80--- Butter & Bacon Salad

Now that I have your attention........

As I was dreaming up this salad, complete with butter lettuce, nature's butter (avocado) and butter beans, I asked my hubbster what else it needed.  He said "Bacon".  Of course, I scoffed.  And then I thought about it.  Could he be right?  And then I made a Butter & Bacon Salad and he was right.  Hear that, honey? You were RIGHT.

Butter & Bacon Salad
Serves 2

1 head butter lettuce (also known as bib lettuce), leaved
1 cup butter beans, drained and rinsed (also known as lima beans)
1/2 avocado, sliced
2 slices bacon, chopped
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 green onion, chopped
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook chopped bacon until crisp.  Add butter beans and vinegar to the skillet and saute ~ 2 minutes.  Whisk in honey and mustard.  Continue to saute beans until warm and vinegar has thickened and reduced slightly, ~3-4 minutes.  

On each plate, layer 5-6 lettuce leaves.  Spoon bean mixture on top of lettuce and drizzle evenly with remaining skillet liquid.  Top with avocado slices and green onions.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

Nutrition Info per 1 salad: 236 calories, 9 g fat (7 g monounsaturated), 10 g protein, 18 g carbohydrates, 10 g fiber

80--- Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges with Spicy Adobo Greek Yogurt Sauce

Yes.  You read correctly.  I am using sweet potatoes, not yams.  I know, I know.  It's odd for me.  But I needed a bit milder flavor.  And for that my friends, we use sweet potatoes.

Sweet potatoes have many valuable nutrients such a vitamins C and A and FIBER.  Make sure you eat the skin- where the majority of those nutrients are found!

Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges with Spicy Adobo Greek Yogurt Sauce
Serves 8

6 medium sweet potatoes, quartered into wedges
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
7 oz 2% Greek plain yogurt
4-5 tsp adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers)
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 green onions, sliced thin

For sauce: Mix together yogurt, adobo sauce (to taste- note: it gets spicier as it chills together), and garlic powder.  Cover and place in refrigerator for 2-4 hours prior to serving.

For potatoes:  Heat grill to medium-high heat.  In a large bowl, drizzle potato wedges with olive oil and toss to coat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place wedges cut-side down onto the grill.  Cook for 4-5 minutes, until grill marks appear, then flip and place the other cut-side down.  Cook for additional 4-5 minutes.  Move wedges to a part of the grill away from direct flame and cook, skin-side down for additional 4-5 minutes.

Serve wedges warm drizzled with chilled yogurt sauce.  Garnish with sliced green onions.

Nutrition Info per 3 wedges with 2 Tbsp sauce: 146 calories, 6.2 g fat, 4 g protein, 16 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber

Things That I Know

1.  This looks AMAZING.  Rock on Jessica, ROCK ON.



2.  I'm stalking this jacket.  It's from Albion Fit, who sponsored a giveaway earlier this year.  I LOVE my hoodie from them and I am sure that I would LOVE this too.  Isn't it puuuurrrty?



3.  I found this website and I am STOKED!  Yes, I am a cook.  But sometimes I get stumped on new food combos to feed my wee babe.  She has so far liked everything that I have fed her (well- right now the texture of avocados gives her the ebbie-jeebies).  This website takes homemade baby food to a whole new level!

No, this is not my house but it was my Pinterest Pinspiration.

4.  I just finished refinishing our front porch.  It took me three weeks to finish, thanks to my sweet babe who likes to keep me within eyesight at all times, and to my JOB.  Nevertheless, it's stained black and I am SO happy with how it turned out.  

5.  This is my dream Mother's Day gift.  No, I know that I didn't get it because it's a crazy amount of money for what it is.  But a girl can dream.



6.  Then you take that double chaise lounge and you put it on this private beach and you have one happy momma!

Happy Mother's Day to all you mommas out there! Sunday is my first official Mother's Day! I am so happy to be part of this exclusive club that gets it's own special day.  I'm pretty sure that it's my new favorite holiday.

20--- Strawberry-Coconut Macaroons

My hubby loves macaroons.  And I had a bag of shredded coconut. And it's strawberry season.  So that's how these little loveys were born.

Strawberry Coconut Macaroons
Makes ~20

2 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut flakes
3 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 egg white
1/2 cup fresh ripe strawberries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place strawberries in a food processor and mix until a puree is formed.  Add in powdered sugar and egg white and mix well.  Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and add in shredded coconut.  Mix well.

Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Spoon 2 Tbsp mounds of mixture (roughly the shape of balls) onto the paper.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the outsides are lightly golden.  Let cool on a wire rack.

*Note: these may get mushy stored in a covered container, so they are best eaten the same day!

80--- Quinoa-Crusted Quiche with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Spinach

I started out wanting to make a frittata.  But then I wanted some whole grains in there (for fiber of course!).  So this turned into a quiche- with a quinoa crust.  The texture is so lovely- and tasty!

Quinoa-Crusted Quiche with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Spinach
Serves 6

2 cups cooked quinoa (I cooked mine in vegetable broth)
1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup chopped white onion
4 cups spinach, chopped
3 1/2 oz chopped sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in water for one hour
8 eggs
1 cup 2% milk
8 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a medium cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and onion and saute until garlic is lightly brown, ~ 4 minutes. Add in spinach and saute for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until leaves are wilted.  Remove mixture from skillet and set aside.

Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and paprika.  Set aside.

In a large food processor, blend 1 cup cooked quinoa and 2 tsp olive oil until a mash is formed.  Transfer mash into remaining quinoa and mix until evenly distributed.

Transfer quinoa into the cast-iron skillet and press it down using a large spoon (or clean hands) until it is firmly packed in the bottom of the skillet. 

Sprinkle garlic, onion, spinach mixture onto the quinoa, followed by 4 oz shredded cheese.  Add soaked sun-dried tomatoes, then pour in egg mixture.  Top with remaining shredded cheese.

Transfer skillet to the oven and bake for ~45-50 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes prior to slicing and serving.

Nutrition Info per 1/6 quiche: 330 calories, 14 g fat, 26 g protein, 24 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber

The Bikini-Season-is-Three-Weeks-Away Cinco De Mayo Line-Up

Broccamole

 Whole Wheat Tortillas

Butter Bean and Mushroom Fajitas

Creamy Coconut Popsicles

Cerveza-garitas

No, not an 80 but SO worth an extra two miles on the treadmill

80(ish)--- Strawberry & Kale Bruschetta

Hooray for strawberry season! One serving of strawberries (about 8) has more vitamin C than an orange.  And, well, we all know about the goodness of kale.  No need to beat a dead horse.

This sweet twist on bruschetta is the perfect appetizer to a lovely dish of grilled fish or veggies for spring!

Strawberry & Kale Bruschetta
Serves 8

1 1/2 cups chopped kale
~10 strawberries, stemmed and chopped
1 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp champagne vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts (use a nonstick skillet for toasting)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1/4 tsp salt

In a nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add kale and salt and saute for 4-5 minutes, until tender.  Remove from skillet and set aside.

Add chopped strawberries to skillet and saute for 2 minutes, then add champagne vinegar.  Cook for ~4 minutes, until strawberries have softened and liquid is absorbed.

Combine strawberries, sauteed kale, toasted pine nuts, and fresh chives.

Serve over toasted baguette slices or pita chips.

Nutrition Info per 1 serving (~2 Tbsp): 36 calories, 2 g fat, 1 g protein, 3.5 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber