fresco black bean salad

As we get ready for warmer weather, I wanted to share one of my favorite recipes, Fresco Black Bean Salad. It's light and fresh, (as the name suggests), and a perfect side for any party or BBQ. Enjoy by itself, or serve with tortilla chips. The leftovers are also great in a burrito or omelette.

Image from snacktheplantet.com

Black Beans- 1 15.5 oz. can, drained & rinsed
Frozen Corn- 12 oz. (1 bag), cooked
Edamame-  12 oz. cooked
Cherry Tomatoes- 8 oz., sliced
Avocado- 1, chopped
Red Onion- 1, diced
Fresh Cilantro- chopped, to taste
Ranch Dressing- 2-3 tbsp.
Lemon Juice- 1 tbsp.
Onion Salt- to taste
Salt & Pepper- to taste

Place black beans, corn, edamame, tomatoes, onion and cilantro in bowl. 

Stir in ranch, lemon juice, onion salt, salt and pepper. The dressing should be very light.

Then gently fold in avocado. Chill 30 minutes and serve!

southwestern stuffed portobello mushrooms

I had some left over portobello mushrooms caps I had to use and I was craving Mexican food, so these Southwestern Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms were the delicious result. I thought it was pretty genius seeing as I made them using only things I had on hand that night. You could even substitute TVP for half of the rice for more protein.

You can also toss these mushrooms on the grill on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. 

Serves 4

You'll Need:
Portabello Mushroom Caps- 4, stems & gills removed
Rice- 1 cup
Corn- 1 cup
Black Beans- 1 cup, drained & rinsed
Salsa or Chopped Tomatoes- 3 tbsp.
Green Onion- 1/4 cup, sliced (optional if you use salsa)
Fat-Free Cream Cheese- 4 oz.
Ranch- 2 tbsp.
Sharp Cheddar Cheese Slices- 4, optional

Seasonings:
Cilantro- chopped, to taste
Garlic Powder- to taste
Salt & Pepper- to taste
Hot Sauce- to taste
Chiles/Jalepenos- diced optional

Preheat oven to 350. (Or fire up the grill!)

Cook rice according to package directions.

Mix cream cheese and ranch. Add rice, black beans, corn, green onion and salsa into cream cheese mixture. Add all seasonings. Mix.

Pour a little bit of olive oil on a sheet of tin foil & rub around with mushroom cap. Place caps on tin foil.

Spoon mixture into mushroom caps. 

Bake 15 minutes, then top with slices of cheddar cheese. Bake 5 more minutes until melted.

Enjoy!

hummus + feta vegetable dip

This hummus vegetable dip is a really easy appetizer that is great for taking to parties. It's really fresh and it's always nice to have a lighter option available among the cheesy, the creamy and the fried.


Image from thelovelycupboard.com

  You'll Need:
Plain or Garlic Hummus- Sabra is my favorite brand
Feta Cheese-  crumbled
Cucumber- sliced, quartered
Cherry Tomatoes- chopped 
Olives (Black or Kalamata)- sliced or chopped

Spread hummus on bottom of shallow bowl or glass pan. Top with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, olives and feta.

Serve with pita chips or even tortilla chips.

couscous with grilled pineapple + red pepper

This couscous with grilled pineapple, red pepper, green onion and pine nuts is a beautifully colorful light dish that's perfect for summer. Add Quorn faux chicken for added protein, if desired. 

 You'll Need:
Couscous- non-flavored, 1 box or 1/3 cup dry
Fresh Pineapple- 1 cup, sliced
Red Pepper- 1, chopped
Green Onion- 1/4 cup, chopped
Pine Nuts- 2 tbsp.
Olive Oil- 1 tbsp. 
Salt & Pepper- to taste


Bring water to boil and add couscous. Cover & cook according to package directions. 


Combine pineapple and red pepper  in a bowl with olive oil or melted butter and season with kosher/sea salt and pepper.  Place on a sheet of tin foil and put on grill.

Grill vegetables for about 5 minutes then add pine nuts. Cook 5 more minutes or until everything looks cooked and has grill marks. 

Add green onions and butter in to cooked couscous and mix. Season with salt &pepper. Add grilled vegetables.

Add your own flavor with things like red pepper flakes or parsley.

grilled polenta with corn + mascarpone cheese

Polenta is a traditional Italian side dish made from ground corn meal. You can eat it soft, bake it or grill it. Since there's been a heat-wave throughout the midwest, I'm dying to fire up the grill and enjoy a meal on my deck, so I'll be grilling my polenta tonight.


You can serve this grilled polenta with corn and mascarpone cheese as a side with your burgers or as the main course- either way it will leave your guests satisfied! I served it instead of a "bready" side, along side my greek-style light summer pasta.  

Image courtesy of BonAppetit

I recommend preparing the polenta the night before because it needs to go in the fridge to firm up. Then you can just slice it and throw it on the grill!


Makes 6 Large Squares


 You'll Need:
Yellow Corn Meal- 1 cup
Water- 3 cups
Olive Oil- 2 tbsp.
Mascarpone Cheese- 4 oz. (Can sub cream cheese if trying to save $ or calories...)
Fresh Corn- 1 cup
Garlic Salt- to taste
Salt & Pepper- to taste



Bring water and olive oil to a boil. Slowly whisk in corn meal a little at a time. Stir constantly for first 3 minutes. Be careful, air bubbles will pop! I wear an oven mit. 


Simmer on low heat until thick- anywhere from 15-25 minutes, stirring every few minutes so it doesn't stick. It is done when you scrape the bottom & it pulls back, leaving a space.


Meanwhile cook corn. (I microwave a Steamfresh Bag.)


Season polenta with salt, garlic salt & pepper. Stir in mascarpone cheese and corn right before taking off heat. 


Pour into sprayed 7 x 11 pan. Refrigerate 30 min-1 hour, or until firm. 


Cut polenta into individual portion-sized squares. Brush both sides with olive oil.


Grill each side of polenta 3-4 minutes or until grill marks form. Remove from grill and top with shredded cheese and more salt if desired. 


Ranch or sour cream make a nice easy dip.

italian herb roasted potatoes

I love authentic Italian food, because whether it's pasta or vegetables, they know dishes can be delicious with just some olive oil and fresh herbs to accent their natural flavors. These potatoes are so simple but so good and they're much better for you than other potato dishes! I prefer them any day over mushy cheesy potatoes or scalloped potatoes flooded in a can of cream of mushroom or mayo or other fatty toppings.

Bring these Italian herb roasted potatoes to your next get together for an easy side dish that's sure to impress.

Image courtesy of shugarandspice.com

If you are making these for a party or for guests, you absolutely have to use fresh herbs! These measurements are very flexible, so adjust to your taste or to however many mouths you have to feed. 

Red-Skinned Potatoes- quartered
Olive Oil- as needed to lightly coat
Garlic- 3-4 cloves, minced
Fresh Thyme-  chopped
Fresh Rosemary- pull leaves off sprigs
Fresh Parsley- chopped 
Salt & Pepper- to taste

Preheat oven to 350.

Put quartered potatoes in a large bowl. Add olive oil, garlic and herbs. Toss until well coated. Season with salt and pepper.  

Pour potatoes on tinfoil lined cookie sheet-spread out- and roast in oven for 30 minutes. 

Enjoy! 

bailey's irish cream bread pudding

Doesn't the title alone make you drool? This Bailey's Irish Ceam Bread Pudding has great texture and flavor. It's perfect recipe for a St. Patrick's Day brunch, (or your hangover breakfast the day after). It's also great for the holidays, like a Christmas breakfast. You can even top it with vanilla ice cream and serve it as a dessert. 

I got the idea to create an Irish bread pudding with Bailey's Irish Cream and when I typed it into Google I found this one from Food.com. I tweaked it slightly, but it's still very similar.


Prepare it the night before and pop it in the oven in the morning!


Serves 8

You'll Need:
Soft Bread-6 slices, cut into 1" cubes (I used Butter Split Top by Dutch Country)
Vanilla Extract- 1 1/2 tsp.
Milk (Soy or Almond is good) -1 1/3 cup 
Bailey's Irish Cream- 1 cup
Eggs- 5, beaten  
Brown Sugar- 2 tbsp.
White Sugar- 1/4 cup
Nutmeg- 1 tsp.
Raisins or Chocolate Chips- optional


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter or spray one 2-quart casserole dish.


Beat together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla.


Slowly add the milk then the Bailey's Irish Cream. Mix.


Add bread into the liquid. Spinkle with nutmeg. Toss until coated. 


Pour into pan. Add chocolate chips or raisins if using.  


Refrigerate now if making ahead.

Bake 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.



If the pudding seems to be dry, you can sprinkle some Bailey's over the top to help make it moist.

*Note I made this for a large party in a 9x13 pan and used the following:
12 slices of bread
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract 
2 cups milk
1 cup Baileys
6 eggs
1 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
4 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar

spaghetti squash with mushrooms

For those that have never cooked a spaghetti squash, when you scoop out the inside, it really comes out in strings, just like noodles! So you can try it as a healthier spaghetti substitute in your traditional recipes (like eggplant parmesan mmm) or eat on it's own. 

image courtesy of mwbeercollective

You'll Need:
Spaghetti Squash- 1
Mushrooms- 8 oz. 
Garlic- 3, minced
Parmesan Cheese- shredded, 1/2 cup


Cut squash in half. Now you have 2 options for how to cook it.


In the Oven:
Brush olive oil on the inside, sprinkle with salt & bake at 375 for 40 minutes- 1 hour until tender and edges begin to brown.


In the Microwave:
Add a little bit of water to a plate. Place 1 squash half, open-side down on the plate. Cover the plate tightly with plastic wrap. Steam in microwave about 7 minutes. 


While squash is cooking, sauté onions and mushrooms in olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Then add garlic. Cook another 3-4 minutes. 


Once squash is fully cooked and tender, scoop out insides into a bowl with a fork or spoon. 


Add garlic, mushrooms & parmesan cheese to squash. Season with salt & pepper. Add additional tbsp. of olive oil or butter if desired.


You can even serve it the empty squash "shell." Saves on dishes and looks cool. 


Enjoy!

baked spinach + artichoke pasta

This recipe comes from BudgetSavvyDiva.com, it was so good I had to share it! I made a few minor changes to make it higher in protein and lower in fat.

Serves 8

orecchiette means "ears"

You'll Need:

Orecchiette- 16 oz. (or other short pasta)

Fresh Spinach- 15 oz. 

Artichokes-  13.5 can, rinsed & chopped

Fat Free Cream Cheese- 8 oz.

Cottage Cheese- 2 cups (16 oz.)

Parmesan Cheese- 1 cup

Onion- 1

Garlic- 3 cloves, minced

Lemon Juice- 1 tsp.

Preheat Oven To 425.

Cook pasta according to the box. Save 1/4 cup of the pasta water before you drain.

Heat oil in pan or pot and cook onions for 4 minutes on medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Add spinach until wilted.

In a large bowl – mix cream cheese, cottage cheese, Parmesan, lemon juice.

Add pasta and mix. 

Stir in artichokes, spinach, garlic and onions and 1/4 cup of cooking liquid from the pasta. Season with salt & pepper.

Place mixture into greased 2.5 – 3 qt. casserole dish and sprinkle with more cheese on top if desired.

Bake till golden brown on top – about 10 – 15 minutes.

how to make coffee with a french press

Coffee from a French Press truly is the freshest, most delicious way to enjoy coffee, and it's so easy. Using a Fench Press captures more flavor and essential oils in coffee that you lose in filters with a drip machine. But no, you do not have to worry about grounds in your coffee.

And it's just 5 simple steps- I use my Bodom French Press every morning before work if that says anything about how simple it is. I only use my coffee make for larger crowds now. You really need to use coarse ground coffee beans though, because regular fine ground can get caught in the strainer and clog it. I just open a bag of Starbucks beans and grind them at the store.

How to use a French Press:

Serves 2 

1. Pour 2 mugs of water in teapot, put on burner. (Or microwave 2 mins.) Let sit a minute, it shouldn't be boiling. 


2. Put 2 scoops of coarse ground coffee beans (or 1 tbsp. for every 4 oz. water) into French Press.


3. Add hot water to grounds.


4. Stir. Put lid on to keep warm, but don't press down. Let steep 4 minutes. 


5. Press plunger down, (this will push all the grounds to the bottom). Turn so lid is open, pour.


Enjoy café fresco!

creamy spinach + mushroom enchiladas

I love love love Mexican food and am obsessed with Abuelos spinach enchiladas in cream sauce. Using their dish as inspiration, this is my best attempt at creating a creamy vegetarian enchilada at home. Pack these with veggies and serve with a side of beans and rice.

Recipe courtesy of the Recipe Hoarder

Makes 8

Enchiladas:
Soft Flour Burritos- 8
Fresh Spinach- 10-12 oz.
Mushrooms- 16 oz., sliced
Frozen Corn- 1 12 oz. bag
Sharp Cheddar Cheese- 1 cup
Onion- 1 small, diced
Garlic- 2 cloves, minced
Onion Salt- to taste


Creamy Sauce- can substitute store-bought like Old El Paso
Light Sour Cream- 8 oz. 
Cilantro- 1/2 cup chopped
White Wine or Lime Juice- 1/4 cup
Water- 3/4 cup
Garlic Powder- 1 tbsp.
Vegetable Bouillon Cube- 1 
Chiles- to taste if desired


Enchiladas: Sauté onion and mushrooms 4 minutes. Then add garlic and spinach until spinach is wilted. Meanwhile steam corn in microwave and add to pan. Season with salt & pepper and onion salt.


Divide filling evenly among burritos and then sprinkle 2 tbsp. of cheese inside of each. Fold in sides and roll up. Place enchiladas in sprayed casserole dish. Cover with sauce (and more cheese if desired) and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Garnish with avocado and salsa or fresh tomatoes if desired.


Sauce: In a small sauce pan combine water, wine/juice, garlic powder and bouillon. Stir to dissolve before adding sour cream and cilantro. Reduce heat to simmer until sauce just begins to thicken.

[vegetarian enchiladas, spinach mushroom enchiladas, healthy mexican, creamy enchilada sauce]

reverse french manicure

Whenever I have a reverse french manicure on my nails people assume it was professionally done at a salon and are surprised when I tell them it's easy it is to do yourself. The trick is to use a smaller nail art nailpolish, like Milani Nail Art. You can find them at beauty and drug stores like CVS for less than $5. I own gold, black and pink and add them on top of almost any base coat. The gold glitter is my favorite for the holidays and I love silver and white on light base colors for summer. But the possibilities are endless!

Here's how to do your own nails in a reverse french manicure:

Paint base coat. Let dry completely.

Get nail art brush, wipe off excess polish so the brush it isn't dripping. Draw a half moon line from the corner of your nail bed to the other side of your nail bed. You can also draw the line halfway and make the peak, then finish to the other side.

I don't actually follow my lunula (the little moon in your nail), I go above & exaggerate it. But you can make them as big or small as you like. And don't wory if it's not perfect. No one will notice.

Next, get a blob of polish on the brush and fill in the line. Let dry. 

Other base + lunula combos are:

Mint Base + Silver
Nude/Light Pink Base + Black

Hot Pink Base + White

Red Base + Gold
Burgundy Base + Gold