Mango and avocado make one of my favorite flavor combinations. There is something tropical and refreshing about it. With spring greens and chicken in a salad that refreshing flavor becomes an entire meal. A happy, tropical vacation meal. Especially when add on the simple tangy/sweet/spicy lime dressing. This salad says "summer" and "relaxing by the pool"and all kinds of wonderfully sunny things. It is light, healthy, and filling, and easy to make and it makes a perfect lunch or light dinner. Throw it together, eat it outside on the porch, and enjoy that summer is here. 

Mango Chicken Avocado Salad

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 05/27/2014

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 3/4 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
• 4 cups shredded, cooked chicken
• 2 medium mangos, peeled, seeded and diced
• 2 medium avocados, pitted and diced
• 1 (10 ounce) package spring lettuce mix

Instructions

1. In a microwave safe bowl, combine brown sugar and water and microwave 1 minute. Stir until sugar is dissolved (microwaving more if necessary) and stir in lime juice and garlic sauce. (If you can make the dressing a day or at least a couple hours ahead of time it is even better.)
2. In a large bowl, gently toss together the chicken, mango and avocado. Add 2 tablespoons of the lime dressing and mix.
3. Divide the lettuce among four plates, then top with chicken mixture. Pour dressing to taste over each plate and serve.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time:10 mins.

Cook time:2 mins.
Total time: 12 mins.
Recipe Source: Adapted from allrecipes.com

My brother is the grill master in the family, and when he recommends a recipe I usually try it out as soon as I can because I know it is going to be good. The only problem is that he is one of those crazy people that grills year round, even in tough Vermont winters, so when he recommended this recipe to me it was January. As in, snowy, cold, wet and definitely not grilling season in my book. Now that the weather is warm again and the grill has been dusted off, this recipe has become a favorite in our house. It is easy, has simple ingredients, and tastes wonderful. The chicken thighs are marinated in a simple marinade that gives them a delicious sweet and sour flavor after grilling. The marinade is saved and cooked with spinach until the spinach wilts, giving the spinach the same great taste. Chicken thighs are great on the grill because they don't dry out as quickly as chicken breasts so even someone without great grilling skills could make these turn out great. They also happen to go on sale where I live fairly often, making this a cheap recipe, too. I almost didn't try the spinach cooked in the leftover marinade because I wasn't sure I would like it, but my brother specifically recommended it and I am glad he did. It is so fast and easy, but really tastes great and is delicious with the chicken. I love recipes with a built-in healthy side dish. Kick off your grilling season with this delicious chicken dish and you will be happy you did.

Grilled Sweet and Sour Chicken with Spinach

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 05/22/2014

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot chili-garlic sauce
• 4-6 boneless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 4 large handfuls baby spinach leaves, about 11 ounces total
• 1 plum tomato, seeded and chopped

Instructions

1. Combine rice vinegar, canola oil, granulated sugar, soy sauce and chili-garlic sauce in a medium bowl. Pour marinade into a ziploc bag and add chicken thighs. Close the bag and refrigerate 1-2 hours, turning occasionally.
2. Remove thighs from ziploc bag and save marinade. Grill thighs over direct high heat, turning every 3-4 minutes, until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
3. While thighs are grilling, pour reserved marinade into a large skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Let boil for 1-2 minutes, then add spinach and tomato. Cook until spinach is wilted, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Serve grilled thighs over warm wilted spinach.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min (plus 1-2 hours marinating time)

Recipe Source: Weber's Real Grilling by Jamie Purviance

I love apple pie. The tart apples, the hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, the sweet juices that come out when you cut a slice . . . is there a more homey dessert? I'm also a big fan of repurposing leftover ingredients and finding healthier ways to enjoy my favorite food flavors. That's where this apple pie quinoa salad comes in. It uses leftover quinoa. It has the same cinnamon goodness, the same deliciously sweet-tart juices and the best part? It is fast and easy. You can enjoy apple pie flavor in less than ten minutes. I originally made up this salad as a snack for my daughter and put it together during a nap time one day. After sampling a few (maybe more than just a few) bites I decided I should really also see how it tasted cold (in the name of research) and put the rest in the fridge. After discovering that it tasted great cold, I thought I should really see how good it tasted the next day. And after learning that it tasted great the next day, there wasn't much left so I just polished that whole thing off. My daughter had to wait until the next batch (which I doubled) to finally try it. Sometimes being the mom has its perks. Whether you want to share it or not, this is a great fruit salad with apple pie flavor and a healthy amount of protein and vitamins to boot. We are big quinoa fans at our house so this is perfect for us, but if you like another grain or have something different leftover you could sub it in for the quinoa. 

Apple Pie Quinoa Salad

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 05/20/2014

Ingredients

• 1 pound Granny Smith apples (about two large; you can use other types of apples but may need to adjust cooking times and ingredients slightly since other varieties soften faster and release more liquid during cooking)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• pinch salt
• 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 tablespoons sweetened dried cranberries
• lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

1. Peel and core apples and cut into thin slices. Place in a microwave safe bowl and toss with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
2. Microwave apple mixture for two minutes, stir and microwave an additional 2-4 minutes or until apples are starting to soften and release juices.
3. Pour off juices into a bowl or mug and reserve. Stir in quinoa and cranberries and add juices back until the salad is desired sweetness and consistency. Add lemon juice if desired and serve.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 05 mins.

Cook time: 05 mins.
Total time: 10 mins.
Recipe Source: Heat Oven To 350

Spinach Chicken Tortilla Bake

A few weeks into my new life as a stay at home mom I came to a sad realization. I had honestly thought that because I was home more and not working that the house would be soooo clean. You see, instead of just having evenings and weekends to do household chores, I'd have all day! Right? Except I didn't quite realize that being home all day also meant making messes all day. Especially with a toddler who takes baby feeding times as a opportunity to get into everything she can. It was a sad moment when I realized that keeping the house clean would be just as hard or harder than before. 

It was a similar realization when it came to making dinner. I still need fast dinner recipes with minimal prep because even though I'm not starting dinner after I get home at five, I'm still running around the kitchen like a mad woman getting everything prepped when it comes to dinner time because I'm fitting meal prep in between feedings, book reading and putting bandaids on various invisible ouchies.

This tortilla bake is the latest favorite for fast dinners. The prep time is minimal, especially if you started with already shredded, cooked chicken. I'm a fan of the little hands on time, but also of the ricotta and spinach layers. The ricotta gives the tortilla bake a creaminess that reminds me of lasagna, but with a twist. The spinach, although it seems like a lot when you are putting the layers together, cooks down to nice, soft layers that add an earthy (in a good way) taste to the chicken, cheese and tortillas. I'm not much of a fan of raw spinach, but cooked spinach is my friend. The whole dish gets a slight tanginess from the salsa verde that I love. If you aren't a fan of salsa verde you could substitute regular salsa but the taste will be completely different and lose its uniqueness. You can control how spicy this dish is with the salsa verde you choose and the ratio of pepperjack cheese to monterey jack. You can also make this a little healthier by subbing in whole wheat tortillas for all or part of the tortillas in the recipe. It's such a versatile, delicious dish you will almost forget that you put it together while talking on the phone, nursing a baby, and playing stuffed animal soccer with your toddler.

Chicken Spinach Tortilla Bake

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 05/16/2014

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 cups salsa verde
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 8 large flour tortillas, ripped into large pieces
• 3 large handfuls baby spinach
• 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and heat olive oil until shimmering. Slice chicken breasts in half and season with salt and pepper. Add chicken breasts to skillet and cook, turning once, until cooked through. Let cool slightly and shred.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together salsa verde and ricotta.
3. Add just enough of the salsa verde mixture to cover the bottom of a 8 or 9 inch springform pan. Top with 1/4 of the torn tortillas, then 1/3 of the chicken, black beans, spinach, a heaping 1/2 cup of the salsa verde mixture and 1/3 of the cheeses. Repeat layers, ending with a final layer of tortillas and cheese on top.
4. Cover springform pan with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes or until cheese has browned. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before separating the springform pan and cutting into slices.

Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Recipe Source: adapted from Rachael Ray

Wild Rice Salad

I love love wild rice, but even if I were on the fence about it, this salad would make me a believer. It. is. so. good. The nutty flavor of the wild rice and edamame, the sweet dried cranberries and carrots, the green onions, the tangy/sweet sesame dressing - it is all so good together. The combination of textures is great too, from the slightly chewy texture of the wild rice to the crunch of the carrots and sesame seeds. If you've never cooked wild rice before, this would be a great way to try it out since this salad does a wonderful job highlighting its best characteristics. And unlike many other wild rice recipes, this one is healthy to boot. I am always looking for great salads that I can bring to summer potlucks, and I'm already calling this one is the winner of the summer. Until the next potluck, I'm making this for myself and hogging all of it, enjoying it as my lunch or as a side at dinner and loving every bite.

Wild Rice and Edamame Salad

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 05/12/2014

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 4 cups cooked wild rice
• 3 medium green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 cups shelled cooked edamame (thawed if frozen)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced small
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Place a medium skillet over medium heat and add almonds. Cook, stirring frequently, until almonds are lightly browned, about 6-7 minutes. Add almonds to a bowl to cool and return skillet to the stove. Add sesame seeds and cook and stir until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add toasted sesame seeds to bowl with the almonds.
2. Add cooked rice, edamame, carrots and cranberries to the bowl with the almonds and sesame seeds. Toss to combine.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, sesame oil, vinegar, honey and a couple generous pinches kosher salt and black pepper. Add more salt to taste, then pour over wild rice mixture and toss to combine. Season to taste with additional salt and vinegar if necessary.
4. Cover bowl and chill salad at least one hour before serving.

Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 hour (chilling time)

Recipe Source: Chow.com

Mother's Day is this coming Sunday, and to celebrate I'm posting kid friendly recipes all week. I may be alone in this, but sometimes I have trouble figuring out different healthy(ish) options to serve my toddler, especially easy lunch recipes, and my idea of celebrating mothers is to have five new easy recipe options. Happy Mother's Day!

I know this might be a stretch calling this a kid friendly food for some kids, but my daughter loves it so much I decided to include it in this week's roundup of kid friendly lunches/snacks. My daughter loves dips, and hummus is a favorite. She likes the hummus so much that by the end of the meal she has given up on the carrots or pitas that I've given her to scoop it up and has resorted to using her fingers and eating the hummus plain. I should probably mention at this point that my daughter is a weirdo. 

Anyway, I thought I'd make a dip that was a little healthier since she was eating it as a meal, and this edamame hummus is what I came up with. I should state that yes, I know that without chickpeas hummus technically isn't hummus, especially since this recipe doesn't use tahini, but it is much easier to call it hummus than "Pureed Edamame with Middle Eastern Flavors".  I decided to use edamame as the base of the dip instead of chickpeas because of the higher protein content and increased vitamins in edamame, but chickpeas are also a healthy choice that you could use in this recipe if you prefer. I also didn't use tahini in this hummus because I wanted a more mild flavor. To get back a little of the sesame flavor it adds, though, I used some sesame oil in the place of half the olive oil. The edamame hummus is as easy to make as throwing ingredients in a food processor and turning it on, and it makes a snack or lunch that I am just as happy to eat as my daughter. And given that some days I only have time to make myself a peanut butter sandwich for lunch while I'm making one for my daughter, that is a very good thing.

Edamame Hummus

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 05/09/2014

Ingredients

• 1 cup shelled edamame (thawed if frozen)
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt plus more to taste
• 1/3 cup water

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients except water to a food processor and process, scraping down the sides as needed, until edamame are coarsely chopped.
2. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, processing after each addition, until the edamame mixture forms a smooth paste of the desired thickness. Add salt to taste. (I usually add about 1/8 teaspoon or so)
3. Refrigerate 30 min and serve.

Yield: 3/4 cups
Prep Time: 7 mins.

Cook time: None
Total time: 7 mins.
Recipe Source: HeatOvenTo350

Mother's Day is this coming Sunday, and to celebrate I'm posting kid friendly recipes all week. I may be alone in this, but sometimes I have trouble figuring out different healthy(ish) options to serve my toddler, especially easy lunch recipes, and my idea of celebrating mothers is to have five new easy recipe options. Happy Mother's Day!

Frozen bananas are about the easiest frozen treat you can make, but they are so satisfying and so delicious. Somehow frozen bananas taste even better to me than regular bananas, though I can never figure out why. A lot of times in our house I'll just slice up a banana, wrap it in saran wrap, and freeze it for a snack. My daughter calls it "cold 'nana" (we are crazy original over here) and goes nuts for them. Of course the only way to improve on such a healthy snack would be to cover it in chocolate, right? And I probably don't have to tell you that as tasty as frozen bananas are, chocolate dipped ones are even more delicious. The great part is, they are easy and fast to make. I like to cut my bananas in slices and put them on skewers for easier dipping/serving versus leaving the banana whole. If you have older kids they could help dip and top with chopped nuts, coconut or any other topping you like. I love that the banana bites satisfy the need for something sweet or a frozen treat while being filling and relatively low fat.

Frozen Chocolate Banana Bites

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 05/08/2014

Ingredients

• 4 ripe bananas
• 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons oil
• Chopped nuts, coconut, or other toppings (optional)

Instructions

1. Place chocolate chips and oil in a double boiler and heat over simmering water until chocolate is melted. (Or microwave on 50% power, stirring every few minutes
2. Peel the bananas and cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch thick slices. Slide slices onto wooden skewers.
3. Place melted chocolate in a low, shallow bowl and dip skewered bananas into the chocolate, using a spoon to help drizzle chocolate over the top half of each banana piece. Sprinkle with toppings, if using.)
4. Lay skewers over a 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish and place in the freezer. Freeze 1 1/2 hours, or until bananas are firm and chocolate is set. (Frozen bananas can be kept in the freezer up to 1 week, though depending on the temperature of your freezer they might need to sit on the counter for a few minutes before serving because the bananas can be too frozen to bite easily straight from the freezer.)

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook time: 1-2 hours (mostly freezing time)

Recipe Source: HeatOvenTo350

Mother's Day is this coming Sunday, and to celebrate I'm posting kid friendly recipes all week. I may be alone in this, but sometimes I have trouble figuring out different healthy(ish) options to serve my toddler, especially easy lunch recipes, and my idea of celebrating mothers is to have five new easy recipe options. Happy Mother's Day!

This is one of my favorite ways to serve quinoa. It is so easy, but tastes so good. I've found that even people who generally don't like quinoa tend to enjoy this dish. How can you go wrong when you cover it with cheese? It is so easy it seems like there must be a catch. Like maybe it isn't as good as I'm proclaiming. Trust me, it is. And trust me, it really is as easy as cooking the quinoa and broccoli and stirring in some cheese. Really. The classic flavors of cheddar and broccoli are perfect with quinoa as the base, and quinoa and broccoli cooked in broth are flavorful and delicious and only need the addition of some melted cheese to complete the meal. What I love about serving this to my daughter is that the cheese holds the quinoa together, making it easier for her to feed herself without thousands of little quinoa seeds ending up on the floor the way they do with most quinoa dishes. (Thousands may be an exaggeration, but it doesn't feel like that when you are sweeping them up.) This makes an easy lunch, dinner, or great side dish. If you've been on the fence about quinoa or have heard the hype but haven't given it a try, this recipe would be a great place to start.

Cheesy Quinoa and Broccoli

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 05/07/2014

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• salt

Instructions

1. Add quinoa and 1 3/4 cup broth to a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.
2. Stir broccoli into quinoa, adding additional 1/4 cup broth if all broth has been absorbed already, and simmer broccoli and quinoa an additional 5-7 minutes or until broth is absorbed and quinoa is tender.
3. Remove pan from heat and immediately stir in Cheddar cheese. Cover and let sit 2-3 minutes for cheese to melt. Stir melted cheese into quinoa and season with salt. Serve.

Yield: 4 cups
Prep Time:1 mins.

Cook time:20 mins.
Total time: 21 mins.
Recipe Source: adapted from all recipes.com

Mother's Day is this coming Sunday, and to celebrate I'm posting kid friendly recipes all week. I may be alone in this, but sometimes I have trouble figuring out different healthy(ish) options to serve my toddler, especially easy lunch recipes, and my idea of celebrating mothers is to have five new easy recipe options. Happy Mother's Day!

Sneaking veggies into a meal isn't all it is cracked up to be. Sometimes they seem to work seamlessly into a dish, while other times you just aren't fooling anyone. This pea pesto is one of my favorite seamless times. It is super simple, but somehow comes out tasting like you actually put effort into it. And the taste? Not veggie-like at all. In fact, it tastes just like a slightly sweet pesto and in many ways is an improvement on plain pesto because it is more mild. I love the bright green color and slightly chunky texture the peas add to this sauce. It seems like pasta dishes in general are usually popular with kids, and this one is no exception despite being covered with a vegetable. My toddler gives this pea pesto props for being fun to squeeze in her hands as well as into her mouth. Overall, it is a win for everyone. 

Pea Pesto Pasta

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 05/06/2014

Ingredients

• 1 pound (16 oz) whole wheat penne pasta
• 1 (10 oz) package frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup basil pesto
• salt
• Grated Parmesan for serving

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Save out 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water before draining.
2. While pasta is cooking, cook peas according to package directions. Drain water from peas and add to the bowl of a food processor. Add butter and process until peas are coarsely chopped. Add 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and pesto and process until smooth.
3. Add drained pasta back to the pot along with 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and the pea mixture. Stir together, adding mor cooking water if needed to get desired sauce thickness. Season to taste with salt and serve with grated Parmesan on top.

Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 5 mins.

Cook time:12 mins.
Total time: 17 mins.
Recipe Source: huffingtonpost.com

Mother's Day is this coming Sunday, and to celebrate I'm posting kid friendly recipes all week. I may be alone in this, but sometimes I have trouble figuring out different healthy(ish) options to serve my toddler, especially easy lunch recipes, and my idea of celebrating mothers is to have five new easy recipe options. Happy Mother's Day!

I tried this recipe originally out of curiosity more than anything, but my daughter and I liked it so much it is now in regular rotation at our house. It is so simple it almost doesn't even qualify as a recipe, but I had never heard of anything like it before. First you shred an apple, then mix it with peanut butter, honey and raisins and divide it over toasted bread to make a sandwich spread that is fun and different. Its flavor reminds me of peanut butter and banana sandwiches, but with a twist. The spread is fairly sweet as written, but you don't use much per sandwich so it balances out. You could easily adjust the amounts to your preference or go crazy and add extra ingredients like sunflower seeds or chopped peanuts for crunch. If you have kids who like to help out in the kitchen this is a great meal to make with them if you don't mind a little mess because they can help with the shredding, toasting and mixing and the exact amounts aren't essential. 

Apple Sandwiches

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 05/05/2014

Ingredients

• 1 large apple
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 6 slices of bread

Instructions

1. Grate the apple using the large holes of a box grater. Add grated apple to a bowl and stir in peanut butter, honey and raisins.
2. Toast the bread and divide the apple mixture evenly over three pieces of bread. Top with remaining three pieces of bread and serve.

Yield: 3 sandwiches
Prep Time: 5 mins.

Cook time: None
Total time: 5 mins.
Recipe Source: putalydonit.blogspot.com, originally from The Friend magazine