Eat Skinny Be Skinny: Walnut Crusted Salmon
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Anyone else feel like this during the holidays?
I don’t know about ya’ll, but December is my busiest month of the year, for personal life and for work. I have about 1,000 things going on at every second so by the time I get home around 6, the last thing I want to do is stress about what we are having for dinner! So lately I’ve been keen on finding dishes I can make with less than 6 ingredients, most of which can be found somewhere in my pantry! During the holiday season, I’m all about budget friendly AND efficient! [Plus healthy, of course!] Since I’m growing VERY weary of chicken, I’m trying to spice up my protein choices with more fish options. Fish is not only light, but very easy to cook and goes well with just about anything! If you are a fish person and are looking for a quick dinner, you’ll LOVE this walnut-crusted salmon. It’s VERY easy and cheap to make, and is perfect alongside asparagus, mashed potatoes or brussel sprouts!
Walnut Crusted Salmon
What You’ll Need:
- 1/2 cup California walnuts
- 1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon lemon rind, finely grated
- 1-1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 salmon filets, skin on
- Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
How To Make It:
- Mix walnuts, bread crumbs, lemon rind and olive oil until crumbly. Mixture should stick together. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.
- Arrange salmon fillets skin side down on foil and a baking sheet; brush tops with mustard. Spoon half of walnut crumb mixture over each fillet; gently press the crumb mixture into the surface of the fish. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until salmon is flakey. Just before serving, sprinkle each with 1 tsp lemon juice.
Nutritional information per salmon fillet: 300 calories and 15 grams of fat.
Eat Skinny Be Skinny: Pumpkin Chip Cookies
…and I’m back!! I know, I’ve been MIA since Thanksgiving. I’m sorry, with a jam-packed schedule while in Charleston, I just haven’t had time to write. I promise, it won’t happen again! But I couldn’t have picked a better time to write my first post back from the holiday. As I was catching up on my twitter feed, I noticed that my idol, The Pioneer Woman, was tweeting a lot with the hashtag #cookieweek. After doing some stalking, I found that some of my favorite other foodies were also posting delicious cookie recipes! So, thank you Pioneer Woman, because I needed a great lead in for these delicious cookies I made last week! This brainchild was a result of a leftover can of pumpkin and an insatiable craving for chocolate chip cookies. And the result? AH-MAZING. The pumpkin gives each cookie a soft, moist texture and the chocolate adds just the right amount of decadent sweetness. Another amazing thing about these cookies, besides the taste? I made them on Wednesday and they are still just as moist today as they were then. This is my definite new go-to cookie! Recipe can make up to 36 cookies, depending on size.
Pumpkin Chip Cookies
What You’ll Need:
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
How To Make Them:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg.
- In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt.
- Mix the baking soda with the milk and add to the flour. Add pumpkin mix to the flour mix and stir well.
- Stir in vanilla and chocolate chips. [This was the hardest part, mainly because I had to do it super fast b/c Elliot kept eating all the chocolate chips!]
- Drop spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet and bake until cookies are browned and firm.
Nutritional Information per cookie: 125 calories, 8 grams of fat and 3.1 grams of protein.
Eat Skinny Be Skinny Thanksgiving Desserts Part 1: Apple Cherry Pie
[Cartoon via]
First things first, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! I hope you are all enjoying the extra day off work and are having fun with the ones you love! Now, before you start stuffing yourself with turkey and all of the trimmings, remember to give thanks for every blessing in your life. This holiday may be best known for the food, but the real reason behind it is to celebrate all of the people and opportunities in your life that you are thankful for. I know I’m thankful for the world’s most amazing family, a hilarious group of friends, a loving and supporting fiance, a furry little child, good health, fantastic readers and fans and having a great job! [That keeps me outfitted in my favorite brands!].
Now, onto the desserts! My family is a “desserts first” kind of family so today’s posts are all about the sweet stuff, starting with a delicious variety of the apple pie. Pie is a Thanksgiving institution, with apple and pumpkin dominating the dessert table. However, as a cherry kind of girl, I wanted to make something using these tangy sweet little fruits. So I took a light apple pie recipe and cut the apples in half and added 12 ounces of cherries! The result? A delicious and sweet apple cherry pie! It’s not overly sweet like the standard cherry pie and the oatmeal streusel topping adds a delicious, crunchy texture. This pie will definitely be a new staple at my Thanksgiving table ! Oh, and even better news? It has 150 less calories and 10 less grams of fat than the standard apple pie!
Apple Cherry Pie
What You’ll Need for the Crust:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 tablespoons ice water
How to Make It:
- Whisk 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
- Cut in 4 tablespoons butter and cream cheese using a fork until the mixture is crumbly.
- Add oil; stir until evenly moistened. Sprinkle water over the mixture; toss with a fork to combine.
- Knead the dough in the bowl a few times. Gather into a ball, press into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- After dough has hardened, roll the dough into a 14-inch circle onto of wax paper, adding flour to the rolling pin and the dough to avoid sticking.
- Peel off the top sheet and place into a 9-inch pie pan. Press the dough firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Tuck the overhanging dough under, forming a double-thick edge. Using a fork, prick the dough around the sides and crimp the top with your fingers. Refrigerate again for another 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before you fill with filling.
What You’ll Need for the Filling:
- 3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- 12 ounces of fresh, pitless cherries
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
How to Make the Filling:
- Combine apples and cherries [cut in halves], 1/2 cup brown sugar, lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a large bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour over the apples and toss again; mound the filling into the cooled crust.
- Coat the crust edges with cooking spray and bake pie for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare topping.
What You’ll Need for the Topping:
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
How to Make the Topping:
- Combine 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour, oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl.
- Cut in butter with a fork.
- Stir in orange juice concentrate and nuts.
- Scatter the topping over the apples.
- Return it to the oven and bake until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges, 20 minutes more. Cool for an hour before cutting. [Ps. I suck at cutting pies, that’s why the below picture looks more like jumble! Either way, it was tasty!]
Nutritional Information per 1/8th slice: 340 calories, 13 grams of fat, 4 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber.
Eat Skinny Be Skinny Thanksgiving Sides Part 3: Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes
This dish is almost too good for words. After I took a bite of these potatoes, just a few moments ago, I literally said “OMG!” out loud, causing my fiancé to get a little nervous. But I couldn’t help it, these potatoes are out of this world amazing. If you aren’t a mashed sweet potato person or aren’t a huge fan of their natural flavor, this side dish is perfect for you. The maple syrup and butter give these potatoes a dessert like quality and the roasting give them a melt in your mouth like texture. Serve these hot right out of the oven for a perfect, sweet side dish at your Thanksgiving meal!
Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes
What You’ll Need:
- 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice [optional]
How to Make Them:
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Arrange sweet potatoes in an even layer in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish.
- Combine maple syrup, butter, salt and pepper in small bowl. [Add lemon juice here if you use it].
- Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes and toss them until they are coated.
- Cover and bake the sweet potatoes for 15 minutes. Uncover and stir every 15 minutes, until tender, 30-45 minutes more.
Nutritional Information per 1/2 cup: 96 calories, 2 grams of fat, 1 gram of protein and 2 grams of fiber.
Eat Skinny Be Skinny Thanksgiving Sides Part 3: Lemon & Parmesan Asparagus
I’m a veggie addict, I’m not ashamed to admit. And every Thanksgiving, I always notice that there are never enough veggie options! Sure there is always a salad, a potato and a standard green [beans, peas, etc], but I need more to satisfy my green tooth [not literal, obviously, my vegetable craving]. So this year, I’ve making four delicious and different vegetable options to add some color and variety to your Thanksgiving plate! To go alongside your stuffing, mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts, serve this delectable and super easy asparagus dish. It’ll turn even the most anti-veggie people into full fledged vegetable affectionados! [Or just cause them to hate asparagus a little less, either way a victory!] I love how the lemon and wine give this dish a light and zesty flavor!
Lemon & Parmesan Asparagus
What You’ll Need:
- 15-25 asparagus spears
- 1/4 cup shredded or grated parmasean
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1.5 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon crushed whole wheat crackers [optional. I didn’t use them!]
How To Make It:
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Mix in onion and garlic, and season with salt, pepper, and pepper. [Don’t mind the pan, again!] Cook until tender, stirring occasionally.
- Place asparagus in the skillet, and cook 10-15 minutes until tender, turning occasionally to coat with seasonings.
- Reduce heat to low and sprinkle wine and remaining lemon juice into the skillet, and scrape up any browned bits. Cook until wine is absorbed [about 2 minutes].
- Transfer asparagus to a shallow dish and cover with the remaining mixture in skillet. Dust evenly with Parmesan cheese.
Nutritional Information per serving [5 stalks]: 123 calories and 8 grams of fat.
