Stuffed Portobellos

Anything with goat cheese catches my eye, so when I stumbled upon this recipe of stuffed portobellos I knew that I had to try it. Yummmm is all I can say. It was super easy, tasty and delicious. Bryan and I enjoy eating a good vegetarian meal at least one night a week at our house. This one filled us up and left us very satisfied.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Roasted Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

4 Portobello mushrooms, about 4" across

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. finely chopped shallot (optional)

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

 4 ounces of plain goat cheese

1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

1 tablespoons fresh chopped chives

1 recipe of oven roasted tomatoes 

(I use the roasted tomatoes from the fresh pizza section at Whole Foods.)

Directions:

If you have not made the oven roasted tomatoes go ahead and make them first. They take just a few minutes of prep time and 20-25 minutes in the oven. I frequently cook with the roasted tomatoes at Whole Foods. They came in quite handy for this dish. All you have to do is chop them and they are ready to go.

While the tomatoes are roasting, clean the mushrooms by gently wiping the outside of the caps with a damp paper towel or brushing any dirt off with a soft brush. Next, pop out the stems by pushing them from side to side until the snap out. Scrape the gills out with a spoon until the underside is mostly clean. Place them on a baking sheet lined with foil.

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, shallot and garlic. Brush mushroom caps inside and out with the olive oil mixture (or plain olive oil). Broil the mushrooms 3-5 minutes until they are hot and the edges are starting to brown. They will start to release moisture and get juicy.

 Mix together the goat cheese, tomatoes and herbs. If your mushrooms are as large as mine were, you might want to consider making more of the stuffing. I like mine overflowing with deliciousness.

 Stuff the mushrooms and bake at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes.

Serve them with a side salad for a healthy meal. Is your mouth watering yet? It should be. These babies are so delish, I guarantee you are going to want to run to the store, pick up all of the ingredients and make them for dinner tonight. 

{Healthy} Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Back a few weeks ago when all of you normal people were baking red velvet cupcakes and heart shaped cookies, I was being strange and baking pumpkin chocolate chip bread. You all know how I go nuts over pumpkins in the fall, and I couldn't satisfy my craving for something chocolatey and pumpkin. I could have gotten in my car and driven about two miles to a local bread company, but I had the morning off work and decided to try and come up with a healthy version myself. Not until I had devoured a muffin that I had posted on Instagram, did I realize that others might want the recipe. Click went the camera for this one picture.

Is this truly healthy? I don't know, especially when you stuff your face since it is so delish. I substituted the oil with unsweetened applesauce and the pudding with Greek yogurt. That makes it much more healthy in my mind.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread / Muffins

Ingredients: 
2 cups sugar (next time I'm going to try honey or agave)
2 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
4 large egg whites
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice (I guessed with both of these spices and adjusted)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Cooking spray

Directions: 
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, stirring just until moist. Stir in chocolate chips.
Spoon batter into 2 (8 x 4-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack, and remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

*I halved this recipe and it made 6 muffins and one loaf. The muffins didn't take as long to cook--I started checking after 30 min.

Spinach + Orzo Soup

There is something about the cooler fall weather that makes me want to make soup after soup after soup. I have cooked more soup in the last month than I have in the past six months. This spinach and orzo soup has been one of my favorites. It is healthy, filling, and this recipe makes a ton. I ended up freezing two quart-size bags for later.

 

 

Spinach + Orzo Soup

 

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb spinach, fresh or frozen, defrosted
1 – 15 oz can diced Italian tomatoes (with oregano and basil)
1 lb package orzo pasta
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
2 quarts water
olive oil

 

Directions:

Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of a stock pot. Add onions and saute until tender. Add garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add canned tomatoes, spinach, chicken or vegetable stock and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium.

Add orzo cook and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until orzo is tender.

 

I topped it with cheese and served it with garlic bread. Enjoy!



Baked Pumpkin French Toast

 

Lately I've been pinning and making tons of pumpkin recipes--everything from pumpkin lattes to baked pumpkin oatmeal for breakfast. This recipe for pumpkin french toast is by far the best that I have cooked. I'm still trying to get my pantry in order and one of the things that I haven't purchased is syrup. How can you eat french toast without syrup? Well...I drizzled a little extra butter and sprinkled a little extra brown sugar on top right before serving and it was pure perfection!

 

 

Baked Pumpkin French Toast

 

Ingredients:

3 1/2 – 4 1/2 cups 1-inch bread cubes

7 eggs

2 cups milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

3-4 Tbsp. brown sugar for topping

walnuts for topping

 

Directions:

1. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Place in a 9×13 lightly greased 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. Let it sit until the bread absorbs all of the egg mixture. Optional: It works well if you let it refrigerate overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, uncover and top with brown sugar and nuts. Bake for 35-45 minutes or golden brown and no longer wet.

4. Serve immediately with maple syrup, honey or agave nectar.

 

 

Gnocchi With Squash and Kale

This recipe is one of my recent pins on Pinterest. I have to say, I am rarely disappointed in what I cook from the recipes I find on there. This was the first time I cooked kale and gnocchi and I was pleasantly pleased with the outcome. The original recipe comes from here, but I made a few changes.

 

 

Gnocchi With Squash and Kale

 

Ingredients:

extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh sage

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water

1 bunch kale, stemmed and roughly chopped (about 8 cups)

1 17.5-ounce package potato gnocchi

3/4 cup grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese (I used swiss)

 

Directions:

In a large, ovenproof skillet heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Add the squash and cook, stirring, until slightly soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, sage, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Add the chicken broth to the skillet. When it starts to simmer, stir in the kale and cook until it wilts slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the gnocchi, stirring to coat. Cover and cook until the gnocchi are just tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese; transfer to the broiler and cook until golden and bubbly, about 3 minutes.

 



Fall Snack

I often find myself needing a little bite of something to eat, but not wanting to take the time to make something. This pumpkin seed snack is the perfect combination of salty and sweet, healthy and satisfying. It is beyond easy to whip up. Store it in an air-tight container on your counter for easy access for a handful or two.

 

Pumpkin Seed Snack Mix

 

1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds, roasted

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/2 cup dried dates, chopped

1/2 cup unsalted almonds

1/2 cup chocolate morsels

 

 

This is how easy it is, folks. You take 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin seeds and 1/2 cup measurements of everything else.

 

 

And then mix them together.

 

 

Dirty dishes? Hardly. A good snack? Of course!

 

 

Easy Breakfast

This is seriously one of the easiest, healthiest breakfasts that can be thrown together. Why is it so easy? Make it the night before and forget about it. Eat it or grab it on the way out of the house the next morning. Why is it healthy? Well, it just is.

{Overnight} Oatmeal in a Jar

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

1 Tbsp. chia seeds

agave syrup

fresh fruit

milk

{a mason jar}

Directions:

1. Add the oats and chia seeds to the mason jar.

2. Add any type of fresh fruit your heart desires. {peaches, strawberries, bananas}

3. Drizzle on a little agave syrup.

4. Top it off with fresh milk and then shake.

5. Let it sit overnight in the fridge and enjoy it the next morning. Voila! No reason you can't have a healthy easy breakfast!



Asparagus + Corn Salad

Nothing is better in the summer than a chilled salad or vegetable toss. Green bean salad is one of my favorites, but using asparagus in this dish adds a little variety to your typical salads. It is a wonderful summer side dish.

Ingredients:

3 ears corn, shucked

2 bunches asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs {cilantro, basil, parsley}

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar

1 tsp. agave nectar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions:

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Shuck the corn and trim the asparagus.

2. Add the shucked corn to the boiling water and boil for about 5 minutes, until it starts to turn bright yellow. Remove the corn and set aside to cool. In the same water, add the cut asparagus and boil for about 2 minutes. Remove the asparagus and set aside to cool. {Place both in a colander and run with cold water to stop the cooking process.}

3. While the veggies are cooling, whisk together in a small bowl the herbs, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, agave, salt and pepper.

4. Once the corn is cooled, cut the kernels with a sharp knife.

5. Add the asparagus and dressing, then toss to thoroughly coat the veggies. Chill until ready to serve. This can be made up to two days ahead of time.

*When the pictures were taken I only make half of the normal recipe.



Banana-Chocolate French Toast

This weekend I drove from one end of the state to the other and then back home. Laura aka "the kid" played in the state soccer finals in Fayetteville on the University of Arkansas campus on Friday night. Having never played soccer before this season, Laura was recruited to be the goalie by the coach at the beginning of the year. As I've said before, Laura doesn't do anything without excelling at it, and this position is no different--she is an awesome goalie. Her team lost the game, but they played their hearts out and I could not have been more proud of them.

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I recently made some banana-chocolate french toast for breakfast because I had seen the recipe in Cooking Light. I know you're thinking that chocolate for breakfast cannot be healthy, but if used in the right way it actually is great. Y'all, this was an absolutely delish breakfast that is going to become a regular at our house.

Banana-Chocolate French Toast

1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

6 (1 1/2-ounce) slices whole-grain bread

4 1/2 tablespoons hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella)

1 cup thinly sliced banana (about 8 ounces)

2 teaspoons canola oil

1/2 teaspoons powdered sugar

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a shallow dish.

2. Spread each of 3 bread slices with 1 1/2 tablespoons hazelnut-chocolate spread; arrange 1/3 cup banana slices over each bread slice. Top sandwiches with remaining 3 bread slices.

3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working with 1 sandwich at a time, place into milk mixture, turning gently to coat both sides. Carefully place coated sandwiches into pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Cut each sandwich into 4 triangles. Sprinkle evenly with powdered sugar.

Fish Tacos + Mango-Avocado Salsa

Happy Friday, sweets! No matter how your week has been, be thankful for the weekend. Breathe, smile, prop your feet up and have a glass of bubbly {whether wearing sequins or house slippers}.

Isn't that pink clutch the perfect touch to this glittery outfit? It pairs beautifully with the aqua nails and jeans. Both of these picture were too pretty not to share. What are your plans for the weekend? Bryan and I have dinner plans with friends tonight and then I am heading with my mom to my in-law's house for the rest of the weekend because my future sister-in-law has a bridal shower on Sunday.

Last night I made some delicious fish tacos with mango-avocado salsa. It was very different from my typical fish taco recipe that everyone loves, but I thought it was fantastic and will certainly be making it again soon. It is a slightly adapted version from a Cooking Light recipe I found, so it is not only delicious, but healthy, too.

Cumin-Spiced Fish Tacos with Avocado-Mango Salsa

1 Tbsp. cumin

3/4 tsp. salt, divided

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound tilapia fillets

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 cup avocado, peeled and chopped

2/3 cup mango, peeled and chopped

1/3 cup green onion, chopped

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

1 fresh lime, squeezed

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1. Combine 1/4 tsp. salt, avocado, and next 7 ingredients in a bowl. Set salsa aside.

2. Combine cumin, 1/2 tsp. salt, paprika and black pepper in a bowl. Combine cumin mixture and garlic; rub over the fish. Add oil to a large skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Add fish; cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until done.

3. Heat tortillas according to package directions or simply place them on top of the fish during the last minute, turning once.

4. Break fish into pieces; divide evenly among tortillas. Top each tortilla with 2 Tbsp. salsa. Serve immediately.

Picnic Primped + Chicken Salad

When I saw a Southern Living article earlier this spring featuring Mad Men's costume designer, Janie Bryant, I knew that a picnic theme would be perfect for a Friday's Fancies outfit! I emailed Alison and she thought it was a wonderful idea. I instantly fell in love with the blue Yumi Kim romper and immediately had to track it down online. Janie's picks for a picnic got my mind reeling in the direction of planning a spring picnic. {Click here see the article on southernliving.com}

To me, the perfect picnic includes a red and white checkered tablecloth and a wicker picnic basket full of goodies such as wine, cheese and chicken salad on croissants. What better way to stay cool than in a floral romper and big floppy hat?! You're shoes are probably going to get kicked off anyway, so wear some comfy flats.

Thursdays are date nights at our house. Sometimes Bryan plans the night, sometimes I plan the night, sometimes we just grab pizza and a movie. This week I decided to take the reigns and plan a little picnic.

Plates, wine glasses, napkins, a plastic tablecloth and bug spray were among the must-haves for our evening outside. My mom gave us the cutest picnic basket when Bryan and I got married, but unfortunately we have no extra space in our house so I had to improvise without it.

{Please excuse the ugly wrinkles in the tablecloth}

Bryan had requested chicken salad on croissants, so that's what I made as our main dish. I picked up a broccoli salad, cheese, honey and dessert at two local shops.

Thanks to a friend we found the perfect place for our picnic at a lake a little bit outside of town. Do you like to go on picnics? What are your go-to items to take?

{Super Simple} Chicken Salad

2 cups rotisserie chicken, chopped

1 1/2 cups grapes, halved

4 green onions, sliced

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/4 cup light mayo

1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

Mix well and serve on croissants.

*Green or red grapes work well in this recipe.

*I always start out with 1/4 cup of mayo, but add more if needed.

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Don't forget that today is the last day to enter my Kate Spade giveaway!

Workout + Pasta Salad

Have you all seen this picture floating around Pinterest? This lady is working hard. Are you doing your blogger workout each day?

For those of you who are runners, Daphne got back in the swing of things this week and did a wonderful Marathon Monday post on breathing correctly. Go check it out and tell her how much you enjoy it. She has some fantastic workout posts.

What's my tip of the week for you? Cut out the sugar. Before you slather on the salad dressing or drink that vitamin water, check the sugar content. I highly suggest you cut out cokes or scale back if you drink them frequently. They are so bad for you. Google "foods with sugar" or "foods high in sugar" and you will be amazed at what all is listed.

Need a little help getting motivated to exercise? I thought this tip from a Pinterest user was great. Put money in a jar each time you work out and let it go towards something you have really wanted. Another option is to make a list of rewards for each milestone you complete. {Write it out to hold yourself accountable.} It could be to purchase a new sports bra after you have been able to run three miles without stopping. Or to buy a new dress when you lose an inch in your waistline. Set realistic goals and work towards them with something fun as an incentive.

I used to rarely eat whole grains. That was one major thing that I have altered in my eating habits the past year. They reduce cholesterol, the risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes.

"Whole grains are necessary for proper digestion, calming the nervous system, encouraging sleep and satisfying hunger and taste, thereby decreasing cravings, while promoting energy and endurance, elimination, good reflexes, a long memory and clear thinking. Whole grains require a different digestive procedure than refined grains do."

Health & Wellbeing

A loaf of bread is rarely found in my house, and if it is, it is a multi-grain bread. I prefer to buy whole grain tortillas or pita pockets as alternatives to regular bread loaves. Bryan and I both eat oats for breakfast at least 3-4 days a week, in one form or another. All of the pastas we use are whole grain, too. This is just a health choice that we have made together. It is a lot to make a major change in your eating routine, but I encourage you to add whole grains into your diet, whether it be for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

I enjoy making pasta salads when the weather is warm. They are easy to put together at beginning of the week and usually last for days. If I eat pasta salad for lunch, I will eat a lean protein and something green for dinner.

Greek Pasta Salad

Dressing:

1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. basil dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 teaspoons Cavender's Greek Seasoning

1-1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. granulated sugar

Salad:

1 pound rotini pasta, cooked according to package directions
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 large cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup Kalamata olives
1-1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese

2-3 chicken breasts, grilled and sliced into small pieces (optional)

1. Mix all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and let sit.

2. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, green onions, olives, feta cheese and chicken.

3. Toss the pasta in about 1/2 of the dressing. If you think it needs more, add to it. I never use all of the dressing. Chill and serve cold.

*Feel free to use pepperoni instead of chicken. Add anything else you might enjoy.

*The picture above doesn't show it made with peppers or the cucumber.

*The original recipe says to add 1/2 of the dressing to the pasta and chill over night. Right before you serve it you are to add the rest and toss. This is way too much dressing in my opinion, therefore I only use about half.

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Go check out the items added to my Blog Sale!

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

My goodness, this week has flown by quickly! My internet was not working yesterday, therefore I was able to get a lot accomplished since I didn't play on Pinterest or blogs at all. I ran a few errands around town and stocked up on a few Easter goodies that were marked to clearance. Not that I need any of them, but I thought the chocolate would be good to freeze in a plastic bag and pull out a piece or two with a glass of wine at night. What is my weakness? The Cadbury caramel eggs. Oh my stars, how I could eat gobs of them all year long.

Last night I decided to be a little daring and mix patterns. I never seem to pull it off, but the leopard and stripes worked pretty well...I think. Bryan said my nails were quite shocking with Essie's Tart Deco on them.

Dr. Ash is in NYC for a long weekend and we are dog sitting her sweet Bella. On Tuesday night I went and helped her pick out outfits to take. While we packed, my sweet hubby made us buffalo chicken pizza. It was out of this world yummy. I posted a picture on Instagram and promised to post the recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

2 pizza crusts

3-4 cooked chicken breasts, cut or shredded

1/2 bottle Texas Pete Buffalo Wing Sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

crushed red pepper flakes

olive oil

Monterey Jack cheese

1. Saute garlic in a couple of drizzles of olive oil in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat. Add a few shakes of red pepper flakes and saute until garlic starts to golden. Add Texas Pete sauce and cook until warm, then add chicken and turn to simmer.

2. Spread a few drizzles of olive oil on both pizza crusts. Heavily sprinkle cheese to form a base layer.

3. Divide the chicken between the pizzas. Spoon or drizzle any extra sauce that is left over in the pan. Feel free to add a little more cheese.

4. Bake in the oven according to the pizza crust's instructions.

5. It's best when served with ranch dressing as a side.

*I normally make my own pizza crust, but this time it was easy breezy with the pre-made crusts.

*I seasoned the chicken with paprika and cayenne pepper, grilled it, then cut it into bite-size pieces. It is just as easy to use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.

*For our last layer of cheese we had some Fontina and an Italian blend that we tossed on. It was soooo good.

*Get up and work out extra hard the morning after you eat this. ;)

It's Your Body

After being at the farm for five days I'm heading home this morning. Bryan had a semi-whoopsie-daisy accident this weekend and decided to take the day off yesterday instead of sitting at a desk all day. While we were inside eating lunch, I surfed the web for local races. It was very frustrating to find that there really are none in our area. {I'm not driving an hour and a half for a 5K.} Surprisingly, I did find a 10K in a neighboring town for May 12th. I've never run a 10K race before. Sure, the dirt roads are one thing, but I'm already getting butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it. This first one I am not doing for time. Like my dad said, I'm going to go out and act like it is any other day of running and log the miles. It has been years since I've run races, but I'm pretty excited.

I am very competitive, thus it is hard for me to think about running anything and not timing myself. I don't like doing something just to do it, I want to do it and be good at it. I might suffer from a slight type-A personality disorder.

We are now into month four of the year. How is your exercise plan? Does it still exist? My goal was to live a healthier lifestyle all the way around-from exercise to eating. I've been chug-a-lugging a ton of water lately. My advice if you struggle with that? Get a 24oz. Tervis Tumbler {straw + lid} and carry it with you everywhere you go. I drink anywhere from 4-7 of these a day.

Click here to order one.

If you are feeling discouraged right now, don't let yourself get down! It's not about having the perfect body to squeeze into a swimsuit for the summer months. It's about being healthy for YOU! It is a life-long commitment that only you can make for yourself.  

Starving yourself or skipping a meal will not help you at all. If you try to lose weight the unhealthy way, it plus more will come back to bit you in the rear. I stand behind the age-old saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You've got to have protein to keep your body going between meals. Energy has to be coming into your body in order for your body to be able to burn fat and get rid of it. For portion control at meals try to remember this:

I am always trying to think of new ways to cook green veggies, which I think need to be incorporated into every meal. Brussels sprouts have become a new go-to green veggie in our house. This recipe I have made at least three times now.

via

Maple Cayenne Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise
1 Tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400*F.
2. Toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil and salt and spread on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Roast 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway. They should be tender and browned.
4. While the sprouts are roasting, in a small bowl, combine maple syrup and cayenne pepper.
5. Pour the maple syrup/cayenne mixture over the sprouts, stir to coat, return to oven for one more minute.

6. Serve and enjoy!