Tag: Chobani

Pinning Away

For those of you that follow me on Pinterest, you know I pin a lot of recipes. So many, in fact, that the majority of the meals I’ve been making over the past few weeks have come from what I’ve found on the site.

My husband’s birthday was last Sunday, so I had to make some sweet treats for the little get together we had. First up was a batch of peanut butter and chocolate protein cookies from The Frugal Girls that were filling and good for you! I found the recipe Saturday morning, and just knew I wanted to make them.

So easy. So delicious.

Next up was a batch of brownie batter dip. Oh yes. I’ve seen plenty of recipes for cookie dough dip, but this was one of the first brownie batter dips I’ve seen, and I’m so glad I made it. It’s from Crumbs and Chaos and is super easy to make, and you can’t go wrong when it’s paired with some animal crackers. Everyone was impressed with the treat, and I had enough leftover to take a little spoonful here and there throughout the week.

You need to make this NOW.

Aside from desserts (which are the majority of pins I see), I’ve made some really delicious dinners as well. Since it was so hot the past few weeks, I wasn’t feeling anything too heavy or that required serious oven time, so I made this chipotle chopped salad from Nutmeg Notebook one night, which was SO good. I subbed the sour cream for plain Chobani, and served it alongside some “chicken” fingers to bulk it up a bit. I would absolutely eat this salad again, for either lunch or dinner.

Just like a Chipotle salad!

We also had some buffalo chicken chili since it got cooler as last week progressed, and I subbed out the shredded chicken for tempeh. It was really good, and I could definitely see it as a crowd pleaser during football season. You should really check out Closet Cooking’s blog – I want to make pretty much every single recipe.

After spending some time perusing Pinterest, I think I have some inspiration and ideas for some of my own recipes that I’d like to try. Hopefully I can make at least one a week, and share them with you!

 

Product Love

I don’t really do product reviews unless I’m given a product to try for that sole purpose. However, sometimes I find something really yummy, fun, useful, or just worth sharing. In this case, I really just feel the need to share some of the new things I’ve tried in the past few weeks that I’ve really enjoyed.

First, I had the opportunity to try Nature’s Pride Hearty Wheat with Flax bread, courtesy of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program. By opting in I was sent a loaf and a few kaiser rolls to enjoy. It just so happened that I was planning to make sandwiches that week, so it wound up being very convenient! My fiancé has been requesting his sandwiches on this bread recently, so he’s definitely a fan! Since the slices are on the bigger side, I’ve made quite a few open-faced “grilled cheese” sandwiches of sorts. A perfect afternoon snack!

I also made a trip to Trader Joe’s where I picked up my first loaf of Ezekiel Bread. Yes, it’s been a carb heavy few weeks! So many blogs that I read seem to all enjoy some Ezekiel bread with a form of nut butter on top of it pre-run, and also just through the course of other meals. Since I had never heard of the bread until recently, I decided to check it out. I grabbed the Ezekiel 4:9 bread, and eagerly made a peanut butter, almond butter, and jelly sandwich with it. YUM! I’m a big fan of super grainy breads, so this was right up my alley. I know it’s an acquired texture/taste for some, but I really enjoy it; I remember back in the day when my mom would get fresh bread and make sandwiches from it as a treat, I always requested the uber-grained breads. Even though the slices are smaller than typical sandwich bread, it’s still really filling because of all the grains. I’ve been savoring this loaf – I don’t want it to end!

Look at that grainy goodness!

Finally, after seeing so many tweets and blog posts about the Chobani lemon flavor, I just had to pick some up for myself! I was unsure as to just how lemon flavored the yogurt would be, as I enjoy lemon to an extent, but find that it can easily be overpowering. I mixed in some golden flaxseed for a little texture, and it was absolutely delicious! I absolutely love Greek yogurt, and Chobani is definitely my favorite brand (as I’ve read is also the favorite of quite a few other people!). I was always a big vanilla fan, and also the plain to replace sour cream, but I think I might have found a new favorite flavor! I can’t wait to get back to the grocery store for more.

I have a ton of other favorite foods / products that I find myself buying each week, but these three are the newest additions to my rotation. I think I’m going to start a weekly post of some favorites of mine, and since I’m always discovering new things, I doubt I’ll run out!

Question: What are some of your favorite foodie products?

A Little Fishy

True story: I have never had fish tacos. I have no idea how I’ve managed to skip over that, considering the amount of tacos, burritos, etc., that I eat. Yet somehow, in my 24 years I’ve yet to have a fish taco. Well, that all changed on Sunday night, when I decided to attempt to make my very own baja fish tacos. Oh yeah – you didn’t think I wasn’t going to beer batter and deep-fry those bad-boys, did you?

Like breakfast food, I’m typically not a big seafood fan either. Aside from a good piece of salmon, the occasional tuna steak or tuna sandwich, maybe a crab cake and of course sushi, I really don’t eat fish (I actually can’t stand shrimp or lobster). And as for the aforementioned foods, I eat each of them probably about once a year (with the exception of sushi which is maybe 3 times). But, deep frying things tends to hide their flavor, at least a bit, so I’ll always eat a piece of fried fish. It’s true that they say everything tastes better fried. I challenge you to find a food that tastes better not fried!

Anyway, it’s pretty straight forward and easy. Of course the whole hot bubbling oil thing freaks me out, but I was able to get past it, by standing far away from the stove. Plus this time I was smart enough to put it in a big pot, instead of in a shallow skillet – that helped a lot. It was a nice end to a productive weekend.

Baja Style Fish Tacos
– Makes about 8 tacos –

Ingredients:
1/2 pound fish (I used cod, but you could use haddock, flounder, or fluke)
8 corn or flour tortillas
6 Tbsp flour
6 Tbsp beer (any kind will do)
1 cup canola oil (for frying)
1/2 cup shredded cabbage (I used a coleslaw mix)
1/4 cup diced tomatoes and jalapeno mixture (I used Rotel)
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (Chobani, of course)
Dash of your favorite hot sauce
Squeeze of a lime

Directions:
1. In a bowl, combine flour and beer – it’ll be kind of like a pancake mixture.
2. Cut fish into small cubes, and drop into flour and beer mixture. Stir to combine and fully coat fish.
3. In a separate bowl, combine Greek yogurt, hot sauce, and lime. Make sure to mix well to fully incorporate.
4. In a deep skillet, heat oil. Once heated, carefully drop pieces of fish into oil. Cook on first side about 6-8 minutes till golden brown. Flip onto the other side and cook for an additional 2-4 minutes.
5. While fish is cooking, assemble tortillas with  yogurt mixture first, followed by cabbage, then tomato mixture. Once fish is complete, place 2-3 pieces on each tortilla.

Southwestern Breakfast Bake

Thankfully, Saturday’s excursion to find Bridesmaid dresses was a success! Not only did we find those dresses, but my mom also found her dress, and I stumbled upon an adorable dress I’m planning to wear for either the rehearsal dinner or bridal shower, and will definitely be taking on my honeymoon. Triple score at Macy’s!

After the shopping trip, I had worked up a serious appetite, and since I had been out pretty much all day, felt as though I needed to spend a little time in the kitchen. This recipe really didn’t require much kitchen time, though, because as soon as a I put it in the oven, I went off to do a 30 minute yoga session. If any of you have iPads, iPhones, iPod touches, Macs, etc., I highly recommend Pocket Yoga (the app) – you can choose between three different practice styles, three levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced), and also three lengths of practice. It also has a library of all of the poses, and a few sun salutation sets also. I’m no yogi, but I’m really enjoying it!

But back to the food. It’s a really yummy twist on a quiche, and by naming it “breakfast pie,” it gets you excited for something different. Even though it’s a savory pie and isn’t sweet, it rightfully owns the title. The great thing about a breakfast bake, quiche, etc. is that you can really throw anything into the mix; anything goes. So I suggest getting creative!

Southwestern Breakfast Bake
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
1 pre-made pie crust
1 small onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
2 chile peppers of your choice (I used habaneros)
1/4 cup corn
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp taco seasoning (I used chipotle, but any flavor will do)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp Adobo
6 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream, or Greek yogurt (I used plain Chobani)
2/3 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 scallion, chopped

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Sauté diced onion and peppers about 3-5 minutes. Add spices, and continue to cook an additional 2 minutes. Add corn and black beans, continue cooking for an additional 3 minutes.
3. Place pre-made pie crust in a greased pie dish, and layer cooked bean, corn, and pepper mixture.
4. Whisk eggs together in a medium bowl, adding the sour cream/Greek yogurt. Mix in cheese and cilantro until combined, and pour mixture into pie dish.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes, top with scallions, and a sprinkling of cheese (if desired) and cook for additional 5 minutes.
6. Serve with additional sour cream/Greek yogurt, and salsa

Veggie Loaded Burgers and Fries

It’s no secret that I love veggie burgers. I know that for a lot of people that eat meat, they think they’re a sad comparisons to the real deal, and are less than flavorful. Since I very rarely eat meat these days, veggie burgers are a quick and easy addition to my weekday lunches, and sometimes dinner. But before I was conscious about my meat intake, I enjoyed veggie burgers. My favorites are Morningstar Farm’s Spicy Black Bean, and Dr. Praeger’s California. However, I’ve always been willing to try and make my own.

Over the summer I tried my hand at some, and they were more like sloppy joes, which was okay but somewhat frustrating. So, when I received the Taste of Home Cookbook from a coworker for Christmas, I was excited to see a few different veggie burger recipes inside. It’s a really easy recipe, that would probably be even easier if I had  a food processor to mash the beans. But even still, the process of mashing the beans and combining everything only took about 5 to 10 minutes. After trying to cook them according to the recipe, I resolved to just throwing them in the oven, which proved to be very successful.

I served the burgers alongside some parsnip fries. Confession: up until this meal, I had never, ever, eaten a parsnip. I was a little nervous when I decided to make them just because it was a new taste for both me, and my fiancé. But since we’re both always up for trying new things, and I’ve seen them on plenty of blogs that I consider to have good taste, I gave them a shot. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed. I’d prefer sweet potato fries over these, but they were a nice change of pace! I just peeled and sliced them, tossed them with some Adobo and roasted them at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.

Black Bean Cakes – adapted from The Taste of Home Cookbook
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground cumin
4 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed (I used canned)
1/2 cup chunky salsa
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream (I used plain Chobani Greek yogurt)

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mash beans with a fork. Stir in the egg white, onions, 1/4 cup of cilantro, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Shape into eight 2 1/2 inch patties.
2. In a small nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook patties in batches in the oil for 2-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown*
3. In a small bowl, combine the corn, salsa, and remaining cilantro; spoon over cakes, and garnish with sour cream (or in my case, Greek yogurt).

*Like I said, I had trouble with this. So I threw them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes till they were heated throughout and had a firm crisp (but not to crispy) top.

Breakfast of Champions

While I was swimming, I often had to wait until after practice to enjoy a “real” breakfast, since practice was usually anywhere from 5:30a to 9a, depending on the day, and season. When I got home, I was always ravenous, and since I had already been up for quite a few hours, wasn’t really interested in typical breakfast food. Being a huge bologna fan (I grew up eating bologna and American cheese sandwiches cut into quarters, with an offset of real juice and tons of veggies for lunch), I oftentimes made myself a bologna and cheese sandwich, with an iced coffee. It’s a totally weird (and to some gross) combination, especially for breakfast. My mom liked to joke that it was “the breakfast of champions.”

For Valentine’s day, I bought the fiancé a French press, because he’s been wanting one for ages. I know nothing about them, so I just went with what was rated highly on Amazon, a Bodum Brazilian press. Since it’s a little more time consuming compared to your average cup of brewed coffee, we decided to save it for the weekend. After boiling water, letting it sit so it wasn’t super hot, and then letting it all sit together for 4 minutes, we were ready to enjoy our first cup of French pressed coffee. Let me tell you, the flavor is completely different. We used our go-to coffee, Dunkin Donuts (French vanilla flavor), and it definitely didn’t taste like it does when we make it in our regular coffee maker. You can really taste the coffee flavor, and honestly, it tasted thicker. I know that sounds ridiculous, but as someone that always drinks their coffee black, sometimes it tastes a little too watery for my liking… but this was perfect. I’m definitely a French press convert!

Yup, that's me in the background getting my cook-on

Leaving the fiancé in charge (it is his, after all), I set out to make a breakfast scramble with tofu. I’ve made it no secret that I’m not a huge egg fan, so after reading a bunch of different vegetarian and vegan recipes using tofu instead, I decided to give it a shot. I went with a Southwestern theme, since that’s my go-to breakfast flavor combination, and it was really delicious. Since you don’t have to worry about making sure the eggs are cooked all the way, the whole entire thing took about 10 minutes, leaving us perfect timing for when the coffee was ready. I could have definitely had this wrapped up into a burrito, atop some toast, maybe in a casserole, or just how I had it, plain.

Southwestern Tofu Scramble
– Serves 2 –

Ingredients:
8 oz. package of tofu (pressed to remove excess water)
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced
1/3 cup chunky salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheese (any blend will do)
1/4 cup cilantro
2 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp Adobo
1 tsp ground cumin
Sour cream or Greek yogurt (I used Chobani plain) for garnish

Directions:
1. Heat oil in skillet, and add onion, pepper, and jalapeno. Sautee for 5 minutes, adding spices half way through
2.  While the onion and pepper mixture is cooking, mash tofu in a bowl until it has the consistency of eggs
3. Add tofu, cilantro, salsa, and half the cheese mixture. Cook about 5 minutes, making sure everything is combined
4. Finish off with the rest of the cheese, mixing all the way through, and remove from the heat
5. Serve with the sour cream/yogurt and any other garnish you’d like

A little spice goes a long way

It’s no secret that I love spicy food. However, I have my limits, and they were met this weekend. On Saturday after a failed attempt at taking my mom out for her birthday dinner, we wound up getting take-out Thai food. When I had mentioned getting dinner on Saturday, February 12th, no one thought to mention to me that it was the Saturday before Valentine’s Day, and every restaurant would likely be crowded. After calling ahead, and still being told we’d wait for at least an additional 30 minutes, my parents decided they would much rather have food before their bedtime, in the comfort of their own home. Not being one to argue, I ordered my usual – Pad Kee Mao, and my fiancé ordered his usual – Pad Thai.

The restaurant we order from, Thailand Restaurant, makes their food hot. They let you know when you order, making sure you know it’s spicy when you ask for it “medium.” My fiancé decided to order it hot. I myself have never ordered hot, only medium. Well, let me tell you, my medium was hot. So before my fiancé even started eating the noodles I could smell the heat, and see the spice all over it. Needless to say he wasn’t able to finish the meal, and spent a portion of the evening downing sugar and drinking milk.

On Sunday, the fiancé decided to make me dinner, and we had a stir-fry. It was really good, except he decided to put two large drops of Blair’s Mega Death hot sauce in it. Big mistake. After mixing in some plain Chobani, it was still just too hot to eat. It was disappointing because it was really good. After fiancé’s bout with his extremely spicy food on Saturday, his concoction on Sunday was no problem for him.

So when I found this Linguine with Zucchini and Chickpeas recipe from Real Simple, a littles spice was more than welcomed. This is a perfect weeknight recipe, since it only takes as long to prepare as it does to cook the pasta. Of course I doubled the red pepper amount, but it was still plenty cool in comparison to my other meals from the week.

There are noodles under there, I swear!

Linguine with Zucchini and Chickpeas via Real Simple
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
12 ounces linguine (3/4 box)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 small zucchini, cut into thin half-moons
kosher salt
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, drain, and return the pasta to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini and ½ teaspoon salt.
3. Cook the zucchini, tossing often, until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Add the chickpeas, garlic, and red pepper and cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Toss the pasta with the reserved pasta water and ¼ cup of the Parmesan.
6. Divide the pasta among bowls and top with the zucchini mixture and the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan.

Homemade fruit smoothie!

Since it’s summertime, I figured a fruit smoothie would be the perfect way to enjoy something cool, refreshing, and nutritious post-sweltering run. So, while I was at the store earlier this week I grabbed myself some almond milk, frozen fruit, and plain Greek yogurt. My fiancé is a huge smoothie fan, so I figured he’d be down with the idea as well, and of course he was!

We decided to go with the “deluxe mixed berry” fruit mix, which has blueberries, rasberries, blackberries and some strawberries in it. As I mentioned, the Greek yogurt (Chobani brand) was plain, and I got vanilla flavored almond milk (Breeze brand) to add some extra flavor dimension. I only needed to blend it all together with some ice for a few seconds, and voila! I decided to serve it up in our Firecracker Four Miler glasses, since we’ll be running that beauty on Sunday, also I will be using dry ice to keep it cold for a longer time! My only qualm about my particular homemade recipe was it was a bit too liquid-y. I’m not quite sure what I could use to thicken it up, though. More yogurt? A powder of sorts? Any suggestions are welcome!

Smoothies really are quite diverse. Breakfast, lunch, snack, dessert, you name it they can be worked into a meal. I definitely plan on tweaking and “perfecting” this recipe, because let’s be honest, a $5 Jamba Juice smoothie is a treat, and we should be able to have smoothies more than just once in awhile!

Homemade Fruit Smoothie
– Serves 2 –

Ingredients:
1 cup vanilla flavored almond milk
1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon of honey (I usually get this Tupelo Honey for Sale)
1 1/2 cups frozen (or fresh!) fruit (any variety)
10 ice cubes

Directions:
1. Measure all ingredients, pour into blender
2. Pulse on “max ice crush” until frothy and smooth
3. Enjoy!