Artichoke, Spinach & Bacon Orzo Salad
PIN IT!Another salad, hurrah! I was going to share a photo essay of my trip to the Philippines today but my 2500 dollar computer decided it didn’t want to import any more photos. Oh and the ones it did? Turn black when I click on them. They are fine on the screen, but then black when I click them? I want to throw this out the window. Dear Apple, if you are going to make a computer cost as much as a mortgage, do me a faves and give it more than 2GB of disc space. Because the people that buy your computers are artsy fartsy types like me who take 15000 photos for a living. So, THANKS. I just ordered a 1TB hardrive that should hold me over until my next trip though. I kid, but then again, I did take 1500 photos in a week. So, there’s that. Since my gadgets are actin’ a fool, I’ll share a teaser photo to tomorrow’s post (HOPEFULLY).
These boys were playing in the rain for like an hour. It was POURING and they were laughing, jumping off the boat, paddling. I absolutely love this photo because I love the determination in the boys eyes. Looking at this makes me sad that my other photos aren’t uploading right now. So, let’s move onto something that will only make me smile, artichoke, spinach and bacon orzo salad!
Not quite as moody and dramatic as the boys above, but still totally worth sharing. Prior to this salad, I’d never actually had orzo. For those who aren’t sure of what it is, orzo is a type of pasta that is shaped like rice. Tastes like spaghetti, looks like white rice. I know, it’s a little trippy. But when it’s paired with bacon, spinach and artichokes, it’s hard to care. I mean, you add bacon to anything and it becomes 100000x better (sorry babe).
Not only does bacon make everything taste better, it makes everything better in general. I was having a CRAPTASTIC morning (thanks to said issue in the first paragraph) and after looking at this bacon filled salad, I felt less stressed. That, my friends, is why I’m so incredibly in love with food. It can change your entire outlook on life (or just your day) with one joyous bite. This salad, especially, has that power. The crispy, salty bacon, the cheese, the slight lemon zest. The fantastic flavors paired together make for one uplifting side dish.
Speaking of uplifting edibles, I need to go stick my face directly into the coffee pot. This whole jet lag sitch? Serious biz. I’m getting tired of it though. It’s a little hard to work, cook and write when you’re falling asleep every 4 seconds.
CLICK HERE FOR THE AMAZING ARTICHOKE, SPINACH & BACON ORZO SALAD!
Nutritional information per serving (about 1 cup):
Calories: 277
Fat: 8 grams
Carbohydrates: 34.5 grams
Fiber: 4.2 grams
Protein: 14 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 7
Strawberry Quinoa Salad
I started this post last week in the Philippines and got as far as three words before I gave up. Maybe it’s just me, but when I have a view like this, it’s pretty hard to focus on typing.
I can’t wait to write about this trip. It was one of the most life changing trips for a few reasons. But don’t worry, I’m sharing tomorrow. Today, we’re talking about quinoa. And not just boring quinoa, a perfect strawberry quinoa salad!
This is summer in a bowl. I’ve made it three times since it’s creation (three weeks ago) and I can NEVER get enough of it. The mix of the quinoa with the crispy greens, fresh juicy strawberries and tomatoes and roasted yellow beets. Then it’s topped with goat cheese and a tangy vinaigrette. It’s just a big bowl of happy.
Plus, I’m completely obsessed with brown tomatoes. Ever had them? OMG. They are like the juiciest, most delicious tomatoes ever in the entire world. Oh and yellow beets? I want to date them. Beets are my favorite food, but red beets always stain my hands, my cutting board, my life. Instead of looking like I killed the purple teletubby, I opted for yellow beets, which do not stain anything! Win Win! Plus, they are super pretty paired with the bright red strawberries, don’t you think?
I’m so tired so I apologize in advance if this doesn’t make any sense or is void of any personality. I’m still real jet lagged and exhausted. But, I hope to be back to fighting form tomorrow. So, until then. Salad! Do it.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FRESH, DELICIOUS RECIPE FOR THIS STRAWBERRY QUINOA SALAD!
Nutritional information per cup:
Calories: 290.5
Fat: 15 grams
Carbohydrates: 20 grams
Fiber: 3.2 grams
Protein: 7 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 6
Claire
Tags:fresh and easy recipes, quinoa recipes, salad recipes, spring salad recipes, strawberry recipes
Strawberry, Banana & Blueberry Muesli Bread
Bet you can’t say Muesli five times fast! (I’m trying to right now and it’s really awkward, so there’s that). I’ve actually never used Muesli before, nor did I really have any idea of what it was. That was until the amazing folks at Bob’s Red Mill contacted me and asked me if I wanted to partake in a little contest they have promoting their gluten-free Muesli. I said yes, because I love Bob’s Red Mill and I’m always up for a challenge. After some brainstorming, I decided to make a big loaf of strawberry, banana & blueberry muesli bread. Basically I just dumped all the fruit I had in my fridge into the batter and it turned out SO FREAKING DELICIOUS.
And you know what else I added on to it, because 45 ingredients wasn’t enough, I doused it in cinnamon roll icing! Because everything tastes so much better with cinnamon roll icing, am I right?
My husband didn’t love this bread, but not because it didn’t taste good. He was like “It’s squishy. It tastes like pie.” Which, clearly bread tastes like pie, right? He’s not a big fan of warm fruit though. Which is communist and ilegal to me, but to each their own I guess. At least he said “but the flavors are amazing!” So, that’s good right? See, I love the soft, slightly squishy middle that the fruit gives it. It’s almost like you’re eating batter, but it’s all cooked. I can’t explain it, just make it.
It’s almost like a fruity cobbler bread. That’s a good way to put it. The warm fruit literally melts in your mouth. And the Muesli offers the best contrast with a slight crunch. It’s bread so you can eat it for breakfast but it tastes like dessert. Which is the best kind of breakfast. Especially when one slice of bread only has 2.3 grams of fat.
Strawberry, Banana & Blueberry Muesli Bread
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE!
Yields one loaf (serves about 8).
Prep time: >10 minutes
Cook time: About 50 – 55 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Muesli (I used Gluten-free)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Dash of salt
- 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup skim milk
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup chopped strawberries
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1 ripe banana, smashed
- About 3 tablespoons cinnamon roll icing (use this recipe)*
*Totally optional. Bread is just as delicious without it!
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan (9 x 5) with nontsick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the muesli, flour, baking soda, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice together. In another bowl, mix the applesauce, sugars and egg together. Mix the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the milk. Carefully fold in the strawberries, blueberries and banana.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 50 – 55 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let bread cool for at least 10 – 15 minutes in the pan and then carefully remove the bread from the pan and place on a wire cooing rack. Once cooled (but still slightly warm), drizzle the bread with cinnamon roll icing.
Nutritional information per slice (without icing):
Calories: 275
Fat: 2.3 grams
Carbohydrates: 54.5 grams
Fiber: 2.5 grams
Protein: 6.5 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 7
Claire
Tags:healthy recipes, muesli bread, muesli recipes, quick bread recipes, strawberry recipes
Chickpea & Sweet Potato Sliders
I’ve officially watched the entire series of Arrested Development again. In two days. And even though I’ve seen it four times already, I still laugh so hard I cry at most of the episodes. But, we’ve already dedicated a post to the genius that is AD, so let’s move onto something we’ve never dedicated a post to….chickpea & sweet potato sliders! (Like how I did that? I’m skilled at transitions).
Sometimes I make recipes that fail, sometimes I make recipes that are okay or good, and then sometimes I make recipes that SING. That jump up into your face, kiss you right on the lips and dance into your mouth. (That made sense somewhere in my brain). This is one of those opera singing recipes. Sweet potatoes and chickpeas? They work. They should do it more often. And when they are feeling freaky, which they should do a lot, they should always let arugula, pepper jack cheese and mayo join. Because what you get is the best orgy of flavors ever.
The patties are crispy on the outside, yet slightly soft on the inside, which make it almost melt in your mouth. I definitely had a few (read 4) of these as soon as they were done in the skillet. I just popped them right into my mouth. Poor E only got two. But, it’s his fault for not being here?
Wouldn’t these make perfect little snacks for a summer picnic or BBQ? I’m thinking these could even replace some of your burgers at your Memorial Day shindigs! Who needs beef when you can have something that’s vegetarian and so much better? I’m really leaning towards making these again today since it’s going to be 92 degrees here in DC. Okay, maybe not 92 but hot as b***s. It literally snowed last week, now I’m playing with a beach ball in the backyard. Whoever said global warming isn’t real needs a swift kick to the face.
FOR THE AMAZING RECIPE FOR THESE CHICKPEA & SWEET POTATO SLIDERS, CHECK IT OUT HERE ON CHEF MOM!
Nutritional information per slider (with slice of cheese, bun and arugula)
Calories: 300
Fat: 10 grams
Carbohydrates: 37 grams
Fiber: 4 grams
Protein: 13.86 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 7
The Best Low-fat Chocolate Chip Cookies, Part Deux
We’re taking it back old school today friends, all the way back to 2011. I know, you can barely remember those days right? Times less complicated, when gas was only $3 a gallon, movie tickets just $9. Ah, the good ol’ days. The reason for this stroll down memory lane is to ressurect one of the top recipes on this blog and give it a bit of a face lift. Here’s the original recipe, for reference. Now, friends, meet the new and improved best low-fat chocolate chip cookies.
This is my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. In fact, I make them so frequently, I’ve memorized the recipe. Which, given how many random facts, unnecessary trivia answers and endless Arrested Development quotes in my brain, is not an easy feat. However, given that these first graced the blog BEFORE I had a real camera, I knew I needed to give them the photoshoot they deserved, with natural light, real props and not an iPhone.
This latest batch is my absolute favorite. I chilled the dough for about 30 hours, making the end result super fluffy, super chewy and just super perfect. I can’t stress this enough, the longer you chill a drop cookie dough, the better your end result will be. You know when you bake cookies right after you mix the dough and they fall flat and crispy and pathetic? Never go through that again by chilling the dough.
One more tip! When your dough is done chilling, roll it into a ball in your palm before placing on the cookie sheet. This will lead to a more round, thicker cookie.
Other than swapping out the chocolate used (I subbed in mini chocolate chips this time) and cutting some of the sugar, the recipe remains the same as the one I first made over two years ago. When you find a cookie that tastes better than Nestle with just 4 grams of fat per cookie, you don’t change it much.
You definitely need to make these. Just don’t keep them around or you’ll eat 15 in one sitting. That didn’t happen to me though, I just hear it can happen. From a friend.
Low-fat Chocolate Chip Cookies
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE!
Yields about 24 – 26 cookies. Original recipe here.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Chill time: 24 – 36 hours
Cook time: About 11 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg white
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- Dash of salt
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Directions:
- In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugars with an electric mixer until fluffy and creamed. Stir in the vanilla, egg and water. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the chocolate chips.
- Cover the dough with saran wrap and chill for at least 24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll dough into small balls and place one inch away from each other on the prepared baking dish. Bake for about 11 minutes, or until cookies are slightly browned. Chill on a wire cooling rack.
Nutritional information per cookie:
Calories: 103
Fat: 4 grams
Carbohydrates: 16
Fiber: >1 gram
Protein: 1.29 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 3
