Ground Turkey with Potatoes and Spring Peas

Spring peas, ground turkey, cumin, cilantro and potatoes come together to create this quick comforting weeknight dish.

I'll be honest, I'm not the most organized person when it comes to meal planning; I shop without a list and don't always have a plan for what I buy. I'm pretty good at winging it and I love when my creations are successful. We served this over rice and they portions were extremely generous. A huge hit with everyone in my house ranging from ages one to adult.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Greek Summer Orzo Salad

Is it a Summer, Greek Orzo Salad or a Greek Summer Orzo Salad? It's all about your interpretation on the matter and how well your imagination is in working order. I like to think this is a  Greek Summer Salad because in my  imagination  spur of the moment whim to jump into my leer jet and fly to my summer home in Greece (have I mentioned that before?) this is what all the locals are eating on their white-washed balconies overlooking the pristine blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. 




Ahhhhh, this is the perfect mix of flavors for tickling your taste buds without  over indulging yourself. I just love all of the wonderful flavors that are involved in Greek and Mediterranean foods:  Lemon, olives, oregano, feta, grapes, apricots, tomato, spinach, fish and olive oil. All on my Top 10 favorite ingredient list. Oh, that is 10! Exactly.

This pasta salad is pretty enough to take to a back yard barbecue or party.

feta cheese

It's no wonder that Mediterranean food is considered to be one of the healthiest out there. People who live in this region tend to eat a diet high in fat, but they also have a much lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and cancer than people in other parts of the world. Contrary to popular belief, eating certain types of fats with every meal is not only good for you but essential to a healthy, whole diet. For instance, the use of olive oil rather than other fats such as margarine or vegetable oil is good for your cardiovascular system and brain function. Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat that keeps your arteries healthy and your body lean and healthy.

photo and more info on healthy monounsaturated fats found here at Salut Wine

The whole Mediterranean diet, not just the olive oil is contributed to the healthy and happy lives of the people who live in this area. Typical Mediterranean foods are also very high in fiber and antioxidants from vegetables, legumes and nuts,  much higher than the typical Western diet and very low in saturated {bad} fat. Very little red meat is eaten in this region and milk consumption is limited as well, except for some cheese and yogurt.



I found this wonderful pasta salad at AJ's many years ago and set out to make it at home, for a fraction of the cost I might add. While orzo may look like a rice, it's actually a tiny pasta. It's simple to throw together and the tangy flavors of the dressing and feta are addicting. You'll find yourself craving this healthy salad and maybe even having a little late night snack so make sure to make enough for leftovers.

SERVES   6-8      TIME   20 minutes

Ingredients:

1, 16 oz package of Orzo

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half length wise

1/2 cup red onion, diced

2 cups baby spinach leaves, chopped

1 cup Kalmata olives sliced in half lengthwise

1 cup feta, crumbled

1-2 tablespoons dried Greek Oregano

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped plus more for garnish

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2-4 tablespoons white wine vinegar or juice from Kalmata olive jar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Putting it all together:

Cook pasta according to package directions. In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and salt. Set aside.

Drain Pasta and let cool. When cool, add tomatoes, olives, spinach, parsley and onion, toss to combine. Drizzle dressing over top and toss to coat. Add feta last so it doesn't completely break apart and toss gently to mix together. The dressing will wilt the spinach a little which is what you want.

Serve warm or cold.

This post is linked to

Mom's Crazy Cooking
Tasty Tuesday's

Mayo-less Tuna Salad

Don't like mayonnaise? Then you'll love this salad made with canned tuna, arugula, capers and pasta topped with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano, olive oil and vinegar. Delicious, satisfying and perfect for lunch - it's tuna salad all grown up!

This salad comes together in minutes and it's a great way to make canned tuna a little fancier. This would also work with canned salmon or crab meat instead, any pasta shape would do.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Lemon Cheesecake Yogurt Cups

Lemony cheesecake cups made with Greek yogurt topped with fresh berries. Light, creamy and virtually guilt-free!

Something about lemon says summer to me, perhaps it's the color? I'm not quite sure but I do know the color yellow makes me happy and so do these little portion controlled cheesecake cups. Although these are meant to be eaten for dessert, I figured cream cheese, fruit and yogurt could easily be enjoyed for breakfast and that is exactly what I did this morning.

Use whatever berries you want or a combo of mixed berries, you could even top it with pie filling. I actually made these two ways, one way as seen in the photo, the second way I added the berries to the cheesecake cups before I baked them so the berries baked in with the cheesecake. Both ways are equally good, but the berries on top made for a prettier photo.

Mom always put vanilla wafers on the bottom of her cheesecake cups which is such a simple low-fat solution to create a crust. When the cheesecake cups bake, the cookies soften and all the flavors work together. Diabetics can use Splenda in place of sugar.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Persian Turkey Kofta Kebabs

If you're looking for something different to make at your next BBQ, give these Middle Eastern inspired turkey kebabs a try! A cross between a grilled meatball and a hamburger on a stick. You can skip the stick if you wish or even cook them in a skillet, but with Memorial Day around the corner, I thought these would be fun!

My Persian neighbor introduced me to kofta a few years ago, he often has backyard parties complete with Persian music, family and plenty of food. His were made of beef and I never actually got his recipe but I'm pretty good at replicating flavors and these came pretty darn close... and of course using turkey instead of beef makes these a lot lighter.

Serve them as an appetizer or main dish. I served them with a simple cucumber-tomato salad and cucumber yogurt dipping sauce but you can also serve it on a pita, over rice pilaf or even with tabouleh.

There are so many variations of Kofta throughout the Middle East, each country has a unique recipe which may include beef, goat, chicken or fish and each is flavored with their own unique spices. What is your favorite?

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Grilled Chicken Bruschetta

Juicy tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, red onion, garlic and balsamic can turn plain grilled chicken into a delicious weeknight meal in minutes! Make the Bruschetta the night before or early in the morning and let all the flavors marinate, then when you are ready to eat grill some chicken and you have yourself a quick weeknight meal.

Bruschetta is usually served over bread but there really are no limits, you can serve it over pizza, tossed with pasta or wherever your imagination leads you. To quote my husband, "You could serve this over cardboard and it would be good!" We made this a light and simple, low carb, gluten-free dinner and served as pictured, but if you want the carbs this would also be great over whole wheat pasta or even served with some crusty bread to soak up the juice.

A few things I want to mention, recipes that only require a few ingredients really benefit from the quality of the ingredients you use. Use a good extra olive oil, fresh basil and high-quality aged balsamic; it makes all the difference! I've been using imported Saporoso Balsamic vinegar these past few weeks which is absolutely delicious and I'm giving two away on Skinnybits, click here for a chance to win.

My one year old loves poking her little thumbs through my tomatoes so lately every time I grab a tomato I find a little hole in it in case you're wondering about the hole in the photo below...

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Shredded Chicken BBQ Sandwiches- revisited

BBQ has never been one of my favorite things. I know, how un-American of me! I never really liked pizza either until I discovered the thin crusted ones with fresh veggies, herbs and goat cheese scattered on top. When my husband and I were first dating, he took me to this little BBQ place in old downtown Gilbert, AZ. It was sitting room outside only on picnic tables and was very popular. I thought I would just order a salad or something, I mean we were dating, I was still trying to impress him. ;-) After just a few minutes however, I was overcome by the heavy smokey BBQ sauce smell and just couldn't stomach it. Poor guy, he loves his BBQ. I guess he loved me more because here we are, 9 years later happily married.

So, the point of my little love story is well, first I like to talk, and second I want my sweet husband and my boys to eat the foods they love too. I have found that I actually enjoy my homemade BBQ sauce, especially on these delicious chicken sandwiches. This sauce is tangy and mouthwatering! Far less sugar than jarred varieties and no preservatives, fresh is best!

I have also found that using my Kitchen Aid food shredder attachment to shred my own cabbage makes a world of difference in taste. I used to buy the pre-packaged, pre-shredded cabbage. The kids wouldn't touch it and to be honest, I thought it was to thick and well, cabbagy tasting for BBQ sandwiches. Shredding your own into a fine texture actually makes the cabbage taste sweet! The kids gobbled it up!


A great trick to getting perfectly shredded chicken in just seconds.... throw the cooked chicken into your Kitchen Aid stand mixer with the cookie paddle attachment. Turn it onto speed 4-6 and in just 20 seconds you'll have perfect, restaurant style shredded chicken.  Tip: Make sure the chicken is warm/hot before you shred it. Refrigerated chicken is harder and may harm your mixer.

perfect, resteraunt style shredded chicken

Just in time for Summer!

You Will Need:

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

package of Kaiser Buns

2 cups finely shredded green cabbage

3 cups homemade BBQ sauce, recipe here.

Putting it all together:

I throw frozen solid big chicken breasts into my pressure cooker and they cook perfect and so moist in aobut 8 minutes! If you don't have one, put it on your birthday wish list and in the meantime, boil your thawed chicken in a large stock pot for about 20 minutes.

When chicken is done, place in a big bowl and shred with 2 forks. I "cheat" on this too, I put my cooked chicken in my KitchenAid with the paddle attachment and it shreds perfectly in about 15 seconds, resteraunt style! (put a KitchenAid on your Christmas list) ;-)

Meanwhile, preheat your broiler. Saute chopped onion in a pan for about 4 minutes until translucent. Shred your cabbage with a food processor.  Toast your halved buns by placing them face up on a broiler pan and putting them about 6 inches from the broiler for about 1-2 minutes. Watch them carefully, bread burns fast! Toasting them is really key for BBQ. Otherwise they will get soggy.

PRINT THIS RECIPE (and sauce recipe)

Quick BBQ Sauce:

1 1/2 cups ketchup

3/4 cup spicy brown mustard

1 onion finely grated

1/4 c. lemon juice

2 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tbsp. Worcestershire

1 tbsp. brown sugar OR honey

1/2 c. water

2 TBSP Grilling Seasoning

Combine all ingredients together in a sauce pot. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes whisking occasionally.

Other BBQ Sauce Recipes You Need To Try

Papa's Chicken and Honey Spice Marinade from Kitchen Confidante

Soda Pop Pulled Pork with Spicy Cilantro Pesto from Indigo's Sugar Spectrum

Terryaki Turky Burgers with Home Made BBQ Sauce from Good Life Eat's 

BLT Lettuce Wraps

Crispy reduced fat bacon, shredded lettuce and ripe diced tomatoes mixed with light mayonnaise wrapped in a crispy green iceberg lettuce cup. A low carb guiltless BLT!

There is something about the flavor combination of a BLT that invokes childhood memories of sitting around mom's kitchen table, it's funny how the flavors of food can trigger a memory. Oh what I would give to be a kid for a day again. Back then we probably had it on white bread, but today I enjoy them just as much on a lettuce wrap, same great flavors without the bleached white bread.

This is easy to make ahead for lunch on the go and perfect for Low Carb or Gluten Free diets. You can use turkey bacon or lean center cut pork bacon, low sodium or nitrate-free bacon or even meatless bacon, whatever your preference. I used Oscar Meyer center cut bacon which is sliced close to the bone so it's lower in fat and calories than regular bacon but tastes just like the real thing.


Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Potato-Blu Cheese and Broccoli Soup {low-fat}

Many of you may have gotten over soup recipes the minute the weather reached 70 degrees outdoors. Here in Phoenix however, it is only cold outside for like 3 weeks out of the year, and that's if you consider 55 degrees on a bright, sunny day cold. So when the weather decides to be all freaky and bi-polar and it is cold, overcast and even windy outside.... we make soup. I literally get giddy at the chance to actually enjoy a hot bowl of comforting soup which can only be truly appreciated when it is chilly and overcast outside in my opinion.

I loved this soup so much that I am seriously thinking of ways to cheat the system. I'm thinking of covering all the windows in thick drapes, turning the air conditioning down to 50 degrees, putting on my fuzzy slippers and making this again in July. Totally grand idea!

The blu cheese was a fabulously unexpected addition to this classic comfort soup. I'm so glad I decided to give blu cheese another chance. I didn't care for it at all in my 20's and now it's one of my favorite treats.

The fresh thyme really brought out all the flavors of the vegetables and just made this soup my new favorite, simple dish. Crispy bacon sprinkled on top of the potato soup had everyone scraping their bowls for the

 very last drop.

Slowly infusing the thyme and garlic in the oil before sauteeing the leeks really kicks up the flavor
and adds a gourmet yet rustic flavour in every bite.

Is the weather acting weird where you live?

You Will Need:

1 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium leek, thinly sliced 

2-3 cloves garlic smashed

3 small-medium russet potatoes, diced

4-6 sprigs fresh Thyme plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon table salt 

1/2 teaspoon grey sea salt

6 cups chicken broth,  preferabley homemade

3 cups broccoli florets 

1/4 cup almond milk 

Freshly ground black pepper

Cooked and Crumbled Bacon
Crumbled Blue Cheese for Topping

 

To Make:

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the oil, garlic and thyme sprigs. Let them sit in the low heat so that the flavors infuse into the oil, about 8 minutes.  Turn up the heat to medium-high, add the leek and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, broccoli,  table salt, and broth and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered until the potato is fork tender, about 10 minutes.

Carefully, puree the soup in batches in a blender or with an immersion blender {I love mine}. Return soup to the pot and add the almond milk. Bring to a simmer, taste, and season with French Grey sea salt and cracked pepper.

Ladel into individual bowls and sprinkle bacon and blue cheese and more chopped thyme if you please over top.

Bangin Good Shrimp

Stir fried shrimp mixed with a creamy sweet and spicy chili sauce served on a bed of shredded lettuce and purple cabbage topped with scallions. This is a bangin' good slimmed down copycat recipe of Bonefish Grill's very popular Bang Bang shrimp. Takes about 10 minutes to prepare which makes this perfect for lunch, as an appetizer or even a light meal.

With the popularity of Thai food, ingredients like Thai Sweet Chili Sauce and Sriracha are very easy to find in your local supermarket or even stores like Target depending on where you live. Look for the Thai Kitchen line, I used their sweet chili sauce in this recipe.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac)

Vietnamese steak salad served on a bed of greens and tomatoes, topped with pickled onions and a lime dipping sauce. This widely popular Asian dish combines many taste sensations and creates a harmony of flavors with every bite. The “shaking” in the name refers to the tossing of the beef back and forth in the wok after it’s quickly seared.

You can serve this as a salad for a low carb meal or make some rice on the side. This is traditionally served over a bed of watercress which I couldn't find, so I used an arugula blend instead. Thick soy sauce is traditionally used here, but you can use low sodium soy sauce instead if this is not available to you.

This was a recent recipe which I wanted to make as authentic as possible and upon doing some research came I came across and this recipe from Ravenous Couple who was guest posting on Rasa Malaysia. I had no doubt this dish would be a hit with my family and I hope you all like it too. I've made some adjustments to the recipe to lighten it a little but I tried to stick as close as possible to the original.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Flash Back to 1984: Old School Candy {POP} Rocks!

My mom has been living with me on and off (but mostly on) for many years now. It's so nice to have so much extra help around the house and with the kids. My husband is super amazing but he works long hours during the week and I am a strong believer that it takes at least 2 fairly responsible and extremely energetic adults per child in the home in order to keep them alive happy and also in order to sustain ones sanity. Having a friend to talk to during the long, crazy days that is otherwise known as  'Stay at Home Mommy Madness' really breaks up the monotony of every day life and is good practice in speaking like an adult so I can re-enter civilized society someday, God willing.

My mom has been away for a few months visiting her family and came home yesterday, Yay! Of course my 4 kids think of her as a very important part of their lives and love her to bits. Also extremely important to the little darlings are what sort of special 'prize' Gramma will bring home for them. My 4 year old thinks that Gramma is just staying at the airport while she is away. He questions several times while she is gone "When is Gramma coming home from the airport?" or "What kind of prize will Gramma bring us from the airport?" Kids are great.

So this got me thinking about how fun it is for kids when even the smallest of surprises are brought home after a trip away. My dad did it when I was little; snow globes, small treasures and dime store jewelry. My husband does it for our kids; tee-shirts, stuffed animals, toy cap guns and bows and arrows.
And Gramma brings home the best 'prizes' of all....

C.A.N.D.Y.!!

Usually Gramma brings fun, old fashioned candy like PEZ and Candy Necklaces. I can't help but be transported to my youth whenever I see these candies and treats. Nostalgia is a wonderfully amazing thing.  Something like PEZ and Blueberry Slushies brings back totally random memories of my neighborhood, childhood friends long forgotten and reaching up out of the pool to pick a plum off our backyard tree while swimming in my favorite blue polka dot bathing suit. Here are some of my All Time favorite childhood candies and fun treats.

I want to know!

What were your favorite treats as a child?

What things remind you of your childhood?

PEZ



Paper Candy Dots





LOVED Candy Necklaces



Cinnamon Toothpicks.

Which brings back very bad memories of cinnamon oil which was very populare amoungst

stupid teenage boys to smear on your face as you walked by them in the halls of high school.

The oil would burn and leave large welts across your face and God help you if it got near your eyes.

Jerks.



Coke Flavored Gummies




Wax Candy




The SMURFS were SMURFERIFIC!




My Fav. Like Totally.



Cigarette Candy.



Oh My Gosh! Remember these? They used to sell them from the Ice Cream Trucks! Yikes.



And I couldn't leave out my beloved Garbage Pail Kids trading cards.

Does anybody remember these?

They were totally and completely disgusting and wonderful. Like totally.

Freshly Brewed Ice Tea with Fresh Mint

What can be more thirst quenching on a hot summer day than a tall glass of fresh brewed iced tea over ice with lemon and fresh mint leaves...

Spearmint is always the first thing to bloom in my garden every spring. As it sprouts each Spring, it always brings back memories of my childhood as Mom would always put fresh mint in our iced tea. Funny how smells can take you back in time, I just can't walk past my mint without pleasant thoughts of iced tea.

Making home brewed tea is very simple. You can use orange pekoe or black tea for traditional iced tea or experiment with fruit flavors like passion fruit, peach, mango, pomegranate which are especially nice if you aren't using sugar. 

Brew your tea and discard the tea bags before refrigerating. Serve with fresh lemon slices or fresh fruit if you are using fruit tea. Add the lemon slices right before serving to avoid a bitter taste. For sweet tea add the sugar, agave, honey or Splenda with the boiled water so it dissolves (extra calories and points).

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Roasted Snapper Fillet and Sustainable Seafood

Roasted snapper fillets seasoned with rosemary, garlic and olive oil dusted with breadcrumbs and roasted in the oven or also excellent cooked on the grill. This takes less than 30 minutes to make and we enjoyed this with a cucumber tomato salad on the side.

Snapper is a finely textured white fish that lends itself very well to herbs and seasoning. For this recipe I used red snapper because it's always been a favorite of mine but after cooking this last night I did some research and read that it has been overfished and is on a list for endangered species which probably explains the high price. I was crushed since this is a fish I really enjoy and I was hesitant to post the recipe, but then figured this would be a great time to bring up the topic of sustainable seafood, something I first heard of last year while in San Fransisco from Alaskan Seafood.

What is sustainable seafood was my first thought after hearing about this? What that means is the fishing is managed for protection against overfishing, habitat damage, and pollution and doesn't compromise the surrounding ecosystem. As a consumer, you can drive the market for sustainable seafood by choosing fish only from healthy, responsibly-managed sources, and caught or farmed in ways which minimize damage to the marine environment. A practice I will follow moving forward.

So, back to the recipe... upon research I found better sustainable alternatives to red snapper such as mutton snapper, rainbow snapper or yellowtail snapper. I will be doing my research next time I buy fish and will ask my fishmonger. I prefer fillets with the skin still on which help keep the fish together while cooking and adds to the flavor.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Chicken Parmigiana Burgers

A quick lunch or weeknight meal ready in less than 10 minutes your whole family will enjoy! Chicken burgers topped with pomodoro sauce and melted mozzarella on a hardy bun. Grill them or you cook them indoors in a skillet. Easy enough to adapt for one or a large group.

Burgers are the perfect weeknight meal and using lean chicken or turkey burgers keep these burgers figure friendly. You can certainly buy your own ground chicken and make the patties yourself but if you don't feel like getting your hands dirty, the pre-seasoned patties are perfect. If you're feeling extra lazy and you are lucky enough to have a Trader Joe's near you they make delicious pre-cooked chicken burger in the refrigerated section which are so good!

I always have sauce on hand, it's smart to make large batches of sauce to jar or freeze so you can whip up quick meals in a pinch... of course store bought jarred sauce would work as well. Serve these over fat free rolls such as ciabatta or whole wheat kaiser if you can find them. Points may vary depending on brands. The rolls I used were 110 calories, 0 fat, 0 fiber, 23 carbs.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Grilled Flank Steak With Tomatoes, Red Onion and Balsamic

Flank steak grilled to perfection, sliced and topped with fresh chopped tomatoes, red onion, balsamic and oil. Fresh and light, perfect for the warmer weather.

I just love Spring, the weather is getting warmer, the days are longer and my grill is my new best friend. If you don't have an outdoor grill, you can use your broiler or even purchase an indoor grill, there are lots of great inexpensive options at Amazon.

This dish is quick and easy, perfect for a weeknight meal, or great for company. Serve this with a green salad or over rice, leftover make great steak sandwiches for lunch!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Pasta Tuna Nicoise: What to Make for Dinner When You Don't Feel Like Making Dinner...

Some days I'm so exhausted from trying to keep 4 kids alive that I have zero desire to make anything for dinner. Apples and popcorn anyone? After I pull myself together {relatively speaking} and take a deep breath I drag myself into the kitchen to see what's in the pantry that can literally be thrown together. This is the biggest reason why I don't keep junk food in the house, to ward off the temptation to eat boxed or frozen dinners which are full of preservatives, additives and nutrient deprived. Where I do cheat is keeping canned beans handy for when I forget to soak and prep dried beans. I also always have brown rice, lentils and whole grain pasta in my pantry. Canned light tuna and canned Alaskan salmon are great pantry staples as well and can be thrown into pasta or rice to make a complete meal in minutes when veggies are added.

Here is one of those dinners that were a big hit with the kiddos and more importantly, healthy and adult friendly as well. When I was little we had tuna casserole once or twice a month. Do you know the casserole I'm talking about? The one with canned tuna, cream of mushroom soup, frozen peas and crushed Ritz crackers sprinkled over top and then served on top of wide egg noodles. Ahhh, now that's nostalgic magic!

Well it was a big treat back in the day and a change from the beans and cornbread or fish and rice that we usually ate. I suppose frugality played a big role in us having that tuna casserole so often for dinner, as did my mom having 4 kids running around the house like wild monkeys as do I. Images of my 5 year old brother putting the car into gear while my mom was closing the garage door and driving it through the garage and into our living room are popping into my head. It's amazing she didn't just throw bird seed at us for dinner.

So, as much as I love to cook and as much as I want to enjoy a really wonderful meal, some days it's just not in the cards. Again, without resorting to Kraft Mac N' Cheese or hot dogs you can easily throw together a fuss free and healthy meal. This pasta is a healthy and adult spin on Tuna Casserole. I omitted the cream of mushroom soup or mayo that's usually in tuna casserole and opted for a light citrus dressing that is flavored with fresh herbs. Spring, pole beans replace the frozen peas since they are in season but feel free to use any veggies you have on hand, frozen works just as well.

TIME  15 MINUTES        SERVES  6-8

Ingredients:

1 lb. whole grain pasta, cooked according to package directions

2-6oz cans light tuna or Alaskan salmon, drained

1-14 oz. can Organic cannelini (white) beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 lb fresh pole beans or snap peas

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 small red onion, diced

1 small handful fresh parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

2 teaspoons dried tarragon (goes great with tuna, yum)

1 fresh lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste



Putting  Throwing it All Together:


In a large stock pot bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add pole beans and cook for just 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, drain.

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, tarragon, salt and pepper.

In a large bowl combine tuna, white beans, pole beans, tomatoes, red bell pepper, onion, cooked pasta, chives and parsley, toss to combine. Add dressing and toss to coat.

That's it!

What's your favorite 'Fuss Free' dinner?


This post is linked to Kitchen Corners for her May Cook off: Your favorite 'Go To' recipe.

Swedish Meatballs

Lean meatballs seasoned with a hint of allspice and served in a creamy beef gravy. These meatballs seems decadent but they are actually lighter than you think. Serve them as an appetizer with toothpicks or over your favorite noodles.

My daughter discovered her love for Swedish meatballs a few years ago and she just loves my skinny version. You can easily make more gravy by adding more broth and cream cheese at the end. To make these gluten free you can make them without the breadcrumbs. Enjoy!
Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Vintage Paper Doll Printables and Give Away Winners! Happy Mother's Day!

Thank you to everyone who entered the two give aways I had going last week.

The winner of the Yarn Wreath with Felt Flowers is Jessica @Barefoot by the Sea

The winner of the set of curtains from CurtainWorks is All Things Yummy.

My oldest son picked a random  number for both give aways. I hear there's some new confangled, high tech thing-a-ma-jigger that actually does that for you. ;)  I'll have to look into that.

I will contact you both by email shortly {as soon as I can pull these kids out of my hair!}

Aren't these vintage paper dolls cute? I found them here. They remind me of similar, not quite this old but fun paper dolls I had as a kid. I loved playing with them and dressing them up. Of course with all the lights and robotics on toys nowadays these might not be exciting for most kids. Who knows, my kids seem to love the simple toys and especially when it involves crafts they can make and using their imagination.

If you'd like, I'm including the link for the full size image to print out.

here.

Click here for the link to print this page.

Have a great weekend and a Happy Mother's Day to

all of you Mother's!

Cinco de Mayo Eats, Last chance to Win 2 Give Away's and Fabulous Finds!

The weekend is almost here and the weather is gorgeous! It's time to get outside and have a BBQ, picnic or take a hike. Or maybe you're feeling rather industrious and you are going to do some spring cleaning or create something artsy and fabulous? As for me, I'll be working on Saturday. That's what I get for being in health care. My oldest son used to always ask me why do you have to work on the weekends and on Holidays? *sighhh, 'Some one has to do it.' Same goes for policemen/women, fire fighters and our friendly barristers at Starbucks. Where would we be without any of them working on the weekends?

Make these Veggie Skillet Nachos this weekend for Cinco de Mayo!

or this simple ceviche.....

click on the 'Mexican food' link on the right hand side of this blog for more healthy and delicious

Mexican food fav's.

I also wanted to remind you all that today is the last day to enter the fabulous give aways here on Simply Healthy Family. The links to the give aways are on the right hand side of this blog. Please share them with everyone you know by clicking the share buttons right below each post and also at the very bottom of your screen.

Fun Finds I came across this week:

The perfect hideout here

Refreshing new way to create and display your child's handy work  here

Beautiful handmade macrame' necklace to show off your culture here

Mandatory weekend kitchen organization project here

Cute DIY up-cycled kids place mats here

If you'd like to see more of my bright ideas and fun finds, follow me on Pinterest, here.


What are you doing this weekend? Any fun projects we should know about?

Do you celebrate or cook anything fun for Cinco de Mayo?


If you'd like to see Simply Healthy Family on  babble's Top Mom Bloggers of 2011 I'd really appreciate if you simply clicked 'like this' 
here.

{Gwen}

Thank you so much for all of your votes for my humble little blog.

Sweet Light Angel Food Cupcakes with Meringue Icing

Ok folks, hope you are all enjoying your Cinco De Mayo recipes, but I have not forgotten that Mother's Day in only a few short days. Why not make your Mom the sweetest, light and airy angel foods cupcake you'll ever taste!

These deliciously airy cupcakes are made with love from scratch with egg whites, flour, sugar and vanilla and topped with a creamy, airy merengue icing that just melts in your mouth; the fact that they are fat free is just an added bonus.

I've had my eye on these cupcakes from the Kitchn for a long time and when I finally got around to making them, they did not disappoint! Seriously, I will never buy an angel food cake from a box again. Probably for the more intermediate baker, a bit more delicate to make then using a box mix and requires a little more patience. But isn't Mom worth it?!

Take your time, add the ingredients slowly and make sure your eggs are at room temperature before starting. Meringues can be temperamental, start with squeaky clean metal bowls. Your patience will pay off!

These are great for special occasions, but remember, they are made with sugar so I wouldn't eat these every day, but once in a while it's ok to indulge. I am not sure how these would work out with Stevia or Splenda, if anyone tries it leave a comment and let me know how it turns out!

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