Oven "Fried" Pickles with Skinny Herb Buttermilk Ranch Dip

Cornmeal panko herb crusted dill pickles baked in the oven until golden and crisp. Have you ever had fried pickles?

Fried pickles to a New Yorker is quite uncommon, alien actually! But in the South they are wildly popular. The first time I tried fried pickles was at a restaurant in DC, I found myself trying to decide if I liked them, yet oddly reaching for seconds and thirds.

Since then I have had many requests for a make-over and finally tackled the request.

Baking them worked out great, the crumbs stuck perfectly and with a generous amount of oil sprayed on top, they baked to a golden crisp. You can easily make 1/2 batch (1-16 oz jar) for less people. If you are watching your sodium, you may not want to make them unless you can find low sodium dill pickles.

As a base I started with a version Mary from Mary's Bites shared with me, which I slightly adapted it to suit my taste. Hope you Southerners and even all you Yankees enjoy!!

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California Grilled Chicken Avocado and Mango Salad

Sweet champagne mangos pair superb with creamy haas avocados and grilled chicken for a sweet-savory salad to delight your taste buds. This meal is ready in minutes, perfect for a hot summer day or night!

I could live on a tropical island and never miss the fruit from the states.

When I was a kid, I spent many summers at my cousin's house in Puerto Rico and I remember the mango trees and mangoes all over her yard. I would pick them up and try to save them, but even I couldn't consume the overabundance of mangoes she had falling off those trees. Back then mangoes weren't as popular here in the states, but luckily today you can find them in every supermarket. I'm hoping one day guanabana (soursop) and guava will make it's way here too!

Have you seen the new Salanova butter lettuce from Dole, they come two in a container – simply cut the core off and you have baby lettuce!

For this salad I used the red butter variety, but you can use any baby lettuce, especially home grown if you have any in your garden!

For the dressing I kept it real simple, extra virgin olive oil and white balsamic vinegar which is naturally sweet and perfect on this salad. You can easily halve this recipe for 2 servings or double for 8. Enjoy and stay cool!


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Beyond Broccoli: The Artichoke

I have been dragging my feet on starting a new series about all of the amazing and delicious varieties of vegetables available across the globe and am finally doing so. I started this blog to try my best to share simple and healthy meals and snacks with all of you and thought it would be worth focusing on all types of produce so that maybe you can discover a new favorite of your own. I suppose the idea stemmed from being quizzically asked over and over again by grocery store cashiers what the name of the vegetable was that I was buying and what on Earth I did with it. 

We all get in the habit of cooking what we know, what we find familiar and the easiest to prepare. Especially when the days are long and our lives are hectic. We all know that vegetables are essential to a healthy diet but most people don't get a wide variety of produce simply because they don't know what to do with the stuff.  I am guilty myself of grabbing a bunch of broccoli and some carrots at the store when I am short on time because quite simply, they are easy to prepare and my kids will eat them.

I am a serious veggie lover from way back and will buy up sacks of vegetables simply because they are in season and more importantly because they look pretty, interesting and because I love to try new things. That's how I discovered I loved Bok Choy. I never had the vegetable in my child hood so it was unfamiliar to me but one day, many many moons ago I warily picked a bright and crisp looking bunch of Bok Choy up at the grocery and it has since been my very favorite vegetable.

Artichokes are another one of my favorite veggies and I thought I'd start out the "Beyond Broccoli"  series with these gems. I was introduced to them many years ago and only had them steamed and then dipped in a cayenne-mayonnaise concoction or in melted garlic butter for a long time. I have since discovered that are freaking  amazing roasted or grilled and that there are healthier options for condiments and toppings to go with them. One of the very first recipes I posted here on Simply Healthy Family was for   'Lemon Artichoke Chicken over Brown Rice'    I tell you that it was one of my first posts as a disclaimer because while the recipe is wonderful, the picture and post..... not so much.     Live and learn.    I recommend you give this recipe a go.

Le Artichoke

isn't she beautiful?

source

Artichokes are available all year on the West Coast, but they peak from March to May and again in October. Originating in the Mediterranean, an overwhelming majority of artichokes grown in the United States are from California. The plants are actually the buds of thistles, which are in the sunflower family.

Here are some artichoke recipes worth trying.

Grilled Artichokes with Garlic and Cheese

recipe source

Italian Stuffed Artichoke

recipe source

Healthy Artichoke Marsala

recipe source

In the future, I will be posting my own recipes but I hope you visit these lovely sites for now and most especially, Give A New Veggie A Try!






Have you tried a new vegetable recently 
or prepared an old favorite a new way?

Please do share!

Red, White and Blueberry Cheesecake Yogurt Cupcakes

Mini cheesecake cupcakes made with Greek yogurt and cream cheese with a vanilla wafer crust topped with strawberries and blueberries to create a red, white and blue dessert using Mother Nature as my source for food coloring.

These are the perfect Memorial Day weekend treat, they taste too good to be under 100 calories!

And if you prefer a lemon dessert, try these lemon cheesecake cupcakes instead. If you want them gluten free, leave out the vanilla wafer, the points become 2 pts plus instead.

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Easy Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

A simple summer cake loaded with fresh, juicy blueberries in a lightly sweetened, moist buttermilk cake. And yes, it's light too!

The blueberries are the star of this cake, and I didn't think it needed any frosting. I simply topped it with a little powdered sugar before serving (completely optional) or you can even serve it with some whipped topping (or Greek yogurt) on the side.

I took a poll on the Skinnytaste Facebook fan page and asked what kind of baker you are, one who bakes from scratch or one who prefers quick recipes using a box cake as an ingredient, and the overwhelming response was you all like to bake from scratch!

So I set out to make this cake loaded with fresh blueberries without all the butter you would normally find in most cake recipes, and I was so pleased with the results. You will be too!!

Baking low-fat is tricky and requires a few rounds of experimenting. This luckily only took two attempts – first attempt I didn't use buttermilk and used double the apple sauce and although it worked, it was a little dense where this final cake is perfectly moist and fluffy.

Thumbs up all around in my house with the final version, from my 2 year old to the adults! 

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Bangin' Grilled Shrimp Skewers

I've had it on my mind to turn my popular Banging Good Shrimp recipe into a summer dish you can make right on the grill. Now that the weather is warmer, we've been grilling almost every night. The excitement of being able to grill again and not dirty my kitchen is always

These shrimp skewers are the bomb! The spicy, salty, sweet combination of the creamy chili sauce is what makes them so good. I actually double the sauce recipe to see what else I can add it to this week!

These make a fabulous appetizer, 2 skewers would be a perfect starter to any party paired with Asian Cabbage Mango Slaw or you could turn it into a weeknight meal served over Edamame Fried Rice. Enjoy!!

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Skinny Summer Desserts

The weather's getting warmer and that means pool parties, BBQs and picnics! If you're looking for dessert ideas to keep you cool or satisfy your sweet tooth this summer, here's a list of Skinnytaste summer desserts just in time for Memorial Day!

Skinny Summer Desserts

Angel Food Cupcakes with Meringue Icing (from scratch)
Avocado Coconut Popsicles

Banana Cream Pie
Blueberry Buttermilk Cake (easy/from scratch)

Blueberry Cream Pie
Blueberry-Raspberry Gaspacho with Mint
Cherry Sorbet
Cherry Custard
Cherry Lime Ice Pops  

Chocolate Ricotta Mousse (easy)
Chocolate Sorbet

Coconut Cream Pops

Creamy Grape Dessert
Dark Chocolate and Mint Chip Clouds
Easy Blueberry Buttermilk Cake
Frozen Banana Popsicles 
Frozen Fruit Pops
Frozen Mango, Kiwi, Raspberry Pops
Fruit Pizza   

Grilled Peaches
Grilled Pineapple
Guiltless Bananas Ice Cream
Guiltless Banana Split in a Jar
Honey Yogurt with Pomegranate and Pistachios 

Lemon Cheesecake Yogurt Cups

Low Fat Rice Krispy Treats

Low Fat Strawberry No-Bake Cheesecake
Mango Coconut Chia Pudding
Mexican "Unfried" Ice Cream 
Mixed Berry Clafoutis
Mini Pecan Phyllo Tarts  

No-Bake Cheesecake
Peaches and Cream Popsicles 

Phyllo Fruit Tart

Pina Colada Cupcakes (easy)
Piña Colada Sorbet
Pink Lemonade Confetti Cupcakes (easy)

Pineapple Bliss Cupcakes (easy)
Pineapple Zucchini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting (from scratch)
Rainbow Fruit Skewers with Honey Yogurt Dip
Raspberry Coconut Chia Pudding Pops
Red White and Blue Fruit Skewers with Cheesecake Yogurt Dip 
Red, White and Blueberry Cheesecake Yogurt Cupcakes
Red White and Blueberry Trifle (easy)
Simply Obsessed Frozen Coconut Mango Pops
Skinny Cake Pops
Skinny Chocolate Chip Fro-Yo Sandwiches
Skinny Honey Lemon Bars
Skinny Pina Colada Ice Pops

Skinny Strawberries Romanoff (easy)

Strawberry Kiwi Pavlovas (from scratch)

Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Strawberry Squares

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake
Superfood Triple Berry Chia Pudding
Triple Berry Crisp
Tropical Fruit Salad Recipe 
Vanilla Bean Frozen Yogurt
Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Strawberries
Watermelon On A Stick 

Farro with Feta Cucumbers and Sun-dried Tomatoes

This salad combines farro with Mediterranean ingredients such as cucumbers, lemon juice, feta and mint for a delicious salad you can enjoy as a side dish, or even for lunch! This would be perfect to bring to a potluck or BBQ this Memorial Day weekend!

I'm in love with farro these days and I have been having so much fun cooking with it lately. Farro is an ancient Italian grain that has been rediscovered and is becoming quite popular in the US and throughout Europe. It's a great source of fiber, protein and iron, with a nutty flavor and chewy texture. It's wonderful in salads, side dishes and even soups. The pearled variety is as easy to cook as boiling pasta, takes only about 15-20 minutes.

Here in New York I can easily find farro in any natural foods market but I realize some of you may not be as lucky, so if you can't find farro where you live you could use barley, quinoa, whole wheat couscous or even whole grain elbow macaroni in it's place. If farro is available near you, I highly encourage you to try it!!


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Grilled Flank Steak with Black Beans Corn and Tomatoes

This steak dish has a fiesta of flavors, the flank steak is seasoned with cumin and garlic and grilled to perfection, then topped with a fresh black bean, corn and tomato salad for a quick and tasty family friendly weeknight meal.

I love topping grilled meats with fresh salad, a few successful examples of this: Grilled Flank with Tomatoes Red Onion and Balsamic, and Grilled Chicken Bruschetta.

In this Tex Mex version, the flavors can be easily tweaked to suit your family's taste, make it spicy with some chopped jalapenõs, or swap out an ingredient for those picky kids. Enjoy!


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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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Iced Green Tea Mojito

The perfect summer cocktail, a cross between a tall glass of fresh brewed iced green tea and a mojito!! I think this is going to be my signature drink all summer, it's icy cool, and has the added bonus of antioxidant rich green tea.

So simple using ingredients you probably have on hand such as green tea, fresh limes, fresh mint leaves (growing wild in my garden at the moment), baby arugula, and raw sugar (you could use agave or stevia to keep it sugar-free).

Multiply the recipe and make a pitcher for a party, or make them by the glass for a more intimate gathering. I originally saw this on the Kitchn, and tweaked it a bit by adding arugula, an idea I got from a cocktail I had at the Dole Summit.

And for those of you who don't drink alcohol, leave out the rum for a refreshing mocktail.

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Very Berry Banana Fro Yo Shake

This is a cross between a smoothie and a milk shake using frozen yogurt and fresh fruit. Perfect for a quick dessert, but even good enough for breakfast and takes less than 5 minutes to make.

I recently fell in love with Stonyfield's Organic Vanilla Frozen Yogurt. I can't believe how good it tastes and it's hard to believe it's fat free! If you haven't tried it and are looking for a healthier vanilla ice cream alternative, you'll love it and it has the same live cultures as it's yogurt.

For best results, make sure the bananas are really ripe, the riper the sweeter your shake will be. I like to use frozen bananas, you can even use frozen berries!

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Arugula Salmon Salad with Capers and Shaved Parmesan

Lots of healthy fats and omegas in this salad! I just returned from the Dole Salads Blogger Summit and of course, all I can think about this week is salad!

So now that I'm back I'm having fun making salads and getting ideas that were inspired from the Salad party!! This was today's dinner, yes I used Dole Arugula of course. I'm on a salmon kick lately and whenever I make salmon for dinner, I usually cook an extra piece for lunch.

I used to bring this salad to lunch when I had a full-time job, the capers compliment the salmon so well and a touch of shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano on top sends my taste buds into a very happy place! An interesting fact I learned from one of the Dole folks, most of their arugula is shipped to NY. That made me laugh because I LOVE the peppery mustard taste of arugula and use it in so many of my salads. If arugula isn't available where you live, you can use mizuna or baby mixed greens.

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Linguini and Shrimp Fra Diavolo

A quick Italian-American pasta dish with shrimp, tomatoes, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, basil and capers. The name of this dish says it all, Fra Diavolo, Italian for "Brother Devil" because of the heat from the crushed red pepper flakes. It's easy to make and comes together in about 30 minutes total so it's perfect for a busy week night, you can easily halve it to make less. My husband is a basil lover, but fresh parsley works great in it's place and of course, you can adjust the heat to your taste.

If you are watching your carbs, this is great over spaghetti squash or even a bowl of lightly steamed vegetables. If you are on a gluten-free diet, I love Tinkyada brown rice pasta, it's the closest thing to wheat pasta in my opinion, I even buy it and I have no issues with gluten. I actually prefer the taste to whole wheat pasta.

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Skinny Hummingbird Cupcakes

These scrumptious hummingbird cupcakes are super moist and light, full of pineapple, chopped bananas, pecans, cinnamon and spices topped off with a sweet cream cheese frosting.

Hummingbird cake first appeared in Southern Living Magazine back in 1978, originally submitted by Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina and is known to have won numerous blue ribbons at county fairs. This skinny version does not disappoint! The flavors are reminiscent of a carrot cake, without the carrots and make the perfect Mother's Day dessert!

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Skinnytaste Citrus Margarita Spritzer

A lighter fresh take on a margarita! Fresh squeezed citrus juice and a splash of seltzer makes this fresh and lighter, with no added sugars! So go ahead, enjoy your margarita (or two) this Cinco de Mayo!!

To make a simple lime salt for the rim of the glass, grate a little lime zest and combine it with a coarse salt. Then use a lime wedge to wet the rim of the glass, then dip it in the salt. This is completely optional!

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How To Make Your Favorite Meals Freezer Ready

Hi everyone, I'm going on a trip to California this week for the DOLE Salad’tude Summit! Please welcome my guest, Once A Month Mom! 

Once A Month Mom is a website that helps you fill your freezer by creating monthly menus using seasonal recipes. And what greater help to someone trying to stay on track in the health and weight department than to have homemade, ready-made meals awaiting them in their freezer? It is the next best thing to fresh! Once a Month mom will show you how to take a few popular Skinnytaste classics and get them freezer ready!

One walk down your grocer’s freezer case and you will find a multitude of items awaiting you. Low-calorie options are available, but even those can be full of preservatives and ingredients that can be unhealthy and add unnecessary calories. Making the food yourself, especially tasty food like you find here on Skinnytaste, ensures that you know the ingredients going into your food and control those ingredients.

And don't worry! Just because you freeze it, doesn't mean you zap all the flavor out of it. Freezing your food also doesn't mean that you have to stick to just casseroles and pastas. There are a world of things that you can prepare easily and freeze just fine. And the food keeps for 1-3 months, so if life gets busy, you don't waste your efforts.
 
Day in and day out I hear from my readers that one of the most challenging aspects of staying on track with a healthy diet is having healthy meals at the ready when the hunger pangs hit. Isn't this the greatest moment of weakness? When you pull open the drawer, the refrigerator or your purse and find that there is nothing healthy that is going to satisfy your hunger. What happens next? Usually it’s a trip to the vending machine, the "snack cupboard," the drive-thru or your favorite local restaurant. This solves the immediate problem but does nothing for your waistline.

Let’s take a few recipes for example...


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