Two Healthy Recipes For You

Looking for a couple of good healthy recipes?  You've come to the right place.

These are ones that I just sort of made up, so there isn't a direct source for them.

Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients:

Fresh Asparagus

Olive oil

Sea salt

Pepper

Steps:

1. First wash, pat dry and chop the end off the asparagus. 

 2. If you want to, peel the last little bit of the asparagus. This is completely optional and time consuming, but I prefer the way it tastes. 

 3. Place in sheet pan. Coat the asparagus LIGHTLY in olive oil.  You need very little because when it gets in the hot oven, the oil will disperse. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to your taste.

4. Place in preheated 450 degree oven. Cook until lightly browned. Enjoy! 

This asparagus is delicious on its own. It is also fantastic in this salad.

Katelyn's Favorite Salad

Ingredients for the Dressing:

Rice Wine Vinegar

Worcheshire Sauce

Honey

Grapeseed Oil

Lemon Juice

Minced Garlic

Pepper

To make the dressing, I combine these ingredients in a mason jar and shake it up.  Use the Rice Wine Vinegar and Grapeseed oil as your bases and add the other ingredients until it tastes right to you. 

Ingredients for the Salad:

Spinach

Roasted Asparagus (see recipe above)

Sunflower seeds/ Pumpkin seeds

Shredded carrots

Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1. Begin by chopping up the spinach into strips. 

I love the spinach this way because when I eat it, it doesn't hang out of my mouth when I get a really big spinach leaf. Maybe this makes me crazy, but it tastes better like this! 

2. Finely shred carrots for salad. I also add shredded apples sometimes. 

3. Add all ingredients together, included sunflower seeds and cheese.

4. Dress the salad and mix everything together. Enjoy! 

Chile Con Queso via Eating Well

A healthy cheese dip recipe? Could it be?  Really? Truly?

It is true, my friends!  This cheese dip recipe is not as completely satisfying as that sinful kind you get at your favorite tex-mex joint.  But it is good, and it is good enough to satisfy your craving without massive amounts of guilt!

Here are a couple of my notes before I get into the official recipe.

1. Buy block cheese and finely shred it before you begin, This is less expensive than buying pre-shredded.

2. I left out the pale ale because it was $6 for the smallest amount at Whole Foods and that just wasn't cutting it for me.  So if you try this with the pale ale, let me know. 

3.  I think next time, I will change up the cheeses and see what happens.  I think I might also toss in a jalapeno next time to liven it up a little bit. 
4. I also think next time, I might tone down the corn starch. the dip was a little thicker than I like it.
5. This did not keep that well for me. It was good when I first made it, but the next day the smell was a little "off." Maybe I was just being weird that day... but I say next time i'll make less or plan on having people over.

INGREDIENTS

         2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

         1 medium onion, chopped

         2 cloves garlic, minced

         1/2 cup pale ale, or other light-colored beer

         1 1/2 cups low-fat milk, divided

         3 tablespoons cornstarch

         1 3/4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar, preferably orange

         1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles, (see Note), drained, or 1 1/4 cups drained petite-diced tomatoes

         2 tablespoons lime juice

         1 teaspoon salt

         1 teaspoon chili powder

         Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)

         1/4 cup sliced scallions

         2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

        

PREPARATION

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. 

Add beer and cook until reduced slightly, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup milk and bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to the pan and cook, stirring vigorously, until bubbling and thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. 

Reduce heat to low, add cheese and cook, stirring, until melted. Stir in drained tomatoes, lime juice, salt, chili powder and cayenne (if using). Serve warm, garnished with scallions and cilantro.

TIPS & NOTES

         Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Slowly reheat on the stove over medium heat or on Medium in the microwave.

         Note: We like the flavor of Rotel brand diced tomatoes with green chiles the best in this dip. Choose original or mild, depending on your spice preference.

NUTRITION

Per 1/4-cup serving: 84 calories; 5 g fat ( 3 g sat , 2 g mono ); 14 mg cholesterol; 5 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 0 g fiber; 307 mg sodium; 36 mg potassium.

How I Make French Toast

French toast is one of my favorite things to make for a few reasons.

1) It is easy and quick.

2) I love challah bread and buy it too often because my Whole Foods ALWAYS has it.  Darn you, Whole Foods.

3) It is yummy.  Amen.

Okay, now that we've covered that, let's get on with the show.

Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

1/2 c. Milk (I use skim)

Sugar

Cinnamon

Salt

Butter

Challah bread (or whatever kind of bread you have, but trust me, try to find the challah)

Yield: 2 servings, if you use the amounts above

By the way, in case you've never heard of challah bread, it is an egg-based bread and it is delightfully delightful.  It is delicious in this recipe because the main ingredient of french toast is egg.

1) Begin by cutting the challah bread into a few thick slices (you'll need 2 per person).

2) In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat.

3) In a medium bowl, scramble 2 eggs.  Add 1/2 a cup of milk, a dash of salt, and 1 tsp. of sugar.  Incorporate well.  Then cover the mixture generously with cinnamon.

4) Once the butter has melted, run the bread slices through your egg mixture.  Make sure to coat both sides of the bread very well.  You may want to add more cinnamon before drudging each slice of bread, depending on your taste.  Immediately add the bread slices to the skillet.

Cook until the bread is golden brown and then flip.  Repeat process on the second side.

Then, repeat the process with the next two slices of bread using the same mixture (if you follow this recipe, you will have plenty left in the bowl).  Make sure to add more butter to the skillet for your second batch. 

5) Serve up with syrup (optional). 

Peppermint Bark Cookies

Friday, I made these cookies after I found them on this blog.

I traced them back to the Bon Appetit magazine site, which is where the originated. 

(Sorry, I didn't take any pictures of my own...) 

Image from bonappetit.com

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies or candy canes (about 3 ounces)
2 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina)

• 
  

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pan with long strip of 9-inch-wide parchment paper, leaving overhang on both short sides of pan. Whisk flour and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar. Continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla, then egg yolk. Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed just to blend.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into prepared baking pan, spacing evenly. Using moistened fingertips, press dough to form even layer over bottom of pan. Pierce dough all over with fork.

Bake cookie base until light golden brown and slightly puffed and edges begin to come away from sides of pan, about 30 minutes. Place pan on rack; immediately sprinkle bittersweet chocolate over. Let stand until chocolate softens, about 3 minutes. Using small offset spatula, spread bittersweet chocolate over top of cookie in thin even layer. Immediately sprinkle chopped peppermint candies over.

Stir white chocolate in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Using fork, drizzle white chocolate all over cookies. Chill until white chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. (I had to put in the freezer to get really set.)

Using paper overhang as aid, lift cookie from pan and transfer to work surface. Using large knife, cut cookie into irregular pieces. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 week ahead. Store in refrigerator in airtight containers between layers of waxed paper or parchment paper.

My Chex Mix Recipe

There are so many different recipes out there for Chex Mix.  Here is mine.

Ingredients: 

3 cups Rice Chex

3 cups Corn Chex

1/2 a bag of Goldfish

3/4 cups of cashews or mixed nuts

6 tablespoons of unsalted butter

3/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder

1 1/2 teaspoon Seasoned salt

2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Over the stove, melt the butter.  Once melted, add the Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, seasoned salt and garlic powder.  The amounts recommended above are from the original chex mix recipe, but honestly I add wayyy more worcestershire sauce and more of the spices too.  You can play with it. 

Once butter and spices are well mixed, pour into a 9x13 baking dish.  Add cereals, goldfish and nuts.  Coat the mix well with the butter sauce.

Bake in the oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Enjoy! 

The (Second) Best Christmas Gift EVER & A Carrot Cake Recipe

Well, blog friends.  I've been holding out on you.  And I'm sorry, really very truly sorry.

Meet Lolly, my gift from "Santa" this year.

Isn't she so beautiful?  I love her.  By the way, I've decided to start naming my furniture, and I think Lolly counts as furniture, don't you?  Haha.

When my dad visited a few weeks ago, he spent like 20 minutes rooting around my kitchen looking for a place for me to put a mixer.  I finally resolved to move the things I had on my counter already (knives and my food processor) to make room for a mixer.  My dad had this shipped straight to my apartment and I got it in time to make holiday treats with it.  The thing I love most about my mixer is that I didn't even have to get married for someone to give her to me.  Haha.  Just kidding... sort of.  

But really, my dad is way too generous to me and I am so lucky.

So, naturally the first thing I made with Lolly was something for my dad upon his visit to D.C.  I found this recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes.  

Super Moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe by Gina from skinnytaste.com

Ingredients for cake:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour


3/4 cup whole wheat flour


1 cup granulated sugar


1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut


2 tsp baking soda


1 tsp salt


2 tsp ground cinnamon


2 tbsp canola oil


2 large eggs


1 1/2 tsp vanilla


2 cups grated carrots, peeled


20 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice, drained 


1/4 cup chopped walnuts plus 1/4 cup for topping


Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz 1/3 fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, coconut, baking soda, salt, and spices; stir well with a whisk.

In a medium bowl, combine oil, eggs, and vanilla; stir well. Add grated carrots and pineapple; mix well. Fold wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, batter will be stiff and dry but keep folding it and it will all come together. Fold in 1/4 cup chopped nuts.

Spoon batter into an 8" x 3" cake pan coated with cooking spray. 

Bake at 350° for about 40-50 minutes, depending on pan size or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and cake is pulling away from sides of pan. Cool cake completely on a wire rack.

To prepare frosting, beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread frosting over top of cake. Garnish with remaining chopped walnuts. 

This cake is very dense and filling, and you would hardly know that it is light! 

Enjoy! 

My Dad's Chili Recipe

It is cold in D.C. now, and to me that means chili weather.  This is the recipe I use.  I got it from my dad.  It is so good and you'd think a ton went into it but it is really simple.

Ingredients:

1-8oz. can of Tomato Sauce (I like to use the no salt added if you can find that)

1 Box of 2 Alarm Chili Mix

1-14oz can of Rotel

2 small or 1 large yellow onion

2 lbs of ground beef

Begin by dicing up the onion(s).

Place the onion in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the ground beef and brown.  (I usually do this in two batches, one small onion to one 1-lb. package of ground beef.)  After the beef is browned, drain on a plate with paper towels.

Add the beef and onions to a large pot that is set over medium-high heat.  Then, add 1-8 ounce can of tomato sauce, 1 can of Rotel and 2 cups of water.  Add in all the spices in the 2 Alarm Chili Packet, with the exception of the salt and the masa.  I leave the masa out completely.  I add the salt sparingly.  I'm not a big fan of salt, anyway.  

These are all the spices that come in the 2 Alarm Chili Kit.  They are all labeled. 

Be sure to add the red pepper according to taste.  If you add the entire packet of red pepper to the chili, it is going to be pretty hot.  I like it hot, so I add all of it, but that may not be best for everyone.  As my dad says, you can always add more but you can never add less.  

Stir all ingredients together and bring to a low boil.  

Allow to low-boil for 20 to 30 minutes.  Then, turn the heat down to low and let simmer for about 2 hours.  I know this sounds extreme, but my dad believes in the "low and slow" cajun method of cooking.  If you let something like this cook on low for a long period of time, the flavors all meld together and it tastes SO much better.  Check the chili and stir every now and then.  If you notice it is getting really thick, add in water to thin it out again as it is cooking.

Even though this dish takes a long time to cook, the leftovers are AWESOME and they are ready very quickly.  This dish also freezes well. 

Garnish with cheese, tortilla chips, fritos or sour cream.  If you make yours hot, you will definitely want to garnish it to cut down on the heat.

I also wanted to share with yall that I found the perfect outfit for my holiday party!

What do yall think??!! It even has matching pants in the EXACT same fabric. Those bits at the end are actually fringe-y.

I hope you didn't think I was serious.  I ordered something online last week and this ensemble came in my package.  I definitely did not order it. I don't even know how it ended up in my package because it is not the brand of the company I ordered from.  HOW WEIRD.  I have to figure out how to return it now.  

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

I tried this recipe this weekend.  The soup turned out great and I would recommend it to anyone!

Just a side note- I'm sorry for the horrible quality of these photos.  I lost my camera charger in my move, so I'm winging it with my blackberry for now.

Recipe from Ina Garten.

Ina's Soup.  I mean, obviously.

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded
• 2 yellow onions [I only used one onion]
• 2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 to 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade [I used store-bought and it was fine]
• 1/2 teaspoon good curry powder

I also used 8 oz. of packed pumpkin puree. 

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the butternut squash, onions and apples in 1-inch cubes. [This is really important to get them to cook evenly.]  Place them on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. 

Before roasting.

Divide the squash mixture between 2 sheet pans and spread it in a single layer. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, until very tender.

After roasting.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, put them through a food mill fitted with the medium blade. (Alternatively, you can place the roasted vegetables in batches in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add some of the chicken stock and coarsely puree.) [ I placed the veggies in my small food processor.  It took about 5 batches and it was a pretty quick process.]  

This is what the puree will look like before you add the chicken stock and cook it down.

When all of the vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add enough chicken stock to make a thick soup. Add the curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  [I added chicken stock and brought to a low boil and let it cook for about 20 minutes.  Then, I turned the heat down and let it cook for about an hour more.]   Taste for seasonings to be sure there's enough salt and pepper to bring out the curry flavor. 

Voilà.

Recipe from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics. Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

For those fellow bloggers out there, check out designer Tricia Nae's Holiday Blog Makeover Giveaway!  Her designs are so cute!