Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Strawberry Buttermilk Pancakes


These pancakes were very good and had a wonderful strawberry flavor to them. They were so good that next time I make them I don't think I will add any syrup to them. I don't want to cover up that wonderful strawberry flavor.

Strawberry Buttermilk Pancakes
Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup low fat buttermilk
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 medium strawberries, chopped

Directions:
Place flour, baking soda, sugar, buttermilk, egg and vanilla into a large mixing bowl. Stir until combined. Using a fork or masher, mash the strawberries, and then add to the pancake mixture. Stir until just combined.

Using a 1/4 cup measure place pancake mixture onto a hot griddle. Cook until batter starts to bubble, about 1-2 minutes. Flip over and cook on other side for about 1-2 minutes or until slightly browned.

Serves: 4
Calories: 187.8
Total Fat: 1.1g
   Saturated: 0.4g
   Polyunsaturated: 0g
   Monounsaturated: 0g
   Trans: 0g
Cholesterol: 55mg
Sodium: 347.7mg
Potassium: 122.5mg
Total Carbs: 36.7g
   Dietary Fiber: 0.3g
   Sugars: 12.9g
Protein: 6.5g
Vitamin A: 4%
Vitamin C:
Calcium:
Iron:
*The nutritional information will vary slightly depending on the brands you use.
*Adapted from Picky Palate.

Enjoy!!!

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Quick Pasta Puttanesca


This dish is surprisingly very good. When I first looked at the ingredient list, I liked all of individual ingredients, but wondered how they would taste all combined into one dish.

I am so glad that I decided to try it, because it is a wonderful pasta dish. It was a light tasting dish, with a wonderful kick. If you do not like as much kick reduced the amount of red pepper flakes by half.

Quick Pasta Puttenesca
Ingredients:
16 ounces spaghetti noodles
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic (about one clove)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
15 ounces chuck tuna packed in water, drained
28 ounces no salt added diced tomatoes
8 ounces no salt added tomato sauce
6 ounces black olives, drained

Directions:
Cook pasta according to directions; drain and return to pan. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil and toss to coat. Cover and keep warm.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add red pepper flakes and cook, stirring until sizzling. Add onion and garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add tuna fish, cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and olives. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce is heated through.

Add sauce to pasta mixing well. Serve immediately.

Serves: 6
Calories: 501.2
Total Fat: 13.2g
   Saturated: 1.2g
   Polyunsaturated: 1.7g
   Monounsaturated: 8.4g
   Trans: 0g
Cholesterol: 17mg
Sodium: 403.6mg
Potassium: 289.9mg
Total Carbs: 65g
   Dietary Fiber: 4.4g
   Sugars: 8.7g
Protein: 25.5g
Vitamin A: 15.8%
Vitamin C: 25.7%
Calcium: 3.0%
Iron: 25.1%
*The nutritional information will vary slightly depending on the brands you use.
*Adapted from the cookbook Italian at Home.

Enjoy!!!

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza


I had my first taste of Chicago style deep dish pizza about two years ago when my family moved from Michigan, where we had lived our whole lives, to the suburbs of Chicago. Let me tell you it was love at first bite and I made a point of introducing any visiting guests to the goodness of Chicago style deep dish pizza.

I had never thought about attempting to make it myself, even though I've made plenty of homemade pizzas before, until I came across a recipe for it on Pinterest. After looking over the recipe I knew I needed to try to make this pizza. It was no harder or more time consuming than the many of other homemade pizza recipes I have tried. So if you enjoy homemade pizza and like Chicago style deep dish or want to try it, give this recipe a try. It was very good and definitely worth the work.

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza
Ingredients:

Dough:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/8 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Sauce:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-14.5 ounce can petite-diced tomatoes
1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

Assembling and Toppings:
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces mozzarella, shredded
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, shredded

Dough:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast until well blended. Attach the dough hook and mix in the water and melted butter on low speed for 1-2 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium-low and knead until the dough is glossy and smooth, about 3-4 minutes.

Remove dough from bowl and add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Put the dough back into the bowl, turning it once to coat with olive oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled, about 45-60 minutes.

Once dough has risen, turn it out onto a dry work surface and roll into an 8x6 inch rectangle. Now for laminating the dough; spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges. Starting at the short end of the dough, roll dough into a tight cylinder. With the seam side down flatten the cylinder into a 9x2 inch rectangle, then fold into thirds and pinch the seams to form a ball like shape.

Return to the oiled bowl, no need to add more oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in the fridge for 40-50 minutes. The dough will rise but not double in size.

Sauce:
In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add garlic, oregano, and salt, saute for 30 seconds or until just fragrant. Stir in tomatoes and sugar and increase heat to medium-high. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until the mixture is reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, will take about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil, pepper and olive oil.

Assemble and Toppings:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a 9 inch round cake pan with olive oil. Take dough out and put onto a dry work surface and roll into a 13 inch disk about 1/4 inch thick. Carefully transfer dough to the cake pan and lightly press to line the bottom of then pan and 1 inch up the sides. If the dough resists stretching, wait 5 minutes then try again.

Sprinkle the mozzarella over the surface of the dough, layer the sauce over the cheese and top with the Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Serves: 4
Calories: 557
Total Fat: 30.5g
   Saturated: 14.1g
   Polyunsaturated: 1.0g
   Monounsaturated: 6.7g
   Trans: 0g
Cholesterol: 58.8mg
Sodium: 1168.6mg
Potassium: 9.6mg
Total Carbs: 48.3g
   Dietary Fiber: 1.0g
   Sugars: 3.8gg
Protein: 23.8g
Vitamin A: 24.6%
Vitamin C: 22.7%
Calcium: 56.7%
Iron: 4.1%
*The nutritional information will vary slightly depending on the brands you use.
*Adapted from Pennies on a Platter.

Enjoy!!!

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Roasted Marinated Broccoli


What is better than roasted broccoli? How about roasted broccoli that has been marinated?

This broccoli does not need long to marinade, just 10 minutes at least. But, the combination between the marinade and the roasting process, provide an extremely flavorful broccoli.

This recipe is definitely worth trying!

Roasted Marinated Broccoli
Ingredients:
2 bunches broccoli, cut into florets
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon coarse ground Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
In a large bowl combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, and pepper. Add broccoli and stir to coat. Let broccoli marinade for at least 10 minutes.

While broccoli is marinading preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Spread broccoli onto a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in oven for 10-15 minutes.

Serves: 6
Calories: 153.5
Total Fat: 10.0g
   Saturated: 1.3g
   Polyunsaturated: 1.0g
   Monounsaturated: 6.7g
   Trans: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 109.9mg
Potassium: 5.1mg
Total Carbs: 13.7g
   Dietary Fiber: 5.4g
   Sugars: 3.3g
Protein: 5.7g
Vitamin A: 25.3%
Vitamin C: 302.0%
Calcium: 9.7%
Iron: 8.5%
*The nutritional information will vary slightly depending on the brands you use.
*Adapted from Simply Scratch.

Enjoy!!!

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Three Olive Hummus



A few years ago my mom and I were at a grocery store in northern Michigan and I discovered a container of olive hummus. A perfect hummus for an olive lover like me.

One bite and I was hooked. The flavor was delicious! The only problem was the store we found it at was the only store my mom or I have ever seen olive hummus.

So, last year I swiped the label off of the hummus container and brought it home with me to determine what was in it and recreate it.


It was not too hard to recreate. The list of ingredients was very similar to my base hummus recipe, so all I had to do was add was the same olives as listed on the container to my base hummus recipe.

The results was a delicious hummus full of olive flavor.

Three Olive Hummus
Ingredients:
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 cup liquid from chickpeas
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
2-15 ounce cans chickpeas, drained
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup green olives stuffed with pimento, drained
1/3 cup kalamata olives, drained
1/3 cup black olives, drained

Directions:
In a food processor combine tahini, lemon juice and chickpea liquid. Add garlic, paprika, parsley, thyme, and oregano, mix well. Add chickpeas in several batches. Add olive oil and mix well. Add olives and mix.

Serves: 10
Calories: 198.7
Total Fat: 12.5g
   Saturated: 1.3g
   Polyunsaturated: 0.5g
   Monounsaturated: 5.7g
   Trans: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 432.9mg
Potassium: 15.3mg
Total Carbs: 16.3g
   Dietary Fiber: 5.1g
   Sugars: 2.8g
Protein: 6.1g
Vitamin A: 1.3%
Vitamin C: 4.7%
Calcium: 5.5%
Iron: 10.5%
*The nutritional information will vary slightly depending on the brands you use.

Enjoy!!!

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Strawberry Bacon Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing


Oh my goodness was this salad delicious! I seriously could of eaten all four servings it was that good!

A bed of romaine lettuce with crispy salty bacon, sweet fresh strawberries, and crunchy toasted almonds all topped with a creamy greek yogurt dressing. And it is low in calories. What's not to love?!

Strawberry Bacon Salad with Greek yogurt Dressing
Ingredients:

Salad
1 heart romaine lettuce, washed and dried
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
8 slices turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled

Dressing:
1/2 cup no fat greek yogurt
1/2 cup low fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup white vinegar
4 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions:
Salad
Tear or chop lettuce into bite sized pieces and place into individual bowls or one big bowl. Top lettuce with strawberries, almonds, and bacon.

Dressing
In a small bowl whisk all ingredients together and pour over salad and serve immediately.

Serves: 4
Calories: 194.2
Total Fat: 11g
   Saturated: 1.5g
   Polyunsaturated: 1.3g
   Monounsaturated: 2.7g
   Trans: 0g
Cholesterol: 20mg
Sodium: 374.1mg
Potassium: 121.7mg
Total Carbs: 16.6g
   Dietary Fiber: 1.5g
   Sugars: 12.2g
Protein: 6.4g
Vitamin A: 13.3%
Vitamin C: 65%
Calcium: 5.8%
Iron: 4%
*The nutritional information will vary slightly depending on the brands you use.
*Adapted from Lauren's Latest.

Enjoy!!!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Hummus Crusted Chicken



My family became fans of hummus several years ago, but have only eaten it as a dip. When I came across a recipe on Pinterest using hummus on chicken, I knew I needed to make it. I used one of my homemade hummus recipes which you can find here.

I have never been very good at judging how many florets I will get out of a head of broccoli or cauliflower so I ended up with enough for 8 servings of vegetables. Oh well, roasted vegetables are good even as leftovers.



This dish was very good and the lemon added such a nice freshness. I put the thin lemon slices from under the chicken on each individual serving so everybody could squeeze more lemon on if they wanted.

You can easily change the taste of this dish by changing out the vegetables and using different flavors of hummus.

Hummus Crusted Chicken
Ingredients:
2 small heads of broccoli, chopped into florets
1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
3 tablespoons olive oil
pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup homemade hummus (or store bought), any flavor
2 lemons
1 teaspoon paprika

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly spray a large baking dish with cooking spray.

In baking dish mix broccoli and cauliflower with olive oil until evenly coated. Season with desired amount of black pepper and mix to combine. Spread broccoli and cauliflower into an even layer in baking dish.

Cut one lemon into thin slices and place over the vegetables approximately where you will place your chicken.

Season both sides of chicken breasts with desired amount of pepper. Place chicken on top of the lemons making sure to cover the lemons completely. Spread 1/4 cup of hummus on to each chicken breasts completely covering the top of the chicken. Sprinkle with paprika.

Cut remaining lemon in half and squeeze the juice of both sides of the lemon over the whole dish.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked and the vegetables are tender.

Serves: 4
Calories: 554.6
Total Fat: 13.1g
   Saturated: 0.6g
   Polyunsaturated: 0.6g
   Monounsaturated: 2.5g
   Trans: 0g
Cholesterol: 110mg
Sodium: 495.5mg
Potassium: 663.2mg
Total Carbs: 32.2g
   Dietary Fiber: 13.5g
   Sugars: 8.9g
Protein: 69.3g
Vitamin A: 44.3%
Vitamin C: 628.1%
Calcium: 23.2%
Iron: 26.5%
*The nutritional information will vary slightly depending on the brands you use.
*Adapted from Gimme Some Oven.

Enjoy!!!