Quick Chicken Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 ( 12.5 oz) cans of chicken (or 3 cups diced cooked chicken)
  • 3/4 cup light mayonnaise
  • 1 cup red grapes, halved
  • 1 green onion, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1/2 cup diced apple
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • pecans or cashews, optional

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, combine the chicken, mayo, grapes, green onion, celery, apple, salt, and pepper.  Combine until well blended.
  2. Serve on rolls, bread, or croissants sprinkle with some cashews or pecans.  This can also be served on a lettuce leaf.

(Source: realmomkitchen.com)

Pumpkin French Toast Bake

Serves: 10

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups 1-inch bread cubes
  • 7 large eggs
  • 2 cups milk (any kind)*
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin BUTTER (or 1/2 cup pumpkin puree)*
  • 3-4 tablespoons brown sugar for topping
  • nuts, like pecan or walnuts (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cut any kind of bread into 1-inch cubes – I recommend a crusty, whole grain variety. If using sandwich bread, use 5-7 thick slices. Then, spread into a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla and pumpkin butter until well combined. Pour over bread and push down with a spoon or your hands until it’s all soaked and mostly covered. Cover with saran wrap or lid and refrigerate overnight.
  3. In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees, uncover and top with brown sugar and nuts (optional). Bake for 35-45 minutes or golden brown and no longer wet.
  4. Serve immediately with maple syrup, honey or agave nectar. Store leftovers in the refrigerator covered for up to a couple days.

(Source: dailylivingbrief.com)

Apple and Banana Breakfast Smoothie

Ingredients

  • 5 raw almonds
  • 1 red apple
  • 1 banana
  • 3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup nonfat milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a blender. (Depending on how powerful your blender is, you may need to chop the apple and almonds into small pieces before blending.)
  2. Blend on medium-high for 30 seconds (or until desired consistency).

Makes one 16-ounce serving for a total of 382 calories.

(Source: fitsugar.com)

Guacamole Bruschetta

  • Yield: 12-15 servings
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 6 min

Ingredients

  • ½ loaf French bread
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tomatoes, medium chopped
  • 2 avocados, medium chopped
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
  2. Slice the French bread on the diagonal into ½” rounds and place on a baking sheet.
  3. Toast the sliced bread in the oven for 3 minutes, then flip each piece over and toast an additional 3 minutes.
  4. Remove the toasted bread from the oven and immediately rub with the clove of garlic (it works best to first cut a small tip off the garlic clove so that the oils will seep out).
  5. Brush the tops of the garlic-rubbed toasts with olive oil and set aside.
  6. In a large bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes, avocado, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix together gently making sure the avocado is well coated in the lime juice.
  7. Spoon a portion of the mixture onto each of the garlic toasts and serve.

(Source: ziplist.com)

Cinnamon and Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

Ingredients

Dough:

  • 2 3/4 c plus 2 Tbsp. flour
  • 1/4 c sugar
  • 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (1 packet)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 Tbls butter
  • 1/3 c whole milk
  • 1/4 c water
  • 2 eggs (at room temperature)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Filling:

  • 1 c. sugar
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 4 Tbls. butter, melted until browned

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, mix 2 cups of flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Put aside.
  2. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and milk. Once the butter is completely melted take off the burner and add the water and vanilla. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes or if you have a thermometer and want to be super tricky, wait until the mixture cools to about 125 degrees.
  3. Pour the milk mixture into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well. Whisk together the eggs and add to the batter. Keep mixing. Add 3/4 c of flour and mix well. The mixture will be very sticky which means it’s perfect.
  4. Place the dough in a medium greased bowl. Cover with wrap and let it sit in a warm place to rise for about 30-45 minutes. Once the dough has doubled its size, knead in 2 Tbls of flour. Cover the dough again for another 5-10 minutes.
  5. While the dough is rising you can start on the filling. Mix together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside.
  6. Brown the butter in a small saucepan. Should take about 5-8 minutes. Once browned, take off heat and set aside.
  7. Once the dough is ready, roll it out on a floured surface. Brush the butter on the the dough and add the sugar mixture. Make sure everything is covered.
  8. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into six equal strips.
  9. Stack the strips onto of each other and cut six equal squares.
  10. Place squares side by side in a bread pan and pre-heat the over to 350 degrees. Cover the dough for another 10-15 minutes to rise.
  11. Bake in the over for 30-35 minutes. The outside of the bread will be a dark golden brown. (Side note: I had to put a small pan on the oven shelf underneath the bread pan because the sugar started to boil over.)
  12. The bread is best served when warm. I enjoyed it with some apple cider- a great combination. If you want more  of a dessert, feel free to whip up some icing to drizzle on top once you take the bread out of the over.

(Source: iheartfoodandsocanyou.blogspot.com.au)

Summer Chicken Wraps

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 12oz chicken breasts, cooked, cooled, and sliced into strips (about 2 chicken breasts)
  • 4 burrito-sized flour tortillas (I used Mission Low-Carb Tortillas)
  • 1/2 cup hummus (I used Sabra Roasted Red Pepper hummus)
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced and seeded
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, torn
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • salt & pepper

Instructions

Lay tortillas out on a clean dry surface then spread 2 Tablespoons hummus over each tortilla. Divide carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, basil, and sliced chicken between tortillas then sprinkle with salt and pepper, roll and slice.

(Source: iowagirleats.com)

Strawberry Orange Sorbet

Ingredients

  • 4 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced 
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice plus the zest
  • 1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

In a saucepan, place the sugar, orange juice and water and bring it to a boil. Let it boil until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes.  Add the strawberries and the orange zest and let the mixture boil for 8 to 10 minutes. Using a hand blender (regular blender works just fine just do it in small badges) Puree the mixture and then pass the it through a fine mesh strainer. Let it come to room temperature and place in the refrigerator to chill. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.

(Source: deliciousshots.blogspot.com.au)

Lentil Cakes With Pesto, Wilted Greens and Lemon Thyme Zucchini fries

Ingredients

Basil Pesto (makes about 2 cups) 

  • 2 cups fresh basil, packed
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 cup pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup parmesan
  • 4 TBS meyer lemon juice (or regular lemon juice)
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 
  1. Put first five ingredients into a blender or food processor.
  2. While blender/processor is running slowly add the olive oil.
  3. Set aside.

Lentil Cakes (makes 12 cakes- 2/person. 6 servings)

  • 1 1/4 cups lentils ( I used beluga)
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 TBS ghee (I use ghee (clarified butter) because it has a very high smoking point and is much safer to cook with than oil)
  • 1 1/2 cups leeks, chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 cup parmesan, finely grated
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Soak lentils in filtered water for 24 hours. Drain and rinse. (It is SO important to soak all grains and legumes because they contain phytic acid which is a substance that keeps the seed/bean from sprouting prematurely. Phytic acid is an enzyme inhibitor and very difficult to digest which can lead to inflammation in the gut. Soaking allows the phytic acid to slough off and the seeds/beans start to sprout which releases all sorts of nutrients)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Pour soaked lentils into a pot with the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until lentils are tender but not mushy. 

Strain any remaining liquid from the lentils. Pour half of the lentils into a bowl. Pour the other half into a food processor and pulse a few times. Combine all lentils.

Heat the TBS of ghee in a skillet over medium heat. Add leaks and cook until soft. Add minced garlic and cook for one minute. 

Combine lentils, leeks, mint parmesan, egg and salt.

Using a 1/4 measuring cup scoop out lentil mixture and press to form a patty. Repeat 11 more times or until all of the mixture has been used. Place patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes. 

Wilted Greens (serves 6)

  • 15 cups of baby kale, baby chard, spinach- whatever greens you prefer (this sounds like a lot but remember it wilts down significantly.)
  • 1/2 TBS ghee
  • lemon juice
  • salt
  1. Heat ghee in a large pan. 
  2. Add greens and cook until wilted
  3. Squeeze in lemon juice (however much you desire) and sprinkle with salt.

 Lemon Thyme Zucchini Fries

  • 6 small zucchini
  • 1 cup ghee
  • 1 TBS fresh lemon thyme, finely  (regular thyme is fine)
  • very fine zest from 1 meyer lemon (regular lemon is fine)
  • salt 
  1. Using a julienne peeler create thin zucchini sticks. (I do not use the whole zucchini, once I start seeing seeds I stop. You can use the left over zucchini for omelets or soups.)
  2. Heat the ghee in a pot for frying.
  3. Combine lemon thyme and zest in a bowl.
  4. When the ghee begins to bubble turn heat down slightly and carefully add the zucchini fries. I did mine in three batches. 
  5. Once browned transfer fries to a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt and thyme/ zest mixture. Repeat until all fries are cooked. 

Assembly

  1. Place some greens on a plate followed by a lentil cake. 
  2. Add a dollop of pesto, more greens and second lentil cake.
  3. Top with pesto and a handful of fries.
  4. ENJOY!

(Source: roostblog.com)

sweetsrsmitty:

Spicy Sweet Potato Hummus

Yield: 3 cups

ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes (or 2 cups mashed sweet potato)
3 garlic cloves
1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup tahini
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt

directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap each sweet potato with foil. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until tender. Peel sweet potatoes, set aside.

In a large food processor (or blender), puree garlic cloves and chickpeas. Add tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, brown sugar, and spices. Puree until smooth. Then add sweet potatoes and puree until completely combined.

Serve immediately with pita chips or store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve. This makes a LARGE amount of hummus and is perfect to freeze! To freeze, place in a freezer safe ziplock bag and ensure there is no air in the baggie and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information:
1/4 cup hummus: Calories 128.5. Fat 5g. Carbs 18g. Fiber 3.1g. Sugars 4.9g. Protein 3.3g.