20(ish)--- Not-Fried Ice Cream

Confession: I love fried ice cream.

Have you ever had it?

Typically served at Mexican restaurants, fried ice cream is a scoop of vanilla (or sometimes cinnamon) ice cream that is battered and deep fried and served sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar or drizzled with chocolate or caramel.  Yes, the ice cream stays frozen.

This is like that.  But it's not.  And you are healthier for it.  And it's gluten-free for my GF friends.

Crunchy outside, creamy frozen center, and a dash of cinnamon.  Amazing.

Not-Fried Ice Cream
Serves 16

1/2 gallon vanilla frozen yogurt
4 cups cornflakes, crushed (put them in a Ziploc bag and roll them with a rolling pin)
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Mix together crushed cornflakes and cinnamon.  Place them in a bowl.

Line a cookie sheet or plate (that will fit into your freezer) with parchment paper.

Use an ice cream scoop to scoop 1/2 cup of frozen yogurt into a ball (think like at Baskin Robbins).  Roll each ball in the cornflake and cinnamon mixture.  Place each ball onto the cookie sheet.  Repeat with remaining frozen yogurt until you have 16 covered scoops.  

Place plate or cookie sheet into the freezer to re-freeze for 1 hour prior to serving.  * Note: you may need to do several batches on smaller plates to keep the scoops frozen- it depends on your speed of scooping and rolling.

Serve drizzled with caramel or chocolate syrup, if desired.

80--- Easy Marinara-Poached Halibut

This is the recipe for those who do not like to eat fish.

This is the recipe for those who do not like to touch fish.

Fortunately, this is also the recipe that those of you who LOVE fish will enjoy as well.

One dish, minimal fishy contact, delicious result.

Easy Marinara-Poached Halibut
Serves 4

2 tsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp fennel seed
16 oz canned marinara sauce (I like Hunt's Basil Garlic Oregano in 8 oz cans- lower sodium- no added sugar)
1/2 cup water
1 lb fresh halibut, skinned
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add minced garlic and fennel seed.  Saute until fragrant, ~ 3 minutes.  Add in marinara sauce and water and bring to a simmer.  Sprinkle halibut with salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in basil, then gently place halibut filets into the sauce.  Scoop sauce over the top to cover.  

Cover saucepan and cook until fish is opaque and easily flakes, ~ 10-15 minutes.

Serve 4 oz of fish covered with marinara.

Nutrition Info per 1 serving: 213 calories, 7 g fat, 26 g protein,  10 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 

20(ish)--- Ginger, Basil, Lime Soda Water

Still trying to kick that soda habit?  Try making your own.  You will use less sweetener, and none of the other bad-for-you-stuff.  

This combo feels like a cocktail- sans the booze.  Hooray for nursing women everywhere!

HOWEVER the ginger simple syrup is going to be the perfect complement to a new cocktail..... stay tuned.

Ginger, Basil, Lime Soda Water

GINGER SIMPLE SYRUP (makes enough for 8 sodas)
2 cups water
1 cup raw sugar
6" fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

SODA (ingredients are per each soda)
2 fresh basil leaves
1/4 fresh lime
~12 oz club soda

For simple syrup: Whisk sugar into water in a saucepan.  Bring mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to set, covered for 30 minutes.  Strain out the ginger and cool in refrigerator until ready to use.

For soda:  In the bottom of a cocktail shaker, muddle basil leaves.  Squeeze lime juice into the shaker, then add in the wedge.  Add 4 Tbsp ginger simple syrup.  Shake well.

Fill a 12 oz glass 1/3 full with ice cubes, then add in (strained) contents of the cocktail shaker.  Fill remaining glass with club soda.  Stir and serve, garnished with fresh basil and a lime wedge if desired.

Nutrition Info per 1 soda: 90 calories, 22 g carbohydrates

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!