Author: Ashley

Fall Off the Bone Chicken Thighs

Fall Off the Bone Chicken Thighs

Are you looking for a simple and delicious Sunday night meal?  This chicken bakes slowly, but requires little prep and tastes amazing.  You won’t be able to stop eating these fantastic chicken thighs. Recipe adapted from Food Network Ingredients: 2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar 

Green Bean Salad

Green Bean Salad

I get bored eating the same thing over and over.  Green beans were on sale, so I searched on Food Network until I found a recipe that looked appealing.  This is a great quick side dish starring green beans. Recipe adapted from Food Network Ingredients 

French Onion Portobello Burgers

French Onion Portobello Burgers

If you like French onion soup then you will cherish these portobello burgers.  These burgers were so easy to make (much easier than other recipes I have tried and yet they were still loaded with flavor).

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:

1 sweet onion sliced

2 teaspoons dried thyme or Italian seasoning blend

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, plus some to drizzle

4 medium portobello mushroom caps stems removed

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup shredded swiss cheese (or sliced baby swiss)

1/3 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1 clove garlic

¼ cup crispy fried onions

Buns, English muffins, or salad to serve burgers on

Directions:

  1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  2. Spray a nonstick pan with olive oil spray.  Saute the onion with thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper.  Cook for 15 minutes on medium low heat until onions caramelize.
  3. Add 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and cook 1 more minute.
  4. If serving on English muffins place the muffins on baking sheet and broil for 1-2 minutes.
  5. Place the mushrooms gill side down on the baking sheet.  Broil for 6 minutes.  Flip mushrooms over.  Drizzle with Worcestershire sauce. Season with garlic salt.  Broil 6 more minutes. 
  6. Top each mushroom with swiss cheese (shredded or sliced).  Broil for 1 more minute.
  7. While the mushrooms broil stir the yogurt, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. 
  8. Place Portobello burgers on English muffins with the yogurt sauce or over a bed of spinach.  Top with caramelized onions and crispy fried onions. 
  9. Enjoy!
Pomegranate Glazed Salmon with Asparagus Mint Salad

Pomegranate Glazed Salmon with Asparagus Mint Salad

If you know me then you know I love salmon. This recipe is 1000% a keeper. The combination of the pomegranate glaze with the asparagus orange and mint salad is to die for. We had fresh red romaine lettuce from our garden that I placed 

Old Bay Potatoes

Old Bay Potatoes

Old Bay seasoning pairs well with seafood dishes.  I made Old Bay baby potatoes to accompany fish tacos.  You can use baby potatoes or russet potatoes cut into wedges or fries.  These are a breeze to make and are packed full of flavor. Ingredients: 2 

Coffee Rubbed Fish Tacos with Avocado Lime Sauce and Mango Orange Red Cabbage Slaw

Coffee Rubbed Fish Tacos with Avocado Lime Sauce and Mango Orange Red Cabbage Slaw

I often order fish tacos when I am dining out, but I decided to try making them at home for a change.  These tacos are full of flavor and worthy of any restaurant menu.  I grilled the fish instead of frying it as in the original recipe to keep this dish light and healthy.

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:

Fish Tacos-

2 pounds cod fillets

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground coffee

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons buffalo sauce or hot sauce

Whole Wheat Tortillas, tortilla boat, or other wrap

Avocado Lime Sauce-

2 ripe avocados

2 limes juiced and zested

1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

2 teaspoons buffalo sauce or hot sauce

Mango, Orange, and Red Cabbage Slaw-

1 bag shredded red cabbage

1 mango cut into chunks

Zest and juice from 1 lime

Zest from 1 orange, juice from ½ orange, slices/wedges from other half of the orange

2-3 radishes thinly sliced

2 tablespoons fresh mint diced

Directions:

Mango, Orange, and Red Cabbage Slaw-

  1. Add all ingredients to a medium/large bowl.  Mix to distribute the orange and lime juice dressing.
  2. I think slaws taste best when made at least a few hours in advance to the vegetables can soak up the dressing.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fish Tacos-

  1. Note: I used frozen cod filets.  I thawed them on a rack in a 9×13 dish for 24 hours prior.  Thawing them on a wire rack allowed the fish to thaw without becoming soggy.
  2. In a shallow bowl mix the spices.  In a second bowl beat 2 eggs with the buffalo sauce.
  3. Dip each fillet in the egg mixture.  Coat both sides.
  4. Transfer to a 9×13 pan or other dish.  Sprinkle the seasoning mixture on top.  Allow it to “soak” in for 10 minutes.  Then flip the filet over and season the other side of the fish.
  5. Grill on Max/High for 3-4 minutes per side.
  6. Transfer to a dish to prevent over cooking while you assemble the tacos.
  7. Spread the slaw on a tortilla, top with a fish filet and use a fork to gently break up the fish.  Top with avocado lime sauce.
  8. Enjoy! 
Mango Orange Red Cabbage Slaw
Coffee Rubbed Fish
Blueberry and Peanut Butter Power Balls

Blueberry and Peanut Butter Power Balls

I think peanut butter goes with just about everything.  Peanut butter and blueberry is a wonderful combination when you need a sweet and crunchy snack packed full of protein to fuel your busy days. Ingredients: ½ cup old fashioned oats 1 scoop peanut butter powder 

Middle Eastern Chicken Burgers

Middle Eastern Chicken Burgers

Are you craving a burger, but looking for something new and different? These burgers have so much flavor you won’t need ketchup or mustard. Recipe adapted from Food Network Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground chicken 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil ½ sweet onion chopped 1 teaspoon 

Green Bean Salad

Green Bean Salad

I get bored eating the same thing over and over.  Green beans were on sale, so I searched on Food Network until I found a recipe that looked appealing.  This is a great quick side dish starring green beans.

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients

2 cups green beans trimmed and cut into smaller pieces

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

2 tablespoons red onion chopped

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Directions:

  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Boil green beans for 4 minutes.  Drain.
  2. Spray a nonstick skillet with olive oil spray.  Cook the walnuts, parsley, and onion on medium low heat for 2 minutes.
  3. Add green beans and walnut mixture to a medium bowl. 
  4. Whisk red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and olive oil in a small bowl.
  5. Add the vinegar mixture to the green beans and mix to distribute the dressing.
  6. Enjoy warm!
Veggie Wraps with Sweet Potato Hummus

Veggie Wraps with Sweet Potato Hummus

I fell in love with the flavor of hummus and especially tahini over the course of the last year.  I make a carrot hummus that I use as a vegetable dip all the time.  This was my first time making sweet potato hummus, but I