Beet Chips with Sea Salt & Smoked Paprika

Beet, beets the magical fruit. Oh wait. But seriously, beets are emerging as the "new super food" right now in the nutrition world. I recently watched a talk at the Michigan Dietetics Association conference where a sports Dietitian (like for some big name teams) spent a good amount of time showing us the various beet products that they recommend to their athletes. I am talking beet chews (gummies), juices, and plain old beets. They basically built these into their diet plan as a main component. It was very interesting. From what I gathered, beets have a particular way that they release sugar into the body, so they make an excellent source of energy for athletic performance.

I am intrigued enough to give it a try, plus I love all things veggie chip. So here we go.


What you'll need:

1 Tbsp sea salt

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

4 medium beets, rinsed and trimmed

2 Tbsp olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with aluminum foil

2. Combine sea salt and paprika
3, Cut the beets into very thin slices used a sharp knife or mandolin. Divide beets between pans. Drizzle each with olive oil and shake around in the pan. Sprinkle with sea salt mixture and shake again.
4. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for another 15 minutes or until crispy.

Twice Baked Potatoes- Healthy version

I get most of my cooking inspiration from Taste of Home, but it is rare that I follow their recipes 100% because they really aren't known for their "healthy" options. So when I stumbled upon this one I was really excited, and even more excited when I read the ingredients and actually felt like I didn't need to make many adjustments without the final taste suffering. So here it is (I would prob add less butter though for real).

The author of this recipe notes that red potatoes are naturally creamier than russet potatoes (classic choice) and therefore need less dairy to get the same effect. I most definitely agree with this and I only use red potatoes in general. I thought it was just because I preferred them, but now I realize that that is a big reason why, they are more creamy and smooth without needing much added. She also uses the fat free yogurt and just a sprinkle of cheese on the top in this recipe, which saves a ton of calories, fat and sodium.

What you'll need:
6 large red potatoes
1/2 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup fat free plain yogurt
3 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 tsp dried parsley
1 1/2 tsp garlic-herd seasoning blend
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese






1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scrub potatoes; pierce several times with a fork. Microwave uncovered on high just until tender, 10-12 minutes, turning once.
2. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut each lengthwise in half and scoop out the pulp, leaving 1/4 inch thick shells. Mash pulp with all ingredients except cheese. Spoon into potato shells. Top with cheese.
3. Bake until heated through, 25-30 minutes until cheese is light golden brown.

Cajun scallops and rice

Here is one of those recipes that will be "on deck" for a long time, not because it looks less delicious than any of the other recipes, but because it is one of that special occasion recipes. Due to Eric's lack of interest in sea food there is no way this will be in the normal weeknight dinner rotation, but I am determined to sneak it into my life somehow!

What you'll need:
2 Tbsp butter
3 scallions

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 cup white rice
1 bay leaf
4 cups frozen chopped greens, such as collards or kale, squeezed dry
1 lb medium sea scallops, foot muscle removed
1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
lemon wedges

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the scallion whites and jalapeno and cook, stirring occasionally until softened. Add 1 1/2 cups water, the rice, bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Increase heat to medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, stir then cover and simmer until rice is tender and the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and stir in the greens.
2. Season the scallops with salt and sprinkle one side with the Cajun seasoning. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil, then the scallops, spice-side down, cook until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until just cooked through, about 1 minute.
3. Stir in the parsley and scallion greens into the rice and season with salt. Serve with the scallops and lemon wedges.

It is so beautiful...

Roasted cabbage with chive-mustard vinaigrette

Cabbage is one of my more recent discoveries in the world. I guess it comes with dating a polish guy...but I am all about it! It is relatively flavorless until you figure out the right way to prepare it. When you get the right recipe cabbage can turn into something so flavorful that can really add to a meal. I really fell in love with this cabbage recipe I found in my Eating Well magazine because the cabbage is just the star and its such a simple preparation that shows off what you can do with a head of cabbage.

What you'll need:
1/2 medium green cabbage, outer leaves removed
olive oil
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp white balsamic or white wine vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
3 tbsp minced fresh chives

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Prepare cabbage by cutting the cabbage half into 4 wedges and cut out the thick core, leaving the wedge as intact as possible. Drizzle cut sides with olive oil and and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place wedges on baking sheet.
3. Roast the cabbage for 12 minutes. Carefully flip over and roast for about 8 minutes longer, until both sides are browned.
4. Prepare vinaigrette by combining mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add chives and 2 tbsps of olive oil and stir well to combine.
5. Transfer wedge to plate and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Oh yea, these look good. I would serve this with maybe steak, so like a steak wedge salad. Yea, that sounds good!

Tofu stroganoff recipe

Thanks to my very best friend in the whole world I recharged with new recipes! For my birthday Carly got me a subscription to Eating Well magazine and I am more than excited to get trying out these new recipes. Even better, they are healthy!

The first recipe that caught my eye from my first magazine was this tofu stroganoff. I am really into this because Eric LOVES beef stroganoff and requests it for dinner all the time. He even made his mom give me her recipe because it is one of his favorite meals. So I was thinking this would be a fun new version to try.

What you'll need:
1 14oz package of extra-firm tofu
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
8 oz whole wheat egg noodles (6 cups dry)
3 tbsp olive oil
5 tbsp dry sherry
10 oz baby bella or button mushrooms
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
3 tbsp flour
2 cups mushroom or veggie broth
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

1. Cut tofu into small strips (2 x 1/2 inches). Pat tofu dry with paper towel and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika.
2. Bring large pot of water to boil and cook egg noodles according to package.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet. Cook tofu in a single layer, gently stirring every few minutes until golden brown on all sides. Add 2 tbsp of sherry and cook stirring until evaporated. Transfer the tofu to a plate.
4. Add remaining 1 tbsp of oil to the pan. Add onion, mushroom, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook stirring frequently until the mushrooms are cooked through. Sprinkle with flour stirring for 1 minute. Stir in broth and remaining 3 tbsp sherry, bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened (3-5 minutes). Stir in tofu. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.
5. Serve over egg noodles.

Sounds good and easy, perfect! Now the question is will it stand up to mama Panlener's beef stoganoff....

Orzo and veggie salad recipe

This was my attempt at making the fresh corn salsa recipe I found...but I got carried away at the grocery store and just ended up making this delicious creation instead! I ended up making a huge batch of this and let me tell you, I ate it for EVERY meal until it was gone. I couldn't get enough of it. I had it as a side dish with a steak dinner, I had it by itself for lunch and for dinner, and someday I will make it as a dish to pass I'm sure.

What you'll need:
2 Hungarian Wax peppers (1 hot, 1 sweet), or your favorite bell peppers
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup green beans, chopped and steamed
1 can cannellini beans
3 stalks celery, chopped
3/4 cup uncooked orzo
3/4 cups Italian dressing
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/2 lime, juice

1. Cook the orzo according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Chop all veggies so they are about the same size. Combine all veggies with orzo in a large bowl. Add cilantro, dressing and lime juice. Mix together and enjoy!


This was seriously phenomenal. I brought this for my first day as an intern lunch, I think everyone was impressed...I know I was while I was eating it!

Honey mustard chicken recipe

I hope everyone had a FABULOUS holiday! I have had quite the break from posting anything due to the ice storm that knocked out my power for a few days. But I am back and have LOTS of things to share.

So I am going to let you in on my strategy for picking recipes to try.

• When I find a recipe online the first thing I do is check the ingredient list. If there are more than like 4 items that I don't have in my kitchen I am usually turned off to it because I don't want to break the bank making a meal every night. That is where things start getting expensive. It is much more cost effective to utilize the ingredients that you have in creative ways so you are not getting bored of the same flavors and still not buying outlandish ingredients that you are only going to use once and then will go bad in your pantry.
• The next thing I look at is the comments. This is where you are going to get a pretty good idea about whether this recipe is going to be successful. If there are a lot of negative comments about how they couldn't get the recipe to work or it didn't turn out chances are there is something wrong with the recipe, not the cooks. This is also where you can find good ideas of ways to alter the recipe. It is a great way to get inspiration for customizing the recipe to your taste as well as what works and what doesn't.

Moral of the story: I really urge, if you find a recipe that looks good, check out the comments and do your research. It can really save you some time and possible kitchen disasters.

Without further rambling, I give you Honey mustard chicken!

What you'll need:
1/4 cup grainy mustard
1/4 cup smooth dijon mustard
1/2 honey
3 tsp olive oil
1 drop 100% pure rosemary essential oil (optional)
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 lbs chicken tenderloins
3-4 springs fresh rosemary

1. In a small bowl combine the mustards, honey, 2 tsp olive oil, and rosemary oil.
2. In a saute pan or cast iron skillet add 1 tsp on olive oil. It make it easier if you can use a stove to oven dish for this. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
3. Place the chicken tenderloins on top of the onion and garlic mixture. sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the honey mustard mixture on top of the chicken and arrange the rosemary springs around the pan.
4. Bake the chicken covered at 400 degrees for 20 minutes then remove the cover, baste the chicken with the sauce and continue to cook and additional 20-30 minutes uncovered or until the chicken is browned on top and cooked through.

So, as I read this recipe I thought "wow, 50 minutes baking at 400? That is way too long, that can't be right." What do I do? Read the comments! Turns out the recipe creator really crowds her pan and it took an extra long time to cook. Other than that, there were MANY comments of people that actually made the recipe and said it was perfect. So there you have it. Do your research and you will be way more prepared when you walk into the kitchen.

Wonton noodle soup recipe

I think I have offically found my favorite blog ever, besides mine I guess. Jaden is the author of Steamy Kitchen which features her own recipes, specializing in modern asian cuisine. I was browsing around her pages and I was just floored. Everything sounded so good and actually feasable for a home cook! This wonton noodle soup looks especially good today since its cold out and all I want is to be cuddled up in bed with a big bowl of hot soup. After you try this soup make sure you go to her website and try all her other recipes!

What you'll need:
1/2 lb ground pork
2 stalk scallion, finely minced
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 pound wonton wrappers, at room temp covered with damp towel
1 tbsp cornstarch+1/4 cup cool water (slurry)
2 quarts chicken broth
8 oz dried wonton noodles (or thin egg noodles)
1/2 lb bok choy, leaves separated and washed well

1. In a large bowl, combine the pork, scallions, soy sauce, rice vinegar, cornstarch, sugar and 1/2 tsp sesame oil. Mix well. Put a scant teaspoon of filling in the middle of a wonton wrapper, brush cornstarch slurry on all edges. Fold over to form a triangle, press to secure edges, encasing the filling. Brush cornstarch slurry on one tip of the triangle, bring two corners together and press to secure. Place on clean, dry plate in one layer and cover loosely with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Repeat with remaining.
2. In a large stockpot, add all but 2 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. The 2 cups of reserved broth should be room tempurature or just slightly chilled. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the wontons. Bring pot back to a gentle boil. When it reaches a boil, add 1 cup of the reserved broth. Bring back to a boil and again, add the remaning 1 cup of resrved broth, then bring back to a boil again. That is when you know your wontons are cooked.
3. keep the heat on the pot on while scooping out the wontons to distribute amongst your serving bowls. Cook the noodles in the pot according to instructions. Add the bok choy to the pot during last minute of cooking noodles, let simmer until cooked through. Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle with a drop of sesame oil.

The only thing I would change here is that I would do a vegetarian wonton filling like I did with my pot stickers.

Baja fish tacos recipe

This recipe and photo come from The Kitchen Life of a Navy Wife's blog. I have landed on her site many times while browsing through Pinterest and spotting a tasty looking dish!

I always want to try and get Eric to eat fish. It is so good for you and easy to make delicious dishes with but he is so against seafood. Something spectacular has happened since the lakes have frozen here in Michigan though; Eric is catching fish and wants to cook and eat them! So I am ready to put my best foot forward and make him a yummy fish dish that will segue him into a seafood eater.

Look how "Pure Michigan" he is!

What you'll need:
1/2 lb fresh talapia or cod fillets
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
3 cups coleslaw blend
8 small flour tortillas
1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese

1. Brush each fillet with 1 tbsp of lime juice; sprinkle with taco seasoning.
2. Cook fillets in a skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat for 3-3 1/2 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily, drizzling 1 tbsp of lime juice over the fish as it cooks. Remove fish to a plate and flake with a fork into bite size pieces.
3. In a large bowl mix the mayo, remaining 1 tbsp of lime juice and 1 tbsp of cilantro. Add the coleslaw to the bowl and mix gently.
4. Top the warmed torillas with coleslaw, fish, shredded cheese and remaining cilantro.

There really isn't much I would change aboutt his recipe! It sounds great and so refreshing. The one thing that would change would just be the type of fish. Because Eric is catching blue gills and they are also a mild fish I would use those, since they are free!! The rest sounds great, can't wait to make Eric embrace his inner fish eater!

Garlic tomato basil pasta salad recipe

This pasta salad is not your ordinary pasta salad...this is the pasta salad to end all pasta salads. The way the garlic is cooked along with the tomatoes give you HUGE flavor. I have a confession about this dish from when I made it, it is shameful but I am going to tell anyway. We were going to go to a fish fry over the summer and I said I would bring some dishes to pass. Well I made this pasta salad...and then I sat and ate it all! I just ended up bringing dip. Ooops! So words of wisdom: make this pasta salad and do not taste test, just pack it up and get moving. One taste and you won't stop.






What you'll need:
Seashell pasta or whatever you prefer. Whole grain if you would like to make it a little healthier.
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
olive oil

1. Place halved tomatoes, about 2 tbsp olive oil, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper into a pan on med-low heat until garlic becomes aromatic and tomatoes start to soften, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and put into a bowl and let the tomatoes continue to marinate in the oil for about 20 minutes.
2. While tomatoes are resting cook pasta according to package.
3. Drain pasta and toss with  tomato mixture until coated. Top with basil and parmesan cheese.

Now that is what I'm talking about! You can serve this hot or cold, it is good both ways.

Does the truth match the hype?

Does the truth match the hype, that is the question. I received this article in my Daily News email from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics yesterday and thought it was the perfect explanation of how to dispute the hype from the truth when it comes to today's "super-foods". In this article some newly popular health foods are examined for their health benefits. This topic is SO important because as Dietetic professionals it is our responsibility to make sure people are getting the facts and aren't falling for the hype. Though there definitely are health benefits in many of the foods that this article addresses, there is a lot of garbage to wade through to get to them. Contrary to popular belief, there is no "miracle food", and even if there was production companies would probably do their best to process it until it didn't have one health benefit left to it's name. So there are a lot of things that are outlined here to look for that will help you make the right choices when you are shopping for your healthy foods.

The most important point in this article, I think, is that you should be using "sensible criteria to make the most healthful choices when food shopping..." Just reading a label that says good source of antioxidants or other buzzwords doesn't necessarily make it healthy. It is great if those types of advertisements steer you in the right direction but then it is your responsibility to do a little bit more investigating. Take a look at the ingredient list. Are there more than 5 ingredients? Is it a list of words you have never heard before? Is sugar one of the first ingredients? Just because a product contains an element of a food that may have health benefits in its raw form, does not mean that those benefits will be translated in an overly processed product.

My hopes are that this article makes you step back and take a closer look at what you are actually eating and don't be fooled by advertisements. This article does a great job of busting a few of the most commonly mistaken "hyped-up" foods on the market right now and explaining how you can find the right products that are actually doing what they say.

Here are some of the items from the list:

1. Acai berries- Though these berries do provide a great source for antioxidants they are almost never found as berries. In the U.S. they are typically in the form of a supplement pill or juice. If you found a 100% acai berry juice with no sugar added then I say more power to you, but the chances of that happening are slim to none. The major thing to address here is the fact that eating fresh blueberries or raspberries is going to give you THE SAME antioxidant power as a handful of acai berries. So rather than fall for the hype- grab a couple bucks and head to your farmers market for some fresh local berries.
2. Greek yogurt- Indisputably, greek yogurt is great. Good source of protein, really low fat. But the second you go for the heavily flavored ones you are getting a lot of added sugar (even if it is honey, that is still sugar). This one I am not so keen on disputing because unless you are on some no sugar crazy strict diet I say enjoy, its better than having a go-gurt or something.  It's like a teacher once said to me "why are you getting fat-free yogurt? Live a little, it's yogurt!" But I must bust the myth and tell you it is not all it is cracked up to be if it is full of sugar so just something to look out for.
3. Egg whites- I am pretty confident that this will become old news soon, but recent studies have shown that egg yolks contain more health benefits than the whites and the cholesterol content has been proven to be significantly lower (14% lower, 185 mg) than originally thought. It IS safe to eat an egg a day without worrying about topping out cholesterol intake for the day. Therefore, skipping the yolk and going for the whites only is hurting, not helping.
4. Veggie burgers- This one is simple. Just because it is vegetarian, doesn't mean it's healthy. The biggest thing to look out for is sodium content in these products because if they are being made to mimic meat, you can be pretty sure they are heavily processed. Also they are typically frozen. So again, heavily processed typically means a lot of sodium. I am not saying stay away from these I am just saying, check the sodium content (use a 2,300 mg/day scale).
5. Grains- Super simple. The terms "multigrain" or "made with whole grains" are deceiving. Check your ingredient list. Is whole grains on there (such as whole wheat)? If not, move on to the next product.

I hope this has helped debunk some of your most common health food myths and more importantly given you some tools for what to look for when you are doing your shopping. Remember, everything in moderation so if you want to put honey in your yogurt I'm sure not going to stop you. Life needs a little sweets sometimes.

Check out the full article for more details http://sub.gmnews.com/news/2013-12-12/Front_Page/Food_myths.html

Happy eating!