notes, quotes & anecdotes of a year fast passing

“if you like piña coladas, getting caught in the rain..” it’s fine, i know you were singing that to, just as soon as you read this post title (i’m so clever!). here, let me help you out:

you’re welcome. now moving on…

lately i’ve been eating a smoothie for breakfast almost every day and it usually is some variation surrounding: 1 c. frozen strawberries, 1 c. unsweetened almond milk, 1 c. spinach, 1 c. protein powder. it’s filling, nutritious and tasty - what more can you ask for first thing in the morning? (i PROMISE if you blend it enough, you cannot taste the spinach. you might think i’m crazy for drinking veggies, but you really don’t notice it and think of all the extra nutrition you’re sneaking into your breakfast! one serving of dark, leafy greens out of the way before 8am!)

the problem was that i was out of berries last week. and also out of almond milk. what i DID have were frozen bananas and pineapple, unsweetened coconut/almond milk and then my usual spinach and protein powder. what i ended up with was nothing short of a piña colada suitable for breakfast.

one thing to keep in mind, though, is that while my normal breakfast of berries are low in sugar for fruits, both pineapple and bananas are very high in sugar. keep this baby as a treat and not as an every day drink!

ingredients

1/2 banana, sliced and frozen

3/4 c. frozen pineapple chunks

1 c. fresh, raw baby spinach

1 c. unsweetened coconut almond milk

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)

(note: i already had these banana slices frozen because when i’ve got a banana on the counter that’s on its last legs, i’ll proactively slice it up before it goes bad and freeze it. perfect for smoothies or any recipe you don’t want to use a whole banana for!)

are you ready for these instructions? i know they’re pretty complicated…

dump everything in the blender. blend until smooth. pour. sip.

now look at that bright, beautiful beverage! wouldn’t you be excited to drink that in the morning? it’s practically a mocktail.

if you’re into smoothies, i also have some great recipes for an orange creamsicle smoothie, peanut butter banana & honey smoothie and a super healthy green smoothie. 

on the other hand, if you’re only interested in the piña colada aspect, check out these piña colada cupcakes! see? something for everyone.

1. don’t get me wrong, getting to work before 6am has its downsides. like the 5am alarm (and the 5:10 alarm and the 5:12 alarm…) and the fact that when i’m all alone, i sit so still that the motion-detector lights don’t know that i’m there and when they shut off, i have to wave my hands like a crazy person so they turn back on.

it certainly has its upsides, though. like getting serenaded by birds my whole trip, no traffic and getting to watch the sun rise in the middle of a light purple and blue sky. i’ll choose to focus on those upsides.

2. summer nails and summer fruit!

the nail color is bachelorette bash by essie! i wore it when i was in my friend’s wedding a couple of summers ago and have been bouncing back between that and essie’s watermelon ever since!

3) some cookout recipe ideas for you in case you’re enjoying the heat and long weekend:

black bean, corn, tomato & avocado salad (perfect for a cookout because there’s no mayo, so it can withstand being outside for a bit!)

buffalo chicken dip (always, always a crowd pleaser)

…and of course, the infamous hamburger slider cupcakes (totally worth the effort).

4. last, but certainly not least, i’m so grateful to have been selected as one of today’s foodbuzz top 9 recipes! thank you, thank you, thank you! what an honor :)

see my greek yogurt chicken salad stuffed in a tomato on the left side of the middle row?! eeeee!!! what a lovely surprise to wake up to this morning!

hope you’re having a wonderful sunday!

it feels like summer outside, so i might as well start cooking accordingly, right? thought so. it was my night to make dinner and i wanted something fast, healthy and the perfect combination of light but filling. a girl can dream, right?

i had every intention of tearing through my magazines to find a recipe before i went to the fresh market for the first time the other day, but when nothing spoke to me from those pages, i figured i’d get inspired by the fresh ingredients at the grocery store, instead.

i ended up deciding to make a lightened-up chicken salad, stuffed in a gigantic tomato on top of a bed of greens. think of it as a hybrid between my waldorf salad and orzo stuffed peppers! looking back at my checklist, this was fairly quick to make (with a few errands between steps), was definitely healthy in that it was packed with protein, veggies and pretty low in fat. on top of that, i only had a couple of dishes to wash after, so that definitely adds to the quick factor!

note about the ingredients shot - i’m losing my mind! i stacked everything up for the traditional photo and then broke it down and started cooking without ever snapping the picture. der! this photo is a recreation post-chicken cooking. i guess i’m a little out of practice…

ingredients

1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3/4 lb)

1 Tablespoon light mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons nonfat, plain greek yogurt

2 celery stalks

3 Tablespoons Craisins (optional)

generous pinches of: onion powder, garlic powder, dill and kosher salt

2 large tomatoes

first up, poach the chicken breasts by boiling them in lightly salted water for about 10 minutes or until they’re cooked all the way through. then, set them aside to cool for a bit. it’s up to you if you want to take this break to go to DSW and pick up two fantastic new pairs of shoes. don’t worry, they were extremely discounted and i had a gift card and coupon. (read: i got two pairs of shoes for the price of one individual shoe, pretty much!)

anywho, back to the kitchen…

while the chicken is cooling, finely dice your celery stalks and set them aside. i decided i had enough, so i polished off the final 1/3 of a stalk with a dab of peanut butter! delicious impromptu snack - totally underrated! why do i always forget how great this tastes?!

next, slice the very top off your tomatoes and hollow out the majority of the inside with a melon baller to create tomato cups. set that aside. (note: i didn’t waste all the tomato guts! which looked sort of like watermelon balls… anywho, i added them to my salad for lunch the next day. easy peasy, no waste!)

when the chicken is cooled, shred it with two forks and place in a medium bowl. this can be a little tedious, but it goes by quickly and you can get some aggression out while you prep your food!

to the medium bowl, add the celery, craisins, dill, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, mayo and yogurt to the bowl. mix until everything is evenly distributed and it has reached your desired consistency.

spoon the chicken salad into the tomatoes, pop onto a bed of lettuce and serve!

click here for a printable version of the recipe!

i was hesitant to put my secret ingredient in the title of this post because i bet you’d never be able to guess that butter, cream and flour were replaced with cauliflower in this healthified comfort food recipe! but the secret’s out, so try  it soon :)

one of my favorite recipes is my nona’s baked macaroni and cheese. although nothing can compare to this, a few replacements in my recipe make it a much, much healthier option and let’s face it - that’s the goal with my recipes! although hers is a great treat, i find this was a perfectly suitable alternative to have more frequently.

ingredients:

2 cups dry whole wheat pasta (i picked elbows!)

6 oz. plain, nonfat greek yogurt

1/4. c. skim milk

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 c. + 1 T. grated parmesan cheese

1 c. cauliflower florets

1/2 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

3 T panko breadcrumbs

1 T dried parsley

salt & pepper to taste

now that you’re done with the collecting, it’s time for the doing!

first, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and break out two pots. one to boil your pasta (i salted the water lightly) - follow the directions on the box and lean toward the al dente side of things. since it’ll still cook a bit longer in the oven, you don’t want the pasta to be mushy and overdone. once the pasta is done, drain it and put the cooked pasta in a 9x9 baking dish.

in the other pot, boil your cauliflower until it’s tender. this is going to get blended up, so don’t stress if it gets a little overdone.

now here’s the fun part - where we substitute cream, butter and flour for cauliflower and skim milk! either back in the empty pot or on top of a double boiler, let the chopped onion and garlic sweat for about five minutes. add the skim milk and cauliflower and use an immersion blender to puree the mixture. (if you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer everything to a regular blender, puree and return to the stove)

once everything is smooth, return to the stove over a low heat.

stir in the cheese (save for 1 T of the parmesan, which you’ll need later) and greek yogurt and keep stirring until it’s all melty and smooth together. taste and sprinkle with salt and pepper to your preference. (side note: i tasted this and wanted a mug full! it tasted like baked potato soup!)

pour the cheese sauce over the pasta in the baking dish and toss it all together so the pasta is all evenly coated throughout.

now, in a dish, combine the panko, remaining 1 T parmesan and parsley. mix it together and sprinkle on the top of the baking dish.

now, pop it in the 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes. for the final 1-2 minutes, turn the broiler on high so the top gets golden brown.

take it out and let it cool/set for about 5 minutes before serving. scoop out and enjoy! i served ours with a spinach/romaine salad with walnuts, strawberries and chicken. even this dish is warm, it’s not super heavy, so i think it’d be great in the summer OR the winter. year-round deliciousness :)

yum yum - nothing wrong with putting a healthy spin on some comfort food, right? nothing will top nona’s version, but this one was not to shabby and made GREAT leftovers to bring to work.

click here for a printable version of the recipe!

hi friends! is everyone getting excited for the super bowl? i’ll admit that even though i work in sports, football is one of my least favorite to watch.. it’s growing on me, though. in total girl fashion, though, my favorite reasons to tune in are the commercials and halftime show! i still remember when i had a super bowl celebration with my friend katie in middle school just so we could watch ‘nsync at the halftime show. and who could forget the wardrobe malfunction, too?! my dad’s favorite commercials usually involve monkeys or talking babies. what about you?

living in connecticut, it seems like this is the perfect battle ground for giants and pats fans to duke it out on sunday. if i didn’t have to work, i’d certainly make a spread fit for a fantastic super bowl party. even though i can’t cook up a feast, here are some healthier ideas for you to whip up for your friends while you watch the big game! and i promise that most are pretty easy to make and easier to enjoy, too.

baked brie

if you’re planning a little upscale get-together, this is the perfect dish. SO easy to make and since it’s not covered in puff pastry like lots of other brie recipes out there, you can indulge on some other treats during the game, too! click here for the recipe.

bruschetta

two great things about this dish is that it’ll seem a heck of a lot fancier than it really is AND the farther in advance you make it, the better it’ll taste. no need to rush around just before kickoff! click here for the recipe.

buffalo chicken dip

i admittedly am not a huge fan of spicy foods, but since you can control the heat in your own variation of this recipe, i say go for it! perfect on chips or veggies (especially celery!), i love my mild take on this favorite. click here for the recipe.

guacamole

if you’re looking for another dip to complement your spread, go for guacamole! so fresh, healthy and delicious, i can never keep the bowl full enough. click here for the recipe.

turkey chili

throw some corn bread in the oven, too, and this is such a hearty and delicious addition to your table. plus, if people get too stuffed on all the appetizers and finger food, this will make great leftovers! set out some fixin’s like sour cream, extra onions and cheese for people to dress up their own bowls. click here for the recipe.

turkey meatball sliders

last year for the super bowl, i made a huge pot of turkey meatballs to freeze and eat for leftovers, but also grabbed some fresh dinner rolls from the grocery store. i split them open, popped one turkey meatball on each, sprinkled some mozzarella and quickly browned them in the oven to make the cutest turkey meatball sliders to add to everyone’s plate! click here for the recipe.

crispy shrimp tacos

even though i call these crispy, they’re not even fried, so you don’t have to feel too bad about eating them. if you want to incorporate some seafood into your dishes, this is a perfect way to have some finger food from the ocean. similar to the chili, you can put out the cooked shrimp, avocado, lettuce, tomato, mango, onion and tortillas and let your guests create their own! and trust me, people will be impressed. the colors in these are so stinkin’ beautiful :) click here for the recipe.

black bean, corn, tomato & avocado salad

this dish is so versatile, i would HIGHLY recommend serving it. you can put it next to chip as a dip, people can sprinkle it on top of their crispy shrimp tacos or chili and it makes a great vegetarian option for people that want some protein but aren’t interested in the turkey, chicken or seafood options. click here for the recipe.

then, of course, if anyone has room for dessert, you could make some fun cupcakes (like these hamburger slider cupcakes. you’ll really throw your guests for a loop!) or cookies that are simple to serve and people can just grab them on their way back to the couch. keep all these delicious snacks and plenty of beverages on hand and i guarantee you’ll have some happy campers, whether the giants or the patriots win :)

if there are any other recipe ideas you’re looking for, check out the recipe rundown page for some more inspiration. happy cooking!

xxoo,

eliz

alright, folks, i’m not going to lie. these pictures aren’t that pretty… but the meal was really quick and easy, so don’t judge the dish by the photos.  i found a variation of the recipe in cooking light, but doctored it up based on what we had in the fridge. customize your version accordingly! it’s really simple to make and since it’s a one pot meal, you won’t have many dishes to worry about after. isn’t that the best kind of dinner?!

anyways, what else is new? i hope you’re in your kitchen baking up some holiday treats to share with family, friends, coworkers and the gang. if you need any inspiration/ideas/recipes, think about gingerbread cupcakes, classic sugar cookies, hot chocolate cookies or eggnog cupcakes! and how to wrap it all up? cookie baggies, of course :) (shameless plug: if you’re looking for other recipe ideas, you can always check the recipe rundown. i’ve been very meticulous in organizing alphabetically and also by category!)

alright, after that rant, i just really want some sweet treats… but i’ll show you a nutritious and filling dinner idea instead.

ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1” pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 can low-sodium chicken broth (14.5 oz)

1/3 cup lemon juice (plus lemon for garnish, optional)

2 teaspoons honey

3/4 cup orzo

1 cup fresh green beans, cut into 1” pieces

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1” pieces

2 cups water

done collecting? great, let’s move onto the doing.

(ps - yes i know there’s sour cream in that picture, but just ignore it. i saw it in the original recipe, but think it’s totally unnecessary, so you don’t need to use it.)

prep by cutting your chicken, green beans, bell pepper (or whatever veggies you’re going to use) into 1” pieces.

next, pour the broth and lemon juice into a big pot or dutch oven. bring them to a boil, add the chicken, salt and pepper. cover, reduce the heat to medium and cook for another 10 minutes or so, until the chicken is cooked. remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside for a bit.

now that the liquid is the only thing left in the pot, bring the heat back up to high, let it cook for about five minutes and whisk in the honey.

add the two cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil. pour in the orzo and cook for 10 minutes or until the orzo is tender, the majority of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is more voluminous (don’t you just love that word?! i do.)

add the green beans, bell pepper and chicken. let it simmer for about five minutes before serving.

nice and light but totally filling. enjoy!

click here for a printable version of the recipe!

a long time ago, i saw these crazy creative treats on a website and wanted to make them SO badly. i figured it would be really complicated, though, and kept putting it off. well, after my first week of work at my new job, i got word that we’d be bringing in food during the last saturday of the month. since it was memorial weekend and none of us were going to be at a cookout, i decided i’d improvise… hamburger slider cupcakes!

i was thrilled to work in an office where everyone was encouraged to bring in treats. then i saw that everyone else had contributed chips and store-bought cookies. one of my managers came over to me and said, “well… you brought a gun to a knife fight!” i loved that phrase and was happy that everyone was impressed with my dessert. only downside is i’ve really set the bar high for myself on any future desserts…

2 dozen vanilla/yellow cupcakes

1 dozen chocolate cupcakes

2 cans of white frosting

2 cups of shredded coconut

red, yellow and green food coloring

2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

first, slice all the cupcakes horizontally and then set them aside.

now put that food coloring to good use! first, die one can of frosting red (it will take a LOT of food coloring, trust me), then one can yellow. lastly, drip some green food coloring into the coconut and lightly fluff with a fork until it’s light green.

pipe a circle of red frosting around the outer edge of the bottom half of the vanilla cupcakes…

take half of a chocolate cupcake and layer it on top of the red frosting and then pipe the yellow around the edge and then some inside, too (you’ll need it for the coconut to stick!). next, put one or two Tablespoons of the coconut on top and then…

put a top half of the vanilla cupcake on top to finish off the sandwich. then, wet your finger a tiny, tiny bit and rub it on the top of the “bun.” sprinkle sesame seeds on top so they’ll adhere and you’re good to go!

at first glance, EVERYONE will think they’re getting a savory appetizer, but at closer look they’ll be shocked that they’re actually getting a delicious dessert :) have fun with this conversation starter!

xxoo,

eliz

ps - not that you need it, but click here for a printable version of the recipe!