Salmon Salad with Roasted Red Peppers, Corn, and Goat Cheese

In my opinion, you can't really beat a delicious salad topped with salmon in both nutrition and taste! Salads are so flexible in that you can use whatever have on hand or happen to want that day, but I wanted to share this salad because I absolutely loved the combination of ingredients. It has tangy goat cheese, sweet roasted corn and red peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and is topped with a simple, yet delicious balsamic vinaigrette. As I write this and remember how good it was, I am thinking that I will have to make this again next week!

Salmon Salad with Roasted Red Peppers, Corn, and Goat Cheese
(Serves 4) 
Ingredients:

• salad mix (I used half arugula and half mixed greens)
• 4  4-5oz salmon fillets (I prefer wild caught)
• Williams-Sonoma Potlatch Seasoning  (optional)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 red pepper (or you can use jarred roasted peppers and skip steps 1-2)
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 small cucumber, sliced
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
• balsamic vinaigrette 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place pepper on a cookie sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, turning half way. It may take longer, but you are looking for your pepper to turn mostly black. Remove from oven and place in a plastic bag (such as a ziploc). Once pepper has cooled, remove from bag, and peel skin. It should come off easily. Slice pepper into strips and remove seeds.
3. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add frozen corn and cook for 2-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until some kernels start to blacken. Turn off heat. Put corn in a dish and return skillet to cooktop.
4. Season salmon with Potlatch Seasoning, if using, or with salt and pepper.
5. Add 2 tsp of olive oil to skillet and turn heat to medium. Once pan is heated, place salmon in pan seasoned side down.
6. Cook salmon until done, turning half way. Cooking time will vary depending on thickness of salmon, but it should flake easily when done. I would guess 8-10 min total, but watch it so you don't overcook it!
7. While salmon is cooking, assemble salads. Place greens on bottom and top with red peppers, goat cheese, corn, tomatoes, and cucumber. Top with salmon and serve with balsamic vinaigrette.

Migas

I had never had migas before, but had read about them on a couple of blogs. So, when I received Tostitos Artisan Recipes chips as a part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, I knew just what I wanted to make! I used the Pioneer Woman's recipe as a guide. I figured she would be a trusty source, and I had never used one of her recipes before, which I can't believe knowing how popular her blog is! These were really good! In fact, I have already made them twice within a month! Of course, I did cheat by using the Tostitos chips rather than frying my own tortillas. That was one step too many for me, and the Tostitos chips were great! I think Nick accurately described them as "the adult version of Doritos." We received both the black bean and garlic flavor and the fire roasted chipotle flavor. I am not sure that Nick had a favorite between the two, but my vote was definitely for the black bean and garlic. Anyway, on to the delicious recipe...

 Migas (adapted from the Pioneer Woman)
 Serves 4-5 people
Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup corn tortilla chips, broken into pieces
• 1 whole Jalapeno, Seeds And Membranes Removed, Finely Diced
• 4 whole Plum Tomatoes, Roughly Chopped
• 1 whole Green Pepper, Roughly Chopped
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Roughly Chopped
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
• 12 whole Large Eggs
• ¼ cup reduced fat mexican blend cheese
• 1/2 Tablespoon Butter
• 1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• ¼ cup 2% milk
• 1/2 avocado
• salt and pepper

 Directions:
1. In a bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the olive oil with the butter. Add onions and bell peppers and cook until starting to turn brown/black, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add in diced jalapenos and stir to combine. Add tomatoes to the skillet and stir around, then add chips, stirring gently to combine.
3. Reduce heat to low.
4. When the heat has decreased, pour eggs into skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir gently to cook with the peppers, folding mixture very gently as it cooks.
5. Add in grated cheese.
6. Once eggs are cooked and cheese is melted, removed from skillet and serve topped with avocado. 

White Chicken Chili

It may seem odd to post a recipe for a warm bowl of chili just as the weather finally shows signs of long, long awaited spring, but this is a recipe I didn't want to forget! I found it on Jenna's blog, Eat Live Run, and it was really good- the best I have had to-date! It has a pretty mild spice to it so if you want really spicy, I would kick up the amount of cayenne. Also, just FYI it freezes well so it is a great make-ahead meal. I made a couple minor changes to lighten it up a little, and those changes are reflected below. (Click on the link for the original version). I can't wait to make this again next winter... or during the inevitable cold front that always comes as soon as I think we are safe into spring!

White Chicken Chili ( adapted from Eat, Live, Run)
Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 1 medium onion, small diced
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 2 cans cannellini beans, drained
• 14.5 ounces chicken broth
• 2 4-ounce cans chopped green chilies
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 6 ounces light sour cream

Directions:  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the chicken and onion and cook for about 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken is seared and the onion is translucent.
2. Add the garlic and cook for another 3 minutes.
3. Add the beans, spices, chicken broth and green chilies and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and add the sour cream and milk.
5. Enjoy

Southwestern Chicken Soup

I LOVE making soup in the winter. It is just so hearty, warm, filling, and healthy! I make it pretty often (and by "pretty often" I mean Nick is probably sick and tired of it!), but I have so many recipes that I like such as this one and this one that I don't try all that many new ones. I am really glad I tried this one as it will probably go into the regular rotation :) It is slightly spicy from the jalepeno but not at all too hot (you could add more if you really want spicy), and the sweetness of corn was a great addition! It is also great for feeding a crowd. I tripled the recipe below for our community group, and I think everyone liked it :) The recipe is from Cooking Light, but I made a few changes which are reflected below. 

 Southwestern Chicken Soup (adapted from Cooking Light)

Serves 4

Ingredients: 

• Cooking spray
• 1  cup  diced onion
• 2/3  cup diced green bell pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1  jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 1  pound of chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2  teaspoons  chili powder
• 1  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1  (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1  (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1  cup  diced avocado
• 1 cup of frozen sweet corn

Directions:

1. Heat a small nonstick Dutch oven over medium-heat. 

2. Coat pan with cooking spray or a little olive oil. 

3. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeño to pan; sauté for 2 minutes. 

4. Add chicken; cook 3-5 minutes. 

5. Add broth and next 6 ingredients (through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is done, stirring occasionally.

6. Add corn and cook until corn has thawed.

7. Remove from heat. 

8. Serve with avocado.

Pumpkin Polenta with Turkey Sausage and Greens

 Whenever I come across recipes with greens in them, I instantly think "Oh, delicious! I HAVE to make that," even when it is cooked spinach, which after several tries I am always disappointed in it and never learn my lesson! However, when I stumbled across Cara's Blog, I saw pumpkin polenta (delicious), turkey sausage (delicious), and swiss chard (hmmm- never had it but it sure looks delicious), I immediately knew I wanted to make it! I saw the swiss chard at the grocery store, but i chickened out and went with the safe choice of collard greens because I know I love those! Also, they come in a pre-cut and washed bag, which was a big selling point.

 
Nick and I both loved this! The polenta was so creamy without adding any cream or butter, and the addition of the pumpkin was not only healthy, but also really tasty. I may never make polenta without pumpkin again! We had some leftover that Nick ate for dinner the next night, and I have to admit I was a little jealous (not that the leftover soup that I had eaten for the past 5 meals wasn't delicious...) Can't wait to make this again!

Pumpkin Polenta with Turkey Sausage and Greens (adapted from Cara's Cravings)
Serves 3 
Ingredients: 
For the polenta:

• 1.5 cups pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup course ground polenta (I used Bob's Red Mill)
• 2.25 cups of water
• salt and pepper

For the Turkey Sausage and Greens Saute:

•  3 links spicy turkey sausage, casing removed
• 1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 8 oz trimmed collard greens (I used half a bag of these, which are washed and ready to go)
• 3/4 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the turkey sausage, stirring to crumble.  Once it has cooked through, remove it from the pan and put on a plate lined with a paper towel.
2. In the same skillet, heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until tender.
4. Add tomatoes and collard greens to pan and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until they are wilted.
5. Turn off heat and add turkey sausage back to the pan. Set aside.
6. Combine water and pumpkin in medium or large sauce pan. Bring to a boil. 
7. Slowly stream in the polenta, stirring constantly so it does not clump. Continue to cook stirring often with a whisk until thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. If you have a handy assistant, they can complete steps 6-7 while you do steps 1-5 :)
8. If necessary, reheat turkey sausage and greens mixture.
9. Serve by dividing polenta among plates and topping with turkey sausage and greens mixture.

Italian Sausage and Vegetables over Bulgur

I have had a box of bulgur in my pantry for a very long time. Let's just say I have owned this box since I was in college...that's right, it was at least 4 years ago. So, when I came across Roni's recipe for Sausage and Vegetables over Bulgur, I knew that was exactly what I was going to make to finally get rid of the box! The only thing that backfired is that now I want to buy more of it. It is super healthy- high in fiber and protein, and it is a good source of iron and B vitamins. What more could you ask for? I basically love anything that has a marinara or tomato type sauce, and this one was no exception. The sausage with the peppers, onions and green beans go really well together making it a very warm and comforting meal. It also comes together easily and is perfect for weeknight meal. I loved the bulgur in this recipe, but you could also substitute a whole wheat pasta if you want.

Italian Sausage and Vegetables over Bulgur (adapted from Green Lite Bites)
Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1 cup of dry bulgur
• 1 sweet onion, large diced
• 1 package of Spicy Italian Turkey Sausage cut in pieces
• 2 Bell peppers (I used one red and one green), sliced
• About 1 cup of  frozen green beans, thawed
• 1 15oz can of tomato sauce
• 1 tsp dried basil

Directions:
1. Cook bulgur according to directions on package.
2.  While the bulgur is cooking, spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Start to cook the onion and peppers over medium high heat. Add the sausage and brown it. Then add the green beans.
3. Cook for 1-2 minutes and add the can of sauce plus about 1/4 can of water.
4.  Sprinkle with basil and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes allowing the flavors to merge.
5. Once the bulgur is done, scoop  it into bowls and top with vegetable tomato sauce. 

Lentil Burgers

 This was my first attempt at homemade veggie burgers...and they were delicious! I received a free sample of lentils in the mail and wasn't sure what I wanted to do with them. I had searched several recipes when I found this lentil burger recipe. They sounded delicious to me but I wasn't sure how Nick would like them. I tried them anyway, and even this meat lover was happy with them, which is a good thing because they will definitely be made again!

 Lentil Veggie Burgers (adapted from Kath Eats Real Food)
Makes 3 burgers
Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked lentils (I used 1/2 cup uncooked and cooked them in water and veggie broth)
• 2/3 cup chopped veggies (I used yellow pepper, carrot, celery, green onion)
• 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
• 3 tbsp pecans
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
  
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

 Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Combine all ingredients in food processor and process until all blended together. 
3. Form into 3 patties. 
4. Place patties onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes on each side. 
 

Salmon with roasted corn puree, okra, and tomatoes

Not too long ago, I made this corn soup that was so good I had a hard time saving a cup of it for this recipe, but I am so glad I did!This was one of my favorite meals that I have made. The sweetness of the corn and the slight spice on the salmon was delicious! Nick even said it was like something he would order at a restaurant. And the best part is that it isn't too hard! Well, once you have the soup leftover, the rest comes together in no time.

Salmon with Roasted Corn Puree, Okra, and Tomatoes
Ingredients:

• 1 cup roasted corn soup
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 3 campari tomatoes, quartered
• 1-1.5 cups sliced okra
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 2-  4oz salmon fillet
• 4 tsp Potlatch seasoning 

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Spread okra and tomatoes on a baking sheet. Spray with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Roast okra and tomatoes for about 20-25 minutes or until they start to slightly brown.
4. While vegetables are cooking, combine corn soup and milk. Puree with an immersion blender until it reaches desired consistency. You can also put it in a blender to mix. 
5. Once vegetables are done and out of the oven, turn on the broiler. 
6. Place salmon on a baking sheet and sprinkle with Potlatch seasoning. 
7.  Place salmon in oven and broil until it is cooked through. Mine took about 8-10 minutes, but it will depend on the thickness of your fish.
8. To serve- spread a thin later of corn puree on your plate, place fish in the middle, and place tomatoes and okra around the outside.
9. Enjoy!

Oprah's Favortite Turkey Burger

Oprah. She's everywhere. I never imagined her name would be on my blog, and I kind of preferred it that way. Oh well- I digress. She does have good taste in turkey burgers! My friend, Clint, INSISTED that I try this recipe because they are the BEST turkey burgers. Well...yes. Yes, they are. They are not quite as easy as these (which are also yummy), but they really do have a great flavor and are worth the extra effort if you have the time. I wasn't sure how I would feel about them because they contained some sweet ingredients, and I'm not a big fan of sweet with meat, but these really didn't taste sweet because all the flavors were balanced out really well. Put these on your menu next time you make turkey burgers!
The original recipe can be found here, but the recipe as I made them (scaled down and a couple minor changes) is below.

Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger (serves 4)
Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey breast
• 1 Tbsp thinly sliced green onions
• 2 Tbsp thinly sliced celery
• 1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced
• 1 tsp olive oil 
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp jalapeno hot sauce (we didn't have Tabasco, but I loved the jalapeno sauce!)
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 Tbsp Major Grey's Chutney (found near mustard/condiments in grocery store)

Directions:
1. Saute onions, celery, and apple with olive oil in a skillet until tender. Set aside to cool.
2. Combine sauteed veggies/apple, ground turkey, hot sauce, lemon juice, and Major Grey's Chutney in a bowl. Add a dash of salt and pepper, and mix until thoroughly combined. 
3. Shape into 4 burgers of equal size.
In the original recipe, the burgers are grilled, but we do not currently have a grill so we cooked them in a cast iron skillet with great results. Directions for each method are below.
For Grill:
1. Refrigerate burgers for 2 hours. (They will hold together better on the grill.)
2. Place burgers on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
For Skillet:
1. Heat cast iron skillet over medium low heat and spray with cooking spray or olive oil to prevent sticking. 
2. Place burgers in pan and cook on each side until thoroughly cooked through. It was about 6 minutes per side for us. Be careful not to overcook because they will dry out. You may want to cut one in half to make sure middle is done though.  Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
We ate them with lettuce, tomato, light mayo and more hot sauce. Delicious! 

Creamy Roasted Corn Soup

Summer is my favorite season, and one of the best things about it are the delicious fruits and vegetables. It seems that summer is coming to an end way too quickly, and I didn't want to miss the chance to take advantage of the fresh corn at the farmer's market. When I saw this recipe, I knew it was the perfect recipe to showcase the natural sweetness of the corn. I also loved how healthy it was. Generally thick, creamy soups like this are made with cream and butter, but this one is thickened with rice and pureed corn and squash. The corn we bought was so good that I had to restrain myself from eating all of it raw! And the soup was so delicious that I wanted to eat the whole pot myself. Unfortunately, I had to share it with Nick... I topped it with some leftover roasted okra, but really it was lost in the soup so no worries if you don't have any!

Creamy Roasted Corn Soup (adapted from Naturally Ella)
Serves 2
Ingredients:

• 3 ears of sweet corn
• 1 medium yellow squash
• 1 Anaheim pepper, diced (remove seeds for less heat)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
•  2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup white rice
• 1/2 cup skim milk 
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Remove the husk and silk from the corn and cut off the kernels. I found it helpful to put it in a bowl and cut so the kernels don't fly everywhere.  
3. Dice the squash, garlic and peppers and toss with olive oil.
4. Spread vegetables on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 30-35 minutes.
5. Meanwhile combine broth, water, and rice in a medium pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until rice is cooked.
6. When the vegetables are done roasting, add them to the broth and rice. 
7. With an immersion blender, blend mixture until it has very few chunks left in it. 
8. Add milk and blend until thoroughly incorporated. Reheat soup if needed. 

Baked Tilapia with Dill Sour Cream

It seems that I keep adding to my list of "things to make" a lot faster than I am actually able to make them, but lately I have noticed a tendency of being drawn to the "easy recipes" first. This one is no exception! It requires minimal work, but you wouldn't know it from the results! I love the flavor of dill, and it especially goes well with fish. I initially saw this recipe on Kalyn's Kitchen, but made a few changes that are shown below. I also used tilapia instead of halibut because it was easier to find and cheaper, but you could use any mild white fish you wish.

 Baked Tilapia with Dill Sour Cream
Serves 2 (adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen)
Ingredients:

• 2-3 tilapia filets (about 8-12oz total)
• 3 Tbsp low fat sour cream
• 1 Tbsp mayo made with olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
• 1/8 tsp Beau Monde seasoning (optional, but I like it!)
• 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped (you can use dried, but reduce to 1/2 tsp)
• salt and pepper
• 3 green onions, sliced

 Directions: 

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2.  Season tilapia with salt and pepper and place in a baking dish.
3. Combine sour cream, mayo, beau monde, garlic, dill, and Parmesan.
4. Spread an even layer of the sour cream mixture over the fish.
5. Bake for 15-20 min until firm. This will vary depending on the thickness of your fish. (Ours took about 16 min, but the fillets were pretty thin). 
6. Sprinkle with green onions and serve. 

Chicken with Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, and Caramelized Onions

Chicken is a great ingredient because it is so versatile, but at the same time it is difficult because sometimes it just ends up being boring! I had seen this recipe on For the Love of Cooking, and while it looked delicious (I can't resist recipes with tomatoes!), I was a little reluctant to try it because I was afraid it would disappoint. There was just no way it could look as good as the picture! Well, I finally tried it, and I am SO glad I did. I think this just may be my new favorite chicken recipe. Yes, I realize that is a bold statement, but I think it's a true one. I'm already looking forward to the next time I make it!

Chicken with Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, and Caramelized Onions

Serves 4-6 (adapted from For the Love of Cooking)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, sliced thinly
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I had 3 that were 8 oz each so I cut them in half lengthwise- was perfect size)
• 1 cup of baby heirloom tomatoes (or grape tomatoes)
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
• Garlic powder
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp of crumbled goat cheese

Directions:
1. Heat 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt and saute until golden brown and caramelized.
2. In large skillet, heat the the remaining 1 Tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat and season the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. (Make sure pan is hot before adding the chicken.) Cook for 4-6 minutes and flip. Cook for additional 3-4 minutes depending on thickness. Remove chicken from pan and let rest for about 5 minutes.
3. In the same skillet as the onions, add the baby tomatoes then season with salt and pepper, to taste. 

4. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes are soft. Add minced garlic, stirring frequently for about a minute.

5. Pour the tomatoes and onions on top of the sliced chicken. Top with goat cheese and fresh basil.

Turkey Chili Burgers

I am always looking at new turkey burger recipes to try but rarely do I actually stray away from my go-to recipe. I saw a recipe for Chicken Chili Burgers on this blog that I read pretty often so I decided to make them... with a few changes of course! One change I made was to use ground turkey breast instead of chicken. While they were good, I think in the future I would stick to chicken or ground turkey that is a mixture of light and dark meat as they were a little bit dry. Or maybe mix in a little bit of actual chili....hmmm, something to try in the future! Anyway, I liked the addition of the beans for both texture and nutrition.  Also, the flavoring was pretty subtle so if you love spicy, you may want to add extra spice. We topped them with reduced fat white cheddar with jalapenos, which was delicious!

We enjoyed them on buns from Nature's Pride that I received as a part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program. Nick was quite excited because we got both white AND wheat buns! These buns were huge! I thought the wheat one was pretty good, and Nick really liked the taste and texture of the white ones.

 Ingredients

•  3/4 cup canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 small onion, minced
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 2 Tbsp diced green chiles
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper  
• Reduced fat jalapeno cheddar cheese (or your own favorite)

Directions

1. Slightly mash the kidney beans and then add all remaining ingredients. 
2. Mix together so that all the spices are incorporated pretty evenly into the meat.
3. Form into 4-5 burgers, depending on how big you want them. (We made 5 and they were plenty big).
4. Grill or cook in a skillet (with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil) over medium heat until cooked through. During the last couple minutes, place cheese on burger so it can melt (we put ours on a little late...as you can tell by the photo but it was still good!)

Grilled Salmon Salad with Halloumi, Asparagus, & Tomatoes

I know the name is long and not exactly creative, but I couldn't come up with anything else! Last week for Mom's birthday dinner, I made this salad because I thought it would meet her criteria for a good meal- it was healthy, pretty, and included some of her favorite foods! I first got the idea when reading this post from Cara's Cravings, but decided to turn it into a meal rather than an appetizer or salad. I thought this was really good and everyone else seemed to agree! I especially love the Halloumi cheese. It has a great salty flavor and has a really high melting point. It just seems crazy to me to watch cheese cook in a skillet and not melt! I don't know how it does it, but it is so good!

Ingredients (Adapted from Cara's Cravings) Serves 4
12 oz grape tomatoes, halved
1 lb asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bag of baby spinach
8 oz. Halloumi cheese, cut in 8 slices
4- 6oz salmon filets
salt and pepper



Dressing:
juice from 2 Meyer lemons (you can substitute regular lemon juice)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons capers
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Turn on grill to warm up.
3. Trim the asparagus by cutting off the tough ends. Place the asparagus and tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with foil (for easy clean up!). Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and season with freshly ground salt & pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for about 20-25 minutes.
4. Lightly brush salmon with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place salmon and grill for 7-10 minutes (depending on size), flipping half way through cooking.
5.  Whisk together lemon juice, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, capers, pepper and parsley.
6. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Cook the Halloumi slices for several minutes on each side, until lightly browned.
7. Divide baby spinach among four plates. Drizzle lemon-caper dressing over spinach. Arrange the asparagus and tomatoes on each plate, and top each with salmon and two slices of the Halloumi.

Tortilla Pizza

I love thin crust pizza! Not only is it healthier than the thicker crusts, it has a delicious crispy crunch to it! This recipe is great because it comes together so quickly that you can easily make it even on the busiest of week nights! We made a pizza for each of us and learned that if you put too much pesto and cheese, the crust will not bake up as crispy (or maybe you would just have to bake it longer...). Anyway, below are the amounts that I thought worked best!

Ingredients: (for 1 pizza)

• 1 wheat tortilla ( I used Tofuyan Low Carb )
• 2-3 Tbsp basil pesto
• 1/4 cup part skim ricotta cheese
• 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
• 2-3 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
• garlic salt
• salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. 
2. Place tortilla on baking sheet.
3. Spread the pesto over the tortilla in a thin layer (it  probably won't cover whole tortilla but that's ok)
4. Spread the cheese in the same way as the pesto so that the cheese and pesto slightly mix and are spread pretty evenly.
5.  Top cheese with sliced tomatoes.
6. Sprinkle basil, garlic salt, salt, and pepper over pizza.
7. Place pan with pizza in oven and bake for about 10 minutes.

Spaghetti squash cakes

Spaghetti squash is such a versatile vegetable because of its mild flavor, but it also has such a fun, unique texture. Despite its versatility, I had pretty much found the recipe for how I liked to eat it and stuck with it. So, when I came across Cara's recipe for spaghetti squash cakes, I knew it was one that I wanted to try. It was kind of a hybrid recipe between corn cakes and spaghetti squash but also with a bit of southwestern flair... and it was delicious. I served them over black beans with fresh cherry tomatoes and garnished with Greek yogurt (you can use a light sour cream) and avocado.

I changed the recipe a little from the original by adding a little more cornmeal and green chiles for a little extra spice. Now, I know you are going to want to make these so just a word of warning- the batter will be wet and you won't think there is a chance of the cakes sticking together. But they will- just be patient before you first flip them!

Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups spaghetti squash
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 3 oz diced green chiles
- 2 oz fat free feta cheese
- 1 egg
- salt and pepper

Directions: 
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and spray with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients and spoon onto skillet, about 1/3-1/2 cup per pancake. (I also found that it works better if you slightly flatten them out so they are thinner and cook more evenly).  Cook gently until set on one side, about 10 minutes, then turn and finish cooking on the other side.

Clean Eating Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's pie is a traditional Irish meal so when I saw the recipe for it in Clean Eating, I thought it would be perfect for St. Paddy's day dinner! I really like shepherd's pie so I was thrilled to find a healthy version that both Nick and I enjoyed! I was especially impressed with the serving size because oftentimes, I feel like magazines just have really small portion sizes to cut calories rather than having healthy ingredients. This was not the case for this recipe though! I made a couple small changes which are noted below in parentheses.

Shepherd's Pie with Buttermilk-Chive Mashed Potatoes (From Clean Eating)

Ingredients

• 1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces (I didn't peel)
• 1 clove garlic, whole peeled (I used 2)
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
• sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil, to taste (I used about 2 tsp)
• 1 lb lean ground turkey breast (I used half turkey/half 96% lean ground beef)
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 celery stalk, diced (I used 2)
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup frozen peas (I used 3/4 cup)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375F. Bring potatoes and whole garlic cloves to a boil in a pot of water set over high heat. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes, then drain well. Mash potatoes and garlic until smooth. Add buttermilk and chives and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey and cook, stirring often and breaking meat into small pieces. Cook until no pink remains, about 8 minutes. Drain and discard fat; set turkey/beef aside.

Heat 1 tsp oil in skillet over same heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Add cooked turkey, broth and tomato paste and continue to cook until most of liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Stir in peas, transfer mixture to a shallow baking dish and cover with mashed potatoes in an even layer. Bake in oven until filling is bubbling and top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Eggs in the Garden

First, I must give credit to Nick for the name of this "recipe." Isn't he creative? Second, this isn't really much of a recipe and may even seem like a weird combination of things. When describing it to my friend, Liz, she said, "So it's basically breakfast on a pile of vegetables." Yes, that is exactly what it is, but I loved it. Like most of the recipes I post, my inspiration for making it came from reading someone else's blog. This time it was from fellow Nashvillian blogger, Heather. She makes all sorts of healthy concoctions, but I got the idea for my "Eggs in the Garden" from this post and this post. I like eggs and vegetables together but wanted to have a runny yolk so it would be like a sauce for the vegetables. You can use any assortment and amount of vegetables that you like. I used the following...

Ingredients:
* 1 cup  quartered brussel sprouts
* 1/4 cup diced onion
* 1/4 cup shredded carrots
* 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
* 1/4 cup red pepper
* 1 small yellow squash, sliced
* handful spinach
* 1 egg
* 1 slice bacon, chopped
* salt & pepper

Directions:
1. Cook slice of bacon in a medium skillet.
2. Add brussel sprouts, onion, broccoli, pepper to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. After about 3 minutes, add the squash to the pan.
4. Cook until the vegetables start to soften and stir in spinach and shredded carrots until the spinach is wilted.
5. Once vegetables reach desired "doneness," remove from heat.
6. In a separate skillet, cook an egg over easy and sprinkle with salt ant pepper.
7. Put vegetables on a plate and place egg on top. Enjoy!

Roasted brussel sprouts, broccoli, and sausage over rice

Last night's dinner came about after reading this post. It wasn't much of a recipe, but I loved it because it had some of my favorite things all in one dish- broccoli, brussel sprouts, and turkey sausage! I served it over rice which I liked, but it could also work as a salad or maybe a pasta.

Ingredients
Brussel sprouts
Broccoli
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
soy sauce
salt and pepper
3 links spicy Italian turkey sausage
Rice (we used this)
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Cook rice according to package directions.
3. For brussel sprouts, follow these directions.
4. For broccoli, follow these directions.
5. Slice turkey sausage and place in a single layer on a pan. Place in the oven and cook through. (I think ours took about 10-12 minutes).
6. Spoon the rice onto plates, and then top with vegetables and turkey sausage

Real Simple's Cuban Braised Beef

There are three reasons you should make this for dinner:
1. It is so easy, and takes very little "active" prep time!
2. It's tasty!
3. Flank steak is fairly lean and a good source of iron!

This recipe is from Real Simple, and it is just that! I don't cook beef very often at home, but I saw the recipe for Cuban Braised Beef and Peppers and thought it would be a good one to try. I'm glad we did because it turned out great for the little work it required! It also was great as leftovers since it made much more than the 2 of us could eat. I served it over steamed brown rice and with a side of steamed green beans. I made a couple of changes which are shown below. Here is the original.

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 2 red or yellow bell peppers, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 onion, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak (trimmed)
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1/2 avocado, sliced

Directions

1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, oregano, cumin, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Nestle the steak among the vegetables. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
2. Twenty-five minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.
3. Using two forks, shred the beef and mix it into the cooking liquid. Serve with the rice and top with the avocado and cilantro.