Easy Crock Pot Chicken and Black Bean Taco Salad

This simple slow cooker chicken taco salad is high in fiber and protein which means it's very satisfying – all for under 300 calories. Trust me, you won't miss the tortillas!

I'm on a salad kick now that Spring has sprung. Last week I whipped this salad up for dinner, and it was so good and simple I knew I had to make it again to share. I basically added chicken breasts and black beans to the slow cooker, seasoning it with taco seasonings and topped it with salsa. Doesn't get easier than that! A few hours later I shredded the chicken and combined everything for this wonderful topping to this salad.

I also whipped up some of my favorite zesty avocado cilantro buttermilk dressing for the perfect salad that's so satisfying and super easy to make.  Try this for taco Tuesday!

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Creamy Asparagus Leek Soup with Creme Fraiche

Keeping things green today in the spirit of St Patrick's Day! Cream of asparagus is one of my favorite Spring soups. The addition of leeks, a relative of onions, scallions and shallots gives this soup a wonderful subtle flavor. But the star here is a touch of creme fraiche added on top, which I like to swirl in to my soup for a creamy delicious finish.

My daughter Madison loves helping me in the kitchen, here I let her snap off the tough ends of the asparagus – she's a pro!

Creme fraiche is wonderfully creamy, and a bit thinner than sour cream. If that's not available near you can swap it for sour cream or even Greek yogurt. If you want to go dairy-free, you can of course leave it out, it will still taste wonderful. Enjoy!

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Bell Pepper and Potato Frittata

Egg frittatas are my answer to an easy, inexpensive meal solution whether I'm having it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. For breakfast, I'll serve this with a side of berries or fruit. For dinner, I make a salad on the side and call it a meal!

You can literally throw anything into a frittata and call it a meal, but I thought it would be fun to make this one a St Patricks Day theme which of coarse MUST have yukon gold potatoes, and to create a shamrock design, I sliced my bell peppers into flower shapes – completely optional! This one's vegetarian, perfect if you need a meatless Monday dish idea, and it's naturally gluten-free.

I'm not sure if there's anything quite as beautiful as farm fresh eggs. A friend of mine is raising chickens in her yard and gave me some of her eggs and the colors were so beautiful I almost didn't want to crack them. The yolks are so orange, it's hard to believe I made this frittata with half egg whites.

If you want to see more Skinny St Patrick's Day recipe ideas, Target's blog: A Bullseye View did a roundup of some of their favorite Green Skinnytaste recipe, click here to see more!

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Chicken and Asparagus Lemon Stir Fry

Although the weather outside still feels like winter, I'm excited to see signs of Spring all around. One of those signs is asparagus. Asparagus is one of my favorite Spring vegetables, and this quick stir-fry made with chicken, lemon, garlic and ginger is a great way to make it a weeknight meal.

I used a reduced-sodium Japanese soy sauce called Shoyu which is similar to Chinese soy sauce, but has a more full bodied flavored and a touch of sweetness that I'm really in love with. I like Eden, which is organic and non-GMO. You can use either one, or even Tamari if you're gluten free. We served this over brown rice to complete the meal. 

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Orange and Arugula Salad with Red Onion and Gorgonzola

Something about Spring and the warmer weather that puts me in such a GREAT mood. It also makes me crave more salads, and this simple salad is a favorite of mine, I make this all the time for myself.

I love the combination of the sweet, juicy oranges mixed with the peppery arugula and the pungent taste of the creamy Gorgonzola cheese, they work together harmoniously. My husband doesn't agree; he is not a fan of Gorgonzola at all so I usually make this for myself for lunch. If you want to make this for two or four, just multiply the ingredients. If you're like my husband and don't care for Gorgonzola, you could use goat cheese or feta instead.

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Lemon Asparagus Couscous Salad with Tomatoes

Pearl couscous (otherwise known as Isreali couscous) tossed with asparagus, tomatoes and lemon juice make a vibrant Spring pasta salad that is perfect for lunch, as a side dish, or even to make as a side dish if you are grilling for Mother's Day this weekend!

I'm not usually a fan of the taste of whole wheat pasta, but I don't mind it when the pasta is a smaller cut like orzo, angel hair and pearl couscous. Yes, for those of you who've never tried pearl couscous, it's basically pasta and I treat as such. I don't follow the directions on the box, instead I boil it in a pot of water like I would with orzo. I just adore the pearl shaped texture and also found it as the perfect shape for my daughter when started eating solid foods.

This salad can be eaten room temperature or chilled, and leftovers are great the next day for lunch.

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Asparagus and Swiss Cheese Frittata

Spring asparagus, shallots and Swiss cheese is a delicious combination in this slimmed down frittata which is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

This is really filling, and the leftovers for perfect for lunch or breakfast the next day. Fritattas are also great if you're watching your carbs, and they are so inexpensive to make. I love having a Fritatta for Meatless Mondays with salad on the side.

Whenever asparagus is in season, I buy it and steam it right away to use for quick recipes throughout the week. It's great to add to eggs, salads, served chilled with a simple Dijon Vinaigrette or even to add to paninis (LOVE this asparagus prosciutto panini)!

Asparagus is loaded with nutrients, it's a great source of fiber, vitamin A and C, and it's packed with antioxidants, which makes it a super star in my book!

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Strawberry Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal

Strawberries and rhubarb baked with bananas, oatmeal and slivered almonds – this is so good you'll almost think you are having dessert for breakfast!

It's rhubarb season and I've always loved the combination of strawberries and rhubarb in pies and crumbles. One of my favorite baked oatmeal recipes that I LOVE to bring to potlucks or serve for brunch is Baked Oatmeal with Bananas and Blueberries, so after my friend Raquel asked me how strawberry rhubarb would taste, I immediately started experimenting.

I loved the combination, especially when I added the ripe bananas, I felt they added an extra sweetness to the tart rhubarb without having to add more honey.

I think this would be wonderful for a Mother's Day brunch; six servings is very generous, especially if you have other options on the table. 


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Mixed Baby Greens with Strawberries, Gorgonzola and Poppy Seed Dressing

 

Today it really feels like Spring here on the East Coast. Temperatures are supposed to get into the eighties, which is quite a change from the snow we had two weeks ago! I've been on a salad kick big time, and even started a Pinterest board dedicated to salads called "Bikini Ready Salads" because summer will be here before you know it.

This delicious salad is perfect for this time of year or throughout the summer. Mixed organic baby greens such as baby kale and baby spinach (side bar, I am looooving Organic Girl's I heart baby kale mix), are tossed with sliced strawberries, slivered almonds and crumbled Gorgonzola cheese. The dressing is a simple vinaigrette with honey, poppy seeds and shallots.  This makes a wonderful light lunch or a perfect side salad to serve it with grilled chicken.

I love fruit in my salads, especially when combined with the texture of nuts such as almonds and a soft cheese such as Gorgonzola. The sweetness of the strawberries compliments the cheese, and the poppy seed dressing ties it all together. This recipe was first posted back in 2008, before I owned a decent camera and the photo was so embarrassing, I decided to let it shine and give it a photo makeover.

You can swap the almonds for any nut you like, such as walnuts or pecans and the cheese can be swapped with goat cheese. For Paleo diets, leave out the cheese and use raw honey in the dressing.

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Spring Stir Fried Chicken with Sugar Snap Peas and Carrots

Spring vegetables and chicken breast strips sauteed with fresh ginger, lime juice, and a touch of soy sauce for a quick weeknight meal.

I love making stir fries for dinner, what's better than throwing veggies and protein into a wok and having dinner ready in minutes.

Honestly, when I make a stir fry, I usually use whatever vegetables I have on hand (great way to clean out the refrigerator). You can serve it as is or over brown rice, quinoa, noodles, whatever! I love the crunch of the sugar snap peas with the chicken, and my daughter loves crunching on them raw while I'm cooking.

This is super quick, so if you plan on making a starch with this, start that first. I finally got around to using Jaden's rice bran oil which is made from the outer layer of the rice kernel where all of the nutrients are found, is high in antioxidants and is perfectly suited for high-heat wok cooking. Of course, you can use another oil that has a high smoke point such as sesame, canola, or grape seed.

This is under 200 calories, Weight Watchers friendly at 5 points, gluten-free, low-carb, clean and can easily be adapted for Paleo.

Paleo note: For those of you who are on a Paleo diet, replace the cornstarch with arrowroot, rice oil with coconut oil and the soy sauce with coconut liquid aminos.

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Grilled Shrimp Avocado Fennel and Orange Salad

Grilled shrimp, slices of avocado, shaved fennel and oranges are served over baby kale and mixed greens then topped with a citrus vinaigrette.

Spring is here, although today you would never know it with this crazy cold weather we are having in New York, but my allergies are kicking in to high gear and confirming that Spring is hear indeed. Just a few more weeks before the warmer weather approaches and I already started switching up my meals from those cozy comfort dishes to lighter salads.

This recipe is for my friend Raquel who texts me photos of her fancy dishes she eats when she dines out, then asks me how to make it. I told her I would try to recreate it for her, but wasn't too excited about the idea of fennel. Because she raved about it so much, I bought all the ingredients anyway and to my surprise, the fennel didn't bother me at all! I think the trick is that I shaved it real thin with my mandoline, and I loved the way it paired with the citrus and the grilled shrimp.

I felt like I was eating dinner at a fancy-shmancy restaurant, and kept thinking what a great dish this would be for Mother's Day. My daughter Madison (yes, my three year old) enjoyed the salad too believe it or not! Here she is on Easter, she's getting so big...

She liked everything except the avocado and baby greens, but ate all the shrimp, oranges and fennel, go figure! I packed the rest for lunch and leftovers tasted just as good as yesterday.

This salad is light and delicious, less than 300 calories, and perfect for Weight Watchers, Clean Eating, Paleo, Gluten-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, Low-Sodium and I'm sure others dietary restrictions I'm not familiar with. I am starting to label all the Clean Eating and Paleo recipes from my site for those of you who asked for this, you can see them in the column on the right. I have a lot to go through so it will take a while to get through them all.

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Linguini with Sautéed Scallops and Peas

Scallops are great for a quick meal any night of the week and are a real treat. They can be quickly sautéed, then added to salads like this Scallop and Baby Green Citrus Mojo Salad, and this delicious Scallop and Grapefruit Salad, but once in a while when I want something more substantial, I love it with pasta. Here I tossed it with some pasta and peas, for a dinner that took less than 15 minutes to make.

I love sea scallops and it takes very little effort to get delicious results. For best flavor seek out the freshest scallops. Before cooking remove the small, tough muscle attached to the side. You can easily double this recipe for four servings.

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Easy Crust-less Spinach and Feta Pie

In honor of National Pi Day, a day in history that celebrates the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter (3.14), I can't think of a better way to celebrate such an ironic-named holiday than to share a slice of this simply delicious, savory spinach pie recipe from the archives.

A simple Greek inspired pie combining savory flavors such as spinach, feta, Asiago cheese, dill and scallions. Perfect to take to a potluck!

Served with a salad, you can turn this into a main dish, or cut it into smaller wedges to serve as an appetizer. If you use full fat feta cheese, the fat only increases by 1 gram, and the points increase to 4 per serving. Enjoy this warm or at room temperature.

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Baby Greens with Goat Cheese, Beets and Candied Pecans

Creamy goat cheese with crunchy sweet pecans and red beets topped with a honey balsamic vinaigrette is like a symphony in your mouth. This salad will make you look like a culinary whiz!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday!

I still have no power due to Hurricane Sandy so I thought I would re-post an older recipe from the archives. If you are without power, this doesn't require an oven and would be perfect for Meatless Monday.

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Asparagus Prosciutto Panini with Garlic Mayonnaise

Melted Swiss cheese, asparagus, proscuitto, arugula and garlic mayonnaise pressed in a ciabatta. Did that just make your stomach growl?

Panini's are the perfect weeknight meal, they come together quickly and you can literally clean out your refrigerator coming up with new variations. If you can make a grilled cheese, you can make a panini, that's how easy it is and you don't need a fancy panini press to make it. Prior to owning a panini press, I used my George Forman grill or you could even use a grill pan on the stove and place an iron skillet on top to press it down.

I grilled the asparagus right on the panini press, so there's no dirtying extra pans. You can make this a meatless Monday by leaving the ham out for 8 pts plus, it will still taste great!

If you are new here, check out my tip on how to make a bigger sandwich for less calories.


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Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

The perfect ending to a meal is a homemade warm fruit crisp topped with a dollop of whipped cream. Spring rhubarb and strawberries are the perfect combination of sweet and tart and work so well together for this comforting dessert.

So many of you are asking me for rhubarb recipes, so I picked this from the archives and brought it to the top for your convenience. It's a favorite of mine and perfect for this time of year!

Since making Strawberry Rhubarb Compote a few weeks back I've been craving some type of Strawberry Rhubarb cobbler or crisp and the latter won. I can't pass up rhubarb whenever I see it in the farmer's market and lately it's been showing up more frequently in my local supermarket.

I've yet to figure out how to make the perfect low fat whipped cream from scratch, but I found this all natural whipped topping at my organic market called truwhip, with no high fructose corn syrup, no hydrogenated oil, and it's delicious! Their website has a store finder to locate it at a store near you.

If whipped cream is not your thing, I also LOVE eating this with a scoop of frozen yogurt, yum!!

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Avocado Egg Salad

Whether you serve this as a wrap, on whole-grain toast or in a lettuce cup, you will love this egg salad that uses half the yolks and lots of healthy fats from the avocado.

I tried a Flat-Out for the first time after hearing your positive reviews about it and loved how easy it was to create a wrap. It tasted great too! If you're on a gluten free diet or looking to use less calories this is also wonderful in a lettuce wrap or why not a hollowed out tomato!

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Eggs and Soldiers with Asparagus

Strips of whole wheat toast "soldiers" and crisp tender asparagus dipped into a soft boiled egg, if that's not the perfect Spring breakfast, I don't know what is!

Not only is this a quick, affordable, healthy way to start the morning (takes less than 10 minutes), it's also fun dunking your toast strips and asparagus into the yolk.

Eggs yolks used to get a bad rap, but according to the USDA, egg yolks are considered a healthy option because they are high in protein, vitamins and minerals. The nutrients in eggs can play a positive role in muscle strength, brain function, eye health and more.

As a child, I remember having soft boiled eggs for breakfast. My mom would serve it in a cute little egg holders and a mini spoons which is probably what started my obsession with egg holders. Don't you just love them!


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Coconut Macaroons

Moist and chewy coconut macaroons are not just for Passover! They are pretty addicting, and naturally gluten free, so enjoy them any time of the year!

... and making macaroons couldn't be easier, you simply combine coconut flakes, egg whites, and sugar, simmer on the stove, cool then bake in the oven.  If you want to get fancy you could add some slivered almonds or drizzle them with chocolate, but here's a basic recipe.

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Skinny Passover Matzo Pizza

A matzo cracker makes a great base for a pizza that kids and adults will love! Top it with your favorite vegetables and cheese and you have yourself a quick meal.

I love making pizza's out of just about anything, my daughter will eat just about anything if I top it with sauce and cheese (yup, even zucchini pizza). A while back I posted a recipe for my favorite quick Lavash Pizza and someone commented how they do the same with Matzo so when I got requests for Passover recipes, this was the first thing that came to mind.

I personally love red onions and olives on my pizza, but you could slices of bell pepper, baby spinach, mushrooms... you name it! For my daughter I kept it basic, sauce and cheese and she loved it!


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