Category Archives: Healthy

Honey Mustard Dressing

Healthy, Recipes, Salads, , , , , ,

southwest saladI love homemade salad dressings and I am here to tell you, it is so easy and no big deal to make your own homemade dressing.  Most will keep for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator and when you make it yourself it isn’t going to include all kinds of weird chemical ingredients that you cannot pronounce!

This is one of my favorites.  Feel free to work with it a bit.  Maybe you like a little more mustard, or a little more cumin.  Whatever.  Make the recipe as is, then add a little more of whatever you fancy!  I love making and keeping my dressings in mason jars.  It’s the best way to really bring it together and makes it easy to use it the 2nd and 3rd time. Continue reading Honey Mustard Dressing →

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Healthy, Recipes, Salads, , , , , ,

strawberry spinach salad

One of my all time favorite salads.  I make this as soon as I get spring fever and there are decent strawberries out.  It’s best in June when Wilson’s has their own strawberries out but it still tastes damn good in April when I am done with winter stews and looking for fresh spring tastes!

The Poppy seed dressing will stay in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, so make it a few times 🙂 Continue reading Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing →

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken, Healthy, Main, Make Ahead, Recipes, , , ,

chicken enchiladas

This recipe is an oldie but a goodie.  It is super easy to make and the sauce tastes really rich and creamy but it’s still light from just using low-fat cream cheese.   I will make this the day ahead when I know it will be a busy day and just pop it in the oven for a quick dinner.  Add a salad and you are good to go.  The leftovers are great too (if you have any) 🙂 Continue reading Chicken Enchiladas →

Fusilli with Sun-dried Tomatoes & Chicken

Chicken, Healthy, Main, Pasta, Recipes, , , ,

fusilli with sundried tomatoes and chicken

I have a secret……..I have a new love in my life….De Cecco pasta.  Any kind.  OMG.  Yes, it’s that good.  I tried it last week for the first time, spaghetti.  It was life changing.  Serious.  If you had told me before a brand of dried pasta could totally make the difference I would believe you..to a point.  However, this De Cecco cooks absolutely perfect, the texture is amazing.  It is imported from Italy and just amazing.  I used to be a Barilla fan, but no more, De Cecco all the way for me now!!

This is a great recipe, if you like sun dried tomatoes, I highly encourage you to make this! Continue reading Fusilli with Sun-dried Tomatoes & Chicken →

Cajun Chicken Sandwich with Chipotle Mayo

Chicken, Healthy, Main, Recipes, Sandwiches, , ,

cajun chicken sandwich

There is nothing like a great sandwich.  The secret to a great sandwich is the right bread (and not too much of it) a great sauce and a mix of textures, fresh and warm, soft and crunchy etc.  I made cajun chicken for a salad Monday and Brian fell in love with the cajun chicken and then I thought that will make a great sandwich but what would be a good sauce and then I thought chipotle mayo (a FANTASTIC condiment :)).  This is a super quick weeknight dinner.  Enjoy!!! Continue reading Cajun Chicken Sandwich with Chipotle Mayo →

Fresh Tomato Pasta with Chicken

Chicken, Healthy, Main, Pasta, Recipes, , ,

fresh tomato pastaThis is one of my top 3 favorite pasta dishes.  Very simple and sooooooo good!!!  I call it fresh tomato pasta because you are cooking the tomatoes very briefly, 10 minutes so they still have that fresh taste.  They cook long enough to break down some of the juices and the fresh tomato juices make the sauce.  Adding a little pasta water at the end holds the sauce together.

You can skip the chicken, or substitute shrimp instead.   This is also really good with grape or cherry tomatoes.  Enjoy! Continue reading Fresh Tomato Pasta with Chicken →

Jalapeno Poppers

Appetizers, Healthy, Recipes, , , ,

jalapeno poppersThese are the simplest, easiest, tastiest and pretty healthy snack!  I got the recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks.  I skinnied it up by subbing low-fat cream cheese for full fat and center cut bacon for regular (as well as just putting the bacon on top instead of wrapping all the way around).   Now you can take the calories you saved and drink a Margarita with it! Continue reading Jalapeno Poppers →

Orecchiette with Sausage & Zucchini

Chicken, Healthy, Main, Pasta, Recipes, , , ,

pasta with sausage and zucchini First, I have to say, this tastes better than the picture shows. The colors look a little bland here once the zucchini and squash cook, don’t be fooled.  This is a delicious healthy pasta dish!  It is inspired by a dish I had in Rome.  Mama mia it was good!  In Rome I am sure it wasn’t chicken sausage, but I like to use the chicken sausage as I think it has great flavor.  Feel free to use whatever sausage you like.

The key to this dish is to undercook the pasta, so that  you finish it in the pan with the sauce (or “condimento” as Mario Batali always says!).  This allows the orrechiette to soak up all the flavors, oh yeah! Continue reading Orecchiette with Sausage & Zucchini →

Japanese Ginger Dressing Salad

Healthy, Recipes, Salads, , , ,

salad with ginger dressing

You know the delicious salad dressing you get on the salad at your local Japanese steak house?  This tastes just like it but you can make it at home.  There are quite a few ingredients and you can work with it.  For example, the lemon is a nice touch but not necessary.  This makes a big batch that will keep up to a week in the refridgerator.  It’s a nice twist on your normal salad.  I like to have this with Potstickers for a fun weeknight dinner. Continue reading Japanese Ginger Dressing Salad →

Salad with Soy Dressing & Prosciutto

Appetizers, Healthy, Recipes, Salads

salad with soy

This is Bill’s all time favorite salad.  I made it for him when we first started dating.  I used to make it all the time and then frankly, I forgot about it.  When planning our Valentine’s menu, I was trying to think of a light salad to have and remembered this.  Let’s say it was well received by my Valentine 🙂

The salty prosciutto and dressing goes really well with the lettuces.  Make sure you lightly dress the salad, a little of this dressing goes a long way! Continue reading Salad with Soy Dressing & Prosciutto →