Jicama Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing ~ Meatless Monday

I've been including jicama in my meals a lot more and have been trying out new ways to serve it. Giving this slightly sweet, delicately crunchy, thoroughly delightful root veggie the Asian treatment is one of my favorite ways of enjoying it. Jicama has such an accommodating flavor and texture, it makes a really versatile additional your veggie lineup. It can be made into the star of a dish, or it can be turned into a background player. Enjoy it at room temp on a veggie tray, as part of a cold salad or in a warm dish, it's all good. I do love a veggie that can play so many different roles with such ease.

To make this  ~ Jicama Salad ~ combine: matchstick slices of peeled jicama, shredded carrots, thin sliced onions rings, diced celery, half-moon slices of radishes and freshly chopped cilantro & parsley. I top it with a quick homemade ~ Spicy Peanut Dressing ~ that includes: peanut butter, toasted sesame oil, Braggs (similar to soy sauce,) a few drops of Sriracha sauce, a couple shakes of Asian spice mix, fresh lime juice and a bit of warm water to help it all combine into a thick-ish pourable dressing. I give it all a healthy toss... and I'm good to go. A quick and easy salad for my lunch or dinner. I've got just one word for it ~ Yum!!

Party Munchies ~ Perfect for New Year's Eve

For my last post of 2013, I've decided to go back and search the blog for some of my favorite appetizers from years past, some tasty goodies that would be right at home at a New Year's Eve party spread.  I just love a get-together with good munchies, especially when some of them are lower in fat, but still full of flavor.  Don't you?  ~~  Happy New Year 2014!!  ~~

1960's Cocktail Party Food ~ Look what's hot in the 60's world of Mad Men!  I made these for my Mad Men Cocktail Party post from back in 2012.  Check out all the hip recipes over on the AMC Mad Men site.

Sausage Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers ~ by baking the poppers & using low fat ingredients, these little gems can be enjoyed anytime!

Fabulous Fat-Free Green Chili Dip ~ gotta love a full flavored  & fat free dip!

Low Fat Cheesy Chili Bean Dip ~ pumpkin puree helps to give this tasty dip an extra boost of veggies, as well as standing in for some of the cheese.

 

Baked Jalapeno Poppers ~ filled with low or fat free cream cheese, wrapped in thin sliced ham, then baked.  They're perfect diet friendly party nibbles.  :)

Carrot Hummus ~ a lower calorie, veggie packed spin on the classic hummus.

Low Carb Bell Pepper 'Mock' Potato Skins & Pizza Bites ~ This is one of my most popular posts, sharing all the goodies I've made from one of the Hungry Girl cookbooks. 

Wishing Everyone a Happy 2014!

Watermelon Salsa

Today, we have been enjoying the first day of Fall.  What a beauty it was!!  The sky was such a lovely shade of blue, the air was crisp, the breeze was light and the temps were mild.  The windows were open to capture the fresh scent of the new season, and I was out and about on the bike path that runs through our little town.  All-in-all, it was a wonderful day.  :)

When I got back from my late afternoon bike ride, I made an unusual,  Watermelon Salsa for a little treat.  I used this recipe from the Eating Well site.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was such an unexpected spin on salsa.  It was really nice with chips, but I think it would be a perfect topping for grilled chicken or pork, too.

Later on, just before the sun was almost ready to set, as I was working on tonight's blog post, I kept hearing the sounds of hot air balloons overhead.  Since we live just a block off the lake, we often see and hear balloons going by in the summer evenings...but this time, they sounded somehow CLOSER.  I glanced out my bedroom window and this time I was almost eye-to-eye with one.  These balloons were REALLY close ~ like not very much higher than our 2-story house ~ close.  I swear I could have almost touched them. (OK, maybe I exaggerate a little bit, but not much!)  So, I had to include the pics of the pretty balloons.  We weren't the only neighbors outside watching the balloons go by...and hoping that they made it over the high power lines.  I'm sure they were up a lot higher than they seemed, but hanging out my upstairs window to take pictures, they seemed not much higher up than I was.  :)   

This shot was taken about 5 minutes after I took the photo above.  The balloon on the far left was the last one to go by; there is another one hiding just out of site behind one of the big trees & the far right balloon was climbing fast.  I'm guessing they were getting down close to the water on the lake & going back up.  Sorta like touch-&-goes.  The way the high power tension lines and the balloons were set up, it looked almost like notes on a page of sheet music.   :)  What a way to usher in the first day of Fall!

Happy Autumn!

Fresh from the Juicer ~ For Your Eyes Only ~ fruit/veggie juice blend & a Quick Hummus using the leftover Juicer Pulp

I love my Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor.  I always have fun when I get out the recipe manual and take it out for a 'spin'.  This juice blend ~ For Your Eyes Only ~ would make a nice start to any morning.  Enjoy! 

For Your Eyes Only
serves one

Ingredients

• 2 carrots
• 1 pear
• 1/2 squash

Directions

Cut veggie/fruits into chunks that will fit into your juicer, shove the chunks down the chute & juice away. 

Serve straight-up or over ice.

For a little extra treat, sometimes I'll use the leftover pulp from the juicer to make a simple dip.  One of my favorites to make is a Quick Hummus with Juicer Pulp.  Super easy to make, all I do is throw into my food processor ~ one can of drained/rinsed garbanzo beans, a spoonful of nut butter, a squeeze of lemon/lime juice, the leftover juicer pulp and some spices/salt/pepper.  Then I ~ give it a whirl, spoon into a bowl, drizzle with a little EVOO, sprinkle on some paprika and serve.  I like to eat it with ~ assorted cut-up veggies, crackers, pita bread or as a sandwich spread.  It's really tasty and full of all the extra good fiber left over from making the juice.  Waste not, want not!

Tofu 'Shrimp Cocktail' with Kale Salad ~ Meatless Monday

I was tinkering around with tofu a while back and came up with a fun, vegetarian version of 'Shrimp Cocktail'.  Super simple to do... I just coarsely mash up a block of drained, extra firm tofu and then ~~ add my favorite spicy cocktail sauce, a little bit of finely minced celery & onion, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, fresh ground pepper and an extra dash of hot sauce.  I like to serve it in a pretty glass with some crackers, just like you would a traditional shrimp cocktail.  (to me, it makes it feel extra special when I serve it like that)  I like to eat it along side a simple kale side salad, and I'm good to go.

I think this would make a great, light Meatless Monday lunch...  Or, maybe even try the Tofu 'Shrimp Cocktail' as an appetizer for your Meatless Monday dinner.  Enjoy!

Vegetarian Low Fat Cheesy Chili Bean Dip ~ Meatless Monday

I always crave warm, chunky Chili Cheese Dip when I'm watching football games.  Since the Superbowl is fast approaching, I decided to see if I could come up with a lower fat option of my old favorite.  I was looking for a satisfying dip that was vegetarian so it could do double duty as a Meatless Monday side dish, too.

While tinkering in the kitchen, I came up with the following recipe ~ Vegetarian Low Fat Cheesy Chili Bean Dip.  Pumpkin puree helps to replace some of the cheese sauce, keeping the dish low fat and also upping the fiber.  Using chili beans in sauce instead of a can of beef chili keeps it vegetarian and mashing them slightly gives it a nice texture.  Serve the dip with your favorite chips or along side a cheese quesadilla as a quick and super tasty snack.  Enjoy!

Vegetarian Low Fat Cheesy Chili Bean Dip
makes a bowlful

Ingredients

• 1 can chili beans in sauce, slightly smashed
• 1/2 can Campbell's Condensed Fiesta Nacho Cheese Soup
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup of your favorite salsa
• 1 Tbsp taco seasoning (or more, to taste)
• optional toppings for garnishing ~ shredded cheese, fat free Greek yogurt/sour cream, chopped cilantro, sliced black olives, etc.

Directions
In a pan, over medium heat, add first 5 ingredients together and stir well.  Continue to heat until warmed throughout, stirring occasionally.  Taste and adjust seasoning in needed. Serve dip warm, with optional toppings if desired.  Try it with your favorite chips or as a topping for cheese quesadillas.

Easy & Tasty Uses for Juicer Pulp...

As I've been making fresh juices with my juicer, I've been left with the remains of the fruit and veggies that have been gone into their creations.  I always like to use up the juicer pulp if I can, it's so full of all that good fiber.  Here are some of the ways that I've been able to enhance a few of the things that we enjoy eating...

Juicer Pulped-Up Orange Marmalade ~ When I make fresh orange juice in the juicer, I make sure to remove the seeds before I throw in the peeled oranges.  I finely chop the orange pulp and mix it into an amount of orange marmalade that I can use-up in a day or two.  We really enjoy the sweet/tart flavor of this pulped-up marmalade.

Juicer Pulped-Up Greek Yogurt ~ When I have a fruit juice combo that seems like it would be good match, I'll stir it into my yogurt, along with some ground flax, honey and walnuts for a bulked-up, satisfying snack.  This one was made with the red grape/lime juice blend ~ Sour Grapes.

Juicer Pulped-Up Salsa ~ To make this quick and tasty salsa, I mix veggie juicer pulp into my favorite salsa.  Super simple way to get more fiber into one of our favorite snacks.  This one was made with the juice blend ~ Healthy Woman.  I've also made it with the juice blend ~ Liquid Fire. 

Juicer Pulped-Up Oatmeal Veggie 'Bisque' Soup ~ I found this recipe for an easy and unique 'bisque' soup for one, using Better Than Bouillon and oatmeal.  I use chicken instead of lobster bouillon and to up the fiber, I add a veggie pulp blend.  This time  I made it with the juicer pulp ~ vitAmin.

Sweet & Spicy Bar Nuts

Sweet & Spicy Bar Nuts ~ a tasty spin on the classic Union Square Cafe's Bar Nuts. 

My friend, Sarah, shared one of her holiday traditions, making bowlfuls of... Union Square Cafe's Bar Nuts!   Easy to make and loved by everyone.  She makes them just a bit different from the original classic recipe and as she says ~ Try them, they're the best! It is the easiest recipe and keeps well in the freezer. 

Here is the original recipe from the Food Network site, for the bar nuts from Union Square Cafe.   Below is Sarah's adapted recipe, tweaked to get it just the way she likes it.  I think that is the best part about making your favorite restaurants recipes at home, tinkering with them to suit your own preferences and making them your own.  : )


Sweet & Spicy Bar Nuts ~ Sarah's adapted version of 
~ Union Square  Cafe's Bar Nuts 
  
Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups (18-ounces) nuts ~ a mix of whole almonds, pecans and cashews (or your own favorite mix of nuts)
• 2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 2 tsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Melt the butter and then toss the nuts with the spice/sugar/rosemary mixture.  Enjoy!

For an extra taste treat, try Sarah's friend's version, too ~ Toast the nuts for a few minutes, add a bit more brown sugar when tossing it all together and then sprinkle even a little more dark brown sugar on top.  It gives the spiced nuts an additional flavor hit of crunchy, brown sugar goodness ~ YUM!

What goes well with some Sweet & Spicy Bar Nuts?  A traditional tray of imported cheeses and crackers!  It's a perfect way to start any party.  Sarah, thanks so much for sharing your recipe and photos ~ it all looks and sounds divine!

 

Baked Mozzarella Bites ~ Meatless Monday

Baked Mozzarella Bites ~ quick, easy & tasty!  The ones that are more yellow have been sprayed with butter flavored cooking spray before baking to give them a more golden 'fried' color.  The upper ones were baked without the spray.  The taste is the same ~ the optional spray is just for looks. 

One of my new favorite appetizers is ~ Baked Mozzarella Bites.   I like using Trader Joe's Soy Cheese, Mozzarella Flavor.  It's outstanding!   I think this would also be good using regular mozzarella cheese, too.  (it might just need a few adjustments in baking time) What a great Happy Hour treat this would be for ~ Meatless Monday!

So simple to do & a lot lower in fat & calories than many recipes I've seen.

Ingredients

Directions

~ cut up a block of soy mozzarella cheese into 1" cubes
~ dunk cubes into some some plain soy milk (or regular milk)
~ then dredge wet cubes in some Italian herb seasoned bread crumbs
~ spray the now bread-crumb-coated bites with some Pam Butter Flavored cooking spray (optional)
~ bake the bites on a parchment paper covered pan/tray, in a 400 degree preheated oven
~ bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until heated through (but not melted into a puddle)

Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce ~ we like Marinara sauce.  Enjoy!

Learn more...

Mini Muffin Frittatas ~ perfect for breakfast or appetizers

Mini Muffin Frittatas ~ Rise & shine!  These little gems are perfect for breakfast or as an appetizer.  Keep some in the fridge or freezer for a quick meal on the run ~ just reheat & serve.

I was feeling like something a little bit different the day I made these ~ Mini Muffin Frittatas.  They were easy to make & J thought they were fun to eat ~ that's always a good thing.  I tweaked this recipe, just a bit to use what I had on hand.  The recipe lends itself to many variations & using low fat cheese is any easy to cut some of the calories.

Having some already made up in the fridge or freezer makes for a quick breakfast on a school day & these would also make good appetizers.  An easy to make food that multi-tasks ~ I like that!   :)

Black Bean Salsa with Sweet Corn

Black Bean Salsa with Sweet Corn ~ Homegrown tomatoes, onion & fresh-from-the field corn (literally from just across the street) make for a perfect way to enjoy the end of summer garden bounty.

The last of our sweet corn is now gone.  We've enjoyed having some of the freshest picked corn available.  I mean, how could it get any fresher?  When it gets handed to you, fresh picked from the stalk, it's awesome!  With this last of the season sweet corn, I made a ~ Black Bean Salsa with Sweet Corn ~ including some homegrown tomatoes and onion, too.  This is the perfect end of summer treat!  If you don't have any fresh sweet corn, just use canned corn, or thawed out frozen corn will work fine, too.  Hope you are enjoying these last few days of summer as much as we are!


Black Bean Salsa with Sweet Corn
makes a bowlful

Ingredients

• 1 cup lightly cooked sweet corn kernels 
• 1 can black beans ~ drained & rinsed
• 1 cup fresh chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1/2 jalapeno, minced ~ or more, to taste (optional)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
• 2 tsp cumin
• salt & pepper, to taste

 

Directions 
 
Quickly cook a few fresh ears of corn, in boiling water & cut the kernels off.  Allow to cool while assembling all the other ingredients. 

Mix together all of the above, in a large bowl,  when the corn has cooled.  For best flavor, allow the salsa to marinate in the fridge, for at least an hour or overnight.  (but, if you just can't wait, have at it :)  Serve with your favorite chips.  Enjoy!

Sausage Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers, Coconut Water Martini & Mocktails ~ It's Tropical Cocktail Time!

Labor Day Weekend is almost here & for me, that's the 'official' end of summer.  Summer begins & ends with holiday weekends ~ Memorial Day is the beginning of summer & Labor Day is the end of summer. 

Some of the things I always enjoy making during the summer are cool drinks that give off a tropical vibe ~ cocktails for the over 21 crowd, as well as ones that the kids can enjoy, too.  Coconut Water Martinis & Coconut Water Mocktails fall right into that category.  I also like to make easy to eat-with-your-fingers types of appetizers. (aka ~ hors d'oeuvres ~ if you're feeling a bit fancy & French :)  Of course, salsa is always high on my list ~ as well as jalapeño poppers.

My neighbors, Bill & Cheryl, shared some of their Sausage Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers with us not long ago & I just had to make some for myself.  My spin is baked in the oven, instead of cooked on the BBQ & I used lower fat ingredients, but the flavors are the same.  I just love this unusual flavor combo in the ever popular jalapeño popper!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Happy End of Summer!

Happy Tropical Cocktail Time ~ It's always 5 o'clock somewhere!

Baked Sausage Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers ~ Low-Fat

makes 12 tasty, spicy morsels

Ready to bake...

• 6 large jalapeños ~ sliced in half length ways, seeds/veins removed
• 4 oz low-fat or fat-free cream cheese
• couple drops of liquid smoke ~ or more, to taste
  
• 5 cooked turkey sausage breakfast links, crumbled
• smoked paprika, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

Combine the cream cheese of choice with the liquid smoke until fully combined & creamy, taste & add more liquid smoke if desired.  Add the cooked & crumbled turkey sausage to the cream cheese & blend all together.

Spread the cream cheese mixture into the halved jalapeños, then sprinkle with smoked paprika. 

Bake on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes, or until done.  Enjoy!

OPTIONAL VEGETARIAN VERSION ~ Just replace the turkey sausage with soy sausage

To see my other recipe for Low-Fat Baked Jalapeño Poppers ~ click here!

Coconut Water Martini

Coconut Water Martini ~ Ahhh, the taste of the tropics!

• one shot    Malibu Coconut Rum
• one shot    Vodka
• one shot    Badia Coconut Water with Pulp

 How do I enjoy this tropical cocktail?  ~ Shaken, not stirred, of course!

Coconut Water Mocktail ~ perfect for everyone

Coconut Water Mocktail ~ Great for kids & grown-ups alike. For the simplest mocktail ever, pour well chilled coconut water over ice, into a pretty glass.

• Badia Coconut Water with Pulp

• Optional ~ a splash of ~ French Vanilla Coffee Creamer
• ice

If you want a frozen version, pour the coconut water into the blender, add a couple of ice cubes & a splash of French Vanilla Coffee Creamer.  Whirl away until frosty.  Enjoy!

This canned coconut water is lightly sweet, has a nice coconut flavor & has bits of coconut pulp floating around in it.  It's amazingly good!   I find this brand (Badia) over in the ethnic Mexican food section of my market.   This stuff is hands down my favorite sweetened drink in a can!   :)

Salsa

JR's Tex-Mex RO*TEL Salsa ~ Just had to share this salsa again.  It's so freakin' good & so simple to prepare.  It's perfect for a summer party or just 'cause you're in the mood for some good, traditional Mexican flavored salsa.  I just love it!  Check out the post ~ for the recipe.

Easy Homemade Fresh Tomato Chutney ~ served on Grilled Bread with Ricotta Cheese & Honey

Easy Homemade Fresh Tomato Chutney ~ served on Grilled Bread with Ricotta Cheese & Honey.  This recipe from ~ Ladies Home Journal ~ is so tasty!  It's such an easy way to showcase the fresh tomatoes of summer.

With all of the homegrown tomatoes that my neighbors, Bill & Cheryl, have so kindly shared with us, I've been on the lookout for unusual recipes to use all the different tomatoes in.   (see my recent post using some of the green tomatoes they gave me ~ here)

After looking around, I found a bunch of recipes in the Aug. 2012 issue of ~ Ladies Home Journal ~ that featured fresh summer tomatoes.  After reading the article & seeing the pictures, I decided I just had to try the recipe for ~ Tomato Chutney with Grilled Bread.

It's a sweet & slightly spicy tomato chutney.  It's perfect with the grilled bread, ricotta cheese & drizzle of honey that the recipe calls for.  But, I think it would be just as good served alone on a regular slice of crusty bread, or when served along side some grilled chicken/steak & maybe even tossed in as part of a pasta salad.  If you don't like the tomato skins in the chutney, just peel to tomatoes & then follow the recipe.  This is my new fall-back recipe to use when I've got some tomatoes that are past their prime, but are still good to eat.  I love having good, basic recipes up my sleeve! (just not smeared all over my sleeve ~ haha)

Thanks for all the red & green tomatoes, Neighbors!  I'm just about out... Care to share a few more?  heehee  :)

Ploughman's Lunch ~ how to enjoy a traditional Pub Lunch at home

Ploughman's Lunch ~ You can create this traditional pub grub meal, no matter where you are.  It's so quick & easy to make at home, so enjoy it today, whatever side of the pond you happen to be on. :)

Now that the Olympics are underway in England ~ millions of people, from all over the world, are watching their favorite sporting events today.  Some people are taking part in all of the excitement from the actual Olympic venues, some from the comfort of their homes and some with the camaraderie of friends & acquaintances at their favorite bars or pubs.  For the next two weeks, all eyes will be on London.

Even though we are over on this side of the pond, today I want to enjoy a meal like I would get in a traditional English pub.  We might not actually be in England with Roy's family, but at least we can eat & drink like we're there with them.

As I was deciding what to make today, I couldn't think of a more authentic British pub meal then a ~ Ploughman's Lunch.  In my opinion, this is the ultimate pub grub.  I enjoyed my first Ploughman's Lunch while on my honeymoon in England.  All of Roy's family went with us to a country pub, somewhere in Kent.  We ate, drank & chatted ~ I was completely smitten with hanging out at an English pub, so very different than going to a bar or pub here in the US.  This casual, tasty meal was just perfect for enjoying while hanging out with family & friends at the pub ~ it's easy to eat while you're chatting, it's easy to share & you don't have to worry about your food getting cold if you want to go & get another beer from the pub landlord (aka barkeep/owner).  Like I said, perfect pub grub.

I've thrown together a platter full of all the foods that make us happy & you can make this today, too.  Just load up a platter full of ~ a loaf of crusty bread/butter, sliced ham, your favorite cheeses (including a good English cheddar if you can find it), Branston Pickle (I LOVE this stuff, or add your favorite chutney or pickled veggies), sliced apples, celery, tomatoes, green onion, hard boiled eggs & whatever else that strikes your fancy.  So, here's what we'll be eating today as we watch all the different sporting events & cheer on the athletes as they try to bring home the gold.  Ready yet, for your Ploughman's Lunch platter & a pint of your favorite English brew?  Yeah, me too!