Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Oh, yes. I went full-on tacky Christmas via PicMonkey. If you can't flaunt your tacky feathers at Christmas, when can you? I missed National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day last week...which was a total bummer. Mom has SO MANY Christmas sweaters covered in glitter, snowmen, and pom poms that I could have won a dozen ugly Christmas sweater awards just from walking outside my house. Mom still wears them non-ironically. She's literally the cutest. 

Since being home and blissed out for the holidays, I've helped mom make at least 400 chocolate peanut butter balls (also known more commonly as "Buckeyes" to many folks-except we cover ours fully in chocolate). They're absolutely a Christmas tradition in our house (the recipe is from an old church cookbook circa 1978). Ever since I can remember, I've helped roll the balls and dip them in chocolate, making a total mess of the kitchen a la Lucy & Ethel. While they do take some patience to make, we love putting "Christmas in Dixie" on repeat, reminiscing about holidays past, and keeping our peanut butter ball assembly line tradition alive. We're all professional dippers, except I lack patience as the years go by (some of my balls aren't really balls after a while). Come to think of it, I don't even really eat many of the ones we make year after year...they all end up in little tins as Christmas gifts for the mailman or the friendly and ever-so-patient post office lady. Everybody deserves a little 'thank you' at Christmastime. No tastier thank you than these decadent treats!

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

-Makes roughly 100 balls per recipe-  

Ingredients:

1 1/3 box of powdered sugar

1 16 oz. jar of Jif peanut butter

2 sticks salted butter (softened)

1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/3 block of Gulf Wax (for keeping the chocolate smooth & shiny--you won't taste the wax & it's totally fine to eat!)

Directions: 

1| In a stand mixer, beat together the butter, peanut butter, and powdered sugar until combined into a soft, rollable dough.

2| Roll a small scoop of the peanut butter mixture by hand into small 1 inch balls and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Place balls into the refrigerator to chill for 2 hours before dipping in chocolate.

3| In a double boiler on low heat, melt chocolate chips and Gulf Wax together, stirring as it melts. Pull peanut butter balls out of the refrigerator just before dipping (if they get too soft while dipping, just pop them back into the fridge to firm up again). Use a toothpick to stick the ball and dip into the warm chocolate. Use a spoon to help cover the ball completely with chocolate. Use a toothpick to fill in the hole with chocolate left after pulling out the toothpick.

4| Place chocolate covered balls back into the refrigerator to set (roughly 30 minutes) before eating.

5| ENJOY with a tall glass of milk! 

Do you have any holiday treat traditions? Share them here!

Confessions of a Guacaholic

Today marks the first day of October for the year 2014. Not that you would know it here...unless, of course, you were looking at a calendar or reading this blog post. Unfortunately for those of us living in Central Florida, it feels nothing like the beginning of October or, more disturbingly, like the season of fall at all. It's still reaching 90 degrees each day, it's constantly humid and muggy (I feel like I've got a layer of sweat permeating the surface of my skin at all times...eww, I know), and it's been torrential downpouring daily for the last 11 days straight. I'm honestly not sure if I'm still in Florida or really displaced to the depths of the African Congo. Dramatic, probably...but coming from living in a European country with such mild weather, I'm basically distraught at the thought that fall, and the feelings typically associated with the month of October, are still far from reality for us here. If you understand any one thing about me it should be that October is my most favorite month of the year (hello, birthday month!!) and fall is my spirit season. Let me reiterate, DISTRAUGHT. No amounts of Starbucks caramel coloring laden PSL's can save me now.

So, what do you do when your favorite season is no where in sight? You sure as heck don't go buy all things pumpkin and try to will it to light. I made that mistake in the form of a soup that was too rich and too soon. One step outside to pull weeds and the heat turned my full soup belly into curdled death fire. Not cute. Instead, I'm trying my darnedest to embrace this new life amongst the blazing sun by keeping meals light, airy, and relatively healthy. Because lets face it...as soon as fall does start making a true appearance (I'm thinking December, maybe), I'll be busting out my mac and cheese sweatpants and chomping down hearty stews with the best of them. Until that sweet pumpkin spiced day comes...GUAC.



I've really got to thank my Aunt T for this recipe. Every time I make my way back to North Carolina in the summertime, she drives down the road from her house to my parents house (half mile at best) to wine drink & board game it up. Homemade guacamole is always a snack staple and we've perfected the right combination of lime and saltiness. I'm drooling just thinking about the batch resting in my fridge as we speak. Last night, D and I grilled up some chicken, toasted some ciabatta rolls, plopped down some jalapeno jack, and slathered a glob of this guac on top for open faced sammies. NOMS. If fall has alluded you as well...this guacamole is here to be your saving grace. We don't need no stinkin' fall. Avocado is the new gourd!

[Just kidding, fall. Come back. I need you.]



Homemade Guacamole

[Serves 4...or 1 if you're a guacaholic like me]

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and cut into chunks

1 small tomato, diced

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic (less if you aren't a garlic fan)

Juice from half a lime

1/2 tsp. sea salt

pinch of fresh cracked black pepper

pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (if desired)

Directions:

1| Peel, remove pit, and cut avocados into chunks and place into a medium-sized bowl. Squeeze the half lime all over the avocado chunks to keep them from turning brown.

2| Add in the diced onions, tomatoes, and garlic and mash together with the back of a fork. Allow for some chunks of avocado to remain if you like a chunkier guac.

3| Sprinkle in the sea salt, pepper, and red pepper (if desired for spice) and stir together. Enjoy with your favorite tortilla chips!

For more fun recipes, check out my CULINARY ADVENTURES page!

Creamy Enchiladas Verde

If you were to ask me on any given day what I'd like to eat for dinner, 9 times out of 10 I'd tell you Mexican food. Borderline obsessive, as D would say. Call me crazy, but any cuisine that has a large focus on cheese, meat, and spicy elements can't be that bad of a thing to be obsessed with. I make some sort of Mexican-inspired dish at least once a week...and it's usually on one of our cheat days. One can be obsessed with all things meat and cheese...but one could also grow a large rear end in the process, so balance is key. Another Mexican restaurant-inspired dish I became quite skilled at making while living in Germany? Creamy Enchiladas Verde. Meat, cheese, spice...ticks all my favorite boxes, and if my calculations via MyFitnessPal are correct, then it'll only cost you 558 calories for 2 yummy enchiladas. Add a half cup of fresh homemade guac and a few tortilla chips and you've got yourself a bonafied Mexican fiesta for under 750 calories. You'd be hard pressed to eat a meal at your local Mexican restaurant at those low numbers! Put a basket of those bottomless tortilla chips and salsa in front of me and BOOM, I'm SO done for the day. Sometimes cooking restaurant-style at home can prove to be convenient, cheap, AND better for your waistline. Maybe Germany did do me some favors by not having stellar Mexican food? I guess deprivation does have its silver linings.

What are some of your at home adaptations of your favorite restaurant dishes?
Share a link to your recipe in the comments section!

Creamy Enchiladas Verde

Serves 5

Ingredients for enchilada filling & topping:

• 10 flour tortillas (6" or 8" size)
• 3 cups shredded, cooked chicken (we love using shredded rotisserie chicken)
• 1 can of Rotel Original Tomatoes & Chiles (habanero, if you're brave!), drained
• 1/2 can of pinto beans or black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (topping)
• 3/4 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese (topping)
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin

Ingredients for verde sauce:

• 1-7oz. can of salsa verde
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup fat free heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp. light butter
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• pinch or two of salt

Directions:

1| Spray a rectangular 9"x13" baking dish with cooking spray (so the cheesy goodness won't stick) and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2| In a medium bowl, mix the drained can of Rotel with the shredded chicken and stir in minced garlic, ground cumin, and drained pinto or black beans. Once combined, put heaping spoonful (maybe 2 of them) onto each flour tortilla and roll up. Place rolled tortillas seam side down side by side into the prepared baking dish. 10 tortillas should fit snugly into a 9"x13" baking dish. Set dish aside to start working on the verde sauce.
3| In a small sauce pan over medium heat, saute red onion until translucent (about 3 minutes). To the onions, add the 2 Tbs. of butter and allow to melt. Then add the 2 Tbsp of flour to the mixture and stir until a roux forms (grainy, pasty mixture forms around the onions).
4| To the roux, slowly add in the chicken broth and whisk together. Bring the mixture to a simmer and constantly stir to keep the mixture smooth. Then add in the heavy cream, salsa verde, pepper, and salt and stir together. Heat the mixture for roughly 2 minutes, then stir in the sour cream. Turn off heat and pour sauce over the prepared enchiladas in the baking dish.
5| Cover the baking dish with foil and place the enchiladas in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle the cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheeses over the enchiladas and bake uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is slightly browned, melted, and bubbly. Garnish with chopped cilantro if you're feeling fancy!

For more yummy goodness, check out my Culinary Adventures page!

Homemade Queso Blanco

Ask and ye shall receive! I know, it's so mean to brag about how awesome I am at making cheese dip and then wait forever to share it. Crazy thing is, I had a super hard time finding the cheese I usually use to make this stuff! How in the world does the commissary in Wiesbaden, Germany have what I need and basically every grocery store in Central Florida didn't. Well, until I got smart, slapped on my sloppiest workout gear, and went to the one store I LOATHE going to...Walmart. Walmart may suck every other day of the week, but yesterday, it was my cheese saving grace. Now, before you read this recipe and say "EWWWW, NO FRIGGIN' WAY...she uses PROCESSED CHEESE to make this stuff?!?!" I should tell you that I've tried replicating Mexican restaurant-style queso blanco with dozens of different cheeses. Nothing gave me the good, melty consistency that queso blanco requires except for processed american white cheese (the Land O'Lakes kind, to be exact). Eating processed cheese once in a blue moon won't kill you. And if you frequent a Mexican restaurant and order this stuff, it's likely processed, too. So, just suck it up and enjoy the cheesy goodness, mmmkay? D got to taste-test this batch after I was done photographing it and subsequently mumbled quite a few wonderful things about my queso making skills in between mouthfuls of cheese. Would I steer you wrong? ;)

How did this drool-worthy recipe come to be? You guys have heard me lament about how Germany had the worst Mexican food in the history of ever. Being a total Mexican food fiend stuck in a country lacking such goodness, I was in a panic whenever a chimichanga craving hit. So, I started concocting my own versions of my favorite Mexican restaurant dishes. Queso blanco is something we ALWAYS order (nothing like a side of cheese with a meal of fried meat and cheese, the American dream!), so experimenting with my own version was totally necessary. Now this dip has become what D requests on our cheat days, Sunday afternoon football parties, his birthday, and Thanksgiving, even. I've never indulged him in a Thanksgiving queso blanco request yet, but I'm sure one day he'll wear me down. Cheese is good any time of year, am I right? Overflowing queso blanco cornucopias, coming to a Thanksgiving table near you this fall. 

Homemade Queso Blanco

Serves 8 (or something like that)

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb. to 1 lb. (roughly 4 cups) Land O'Lakes White American Cheese, shredded or cubed
• 1 cup of fat free heavy cream, divided
• 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 3 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 1 tsp. salt
• pinch of pepper to taste
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (if you want more heat)

Directions

1| In medium-sized sauce pot, melt 1 Tbsp. of butter over medium-low heat. Drop in chopped onions and jalapenos and saute for 2 minutes.

2| Add the remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter and allow to melt. Then add in flour and whisk together for 1 to 2 minutes until a roux is formed (grainy, pasty mixture forms around the jalapeno and onion bits).

3| Pour in 1/4 cup of the heavy cream and whisk together until roux is incorporated into the cream.

4| Add in a handful of cheese and whisk until melted. Continue alternating 1/4 cup of heavy cream and handful of cheese until all cheese is used. Continuously stir to keep the cream/cheese mixture from burning on the bottom of the pot. You may need to turn down the heat if you notice any burning.

5| Add in salt and pinch of pepper and stir together. If you can handle more heat, add in a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes.

6| Serve warm with your favorite tortilla chips (might I suggest Tostitos Blue Corn or Cantina chips??) and ENJOY!

For more delicious recipes, visit my Culinary Adventures page!

German Glühwein (Hot Mulled Wine) Recipe

Well, I've talked about it enough...guess it's about time for me to give you guys a taste what all the fuss is about over here! It's no surprise that glühwein is my most favorite holiday drink in the world. Before moving to Germany, I'd never heard, nor tried this yummy spiced drink. More commonly known as mulled wine in the states, glühwein starts making its appearance in Germany as the last leaves of autumn fall to the ground and the cold December winds start to blow. Glühwein stands are a staple among German Christmas Markets, as I'm sure you know from reading my blog or following my adventures on Instagram. But one thing many people don't know is that glühwein is insanely simple to make at home. Yes, ladies & gentlemen...you can enjoy this treat year round if you wish!

I remember the first time I sipped a mug of warm glühwein. D and I had only been living in Germany 4 months and we ventured up to Cologne for our first Christmas market ever. Before our market visit, our new friends had mentioned that we must try this hot mulled wine Germany is so famous for serving. Being the wine fanatic that I am, you didn't have to tell me twice! The first sips, I'll admit, weren't my favorite. The aroma of cloves and mulling spices can totally take you aback. But as you continue to wander the markets, the cold air nipping at your nose (as they say), that glühwein starts to warm your bones and somehow leaks into your heart and stays forever. Or at least that's how it happened for me. I've now spent 3 Christmas seasons here in Deutschland consuming god knows how many mugs of glühwein and it's safe to say I've only grown to love it more. So much more that I've perfected my own glühwein recipe so we can enjoy it at home and share it with our friends and family back in the states! 

Truth be told, there are many ways glühwein can be made. Red wine, white wine, rosé...anything goes as long as it's not too sweet. You'll add sugar to it later. In addition, any combination of mulling spices seems to be acceptable. I'm not a big fan of star anise, but it seems to be found in almost every glühwein recipe I've tried. My recipe, however, omits it altogether. It's one of those drinks you can play around with, swapping out spices, spice amounts, and juices as you like. You can even make it stronger with the addition of liquors (like cherry or johannisberry--also known as red currents), but make sure you've got a DD on your hands if you go that route. This stuff goes down like buttah, so it's easy to forget what number mug you're on! I have to say, the formula I've concocted below has evolved to be my favorite yet. Enjoy a piping hot mug with a side of lebkuchen (gingerbread) and it'll be like you're right here in Germany with me!

German Glühwein

--Serves 4--

Ingredients:

1 bottle red wine (dry to medium dry)

1/2 orange, cut into slices
1/2 lemon, cut into slices
1/4 cup of fresh orange juice (from the other half of unsliced orange)
1/8 cup of fresh lemon juice (from the other half of unsliced lemon)
4 Tbsp. sugar
8 dried cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a sauce pot and bring to a boil for about 1 minute. Then reduce heat to low and allow wine to simmer for roughly 10-15 minutes. Serve with a small orange or lemon slice in a cute mug and ENJOY!!

Oh and one more thing...

From now until December 24th, you can grab any size ad at 25% OFF with code HOLIDAYLOVE! Head on over to my sponsor page to snag your spot today!

Chocolate Chip Black Bean Brownies

Up until about 4 years ago, I hated beans. Don't put them in my burrito, don't add them to my soup, and sure as heck don't throw some on top of my salad. Barf. The only dish that I'd eat with beans in it was chili. And that's only because chili isn't chili unless there are beans in it, right? Ok, so hot dog chili is chili, but of a whole different breed (and also really, really gross). Needless to say, beans and I weren't friends. It wasn't until around the time when D left for his first deployment that I thought, "Hey, I should make something with beans!," and slowly but surely I began to allow beans into my life. At first, it was just casual. Refried beans alongside my chimichanga? We're dating. And I happily called D after every Mexican meal I ate to tell him I ate beans. After years of watching me turn up my nose, he was proud. Then things started getting serious when I went to Jason's Deli one day (dear Lord, I miss Jason's Deli) and put gobs of garbanzo's on my spinach salad. There was no turning back then. I was having a full on love affair with beans and I didn't care who knew it. These days, we're having beans in some way, shape, or form at least 2 times a week. And now...we're having beans for dessert. Yes siree.

In a continuous effort to find healthier dessert alternatives (and keeping my love for beans alive, mind you), I read in a forever old issue of the Food Network Mag, my guilty pleasure magazine, about using beans in brownies. The first time I skimmed that issue, my bean-hating self probably cringed and kept on flipping pages, but recently, with my new diet (which is going really well, in case you're wondering), I've opened myself up to using other ingredients in baking. Black beans in a chocolate brownie? YES, PLEASE! These bad boys are not only gluten-free, but they're flour-free, egg-free, oil-free, and refined sugar-free! For a low 114 calories per 2" x 2" brownie square, this dessert is a no-brainer. D tried them last night and had no flippin' clue they were made with black beans. But I will warn you...like with any bean-based food, they may cause flatulence. Which I discovered thanks to my darling husband post-brownie indulgence. Annnd we're back to gagging at beans. Super.

Chocolate Chip Black Bean Brownies

Yields: 9 brownies

Ingredients:

1- 15oz. can of reduced-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed throughly
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup old-fashioned quick-cooking oats
2 packets (roughly 2 tsp.) of Stevia (or any Stevia-based sweetener like Truvia)
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup organic pure maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. mini chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 8x8 pan. Combine all ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, into the bowl of a food processor. Blend until smooth (you may still see flakes of oats, but that's ok!). Fold in 3 Tbsp. of the chocolate chips and set aside the remaining Tbsp. Pour batter into the greased pan and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top of the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean in the toothpick test. Allow brownies to cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Serving size: 1- 2"x 2" brownie
Nutritional Breakdown: 114 calories, 2.5g fat, 1g sat fat, 22g carbs, 9g sugar, 3g fiber, 4g protein, 200mg potassium, 142mg sodium

[Nutrition facts were calulated using MyFitnessPal]

Chocolate Coconut 5 Ingredient Cookies

Confession: I'm on a diet. I know, I know...diets are awful. My crabby attitude and moody tendencies lately would have to agree (I need carbs, people!). I hate dieting. But I really needed something to kick my butt into gear after indulging in too many not-so-healthy things all summer long. I blame Germany. And cruising. But that's neither here nor there. Point is, about 4 weeks ago I decided to revamp my entire daily diet and really amp up my workouts to prepare for our next cruise in October. Lean up and slim down before more indulgence? You read my mind. Not only that, but as a nutritionist, I know what I SHOULD be eating. Problem is, I love food too much. I don't call myself a Foodie for nothing. So, I decided to buy into a diet & fitness program to kick start my new health journey and get me back into the groove of healthy living again. I figure, if I pay for something (that's not cheap, mind you), I'm more apt to use it and stick to it. Money does drive most human wants and needs, after all. 

So far, I'm LOVING how I feel. I'm seeing small changes in how I look, but I can really FEEL it. I know big changes are brewing and my outsides are gonna catch up with my insides soon enough, I've just gotta be patient. I wholeheartedly want this "diet" to become daily routine, so I haven't been following it 'to a tee', as they say. I've adapted it to fit my lifestyle, body type, and my health goals, keeping in mind that most diet programs are NOT maintainable for the long haul. Precisely why I knew it was going to be virtually impossible to cut out all desserts. I am my mother's daughter after all. After looking through my diet plan and trying to come up with a treat that incorporated some semblance to an actual dessert (not just fruit), I decided to consult the almighty Pinterest. I found lots of strange hemp seed desserts and vegan chocolate puddings made with what I can only imagine tastes like dirt (because it sure as heck wasn't chocolate), but then I stumbled across a 2-ingredient cookie recipe. Just oats and bananas all squished up together and baked in the oven for 12 minutes. I thought, hmmm. I like bananas. I like oats. But I need CHOCOLATE. Thus the Chocolate Coconut 5 Ingredient Cookie was born. It's like a tropical party in your mouth, people.

Why 5 ingredients? Well, if you like just bananas and oats, just stick with that. I added in a drop of pure vanilla extract just for sh*ts and gigs, and I liked it...so it stayed. Chocolate chips were always on my mind, so I dumped a couple of tablespoons of those bad boys in, too (you can use semi-sweet or dark, next time I'm going dark for an even healthier version!). After staring at the banana, oat, vanilla, chocolate mixture for 2 minutes, I remembered I had some leftover unsweetened coconut flakes hanging out in the freezer from my granola making experiment (side note: delish, I'll have to share that recipe another day), so I invited them to the party as well. Ta-da! 5 ingredients and 15 minutes later, I had myself the most delicious healthy cookies I've ever tasted. Wanna know what else? You can eat 4 COOKIES for only 180 CALORIES!! How many Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies can you eat for only 180 calories? One stinkin' cookie, that's how many. Not worth it. But 4 butter-free, flour-free, oil-free, egg-free cookies so totally are!

Now, you don't have to go with the combo of chocolate chips and coconut like I did. There are plenty of other add-ins you can substitute to make these 5-ingredient cookies reflect whatever flavors you're feeling that day.

Even more healthy add-in ideas?

-fresh peaches (full of Vitamins C & A)-

-pumpkin puree (perfect for fall & filled with fiber)-

-chia seeds (rich in Omega-3 fatty acids)-

-cacoa nibs (if you're brave enough to replace sweetened chocolate)-

-almonds (high in Vitamin E & lower 'bad' cholesterol)-

-goji berries (filled with antioxidants & Vitamin A)-

-unsweetened organic applesauce (lots of fiber and low in calories)-

-pistachios (lowest fat nut per ounce)-

-fresh strawberries (good source of Vitamin C & antioxidants)-

-raisins or dates (rich in iron & aid in digestion)-

Just FYI, you won't be seeing the 'before' diet pictures I took so awkwardly in my bedroom early one morning pre-makeup and hair styling. The internet doesn't need anything else to make fun of. But I am thinking about sharing more of my healthy living journey and nutrition knowledge on the blog as soon as I start seeing more defined results. Something you guys would be interested in? I hope so! Until then, give these cookies a go. They're just what you need to satisfy that dessert craving without sacrificing all your hard work. Coming from a girl who could eat spoonfuls of Nutella straight out of the jar, that's saying a lot. Would I steer you wrong? Never.

Chocolate Coconut 5 Ingredient Cookies

Yields: 16 cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned quick-cooking oats
2 ripe bananas, peeled
2 Tbsp. semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mash bananas and oats together with a fork in a medium sized bowl. Add in vanilla, chocolate chips, and coconut flakes (or whatever 2 add-ins you prefer) and mix together. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray (don't skip this or they'll stick!). Drop tablespoon sized dollops of the cookie mixture onto the baking sheet. No need to space them too far apart, they don't spread much during baking. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Place on cooling rack to cool. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week (if they last that long!).

Serving size: 4 small cookies (although 2 is usually all I need)
Nutritional breakdown: 180 calories, 4.5g fat, 2g sat fat, 33g carbs, 12g sugars, 4g protein, 4g fiber, 240mg potassium, 8mg sodium (Keep in mind, nutrition values will change with substitution of various add-ins)

Enjoy with a tall glass of skim milk or almond milk for a healthy afternoon snack or after dinner treat!

(All nutritional info calculated via MyFitnessPal. Wanna follow along in my health & fitness journey? Find me on MyFitnessPal at username caseycote. I could use all the encouragement and accountability I can get!)

Skinny Cajun Chicken Pasta

Confession: my mom and I are having ourselves a Twilight Series movie marathon today. An event I'm unapologetically excited about. It's a cold and blustery day here in NC, so we're draped in blankets holed up inside my childhood home, drinking coffee, and making googly eyes at Edward as he struts his brooding vampire stuff across the Pacific Northwest. Ok, so maybe I'm the one googly eying Edward. Mom's more demure about it, but she can't fool me. You can't be a part of our family and be Team Jacob. You also can't be a part of our family and not love pasta. Banishment to Volterra would be imminent. 

I'm a sucker for almost every kind of pasta, but I rarely let myself indulge. Mostly because carbs aren't my friend, but also because I have zero self-control when it comes to cream sauces and spice...or cheesy teen vampire movies, but that's neither here nor there. In an effort to have my cake and eat it too, I'm always revamping (no pun intended) my favorite pasta recipes into lighter versions...and this Skinny Cajun dream is no exception. It's creamy, flavorful, and packs a good spicy punch without breaking your daily calorie allowance in one hearty bowl. Pair it with a crisp glass of Riesling and a few hours of teen vampire angst and I'd say you've got yourself a solid afternoon. Mom and I can vouch for that. ;)

Skinny Cajun Chicken Pasta 

Serves 6-8

Ingredients: 

1 box uncooked linguini noodles (I used Barilla Pasta Plus w/fiber, protein, & omega-3s)

3 - 4oz  boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tsp. Weber Kickin' Chicken seasoning (or just use a mixture of crushed red pepper flakes, onion powder, & garlic powder)

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced

1 medium green pepper, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups fresh button mushrooms, sliced

1 small red onion, sliced

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 Tbsp. light butter (I used Land O'lakes Light Butter)

1 cup fat free, low sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup of fat free half & half

3 oz. reduced fat cream cheese

1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning (I used Tony Chachere's Lite Creole Seasoning)

1/2 tsp. freshly cracked pepper

sea salt to taste

freshly grated parmesan cheese for topping (optional) 

Directions: 

1/ Cook pasta according to directions on the box and set aside.

2/ Season chicken breasts with the Kickin' Chicken seasoning and grill. Once nicely grilled, chop into 1" cubes and set aside.

3/ Heat olive oil in a large saute pan and saute the peppers and onions until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Toss in garlic, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Season with the freshly cracked pepper and sea salt to taste. Once the veggies are cooked, remove them from the pan and set aside.

4/ Place the sautee pan back on the burner and reduce heat to medium-low. Melt the tablespoon of butter and whisk in the tablespoon of flour until a paste is formed (you are essentially making a roux). Cook the roux for about a minute, then add in the cup of chicken broth and the cajun seasoning. Stir together. Then add in the half & half and stir together. Let mixture cook for 2-3 minutes until it thickens just a bit, then stir in the cream cheese.
5/ Add the cooked veggies, diced chicken, and cooked pasta to the sauce in the sautee pan. Toss together. Serve hot and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a few slices of crusty bread. Enjoy!   

  

Pancakes & A Snow Day

Sunday marked our first official snow day here in Wiesbaden, Germany for 2012! We'd had a few flurries the last of week of October, but on December 1st, old man winter made his grand appearance by laying down about an inch of white precipitation. I was overjoyed, mostly because I was afraid I wouldn't get to see snow in Germany before I went home for Christmas, but also because who doesn't love snow? I'm sure people who hate the cold hate snow...and we should lock them in boxes and mail them to outer space because they're crazy...but I, on the other hand, adore it. North Carolina isn't known for massive snow storms (the last time I remember getting a heck of a lot of snow was the Christmas D was deployed in 2010...of course it would snow on Christmas when he was gone), so when it snows...and then keeps snowing, it's something to be celebrated in the Coté household. When D got up to pee at 6am (TMI?), he peeked out the window, then scurried back to bed to give me the good news. Of course, sleep was irrelevant after that. In true blogger fashion, I hopped up, slipped on my boots, and made my way out on our balcony to take a bagillion photos of the snow to share with you all. And then we made a piping hot stack of Pumpkin Spiced Pancakes to celebrate. It's your lucky day, because I'm sharing that with you, too. You can thank me with virtual hugs. ;)

Pumpkin Spiced Pancakes

Adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

dash of ground ginger

1 cup skim milk

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

In mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, & spices) together with a whisk. In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the milk, pumpkin, egg, and veggie oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk together just until they're combined. Do not over mix (batter may still be a bit lumpy, and that's ok!). Heat a greased skillet or griddle on medium. Once hot, add 1/3 cup of the batter to the center of the skillet. Let cook on one side until bubbles begin to form on the surface of the pancake batter. Take a spatula and FLIP! Then allow the pancake to cool on the opposite side for another 2 minutes or until golden brown. Keep re-greasing the skillet in between each dollop of pancake batter to ensure even browning. 

Top these yummy flapjacks with a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar, a slurry of maple syrup, or a drop of Cool Whip. Or you can do as I did and eat them topped with all three. I have no regrets. ;)

Happy Monday, friends! I'm off to enjoy our second round of snow! YES...it's snowing again! Coincidence? 

Nope. Just another opportunity to make pancakes. Toodles!