Orange, Walnut & Gorgonzola Mixed Greens Salad

Well, I'm back in my apartment in Utah now- back to my small kitchen and broken dishwasher- yep it leaked ALL over the kitchen floor today and needs to be fixed- so I will probably be cooking a little less.  Don't get me wrong, though- I will not revert to frozen "Lean Cuisines," Top Ramen, or even PB&J for every meal.... okay so maybe PB&J every once in a while...  :) but since I am only cooking for myself now, my cooking will be a lot simpler, easier, and quicker to fit my busy lifestyle!

However, I do still have some recipes from back home this summer when I cooked with my Mom almost every night for our family.  Good times that I will surely miss this coming semester. 

This salad screams summertime (whoa, way to alliterate!) and was absolutely delicious!  It's from allrecipes.com.  You must make the homemade citrus vinaigrette, though- it's super simple and really ties all of the flavors together!  

The only difference I'd make is to chop the onions into smaller pieces rather than slices so that they are not so over-powering.  I also carmelized the walnuts with a bit of sugar  which was very yummy!   This is definitely going to be one of my go-to recipes.

• 
  
• Orange, Walnut & Gorgonzola Mixed Greens Salad
• 
  
• 3/4 cup walnut halves
• 10 ounces mixed salad greens with arugula
• 2 large navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
• 1/2 cup sliced or chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1. Place the walnuts in a skillet over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly browned.
2. In a large bowl, toss the toasted walnuts, salad greens, oranges, and red onion.
3. In a large jar with a lid, mix the olive oil, vegetable oil, orange juice, sugar, vinegar, mustard, oregano, and pepper. Seal jar, and shake to mix.
4. Divide the salad greens mixture into individual servings. To serve, sprinkle with Gorgonzola cheese, and drizzle with the dressing mixture.

Makes 6 servings

Nutrition (per serving):  368 calories, 30.1g fat, 8mg cholesterol

Blackberry Peach Crisp

Oh my goodness.  THIS IS SO GOOD!

One of my favorite desserts EVER is my Mom's famous Apple Crisp- it's  brown sugary-buttery-cinnamony goodness is perfect in the fall and is oh so delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  

I was a little skeptical about making a crisp with not apples, but rather blackberries and peaches.  Do these even go together?  

Oh yes they do.  A match made in heaven.  The best part about this recipe is that it is my OWN!  I got inspiration from allrecipes.com- a peach/blackberry cobbler but I instead wanted to use the crumb topping from my mom's apple crisp.  I made a few changes though,  so I can officially, definitely say that this is my first recipe! I feel so accomplished :)

I quote my Grandparents when I say that this is "the best dessert I've ever had."  Definitely not a guilt-free splurge by any means, but surely one worth indulging in.  

I can't wait to make it again!  

Blackberry Peach Crisp

8 cups chopped peeled peaches (about 4 pounds)

3 cups blackberries (I used fresh)

1/4 cup flour

sugar for sprinkling

4 cups quick rolled oats

4 cups packed brown sugar

2 cups flour

4 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 cups butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine peaches, blackberries, and 1/4 cup flour in large bowl.  Toss until well combined. Pour into 9x13 pan and sprinkle with sugar.  In another very large bowl, mix oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter together with hands until crumbly.  Pour over fruit. (This crumb topping is doubled so it is very likely you will have extra)  Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.  Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping, if desired. 

Baked Lasagna x2

My great-grandfather was an Italian chef, so sometimes I like to think that I inherited my love of cooking and all things with garlic, tomato sauce, and noodles, from him.

That would make sense, right? I mean, the tradition of cooking has kind of been passed down through my grandmother, who had an immense love for gardening and cooking, to my mother, who I am quite used to finding in the kitchen, and finally to me.  

(And I shouldn't forget my little sister, I can already tell she will be quite the cook someday; she is already constantly in the kitchen making new things, and she's only 13.)

Apparently, my grandfather was a firm believer in MORE garlic.  More is always better.  So feel free to add a couple more cloves to this recipe; it definitely would not inhibit its fabulousness.  :)

The original recipe, a family favorite, calls for full-fat ingredients, which definitely yields the richest flavor, but in parentheses I put alternatives that I used this time around.  The taste was hardly compromised with the healthier version.  

YUM.

Baked Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef or sausage (or extra-lean ground beef or turkey)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. parsley flakes

1 tsp. salt

1 (1 lb.) can tomatoes (2 cups)

2 (6-oz.) cans tomato paste

10 oz. lasagna noodles

3 cups creamy cottage cheese (or reduced-fat cottage cheese)

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. parsley flakes

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese (or reduced-fat Parmesan)

1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, sliced thin (2% skim pre-sliced works great)

Brown meat slowly, spoon off fat.  Add garlic, parsley, salt, tomatoes, and tomato paste, simmer uncovered 30 minutes.  Cook noodles until tender, drain, rinse in cold water.  Combine cottage cheese with eggs and seasonings.  Spread 1/2 noodles in 9x13x2 pan, spread 1/2 cottage cheese mixture, 1/2 Mozzarella cheese and 1/2 meat sauce; repeat layers and garnish with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.  Let stand 10-15 minutes to set before cutting.  

Serves 12.

Healthy Meal/Snack Ideas

Well, it has been a while since I last posted.  My time was well-spent, however, in beautiful Utah, sunny Las Vegas, and then rainy Flagstaff, Arizona over the past week and a half.

I met my cheer team in Utah on the 23rd for practice, and then we left that next Monday to leave for cheer camp in Vegas.  Practices were very long and camp was pretty strenuous, but we came out alright; we won a gold bid to the NCA cheerleading Nationals competition next April- basically they will PAY US ($25,000) to go to Nationals and compete!

After I got back, I left the very next day to go to the cinders by Sunset Crater, just outside of Flagstaff, Arizona to camp out and ride quads/motor vehicles with the family.  It was a blast!

But, back to more serious matters; my new goal is to eat REALLY well these next couple of weeks before I go back to Utah for yet more cheer practice.  I have to.  I will.  This blog could even possibly become my food journal, just to keep me on track.  Just saying.

I ate pretty well today; here are the things I ate that I would recommend as healthy meals/snacks.

BREAKFAST:

I had a bowl of the new Banana Walnut "Hearty Medleys" oatmeal from Quaker with a packet of Splenda sweetener and half of a banana's worth of slices.  

It was really delicious, but my only complaint is that these oatmeal packets are extremely small!  You only use 1/3 cup of water to make it, as opposed to 2/3 cup for most Quaker oatmeal packets, yet both have about the same calories.  Hence, I was a little disappointed.

LUNCH:

I love eating eggs for lunch!  This was an Egg Beaters scramble I came up with that was super easy and really good.

Turkey & Tomato Egg-Beaters Scramble 

1/2 c. liquid egg substitute, such as Egg-Beaters

1/2 medium tomato, chopped

4-5 slices turkey breast, chopped

1/4 c. fat-free cheddar cheese, shredded

salt and pepper to taste

Spray a medium skillet with nonstick cooking spray.  Heat to medium heat.  Add egg substitute and let set for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Add tomato and turkey, and scramble until mostly cooked.  Add cheese, salt, and pepper, and continue to scramble until fully cooked.

Makes 1 serving

Nutrition:  approx. 165 calories 

SNACK:

PRETZELS & PEANUT BUTTER!

This is so delicious, and healthy too, if portions are kept under control.

STRAWBERRIES & VANILLA ALMOND BREEZE

I love this brand of Almond milk; it's really tasty and only 40 calories per cup! It makes a great substitution for milk for those who are lactose-intolerant.  It is not soy milk, either, although the taste is similar.  I prefer Almond Breeze to soy milk though!

This was the first time I tried strawberries & "milk" (I had heard it done before!) and I really loved it!!

Healthy Strawberry-Peach Trifle

Yeah, yeah, I know- trifles are supposed to be layered in a large, pretty glass bowl through which you can see all of the differing fruit, pudding, and cake layers.  That was my intention.  

But, sadly, I do not currently own a trifle bowl/glass/container!  :(  But I decided that I did not want this to stop me from trying out this recipe.  And I am sure glad that it didn't!  Even though I couldn't see all the layers from the outside of the bowl, it looked pretty when dished into individual servings.

The preparation is really easy, it basically consists of making the pudding/Cool Whip mixture, slicing the fruit, and cutting up the angel food cake.  (P.S. it is MUCH easier to just buy a pre-made angel food cake than to make one)

This is a light, summery dessert that was really delicious!  It's best to eat right away though; if you let it sit in the fridge for too long the cake pieces will soak up the pudding mixture and get a little soggy.

And on my to-buy list= a trifle glass!

"Healthified" Strawberry-Peach Trifle

1	box (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
2	cups fat-free (skim) milk
2	cups frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
1/2	cup peach preserves
1/2	cup amaretto or orange juice
8	cups cubed (1-inch) angel food cake (10 to 12 oz)
3	cups sliced fresh strawberries
3	medium peaches or nectarines, peeled, sliced, or 2 cups frozen sliced peaches, thawed
1/4	cup sliced almonds, toasted*

1.	In large bowl, make pudding mix as directed on box for pudding using 2 cups milk. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Gently stir in whipped topping until blended.
2.	Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix preserves and amaretto until blended.
3.	In 3- to 4-quart trifle bowl or clear glass bowl, arrange half of the cake cubes. Top with half of the strawberries and peaches. Drizzle with half of the preserves mixture. Spoon and spread half of pudding mixture over fruit. Repeat layers, ending with pudding. Sprinkle almonds over top. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate no longer than 8 hours. Makes 16 (3/4 cup) servings Nutrition: 180 calories, 1.5g fat, 240 mg sodium, 36g carbohydrate, 3g protein

Greek Chicken and Barley Salad

I personally think that the coloring of a food or recipe is really important to its appeal.  And, personally, this salad hits the mark, wouldn't ya say?

I've never made a "greek" recipe before, and to be honest the thought kind of intimidated me.  Kind of.  Not the THOUGHT of greek food; because that I love- pitas, hummus, olives, tomatoes... all are very delicious.  I've also never cooked barley, but the barley in this recipe is the shining star!  It's cooked in chicken broth so it has a warm, but mild flavor, and when combined with all of the other ingredients, its nothing short of fabulous! 

This recipe was a Family Dinner Grand Prize Winner this year on www.myrecipes.com! Woo! 

Greek Chicken and Barley Salad

• SALAD:
• 2  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/8  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1  teaspoon  olive oil
• 4  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1  cup  uncooked pearl barley
• 2  cups  cubed seeded cucumber
• 1  cup  grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2  cup  cubed yellow bell pepper
• 1/3  cup  reduced-fat feta cheese
• 1/4  cup  chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 
  DRESSING:
• 3  tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil
• 1  teaspoon  grated lemon rind
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh basil
• 1  teaspoon  minced fresh thyme
• 1  teaspoon  red wine vinegar
• 1/2  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 3  garlic cloves, minced

Preparation

1. To prepare salad, sprinkle chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Add 1 cup broth; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until done. Cool; shred chicken. Discard broth.

2. Bring 3 cups broth to a boil in a large saucepan; add barley. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Cool. Combine chicken, barley, cucumber, and next 4 ingredients (through olives) in a large bowl.

3. To prepare dressing, combine 3 tablespoons oil, rind, and remaining ingredients; stir well. Add to barley mixture; toss well. Cover and chill.

Makes 8 servings (serving size= 1 cup)

Nutrition: 230 calories, 9.8g fat, 18g protein, 18.3g carbohydrate, 3.2g fiber, 38 mg cholesterol

Blueberry-Coconut Macadamia Muffins

I personally really like this picture.  I think it is very pretty, and I'm kinda, semi-proud of myself, considering my lack of photography experience/skills.  I've still got a ways to go, but I'll get there one way or another.  Eventually.

I also personally really liked these muffins.  They are healthy-for-you muffins that don't sacrifice any of the dense, cake-y, blueberry muffin goodness!  

The ingredients are wholesome- whole wheat flour, blueberries, honey, nuts- you definitely don't feel guilty after one... or two... of these! :)

The only thing that needs to be said is... these are naturally sweetened, unlike store-bought versions that have sugar listed as the first ingredient, and therefore I think they definitely need the honey drizzled on the top, like the recipe suggests.  Mmm mmmmm!!

Blueberry-Coconut Macadamia Muffins

• 1/4 cup coconut
• 2 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup brown sugar, divided
• 5 tablespoons chopped macadamia nuts, divided
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (see Source) or whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• 3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut or vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine coconut, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 2 tablespoons macadamia nuts in a small bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil; stir to combine. Set aside.
3. Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, egg, egg white, buttermilk, butter and coconut (or vanilla) extract in a medium bowl until well combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients; stir until just combined. Add blueberries and the remaining 3 tablespoons nuts; stir just to combine. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with the reserved coconut topping and gently press into the batter.
4. Bake the muffins until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack at least 5 minutes more before serving.

Nutrition:  202 calories (each), 9g fat (3g saturated), 23 mg cholesterol, 28g carbs, 4g protein, 2g fiber, 122 mg sodium, 55 mg potassium