Category Archives: Eating Healthy
Truffled Cream of Asparagus Soup with Parmesan Toast
My husband and I just recently returned from a house-hunting trip to Boston in anticipation of our upcoming move in July. When we left Dallas, our fellow Texans were enjoying a typical Southern spring with temperatures in the 80’s and weekends spent lounging by the pool and grilling in the back yard. You can imagine our shock when Continue reading
Toad-in-the-the-Hole over Sautéed Kale, Bacon, and Leeks
Okay, so let’s talk about the name of this dish for a second. Toad-in-the-Hole is not only a somewhat unappetizing title, but it’s also historically inaccurate. This British dish became popular in the early 18th century and was traditionally made with sausages baked into Yorkshire pudding, giving it the look of a toad poking it’s head out of a hole. But somewhere along the way us sneaky Americans took that dish, changed it up, and made it our own; very much like driving on the wrong side of the road, scrapping the metric system for the super confusing Imperial system, and removing the “e” from the ends of words like theater (this one actually makes sense, “theatre” should be pronounced thee-ah-trey, should it not? I think we’ve got you on this one, Brits.). Soooo…in our quest to gain independence from England and establish ourselves as a new nation, we swapped the sausages for eggs and the Yorkshire pudding for toast, and Bam! we instantly became leaders of the free world. Okay, maybe it didn’t happen exactly that way, but close enough.
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Minestrone Soup
Alright New Year’s Resolutioners, I’ve got another healthy and hearty Italian dish for you! Like the Chicken Abruzzi that I posted a couple weeks ago, this soup is low in calories and fat, but high in everything else (mainly flavor!). When I was growing up minestrone soup was a constant winter favorite in our home, and I always lumped it into the “comfort food” category (which we all know, tends to be the good foods that aren’t so good for you). But it wasn’t until I started making it for myself that I realized how healthy it actually is. Loaded with vitamin-packed veggies, protein-rich beans, and complex carbohydrates, this soup has everything you (and your healthy new body) need right in one bowl!
Chicken Abruzzi
Aaaaaand the Holidays are over. Did everyone survive? Did we all make it out ok? Let’s do a quick headcount, shall we? 1, 2, 3… I don’t see Rodger – can somebody check on him please… 4, 5, 6, 7…. Yes, it looks like we’re all here. Whew!
So I took a couple weeks off to celebrate and spread good cheer, and let’s be honest, EAT! But now I’m back and ready to fill your inboxes with delicious, wholesome meals intended to wean you off of those calorie-laden dishes that we’ve all grown accustomed to these past few months. The first of which is this amazing, Southern Italian-inspired Chicken Abruzzi (pronounced aˈbɾut tsi) which boasts as much flavor as it lacks in calories and fat. Loaded with hearty vegetables, creamy cannellini beans, and zesty lemon chicken, this savory meal is just the trick to jumpstart your post-holiday diet. Continue reading
Three Ingredient, Gluten Free Mini-Meatloaf
Alright, I know that I posted a meatloaf recipe last week so it might seem kind of redundant to post another one this week, but bear with me. Unlike Friday’s Honey Glazed Pear, Sausage, & Sage Meatloaf (which was delicious, but took a bit of hands-on cooking), this meatloaf only calls for three simple ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes to prep. No really. And because I’ve recently been trying my hand at some gluten free cooking, it’s made sans bread — which is great for all of you who have a wheat sensitivity. And for those of you who don’t, I just want to point you back to the “three ingredients” and the “less than 10 minutes to prep” attributes I made earlier. Continue reading
Healthy Greek Pasta
Halloween is only two days away which means I still have time to sneak in another healthy recipe before for the proverbial candy hits the fan. This Greek inspired dish is fiber rich which will sustain you through hours of trick-or-treating, flavor packed to help you avoid dipping your hand into the candy bowl, and takes less than 15-mintues to make allowing you to focus your time and energy on dressing your little ghosts and goblins! Continue reading
Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin soup is one of my favorite meals this time of year. To me it feels like I’m getting away with something, almost like I’m eating pumpkin pie in liquid form – just without the sugar. (Incidentally, I made a pumpkin pie one Thanksgiving and forgot to add the sugar. I have yet to live it down.) Now, like pumpkin pie, this soup is bursting with warm autumn flavors like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, but unlike pumpkin pie, it’s incredibly healthy. So this Halloween why not put your conscience to rest, fill up on this festive soup, and leave the candy bowl to the trick-or-treaters. (Oh, who am I kidding, go ahead and stuff your face – it’s Halloween!) Continue reading
Golden Applesauce
Okay, for those of you good sports playing along with yesterday’s trivia quiz, the answer to the question, what do we always serve with pork chops, is applesauce, of course! As Bobby Brady said in a terrible Humphrey Bogart impression, “We’re having pork choooops and applesaaaauce, that’s swell.” Just so you know, in my entire experience as a home cook, I don’t think I’ve ever once made pork chops without applesauce; that’s how much of an impact this wacky Brady Bunch quote made on my young, impressionable mind. But this isn’t your typical flavorless, out-of-the-jar applesauce, this version is the real deal! Sweetened with golden raisins and honey, and spiked with cinnamon and ginger, this tart little number (and I’m not referring to myself here), will make you reconsider every other applesauce you’ve ever eaten. Cross my heart. Continue reading
Fireside Mussels
Almost two years ago my parents decided to add a deck onto the back of their kitchen, and somehow in the planning process, my dad miraculously talked my mom in to allowing him to build a brick pizza oven along with it. I don’t know how he managed to convince her, but I’m pretty sure a bottle of Merlot was involved. Regardless, I was delighted. By association, I became the proud owner of a beautiful cooking device that I use almost of every time I’m home. In addition to crafting homemade pizzas (of which we’ve made dozens), we use it to cook calzones, empanadas, and, just recently, mussels. Now, I realize that a brick oven isn’t something you can just go out and buy, like a waffle iron or a ice cream maker, so I’ve also included cooking instructions for these Fireside Mussels using a regular outdoor grill (which is how I cook them whenever I’m not visiting my parents). No matter what vessel you use to bake these succulent bivalves, they’re going to taste amazing! Just promise me you’ll serve them with plenty of crusty bread to soak up the extra cooking liquid – believe me, you’ll thank me for it! Continue reading
soup bowl recipes 