Category Archives: Eating Healthy

Shrimp Ceviche

Posted in Appetizers & Sides, Eating Healthy, Main Dishes, Seafood by

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Ceviche is a traditional Peruvian dish made of chopped seafood (usually shrimp, scallops, or geoduck), citrus juice, and a few other salsa-like ingredients. It’s delicious, it’s refreshing, and it’s really easy to make. So easy, in fact, that it cooks itself! You see, by combining citric acid with raw seafood, you’re able to cure the shellfish in a flavorful lemon/lime bath and essentially “cook” it without actually using heat, making it the perfect summer snack food during these hot August days. Now, I’m not sure what it is in the acid that causes the little fishy proteins to magically change, but it’s pretty cool to watch the uncooked shrimp slowly turn pink before your very eyes. I considered doing some extensive online research on this cooking method and then blowing you away with my vast knowledge on the subject, but that sounded exhausting. Instead, I’m including a link for some extra credit reading for those of you really interested in learning something new today. Continue reading →

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Tomato-Watermelon Gazpacho (with a kick!)

Posted in Appetizers & Sides, Eating Healthy, Main Dishes, Soups, Vegetarian by

When I created this blog nearly 8 months ago, I was living in Kansas and knee-deep in one of the bitterest winters the Mid-West had seen in years. At the time, my family and I were surviving on weekly soups and hearty meals to keep ourselves warm, so it seemed perfect to name my food blog SoupBowlRecipes! It was an obvious choice for someone who was freezing and didn’t have the foresight to consider that they would eventually move to one of the hottest states on the planet, where, for at least 6 months out of the year, the thought of making soup is unbearable. And now here we are in Texas, in mid-August, where the temperature for the past few weeks has been hovering around 100°F and shows no signs of breaking. So what’s a girl supposed to do? Well, what every good soup blogger does when life hands them lemons – make lemonade! Or in this case, I’m taking my farmers’ market tomatoes and making a refreshing gazpacho! Continue reading →

Cider Salmon in Parchment

Posted in Eating Healthy, Main Dishes, Seafood by

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Howdy, ya’ll! Sooo…it’s Monday again, and if you guys are anything like me, you may have gone a bit overboard on the indulgent eating this weekend, and perhaps are feeling a little sluggish and somewhat guilty about it today. Well, I’ve got good news for you! It’s the beginning of a new week, which means you get to start fresh, plan some delicious meals, and get back on that healthy-eating wagon I like to call “The Never Ending Summer Diet.” Continue reading →

Chicken in Parchment

Posted in Eating Healthy, Main Dishes, Stuff My Kid Eats by

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The other night I made one of my all-time-favorite weeknight dishes, Chicken in Parchment, and I thought, Holy cow! This is a super easy, super delicious, super healthy meal — why haven’t I shared it with my readers yet?! And the answer is…I have no idea, because it’s totally something you guys will love. The only special element this recipe requires is parchment paper, which many of us have in our kitchens anyway, and a some mad scissor skills (but if you can cut a paper heart, your golden!). Honestly, this is the most flavorful and healthy way I’ve found to cook white meat. You see, baking the chicken (or fish, which I’ll post next week) in parchment packets, with just a trace amount of liquid, allows you to steam the meat in it’s own broth, making it really moist and tender — kind of like a personal sauna for your chicken. Continue reading →

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Posted in Appetizers & Sides, Eating Healthy, Vegetarian by

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Last weekend my family was invited to and outdoor gathering where I was asked to bring an appetizer. Easy enough, I thought; I have tons of appetizer recipes that I’ve been wanting to try out. The trick, however, was figuring out what to make that didn’t require last minute cooking, yet could stand up to our sweltering Texas heat. A quick rummage through my pantry turned up a jar of roasted red peppers and a can of chickpeas, and I instantly knew that I had the beginning of an awesome summer dip. Using my homemade hummus recipe as a base, I only had to tweak a couple ingredients to create a whole new flavor. Zestier and smokier than the original, this hummus dip will help brighten any BBQ or potluck – rain or shine! Continue reading →

Cold Asian Noodle Salad

Posted in Appetizers & Sides, Eating Healthy, Main Dishes, Pastas, Salads, Vegetarian by

IMG_9116 On steamy days like these, I absolutely hate slaving over a hot stove — an outdoor grill is fine, but my kitchen stove? No thank you. Lately I’ve been cooking much of our dinners in the mornings when the temperature is still cool, then refrigerating everything and assembling the meal right before we eat. This “cook & cool” method (I just made up that term, do you like it?) works really well for pastas, rice, and other hearty grains because they store well, and taste great chilled. For this Cold Asian Noodle Salad, the pasta only takes a few minutes to simmer, so it’s easy to do right before you leave for work. Just drain the noodles, then cover and refrigerate (and if you’re feeling extra ambitious, chop the veggies and store separately in the fridge). Then when you get home, all you have to do is whip up the dressing, then toss everything together. Voilà! Done! And this easy summer salad can be served alongside grilled chicken, or dished up as a vegetarian entrée. Either way, you’ll thank me tonight when you’re enjoying a cool meal on the patio rather than sweating in the kitchen. Continue reading →

Salmon Burgers with Wasabi Tartar and Quick Pickled Cucumbers

Posted in Eating Healthy, Main Dishes, Sandwiches, Seafood by

IMG_8913While my husband and I were on our Alaskan cruise in June, I had one of the best salmon burgers I’ve ever eaten at a local brewery in Skagway. It was one of those meals that while you’re eating it you keep saying, “Wow, this is good. No, this is really good!” over and over and over again. About halfway through devouring the burger I came up for air long enough to take a picture of it so that I could recreate the deliciousness in my own kitchen. After sitting down and talking to my grill-master husband, we concluded that the best course of action was to lightly season the fish, then grill it over low heat on a cedar plank to give it some smokiness. And I must say, it was delicious. Whether eaten by itself or in burger form, this method should be the new way you cook your salmon. Continue reading →

Easy Summer Salads

Posted in Appetizers & Sides, Eating Healthy, Parties!, Salads, Vegetarian, Vegetarian Modifications by

Alright, friends, have we all agreed to stop buying frozen, grocery store hamburgers and unanimously decided instead to try making our own patties this summer? Have the last couple days of me preaching from my soapbox convinced you that there are better ways to barb-e-que? Yes? Good. Now we can move on to fantastic salads to accompany those delicious burgers! Below are two, super easy salads that pretty much go with any main dish. Continue reading →

Southwest Steak Chopped Salad with Chipotle-Lime Ranch Dressing

Posted in Eating Healthy, Salads, Vegetarian Modifications by

IMG_8587Alright, here we go, another chopped salad recipe for you guys! If you already made the chopped salad base from yesterday’s post, then you should be good to go, if not, I included the recipe again for your convenience. Because I’m cool like that. Anyway, this version is a little more gluttonous than yesterday’s, but still very low in calories, so don’t feel bad about splurging a little. However, if you’re really serious about your daily calorie intake and don’t want the extra digits to add up, just omit the avocado and chips, and swap out the steak for chicken — you’ll still get the same great taste without the extra fluff. Continue reading →

Asian Chicken Chopped Salad

Posted in Eating Healthy, Salads, Vegetarian Modifications by

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Coming home from vacation is always hard, but it’s even harder when that vacation is centered around delicious food, as Alaskan cruises almost always are. This past week I’ve been missing my daily breakfast buffet, the mid-day tea and cupcake social, and the calorie laden 3-course meals that I became accustomed to on the ship. My waistline, on the other hand, is not. After a couple depressing attempts to fit into my summer clothes, I decided that it was time to undo all those lovely inches that I brought back with me from my trip. But how do you go from stuffing your face morning, noon, and night to eating like a rabbit and being happy about it? The trick is it to load up on lean protein and fiber-packed foods that will help fill you up quicker, and keep you fuller longer. Which is why I’ve been living off of my homemade chopped salad for the last few days. Continue reading →