No Worry Crock Pot Curry

Curry powder. You may not have guessed it by looking at it, but it can pack a potentially life-altering, health-improving punch. It's a complex combination of herbs and spices that generally includes coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, and red pepper, but will sometimes be supplemented with additional ingredients such as ginger, garlic, asafoetida, fennel seed, caraway, cinnamon, clove, mustard seed, green cardamom, black cardamom, mace, nutmeg, long pepper, and black pepper.

So what makes curry powder so great? Well, many of its ingredients have been linked to improvements in health indicators. What am I talking about? Let's look at an example...

Why tumeric rocks:

• It may help relieve joint pain experienced by people living with arthritis because tumeric contains more than 24 compounds that fight inflammation in the body.
• It may help those living with digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), because tumeric can aid digestion and reduce disturbances such as heartburn, bloating and gas.
• It may help those with high cholesterol, because studies have shown that tumeric may assist in the reduction of LDL levels (bad cholesterol), thereby helping prevent atherosclerosis (the buildup of plaque in the artery walls)

(For more information about the benefits of curry powder and tumeric, visit here and here.)

Fueled by my love for easily prepared, tasty, nutrition-packed meals, I set out to create a healthy crock pot curry recipe. The challenge for me was creating a recipe that resembled the classic coconut curry my mom used to make, but was a bit lighter in that it didn't use coconut milk.* I wanted to develop a curry dish that was well-balanced and allowed me to recognize the veggies, chicken, and grain because they weren't completely smothered in sauce. Go ahead, call me a purist. (For a vegetarian version, omit chicken and substitute vegetable broth or water for the chicken broth.)

Speaking of veggies, feel free to add whatever you may have on hand. Some bell pepper strips or cauliflower would be great additions both flavor and health-wise. Serve over a mini grain like rice, quinoa, or cous cous, and top your curry with one, two, or all of my suggestions below. (Before you judge my vanilla yogurt idea, I'd recommend giving it a whirl because I can pretty much guarantee that you'll be just as surprised as I was by its yum factor! Try it!)

The Stuff:

• non-stick olive oil cooking spray
• medium sauté pan
• crockpot

The Edibles:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1 medium potatoes, chopped into pieces the same size as your chicken
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2 carrots (about 1 & ½ c.), sliced (can use frozen)
• 2 c. chicken broth
• 1 tsp. coconut extract
  *Of course you could use coconut milk in this recipe if that's what your heart desires; substitute 1 cup milk for one cup of broth; omit extract and honey
• 2 T. honey
• 1 T. flour
• 2 T. curry powder
• hearty shake of the following: garlic powder, onion powder, and coriander
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 c. frozen peas, thawed

Optional Toppings:

• 2 T. vanilla yogurt
• 1 tsp. hot sauce
• 2 -3 tsp. toasted flaked coconut
• 1 T. slivered almonds

The Making:

1. Spray a medium-sized saute pan with non-stick olive oil cooking spray. Place pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and on all sides.
2. Doing this quick cook will help seal in the moisture of the chicken and prevent your meat from disintegrating in the crock pot.
3. Place potatoes and onion in crock pot. If using fresh carrots, add at this time. Top with seared chicken.
4. Whisk together chicken broth, coconut extract, honey, flour, curry powder, dashes of spices, and a pinch of salt and pepper (you can add more after cooking). Pour over chicken and vegetables.
5. Cover; cook on high for 3 to 3 & ½ hours or LOW 6 to 7 hours.
6. Add peas and carrots (if you’re using frozen) at this time. Allow the curry to cook for 30-45 minutes on high with the cover removed in order to thicken the sauce.
7. Serve over rice, quinoa, cous cous or whatever else you may have on hand!

Optional topping ideas: a dollop of vanilla yogurt, hot sauce, flaked coconut, slivered almonds.

Slimmed Down Red Velvet Cupcakes with Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

I love having an actual purpose when I’m in the kitchen. Yesterday, it was Mission: Birthday Cupcakes, Kelly O-Style. What did that mean? Well, I wasn’t sure when I started, but I knew I wanted to create a pint-sized sweet treat that we could enjoy with little guilt. What did that mean? It was Operation Healthy Baking.

Because I’m kind of lazy, and my pantry is not nearly as well-stocked as one might assume, I chose to start with a boxed cake mix. Simple changes to the added ingredients helped shave off quite a bit of fat grams while still offering up a moist, flavorful cake for my lovely lady friend!

Though you will see that I used cupcake liners, I would advise against doing so, as these mini cakes are very low fat, so they have a tendency to really stick to the paper baking cups. As much as it is a pain to clean my cupcake tin, I would prefer an easier time unwrapping this sweet cake!

You’ll also see that I made my own, somewhat eclectic cream cheese frosting fabricated from my randomly stocked pantry and finds at the 7-11 down the street. The result was well received; it’s not too sweet and clearly not as thick as the typical, butter-containing frosting, but it pairs well with the sweet cupcakes because it doesn’t make you feel like you’re going into sugar-overload. Of course, you could substitute vanilla extract for the coconut, and the creamer could be replaced by some half-and-half, mile, or completely omitted.

Red Velvet Cake... The Edibles:

• 1 box red velvet cake mix
• 1 c. Coke Zero (or Diet Coke)
• 1/4 c. water
• 4 egg whites
• 1 egg

Red Velvet Cake... The Making:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your baking pan of choice by spraying with non-stick cooking spray and flouring lightly.
2. In a large mixing bowl gently blend all of the ingredients until moistened (about 30 seconds). Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
3. Pour batter in pans and bake immediately according to the time instructions on the cake box.
4. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting, The Edibles:

• 8 oz. light cream cheese
• 1/4 c. plain yogurt
• 3/4 c. powdered sugar
• dash of cinnamon
• 1 tsp. coconut extract
• 2 T. vanilla-flavored coffee creamer

Cream Cheese Frosting, The Making:

1. In a medium bowl, blend together the cream cheese, yogurt and creamer until smooth. (Note: I used my food processor, which worked wonderfully.)
2. Mix in the coconut extract then gradually stir in the powdered sugar and cinnamon.
3. Store in the refrigerator in a air-tight container after use.

Carrot Hummus

Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to be the best mom... at least when it comes to hiding vegetables in the food I feed my kids. Now, hummus is undeniably a staple in my diet, and there's no questioning its power food status, but I'm always looking for a way to amp things up a few notches in the vitamin/mineral components of any dish. Adding canned or frozen carrots provides some additional vitamin A; these carrot forms are softer and therefore blend quite a bit easier into the hummus. By all means one could boil fresh carrots and achieve the same effect. Further amping up the hummus with a scoop of unflavored protein powder gives each serving a gram or two more of satiating protein. Adding protein powder to meals can be especially important if one's diet is primarily vegetarian. At least I think it is... supposedly Americans get more than enough protein...

Anywho, this hummus is tasty and packed with nutritional benefits. Lately, when I'm not experimenting with edamame, spinach, or red pepper versions, this is my go-to recipe. It's pretty straight-forward, and (as you may have guessed by my use of approximate amounts) extremely forgivable.

The Edibles:

• 1 16-oz. can of garbanzo beans (also known as chick peas), rinsed and drained
• 3/4 of a 16 oz. can of carrots (or about 1 c. frozen carrots, thawed), drained
• 1 T. tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic (or the equivalent in jarred or powdered)
• generous sprinkling of fresh or dried parsely
• generous shake of ground coriander
• light sprinkle of onion salt (alternatively you could use onion powder generously)
• 1 scoop natural, unflavored protein powder
• enough water to get the blender/processor blade a-movin' (add 1 T. at a time)
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

The Making:

1. Whir together all the ingredients in a food processor or blender.
2. If you're patient, chill hummus for at least 30 minutes. (You'll be amazed by how much more intense the flavors become in such a short amount of time!)
3. Store in a sealed container for maximum one week.

Serving Suggestions: Serve with pita chips, pretzels, cucumber slices, bagel chips, or (gasp!) carrots!

Kick-off Chicken Bites

It's football season, so what's more appropriate than some buffalo chicken bites? Getting their crunch from an oven bake, rather than deep fry, these babies are a healthy take on the classic fried chicken wing.

Unfortunately, I'm a bit of a wuss when it comes to spicy foods, so these are a tamed-down version. Of course more hot sauce could be added if you happen to have a stronger palate. With the addition of honey mustard, these nuggets are slightly sweet, but they still have a bit of a kick, so they are a good middle ground that will please a crowd. I served our nugs with some good ol' fashioned corn bread, because I'm fancy like that.

The Edibles:

• 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1 T. parsley
• 10 chicken wings (or 3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks)
• olive oil cooking spray
• 2 T. melted butter
• 3 T. hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot®)
• 3 T. barbecue sauce
• 1 T. ketchup
• 4 T. honey mustard
• 2 T. worcheschire sauce
• 1/4 c. water

The Making:

1. Place the flour through parsely into a resealable plastic bag; shake to mix. Add the chicken, seal, and toss until well coated with the flour mixture. Refrigerate for an hour if you have the time.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and lightly grease with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag and place on prepared baking sheet, allowing space in between the pieces.
4. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and appears golden on the outside, about 45 minutes (time will be less if you have small cuts of the chicken). Turn over halfway during cooking so they cook evenly.
5. While the chicken cooks, wisk together the butter and remaining ingredients overhot sauce in a small saucepan placed over low heat.
6. Once cooked, carefully dip the wings into the sauce mixture, and serve!

Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower

Mac and Cheese is one of those dishes that is easily manipulated for increased health points. Adding vegetables, subbing wheat pasta for white, and using less of a more flavorful cheese are all easy changes that add vitamins, reduce fat, but maintain flavor. This modified version is so healthy, that a hearty serving is mighty filling without all of the heaviness characteristic of traditional baked casseroles.

I made several modifications to the recipe below which I eagerly retrieved from another recipe blogger, Tina. Ingredients that I changed are indicated with an asterisk in the original recipe provided below. Here are some notes about my changes...

• Instead of fresh cauliflower I used a 16-ounce bag of the frozen vegetable. According to the National Institutes of Health, "Generally, vegetables are canned or frozen immediately upon harvest when their nutrient content is at its peak." Knowing this, there is virtually no excuse for skimping on your veggie intake; vegetables in the freezer section of your grocery store are almost often conveniently packaged in pre-sliced, par-cooked form. All that stands between you and their nutritional benefits is a little thawing. (Enter our favorite appliance: the microwave.) It came as a suprise to me to learn that cauliflower is a significant source of Vitamin C. For more information about this vegetable, check out its federal profile on the CDC website.
• Instead of bread, I used 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs with 1 piece of wheat bread and some multigrain pita chip crumbs.
• Instead of 1% milk, I used skim, because it was what I had on hand. I suppose the small addition of fat from the milk would make this even creamier.
• Instead of sour cream, I used plain, nonfat yogurt, making this dish a calcium power-punch. Eating 3 daily servings of low-fat dairy products can offer a number of health benefits; advantages can include increased bone strength, maintanence of healthy weight, and improved heart function and healthy blood pressure. More about these dairy-induced gains is provided by the National Dairy Council.

The Edibles:

• 12 oz. multigrain elbow macaroni (or any smallish pasta)
• 1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped*
• 4 slices multigrain bread, torn*
• 1/2 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 3 T. extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 & 1/2 c. (6 oz.) grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 & 1/2 c. reduced-fat sour cream*
• 1/2 c. 1% milk*
• 1 T. Dijon mustard

The Making:

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, adding the cauliflower during the last 3 minutes of cooking time; drain.
2. Meanwhile, pulse the bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Add the parsley, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and pulse to combine; set aside.
3. Return the pasta pot to medium heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil (I used non-stick olive oil cooking spray). Add the onion, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, just until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in the pasta, cauliflower, cheese, sour cream, milk, and mustard.
4. Transfer to a shallow 3-quart baking dish that has been greased with non-stick olive oil spray, sprinkle with the bread crumbs, and bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Estimated Nutrition Facts per Serving (For Original Recipe)

Calories: 537; Fat: 23g (sat 9g); Cholesterol: 51mg; Carbohydrate: 63g; Sodium: 692mg; Protein: 24g; Fiber: 8g; Sugars: 8g

Edamame Power Hummus

Some call edamame the super or wonder vegetable because it is the only vegetable that contains all nine essential amino acids. This makes edamame a complete protein source, similar to meat or eggs. Edamame also contains isoflavonoids. They are found in all soy products and are being studied for their health benefits.

Although most researchers agree that further research is needed, recent studies propose the following possible health benefits of soy:

• Soy protein may help reduce insulin resistance, kidney damage, and fatty liver in people with diabetes, according to a study in rats.
• A new study from the Chinese University of Hong Kong indicated that soy protein containing isoflavones (phytoestrogens) significantly reduced overall cholesterol and LDL "bad" cholesterol, and raised HDL or "good" cholesterol, especially in men.
• A study in women reported that regular consumption of soy foods was associated with healthy cholesterol levels.
• The component thought to be at least partly responsible for soy's health benefits is a type of phytoestrogen called isoflavones. Isoflavones also appear to work with certain proteins in soy to protect against cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
• Results from a new study in China suggest that eating more soybean protein may help prevent and treat hypertension.
• A study in which 12 postmenopausal women drank 36 ounces of soy milk daily for 16 weeks noted an anti-inflammatory effect of the isoflavones found in soy. According to the study authors, this may be important in the prevention of bone loss and cancer, among other things.

I found my edamame pre-shelled in the frozen foods section of Trader Joe's. It is rarely sold fresh, but it is available frozen year-round. Don't fear frozen veggies; studies have shown that they can be just as--if not more--nutritious than their fresh counterparts. Of course, some taste better when eaten fresh (zuchinni and asparagus to name a few), but edamame is one vitamin powerhouse that maintains its punch (and subtle crunch) when thawed.

The Edibles:

• 3/4 of a 16-oz. can of garbanzo beans (also known as chick peas)
• 1/2 c. edamame, shelled
• 1 T. tahini
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic (or the equivalent in jarred or powdered)
• generous sprinkling of fresh or dried parsely
• generous shake of ground coriander
• light sprinkle of onion salt (alternatively you could use onion powder generously)
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

The Making:

1. Whir together all the ingredients in a food processor or blender.
2. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for prime flavor-age. Conversely, you can be like me and excitedly use any vessel on hand to deliver your Edamame Power Hummus straight to your tongue. Store in a sealed container for maximum one week.

Sources:

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/edamame-secret

http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/fresh_beans.html

Homemade Almond Butter

The serious female domination in my family has taken on a life of its own. Just recently we've jokingly labeled ourselves (rather proudly, I should add) the Association of Major Boss Ladies. Though some of us younger generations are more appropriately titled, "Major Boss Ladies in Training [MBL(IT)]", the name is perfectly descriptive of our collective bossiness (though we prefer to say that we're just a group of definitive decision makers, movers, and shakers).

Nevertheless, I believe it is an almost unanimous trait (Momo may be the only exception) of all Boss Ladies to have a particular weakness for nut butter. For a group of strong-willed women, we all are hilariously perilous when faced with a jar of creamed nut.

Thus, I decided to make my own nut butter. As a Major Boss Lady in Training, I will be able to control just how much I make and of what exactly it is made. My guess is that this recipe will make about 4 tablespoons. (I only guess because I made mine with about 1/2 as many nuts and didn't measure the outcome before I spread it on toast... perilous, I tell you!)

In theory, 4 tablespoons should be enough to cover at least 2 sandwiches (depending on your shmearing tendencies), and isn't enough to cause serious damage if ingested all at once. Hey, we all have our vices, right? It's about working with them and allowing ourselves a little wiggle room so we don't go crazy!!

The Edibles:

• 24 almonds, roasted, unsalted
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• pinch of salt

The Making:

1. Grind up ingredients in food processor until you have made a paste. Unless you're fortunate enough to have a heavy duty food processor, it's recommended that you grind for 30 seconds to one minute and allow for 30 second breaks in between sessions. This will help ensure you don't overwork your appliance.
2. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Yummy Yammy Salad

Chicago is hot in the summer. Cost-saving efforts cause us to leave the A/C off until it is deathly blazing. Needless to say, on one particularly hot day for dinner I wanted to make sweet potatoes (mostly because they were the only potato type in the vicinity of our kitchen), but I could not fathom turning on a stove or oven or any other heat-producing appliance. Enter the 20th century marvel: the microwave oven. I cubed the lone potato we had in our possession, plopped it into a microwave-safe Pyrex bowl with about a half-inch of water and covered it with a large plate, and nuked the taters until they were fork-soft.

Upon removing from the miracle wave appliance, I carefully drained the hot water from the dish and tossed in with the dressing. Loosely cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for prime flavor maximation.

If you have the means, this dish may be improved with the addition of fresh chopped basil. Nom nom nom!

The Edibles:

• 3 T. balsamic vinegar
• 1 T. honey Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 medium-sized sweet potato, cubed and cooked
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

The Making:

1. Whisk together first 4 ingredients. Pour over cooked sweet potato cubes. Stir gently to cover cubes with balsamic dressing.
2. Try a bite. Add salt and pepper if desired.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Another recipe that uses cucumbers? Another that uses tomatoes? You may be sick of these basic veggies (or are they fruits?), but here in this household they're a staple because they're in season, fresh, inexpensive, and above-all, good for you!

The main reason I decided to even post this ridiculously basic recipe is to share the making of the ridiculously delicious dressing for the cucumbers and tomatoes. It is pretty much inevitable that you will not have the spice blend I used on hand, I'm sure it will be just as delicious with some sprinkles of paprika and onion powder... or completely omitted. If you have the means, I highly recommend searching for the Celestial Seasonings blend or a spice blend like it, because the flavors are a great mix that can be used to amp up anything from tofu to pork chops. (A suggestion as a substitute: Perfect Pinch Roasted Garlic Bell Pepper Seasoning from McCormick)

The Edibles:

• 1 T. rice vinegar
• 1 T. apple cidar vinegar
• 1 T. honey dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• hearty shake of Celestial Seasonings "Sweet Peppers and Onions" blend
• 1 cucumber, zebra peeled & sliced
• 2 c. cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
• sea salt & pepper, to taste

The Making:

1. Whisk together first 6 ingredients. Pour over cucumber slices and tomato quarters. Stir gently to make sure all of your veggies get covered with some of the dressing's goodness.
2. Try a bite. Add salt and pepper if desired.

Teriyaki Turkey Burgers

If you have nightmares about smelly, dry turkey burgers, these burgers will turn your world upside-down. Jay has become the teriyaki burger master, and not only do these not smell funky, which a common characteristic of ground turkey, they are way way moist and simply "OMG!"-worthy!!

So where are the "good" pictures of these juicy bad-boys? I know; I know. The ones I've included barely do them justice. I find it hilarious that the only images I have are of them on the grill. Chalk it up to the fact that as soon as they're plated, all I want to do is dive in and enjoy the amazing the meat that just oozes teriyaki goodness. Seeing as we've made these twice in the past month, I have a feeling they'll make a more glamorous appearance in the near future.

The teriyaki we use is special, some might say, "veri veri" special. It's called Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki and it rocks my socks off. If you feel like going all-out, top these burgers with some chopped mushrooms (I prefer portabellas for both in the burgers and on top) sauteed in a little bit of teriyaki. Jay likes his with swiss or meunster cheese, but I'm more of a plain ol' burger kinda gal.

The Stuff:

• medium bowl (for mixing your meat)
• grill (for gillin')

The Edibles:

• about 1 lb. ground turkey breast
• 3/4 c. teriyaki sauce
• 3/4 c. mushrooms, chopped
• 3/4 c. plain bread crumbs

The Making:

1. Preheat grill.
2. In a large bowl combine bread crumbs, mushrooms, and teriyaki sauce. Add turkey to the mixture and form into 5 patties, about 3/4" thick.
3. Place patties on grill, cover and cook on medium heat. Patties should take anywhere between 12-14 minutes to cook. Cut into a thicker patty to ensure that they are fully cooked and not pink.
4. Our favorite way to serve them? On a pretzel roll, topped with meunster cheese and 1/4 c. teriyaki-sauteed mushrooms.

Deviled Tomatoes

A few nights back, as we prepared dinner, Jay mentioned this appetizer in passing, but with a definite "they were ahhhh-mazing." We tend to speak in code. Calling someone else's food, "ahhhh-mazing" is like a challenge to my own, and he knows it. The question was... could I recreate it such that it would produce a similar reaction? I asked for more specifics, and Jay went on to tell me that at a recent backyard gala of sorts a friend's mom served a filling similar to that provided below and spooned it into what I'm guessing were de-seeded grape tomatoes. Feeling less ambitious, I chose to make these using plum tomatoes which would require a less concentrated effort to de-seed.

I'm not going to lie, the bacon does contribute to the depth of flavor, but I think vegetarians could enjoy this bite sans animal and still enjoy it. I recommend making the filling at least 30 minutes ahead of time in order to allow for maximum flavor melding.

"Now, what was the result?" you ask. It was undoubtedly a harried rendition of the inspiration appetizer, but Jay was left speechless.

The Edibles:

• 1 T. mayonnaise or miracle whip
• 2 T. greek yogurt
• 1 T. dijon mustard
• 2-3 T. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 2 T. real bacon bits (omit if making for vegetarians)
• 2 plum tomatoes, halved, seeds scooped out
• chopped chives, sea salt, and pepper to taste

The Making:

1. In a small bowl mix together first 7 (6 if you're a veggie) ingredients.
2. Portion out filling into the four plum tomato halves. Top with chives, sea salt, and pepper to taste.
3. Serve at your most classy of get-togethers.

Fiesta Chicken Salad

My love for the Whole Foods salad bar has made a serious dent in my bank account. One of my favorite salads the store offers is the inspiration for this serious salad that is not only totally easy to throw together, but much more economical than its $7.99/lb counterpart.

As far as how many chicken breasts you should use for this recipe, 3 easily make 4 servings, so if you're serving 2, you'll have plenty for your lunches the next day. How you cook the chicken depends on how much work you want to put into this recipe. My method of choice is to cook the breasts in a crockpot for 6 hours on low in enough chicken broth to cover them entirely. Often times I'll add a hearty shake of garlic powder for some extra "umf". I've also been known to purchase a roasted chicken and use half of the meat to make this salad. When we're talking about how much Greek yogurt to use, this again is up to you. Add a bit at a time until you reach your desired level of creaminess, as this is often a matter of strong opinion.

Now, you may be looking at these pictures, thinking to yourself, "Hey, where are these bell peppers Britt speaks of in her list of edibles?" Or you may already be at the stage of creation, looking at the fiesta in your bowl, thinking, "Hey, my salad looks way darker than Britt's... what gives?" Before you start writing me off, I'm a-gonna tell ya that the recipe below is THE way to make this salad. On the day I chose to fiesta-it-up with my camera in hand I happened to be sans peppers and taco seasoning, so I had to make do without the bells and whistles. (Get it? Bells... as in bell peppers... like this salad there's some corn in that joke... sorry...) In lieu of an easy taco seasoning packet I hastily threw in some powdered garlic, onion, chili powder, coriander, cumin, and oregano. Of course, you could do that too if you're feeling adventurous!

The Edibles:

• boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1/2 vidalia onion, diced
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• Greek yogurt
• 1 packet low-sodium taco seasoning

The Making:

1. Mix together all the above ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Serve in tortilla shells, on a salad, or use as a dip for some chips. Add your favorite fiesta toppings for a real party!

Britt's Slaw

Jaybird loves himself some coleslaw. In fact, he's been talking about buying himself one of those ginormous vats of slaw that would in most instances feed a party of 50 people. Persuading him not to invest $10.00 in the slaw bucket has been challenging, so in order to appease his ravenous taste for this cabbage salad, I decided to try my hand as a homemade, healthy version. Coleslaw is typically not unhealthy, considering it's primarily cabbage, but everything is always that much fresher when I make it myself.

Naturally sweetened by crushed pineapple and its juice, this coleslaw is my variation on the backyard barbecue staple. Unlike my mom, whose suggestion for improvement of this recipe was, "More mayo," I prefer less of the condiment in my salads. Much of the creaminess in the coleslaw sauce is provided by the addition of a random supporting actor: plain yogurt. Who woulda thunk that you'd be able to get some of your daily dose of calcium and protein in a coleslaw salad?!

Play around with the spices. Add just a bit of sweetener. Letter sit. Dig in.

The Edibles:

• 16 oz. package pre-shredded coleslaw mix of cabbage and carrots
• 1/4 c. white vinegar
• 1/2 c. plain yogurt
• 1/4 c. light mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
• 1/4 c. spicy brown mustard
• 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained with 1/4 c. of the juice reserved
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• sugar or sweetener to taste (a couple teaspoons or so)

The Making:

1. Mix all of the ingredients together and stir well. Add sugar in small increments to cut the acidity of the vinegar. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Spinach Hummus Dip

Feeling like hummus? Feeling like spinach dip? Not sure which way to turn? A marrying of two of my favorites, this dip can satiate your taste buds if you happen to be like me, trying to appease conflicting desires. What would be a typical spinach dip is kicked up a notch with the addition of garbanzo beans. Providing some of that hummus-like graininess, this dip is substantial but light-tasting, and the side to a tray of fresh vegetables and hearty crackers or bread.

This dip is super easy to throw together if you use a pre-made spinach dip powder. I found mine to be rather bland, so I ended up adding about 1/2 tablespoon dried dill and a sprinkle of both garlic and onion powder. I recommend allowing the flavors in your dip to meld a bit in the refrigerator before you make any significant spice additions.

The Stuff:

• food processor or blender

The Edibles:

• 1/2 c. frozen spinach, defrosted
• 1 c. plain yogurt
• 1/2 c. (4 oz.) light cream cheese
• 1 c. garbanzo beans
• 1 package spinach dip mix

The Making:

1. Whir together all the ingredients in a food processor or blender.

Tequila-fied Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Cilantro Rice Pilaf

I love me some fish! Many of my favorite summertime meals involve fish with some sort of cilantro-infused salsa. I'll admit that I served this dish with some jarred store-brand mango-lime salsa simply because I had a craving. It wasn't necessary though, because the sauce for this fish is mighty flavorful.

I'll also admit that we had a bit of a mis-hap with the grill. (I say "we" because Jay was my Grill Master for this dish.) When grilling fish it's recommended that one oils the grates (you can do so by carefully using a towel drenched in oil gripped with some tongs--I researched it hard-core), but because our grill is technically not ours we chose to place the fish on an oiled tray that we shaped out of a large piece of aluminum foil. Despite our efforts, the grill never got hot enough. After 12 minutes, the fillets still did not appear done. Not to be left with an un-crispified fish, I pan seared the fillets in an oiled skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes per side. The result? Well the pictures tell the story.

And as far as the flavor goes? You won't be disappointed. We weren't.

The Stuff:

• non-reactive bowl or bag for marinading
• grill (or apparently this can be done on a stove top with a skillet--who knew?!)
• small sauce pan (for the sauce)

The Edibles:

• 4 skinless mahi-mahi fillets, approximately 2 pounds
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 c. diced red onion (I used onion powder because we are presently onionless)
• 1/4 c. freshly squeezed lime juice (I used the juice of a fresh lime and supplemented with about 2 tablespoons lemon juice)
• 1/4 c. freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 T. minced jalapeno
• 1/4 c. dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 c. tequila
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1/4 c. freshly chopped cilantro leaves

The Making:

1. Rub the fillets with kosher salt and set aside.
2. In a non-reactive bowl or plastic bag for marinating, combine the onion, lime juice, orange juice, jalapeno, sugar and tequila. Mix to dissolve the sugar, and add the fillets to the bowl or bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours, turning the fillets once after 1 hour.
3. Remove the fillets from the marinade and set it aside. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels and lightly coat with olive oil cooking spray.
4. Heat a grill to high and place the fillets over direct heat until they are just cooked through - opaque at the center but still moist, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side.
5. While the fish is grilling, transfer the reserved marinade to a saucepan and heat until it is reduced to about 3/4 cup.
6. Using tongs, remove the fillets to serving plates and divide sauce equally among them. Top with the cilantro.

Rice Pilaf

The Stuff:

• medium sauce pan

Edibles:

• 1 T. butter
• 1/2 T. olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced (or the equivalent in jarred or powdered)
• a shake of onion powder
• 1 c. brown rice
• 1 T. lemon juice
• 1/4 c. frozen spinach
• 1/4 c. cilantro, chopped

The Making:

1. Heat a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add butter, olive oil, and garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring to encourage the ingredients to cover the bottom of the pan.
2. Add rice; stir to ensure it is covered by butter and oil mixture. Cook over the heat for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, allowing the rice to toast a bit.
3. Add lemon juice, onion powder, and water. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer for the amount of time recommended in the instructions accompanying your rice. (Our was "10 Minute" rice, but some types require 20 to 30 minutes, so proceed as instructed.)
4. Once the rice has absorbed all of the water, allow it to stand 2 minutes. Add frozen spinach, and stir. I will often times add the spinach, recover the rice and allow it to sit for 5 minutes, after which it will have defrosted and make for easier encorporation in the pilaf.
5. Add cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.

Banana Soft Serve

Two days ago I purchased a food processor. Using both a coupon and a gift certificate ordered through my bank's rewards program, the appliance cost me just over $10. Even if I had paid the original $40 for which it was listed, the ability to make this sweet treat would have has made it worth every penny. Seriously. Not only is it totally guilt-free (I mean seriously, it's pretty much just a banana), but it really has the consistency of soft serve, a dessert that around here goes for at least $4... without any additional toppings. I had been trying for weeks to make this in my blender with little success (it never really, totally blender-ized/soft-serve-ized, no matter how much I varied the banana-to-liquid ratio), so seeing this come to fruition this evening really made me giggle. I can't wait to play with this some more! (I hear peanut butter is a good add-in... stay tuned!)

The Stuff:

• food processor

The Edibles:

• 1 banana, broken into at least 4 pieces and frozen
• 1-2 T. milk
• about 2 drops vanilla extract
• 1 packet Splenda (or 2 tsp. sugar), optional

The Making:

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and whirl away. Eventually you will have a mixture the consistency of soft serve ice cream!