Mango-Turmeric Smoothie

Lately, I've been reading more about the spice ~ turmeric, and I keep sneaking it into some of my smoothies. Depending on what I'm blending, the orange color of the turmeric is either front-and-center (like in the Mango-Turmeric Smoothie, sprinkled with fresh cracked pepper, shown above) or camouflaged (like in a green smoothie or one with dark colored fruits/veggies).  Either way I make it, I'm happy with the health benefits of including turmeric in my diet. 

Quick Moroccan Chicken Thighs with Chickpeas

I was craving something a bit exotic the night I made this dish... but, I was short on time.  So, I threw together this little gem ~ Quick Moroccan Chicken Thighs with Chickpeas ~ and was quite happy with the results!  To make this dish I just used ~ a can of fire roasted tomatoes with juice, 1/2 a can of drained chickpeas, 4 skinless chicken thighs, a small sliced onion and a sprinkling of traditional Moroccan spices ~  powdered ginger, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper.  I let it all simmer together until the chicken thighs were cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.  I added some steamed veggies on the side... and dinner was served.  Not too much effort, not too much time, low on carbs... but full of the exotic flavors I was looking for.  On-the-fly cooking inspired by a craving.  Cool.  :)

Old-Fashioned Beef Stew with Mushrooms & Red Wine

I love a good beef stew recipe. I love a good bottle of red wine. I love a good beef stew recipe that uses a good red wine.  I love a good beef stew recipe that uses a good red wine and includes fresh mushrooms and lots of veggies. Put them all together and I've got a meal we all love.  :)

Strawberry Chia Pudding ~ Meatless Monday

I'd heard about using chia seeds in desserts and was curious about how it would turn out. So, when I saw this recipe for ~ Rich & Creamy Strawberry Chia Pudding, I decided to give it a try. My take on it ~ This is an interesting dessert, with an unusual 'crunch' and a texture that is kinda-sorta like pudding. (it's so trippy how the seeds thicken up the mixture like that) I used dark chia seeds, so mine wasn't as pretty as theirs, but that was OK. My guys weren't too keen on it, they like their pudding smooth, not with a crunch... but I'm glad I tried this superfood sweet treat. It's always fun to try a new spin on traditional foods.

Steamed Greens & Poached Egg

Recently, I've been making more low-carb/low-fat breakfasts and lunches, and a lot of times those meals are featuring greens, veggies and eggs. This time I decided to steam kale, spinach, onions and bell peppers together. Once all the veggies were tender, I gently cracked an egg over the top, poured a bit of water into the skillet to create a little steam, then put the lid on until the white of the egg was just set. Yum! I think this is such a nice, healthy way to start the day, or enjoy a light lunch.  :)

Liver & Onions

I have liked Liver & Onions ever since I was a kid. (yeah, weird, I know)  I've never made it myself, Grandma Bunni never made it, our family has only ordered it in restaurants.  Well, that's silly. Can't be that hard.  I decided I needed to learn how to make it in my own kitchen... so, I did. 

It's super easy to do, we liked it, and it's pretty cheap to make. Cool. Here's the liver lowdown ~ Look for liver in the freezer section at the market. I bought both beef liver (about $2.50 for the pack) and calf liver (about $4.50 for the pack), just to see if there was a big difference between the two. There were 4 slices to a pack. I thought the calf liver was a bit more tender, but both were good eating. I sorta followed this recipe ~ soaking the liver in milk, while the onions were cooking, seemed to work really well; I swapped out the butter for EVOO; and I used seasoned Italian bread crumbs instead of the flour... just because I like it better. The leftovers heated up great in the microwave, so no worries there. Roy likes his with beef gravy on top, and I like mine with ketchup on the side... just like I've always had it. Guess I'm still a kid at heart.  :)  

Turmeric Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps

I've been trying to include more of the golden spice ~ turmeric ~ in my diet. And I've recently found another simple and tasty way to sneak it in ~ I'll often just add a teaspoon to my tuna salad. So simple and tasty, and when stirred into the salad, it adds a lovely golden orange hue. For a low carb meal, I like to nestle the salad in a lettuce leaf, top it with some avocado and chopped tomatoes, and lunch is served.  If turmeric is good enough for Dr. Oz, it's good enough for me.  :)

Cherry Mocha Smoothie ~ Meatless Monday

I was craving something with cherries and chocolate the day I whipped up this smoothie.  Greek yogurt made it protein packed.  A quick breakfast, for an on-the-go morning.  Enjoy!

Cherry Mocha Smoothie
serves 1~2

Ingredients

• 1 cup fat free Greek yogurt
• 1 cup milk of choice
• 1 cup frozen cherries
• 1/2 frozen banana, sliced
• 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp instant coffee
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 (or more) packets Equal, or sweetener of choice
• 4 ice cubes

Directions

Throw all ingredients into blender & whirl away until smooth & frosty.