Recipe: Spinach Salad with Chicken and Balsamic Vinaigrette

 Another day, another salad…. They just keep getting yummier and yummier too!  Spinach is a touch green, it’s the one that we as children believe is the worst form of punishment.  If you are anything like my dad and brothers it took you awhile to even try eating it, oh course once you did you realize it’s not half bad….and if you like me you realized it delicious!   I love making spinach salads because it is sooo versatile when it comes to pairing it with different dressings and toppings!

For this salad I also made a homemade balsamic dressing;

The Vinaigrette (makes enough to store in fridge for a few more salads)

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 4 TBSP balsamic vinegar
• 3 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 2 tsp honey
• 2 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and whisk until completely emulsified.

For the Salad;

• 2 cups spinach
• 1/2 grilled chicken breast
• 1 yellow tomato, chopped
• 1/2 cup strawberries
• 1/8 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/8 cup red onion, sliced(not pictured but added…..bit of an after thought!)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and pour over 2 TBSP of vinaigrette…. ENJOY!!

 This salad was nice and filling and I got the chance to use fresh garden tomatoes that I grew:)!  I definitely recommend throwing this salad into your rotation!

Recipe: Lemon Angel Food Cupcake

I love angel food cake, the light, fluffy, yummy little treat never leaves you feeling too sugared up!  I fully intended to make an angel food cake from scratch but cream of tartar is like $9.00 and I just didn’t want to buy it!  The angel food cake from a box is actually a pretty good cake and tastes very close to the real one.  So I used a box cake….I know shame shame!  I of course didn’t just make the cake without adding my own little spin to it….Lemon!

I juiced and zested a lemon to add to my cake batter.  It was a wonderful addition!  This wonderfully light treat was topped off with a lemon whipped cream, raspberry and mint leaf…a scrumptious morsel!!

Recipe time!

Ingredients:(cake)

• one box Betty Crocker Angel Food Cake mix(I used the plain one)
• 1 cup water
• 1/4  cup fresh lemon juice
• zest of one lemon

-Preheat your oven to 350F.  Follow the instructions on the box for mixing!  This is important so that your mix is nice and fluffy!  Fill your cupcake papers 3/4 full with your cake batter.  Bake in a preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway through.  These guys do not take very long and are done once they are a nice golden brown!  Cool on an oven rack!

Ingredients:(whipped cream icing)

• 1 Cup whipping cream
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 Teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/3 cup icing sugar

-In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the whipping cream on high-speed until soft peaks start to form, add in lemon juice and zest.  Beat for 30 seconds then add in icing sugar and beat until whipping cream is piping consistency!

 Top these little beauties with whatever you would like, I used raspberries and mint to compliment the lemon flavour!

 I played around with the cake a little more and decided to add lime juice and zest instead of the lemon!  It also was delicious!  A yummy lime whipped cream topped with a blackberry!

 Either one of these cupcakes were a light yummy treat that didn’t leave you feeling too guilty!

Recipe: Blueberry Mango Smoothie….Starting Your Day Smooth

Before going for an early morning run breakfast is a must, only issue is that you don’t want to be too full and get a cramp but yet you need to be full enough to have energy!

One of my favourite things to make for early morning breakfast is a smoothie!  Unfortunately I rarely make them.  Whether it is that I never think to or I don’t have the right ingredients I just don’t make them often…. I plan on changing that habit!  Stocking my freezer up with lots of fresh fruit is already in motion!

What I like about smoothies is that you can make them as filling as you want, just by adding certain ingredients like chia seeds or peanut butter.  Usually my smoothies consist of fruit, greek yogurt, and coconut milk.  This recipe that I’m sharing I decided to add chia seeds and then top it with pumpkin seeds.  I like having a glass right full with my smoothie, that way I am actually getting a nice sized meal, calorie and nutrient-wise.  I DON’T add sugar to my fruit because it is already sweet enough!

 For the smoothie;

• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup frozen mango
• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
• 1/3-1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
• pumpkin seeds, to garnish

Let fruit sit out for 1/2 hour to let soften slightly (trust me your blender will thank you) Combine first 5 ingredients and blend. Once well blended add chia seeds and on lower setting blend for 15-20 seconds (giving the seeds a chance to spread through your smoothie) Pour smoothie into a glass and top with pumpkin seeds and a sprinkle of chia seeds…. ENJOY!

 A pre-run breakfast never looked so good… seriously its like a treat in the morning!

Recipe: Townhouse Taco Lettuce Wraps

 No secret that at the town house we love out Mexican food!  But it doesn’t always have to be bad for you!  Why not instead of a high carbs, high fat taco, make some changes and end up with a much healthier alternative!  Lose the taco shell, they usually taste like cardboard half the time anyways, and bring in the lettuce wrap!  Most people put lettuce in their tacos anyways, why not a little more.  This recipe doesn’t cut out any key component (Taco Chips!) but just makes the quantities a little nicer to your waist!

Ingredients:

For meat;

• 1 Lb ground turkey OR extra lean ground beef
• 1 package Taco mix, low sodium
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• Juice of 1 lime

In a large skillet, on medium high heat, cook meat until pink is gone and its nicely crumbled up.  Drain your meat (very important, who needs that extra grease!).  Place meat back into wiped out pan and add vegetable stock, taco mix, brown sugar and lime juice, stir and bring to a boil.  Once at a boil lower heat and let simmer until sauce has thickened… Ready to plate For toppings the list is endless but for these ones we made I used;

• Romaine Lettuce leaves
• Old cheddar cheese, shredded
• Taco chips, crushed
• Salsa
• Lime wedges

I doubled up my lettuce leaves just so that it could support all my taco fixings and not leak!  I have really come to love lettuce wraps!  So many different recipes you can do with all different kinds of lettuce too!  I like using Romaine because of the strong heart, keeps a nice boat for all the fillings.   This recipe makes more that enough for two people so now I have leftover meat to use for the rest of the week!  I will have to find some other healthy recipes to try out using taco meat!

Recipe: Homemade Vegetable Stock For a Rainy Day

After such a hot and beautiful day yesterday I woke up to overcast and rain…. now most people would instantly be sad or moody, one of their weekend days is shitty!  That is most definitely not the case for me!!! I love rainy days, I love the idea of filling your house with warmth and amazing smells by baking or cooking.  A house never smells better!  A bonus for the blog too, rainy day=more recipes.

Soup makes a house really smell like home, especially when garlic and onions are involved!  And a stock cooks all those yummy flavours for hours!  I wanted to make a vegetable stock so that adding flavour to my healthy meals was on hand and healthy!  Quinoa and rice taste so flavourful when you cook them in stocks and broths instead of just water, so to make my rather bland carbs have more flavour why not make my own stock!  All the ingredients to make a stock or broth are usually a pantry staple so you don’t even have to make trip to the nearest Safeway!

Now onto the recipe!

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Cups Celery, roughly chopped
• 2 Cups Carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 Onion, thick slices
• 1 Cup Mushrooms
• 6 Garlic cloves, whole
• Lemon Thyme, one bunch
• 2 Bay leaves
• 7 Cups water
• Salt and Pepper to season

On medium high heat pour olive oil into large saucepan.  Add celery, carrots, onion, mushrooms and garlic, cook for a few minutes, until onions start to become translucent (should also be very fragrant).  Add lemon thyme and bay leaves, cook for a minute, add water and stir (I always add a little salt and pepper to season it just a little).  Turn up heat to allow to boil, once it reaches a boil lower the heat to medium low and let simmer for 2-3 hours or until stock is the flavour you want.  Strain broth to separate veggies from liquid.  Store stock in mason jars in the fridge or Ziploc freezer containers in freezer.  I recommend freezing a portion of this recipe so that stock does not go to waste!!

 This lemon thyme came right from my little herb garden! It is so fragrant and yummy!Make sure you pot is large enough to fit all your ingredients!!! Don’t want to be cleaning stock off your stove!  I often use vegetables scraps for my stocks, saves you money and also uses up perfectly good vegetables.

 Double Double Toil and Trouble, Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble…. doesn’t always look the prettiest while its cooking but it sure tastes good!

This stuff is awesome to have sitting in your fridge ready to go into soups and sauces, not to mention what I always use it for, rice and quinoa dishes!!

24 – Start the Year With a BBQ- Mojito Recipe:)

So this post is about 2 weeks late, but better late than never:)  My birthday was a couple of weeks ago and to celebrate I had friends and family over for a BBQ! What better way to celebrate a summer birthday! Stuffing your face with meat and veggies! I have never been a fan of being taken out to the bar on your birthday and force-fed shots so having a nice night in was perfect(Especially on a Tuesday). My roommate went all out and made mojitos for a yummy drink, so to match such a nice drink, best build a Mojito Bar!  I learned it does not cost much to make a nice looking bar on your counter, one stop to Michael’s to pick up some mason jars and straws and we are in business!  Now for a Recipe!!!:

Mojito’s

Minty Simple Syrup:

Ingredients;

• 1/2 cup Water
• 1 cup Honey
• 8 mint leaves(large)

– Make ahead of time!  Combine water and honey in a small saucepan and set over medium high heat, stir until well incorporated, turn heat to high and let boil for a few minutes.  Lower heat and add mint leaves. Crush mint leaves to side of pot to release full flavour.  Simmer for a few minutes, or until minty flavour is the level you want it, remove mint leaves and store in a glass container!

Mojito:(single mojito)

Ingredients;

• 4-5 mint leaves
• 2 lime wedges
• MUDDLE (action not ingredient)
• 2 Tablespoons Simple syrup
• 1 lime wedge
• MUDDLE
• ice (fill the mug)
• 1 1/2 ounce White Rum
• Club Soda (fill the mug)

I like to garnish my Mojitos with a lime slice and a couple fresh mint leaves!

 Voila!! A refreshing, citrusy, delicious drink, perfect for a BBQ!

I wish I would have taken pictures of more food apart from the cake because it was delicious, I will have to make those recipes again and be sure to post!!  This birthday my friend Rebecca asked who was making me a cake and then offered to make whatever I requested:)! She didn’t think it was right for me to make my own cake so she took to the task of making her first Angel Food Cake, which I also have yet to make!  No the easiest to make, considering her oven element burnt out and her pan leaked a little, but she brought it over to my place to bake and the end product was scrumptious!  Not to mention the AMAZING strawberry sauce she made from scratch….. YUM so good!

Just looking at these pictures and talking about it is making me want to make one:) I mean YUMMMM….

It was a lot of fun!  the food was amazing and so was the company… Best way to spend your birthday is with your friends and family!

Recipe: Spicy Garlic Roasted Chickpeas😍🍴

 Craving a crunchy snack…. That’s me every night!  I told you I was going to post another recipe with chickpeas😊  This one is easy!

Spicy Garlic Roasted Chickpeas:

Ingredients;

• 2 14oz cans of chickpeas(drained)
• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil

Spicy Garlic Mix;

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  

– Pre heat the oven to 400F.  Cover a cookie sheet with tinfoil.  Drained and dry your cans of chickpeas on paper towel  (let mine sit for 1/2 hour to make sure they were fully dry)

– Evenly spread your chickpeas around your tinfoil covered cookie sheet.  Bake for 40-60 minutes, check after 40 minutes, cook longer if still to soft.

– After baking, quickly transfer to a bowl and mix with the 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil

– Sprinkle with spicy garlic seasoning and mix well.  Spread the seasoned chickpeas on paper towel and let oil dry.

– Pop in your movie and enjoy your snack!!👍🏻🍴  YUMMMM😋

Recipe: Greek Quinoa Salad…and it tastes good😋

 Quinoa has always been a little bit of a mystery to me, the idea of it and recipes that use it sounds amazing but getting it to taste yummy has taken some time to master!  Don’t get me wrong it is delicious and super good for you, especially if you struggle to feel full after a salad.  I love using quinoa in a salad, it picks up flavour well, helps your stomach feel fuller longer and it’s can be cooked on Sunday for the rest of the week!

In this recipe I also added chickpeas!  I bought chickpeas months ago and have just now decided to soak and eat them….I know took me long enough!🙈. Chickpeas are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium which is amazing but the best part about these little beans is the good source of dietary fibre and protein they are!  I have many more recipe plans with these little guys for the future!

Recipe: Quinoa Greek Salad (Makes 4 cups salad)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 3/4 cup chick peas (soaked and drained)
• 1 cup cucumber, chopped
• 1 cup peppers, chopped
• 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 5-6 mint leaves, chopped finely
• quarter of lemon, squeezed
• 2 Tablespoons Greek dressing (I used Kraft,,, homemade recipe to come)

– Combine above ingredients in a bowl and mix! Super easy!!🍴

This salad was my lunch for three days in a row! So yummy!😋  In order for me to get back into shape I really need to focus on packing yummy and healthy lunches!  One thing I have found in the past is that I will start the day with the best intentions of eating healthy, even have my suppers all planned out a head of time… But as the day goes by my healthy intentions go out the window if I don’t have a filling lunch.  I will come home and eat the quickest and often not healthy meal for supper, throwing away not only my healthy eating for the day but also my workout!  Now I’m not saying you can’t treat yourself!! But everyday is not going to help you achieve your fitness goals!

I recommend this salad to anyone who has yet to find a way to make quinoa taste yummy and flavourful!!

Until next post✌🏻️💁🏻

Recipe: Cranberry Feta Salad with Orange Poppy Seed Dressing🍴

 I plan on eating one salad a day, whether it is for lunch or supper, one salad a day helps the flub go away!  I found a recipe on Pinterest and played around with it for my end result of Cranberry Feta Salad with Orange Poppy Seed Dressing!   The orange dressing paired so well with the almonds and cranberries, a nice citrusy flavour with toasted almonds was scrumptious!!

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 tsp orange zest
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp poppy seeds

Combine all ingredients and whisk until well emulsified.  Store in fridge until ready to use.p

For the salad:

• 2 chicken breast, seasoned with garlic powder, pepper and seasoning salt
• 2 cups mixed greens
• 1 cup arugula
• 1 cup crumbled feta
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries

Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl.  Pour a couple tablespoons of dressing over top and toss to evenly coat.

Recipe source: Cooking Classy

The salad was yummy and nice and light!  Today I bought some containers so that I can take lunches to work with me daily.  One major issue I have with maintaining healthy eating is that I work over lunch and supper hours so my meal times are always off.  Some days I eat breakfast then don’t have anything to eat until supper so usually I over eat or eat something quick and not that healthy for me.. That’s been my summer at least, fall and winter are usually not as busy so I have more time to meal plan and pack snacks to tide me over!  When I lost a bunch of weight the first time a few years ago I didn’t late night snack and I usually ate one salad a day so I’m hoping a similar path will work!

 Until my next post✌🏻️

RECIPE: Hummingbird Cupcakes:)

 Hummingbird…..Doesn’t really make you think of a cake flavour does it?  I have people ask me all the time what is in hummingbird cake and why is it called hummingbird…. well I can answer the first one but have absolutely no clue as to the second!  Hummingbird cake is like a hybrid cake.. think banana bread + carrot cake(sans carrots of course… that would be weird!)  Hummingbird Cake has very quickly become one of my favourite cakes, after carrot of course!  Can’t even begin to describe how delicious this cake it, except maybe by adding that the icing on top is cream cheese buttercream!!!

I made these for a wedding this weekend and will be doing a wedding post later today!

This recipe that I use is one I found on Pinterest copied from Country Home Magazine.

Ingredients for Hummingbird Cupcakes: Makes 75 mini cupcakes/ 24 regular cupcakes

• 3 cups flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup pineapple, puree
• 2 cups bananas, mashed (I usually use 6 medium-sized…. having them go brown then freezing them works the best!)
• 1 cup pecans, chopped

-Preheat oven to 350F

-Line your cupcake pans with papers

-In a large mixing bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt, set aside

-In a second large mixing bowl combine the white and brown sugar; stir to combine.  Add the eggs and stir briskly by hand to combine all ingredients into a smooth mixture.

-Whisk the oil and vanilla into the egg/sugar mixture until combine and smooth.

-Add the flour mixture all at once and hand stir to combine fully.

-Add the puree pineapple, mashed bananas and pecans to the batter, stir just until combined…do not over stir!

-Using a cupcake scoop/cookie scoop fill each cupcake liner until it is 3/4 full.  Place in preheated oven and cook for 7-9(minis) minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Make sure to rotate your pans halfway through cook time

-Allow cupcakes to cool completely on wire rack before icing…..

Now for the Cream Cheese Buttercream!

Now again with all my icing recipes it’s all about trial and error… I measure everything BUT the icing sugar, that I play by ear!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 8oz cream cheese
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3-4 cups icing sugar

-Cream together butter and cream cheese until nice and smooth.  Add vanilla and salt, beat for 30 second.  Start adding your icing sugar 1 cup at a time until you have reached a smooth, creamy texture and the stiffness to pipe/ice without it running!

  For piping these little beauties I used Wiltons 1M icing tip, and for a little sprinkle I topped them with some chopped pecans….YUM!!

This cupcake I can’t make too often, its one that your just continue eating and eating until they are all gone!  Cream Cheese buttercream goes with everything… but who knew it would pair so well with banana!  This cupcake just screams country living, it’s a very southern recipe and one that I am happy to have in my box of recipes!  I highly recommend giving this recipe a try.. if you love banana bread its sure to become a favourite!!

 I mean….drooling…YUM

Until next post, enjoy!