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Grilled Chicken with Tomato-Avocado Salad

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Kaitlin

I am in a grilling mood so there is going to be an influx of barbecue recipes on here, I think very few people will complain. We finally have a grill, but haven’t set it up yet (oops) so I am still making this recipe on my grill pan. This is a recipe from Cooking Light in the latest issue. I made a few changes just based on what I could find but the recipe is primarily in tact. Ingredients: 1/4 cup nonfat buttermilk 3 tablespoons 0% Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon minced shallots 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme 1 teaspoon cider vinegar 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 1 large garlic clove, minced 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves Cooking spray 1 teaspoon onion powder 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 2 ears yellow corn, shucked 1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices 1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1 sliced peeled ripe avocado

Mediterranean Chickpea Burger with Ranch Tzatziki & Giveaway!

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Kaitlin

I am so happy that it is finally grilling weather again! There is nothing better than hanging out with friends and family in the back yard, grilling up some burgers, and playing games. Last night I was able to go to my first barbecue of the season and I couldn’t be happier about it. I look forward to many more this summer! I am an unapologetic lover of cheeseburgers. I never get sick of them. But eating a cheeseburger, oh, once a week all summer is not a good habit at all. I’ve stayed away from veggie burgers for the most part because I was never a fan of the texture. But when MorningStar Farms contacted me about their new Veggie Mediterranean Chickpea Burger I was intrigued. There is a vegan pizza place in Philadelphia called Blackbird Pizzeria that has Chickpea Parm that I’m kind of obsessed with, so I was really looking forward to trying a chickpea burger too! The chickpea burgers also have spinach, Roma tomatoes, and Greek herbs and spices mixed in which deliver a ton of flavor without the fat and calories. These burgers are just 110 calories per burger and have 70% less fat than … Continue reading →

Cinco de Mayo Recipe Roundup

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Kaitlin

I have a bit of a taco obsession, partially fueled by Cooking Light’s delicious selection of taco recipes. Because of that, I have almost 10 taco recipes on this blog! With Cinco de Mayo around the corner, I thought it might be helpful to put all of those yummy recipes in one place as well as a few other spins on Mexican favorites. I also included some appetizers that would also be a hit at any party. Click the photos below to go to the recipe! Vegetarian: Seafood: Poultry: Beef: Appetizers:

Seared Scallops and Steak with Manhattan Sauce

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Kaitlin

I tend to make dinner based on what I’m in the mood for and my boyfriend just has to at least pretend to enjoy it. That involves a lot of fish, pasta, and rice which I’m sure can get a bit boring. So I thought it might be nice if I finally made some steak. But, naturally, I still included some scallops, because I’m still the one cooking! This recipe from Rachael Ray is simple, quick, but absolutely delicious. It’s a perfect date night meal. Ingredients (serves 2): Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, plus 1 tablespoon 2 New York Strip Steaks 4 large diver sea scallops Salt and pepper 1 large shallot, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/3 cup sweet vermouth 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 pound asparagus spears, trimmed 1/2 lemon, juiced 1 tablespoon chives

Steak Tacos with Lime Mayo

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Kaitlin

I had corn tortillas left over from making the Fish Tacos with Tomatillo Sauce. I needed another taco recipe that was completely different flavor-wise than the fish tacos, so I went for Cooking Light’s Steak Tacos with Lime Mayo in the May issue. (Note: the May issue has a ton of taco recipes, even a dessert one!) Ingredients: 20 baby sweet peppers Cooking spray 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed 3 tablespoons canola mayonnaise the zest and juice of 1 lime 2 garlic cloves, mined 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas 1/2 cup refrigerated fresh salsa 2 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

Fish Tacos with Tomatillo Sauce

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Kaitlin

I’m having a busy week at work, so I need some quick meals that still taste delicious but I can make in no time. My go-to for quick meals are Cooking Light’s tacos. I don’t know how they do it, but their taco recipes are awesome. Here’s one of their newest, from this month’s issue. Ingredients: 3 garlic cloves 2 medium tomatillos, husked and rinsed 1/2 medium jalapeno pepper 1/2 cup cilantro stems 3 tablespoons canola mayonnaise 1/2 teaspoon sugar 3/8 teaspoon salt, divided 2 cups very thinly sliced red cabbage 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Cooking spray 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Watermelon Feta Salad

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Kaitlin

This weekend, East Passyunk Avenue is hosting “Flavors of the Avenue” this Saturday, an event where 25 restaurants will be handing out samples from their menus. I was given the opportunity to go to a media tasting for this event a few weeks back and have been unable to think about anything else since! I am SO excited for this event! I must not be alone, pre-sale tickets are completely sold out, although some limited tickets will be available at the entrance to the tent on Saturday. During the media tasting, I was able to sample food from 7 of the participating restaurants.

Fizzy Old-Fashioned

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Kaitlin

Last weekend, I had some friends over to celebrate my boyfriend’s birthday. I made a bunch of little bites for everyone to snack on, but I also wanted to offer a cocktail or two for everyone to try. The most recent Cooking Light had this recipe for a Fizzy Old-Fashioned cocktail that sounded like a perfect warm weather drink. The recipe plays off a traditional Old Fashioned (muddled sugar and bitters, bourbon, orange rind) but adds in Blood Orange Soda to give it more flavor and a beautiful color! Ingredients (4 servings): 3/4 cup bourbon The juice of 1 lemon 1/4 teaspoon Peach bitters (or whatever bitters you have) 2 cups chilled blood orange soda (such as San Pellegrino Aranciata Rossa) Ice Garnish: orange rind twists

Vegetable Couscous Salad

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Kaitlin

The weather in Philadelphia decided to take a break from the cold and give us two days of summer! We hit temperatures above 80 degrees so I wanted to prepare a light meal that didn’t involve much time over a stove. This Vegetable Couscous Salad from Cooking Light is perfect for summer dinners. It also travels well, so it would be a great addition to a barbecue, just make it ahead of time and bring it with you! Ingredients: Dressing: 1/3 cup water 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 (.6 ounce envelope Italian dressing mix) or Italian spice blend Salad: 1 1/2 cups water 1 cup uncooked couscous 2 cups chopped red bell pepper (I used two peppers) 2 cups chopped tomato (I used two beefsteak tomatoes) 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions 1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Peeps S’mores

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Kaitlin

Anyone else still have a house full of Peeps? Those poor little marshmallow leftovers are past even their somewhat stale crunchy stage and are just kind of hanging around at this point. So I decided it was about time to put them to good use. S’mores time! Ever since I made the S’mores Milkshakes, I have had S’mores on my mind. So what better way to utilize a house full of sugar coated marshmallows than by making a batch? Ingredients: 2 graham crackers, halved 1 chocolate candy bar, halved 2 Peeps