Chicken Salad Sandwiches

 

Lately I've been craving summer and all that it entails.  Just the thought of getting a tiny burn on my cheeks and nose puts me in a good mood.  One huge summer activity in our family is getting the boat on the lake and spending the day skiing, swimming, or sometimes even just docking the boat and enjoying the beautiful day under a tree.

One of the most enjoyable parts of the day are the epic picnics that my mom packs.  This woman's ability to pack an amazing spread will go down in history.  Always so much food, always an abundance of paper and plastic ware and everything is always delicious!  

One item that I continuously request now are my mom's chicken salad sandwiches.  I didn't know how much I liked chicken salad until the day I tried hers.  What baffled me was how simple they were to make.  No secret ingredients, no complicated technique.  Just good fresh ingredients, light mayo and seasoned salt, that's it!  And it's amazing every time!

As a quick side note, I don't actually measure my ingredients when making stuff like this.  These are estimates.  But don't sweat it, do everything to your own personal taste, I don't think it's possible to screw this up.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients

3 cups chopped cooked chicken (I use rotisserie)

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

1/4 cup chopped green or red onion

1/4 cup chopped almonds

1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)

1/2 cup chopped apple (only do this if you plan to serve it immediately.  If not either omit, or add right before serving, otherwise it will make salad watery)

1/2-1 cup light mayo (add or subtract according to how creamy you'd like it.)

1 tablespoon Seasoned Salt (add or subtract to taste, I like mine fairly strong)

Pepper to taste

Directions

In a large bowl combine all ingredients except mayo, seasoned salt, and pepper.  In a small bowl, mix mayo, seasoned salt, and pepper and add to salad.  Toss to coat.  Serve either on a bed of lettuce, sandwich bread, or croissants that have been split lengthwise. 

Tex-Mex Pinwheels

We're big sandwich people at our house.  My husband always keeps a fresh loaf of homemade bread in the box, and sandwiches are made on an almost daily basis.  It's nice that my kids like them so much, packing lunches for them in the morning is a snap.  But every now and then we all need a change.

These little pinwheels were a total hit with kids and adults.  They are full of flavor, but still mild.  They are soft, bite sized and will go a long way when feeding a crowd.  You can't go wrong with favorites like chicken, cheese and olives.  Serve them as an appetizer, or one of the main dishes, you can't go wrong.


Tex-Mex Pinwheels
A Blog About Food

Ingredients

8 ounces light sour cream
8 ounces light cream cheese, softened
4 oz can chopped green chiles
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon cumin (or to taste)
1 tablespoon chili powder (or to taste)
garlic salt to taste
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, diced into very small pieces
1 cup olives, diced
5 10-inch flour tortillas

Directions

In a mixing bowl combine sour cream, cream cheese, green chiles, cheddar cheese, green onions, and seasonings to taste.  Then gently fold in olives and chicken.

Divide evenly and spread over each tortilla, leaving about half and inch of space at the edge.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours (I made mine the day before).  Unwrap, cut into 1-2 inch pieces and serve either cold or at room temp.

Tilapia Sandwiches with Citrus Honey Slaw

 My husband is on call a lot, at least once a week, which means that one dinner a week it's just me and the kids.  Normally a night like that means reheated leftovers, cereal, or (don't judge) popcorn and peanut M&M's.  Hey, when dad's gone, that means I have to be the strict parent AND the fun parent.

 But every once and a while I don't plan right and I end up preparing a dinner like this for just me and my kids.  It's not that I don't like to go through this kind of effort for my kids, but let's just say that they don't appreciate it like another adult would.  In fact, I usually sit down to a beautiful plate like this to a bunch of "ewwwww, do I HAVE to eat this?"  If Glenn was there at least I'd have someone to balance the whining.

 So, I ditched the bread, broke up the fish fillets and served this to my kids as fish nuggets.  Problem solved, coolness restored, and a delicious dinner for me.

Tilapia Sandwiches with Citrus Honey Slaw
Rachel Ray's Big Orange Book

Ingredients

4 tilapia fillets, 6 to 8 ounces each
3 limes, one of them zested
salt and pepper
all-purpose flour, for dredging
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 sleeve saltine crackers ground up in food processor (I used Ritz), making 2 cups crumbs
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning such as Old Bay
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 hoagie rolls split in half (I would scoop out some of the bread in the center)
1 cup sour cream
1 chipotle in adobo, seeded and finely chopped, plus 1 teaspoon of adobo sauce (I omitted)
2 teaspoons hot sauce
3 tablespoons honey
1 16 oz bag of slaw mix
1 head of Bibb or romaine lettuce, core removed, leaves separated and cleaned
1 large beefsteak tomato, thinly sliced
1 ripe Hass avocado, sliced
1 small red onion sliced
1 dill pickle, thinly sliced lengthwise

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 or the broiler to high.  (This is to toast your rolls.  I just put them in the toaster.)

Season the fillets with lime zest, salt, and pepper.  Set up three dishes on the counter: one with the flour, one with the eggs, and the third with the ground saltines, smoked paprika, and seafood seasoning.  Bread the seasoned fish fillets by coating them first in the flour, then in the egg, and finally in the seasoned cracker crumbs.

Once all of the fillets have been breaded, place a large skillet over medium-high heat with about 2 tablespoons of oil.  Once the oil is hot add the breaded fillets to the pan and cook until golden brown on each side and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.  Remove the cooked fillets to a paper-towel-lined plate and squeeze the juice of half a lime over them so they soak up the lime juice while still hot.

While the fish fillets are cooking, place the split rolls onto a baking sheet and toast them in the hot oven until golden brown.

Combine the sour cream, chipotle, and adobo sauce in a small bowl and reserve.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the juice of 2 limes, the hot sauce, and the honey.  Whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup of oil and some salt and pepper.  Empty the bag of slaw mix into the dressing and give it a toss to coat.

Once the fish is cooked, assemble the sandwiches.  Place the fish on the bottom of the rolls, and top with lettuce and tomato.  Douse the avocado with the juice of the remaining half lime.  Top the tomato with avocado, onions, and pickle slices.  Slather the roll tops with the flavored sour cream and set in place.  Serve the sandwiches alongside the slaw.

Guacamole Taco Burgers

I have a confession to make.

I'm done with the summer. Done. I need cooler weather, homework for the kids, and soup on my stovetop. Right now, more than anything, I need my routine back.

As much as I love the summer, sometimes there really can be too much of a good thing.  After almost three straight months of playing, swimming, packing, flying, moving, beaching, eating (a lot), and road tripping, I'm EXHAUSTED!  I love you summer, but it's time to slow down.

 Fortunately, just because summer is coming to an end, doesn't mean that we have to hibernate in the kitchen.  There is still plenty of time to enjoy fresh summer food and outdoor grilling.  And while you still have time, might I recommend these killer burgers. Reeni, who has an amazing blog at Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice (seriously, I pin almost everything she posts), came up with these, and they are as delicious as they sound. A taco flavored burger, topped with cheese and guacamole, nestled in a homemade cornbread foccacia bun. Gooey, cheesy, heaven.

So when it does finally cool down and you're wishing you had your summer back, throw these on the grill. The bright flavors will satiate your summer appetite, for an evening at least.

I'll direct you to Reeni's page for the recipe because her pictures and descriptions do this burger way more justice. Enjoy!

Ratatouille Sloppy Joes

It is a GORGEOUS day here in Philly today. A perfect 70 degrees, no wind, and not a cloud in sight. What is it about weather like that that gives life an entirely new, hopeful perspective. I smile more, laugh more, there's a bounce in my step, you get something back that you don't even realize you've missed. It's pretty great.




And while I would never think of a Sloppy Joe and a summer food, it is easily transformed into one when it's packed full of garden vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini and eggplant. My kids, who were mostly resistant to all the clean eating we were doing, happy gobbled this up, which was a win for all of us.

Ratatouille Sloppy Joes
Best of Clean Eating 2

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 lb extra lean ground beef or bison (I actually used ground turkey)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
2 teaspoons chile powder
3/4 teaspoons mustard powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 sweet bell pepper, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 small eggplant, diced
1 1/2 cups preferred marinara (I choose one with low sugar content)
1 tablespoon Sucanat or raw honey (I omitted)
sea salt with fresh ground pepper to taste
8 thin whole grain sandwhich buns, toasted

Directions

Heat a large nonstick saute pan on medium-high. Add oil, beef, garlic and onion and cook for 5-8 minutes, breaking up meat with a spoon while cooking, until no liquid remains and beef is browned. Add chile powder, mustard and cayenne, stir well and continue to cook for 1 more minute. Pour beef mixture into a bowl and set aside.

Return pan to heat and add bell pepper, zucchini and eggplant, stir and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add beef mixture back to pan, stir well and reduce heat to medium. Cook for an additional 10-12 minutes, stirring often, or until all vegetables are tender adn cooked throughout.

Add marinara sauce, 2 tablespoons water and honey to pan, stirring until meat and vegetables are coated. Cook until sauce is hot an dbubbling. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, sandwich 3/4 cup beef mixture between each bun.

Per Serving: 232 cal, 5g fat, 30g carbs, 5g fiber, 10g sugar, 18g protein

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Just in this last year, I have discovered my love for the flavors of Buffalo Chicken. And it's a good thing too, it seems to be everywhere these days! In the form of sandwiches, pastas, casseroles, and of course, you can't beat the old fashioned wing.


I found this idea on Pinterest, in need of using up the last bit of KC Masterpiece Buffalo Marinade I received as a part of the Foodbuzz Program. It's so easy, and so tasty! The chicken comes out tender, spicy and slightly sweet, which is the perfect thing to pair with pungent blue cheese and crisp lettuce. Wrapped in a tortilla and you have a finger licking lunch on your hands. It will definitely warm your belly on these cooler fall days.

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Ingredients

4-5 flour or whole wheat tortillas
5-6 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
1 1/2 cup Buffalo Chicken Marinade or preferred hot sauce
Blue Cheese or Gorgonzola crumbles
Blue Cheese or Ranch dressing
chopped lettuce and tomato (optional)

Directions

In a crockpot, combine chicken thighs and Buffalo Sauce. Cook on high for 3-5 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and falls apart easily. Shred chicken with sauce.

Assemble wrap with chicken, Blue Cheese, dressing, lettuce and tomato. Wrap tightly and fasten with toothpicks if desired. Enjoy! Napkins recommended!

Caprese Panini

Spring is here! And Spring means spring cleaning, which doesn't just happen in my closets, it happens in my fridge too. And as much as I love the rich comforts of soups, chilis and casseroles, I am ready for clean, light, colorful food, just like the season.



One of my very favorite warm weather dishes is the Caprese salad. Sweet tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and aromatic basil, it's to die for! I'll eat it in any form, including in a melty panini, which is exactly what I did. Recently Foodbuzz sent me a sample loaf of Natures Pride Whole Wheat Bread with Flax. The bread is wonderful, nutty and wholesome, which was exactly what was needed for a good sandwich. It's such a bright, and fresh sandwich with nothing but clean beautiful ingredients. I could eat this every day, especially when the weather is nice, the Diet Coke is cold, and there is a good book waiting for me!



Caprese Panini

Ingredients for one sandwich

2 slices Natures Pride Whole Wheat Bread with Flax (or preferred bread)
1-2 tomatoes sliced
4 large basil leaves
3-4 slices fresh mozzarella (be sure it's fresh, it's just better)
salt and pepper

Directions

Assemble sandwich with cheese in center to hold it all together, season to taste. Press in panini press, or on skillet with a weight to hold it down. Enjoy!

Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup

I love sharing things that I used to enjoy with my kids. I want them to watch the classic Disney cartoons like Cinderella, read classic children's stories like Charlotte's Web and go on outings that include hay rides and going down slides.


It's not that I object to the cutting edge technology of Pixar and video games that don't even require a controller, I just love the wave of nostalgia that I experience when my kids fall in love with the same things that I used to love at that age. Maybe it's my own weird way of vicariously getting to be a kid again!

And since I want my kids to also experience the same foods I used to eat, grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup have definitely made an frequent appearance on our dinner table. But eventually you have to draw a line when it comes to authenticity, and the canned version of tomato soup will no longer do.


So, I was thrilled to find this light, but rich and gorgeously smooth version of tomato soup, that made the perfect mate for our grilled cheesers. Instead of adding cream, bread is your thickener and the flavor of tomatoes is much stronger and tangier then what you get in the canned stuff. It's dippin' delicious!

Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup
By America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
2 (28 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
3 slices high-quality white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons brandy (I omitted this, but if you use it, be sure to let me know how it is!)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup minced chives

Directions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice. Using a potato masher, mash the tomatoes until no pieces are larger than 2 inches. Stir in the sugar and bread, bring to a simmer, and cook until the bread begins to dissolve, about 5 minutes.

3. Discard the bay leaf. Puree the soup with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a blender, in batches, until smooth. Return the soup to a clean pot, stir in the broth and Brandy, and cook gently over medium-low heat until the soup is hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle individual bowls with the chives before serving.

Serves 6: 1 1/2 cups per serving

Per Serving: 180 cal, 10g fat, 19g carb, 3g prot, 3g fiber, 610mg sod

Celebrating my 300th post with the Best Turkey Burgers Ever

300th post?! It's hard to believe that I've been at it that long. It's been a lot of fun scrolling through the old blog from the last two years and seeing how my tastes, and (ahem) photo skills have changed. I still have a long way to go, and a lot of things to try, so here's to hoping for another 300 posts. In the meantime, thanks so much to all of you for making it so enjoyable and encouraging me to keep going. As Biz says, I consider you all my friends!

Kim, my fellow burger admirer, this is for you! Turkey burgers aren't always what I crave, let's face it, I like my red meat! But, don't make these because they are a lighter substitute, make them because they are so juicy and delicious that you won't, for a second, wish that you were eating a beefy hamburger. I topped mine with sauteed mushrooms and blue cheese, I suggest you do the same!


Favorite Turkey Burger
From Great Food Fast, by Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds light ground turkey
1/2 cup finely grated Gruyere
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
course salt and fresh ground pepper
4 hamburger buns

Directions

1. Heat grill (I used my Foreman grill) to high. In a medium bowl, use a fork to gently combine the turkey with the Gruyere, scallions, breadcrumbs, Dijon mustard and garlic; season generously with salt and pepper. Dividing the mixture evenly, gently form the mixture into four 1-inch thick patties.

2. Lightly oil the grill. Place the patties on the hottest part of the grill; sear until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Move the patties to the cooler part of the grill; continue grilling until cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes per side.

3. Split the hamburger buns and toast if desired. Top with preferred toppings and place burger on buns. Get ready to say MMMmmmmmm with every bite!

Roast Beef Finger Sandwiches with Herb Cream

Don't let the simple look of these little sandwiches fool you, they pack a powerful punch!

About two years ago, when my little food blog was but an infant and I wasn't sure if I was going to catch the food blogging bug or not, I posted this appetizer recipe. I had gotten the idea from a Cooking Light magazine, and they were so good that for the past two years I've never completely gotten them out of my head.

I did things a bit different this time and turned these into finger sandwiches instead of toasts, which is how they originally appear in the recipe. For toppings I used roast beef, Gorgonzola cheese, salami and a mixture arugula and spinach. But what really makes these babies pop is the sauce you use to coat both pieces of bread. It's a very simple mixture of sour cream, mayo, Worcestershire, garlic and herbs, but the taste is so unique and unforgettable, and absolutely perfect for a whole variety of different toppings. I'm already planning on making myself a nice little panini with the stuff tomorrow! These little sandwiches are perfect for parties, baby or bridal showers, or just those quiet moments when your kids are napping. Hope you enjoy!

Finger Sandwiches with Herb Cream
Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients

1 loaf soft white or sour dough bread
1 package deli thin sliced roast beef (or preferred meat), cut to fit size of sandwich
1 package salami, cut to fit sandwich
1/2 cup Gorgonzola
handful of spinach and arugula

Herb Cream:
2/3 cup fat-free sour cream
2 TB minced fresh chives
2 TB low-fat mayo
1 1/2 TB chopped fresh thyme (I used dried and it was fine)
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove minced

Directions

Stack bread on top of each other, about four high. Slice in half, and then trim off all crust. To assemble sandwiches, spread herb cream on each slice of bread. Add all ingredients to one slice of bread, and top with the second. Press gently on sandwich and secure with toothpick if desired. The bread will dry out quickly, so keep covered as much as possible until serving.

Quinoa Salad with Mandarine Oranges and Capers

I feel like I've learned so much through the food blog world. I've learned about ingredients and techniques that I didn't even know existed until now. Quinoa is one of those things. When I first heard about it, I didn't even know how to say it, I thought it was pronounced Ki-no-ah. Yeah...no. Turns out you pronounce it keen-wah. Well, however you want to say it, you should definitely try it. It's made of small grains that you boil and turn into just about whatever you want. They are small, soft and remind me of a cross between tapioca and wheat grains. It's also crazy healthy for you, and fun to eat!

I made this salad simply by pulling ingredients out of the frigde that I thought would be good together. It turned out to be so good, and I was also able to use my Newman's Own Balsamic Dressing that I got a few months ago. This salad was so clean tasting and refreshing with a lot of great flavors. I especially loved the contrast of the salty capers with the sweet mandarine oranges. This would be great for a BBQ or any get-together.

Quinoa Salad with Mandarine Oranges and Capers

Ingredients

2 cups of prepared quinoa (use directions on the box)
1 medium can of Mandarine Oranges
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons red onion, or shallot, chopped
1/4 cup Monterey Jack or Feta cheese, chopped into small pieces
2-3 teaspoons Newman's Own Balsamic Dressing, enough to moisten entire salad.

Directions

Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Keep chilled.

I served this alongside a BLT, one of my favorites! To kick it up a knotch, try this spread out...


It's a sandwich spread that is full of peppercorns, dijon and lots of fantastic flavor. You could use it on sandwiches, burgers, breakfast sammies, you name it. I'm not being endorsed in any way to promote this stuff, I just really happen to like it!

Dijon Croque Monsieur with Elderberry Jelly

Nothing beats having dirty, exhausted kids. That sounds like a strange statement, but when my kids are cranky, tired and filthy then it probably means that our day has been spent outside, digging in the dirt, climbing jungle gyms and soaking up as much of this beautiful weather as possible. I love it, and although it means having to double up on baths and showers, it's absolutely worth it. However, it also means that my time in the kitchen and at my computer will be significantly lessened, so my posts my be a bit more sporadic than normal. I'm going to do my best to keep up with you, but if you don't see me around for a while, it hopefully means it's because we're getting delightfully kissed by the sun! Ah, I love the spring!

I probably wouldn't have made these cheesy gooey sandwiches if it wasn't for a little trip I took to Kitchen Kettle in Lancaster, PA with one of my friends. I am in love with this place as it's full of fantastic foods made by the Amish, and they allow you to sample just about everything that they made. I went specifically for a jar of their pickled beets (most of you are probably grimacing at that, but don't knock 'em till you try 'em, they're awesome!), but along the way we discovered this elderberry jelly, which was delicious. It's hard to describe the taste except to say that it has that dark "three berry" sweetness in it and it's wonderful. My friend had mentioned that they had a jelly like this to accompany some Monte Cristo sandwiches and that it was to die for. Not being able to get the idea out of my head, I found this recipe in my Cooking Light mag (where else), and got to work. I can't tell you what the difference is between a Croque Monsieur, and a Monte Cristo (can you?) but I will tell you that the jelly is honestly what topped this sandwich off beautifully. Since the sandwich is very savory with it's buttery Gruyere cheese, salty ham and tangy Dijon, the elderberry jelly cuts right through it with it's sweetness. I warmed it just a bit before serving it to thin it out a bit and it was perfect! If you don't have elderberry jelly, you could probably try this with any sweet jelly you have on hand. Apricot or raspberry would be excellent!



Dijon Croque Monsieur with Elderberry Jelly
Cooking Light Jan/Feb 2010

Ingredients
1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon fat-free mayo
8 slices Italian Bread (I just used whole wheat)
6 ounces thinly sliced ham
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup fat free milk
cooking spray
1/2 cup warmed elderberry jelly for dipping

Directions

1. Combine mustard and mayo in a small bowl. Spread 3/4 teaspoon of mustard mixture over each of 4 bread slices; evenly distribute ham and cheese on each slice of bread. Sprinkle evenly with pepper. Spread remaining mustard mixture on each remaining bread slice and assemble sandwiches.

2. Combine egg substitute and milk in a shallow dish. Dip both sides of each sandwich into the egg mixture.

3. Heat a large nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sandwiches to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned and cheese melts. Use jelly for dipping.

Serves 4

Per Serving (not including jelly): 350 cal, 11.7g fat, 25.1g prot, 34.6g carb, 1.7g fiber

Points per Serving: 8

Enjoy the Spring!!

Hot Artichoke Dip

You know, I'm just going to say it, trying to eat healthy just plain sucks sometimes. It's not that I don't like healthy food, it's that I really like the stuff that's not so healthy. And I'm not much of a sweets girl, I'm talking big bacon cheeseburgers, greasy cheesy pizza, and salty snack food, oh how I love it! But, I made a goal this year by golly, and even though it's February and I'm supposed to have forgotten about it, I really want to accomplish my goal of getting healthy. Come hell or a high mountain of potato chips!

That's why I'm always grateful for recipes like this. They make the whole healthy process suck just a bit less. I love artichoke dip, it's cheesy and has that fantastic sharp artichoke flavor. But, unlike a lot of dips, this one is not full of fat and calories. In fact, the bulk of this dip is white beans, which gives the dip the creamy illusion that you are indulging and being naughty. It's wonderful for parties, and tastes just as good cold or room temp as it does hot.

Hot Artichoke Dip
Cooking Light

Ingredients

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 (14-ounce) cans artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained, divided
1 (15.5-ounce)can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided (I really like Pecorino Romano, I almost always sub it for Parm)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
Cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a food processor; add 1 can of artichokes and beans. Process until smooth. Add remaining can of artichokes, 3/4 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 1 tablespoon parsley, and garlic. Pulse 20 times or until artichokes are coarsely chopped.

3. Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.


4. I think this is best served with tortilla chips, sliced baguette, carrots, celery or cauliflower.

Serves 12: Serving size is 1/3 cups

Per Serving: 98cal, 4g fat, 2g fiber, 5g prot, 488mg sod

Points per Serving: 2!!


With the leftover dip, I made an awesome roasted zucchini and mushroom panini (what else!) Roast whatever veggies you have (asparagus would have also been excellent), spread dip on one slice of bread, top with veggies and any cheese if desired and press. Delicious lunch!

So here's my question...what helps you when you're having a particularly hard day staying on that straight and narrow path to healthy eating?

CEiMB and HBi5

Normally I'm supposed to post Craving Ellie in My Belly on Thursdays, but yesterday my brain was only functioning at 50%. The night before I thought I'd act like a college student and stay out half the night with some girlfriends, great times, but I'm left braindead the next day! So, it wasn't until noon today that it hit me "I never posted CEiMB!" My apologies to the folks in the group, but hopefully my "two-in-one" post will make up for it.


This week for CEiMB we made Emerald Stir Fry with Beef, hosted by Alyssa's Two Bites. Now, I enjoy a good stir fry, but I do have to be careful not to make them too often because my husband tends to think that they all taste the same, and he's just not that crazy about them.

I made quite a few changes with this stir fry. I used green beans and a frozen veggie mix in place of the sugar snap peas and asparagus. I also added a little sugar to the sauce to sweeten it a bit. It was good, everyone was pleased, but I do think I have to side with Glenn and agree that it did taste about the same as every other stir fry I make. A delicious dish, just not that exciting. Maybe we'll do shrimp or scallops next time? That might mix it up a bit. You can find the recipe here.

And now for HBi5. The starter this week was a bit different, calling for more things like honey and eggs and I liked it! I made the loaf of bread, which got eaten very fast. It was sweet, soft and great with sandwiches, especially my all time favorite one.



And I made the hamburger buns. The tops were brushed with a bit of butter and sprinkled with a bit of garlic salt, my favorite condiment! To fill them we made our favorite burgers ever. The recipe comes from one of my Weight Watcher cookbooks and they are fantastic. Ground beef mixed with a whole variety of veggies and seasonings, then we just grill them on our Foreman. They have a ton of flavor and would satisfy anyone, whether they're dieting or not!



Mushroom BurgersWeight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced carrot
2 tablespoons minced celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups finely chopped mushrooms
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon steak sauce
salt and pepper

Directions

1. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the bell pepper, onion, carrot, celery and garlic until the onion is translucent, 8-10 minutes. Add the mushrooms; saute until the mushrooms brown and the liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

2. Spray the broiler racl with nonstick cooking spray; preheat the broiler. In a medium bowl, combine the mushroom mixture, beef, steak sauce, salt and pepper. Form into 4 hamburgers. Broil the burgers 3-4 inches from heat, 5-7 minutes each side, or grill in Foreman Grill.

Serves 4

Per Serving: 153 cal, 8g fat, 3g sat fat, 44mg sod, 1g fiber

Points per Serving: 4

Unfortunately I waited too long to do my apple strudel bread, and the starter wasn't good anymore, drat! I will definitely try it another time though! I'm excited to see how the rest of you clubbers did and have a fantastic weekend ya'll!

HBi5: Loaf of Bread, Epi, and Crackers

My first HBi5 post, and I think I'm sold with their concept. The whole way it works is you make a big batch of starter dough, which stays good in your fridge for up to two weeks. As the week goes by, you can cut pieces off of the starter as you please and make a large variety of fun breads. Plus, it's healthy!

This round was pretty simple. I started out with making a simple loaf of bread.

The bread was rich and delicious and had a wonderful nutty softness to it. We used it to make these paninis (what else!)


Inspired by Cooking Light, it is loaded with spinach, bacon, caramelized red onions and garlic, and a low-fat white cheddar. Talk about a rich and hearty sandwich, I was full for the rest of the night!

Later in the week I made an Epi shaped loaf of bread. It was fun and amazingly easier to make. It was also fun to tear off the individual "grains" and eat them as rolls. Again, wonderful wheaty flavor.



Coming in last, and probably my favorite were these great crackers. Rolled very thin and dusted with kosher salt and chili powder, they were crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside and great with lowfat cheddar cheese or cottage cheese. My kids also loved them!


So far, I'm very excited about this book!
Be sure to come back Monday, I have a long overdue giveaway that I'm absolutely giddy about!

Mushroom and Havarti Panini

Whenever I visit my parents, I enter food heaven. My mom shares the same love for food as I do, and we have so much fun discovering new dishes together. This was something we came up with for lunch after looking through the fridge. My mom had a panini press that had yet to be taken out of the box, so it was high time to put it to good use.

I love paninis and each time I eat one, I probably say that it's my favorite, but seriously, this is my favorite panini! The baby bellas made it so meaty and rich, the caramelized onions added texture and sweetness, and the Havarti...well. Have you ever had Havarti? I hadn't until the day I ate this sandwich, and I've been slapping my face for missing out on twenty eight years of Havarti goodness. This cheese is amazing, it's has an ever so slightly pungent flavor, but is so soft and melts like a velvet dream. gaaaaaaaah. Go get some today and make this sandwich!

This sandwich is so simple that I'm not going to post an actual recipe, I'm just going to tell you how I made it, and you can adjust to taste and quantity.

Saute sliced baby bella mushrooms in olive oil. Once mushrooms are slighly browned and wilted, add kosher salt, pepper and dried thyme. Be sure that the mushrooms are flavored well, the second time I made them, I didn't add enough salt and the sandwiches weren't quite as good. At the same time you're sauteing your mushrooms, caramelize your onions. Place onions in a skillet with olive oil. Cook until onions are slightly soft. Add sugar until onions are sweet, then add soy sauce, all to desired taste. Onions should be a caramel color and very soft by the time you are finished cooking them. Assemble sandwich. I put down a layer of mushrooms, a slice of Havarti cheese and the onions. Putting the cheese in the middle will help glue the whole sandwich together. Get a napkin, your favorite beverage and devour!

Apple Cheddar Turkey Burgers

I've had these amazing burgers twice now, and they are definitely going to be added to my regular lineup in the kitchen. I found this on my friend Sara's blog and knew it was only a matter of time before I'd be eating them. What I like about them is that they are unique, impressive, but at the same time only take minutes to prepare. I also love the combination of ingredients. Sara strongly recommends not leaving out the cranberry sauce, which I completely stand behind. In fact, it's the cranberry sauce that makes this burger so wonderful! Give it a try, you won't be disappointed. You can find it here!