The Secret Recipe Club – Southwest Pizza from Life and Kitchen

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

Secret Recipe Club

Today is a very exciting day for me, because it is the first time I get to take part in The Secret Recipe Club (SRC)! The SRC is a “blogger group” where each month you get assigned a new food blog to “secretly” scout out. You pick a recipe from that blog to post about, and all of the posts go live on the same day at the same time. So, not only is it a great way for me to discover some delicious new food blogs, it is also a great way to have others discover my blog. Win-win people!SW Pizza

For my first act as a member of SRC, I had the privilege to check out Life and Kitchen, which is written by Lindsay (a former Bostonian, woohoo!). Lindsay recently became a “mostly” vegetarian, and she has some delicious and easy recipes to show for it! SW Pizza 3

Remember in elementary school the two types of pizza that came out of the cafeteria? You know, regular pizza (or rectangle pizza) and Mexican pizza (octagon shaped pizza). Well, I was obsessed with octagon pizza and still dream about it (no, I’m not embarrassed). So when I saw Lindsay’s Southwest Pizza, I knew that was the recipe I would be making. I changed things around a little to use what I had in the house, and to make the recipe for just one individual pizza for lunch.

The result was delicious, healthy and definitely repeatable! This one is going into my bag of tricks!SW Pizza 2

Recipe: Southwest Individual Pizza (adapted from Life and Kitchen)

Ingredients (makes 4 individual pizzas):

  • 1 tube of refrigerated biscuit dough (you will only be using 4 of the biscuits from the tube)
  • Cooking spray
  • 2 cups of prepared black beans (rinsed)
  • 1 chipotle chile en adobo, minced + 2 tsp adobo sauce
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 small tomato, diced
  • 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

Directions:

  • Preheat the oven to 375
  • Cover a cookie sheet in foil and spray with cooking spray
  • Take each of your biscuits and press them flat. Each biscuit should make a pizza crust about 5 inches in diameter
  • Place the dough on the cookie sheet
  • Bake dough until it just begins to brown, about 4 minutes
  • Remove dough from oven and immediately press flat
  • In a bowl, add beans, chipotle, adobo and spices
  • Mash the mixture together using a mallet, potato masher, or the back of a spoon, leaving some chunks for texture
  • Salt mixture to taste
  • Spread 1/4 of the mixture onto each pizza dough
  • Sprinkle the tomato on each pizza
  • Place pizza in the oven for approximately 3 minutes, or until the beans are warm
  • Remove pizzas from oven and sprinkle them evenly with both cheeses
  • Return pizzas to oven and bake until the cheese is melted (about 3 – 5 minutes)
  • Remove pizzas from oven and sprinkle with cilantro



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Super Easy Holiday Appetizer

Posted on December 22, 2012 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

Holiday bean dip

Every year Ryan’s family has a potluck Christmas Eve. It is one of my favorite holiday traditions. However, this year is a little different for me. While I am completely in the holiday “spirit”, I just don’t have the energy to go all out on the cooking. Blame the flu, blame working more than last year, blame me for being lazy. Whatever.

But here’s the thing. Just because you want to take it easy over the holidays, it doesn’t mean you have to be a slacker. There are easy recipes out there. I even found a way to make my greek salad a little easier (throw all the dressing ingredients in the blender and blend for 30 seconds)!

A couple of weeks ago I headed over to my friend Lara’s house for her son’s first birthday. Amongst the yummy spread was a bright and delicious bean dip. I found out that not only was the dip easy, it is super easy to make. The additional beauty of this is that you can customize the seasonings to make it different every time.

Holiday White Bean Dip

Ingredients:

  • 1 – 14.5 oz can of white kidney beans
  • 1 – Heaping tablespoon of plain yogurt
  • 1 – garlic clove (peeled)
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder

Directions:

  • Put all ingredients in blender or food processor. Blend until you get the desired consistency
  • Adjust seasoning to taste
  • If the dip is too thick, add a teaspoon of yogurt at a time and blend to desired thickness.
  • Serve with tortilla chips, Pretzel Crisps, or veggies

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Homemade Mac & Cheese – Perfect for the Holiday Potluck!

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

The perfect holiday potluck dish. It’s an elusive item. Actually, any potluck dish is always a tough choice, especially for a food blogger. You want to show off your cooking skills and style, but you don’t want to make anything too crazy so that it scares noshers away.

This is especially true over the holidays. This Thanksgiving, I was lucky enough to make my way home for the holiday for the first time in the 6 holidays that I have lived in Boston.  This was also the first time I would be cooking anything for my family in years. The perfect dish needed to be planned.

Since moving to Boston, my family has blended. We now celebrate the holidays combined with my dad’s wife Michelle’s family. Not knowing how adventurous they are in the culinary realm, I wanted to keep it simple, but delicious.

I consulted my handy (and amazing) Cooks’ Illustrated Cookbook, which really has something for everyone. It only took me a minute to decide on Homemade Mac & Cheese. Who doesn’t like homemade Mac & Cheese??

I am happy to report, this dish was absolutely amazing! It was surprisingly easy, and the results were perfect. I made it again for dinner last week…and almost kicked myself for packaging up the leftovers and forgetting to put them in the fridge!

This is what the beginning of a roux looks like.

And, I am also happy to report, I will be making it again for the Beaulac Family Christmas Eve Potluck! So, family, if you are reading this, you have this deliciousness to look forward to!

Happy Holidays!

Homemade Mac & Cheese

(Closely adapted from Cooks’ Illustrated Cookbook)

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb elbow or shell noodles
  • 5 Tbsp butter
  • 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 5 cups 1% or whole milk
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard
  • salt to taste
  • 1 lb of your favorite cheeses - grated (I used a combo of Havarti, cheddar and Dubliner. For Christmas I am using Havarti and cheddar)
  • 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
  • 3/4 cup bread crumbs

Directions:

  • Cook  the noodles to al-dente. You don’t want to over cook them since they will simmer in the sauce
  • Set noodles aside
  • In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat
  • Once butter is melted, add flour and stir constantly until mixture forms a dough ball. (This is how you make a roux! Adding liquid, as you will do below, and this is the base of most cream sauces!)
  • Add 1/2 a cup of milk and stir well until all lumps are gone
  • Add another 1/2 cup of milk and stir well until all lumps are gone
  • Add the remaining 4 cups of milk and stir well
  • Add nutmeg, pepper and mustard, stir
  • Add salt to taste, stir
  • Bring to a slow simmer, stirring frequently
  • Allow to simmer, while stirring, for 5 minutes
  • Add the one pound of cheese you grated
  • Stir well
  • Allow to simmer for 3 minutes while stirring constantly
  • Add pasta and stir well
  • Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently
  • Pour the pasta into a 9 x 13 pan (or if your skillet is oven safe, you may keep it in that)
  • Sprinkle the one cup of cheese over the top of  the dish
  • Sprinkle an even coating of bread crumbs over the top of the dish
  • At this point you may set the dish aside until 10 minutes before you are ready to serve
  • Pre-heat the broiler of your oven
  • Place the dish, uncovered, under the broiler
  • Broil until the top of the dish gets brown and bubbly, but do not burn
  • Remove from oven and serve!

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Busy Weeknight = Easy Dinner! …And a Contest from Cumberland Farms!

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

I have been apologizing a lot lately. Apologizing for not returning emails or phone calls right away. Apologizing for being too tired to cook dinner…again. The truth is, this is just a really busy time of year for me, and with it getting dark at 4pm…well, I don’t have to tell you!

This dinner is one of my very favorites for busy, tired nights. It is warm and comforting, and it has protein, grains and veggies. And you can cook it in one pot! It is exactly what the doctor ordered for nights when you are too tired to do more.

The base of the recipe (tomatoes, beans, rice) can really make this whole meal if you don’t have the other ingredients on hand. You can also beef it up if you like, adding additional chopped veggies, and even cooked chicken or sausage.

Recipe located at the bottom of this post.

You know what else can make a busy, tired gal happy….free coffee! For the next 2 Fridays (11/18 & 11/25), stop by any Cumberland Farms for a free iced or hot Farmhouse Blend coffee!

And even better than that…one lucky reader is going to win 1 lb of Farmhouse Blend Coffee, a reusable coffee cup, and 2 coupons for free hot or iced coffee for when the free Friday promotion ends!

All you have to do to enter is comment on this post with what is your favorite “busy day” treat. It can be a dinner, a snack, or even a pick-me-up coffee! All entries must be received by 11:59pm on Sunday, November 20, 2011. Winner will be selected using random.or and notified on Monday, November 21, 2011. You must have a mailing address within the continental US to win.

Good Luck! And now, the recipe!

Busy Night Beans and Rice

Ingredients

  • 14 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 14 oz can of any variety of beans (I use black beans)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup uncooked brown rice
  • Juice of 1 lime (optional)
  • Handful chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp Onion Powder (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder (optional)
  • Hot Sauce (optional)
  • Salt

Directions:

  • Add all ingredients, except hot sauce and salt, to a large pot, stir well
  • Add your desired amount of hot sauce (not gonna lie, I use about 1/4 cup…I like it spicy!)
  • Turn heat onto medium high
  • Bring pot to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover
  • Allow to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
  • Remove from heat, keeping covered
  • Let sit for 5 minutes
  • Stir and serve! If you have enough energy to get fancy, think about toppings like shredded cheese, diced onions, sour cream…and more hot sauce!

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Healthy Snack Wednesday – Guest Post & Recipes by One Fit Foodie!

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

My guest poster this week is Naomi, who writes the blog One Fit Foodie. I mean, the name says it all, doesn’t it? Do I REALLY need to explain why I asked her to guest post on a Healthy Snack Wednesday? Naomi is constantly tweeting great exercise routines, and protein packed recipe ideas…Its like she was born for this guest post! Happy reading!

Hey Hey!

I first want to introduce myself for those who don’t know me. I am Naomi and I write the blog, Onefitfoodie. I have a BS in exercise science. I am also an ACSM certified personal trainer as well as hold my AFAA group fitness and spinning certifications as well. In addition, I compete in fitness competitions! You can say I’m a bit of a health nut!  Of course I am all about balance and moderation and FOOD. Oh gosh I love food. Generally I like to eat 6 smaller meals throughout the day to keep my blood sugar levels stable as well as keep my energy HIGH in the sky! My snacks and meals are a healthy combination of protein, fats and carbs which keep me fueled and energized so i can power through my workouts!

I was so excited when Renee asked me write a guest post for her especially having to do with Healthy Snack Wednesdays! On my blog, you will find a whole plethora of healthy and easy recipes, so I am going to give you a glimpse of some favorites that I enjoy quite often.
1. Sweet potato Protein Shake

INGREDIENTS:

  • Serving of Greek Yogurt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • Big ole’ hunk of sweet potato (cooked)
  • 1-2 packets stevia OR 1 T agave (optional)
  • 5 ice cubes
  • 1/2 C almond milk (or other milk) 1/2 C water

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix everything in a blender, blend and drink! Super tasty like pumpkin pie! This shake is packed with healthy complex carbs (sweet potato) Protein (Greek Yogurt) and a ton of flavor!! I also sometimes add a tablespoon of almond or peanut butter as well for some healthy fat

2.Quinoa/Greek Yogurt Bowl: This is one of my all time favorite combinations. The quinoa is a nutty, protein packed grain and paired with creamy greek yogurt, fresh fruit and cinnamon, it makes for a perfect summertime snack.

3. Low fat Soy Muffins: These are one of my best creations!! They were even featured in Oxygen Magazine, March 2011.  The recipe calls for soy flour, banana, applesauce, stevia and lots of other yummy ingredients. They freeze well so you can make a whole batch and just grab and go! They are perfect for pre or post workout as well!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup soy flour (try: Bob’s Red Mill)
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 cup Stevia baking blend
  • 3 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup protein powder of choice
  • 1 very ripe banana, mashed
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/4 cup almond milk (or other low-fat variety of your choice)
  • Nonstick cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a large bowl, mix together first 6 ingredients.
  • In another bowl, mix together banana, applesauce and almond milk.
  • Add banana mixture to flour mixture and stir until well combined, but do not over mix.
  • Spoon mixture into a muffin tin sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes. Allow muffins to cool before serving

4. Roasted Corn and Edamame Salad: I made this for mother’s day and it was SUCH a hit! I also loved that it stayed good in the fridge after a few days. It is so summary, light and delicious! Protein from the beans and healthy carbs from the corn make this a perfect addition to your daily snacks! To complete the meal, I would throw in some walnuts or sliced almonds for some healthy fats!

INGREDIENTS

  • 12 ounces fresh or frozen shelled edamame, about 2 cups
  • 1/2 cup fresh corn kernels, about 2 ears of corn
  • 1/4 cup finely diced scallion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup chopped fresh tomato
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Place the edamame, corn, scallion, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper into a 13 by 9 metal pan and stir to combine. Place on the middle rack of the oven and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, just until the edamame begins to brown. Remove from the oven and place in the refrigerator until completely cool, approximately 30 minutes.
  • Add the tomato, basil and vinegar to the edamame mixture and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, as desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

SOME OF MY OTHER QUICK HEALTHY SNACKS!

  • 2 rice cakes with 1 T coconut oil and sprinkled with cinnamon
  • 1 apple diced with almond butter and cinnamon
  • Protein Shake made with 1 scoop whey protein, frozen fruit, almond milk, ice and water
  • 1 Whole wheat pita with 1/2 C cooked egg whites and 1 T almond butter all wrapped up
  • Kale chips (Spray a bunch of kale with EVOO spray and bake kale in oven for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Top with sea salt and pepper.) I enjoy Kale chips with some sort of protein such as ground turkey or ground beef.
  • Healthy Turkey Meatloaf! CHECK THIS RECIPE OUT SO DELICIOUS!

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Summer Travel in New England: Nauset Beach & Harwich Treasure Chest, Cape Cod

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

In this edition of Summer Travel in New England, I am going to share with you my second most favorite place to completely unwind and a great recipe to take with you to that place. But first, some back story….

This is my friend Alicia.

Alicia is awesome for a number of reasons:

  1. She is in the Roller Derby. Told ya, awesome.
  2. She shaved her head for charity
  3. She raves about my cooking and even remakes my recipes (this makes me unendingly happy)

With boyfriend Eamon (a super talented tattoo artist), they make up one of our very favorite couples. A few years back A&E started to invite us out to Harwich for some super fun Cape weekends. And also introduced us to one of the most beautiful beaches in the Cape, Nauset Beach.

The reason I love Nauset is that on top of being a beautifully pristine beach with pretty good-sized waves, this beach is also “user-friendly”. The parking is close, Liam’s Clam Shack is there, and you only have to walk about a 100 yards from the main stairs to have absolute peace and quiet.

That’s right folks, here’s the secret of Cape beaches….if you don’t sit on top of the stairs down, you can get away from the crowds. Shocking, I know.

And yes, I am kicking myself for not having pictures of said beach right now. I guess I am always just enjoying myself too much to bother!

After leaving a day at Nauset Beach (which is very, very hard to do!), this area of the Cape has another surprise in store for you….The Harwich Dump. That’s right, the dump. But this is not an ordinary dump, this is the Harwich Treasure Chest!

The Treasure Chest is a magical place where you can drop off things that you want to throw away, but others may get use of. You know, the whole “one man’s trash” deal… You can find everything from records, to cookbooks, to bicycles, to furniture to….

…like I said, everything! I walked away with a pretty cool cookbook, while another friend took home a board game and a dress. This place is pretty neat indeed.

Our day was not devoid of food, of course! I had forgotten to bring my favorite beach treat, Combos, so I found these delicious vitals:

We all know how much I love pickles, so these Lay’s Dill Pickle Potato Chips were a great snack! In S. Africa Dill Pickle chips are as common as BBQ is here, so it is about time USA caught up with that trend!

And another reason we love Alicia, she made us this fabulous pasta salad to nibble on at the beach. Packed in individual ziplock baggies with our names on them, it was quite perfect!

Read Part 1 of Summer Travel in New England

Read Part 2 of Summer Travel in New England

Read Part 3 of Summer Travel in New England

Beach Ready Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 package spiral pasta (prepared per box instructions)
  • 1 package elbow pasta (prepared per box instructions)
  • 1 jar roasted red peppers (chopped)
  • 1 cucumber (peeled and chopped)
  • 1 box grape tomatoes (halved)
  • 1/2 lb asparagus (Prepared to your liking. I usually saute them in EVOO for about 3 minutes. Cut into bite sized pieces)
  • 1 can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 small red onion (chopped)
  • Peperoncini (quantity of your liking – chopped)
  • Feta cheese
  • 2/3 cup Olive Oil
  • 1.5 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • Dried oregano
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Directions:

  • Combine pasta, veggies and cheese in a large bowl. Add any extra veggies you would like
  • Mix well
  • In a separate container, mix oil, vinegar, sugar and spices to your taste
  • Shake dressing well
  • Coat salad until moist, but not drowning in dressing
  • Cover and refrigerate overnight, reserving remaining dressing
  • Taste before serving and add more dressing as needed

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Getting Ready for the Spring! Caribbean Fritter Recipe

Posted on March 29, 2011 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

Oh man. This winter is doing a number on me! When will it end? It is almost April, and the temperature read 28 degrees when I woke up this morning. Every one is sick of the cold, and everyone is sick of hearing about how everyone is sick of the cold. Its a vicious circle.

The weather has kicked me in the head with a severe case of writer’s/cooker’s block. Which is a really bad thing when you have a paper due for class, an article due for a friend’s magazine, and you are writing a “think piece” on the reality of what the movie Food, Inc. means to your diet! But then I received a press release for a fabulous contest that got my cooking mojo back in gear….and which is forcing me to try my hand at this writing thing again!

Thinking warm thoughts...

Hyatt Summerfield Suites is challenging people to the Caribbean Cuisine Challenge, a recipe contest designed for grill masters and at-home chefs alike. Participants are asked to submit their original recipe to www.HSSSummerGrilling.com for a chance to win an iPad®, a one night stay at any Hyatt Summerfield Suites hotel, and the opportunity to have their dish featured at the 2011 Hyatt Summerfield Suites Summer Grilling Socials, which will transport guests’ taste buds to the Caribbean. This year’s Hyatt Summerfield Suites Summer Grilling Social events will take place every other Wednesday evening, June through August, and will give guests and associates a chance to mingle and enjoy a taste of summer.

Well, this is a welcome break in the weather! Like I said, my thermometer read 28 degrees this morning, so grilling is out of the question. In-door cooking it is….but what to make…..Mango, banana, black beans and coconut immediately jump into my head as ingredients that scream caribbean to me…AND mint! AND lime! AND (of course) rum! Think pina collada with protein, in a handy appetizer shape. And with that, I created Caribbean Fritters with Mint-Lime Sauce.

The fritter batter is amazing. In addition to the caribbean fritters, I battered and fried some bananas in it, and topped them with maple syrup and powdered suger. I could die.

Thank you to the Hyatt Summerfield Suites for my repreve from the never ending winter. I look forward to seeing the other recipes in hopes that they can help me capture some more sunshine in my meals!

Lime-Mint Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 20 large mint leaves – chopped finely
  • 1/2 cup sour cream (I used lowfat)
  • 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 1.5 tsp sugar

Directions:

  • Mix all ingredients together
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 1hour (best if over night)

Caribbean Fritters

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cup flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup rum
  • 1/3 cup coconut
  • 10 oz black beans (rinsed)
  • 1 mango (diced)
  • 1 large banana (diced)
  • 1 lime
  • 1/4 cup coconut
  • Canola oil

Directions

  • Sift dry ingredients together (except for coconut) in a large mixing bowl
  • Add egg and milk and mix well
  • Add rum and mix well
  • Add coconut and stir
  • This is your fritter batter. Set aside.
  • In a seperate bowl mix together beans, mango and banana
  • Squeeze lime juice over mixture, stir, and allow to sit for 30 minutes
  • Stir in coconut
  • Mix fritter batter together with the filling mixture
  • Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat
  • When pan is hot, add 1 inch of oil
  • When oil is hot, drop a teaspoon size amount of fritter mix into the oil.
  • Fry as many at a time as you like, as long as the edges of each do not touch
  • Allow to cook for about 3 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown
  • Flip fritter and cook this side for about 3 minutes, or until it is golden brown
  • When fritters are ready, remove them from the pan and place them on a papertowel
  • Plate with the mint-lime sauce

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Meatless Meals Recipe: Homemade Black Bean Burgers!

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

I have been wanting to make black bean burgers for some time now, but was intimidated by them for some reason. I can’t even remember what that reason is now that I have made them…

I have been trying to introduce more “healthy” meals into Ryan and my diet, which isn’t the easiest when the bf is not so prone to loving vegetables, and DEFINITELY does NOT go out of his way to eat beans. I think that is why I put these off for so long. Then, a couple of weeks ago, I made the brisket baked beans, and he loved them. It was after that meal when he asked me “what healthy food do you want me to try next?” That was my cue!

Don’t judge me here, I am about to admit something that the Boston Foodie Community may disown me for….I love Chili’s Black Bean Burger. It is true, I can’t hide it any longer. Now, I haven’t been to Chili’s in about 5 years, and I only had the black bean burger once, but I have dreamt about it for the years in between. I have tried other black bean burgers, and they just never seemed right. I want the consistency of char on the outside and a nice soft inside. Well, you know what they say, if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself. With that in mind, I present to you…Homemade Black Bean Burgers…and yes, they were just right!

They actually brown up nicely!

Side Note: I ate mine on a super healthy Joseph’s Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Pita and topped it with Frank’s Red Hot…I eat that sh$t on everything! But feel free to dress your burger up any way you like!

Ingredients:

  • 14 oz can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
  • 1 garlic clove (chopped)
  • 1/4 Vidalia onion (chopped)
  • 1/4 red pepper (chopped)
  • 1/4 green pepper (chopped)
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 tsp Sriracha (Can sub other hot sauce or omit completely. If you like it spicy, feel free to add more…I did!)
  • Salt to taste

Directions

  • Place rinsed black beans in a food processor or blender with Sriracha (if using).
  • Pulse the beans until they are a paste. You may have to stir them several times to make sure all beans are processed
  • Place bean paste in a mixing bowl
  • Place onions, peppers, garlic, cilantro and parsley in food processor or blender and pulse until well blended but not liquidy.
  • Line a plate with paper towels and pour veggie mix on top of towels. Blot with another paper towel to remove some moisture.
  • Immediately remove the veggies from the plate and put them in the mixing bowl with the beans. If you leave the veggies on the plate too long they will stick to the paper towel.
  • Mix everything together very well (like kneading meat for meatballs)
  • Add the panko and mix again
  • Add salt and more sriracha to taste
  • Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat
  • Form bean mixture into patties and place in hot skillet
  • Flatten patties with a spatula
  • Allow to cook 5 minutes on each side, or until brown
  • Remove from pan, serve on your favorite bun, pita or salad!

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Recipe – Vegetable Loaded Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

We are always looking for easy ways to add veggies to our meals. This spaghetti sauce is one of my very favorite ways! This sauce is absolutely loaded with good-for-you veggies, while disguising itself as a simply delicious sauce.

Look at all those veggies!

Serve this sauce over protein enhanced pasta, veggie pasta, brown rice, a baked potato, in a pita….there is no limit to what you can do with it. If you are looking for an added protein punch, brown up some Morningstar Farms crumbles and add them to the sauce. This makes it take on the texture of a meat sauce, and can even double as a vegetarian sloppy joe!

We had the sauce 2 ways this week. The first day I browned up some Whole Foods Hot Italian Chicken Sausage to eat with it. The 2nd day I made a panko crusted chicken cutlet for Ryan, and a grilled chicken cutlet for me, to go with the left overs. I even received the highest compliment you can receive in our house…”This tastes like it came from a restaurant.” Ah, its the little things in life…

Veggie Loaded Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
  • 1 small onion (chopped)
  • 1 small red pepper (diced)
  • 1 small green bell pepper (diced)
  • 1 10 oz package of frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed of excess water)
  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 24 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1-2 tsp sugar (to taste)
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 2 tsp basil
  • pinch of cinnamon

Directions

  • Place olive oil and garlic in saucepan. Do NOT turn heat on yet
  • Chop and dice your veggies as the garlic sits in the oil
  • Once everything is prepped turn the heat on your pan to medium-high
  • When oil starts to sizzle, add onions
  • Saute for about 3 minutes and add peppers
  • Saute for 3 – 5 minutes, do not let the peppers get soggy
  • Add the spinach
  • Saute for 3 minutes
  • Add tomato paste and stir well
  • Allow to brown for 3 minutes
  • Add crushed tomatoes and stir well
  • Bring to a slow boil and add wine
  • Bring to a slow boil again and stir in sugar and spices
  • Bring to a slow boil again and reduce heat to a simmer
  • Cover and allow to simmer for at least 20 minutes. If simmering longer, make sure to stir often and add water if the sauce gets too thick.

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Healthy Snack Wednesday: Recipe Feta Beet Dip & EatStrong Giveaway!

Posted on March 2, 2011 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

 

Make sure to read to the end of this post to enter to win a month’s supply of EatStrong snacks!

Healthy Snack Wednesday is nearing an end. If you remember, this little project was started at the beginning of January as part of the weight loss challenge at work. I have to say, doing something like this in the midst of one of the worst winters in history is very challenging. Waking up at 5 am to get a workout in, when it is 10 degrees and there is a fresh foot and a half of snow on the ground…yeah…not so easy! I actually did very poorly on that aspect of things. To tell the truth, I didn’t get my butt back into gear until last week! I am proud to say that I am back on my regular workout regime, and thanks to the Virtual Trainer I discovered on Shape.com, I have a renewed passion for getting back in tip-top shape! The final weigh in for the challenge is on Friday, so I will let you know how that went.

There are 2 main reasons I am thrilled to have done the Healthy Snack Wednesday series. The first is that I had to go outside of my comfort zone to create new recipes during the time of year when the obvious ingredients (fruits and veggies) are at their least bountiful. I have truly created some recipes that will definitely remain in my regular rotation, and that I am still pretty obsessed with! My top 3 Healthy Snack Wednesday recipes? Easy!

My very first recipe, white bean bruchetta dip,

 metch (which I have made 4 times since), and Beet Chips, which my taste testers are requesting more of!

I used Golden Beets & Regular Beets

Maybe a top three isn’t so easy, let’s make it a top four. I cannot leave out the “healthier” bread pudding! I made it 3 times in one week alone!

The second reason I am thrilled to have done this series is that it challenged me to produce a quality blog post EVERY Wednesday. That is much more difficult than it sounds when you work full time, are getting your masters degree, do some consulting, and are trying to get a creative dinner on the table every night. So this was a great challenge, and I am glad I saw it through to the end. I don’t think this is the end of Healthy Snack Wednesday, maybe it is just the cutting back. I think the series will still pop up on the blog once in a while, for sure!

On this journey, I have been so lucky to receive the support of so many great products as well! A special thank you to Dave Eats!, Pepperidge Farm Deli Flats, Popchips, Veggie Patch, Chobani, Pretzel Crisps, and EatStrong (whose giveaway is at the end of this post!). It was really fun to be challenged to use these products in our healthy snacks! I know I have a few very happy readers thanks to these sponsors as well!

I couldn’t end this series without a recipe. There is a restaurant in Cambridge called Sofra. It is a small cafe style place…oh yeah, and it is an Ana Sortun adventure, so you know it is good! I discovered the eatery when my sister was in town, and  now it is a regular stop whenever she is here. I also run into them at the Copley Farmers’ Market, and can usually be persuaded to purchase one of their delightful tarts, whether it is sweet or savory. But my favorite item from Sofra is a Meza Platter! They have so many delightful meza, that it is always a hard choice, however you can’t go wrong! My very favorite items of the meza? Beet Tzatziki and Whipped Feta with Sweet & Hot Peppers. For this Healthy Snack Wednesday, I decided to make a hybrid of these two dishes…Sofra Bakery and Cafe on Urbanspoon

 

Feta Beet Dip

Ingredients

  • 1 small beet
  • 1/4 lb feta
  • 1 tbsp light sour cream
  • salt to taste

Directions

  • Peel and quarter the beet
  • Place beet in a small pot and cover with water
  • Bring to a boil and boil until the beet is fork-tender (about 10 – 15 minutes)
  • Drain the beet and let cool
  • Add the feta, boiled beet and sour cream to a food processor or blender
  • Puree until the beet is mostly pureed
  • Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour so that the dip will harden
  • Serve with your favorite veggies, pita chips, pretzels or crackers!

GIVEAWAY!!!

I was so happy to receive some delicious and ultra healthy samples from EatStrong. Up until I received the samples, I hadn’t even heard of the product, but now I am hooked.

Www.EatStrong.com is a great resource if you are looking for ways to live healthier, and who isn’t? EatStrong believes in real food. Made from all natural, rich and nourishing ingredients, we deliver satisfying healthy snacks to fuel your body. The combination of nuts, seeds and organic chocolate fortifies and revitalizes from toes to tastebuds.

EatStrong has even developed their own healthy snacks. How appropriate for Healthy Snack Wednesday! I am honored to offer the winner of my final Healthy Snack Wednesday contest a MONTH’S SUPPLY OF EATSTRONG SNACKS!! A month’s supply! How awesome is that?!

Here is what you need to do to enter:

  • You must live in the Continental U.S. You must also leave a way for me to get in touch with you if you win.
  • REQUIRED ENTRY- Comment on this blog post about what your favorite high energy snack is!

The remainder of ways to enter are optional, and you may do one, or all of them. You will get an entry for each that you do.

  • Bonus Entry- Follow EatStrong on Facebook or Twitter and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
  • Bonus Entry- Become a fan of Eat.Live.Blog on Facebook and leave me a comment letting me know you did so.
  • Bonus Entry- Tweet about this contest. Your tweet MUST contain @renh77 @eatstrong & http://wp.me/pVsto-j3. Leave me a comment letting me know you did so.
  • Bonus Entry- Write on EatStrong’s Facebook Wall “Eat.Live.Blog sent me! ” and leave me a comment letting me know you did so.

Blah, blah…

  • The winner must leave contact information for me to notify them
  • The winner will be asked to send me their mailing address
  • The prize will be mailed to you directly from EatStrong’s representative
  • Winner will be chosen using Random.org
  • Winner will be announced on Wednesday, March 9, 2011 by noon.
  • Contest will close to entries on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 9pm.

Disclosure: EatStrong did provide me with one sample of each snack and is solely responsible for the prize in this contest. As always, all opinions are my own, and I was under no obligation to review or giveaway these products.

Filed under: Recipes | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments »

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