Green Pepper, Pineapple, Chicken Skewers

Ok, the fun part about this recipe is that you could really thread a ton of different veggies on the skewer if you wanted! I chose green pepper and fresh pineapple because it sounded the most delicious with the spices I intended on putting on the chicken!

Sorry for the last few posts being so open-ended and non-specific, but these recipes really just depend on how many you want to make and what your personal tastes are! #sorrynotsorry

Ingredients:

Chicken tenderloins
Green Pepper
Fresh Pineapple
Crushed red pepper
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Brown Sugar
Garlic (powder OR fresh minced)

Cut your tenderloins into 3 - 4 pieces each.

Combine all the spices in whatever ratio you deem best and toss over raw chicken pieces until very even.

Soak skewers in water.

Thread pineapple pieces, green pepper pieces, and spiced tenderloins onto skewers.

Grill until chicken is cooked through.

BONUS:

Have a few grilled skewers with JUST pineapple.... Ohhh my word, yum!

Easy Pad Thai

So, sorry to break it to you, but I'm not going to be super specific in this recipe (gasp!).  But, I just love how I throw things together to resemble a favorite such as Pad Thai. This won't be the most authentic (double gasp!)... but it was delicious!

Ingredients (you get to decide how much of them for the most part!)

Rice noodles
Carrots
Bean Sprouts
Lime
Green Onion
Cilantro
Peanuts
Soy Sauce
Sugar
Sriracha Sauce
Rotisserie Chicken

Cook your rice noodles according to package directions.

In a small sauce pan, combine the juice of the lime, a few tsp sugar, a little bit of soy sauce, a couple tbsp of water, and a little sriracha hot sauce.  Heat until sugar disolves, then set aside for now.

Chop your carrots (or any other veggies you include... baby corn would be yummy in this)

In a wok, add your noodles, torn up chicken, carrots, and sauce (not the bean sprouts yet). Toss for a couple minutes until sauce has been soaked up by noodles.

Pour into a serving dish, add the bean sprouts, peanuts, green onion and cilantro.

Garnish with the wedges of the lime you used in the sauce.

Yum!

Summer Quiche

Ready for another yummy and easy one?!

Summer Veggie Quiche! Ok, so we all love home-grown veggies, right? Either you grow them yourself, or you stop at a farmers market or maybe get them from a friend whose "harvest" is a little too plentiful for them!

This quiche is practically guilt-free, so eat up :)

Ingredients:

4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Skim Milk
1 Zucchini
2 Tomatoes
1 Ear Corn
Salt and Pepper
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheese of choice
Half an onion, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Chop up your veggies, putting each one in a different bowl. (Corn should not be cooked first, neither should it be of the frozen variety! Fresh is key!)

Sautee zucchini for a few minutes in 1 tsp olive oil just to soften it.

Mix together your eggs and milk, then pour into a well-greased pie dish.

Layer half of your chopped tomatoes as well as all of your corn. (If you want onion, add it now) Add zucchini in a pretty arrangement on top. Then sprinkle your cheese. Top with freshly ground pepper.

Bake for 50-60 minutes (eggs must be cooked thoroughly!)

Enjoy while topped with remaining tomatoes or any other veggies your heart desires.

I like sour cream on top of mine... which isn't as guilt free so it's not in the picture, haha. Doesn't mean it didn't go in my stomach!

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Umm... one word: YUM!  This is the kind of recipe that makes it feel like both a healthy day and a major splurge day at the same time. That's probably because there is bacon involved!

It's a super easy recipe that anyone that knows how to work a grill (or I suppose a grill pan) can make.

Ingredients:

Bacon (one piece for every 8 asparagus spears)
Asparagus
Olive Oil (1-2 Tbsp)
Pepper (Up to you!)

Chop your asparagus so it's only about 4 or 5 inches in length. Toss in 1 Tbsp olive oil and however much freshly ground black pepper you want.

Cut your bacon in half and wrap around 5 asparagus pieces.

Grill. (takes about 10 minutes / make sure the bacon is crisp)

Yup, that's it!

Quinoa and Veggies with Fresh Greek Herb Dressing

I've been wanting to try quinoa for quite some time now. And I finally made the plunge (in other words, finally brought myself to spend the $7 for the package at the grocery, lol). I even created my own recipe to go along with my little quinoa adventure... and wouldn't ya know it, it was fabulous! Probably because there is mint in the recipe and I'm a huge fan of fresh mint.

Take my warning here, people: DO NOT use dry herbs if you make this. You will regret it. This recipe really needs the fresh mint/parsley/green onions for the dressing! And on that note, make sure you use a real lemon too :) Just your PSA for today!

Enjoy! I know we did!

Ingredients:

1 Cup Quinoa
2 Cups Water

1 Large Cucumber
1 1/4 C sliced Cherry or Grape Tomatoes

1 - 2 Tbsp Finely Chopped Green Onions

2 - 3 Tbsp Finely Chopped Fresh Mint**
2 - 3 Tbsp Finely Chopped Fresh Parsley**
1 Lemon
1/4 C Olive Oil
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp White Sugar
**Must be fresh, not dried**

Instructions:

Rinse quinoa in a sieve. 

In a medium saucepan, combine your 1 cup of rinsed quinoa with the 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Once you reach a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes.

While your quinoa is cooking, slice your cucumbers and tomatoes into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

To make your dressing, finely chop your green onion, mint, and parsley. (There is a little lee-way in the recipe for these so you can incorporate your own personal taste for the herbs. However, I put in 1.5 Tbsp green onion and 2.5 Tbsp each of the mint and parsley.)

In a small mixing bowl, combine your chopped herbs with the juice of one lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper, and sugar. Mix until well combined.

When Quinoa is done, find a nice serving dish and mix in the veggies and dressing.

Top with lemon zest!

This dish is delicious warm, room temperature, or cold.

Lavender Simple Syrup + Lavender Lemonade

I love summers, and not just because I'm a teacher and it's my recharge time. I love it because the sun is warm, the days are long, and the drinks are refreshing! This is no exception, and just might be my new go-to recipe.  Lavender lemonade is divine - combining the tartness of the lemon, sweetness of sugar, and fresh taste of the lavender.  We have lavender growing in our backyard, so it works out perfectly for me to make this all I want in the spring and summer time!

You might think that adding the lavender sounds weird... and that's ok, nobody's perfect!

Just kidding.

Mostly.

Lavender Simple Syrup

1 Cup Water
3/4 Cup Sugar
3+ Tablespoons dried (or fresh) Lavender flowers

Combine these in a nice saucepan over medium/high heat and stir constantly for about 10-15 minutes.  It should boil softly for a few minutes before you turn off the heat.

Strain out the flowers.

Pour contents into a jar you can seal tight.

Once the liquid cools, place your sealed jar in the fridge and use as desired. I'd probably only keep it about a week in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Lavender Lemonade

Ok, we're just going to make the easy version this time! 

Lemonade

Lavender Simple Syrup

Combine about 2 Tablespoons Simple Syrup with 1 Cup Lemonade in a tall glass filled with ice.  That's it! This recipe is best with a very tart store-bought lemonade (I used Simply Lemonade).  

Now, you could go all fancy pants and make your own lemonade - squeezing your own lemons and all... but I wasn't feeling so inspired (or so inclined to spend so much more money).

Shrimp and Cheesy Grits [and Feta Bacon Salad]

A few years ago, while on my honeymoon with my husband, we had the most delicious shrimp and grits at a little restaurant on the ocean.  This is not a copycat, just a similar southern favorite. Get ready to wear the stretchy pants after dinner because I promise that there will be lots of fat in this dish - delicious, delicious fatty foods. (Consume in moderation)

Ingredients:

1 Cups uncooked Grits
3 Cups Water
Salt/Pepper/Butter to taste
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar (optional)


16oz. Bacon
1/2 Vidalia Onion
1 Green Pepper
1 lb. Peeled/Deveined Shrimp


Start by chopping up a half of your vidalia onion and one green pepper. Set aside (believe me, if you don't do this now you'll end up calling for help from your husband because you didn't budget your time right... oh wait, that was me.)

Fry up a pound of bacon - I like it crispy, but cook it however you like it.

Start your grits while the bacon is frying.  Whatever brand grits you have should have instructions on it... but in case it doesn't: Boil 3C Water, Add 1C grits after it starts to boil. Cook stirring constantly for 10-15 minutes.  Add desired butter/salt/pepper (you can go all Paula Dean on these grits like we did, or just add a tiny bit of butter - your choice) ** When your grits are done, stir in 2 Cups cheddar cheese if you want cheesy grits **

Keep watching that bacon!

Once the bacon is cooked, chop it up!

In the bacon grease, cook the onion and pepper.

Once the onions/peppers are getting soft, add in your shrimp - cooking about 3-4 minutes a side for larger shrimp.

You're ready to serve: Cheese grits on bottom, a little chopped bacon next, peppers/onions, shrimp on top!

Keep reading if you would like to know how to make MY FAVORITE SALAD EVER!

Feta Bacon Salad

1 8-oz package Feta Cheese (I LOVE FETA... and would err on the side of lots)
Bacon, crumbled (However much or little you want, but do yourself a favor and use real bacon, bacon bits do NOT count)
1 package Spinach

Dressing:
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
3 Tablespoons White Sugar

Mix salad ingredients and dressing ingredients separately.  You may or may not need all of the dressing.

Just mix it and enjoy! Seriously delicious!

Derek's rating: 9/10! Yay, and yum!