Veggie Chips and Creamy Avocado Dip

Growing up, my parents managed several different grocery stores, leaving my sister and I to build imaginary playgrounds in soup aisles, warehouse breezeways and loading docks. We built furniture from the displays of Coca Cola 12 packs, seating ourselves upon our red blocked thrones. We hid in the dairy freezer and squealed "moooo" every time someone grabbed a gallon of milk.  Obviously we were hilarious children. We passed shopping carts out to customers and, if we were lucky, walked away with tips (much to our parents' dismay). 

Spending my childhood in a grocery store inevitably led to certain quirks in adulthood. I posses unusual appreciation for the organization of stores, sensible layouts and small details which cater to children (like child size shopping carts). In addition, I am keenly aware of good quality, time tested brands of food. My parents intentionally taught us which names are a value for the quality. Without a doubt, Green Giant tops the charts on vegetable brands.

Ho Ho Ho. 

From when I first started cooking in college to now, my canned and frozen veggies are Green Giant. So when I heard that Green Giant introduced a line of veggie snack chips- made with real vegetables- I knew that I had to check it out! 

I received two 5 oz bags- Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips in Garden Ranch and Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips in Barbecue- and legitimately almost finished them both the day I got them. It took some serious self-control to save some for later! 

I am genuinely impressed with both flavors. Both stayed crunchy after I left the bags open overnight (oops) and both really do have "giant" flavor. I especially love the sweet potato chips and will definitely be checking out their other flavors! 

To complement the bold flavors of the chips, I whipped up some creamy avocado dip to go with them. It is full of healthy fats to go with a healthier chip! 

What You'll Need:

1 small ripe avocado

1/2 cup fat free sour cream or Greek yogurt

juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt 

What To Do:

Mash avocado in a bowl with a fork or immersion blender until smooth. Add sour cream/Greek yogurt, lime, garlic and salt and stir to fully combine. Serve with Green Giant veggie chips! 

With school fast approaching, I can see these being a regular part of my lunch routine. Just add a sandwich, infused water and sliced fruit and you've got a well balanced, quick meal! Or it could make the perfect snack for homework time! 

All in all, I was thoroughly impressed with Green Giant veggie chips and will definitely be purchasing them on the regular!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Quick Mashed Sweet Potatoes

We've discussed before how nutritionally dense the sweet potato is- which is perfect because it is also super tasty and simple to prepare in so many different ways! I love it in this breakfast quinoa hash or stuffed with black beans and corn, but simple mashed sweet potatoes are just as good. You can always cube and boil the potatoes like you would make regular mashed potatoes. But if you need dinner on the table ten minutes ago, this is the way to go. 

What You'll Need:
1 sweet potato
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
dash of cinnamon

What to Do:
Slice potato in half and poke holes all over it. On a microwave safe plate, microwave on high for five minutes. Check the potato to see if it's soft. (Mine was) Continue cooking in 20 second intervals until you reach the desired consistency. Scoop all the potato into a bowl and mash with a fork with butter, salt, and cinnamon. Serve warm.

Infused Water

As warmer weather approaches, I am reminded of the necessity of staying hydrated. [Okay actually I tried to sell plasma to raise money for a friend's mission trip and they told me I was too dehydrated to donate. Lame.]  And I don't actually like water. I would much rather have Dr. Pepper or iced coffee... or lemonade... or really anything with some flavor! In an effort to satisfy by taste buds and my hydration needs, several infused water flavors were tested.

So here are some simple and delicious ways that I spiced up my water- by infusing them with fruits, vegetables and herbs! I stored the water in Mason jars, mostly because they're airtight and I don't have any pitchers with lids. I removed the lime slices after 3-4 hours because the rind started to leave a funny taste in the water. 

Pineapple-Blueberry Infused Water. This flavor was really delicious! The blueberries tinted the water a pretty pink hue and the pineapple left sweet notes in every sip. 

Cucumber Lime, Blueberry Lime, and a mess of Cucumber, Lime, Jalapeno and Cilantro.

The Cucumber Lime water was crisp and refreshing! I really liked it. 

The blueberry lime was very pretty and pretty tasty as well- be sure to muddle the blueberries for more of their flavor! 

The spicy water was super spicy. If I do it again I will definitely cut down on the amount of jalapeno I use and how long I let it soak. 

I have gotten some great suggestions for other combinations to try such as strawberry basil, watermelon mint and raspberry lime. What is your favorite flavor of infused water?

Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

This was so good- chock full of nutrients and bursting with flavor
Plus, with prep and cooking it still comes together in less than ten minutes. 
This dish is gluten-free, vegetarian and could easily be vegan/dairy-free with a sour cream substitute like silken tofu. 

This recipe is for one portion- I whipped it up for lunch- but it could be very easily multiplied to make an entire family portion!

Another tip to help this dish come together quickly is to bake the potatoes the night before and refrigerate until ready to eat- then just reheat in the microwave!

What You'll Need:
(serves 1)
1/2 medium sweet potato
1 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp chopped jalapeno
3 tbsp sweet corn
3 tbsp black beans 
1 tbsp chopped red onion
seasonings to taste
salt
black pepper
chili powder
garlic powder 
optional for topping
sliced avocado
shredded cheese

What To Do:
With a fork, poke holes in the halved potato, aerating it evenly. Microwave for five minutes. While the potato cooks, chop your onion, jalapeno, and avocado. Rinse the corn and black beans.

When cooking is complete, remove potato from microwave and scoop most of the insides into a bowl. Mix the sour cream and seasoning into the potato. Mix in jalapeno, onion, beans and corn. Scoop the mixture back into the potato skin and top with sliced avocado. 

Yum!

Creamy Chipotle Carrot Soup with Goat Cheese

It really is that bright orange. 

It is probably just me, but even though I love to snack on baby carrots, I tend to have a nearly full bag of drying-out carrots before too long. Well, as to not let these dear orange friends go to waste, I whipped up some carrot soup! I'd never had it before, but it turned out quite delicious and very similar to my butternut squash and pumpkin soup. I read a few different recipes and then just kinda winged it. It was a tiny bit bland for my taste so I kicked it up with chipotle seasoning and goat cheese. Perfection. 

I ate two glorious bowls and thought- this is basically just carrots so it's totally okay to have seconds!

It's naturally gluten free, and can easily be made vegan or dairy free with a couple of substitutions. Sub in vegetable broth for the chicken broth, olive oil for the butter, and coconut or almond milk for the half and half. I really love how versatile it is!

What You'll Need:

1 lb bag of baby carrots, chopped (or one pound carrots, peeled and diced)

1 tbsp butter

1/2 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chicken broth 

1/2 cup half and half

1 cube chipotle seasoning or 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, pureed

salt and pepper to taste

goat cheese crumbles 

What To Do:

Heat butter over medium heat and cook onions for 5 minutes or until translucent but not browned. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add carrots, broth, salt and pepper. Bring pot to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for about twenty minutes or until carrots are very soft. Transfer contents into a blender and blend until completely smooth, doing so in batches if necessary. Pour back into pot and add half and half and chipotle. Stir together and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm, topped with goat cheese crumbles. 

Delicious and healthy!

Chipotle Battered Fish Tacos

It has been rainy and cold and dreary here for the past few days so I whipped up this delicious summery treat to remind me of sunny days. It is absolutely delicious, from the spicy chipotle echoed in the batter and the dressing to the soft homemade tortillas to the refreshing salsa. 

What You'll Need:

(serves 2)

2 tilapia fillets (or other white fish)

3/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

2 chipotle bullion cubes
3/4 cup water

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp olive oil 

mango salsa

avocado slices

chipotle ranch

flour tortillas

What To Do:

Rinse and pat dry the fish fillets. Cut into strips. Prepare batter my mixing together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt and chipotle cubes. Slowly mix in water, careful to avoid any lumps. 

Heat butter and oil in skillet over medium heat. Dip fish strips into batter and carefully place in pan, cooking one minute or until brown on each side. Remove from pan and allow the fish to rest on paper towels to drain oil. 

Layer tacos with flour tortillas, fish, mango salsa, avocado slices and chipotle ranch. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from here. 

Chicken with Tomato Herb Pan Sauce

I love the way that this dish brings out natural sweetness in fresh tomatoes and provides an excellent sauce base for an otherwise very simple meal. Take advantage of the end of tomato season and try this dish asap!

What You'll Need:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
¾ cup flour

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 clove garlic, minced
1½ tsp. fresh oregano, minced
½ tsp. sweet paprika
Salt and pepper
2 tsp. olive oil
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes (about 12 oz.)

1 cup fresh spinach
1/3 cup chicken broth

splash of half and half
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley

What To Do:
Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic, oregano, and paprika.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the oregano butter with the olive oil.  Place the chicken breast halves in the skillet and cook until golden brown on each side and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil, and set aside.

Increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes to the skillet.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to char and burst, about 5 minutes.  Add the remaining butter mixture to the pan.  Crush the tomatoes slightly to release their juices and continue stirring until the butter is melted.  Add spinach and cook until wilted. Add the wine or broth to the pan, scraping the bottom to loosen the browned bits.  Add half and half and cook for a minute more until well blended.

Slice the chicken, transfer to serving plates, and top with the pan sauce.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve. 

I ate my chicken over pasta but this would also pair well with rice, quinoa or potatoes!

Source: adapted from Annie's Eats and  Cook Like a Champion, originally from Bon Appétit, July 2011

Roasted Fresh Green Beans and Grape Tomatoes

**I'm at camp with my students all this week! Hope y'all enjoy some of these yummy recipes while I'm away. I'll try to respond to comments/emails when I get back!**

This is a perfect summer side! Roasted tomatoes have such a delicious and robust flavor and green beans add just the right crunch. Plus this is so simple to throw together!

What You'll Need: 

1 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed

1 pint grape tomatoes 

2 tbsp olive oil

freshly cracked black pepper

sea salt 

What To Do:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss together beans, tomatoes and oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread evenly over a baking sheet and roast for 12-15 minutes or until the tomatoes have burst.

Recipe inspired by and adapted from Martha Stewart

Easy Guacamole

Fresh guacamole is one of life's most wonderful things. There's just something about the combination of rich avocado with diced onions, tomatoes and jalapenos with just a squeeze of lime juice that begs you to keep dipping tortilla chips into it. 


Okay, so guacamole is my crack.


And sometimes, I don't have onions, tomatoes and jalapenos on hand to mix in. So the trick I learned (from a legit Hispanic family, so don't hate) is to mix in some salsa! It already has all of the flavors you would mix into the guacamole all melded together in its own delicious form.  So if you don't have time to dice up all the fresh veggies, this is a perfectly acceptable and functional alternative. 

What You'll Need: 
3 Haas avocados
salt and fresh cracked black pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
1/2 lime, juiced
3 tablespoons of salsa 


What To Do:
Scoop avocado into a bowl and mash with a fork to desired smoothness or chunkiness. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to taste. Mix in salsa and lime juice. Adjust to taste. Consume immediately and if, unlike me, you have enough self control to have leftovers, refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container. 


So easy. So addicting. Enjoy responsibly.

Grilled Fish Tacos with Mango Cucumber Salsa and Chipotle Crema

These tacos were fresh, delicious and healthy.

Plus they're very quick to prepare! I spent the majority of prep time dicing produce.

I also didn't use a recipe... hooray! 

But that also may mean my measurements are a leetle bit off.
The salsa is a perfect balance of sweet, spicy and refreshing.

What You'll Need:

Serves 2

for fish:

2 med-large tilapia fillets 

for salsa:

2 mangos, diced 

1 limes 

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, divided in two

1/2 large jalapeno, diced 

1/2 cucumber, diced

black pepper to taste

for crema:

1 chipotle in adobo sauce

2 tbsp reserved adobo sauce

1/2 cup buttermilk 

1/4 cup mayo

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 lime

1 tbsp sugar 

warmed tortillas (I prefer the uncooked flour tortillas that you warm on the stove)

avocado, sliced 

black beans

What To Do:

Dice your mango, onion, 1/4 cup cilantro, cucumber and jalapeno into very small pieces. If you've never diced a mango before, watch this video first! 

In a separate bowl, combine mango, cucumber, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and the juice from one lime. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

In a food processor, combine chipotle, adobo sauce, buttermilk, mayo, sour cream, garlic, remaining cilantro, juice from 1 lime, and sugar. If you'd like a thinner consistency, add more buttermilk and/or less mayo and sour cream. 

Salt and pepper fish fillets. Grill for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they are white and flake with a fork. 

Serve each taco in a warm tortilla with 1/2 fish fillet, scoop of salsa, chipotle cream, and a slice of avocado. Serve with black beans and tortilla chips.

The salsa is also great with tortilla chips, and the chipotle crema is perfect for salads!

I warn you... I'm kind of a wimp but I thought the crema was preeetty spicy. If you're not a big fan of hotness, you might add half a chipotle first!

Green Monster Smoothie

This has helped me to increase my daily servings of 

fruits and vegetables at the same time

Plus, as much as I hate to admit it, 

it helps my energy more than coffee. 

If you like your smoothies more creamy, add a little yogurt to the mix.

Plus you can always mix and match whatever fruits you have on hand.

Just know if you add strawberries, like I did, it will be an ugly brownish color.

still pretty tasty though!

What You'll Need:

1/2 banana (frozen or not)
1/2 cup chopped frozen pineapple
1/2 large apple, peeled and coarsely chopped
3/4 cups orange juice

1 1/4 cups baby spinach leaves, rinsed and dried
1-2 tbsp. honey (optional)

What To Do:
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until completely smooth.  Taste and adjust sweetness with additional honey, if desired.  Serve immediately.

From Annie's Eats and Confections of a Food Bride,

 originally from Une-Deux Senses

Yeah, so I've made this a few times this week...

it's just that good, and good for ya!

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Y'all, ranch dressing makes everything better. 

I was eating it on steak well into high school (and that's just a shame!).

But as I try to fill my diet with more fresh fruits and veggies, 

this is something that will definitely help! 

And I can feel better about it because it's homemade 

and not a bottled store bought version with lots of preservatives. 

(I still love you Hidden Valley...)

Plus I had buttermilk, sour cream and mayo leftover from other recipes 

so this one helped me clean out those containers to reuse!

I took the recipe from Annie's Eats and modified it 

to what I had in my kitchen

So, instead of chives, I used cilantro

Instead of lemon juice, I squeezed a lime

and it still tastes pretty dang good!

I ate it on this lovely salad with dinner

and on pita chips for a snack. Yum!

What You Need:

¾ cup mayonnaise
¾ cup sour cream
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. lemon juice
¼-1 cup buttermilk
1 small bunch chives
Small handful parsley
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

What To Do:
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor starting with ¼ cup of the buttermilk and blend for 10 seconds.  Check the consistency and taste and blend in additional buttermilk as desired.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

What helps you eat more vegetables?

Green Bean Bundles

These green bean bundles made an impressive presentation 

as part of our Christmas dinner party. 

They are fairly simple to make, 

although there are a few steps involved.

I really like my green beans a little crisp so these are great.

plus, the brown sugar sauce adds an unexpected 

but perfectly cohesive surprise of flavor to the dish.

And if you'd rather not  make a perfectly healthy vegetable 

into a bacon heavy dish,

you can always substitute with turkey bacon

But, you know, calories don't count during the holidays

so I went with real bacon. ;)

What You'll Need:

• 1.25-1.5  pounds fresh green beans
• 1 pkg bacon 
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/8 teaspoon soy sauce

What To Do:

Place beans in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, for 8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until cooked but not crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove to paper towels. 

Drain beans; place about 12 beans on each bacon strip. Wrap bacon around beans and secure with a toothpick. Place on an ungreased baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, garlic salt and soy sauce; drizzle over bundles. Bake at 400° for 10-15 minutes or until bacon is crisp. 

Serves 8

Adapted from Taste of Home