cornbread mix I've found!

Smoked Gouda Stuffed Peppers

This recipe was inspired by the stuffed peppers that Ben's mom made (thanks Kathy!). Cheesy potatoes, but in a pepper to keep it healthy.

Ingredients:
4 medium Red skin potatoes chopped into bite size pieces
1 Broccoli Crown chopped into tiny pieces
I zucchini, diced
1/2 medium white onion, diced
3 gloves garlic, chopped
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of garlic powder
Pinch of red pepper flakes
4 bell peppers (any color)
1 cup shredded smoked gouda cheese (MUST be smoked, it makes all the difference)

Start by cutting around the top of the pepper and removing the stem, seeds and rind. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let them cool. Combine the potatoes, broccoli, zucchini, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, garlic powder and crushed red peppers in a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350. Remove the tin foil and bake for another 10 minutes.

Next, fill your peppers! I put a spoonful of the veggies, then a sprinkle of cheese, then a spoonful of veggies and a sprinkle of cheese...until the peppers are full.  Put the stuffed peppers back in the oven for another 10 minutes to melt the cheese.

Buffalo Chicken Bowl

My S.O. has been raving about this "buffalo chicken bowl" from the Protein Bar.  I love everything with the word "buffalo" in it so I decided to make my own out of jealousy.  It satisfied by chicken wing craving while still being healthy!

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast chopped into bite size pieces

1 cup Franks Red Hot
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup quinoa
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
Sprinkle of Blue cheese
Sour cream (or I used greek yogurt)

Combine the chicken pieces, Frank's, garlic, pepper, and crushed red pepper in a sauce pan. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes (or until chicken is cooked through). Prepare quinoa as directed on the box.  Top the quinoa with chicken, celery, green onions, blue cheese and sour cream.  Drizzle a couple tablespoons of Frank's over the top.  Sooo easy yet so delicious!