Strawberry Spinach Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed

Strawberry Spinach Salad

1 10-oz. bag fresh baby spinach 1/2-1 small red onion, thinly sliced 1 medium cucumber, seeded and sliced (you can peel it first if you want) 1 pint strawberries, sliced 1 c. sliced almonds, toasted 1 recipe Lemon Poppy Seed Vinaigrette 1/2 lb. grilled chicken breasts, sliced or diced (optional)

Lemon Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

2-3 large lemons (use as needed–you’ll need 1/3 c. juice and 1 tsp. zest) 1/4 c. rice wine vinegar 1/4 c. canola oil 3/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1/4 c. sugar 2 tsp. poppy seeds 1 tsp. grated onion 1 clove finely pressed garlic

Using a Microplane or other fine grater, grate 1 tsp. lemon rind off the lemons. Grate 1 tsp. onion. Place in a small container with a lid. Add the remaining ingredients and shake vigorously. If possible, refrigerate at least an hour before serving. Shake well before serving.

Brazilian lemonade

So I got my new cook book, Best Bites, and it has so many yummy random things to make. Say this one and out of the blue whipped it up. Really easy, but it needs to be served COLD! Put plenty of ice glass to really bring out the flavor. Brazilian Lemonade 6 cups of cold water 1 cup of sugar 6 limes 6 Tablespoons of Sweet and condensed milk In the cook book it makes a point to NOT make this a head of time, that the limes and milk will not keep. Mix the water and sugar together to dissolve the sugar. Wash the limes real good with soap and water, get all that wax off. Cut the ends of the limes off and discard, than cut each lime into 8 slices. Take the first 3 limes and combine with half the sugar water and add into the blender. Pulse the blender 5 times and take the mixture and pour it through a strainer into the pitcher you are serving it in. Repeat with the last 3 limes and water. Add your milk, mix and pour up. Add some ice cubes to get it really cold.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

I tried this one last night. Oh my goodness it was soooo good. Served it with ice cream, this was a perfect Sunday dinner dessert. Super Easy!!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Recipe from Nestle

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought.
2 large eggs
1/2 C flour
1/2 C white granulated sugar
1/2 C packed brown sugar
3/4 C real butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
1 C chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark works best, you might find milk too sweet)
1 C chopped pecans (you are welcome to make it without nuts)

Vanilla ice cream, or sweetened whipped cream for serving (a must! I prefer ice cream)

optional: chocolate sauce (honestly, doesn’t really need chocolate sauce, but it looks pretty!)

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Stir in morsels and nuts. Spoon into pie shell.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack or serve slightly warmed. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Better than sex cake

This is not some healthy dessert like my sisters... But very tasty! :)

Ingredients
1-package devil's food cake mix
1/2-can sweetened condensed milk
6 ounces caramel ice cream topping
3 bars chocolate covered toffee, chopped (I used Heath bars)
1 tub cool whip

Directions

• Bake cake according to package directions for a 9x13 in pan; cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Make slits across top of the cake, making sure not to go through to the bottom.


• In a saucepan over low heat, combine sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping, stirring until smooth and blended. Slowly pour the warm topping mixture over th top of the warm cake, letting it sink into the slits; then sprinkle the crushed chocolate toffee bars liberally across the entire cake while still warm.


• Let cake cool completely then top with whipped topping. Decorate the top of the cake with some more chocolate toffee bar chunks and swirls of caramel topping. Refrigerate and serve right from pan.

Low Fat Oatmeal Banana Bread

So I stole this recipe off of a blog a while back and it is by far my most favorite low fat banana bread recipe. Throw some chocolate chips in to make it extra deli sh with a few extra calories, and it is Divine!!!

Low Fat Oatmeal Banana Bread

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tsp canola or walnut oil
1 large egg, beaten
2 medium egg whites, beaten
3 large bananas, ripe
1 cup uncooked old fashioned oats

Chocolate chips and butterscotch chips for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease and flour a loaf pan and set aside. In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients including the oats and cinnamon.

In a smaller bowl, mash bananas with a potato masher or fork. Add oil and whole egg and mix thoroughly.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. Batter will be fairly thick. In another bowl, lightly beat the egg whites together then fold into the batter.

Pour batter into pan and bake until top of loaf is firm to touch, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Flip out and cool on a wire rack for another 10 minutes. Slice loaf into 10 equally sized slices.

Roast Beef sandwich

I am not a person for roasts. Mom made them all the time growing up and I would just eat the potatoes and carrots out of it. But Dan loves roasts and would eat one every Sunday if not for his picky wife. So we comprised. This ain't no Arby's people!

1/2 of a Beef Roast
1/2 cup of water
A couple slices of swiss cheese
onion
hamburger buns
Sweet baby rays BBQ sauce (optional)(more healthy without)

Take the beef roast and water than stick it in the crock pot for 4 hours or until fall apart. Toast your hamburger bun and put the shredded beef, cheese, and slices of onion all together. Dip it in BBQ sauce if you dare!!! WAAAHAAAA! Oh so easy and oh so deli-sh. Have some sweet potato fries and watermelon for a side.

Can't leave alone bars

Yummy, super simply, very small clean up bars. Yes, I couldn't wait to eat it, so you only get to see half of the creation!

1 package of white cake
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup coconut
1/2 cup walnut

mix first 3 ingredients. Press 2/3 of mixture in a greased 9x13 pan. In a microwave safe bowl mix remaining ingredients and melt in microwave 45 sec stir and melt 45 sec more until chocolate chips are smooth. Pour over cake and drop teaspoons of left over dough onto the chocolate mixture. Bake @ 350 for 20-30 min or until slightly brown. EAT EAT EAT. Add some yummy ice cream to over do that treat!

Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here is my favorite recipe for healthier choc chip cookies. I have tried a lot of healthy cookies recipes, this one is the best!!

1/4 cup applesauce

2 Tbsp. butter or marg

1/3 cup white sugar (I use splenda or truvia)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp.baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 cup quick oaks

3/4 cup dark choc chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together applesauce, butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir flour mixture into first mixture and mix well. Then stir in oats, followed be the chocolate. Place rounded teaspoons full 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Makes 18 cookies

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

I got this recipe from my friends blog http://cookingcollection.blogspot.com/ it is so easy and tasty. Just perfect for my picky husband that only likes fried food :)



1/3 c. (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 c. salsa
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic or garlic powder
3 Tbsp. Chopped cilantro
2 c. shredded cooked chicken
1 c. grated pepperjack cheese
About 16 small flour tortillas
Salt
Cooking Spray


*Heat over to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

*Heat cream cheese in microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.


*Place 2-3 Tbsp. of chicken mixture on the tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges, then roll it up as tight as you can. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle some salt on top.


*Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends turn golden brown.
Makes about 16 taquitos

Enjoy!

Roasted Asparagus and Lemon Chicken Pizza

Here is one that I saw on Studio Five the other week. I tried it last night. It was yummy, very gourmet. Not low in calories though. Now that Asparagus season is among us I thought it would be a fun one to try.
-Colleen

Roasted Asparagus and Lemon Chicken Pizza

Asparagus:

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch fresh, thin Asparagus -40-50 stalks
• 1 tbsb garlic olive oil, or extra virgin olive oil
• Sea Salt
• Fresh Cracked Pepper
• Zest of 1/2 lemon

Method:

On a baking sheet, lay asparagus out in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 12-14 minutes at 450 degrees.
Sprinkle with lemon zest.

Sauce:

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp garlic olive oil, or extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 tsp fresh minced garlic
• Zest from 1/2 lemon
• 2-3 tsp fresh lemon juice
• Salt
• Fresh cracked pepper to taste

Method:

Warm the oil in a small saucepan. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens. Whisk in fresh garlic. Remove from heat and add, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste.

Crust:

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp yeast
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp warm water
• 3 cups flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp garlic olive oil, or extra virgin olive oil
  
• Additional ingredients:
• Cooked chicken breast, or rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 2 tbsp fresh Thyme, snipped
• 1 1//2 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella

Method:

Mix dry ingredients together. Stir in olive oil and water. Knead either by hand, or with mixer until dough is smooth. Cover and let rise, about 1 hour. (Dough can also be made in a bread machine.)

Spread dough to desired size and thickness. Lightly cook for 7-10 minutes at 450 degrees before adding toppings.


To assemble pizza:

Spread sauce onto toasted crust, top with chicken, thyme, and cheese.
Bake at 450 degrees for 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven and top with roasted asparagus.

Makes either two 12 inch pizzas or one 14 inch thick crust pizza.