Everyone loves chicken and fruit combo, but throw in a few unexpected veggies and a surprise mango, and you’ve created a delicious flavor palate that will delight.

Ingredients

Skewers

• 2 Medium Sized Summer Yellow Squash
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper
• 2 Mangos, ripe, but firm
• 2 pounds chicken breast (about 4-5)

Sauce (for marinating and dipping)

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup Mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
• ¼ cup finely chopped chives
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Sauce

1. Finely chop chives and garlic.
2. Mix all ingredients in medium sized bowl.
3. Set aside.

Skewers

1. If using bamboo skewers soak in water for 30 minutes, this prevents them from going up in flames on the BBQ.
2. Cut chicken into approximately 1inch squares. Place the cut meat and ½ cup of sauce in a medium bowl and let marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
3. Add water (2 to 4 tbsp.) to the remaining dressing to thin.  Set in fridge to chill.
4. While your chicken is marinating, peel and cut mango, cut bell peppers and squash.  Use your discretion on size.  Depending on your level of OCD, place each item in a separate bowl.  That way as your arrange your skewers you can shuffle the order easily of items as you please.   When threading the squash, be gentle as to not split pieces down their centers.
5. Prepare a grill for medium heat (350° to 450°)
6. Oil cooking grate, using tongs and a wad of oiled paper towels. Grill kebabs, covered, until browned and chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes, turning once.
7. Serve with your sauce on the side.  Couldn’t be easier!

-Arianna Schioldager

I love summertime because the produce is amazing.  Good light fruity breakfasts are always a good thing to me.  I feel like I can get my kids to eat better during the summer as well.  Anything I can make extra healthy for my kids I will!  Our latest creation was lemon vanilla pancakes.

Most pancakes call for vegetable oil in the recipe, I swapped that out for a healthier extra virgin lemon olive oil.  Then I added one tablespoon of vanilla extract and one tablespoon of grated lemon peel.  To get a little more health for my pancake buck I added some flax meal to the batter as well.  They were light, fluffy, cake-y, healthy, and completely devoured by my kids.

You will need:

1 egg lightly beaten

3/4 cup of milk

1 cup of flour

1 tablespoon vanilla

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of salt

2 tablespoons of lemon olive oil

Grated peel of one lemon

1 tablespoon of brown sugar

1/4 cup flax meal (flax meal is better for you than traditional flax seeds because it is much easier on you to digest, so you get more of the healthy benefits from it!)

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional) Combine all of your wet ingredients.  Slowly incorporate your dry ingredients until all is well mixed.  Allow the batter to sit for about ten minutes.  This is just about as long as it takes to heat up your griddle, or other pancake cooking vessel.  Cook the same way you would any other pancake.  To serve top each pancake with a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh berries.  Blueberries make a traditional accompaniment to all things lemon, but do not be afraid to try strawberries, blackberries (my husbands favorite), or any other combination of fruits that you have.

-Stephanie Wright

Yay for summer, shorts, hot weather, and picnics! One of my favorite treats to enjoy during the summer months are popsicles. I love to let my kids help with the preparations as well. Sort of makes the moment sweeter.

I have made these popsicles for many summer barbecues and people are always asking for the recipe. Most cannot believe how simple they are to make once I tell them.

First, grab two cups of your favorite summer fruit. We have used peaches, strawberries, oranges, and plums to great success. Fresh is best, but in a pinch you can always go for frozen. I will emphasize that the fresh will taste much better though. Okay, dump those two cups of fruit into your blender. Purée them up good. Or I suppose if you enjoy little chunks you could leave them lumpy. Add one cup of vanilla yogurt, two cups of milk, and one teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract to the blender. Mix it up.

At this point I like to taste the mixture to test for sweetness. Lots of times the fresh fruit is sweet enough with the addition of the yogurt. If not you can add honey a few teaspoons at a time until you get the right amount of sweetness. Once you get the mixture right you can pour it into your favorite popsicle molds. Freeze the for a minimum of five hours or over night. My kids like it when I mix everything but the fruits together, pour that into the molds and the swirl in the puréed fruit mixtures at the very end. According to my daughter that makes them fancier, and in her world fancy tastes better.

You can do it whichever way you please, just so long as you go and do it! You will not be disappointed! Finally a good, sweet, healthy treat for your and your families!

-Stephanie Wright

It may be one of the fastest fish in the sea but that doesn’t mean you can’t catch it and eat it.

At only 146 calories in a 3-oz. serving, swordfish can be an addition to part of a calorie-controlled diet. It’s healthy, delicious and since it’s a steak fish (i.e something thick enough to throw on the grill) it can take you less than ten minutes to cook.

Plus, it’s an unexpected choice if you’re having dinner guests, and looks impressively hearty on a plate.

Here is a great glaze and simple recipe that will have you (or your guests) saying yes please to this broad-billed fish.

Ingredients 

2 1-inch (approximately) thick swordfish steaks

Marinade:

¼ cup Sesame oil

½ tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon Honey

1 clove Garlic

1 whole lime, juiced

Cayenne Pepper to taste (start with just a dash)

Kosher salt to taste

Directions

Finely mince garlic. Set aside.

In bowl whip together all ingredients for the marinade. Start with the sesame oil to get a good base, add the mustard, honey, and garlic.

Juice your lime and add to mixture.

Whip all ingredients with a fork.  Add dash of cayenne and salt to taste.

Here is the refined part:

Rinse your fish thoroughly under cold water and pat dry.

Throw the fish in a large Ziploc bag with the marinade.  Let sit for 30 minutes or longer.

Place fish on a well greased grill over medium coals or medium flame. Grill over medium coals for about 4 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reached 140 degrees F.  Brush with any remainder mixture. Your fish should be tender and juice.

Serve with a delicious mixed green salad with a simple citrus dressing, for a fresh and health-conscious dinner.

Quiche is in no way good for you, but if you make them mini and without a crust (I know it is the best part, but think of the repercussions!) it can help with portion control and be (almost) guilt free.

These mini quiches are individually sized without crust, plus make use of eggs whites and skim milk. If you’re a bacon aficionado and need it with your quiche, add at your own risk!

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 20 or so small mushrooms, chopped (I really love mushrooms)
• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
• 2 cups baby spinach
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 large eggs
• 4 egg large whites
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1/3 cup grated Fontina cheese
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Coat a 12-cup nonstick muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium skillet, heat the oil. Add the mushrooms, shallot, and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cook until shallots are soft and translucent and mushrooms are lightly browned.  Takes about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Add the spinach and fold until it is lightly wilted. Add nutmeg.  About 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4. Whisk together the eggs, egg whites, milk, and salt and pepper until well combined. Fold in the cheese.
5. Divide the egg mixture evenly between the muffin tins.  Fill about half way.
6. Top with the mushroom and spinach mixture.  Optional- add bacon if you desire.
7. Bake until the quiches golden brown and set.  About 20 to 25 minutes.  They should rise.
8. Remove from oven, let them cool in the tins about 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack.

Serve warm and guilt free!

-Arianna Schioldager

I celebrated Easter with my boyfriend’s family this year, and boy was I in for a treat! His sister and her French boyfriend took the initiative to create a three course meal from scratch. Homemade chocolate éclairs, anyone? I was impressed by the perfectly moist halibut, the juicy lamb (I did not get to try this since I don’t eat meat but my boyfriend’s face when he took a bite made it pretty clear that it was heavenly), the candied pecan and gorgonzola salad, fresh pasta with homemade pesto sauce, and baked brussel sprouts perfectly flavored with cooked onion and carrots. However, it was the appetizer of four flavors of smoked salmon (black pepper, dill and lemon, dill and ginger, and dill and beet) that really sold me on the French’s ability to prepare delectable food.

After trying this homemade smoked salmon, I have been inspired to add the delicious fish to my breakfast and lunches. Lucky for us, salmon is filled with omega-3 fatty acids which are great for brain function, weight loss, reducing inflammation, and protect against heart disease, diabetes, some types of cancer and arthritis.

Making your own lox or smoked salmon can save you money and reduce the sodium content. To make your own lox follow these simple instructions. Season it with dill, lemon, pepper, or whatever flavor you prefer, then enjoy it on a whole wheat English muffin with whipped cream cheese, on a salad, or in an egg-white omelet or sandwich!

Ingredients

One 2 pound salmon fillet, skin off

¼ cup of salt

¼ cup of white sugar

1-2 bunches of fresh dill

2 tsps of freshly cracked black pepper

Lemon juice (optional)

Preparation

1. Simply rub the salmon fillet all over with the salt and sugar, and sprinkle with the pepper.
2. Place half of the dill in glass or other non reactive container, big enough to hold the salmon flat (it can be cut into pieces to fit as necessary), lay the salmon on the dill, and cover with the other half of the dill. Cover with plastic wrap, and place something heavy on the top, to compress the salmon.
3. Let it sit in the fridge for 2 days, draining the water that collects off once. Check to see if the salmon is finished after 2 days. The texture will change, and become denser, and it will look like smoked salmon when finished. If it is not all the way through cured, give it one more day of curing.
4. That’s it. Wash off the salt and sugar, and slice as thinly as possible, with a very sharp knife.
5. If you want a smokier flavor, finish the salmon off with a couple of hours of cold smoking in the BBQ!

-Emily Freeman

Los Angeles has some pretty stellar cuisine, but sometimes you want to fill up and keep your wallet full.  Luckily you don’t always have to spend a fortune to eat like a king.

Here’s a list of some favorite cheap eats spots around town you should check out.  Note, cheap doesn’t always mean healthy but, you deserve a cheat meal every now and again.

1. Everyone in LA loves sushi, but hot spots can be bank breaking.  Little known secret spot Noshi Sushi on Beverly near Korea Town and is the hidden secret must spot.
2. Homegirl Café in downtown LA.  Homeboy Industries is an organization that rehabilitates ex-gang members, and the food (fresh, organic produce direct from their gardens) at Homegirl is equally as great as the mission. Plus the chocolate dipped macaroon may be the best you’ll ever have.  And it’s .99. That’s less than a cup of coffee.
3. The whole Kogi Taco truck rage hasn’t really died down; people still flip when they see it. Little known fact for many Angelenos, there’s a bar in Culver City call the Alibi Room where you can order your favorite and inexpensive blend of Korean BBQ.
4. The Pie Hole. Also located in downtown LA.  Whether you fancy sweet or savory, you’ll fill up and lick your lips for more.
5. Eduardo’s Border Grill in West LA.  The same guys have been running this place for more than 20 years and their prices and quality have stayed consistent.
6. If you don’t care about your health at all (ok don’t do that) you must stop by Dino’s Chicken. Consider it an adventure.  Don’t be scared by the bright orange color, think of it as an accessory to the neon trend. Plan ahead and make time for post indulgence coma.

-Arianna Schioldager

The low-carb diet craze is still going strong. If you are one of those people who are going this route, you probably miss the starchy goodness of spaghetti noodles. Breaking news. This just in: you can have your spaghetti and be thin too!

Spaghetti squash flesh, when bakes, comes out in long strands very closely resembling pasta! This squash is also full of Niacin, fiber, and antioxidants Vitamin C and B6 . This is a delicious recipe that will leave you carb queens completely satisfied.

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

3 tablespoons sliced black olives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray

2. Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance. Remove squash from oven, and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled.

3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm.

4. Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash, and place in a medium bowl. Toss with the sauteed vegetables, feta cheese, olives, and basil. Serve warm.

-Emily Freeman

Flip-flopping meals around makes one feel like less of a grown-up.  When I eat breakfast for dinner or vice versa, I recapture just a little bit of what it was like to be a kid.   I loved when my mom made pancakes for dinner.  And who didn’t love day-old pizza for breakfast.

So, here’s a slightly grown-up version.

Tomato and egg pizza (for breakfast)

You’re more than welcome to make you own pizza dough. But if that proves too time consuming, or too difficult, Trader Joe’s has some great pre-made dough, that you can pretend you made from scratch.  The trick with dough is not touching it too much.  Sounds counter-intuitive, but the more you touch it, the sticker it gets.  If you wind up working your dough into a sticky bun, add a little more flour and try again.

Now.

Ingredients for toppings

5 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon of chili pepper flakes

6 oz. tomato paste

Fresh mozzarella

Shredded Pecorino Romano

2 – 3 large eggs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450° F.

Peel and finely dice the garlic cloves. Combine 3 of the garlic cloves with olive oil in a bowl.  Set aside. In a saucepan, heat a small amount of olive oil.  Add the chili flakes and remaining garlic cloves to the oil and saute briefly. Add the tomato paste and 1 – 2 tablespoons of water to loosen the paste. Stir briefly and combine all ingredients.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Cover the dough with sauce, mozzarella, romano, and two cracked eggs. Place the pizza on a baking sheet in the bottom rung of the oven. Bake for approximately 10 minutes.

Once the crust is golden, remove from the oven and immediately brush the exposed crust with the prepared garlic oil.

Eggscelent!

-Arianna Schioldager

Pizza? Yes Please!

If you choose the right ingredients, pizza can be a great addition to a healthy lifestyle! Here is one of my favorite diet-friendly pizza recipes. Enjoy the gooey-goodness of melted mozzarella, crunchy crust, and rich marinara sauce without the bloat! Each pizza has 160 calories and 13.5g of protein!

English Muffin Veggie Pizzas

Directions

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 whole wheat English muffins sliced in half (better yet, scoop out some of the dough as well for a crunchier and lower-calorie crust)
• 1/4 cup marinara sauce
• 1/4 cup diced bell pepper
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• ¼ cup sliced mushrooms
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• Garlic powder
• 4-5 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375F. Place English muffins on a baking sheet lines with aluminum foil. Top with marinara sauce, bell pepper, mushrooms, onion, olives and basil. Sprinkle with cheese, top with garlic powder, and bake for 12-15 minutes until cheese is melted.

-Emily Freeman

Sound appetizing? Most of us like a little something naughty in our salads (yes bacon bits I am looking at you) but our bodies actually crave health food, and if you can make it taste delicious, why wouldn’t you chose all health all the way, or at least once a week.

Ingredients:

• 1 head of kale
• 1 head of spinach
• 1 small bunch of radishes
• 2 small tangerines, peeled
• 1/4 yellow onion
• 3 cloves of garlic1 cup of quinoa
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Lemon
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Remove all stems, wash, rinse and chop spinach and kale.
2. Peel and chop garlic
3. Dice onion.
4. Wash and thinly slice radishes. If you’re careful, you can use a mandolin for extra thin slices.
5. Set all aside.
6. Rinse the quinoa under cold water and drain. Pre-salt your quinoa.
7. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add quinoa to boiling water, reduce your heat and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
8. When all the grains have turned from white to transparent, and the spiral-like germ has separated, your quinoa is done.  Drain and rinse it again.  This helps remove any residual bitter flavor.
9. In a small pan, over medium heat, sauté the onions in olive oil.  Let them caramelize for extra flavoring. Add the garlic.
10.  Turn down heat, add kale and spinach.  Lightly fold them in with the onion and garlic.  You want your leaves a little softer, but not wilting.
11.  Remove all ingredients from heat and place in large salad bowl.
12. Add your radishes and tangerine slices.
13. Scoop ½ cup of quinoia into the bowl.  Fold ingredients gently together and coat with freshly squeezed lemon.
14. Drizzle with olive oil.  Salt and pepper.

-Arianna Schioldager

We gather in kitchens. Have serious talks in kitchens.  We learn how to care for people in the kitchen; preparing, chopping, mixing, blending, and baking.  We laugh and love and cry in kitchens, but we also hang out in front of the refrigerator when no one is looking.

Too bad mindless snacking is the healthy body’s mortal enemy.  Next time you clean out your kitchen (it’s Spring after all), keep health in mind, and test out a few (or all) of the below.

Ditch the soda. Ditch the diet soda. Make a pitcher of iced tea and keep it in the fridge.

Don’t make excuses that you don’t have healthy options or that healthy isn’t quick.  Keep frozen fruits in your freezer and you can always make a quick smoothie.  Keep a blender close by and clean, so that it’s ready when you are.

Same goes for Tupperware. It’s a must for healthy eating.  If you cook at the beginning of the week, and store healthy options, it’s more likely that you will grab pre-sliced julienned veggies, or that grilled chicken for a salad if you don’t have to stop, drop, and prepare.

Out of reach.  It’s like that commercial where the lady hides the cookies for herself, except this time, you are hiding them from yourself.   While out of sight, out of mind doesn’t always work, if you make the treats harder to get to, by the time you get it, you may just change your mind.  Keep heavy carbs in tight containers on the bottom shelves.

Your appetite kicks in usually at first sight of food.  If chips and cookies are in your direct line of vision, you’ll crave them.  Keeping fruits and veggies at your eyesight ensures healthy snacking.  Make bite at first sight a healthy one.

-Arianna Schioldager

Brunch is, no doubt, my favorite meal. From pastries to creative salads, brunch has no limits, especially on Easter!

This Easter, save money and wow your guests by making brunch at home. This Butter Lettuce Salad with Pears and Gorgonzola is the perfect recipe to get your brunch-planning started. The dressing recipe is a long-time favorite in my family. It was actually the first recipe my mom gave me when I went off to college. I made this salad for my friend’s baby shower a couple weeks ago and it was a hit!

Butter-Lettuce Salad with Pears

Ingredients

Salad:

2 ½ bags of pre-cut butter lettuce

2 pears peeled and cut into cubes

½ cup Gorgonzola cheese

½ cup rosemary or candied pecans

1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in to halves

2 small or about ¾ large cucumber cut in half and then into slices

Dressing:

1/3 cup raspberry or strawberry jam

¼ olive oil

4 tsp rice vinegar

4 tsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp white wine

1 tsp mustard

Preparation

Mix all salad dressing ingredients together with a whisker. Combine all salad ingredients in a serving bowl, toss with dressing, and enjoy!

-Emily Freeman

Homemade apple chips are the perfect go-to in your desk drawer at work (better than M & M’s) and they’re easy to sneak into the movie theater (better than ten dollar M & M’s).

You don’t need a dehydrator, you can make them at home in your oven.  Some people use sugar, but I prefer honey.

Ingredients:

2 cups water

2 cups clover honey

2 large apples or 3 small ones (Jazz apples are great right now!)

Sprinkle Cinnamon (preferential)

Sprinkle Ground Clove (preferential)

Directions:

Set your oven to 250 degrees F.

Making the simple syrup:

Pour the two cups of water and honey into a pan, and bring it to a boil. Stir it once the mixture comes to a boil.  You don’t want the honey to stick to the bottom. Set aside.

Apple Preparation:

You want your slices to be 1/16 of an inch. If you cut them wider, they’ll take much longer to crisp. You can core your apple and then use a mandoline to make thin slices. Cut the apple in half. Chop off your rounded ends, and start slicing (just watch your fingers).

Place the apples in the honey mixture and let them soak for 10 minutes. Make sure all are coated.

Using tongs lift the apples from the syrup, shake off the excess and place them on the parchment paper.  Don’t overlap. You should have enough for two trays.

Add your spice if you choose to do so.

Place one tray on the middle rung and the other on the top.

Cook for about 30 minutes, and then rotate the trays. Cook for another 30 minutes.

Check on them.  When they are finished they will look golden brown and will be crisp to the taste. They will harden once removed from the oven.

-Arianna Schioldager

We all want to eat healthy, and we want our kids to eat healthy too.  That can prove to be especially difficult when you are on vacation. You don’t have to sacrifice your diet however, just because you are out of town.  The key is planning.

Do your best to plan where you will eat when you have to eat out.  If you plan ahead of time you can research their menu and figure out which is best for your waistline and opt for water whenever you can.  You will feel fuller and save calories.  Not to mention the sodium in some soft drinks, even diet drinks, can make you feel hungrier.

Most amusement parks don’t allow you to bring in your own food inside , but that’s not saying you can’t provide yourself food.  You just can’t bring it inside the park. Disneyland has picnic areas set up just outside the gates of the park for you to enjoy your own picnic food. For other parks, call and ask for their options.  Bringing your own food will not only save you calories, but money too!

Eating out on vacation is generally inevitable though, so it’s a hurdle you will have to jump.  Calories in snacks can really add up. So if you can, opt to enjoy fruits and nuts for your snacks instead of chips, crackers, or other packaged snacks.  This might help to counter that hamburger you will have for dinner.  Never tell yourself you can go hog wild because you are on vacation, do however allow yoursel to indulge.  You can keep yourself on track while out of town with a little planning, and a touch of will power.

-Stephanie Wright

By now you’ve definitely heard the word Celiac floating about the internet never-land or the water cooler.  You’ve also probably noticed a ton of gluten free products invading the shelves at your local market.

Celiac disease, also known as gluten intolerance, is a genetic disorder that affects at least 1 in 133 Americans. That’s a whole lot of us.  And so many of the delicious foods we eat, snack on, shove unconsciously into our mouths come 4pm are full of gluten.  Even if you aren’t Celiac, gluten is hard for all of us to break down.

So let’s make something gluten-free and fun. And because I love coffee, let’s make them with some freshly brewed java.

Chocolate Coffee Gluten Free Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 8 oz. sugar
• 2 oz. unsweetened cocoa
• 7 oz. GF flour (Bob’s Red Mill is probably the most common)
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon of kosher salt
• 8 oz. unsalted butter, melted
• 8 oz. buttermilk
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons brewed coffee
• 6 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Place cupcake liners in cupcake pan
3. In a large bowl mix sugar, cocoa, and flour.
4. Add baking powder, baking soda, salt. Whisk mixture to incorporate.
5. Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl (about 35 seconds). Cool slightly so that
6. it doesn’t cook the wet ingredients when you incorporate.
7. In the same bowl as butter, add buttermilk, eggs, and coffee and mix well.
8. Add liquid ingredients to dry. Whisk until no lumps remain.
9. Add chocolate chips and stir.
10. Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full. Make sure all air bubbles are removed.
11. Bake about 10 minutes and rotate. Bake 5-6 minutes more.
12. Remove cupcakes and cool.

Pick a frosting of your choice, add some sprinkles, and enjoy!

-Arianna Schioldager

Muffins do not need to come with a muffin top! Stay in your skinny jeans with this scrumptious guilt-free recipe.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cup oatmeal

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup blueberries

1 zucchini, pureed

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/3 cup egg whites

1 whole egg

1 tsp vanilla

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine oatmeal, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Stir to combine.  Add in blueberries, zucchini, applesauce, egg whites, egg and vanilla. Stir until blended.

Spray a muffin tin with Pam. Fill tin with batter

Bake for about 22 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

-Emily Freeman

There isn’t anything much better than a cup of hot cocoa. And I know it is practically spring, but it was a gloomy, rainy day and we could not help but pretend that it was cold outside, and a good day for cocoa. I’ve never been a huge fan of cocoa from a packet, so we made our own.  I make it in the crockpot, basically just throw it all in and stir on occasion until you get sinfully rich molten chocolate that you can drink. Did I mention that it was tasty? Make this and promise you won’t like cocoa from a packet either.

Start with a half gallon on chocolate milk in your favorite crockpot. I suppose you could use regular milk, but why?  Make it more chocolatey every chance you get. To that add 1 cup regular cocoa powder. Whisk those together as best you can to break up the powder. It may not completely mix, but don’t worry, it will eventually. Then add 3/4 cup of sugar, and two teaspoons of salt. Mix that in. Because I like chocolate, I add in half a bag, about 6 ounces, of semi sweet chips. Milk chocolate, or dark chocolate will also work, but if you go dark, you might want to add a touch more sugar. Then add a tablespoon of vanilla. As the crockpot heats up your chocolate will melt and add an amazing velvety texture. Plus it tastes good.

If you’re like me and you take your “hot” in hot cocoa seriously add a teaspoon (more or less to taste) of cayenne pepper. Then finally dump in one whole container of Cool Whip. Let everything melt on low for a few hours stirring every now and again. The best thing is that your kids can absolutely do most of the work for this recipe and practice measuring their ingredients. Once you’ve had your fill you can bag the leftovers and throw them in the freezer. The next time you want cocoa you can just toss the frozen goodies in the crockpot and wait until they melt.

-Stephanie Wright

During a low-key Valentine’s weekend in Carmel with my boyfriend, I had a major urge to get creative in the kitchen. Though my pasta sauce did not come out completely as planned, to say the least, my Peanut Butter and Nutella Cookies were a hit!

The recipe is super simple and, let’s be honest, what is better than the peanut butter and chocolate combination?

Ingredients

2 ¼ cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 overflowing tbsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon to taste (I usually think the more the merrier)

1 cup peanut butter (this is an estimate because I usually just keep adding the peanut butter until you can taste its flavor but it doesn’t totally overpower all the other flavors in the cookie)

1 – 1 ½ cup chocolate chips (depending on your chocolate-lover level)

Nutella

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. With an electronic whisker combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.

Gradually whisk in flour mixture to the wet mixture. Add cinnamon to taste. Add peanut butter. Add chocolate chips.

Place a small tablespoon of the cookie dough on a greased baking sheet. Slightly flatten the dough. Put a generous dollop of nutella on top of the cookie dough. Cover the Nutella in another tablespoon of cookie dough. You can either keep all the Nutella in the middle of the cookie or swirl it a bit throughout the cookie.

Bake for 9-12 minutes so the middle of the cookie is still gooey and the outside is golden brown.

Leave cookies on the baking sheet for no more than 3 minutes. Move cookies to a sheet of aluminum foil.

Let cool and enjoy!

-Emily Freeman

Cheese is notorious for getting a bad rap by saying it’s artery clogging, and packs on the pounds.  But newsflash: not all cheese is bad for you!  Here is a list of 5 cheeses that are low in calories and good for you!  Cheese can be a great source for lean protein, calcium, phosphorus, and other health benefits.

Feta:

A key component of Greek cuisine, feta is lower in fat and calories than most cheeses.  A one-ounce serving has 4 grams of protein and only 74 calories.

Feta’s characteristic strong flavor means you can get away with using less cheese without feeling cheated.  Another interesting tidbit, is that Greek feta is made with sheep’s or goats milk which can be beneficial for people who have issues digesting cow made dairy products.

String Cheese:

You read that correctly, it’s not just an addition to your kids school lunch so pack it for work too.

For starters, if you choose string cheese made of part-skim mozzarella, it’s low in calories and high in protein (a one-ounce serving has 71 calories and 7 grams of protein).  String cheese isn’t a processed cheese either, mozzarella is naturally stringy (bet you didn’t know that).  When buying your cheese, make sure it’s 100% mozzarella.

Parmesan:

Like feta, parmesan is a great choice because just a little packs a potent, nutty punch.

Parmesan is relatively low in calories (110 in a one-ounce serving), but it’s high in sodium (449 milligrams for the same serving size), so be sure to use it in moderation.  A good way to eat parmesan would be shaved onto salad, or grating it over pizza and pasta.  For a lighter snack, try eating small slices with apples or pears.

Swiss:

Swiss is another strong cheese that’s good for you. What we call Swiss cheese is often Swiss Emmentaler (or Emmental), though other cheeses with a similar taste and hole-studded texture are sometimes lumped in as well.

As a hard cheese, Swiss is also richer in phosphorus than nearly all soft cheeses.  Calcium and Phosphorus are important for women to ingest at any age.  Eat Swiss cheese on your sandwich or scrambled into eggs.  A few small cubes make a great snack with fruit.

Cottage Cheese:

There’s a reason dieters love cottage cheese: It’s high in protein, low in fat (if you buy a low-fat variety), and versatile enough to add to most any meal or snack.

A one-ounce serving of low-fat cottage cheese has 3 grams of protein and only 20 calories. Like all cheeses, it’s also high in calcium.  Indian paneer, Mexican queso fresco, and other types of farmer’s cheese are simply pressed versions of cottage cheese.  When buying cottage cheese, make sure you buy it with low sodium because the nonfat versions are notorious for containing high amounts.

Make sure to stock up on these favorites during your next shopping trip!

-Jessica Brown