Frozen Banana Popsicles

Frozen bananas on a stick dipped in chocolate – an easy, fun summer treat for the kids and grown-ups too!

These are so easy to make and use only 4 ingredients. Sprinkle them with red, white and blue jimmies for the Fourth of July, or use colored sprinkles, crushed walnuts, peanuts, or whatever you like! So fun, you can even get the kids involved!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Skinny Honey Lemon Bars

 

Pucker Up! These sweet and tangy bars are lighter than traditional bars, but are not lacking in flavor! The sweet and tart topping is made from fresh lemon juice, lemon zest and sweetened with honey atop a shortbread crust. Perfect for potlucks, back yard parties and picnics.

I recently found a lightened up Lemon Bar on a blog (I forget which, sorry) that was adapted from America's Test Kitchen Light and Healthy Cookbook. I tested it out and further adapted the recipe swapping out ingredients and changing it to my taste and the result was a sweet-tart bar I couldn't resist! I'm really not sure what the original recipe looked like, bit I can tell you I loved how these turned out and I will certainly be making them again..

The only problem with these lemon bars is that I find myself making up excuses as to why I can eat another. I suggest making these only if you have some friends to share them with!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Summer Macaroni Salad with Tomatoes and Zucchini

Need a macaroni salad to bring to your next BBQ without tons of fat and calories? Look no further!

This is the perfect summer pasta salad loaded with fresh summer tomatoes and zucchini tossed in a light creamy dressing. I even snuck in some Greek yogurt for added creaminess but with all the other flavors you won't know it's there. Because there are so many wonderful vegetables in this salad, the portions are a decent size and pairs perfectly with any grilled meats and burgers.

This makes enough for a large gathering, perfect for your Fourth of July parties but if you want to make this for a smaller group you can simply halve the recipe as I did here.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Flour Less Chocolate {Garbanzo Bean} Cake

Today was a great day.... in a completely and utterly exhausting sort of way. In fact, if I had time to think about it, most every day seems to end up that way. Especially lately, the kids are out of school for the summer and it is hot here, damn HOT. The poor little bugs are cooped up in the house most of the day unless they are swimming or I can come up with somewhere cheap, cool and fun to take them. Also,  I've been working more than usual at the hospital because people are on vacation and want the surgery that they've been putting off for months or years done N.O.W. All of a sudden everything is an emergency. This means less time to get every day things done and even less time to entertain the kids.

4 very hot, extremely bored, cooped up kids   =   NOTHING GOOD.   Complete madness I tell you.

It also makes for one  very  scatter brained and irritated mommy.


*Cue me to enter the picture with my unkempt hair and unpainted toe nails dragging my tired,  out-of-shape-B.U.T.T.  into the embarrassingly neglected house. 

Case and point:

I made this cake weeks ago for a friend of mines birthday who has a severe gluten intolerance and have been trying since then in vain to get a post and recipe up on my blog. I've sat down at least 9 times this evening alone trying to edit pictures and write something articulate and witty or  at least  legible and coherent and am quickly coming to the conclusion that smart, funny and easy are things of the past for me. Replaced with loud, messy and bewildered.

Flour- Less Chocolate Garbanzo Bean Cake

Like I said, at least it was a good day. We went to the MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) in Phoenix and had an amazing time! It was far more beautiful and grand than I thought it would be. I could definitely spend my summer there. Even the little ones had a good time and enjoyed listening to all of the different music from around the world.

Mona Claire enjoying a musical selection from Germany and the costumes from Africa.

Most flour less cakes have an exorbitant amount of eggs in them which is fine in moderation I suppose but wanted a healthier option for an every day sort of cake. I searched high and low and found this recipe which sounded too good to be true but in fact was perfect. I love garbanzo beans and all of their healthy benefits but in a cake?  I chose not to tell that tid bit of information to my unsuspecting co-workers. 

Ingredients 

• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

• 1 (19 ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

• 4 eggs

• 1 teaspoon real vanilla

• 3/4 cup turbinado sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.Place the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds after the first minute, until chocolate is melted and smooth. If you have a powerful microwave, reduce the power to 50 percent.Combine the beans and eggs in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the sugar and the baking powder, and pulse to blend. Pour in the melted chocolate and blend until smooth, scraping down the corners to make sure chocolate is completely mixed. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan.Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

Be Merry and EAT CAKE!

Linked to:

Iron Chef Mom's Chocolate Edition 

Asian Ginger Carrot Dressing

This is good stuff! I don't care too much for carrots, but I love a good carrot ginger dressing on my salad when I go out for Hibachi. It's the perfect starter to any dish.

Well, I've been getting requests for this for a while now, so it was time! It's hot in New York, so too cool off I wanted a simple crisp iceburg lettuce salad for lunch. I added some red cabbage and carrots for color and enjoyed every bite! You can serve this on mixed greens, add tomatoes and cucumbers or whatever you like!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Warm Mexican Corn Salad

Sweet summer corn lightly coated with lime infused mayonnaise with a touch of hot chili powder and shredded cojita cheese.

Inspired by a very popular Mexican street food called elote, a typical street food of grilled corn, smothered with mayonnaise and topped with shredded cojita cheese and chili powder. It's simply addicting and combines the flavor sensations of sweet, spicy, sour and savory. Here in New York, you can find vendors in Hispanic neighborhoods on busy street corners grilling corn and serving this special treat.

There's a heat wave in New York this week, so I skipped the grill and cooked the sweet corn on the stove just a few minutes. I added some fresh scallion and cilantro for color and flavor and loved this as a side dish.

Cotija cheese is a firm, dry Mexican cheese similar to a feta, which could be used in it's place if you can't find it near you.

Side note: Don't you love my turquoise table? It's actually not a table, this was a board made just for me from my crafty friend Tricia over at Crafty Moods. If you have a blog and want to learn how to make these beautiful boards, visit her site and she walks you through it step by step!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Mom's Spanish Chicken and Rice

Chicken and rice, otherwise known as arroz con pollo is a delicious one pot meal the whole family will love. Arroz con pollo can be made so many different ways and also varies from country to country. In fact, I don't use a recipe when I make this, I just use whatever I have on hand so it may never turn out the same twice. This is my Mom's version, which I've lightened up and recently altered slightly. This recipe first appeared here in 2008 but was in desperate need of a new photo so I hope you enjoy it!

Mom makes her arroz con pollo with beer, green olives along with some of the brine for more flavor and she adds frozen mixed vegetables to it. She typically uses whole chicken pieces on the bone (skin and all) which gives it great flavor, but for this recipe I used boneless, skinless thighs.

Some of my Latin recipes you'll see "sazon" listed in the ingredients. I buy Badia's sazon because it has no msg but you can make it yourself if it's not available near you. Sazon basically means seasoning in Spanish; it typically includes salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, dried ground coriander seed, cumin, ground oregano and ground achiote (annatto) seeds. The achiote (annatto) is what gives the sazon the reddish color and makes the rice yellow. You could sub paprika for the achiote, if this isn't available to you. Some varieties contain azafrán (saffron), a pinch is all you'll need if you want to add it. When you make your own, a good ratio is one tbsp of each spice. Mix well and store it someplace dry. When a recipe calls for a packet, simply use 1 1/2 tsp in place of the sazon. Best part, no msg.

It's perfectly fine to use the chicken on the bone, and yes, you can use white meat if you prefer however, I personally find white meat too dry in this dish for my taste. I love this served with a little hot sauce on top and a simple salad on the side. If you would like to try my version which is made slightly different, and has no beer, click on Arroz Con Pollo, Lightened Up or make them both and let me know which you like best!


Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Skinny Overnight Oats in a Jar

A hearty healthy breakfast packed with fiber, vitamins, and nutrients... in a jar (no cooking required)!

Now that the weather is warm, almost every weekday morning after the gym I have either a green smoothie or a bowl of berries, topped with some crunchy granola, nuts and chia seeds with a little almond milk. It's my favorite quick breakfast and fills me up.

Overnight Oats in a Jar is very popular on Pinterest these days. Have you tried them? Some add Greek yogurt to their oats for more protein, but personally I'm not a fan of the tangy taste of yogurt in my oatmeal. Since granola is basically toasted oats, I decided to take my favorite morning combination using oats instead of granola and place them in a jar overnight to see how they taste the next day! 

Verdict: after removing the jar from my refrigerator this morning, I let is sit on the counter while I went to the gym to get the chill out of it. Oatmeal was on my mind all morning as I ran on the treadmill and when I got back I was excited to have breakfast right there on my counter waiting for me and I enjoyed every last spoonful! Yum!

True story: My younger brother had very high cholesterol (he's thin) in his 30's and was able to lower it by over 100 points without the help of any medication, just buy eating raw oats every morning for about 6 months and getting regular exercise. He also increased some healthy oils, but he swears by the oatmeal. The doctor was amazed because they wanted to put him on Lipitor, but my brother insisted on trying to lower it with diet first to see if he could. Oatmeal has since been a part of his daily breakfast routine.

p.s.- I was never a fan of the taste of Stevia until I tried the liquid drops from NuNaturals. Stevia lovers always told me good things about NuNaturals so when I finally got to try it, I see why. You don't get that bitter aftertaste you get with other brands on the market. You can find it at Whole Foods or online, but if stevia isn't for you, use whatever you prefer in your home, a little brown sugar or maple would also work, or you can leave the sweetener out completely. Enjoy!!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Father's Day Round-Up

Father's Day is this Sunday! If you're stumped and don't know what to make Dad on his special day, I thought I would give you some ideas.

Nothing like starting the morning with some pancakes! These Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes will really show Dad how much you love him!!

If Dad likes meat and potatoes, try this delicious Carne Guisada (Latin Beef Stew).

For a wonderful pork dish that's both sweet and spicy, try this Sweet and Fiery Pork Tenderloin.

If Dad likes pulled pork, then this easy Crock Pot Pulled Pork made with homemade BBQ Sauce would be perfect!

Another crock pot dish my husband loves is this Crock Pot Asian Pork, great over rice or noodles.

If the weather is warm and you plan on grilling, these Grilled Shrimp Skewers are Bangin!!

And for dessert, who doesn't love Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding! I bet Dad does!!

Wishing all you amazing Dad's out there a HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore

The sweet aroma of bell peppers simmering slowly all day long with onions and chicken in crushed tomatoes will make you a very happy person when you get home from work. Serve this over your favorite pasta, rice or polenta and enjoy!

Cacciatore means "hunter" in Italian, often the chicken is dusted with flour and fried in oil before simmering in tomatoes with onions and peppers. This skinny version removes the skin and skips the deep frying, but you won't miss it.

When using your crock pot, I always recommend browning the meat and vegetables first for deeper flavors and a thicker sauce because liquids don't evaporate in the slow cooker.

But for those of you who don't want to dirty a pan, or don't have that extra time to brown first I tested this out using the quick method of dumping it all in the slow cookers.

Verdict: The sauce wasn't as thick as I would have liked, so my easy fix: I set the crock pot to high with the cover off for one additional hour to let it simmer and thicken and that worked fine. Perhaps adding a little flour would also help i thicken. If you want to add mushrooms to the sauce, this would also be a great time to do so.

If you are a white meat girl, you can certainly use chicken breast but I highly recommend keeping the chicken on the bone. The bone is what gives you such great flavor, you can always remove it after.

For the stove top version, see Chicken Cacciatore. Cooking on the stove differs from the crock pot, liquids evaporate quickly on the stove where as in the slow cooker nothing evaporates. When you add all the elements to your crock, you may be tempted to add broth but don't. There will be plenty of liquid once it starts cooking. Also, flavors tend to get muted in the slow cooker, so I always adjust my herbs and seasoning in the end to get it where I want it.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Grilled Potatoes

Guilt-free crispy grilled "fries" made right outside on the grill!

When the weather gets hot in New York, I like to take the cooking outside. Grilling is usually my husband's job, but lately I've been having fun exploring the many things you can make outside on the grill all on my own, it's really not that hard!

Take these fries, who says you can't make fries outside on the grill? They turn out crispy and delicious without deep frying or heating up the kitchen and you can even grill your turkey burgers along side them.

Yes, you can have your carbs, just have them in moderation. Serve them with some homemade ketchup and enjoy!!

PS- You can find the crinkle cutter on Amazon!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Homemade Ketchup

Making your own ketchup is so EASY to make at home and making it yourself allows you to control what goes into it.

Ketchup is as American as apple pie, that sweet-sour combination on french fries are irresistible and who doesn't love it on their burgers! But have you ever checked the label of your favorite brand of ketchup? High Fructose Corn Syrup is used to sweeten most brands of ketchup although I did find organic Heinz ketchup in my health food store that does not contain HFCS's, but it was half the size at a higher price.

So I thought it would be fun to try making my own and tested and played around with a few recipes until I found one that I loved with some slight changes using honey as my sweetener and cutting back on the sugar and tested it out on some grilled fries (recipe coming!) and the results were delicious...

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Angel Hair with Zucchini and Tomatoes

Angel hair tossed with summer zucchini and tomatoes fresh from the garden. The perfect meatless meal you'll be craving again and again. Serve this with plenty of Parmigiano Reggiano!

Hope everyone had a great weekend, I was away in Seattle for a few days for the Blogher Food Convention so I thought I would share one of my older recipes I love from the archives, perfect for this time of year.  This is easy to make and ready in under 30 minutes.

For those on gluten-free diets, use brown rice pasta instead. Enjoy!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Spinach Pesto Pasta

Pesto is one of my favorite things to kick up a boring dish. It's simple and versatile and deliciously healthy. Typically basil is used but did you know you can use other greens like spinach, kale or even carrot tops? Basil is growing like crazy in my garden right now but I chose a big handful or two of baby spinach and then tossed in a few basil leaves to tone down the pungent flavor so that my kids would eat it.

It worked, score! My kids willingly ate a big bowl of spinach and were none the wiser.

I think it's important to serve a variety of colors and textures to your kids so that they get used to trying new things and have a balanced, healthy diet. Green is usually the hardest color to get my kids to eat, especially if it's not served in a typical fashion, like this pasta. They love salad and broccoli but will turn there noses up if I put collard greens in soup or kale in pasta. I keep at it though because I'm very attached to my leafy greens and am holding on to the hope that my kids will eventually get over there unwarranted loathing for them.

This pesto whips up in just a couple of minutes and can be used in pasta, as a dip on top of crusty bread 

layered with fresh tomatoes or on top of baked fish. The raw garlic is a healthy addition and adds a pop of spiciness to the pasta, I add several cloves but if you haven't built up a tolerance for loads of garlic like me, start with just one clove. Don't forget the Parmesan, it really goes well with pesto.

I like using rotini pasta because it holds the pesto well.

Ingredients:

1 box of rotini pasta, cooked according to package directions

2 big handfuls of baby spinach

1 small handful of fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts

1-3 cloves of garlic

2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

pinch of salt (preferably Himalayan pink sea salt)

Put spinach, basil, nuts and garlic in a food processor. Pulse till smooth while drizzling in olive oil. Add a bit of water if needed to desired consistency. Add salt and pulse till combined.

Toss pesto with the cooked pasta. Serve warm, garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.

What are you planning on making for dinner during the hot summer months?

Shrimp Pad Thai on the Lighter Side

I've been a huge fan of Rasa Malaysia for many years and recently Bee and I have become friends. Bee spent a few months traveling Thailand and when she returned I asked if she could guest post making a Skinnier version of a Thai Classic. Pad Thai is probably my most requested makeover, so who better than to have Bee give us her authentic version with a lighter touch! Vegetarians, leave out the shrimp and add more tofu or add more veggies!

Hi there, I’m Bee from Rasa Malaysia, a website about easy Asian cooking. I’m also the cookbook author of Easy Chinese Recipes (Tuttle, September 2011) — one of the best-selling Chinese cookery books on Amazon. First of all, I wanted to thank Gina for giving me the opportunity to guest post on Skinnytaste and share my Pad Thai recipe with you. I’m very honored—and thrilled—to grace this space, and I hope you like what I have to share with you here.

I love Thai food so there is no surprise that I’m a big fan of Pad Thai, or Thai stir-fried rice noodles. If you have dined at Thai restaurants, I’m sure you have had Pad Thai. Pad Thai is quite possibly the most famous dish outside of Thailand.

Thai cuisine is prized for its perfect balance of the four main tastes: hot, sour, salty, and sweet. Pad Thai is no exception. The spiciness of this noodle dish comes from the use of chili powder while the tartness comes from tamarind. The saltiness of most Thai food comes from fish sauce, or nam pla, while palm sugar lends the sweetness to the overall dish. For this recipe, I opted to use vinegar in lieu of tamarind juice, as it’s commonly used by the street vendors in Thailand. Palm sugar is not a common ingredient for many people, so I substituted it with sugar. The recipe is very versatile as you can make it healthier by adding more bean sprouts and reduce the rice noodles. Other than shrimp, you can also use chicken breast. The fried firm tofu is a key ingredient in authentic Pad Thai but you can’t find it at your local stores, feel free to opt it out.

I love eating my Pad Thai with a generous squirt (or two) of lime juice. It’s a delightful dish to make at home and a complete meal on its own. I hope you enjoy the recipe. If you have any questions, do leave me a comment! Again, thanks Gina for having me.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Mango Coconut Chia Pudding

I'm addicted to coconut, when I was pregnant it was all I craved! Combine that with mango and I'm in heaven!

...and using chia seeds to make an easy, healthy form of pudding which requires no cooking? Genius!

Chia pudding has a sort of tapioca texture, you simply combine all the ingredients and refrigerate overnight. The little tiny chia seeds when soaked in liquid expand to more than 4 times their size!

They don't really have much of a taste, the texture is similar to passion fruit if you've ever eaten one. And in case you're wondering, yes it's the same chia seed used to make Chia Pets. Chia is an excellent source of omega fatty acids and full of minerals, vitamins and fiber. Aside from making pudding, you can add them to smoothies, muffins, and my favorite, I throw them in my bowl of cereal.

Tested this pudding out on my pickiest family member, my teenage daughter Karina and she LOVED it to my surprise, she usually puts her nose up at some of my healthy creations.

What do you do with your chia? Would love to hear!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Spicy Black Bean Burgers with Chipotle Mayonnaise

One bite of this spicy black bean burger with spicy chipotle mayo and creamy avocado and you won't miss the meat! Yes, these were good enough to please even the adult carnivore's in my home (a bit too spicy for my kids).

Make no mistake, I love meat, but I also think it's good to give it up at least once a week, so why give Meatless Mondays a shot? Pretty inexpensive to make and really not hard to make. The hardest part is forming them into patties, and even that isn't so bad.

These cook best if frozen so plan to make them ahead and cook as needed. You can even double the batch to keep them on hand whenever you need them.

To store them in your freezer, freeze them on wax paper until they set, about 2 hours, then transfer them into containers. I keep all my homemade burgers labeled in Glad Freezerware containers which can withstand extreme temperatures without cracking. Labeling them keeps them organized so when I have backyard BBQs, I have something to please every palate. Also perfect for once a month cooking!

Vegetarian, High in Fiber, and Gluten Free if using GF oats (excluding the bun). I highly recommend making them exactly as written, don't change a thing!


Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Summer (In) Sanity: How to Keep Busy this Summer and A Family Activity Calendar

It's 4 whole days in to summer break and already the kids are bored out of their skulls. By 9:00 a.m. we've already had breakfast, gotten dressed, gone to the park or for a 'nature walk', been swimming and made a craft.   Now what do we do for the remaining 12 hours of the day?!!   Cue me to exit the house and go to work where I find dealing with demanding and pretentious spine surgeons and taking care of sick patients a relaxing getaway. Normal thing for a mom to feel on occasion, right?

In fact, when my husband came home from work tonight and asked if I would mind running to the store to grab a couple of things if he did the dishes and put the kids to bed in exchange I was out the door so fast I don't think he knew what happened.

If that doesn't sound depressing enough I found myself joking with some friends who were complaining about jury duty about how nice of a break it could be if they just looked at it with the right attitude, one of a mom of 4 for instance. I mean really, sitting around all day long reading a good book, how often do I get that sort of deal?

Don't get me wrong, I loooooveee my children, the little darlings, the lambs. But it is constant commotion around this joint even when everyone is behaving and by the end of a normal day of feeding, clothing, playing and basically just keeping 4 mischievous children alive and unscathed I'm  exhausted  by ALL means of the word.


So, this summer I am taking matters into my own creative little hands. It gets pretty damn hot here in Phoenix, so hot that when it is below 110F in July, we celebrate with glee and talk about the weather with each other like it's a new phenomenon. And when it actually rains in July, well, we run around half naked outside laughing out loud like crazy people. So being cooped up inside with 4 cranky, hot kids means you need a plan.


Plan A:
Stay inside all day and watch t.v. and eat ice cream.

Plan B:
Swim all morning. Watch t.v. Swim in the evening. Watch t.v.

Plan C:
Keep the kids busy and active while saving my sanity.




First, make a list of places in your neighborhood that might have things to do for kids or as a family.

• Library: Get signed up for the summer reading program to win cool prizes and discover new books. Libraries also have many free summer games and activities like Lego Building contest and visitors from the local Zoo and Puppet Theatres.
• Schools: Check your local schools for summer programs like Karate, art classes and sports programs.
• City Parks and Rec.  Besides an assortment of activities your city may have a rec center, free evening movies and concerts in the park and classes to attend.
• Many Churches offer activities for kids whether you belong to the church or not
• YMCA
• Google "free things to do with kids insert name of your city  I found a FREE 3 week long clinic at the Ice Arena near our home offered by the Phoenix Coyotes
• Visit "MeetUp.com" or a similar organization for tons of meet up groups in your area
• Splash Pads are wonderful fun and usually free. There are several in my neighborhood, ask around or Google where they are in your area.
• If there aren't any Splash Pads in your area, sprinklers, water toys and squirt guns make for a fun and cool afternoon.
• Museums. I have lived here in Phoenix my entire life and didn't know there was a Science and Aircraft museum in Peoria, just a few miles away from our house! In fact, many museums offer discounts and fun summer camps/packages. Also, many libraries have FREE passes to local museums!

Many resorts offer discounts during the summer and have amazing swimming pools

photo source: Arizona Foothills

Next, create a calendar of your activities so your summer is stress free fun!

I created this simple calendar at  Keep and Share.

(note this is just an example of our summer activities)

When all else fails, MAKE HOME MADE ICE CREAM!!!

What are you doing this summer???