Beet Hummus

Totally digging this new hummus recipe. And thinking I may need to grow my own beets next summer!

What you'll need:
1 small beet
2 cloves garlic
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons tahini
1/3 cup olive oil
Pepper and salt, to taste

What you'll do:
1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Line a glass baking dish with tin foil.

2. Wash beet and trim the leaves and stem. Place in the baking dish and cover with foil. I baked several beets at the same time and it took approximately 65 minutes. You'll know when the beets are cooked because a fork will easily slide through the center.

3. Remove the beets from oven and let cool 10 minutes.

4. Peel the skin from the beet and chop into chunks. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Beet Latte

You really have to love beets to drink a whole glass of this. But I do. And I did. 

And it's definitely A LOT of work for a non-caffeinated beverage.

What you need:

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp honey
1 medium beet, peeled
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

What you do:
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap beet in foil and roast for 30-40 minutes, or until easily pricked with a fork.
2. Blend together all ingredients.
3. Transfer to a pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Using a mesh strainer, pour the mixture into a cup.

4. Sprinkle with foamed milk and/or cinnamon and enjoy!

Overnight Oats

I made the big, bad mistake of buying unflavored protein powder. I have been purchasing the vanilla flavor for months and I really enjoy it. So why the switch? A sale.

Damn sales.

Anyway, I've been trying to get through it. I decided I'd try to use it in some recipes, including overnight oats. But gauged on the overwhelming response that the recipe is amazing - the powder sucks.

Regardless, I powered through two batches and look forward to trying the recipe again - with flavored protein!

What you need:
2/3 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp peanut butter (I used PB2)
4 tsp chia seeds
2 tsp maple syrup
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 scoop protein powder
1 banana, sliced

What you do:
1. Combine everything in a bowl.
2. Split mixture into two mason jars or tupperware containers.
3. Let sit in the fridge overnight.

Collard Green Wraps

This is a Tone It Up recipe that I'm pretty please with. I really like how well the collards hold up as a wrap - and stay fresh in the fridge for weeks. I also really like the idea of the parsnip rice, but made some modifications to mine that (I think) made it taste sweet. The portions are also pretty large, so plan on having this all week for lunch or cut it in half!

What you need:
Parsnip Rice
2 parsnips, washed and peeled
1/2 cup cashews (original recipe called for pine nuts)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp apple cider videgar
3 tsp dill
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp salt / pepper

Wrap fillings - whatever you have in the fridge!
4-6 collard leaves
2 bell peppers (your choice of color)
1 carrot
tomatoes
onions
cilantro

What you do:
For the parsnip rice
1. Chop the parsnips in a food processor until it is rice consistency.
2. Add the cashews and pulse together.
3. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until well combined.

For the wrap
1. Take one collard leaf and lay face down. Add 4-5 spoonfuls of the parsnip rice to the center of the leaf.
2. Add your preferred fillings on top of the rice - and any additional condiments (I added spicy mustard).
3. Roll like a burrito, then cut in half!

Cabbage Slaw

What's great about this recipe is you use whatever you have available, and the outcome can be very different every time.

What you need:
1 head of cabbage, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup frozen corn, defrosted
roasted red peppers (mine came from a jar), plus juice
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
pickled jalapeños, plus juice
1 cup quinoa
1/2 cup greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

What you do:
1. Prepare quinoa as instructed.
2. Mix together greek yogurt, taco seasoning and a couple teaspoons of the jalapeño and red pepper juice. Set aside.
3. Combine all other chopped vegetables in a bowl. Mix in greek yogurt dressing.
4. Serve slaw over a 1/4 cup quinoa and season with salt and pepper.

Dill Chickpea Spread

This spread could be my new spring go-to lunch or snack! It combines a couple of my favorite things - chickpeas and pickles - into a refreshing and healthy meal. And yes, when you serve the spread up on wasa crackers, it does kind of look like rice krispy treats...if only!

What you need:
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup greek yogurt (more or less depending on your preference)
1 tsp dill
4-5 pickle chips (can also use relish)
salt and pepper

What you do:
1. In a food processor, pulse the chickpeas and pickles.
2. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
3. Serve on toast, wasa crackers, cucumbers or eat it straight.

Mushroom Barley Soup

What you need

olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3/4 cup barley
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
12 ounces mushrooms, stems removed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

salt and pepper

What you do
1. Heat the oil over medium heat. Add in the garlic, onions and carrots. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft and tender, about 8 minutes. 

2. Add the barley and stir, until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the flour, stir so it coats the barley and vegetables, and cook for 2 minutes. 

4. Pour in the vegetable broth and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the barley is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

I only had 4 cups of veggie broth, so mine has the consistency of risotto. Add in up to six cups total of broth for a more soup-like consistency.

Southwestern Spaghetti Squash

What you need
1 spaghetti squash, whole
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chili powder

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1 green pepper, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped
4 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 cup frozen corn
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
4.5 oz can diced green chilies
cheese, greek yogurt, green onions and cilantro for topping


What you do
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Half the spaghetti squash, scoop out the insides and place cut-side down in a glass baking dish. Add a bit of water to the bottom and bake for approximately 45 minutes.

2. When the insides of the squash easily shred into pasta-like pieces, remove from the oven and put all the squash in a bowl. Set aside.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add peppers, onions, corn and garlic. Saute until just fragrant.

4. Stir in tomatoes, black beans and chilies. Coat with cumin, chili powder and salt. Let simmer another 10 minutes or until veggies are at your desired consistency. 

5. Place a cup of the spaghetti squash on a plate cover with a hearty helping of the black bean mixture and top with your favorite condiments.

Vegetarian Chili

In need of a quick, healthy and pretty easy chili recipe? I'll forward the thanks to my overseas chefs who always have the perfect recipe when I need it. This was also a huge hit for our Super Bowl party last weekend!

What you need:2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 medium yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon spicy paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cans diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 can navy beans, rinsed and drained

cilantro, cheese, greek yogurt, taco chips and onions for toppings

What you do:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, peppers and garlic and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until vegetables are softened but not browned. 

2. Add spicy pepper, chili powder, cumin, paprika and salt. Stir to blend. 

3. Add tomatoes and 1 cup water. Gently simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 45 minutes. 

4. Add beans and simmer an additional 30 minutes. 

5. Garnish with your desired toppings and serve.

Portobello Pizzas

Super easy lunch for this productive Monday off from work. The original recipe was vegan, but I couldn't pass up a handful of cheese. It was totally worth it.

What you need:
2 portobello mushroom caps
pizza sauce
veggies of your choice, I used red, yellow and green bell peppers and jalapeños
pepperoni
shredded cheese
olive oil
basil, crushed red paper, garlic salt

What you do:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the olive oil onto the top and bottom of the portobellos.
2. Place the mushrooms cap-side down on a baking sheet and season with herbs. Bake for 5 minutes.
3. Remove the caps and top with sauce, toppings and cheese.
4. Bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the mushrooms are your desired consistency.

Easy Ramen Soup

I'm kinda obsessed with this easy ramen recipe I stumbled upon...and modified due to the lack of ingredients around the house.

What you need:
1 pound shrimp (I used pre-cooked and frozen - defrost in cold water)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Sriracha
1/2 onion, diced
2 carrots, sliced
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp celery salt
3 cups veggie broth
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 packages ramen noodles
1/4 cup scallions

What you do:
1. Simmer the olive oil and Sriracha in a wok over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook until it becomes soft.
3. Add the carrots, garlic and seasonings and cook for another 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the veggie broth and bring to a slight boil. Add in soy sauce and ramen noodles.
6. Cook until the noodles have softened. Add shrimp.
7. Pour into bowls and top with the scallions.

My new favorite snack

I'm currently obsessed with this tapenade recipe I altered from the Tone It Up recipe book. As a dip, sandwich spread, or just to eat by the spoonful - it's so delicious and good for you too!

What you need:
1 cup kalamata olives
1 cup green olives
1 cup artichokes
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes

What you do:
1. Mix everything in a blender until your desired consistency. If your sun-dried tomatoes are not in oil, add 2 teaspoons olive oil.

Pimento Cheese

So far this has been the Summer of delicious homemade meals. From chicken caesar salads to Mediterranean mash up, I'm glad I added so many food items to this year's 92 Days of Summer list. My next foodie check mark was pimento cheese. I combined several different recipes I found online and am pretty stoked to add this to our dip lineup.

What you need:

8 oz. low fat cream cheese

8 oz. (one bag) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

3 tbsp. mayo

1 jar (4 oz.) diced pimentos, drained well

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp paprika

fresh cracked pepper to taste

What you do:

Mix everything in a bowl by hand and serve. 

Mediterranean Night

I'm a big dip person. It's a serious weakness, but a delicious one. With this said, naturally I have two 92 Days of Summer list items that are dips. For this Wednesday night, I tried an original tzatziki recipe that I'm so excited to add to my dip routine. And a falafel recipe that is simple and tasty as well. So, let's go!

What you need:
for the tzatziki (it's ideal to make this first)
1 cup greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cucumber
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dill
for dipping: cucumbers, radishes, bell peppers, banana peppers, tomatoes...you name it.

for the falafel
1 cup fresh parsley
1 cup cilantro
1 cup almonds, peanuts and carrots (almonds are ideal, but I didn't have enough - or of peanuts either so I improvised)
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp olive oil, more for the pan
optional: sun-dried tomatoes and/or sesame seeds

What you do:
for the tzatziki 
1. Grate the cucumber and place into a mesh strainer. Lots of recipes suggest letting it strain overnight, even through a cheesecloth...but I did not. I used a mesh colander and was able to reduce enough liquid to my satisfaction.
2. In a bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, garlic and olive oil. Mix well.
3. Chill in the fridge and add the dill right before serving.

for the falafel
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray your baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a food processor, combine the parsley, cilantro and almonds/peanuts/carrots (if you are using carrots, be sure to chop first or even run them through the processor first).
3. Add in the chickpeas and chop until smooth.
4. Pulse in the oil, flour, soda and garlic. Here is where you could add the sun-dried tomatoes or sesame seeds.
5. Roll into 1.5-2" balls and place on the baking sheet. You can either leave as balls or pat them down into patties. Either way, top with a little oil.

Salad Sunday

I've been trying some new salad recipes in attempt to shed the winter weight I picked up in the last few months. I thought it would be challenging to jazz up the same old salad routine, but of course Pinterest came to my rescue and my salads have been quite interesting this week. For this kale salad, I'm totally digging the curry and honey dressing and will definitely make it a regular on the menu. 

What you need:

1 bunch kale
1 15 ounce can chickpeas
4 mini yellow, orange or red bell peppers
2 green onions, diced

for the dressing1 tsp honey
1 pinch paprika
1 1/2 tsp curry powder

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

What you do:

1. Mix everything for the dressing in a glass shaker. Chop the onions and add to the dressing to marinade. 

2. Chop the peppers in rings. Cut the ribs out of the kale, and chop the remaining leaves. Combine in a large bowl.

3. Drain and rinse the chickpea then add to the veggies. Pour the dressing over the salad and season with salt and pepper. Eat right away, or let the dressing soak in for a few hours for a better taste.

Stuffed Pretzels

Go ahead, add these to your "sweets" Pinterest board. There is absolutely no question here. Delicious, easy and super dangerous.

What you do:
1. Smear about half a teaspoon of peanut butter on a bite-sized pretzel, repeat until you've filled a baking sheet. Let the pretzels chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or so.
2. Melt white almond bark in the microwave (or double boiler). Dip the face of the pretzels into the chocolate and place back on the baking sheet.
3. While the almond bark is hardening, melt dark chocolate in the microwave. Drizzle on the pretzels and place back in to the fridge until you just can't stand it anymore.
4. Try not to eat them all in one sitting.

#9: Stuffed Pretzels

I'm participating in the 92 Days of Summer challenge. Click here to see my 92 To-Do's for this Summer - and to see the brave souls tackling their own lists!

#47: Home Goldfish

But since I didn't have a fish cookie cutter, we're calling them Starfish. This was a very rewarding recipe; simple, quick and tasty.

1 cup flour
3 tablespoons cold butter
1 8-ounce brick of cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water

1. In a food processor combine the flour and butter.
2. Add in the cheese and salt. Drip in water, one tablespoon at a time.
3. Remove the mixture from the food processor and knead until a ball is formed. Separate into two, wrap in plastic wrap and let sit in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
4. Heat the oven to 370 degrees. Flour your counter (or use parchment paper), and roll the dough to 1/8" thickness. Cut dough into shapes and place on cookie sheet (line with parchment or use cooking spray). I sprinkled with some extra salt and Pennacook Pepper Purely Pepper Powder. Bake for 15 minutes (or until brown and crispy).
5. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

I'm participating in the 92 Days of Summer challenge. Click here to see my 92 To-Do's for this Summer - and to see the brave souls tackling their own lists!

#14: New Hummus

Or Yammis as this particular hummus is sometimes called. I had to alter the recipe I found online quite a bit due to an oversight of what I actually had in my cupboards (and draining too much chickpea juice). The outcome is different... I'm not sure I'll be making this hummus/mashed potato concoction again. 

1 clove garlic, minced

3/4 can chickpeas, drained, but reserve liquid 

1 tbsp reserved,liquid 

1 medium sweet potato, baked with skin peeled

2 tbsp olive oil

1-2 tbsp light sour cream 

3 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp curry

1 tsp paprika 

Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth. 

#8: Pickled Onions

Easy recipe I've tried all Summer and the finished product is perfect! I made a chicken wrap last night with lettuce, tomatoes, ranch dressing and these onions and it was a great combo. They'd also be great on a Ruben sandwich or baked into some bread.

What you need:
One medium to large red onion
1 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dill
3 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste

What you do:
1. Slice the onion and garlic.
2. Bring the vinegar, dill and salt to a boil.
3. Put the onions and garlic in a heat-safe bowl and pour the vinegar mixture on top. Season with pepper. Cover with plastic wrap. Stir every 15 minutes and recover.
4. After an hour transfer to an air tight container and store in the fridge.

I'm participating in the 92 Days of Summer challenge. Click here to read all about it and here to a see a gallery of pictures of everyone participating. 

#44: Make Bread

Who needs to make bread when you have a out-of-this-world-amazingly-delicious bakery two blocks from your house? Chelsea's newest business, The Bakehouse, has capture my heart (and belly) through their local ingredients, simplistic interiors and delightful concoctions.

And just for the record, I did make bread this Summer. Jalapeño Cornbread for our trip to Farmville.

I'm participating in the 92 Days of Summer challenge. Click here to read all about it and here to a see a gallery of pictures of everyone participating.