False Alarm! Gonna Celebrate with Some Cookies!

If you could see me right now, I would look a bit like this!
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Why? Because life went ahead and handed me a complete freebie today. When I woke up this morning, my beloved camera wasn't working, and the prognosis was not looking good. And my other equally beloved point-and-shoot camera (along with three months worth of pictures) was lost, hopelessly lost, trust me, I had called and looked EVERYWHERE. There was heartbreak, there were tears, and there may have also been irrational ebay bidding, along with ebay panic, and then utter ebay relief to find that i had been outbid at the last minute.

But then miracles happened, and not one, but BOTH of my cameras were restored to me by the end of the day. There was relief, there were more tears (so I love my cameras okay), and then there were cookies. How else does a foodie celebrate if not with food? Thank you all for your sweet comments at my post below, but I can't even tell you how happy I am to not have to take a break after all!



I found these gems at Gina's Skinny Taste, a wonderful blog with light recipes, especially conducive to those doing Weight Watchers. Now I'm all about cooking and eating healthy, but when it comes to dessert, I'm a purist. I don't think dessert should be messed with, just eat the dang brownie! But if you were to serve me these cookies without ever mentioning that they were light, I don't think I'd ever know. They're chewy, they're sweet, they are loaded with chocolate and my whole family LOVED them! Like a good girl, I had two, but I could have eaten these babies all night. Check out the recipe here!


Don't you love the plate? My parents sent it for my birthday a few days ago, I think I should be allowed to use it for at least a month, don't you? :)

Camera Crisis

Hey food friends, it's been a while! Unfortunately it's going to be a while longer. With a breaking heart i have to announce that I'll be taking an indefinite break. Long story short, my luck with cameras has not been stellar lately and I don't have a way to take pictures of my food right now. It's honestly killing me, but such is life!

Before I do go, a big shoutout to Foodbuzz who sampled me with three beautiful bottles of olive oil. I have no doubt that I'll use them for a lot of things, but one of them was this delicious coconut chicken. If you don't like shrimp, this is a great substitute!

Be sure to keep in touch with me on facebook and I'll definitely check in with you all when I can. I'm praying that I'll have things back in order soon, but it's hard to say. In the meantime, happy cooking!

Quick Homemade Refried Beans and What I Did With Them

I don't think it's very easy for a food blogger to name a favorite food. I mean, what a commitment to make when there is just so much amazing food out there. It would be like asking a mathematician what they're favorite equation is, or a florist their favorite flower, how do you choose?

HOWEVER, gun to my head, if I had to name a favorite, it would be Mexican food. Oh how I adore their flavorful, spicy meats, chewy warm tortillas and cilantro...is there a better flavor in the world then cilantro? I don't make Mexican food much because I just don't feel like I can measure up to the real stuff being sold by people who have been making it their entire lives. But since Philly has a real shortage of good authentic Mexican food, I think it's time to learn.


I'm starting simple by making my own refried beans. This is a quick recipe, so the beans come of out the can and not the bag. They are a snap to make, and oh so good, I'll never buy them out of the can again!



Refried Beans
America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Ingredients

3 cans red kidney beans, rinsed (I used black)
1 cup water
1 onion, minced
1 large jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded and minced
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
salt
hot sauce

Directions

1. Process the beans and water in a food processor until smooth, about 2 minutes, scrap down sides of the bowl as needed.

2. Combine the onion, jalapeno, and 1 teaspoon of the oil in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetable are softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the pureed beans until thoroughly combined.

4. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often until the beans have thickened and the flavors have blended, about 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining tablespoons oil and cilantro, Season with salt and hot sauce to taste and serve.

Serves 8

Per 1/2 cup serving: 120 cal, 2.5g fat, 19g carbs, 7g prot, 6g fiber



After the beans were made, I rolled them in flour tortillas, put them in a casserole pan and soaked the whole thing with green enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and bake at 375 for about twenty minutes. Creamy, tangy heaven! It's also not too bad for you. Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, olives and sour cream. ENJOY!

Breakfast Cookies

As I've mentioned in the past, I'm not much of a breakfast person. Nothing sounds worse to me first thing in the morning then eating. Luckily for my kids, my husband loves breakfast. Being the baker-man that he is, my kids are always enjoying waffles, pancakes and cinnamon rolls. So when he took off to Texas for two weeks, I had to step it up in the morning and take on the role of the fun breakfast maker.



Imagine how much fun I had greeting my kids first thing in the morning with the phrase "I'm making cookies for breakfast!" Yeah that's right, mom can be cool too! But these aren't regular cookies, they're packed with banana, peanut butter, wheat germ and dried fruit. For good measure I threw some chocolate chips in there, because, well, you know. They're fluffy and have more of a cake-like texture, but they're so delicious and go great with milk. So go ahead, make cookies for breakfast!



Breakfast Cookies
By Food.com

Ingredients

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup bananas, mashed
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup wheat germ
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins or 1 cup other dried fruit
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine peanut butter and butter and beat on medium with an electric mixer.

3. Add brown sugar; beat until combined.

4. Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined.

5. Add banana, baking soda & salt; beat until combined.

6. Add flour & wheat germ, a little at a time, and beat until combined.

7. Stir in rolled oats, dried fruit and chocolate chips (if using) by hand.

Per Cookie: 170 cal, 7g fat, 23g carb, 2g fiber, 4g prot

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

When I was younger, the sweet potato rarely made an appearance in my life. I might see a candied yam once a year for Thanksgiving, but that was the closest I ever got to this orange spud. In fact, just this last year is the first time the sweet potato has become a common staple in our household, and thank goodness too! Not only is it versatile, sweet and totally delicious, it's also a fantastic source of fiber, and vitamins A, B, and C. Definitely something I can get behind, especially when I see my kids snarfing them down.

If you think regular mashed potatoes are a snap to make, just wait until you try these out. They take less time, require less work, and unlike regular mashed potatoes, they reheat really well (is it just me, or are regular mashed potatoes super gummy and dry the second time around). This is a fantastic side that will add a lot to your meal. Give the sweet potato a try!



Mashed Sweet Potatoes
By America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook (yes, I know I get redundant with my sources, but hey, when it's good, it's good!)

Ingredients

2 pounds sweet potatoes (4 small or 2 big) peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (I used dry)
1 teaspoon sugar (I used Splenda)
salt and pepper
6 tablespoons half and half warmed (I used fat-free)
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions

1. Combine the sweet potatoes, water, thyme, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes fall apart easily when poked with a fork and all of the liquid has been absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes (it look much less time for me, so check them often!)

2. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until just a few small lumps remain. Stir in the half and half and butter, season with salt and pepper to taste, serve.

Serves 6

Per 2/3 cup serving: 170 cal, 3.5g fat, 32g carb, 3g prot, 5g fiber

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Green Pea and Garlic Sauce

I've heard that it's important to eat a lot of colors. Red, orange, purple, yellow and especially green food. Color means nutrients, which I'm convinced is why I'm so attracted to chocolate glazed donuts covered in pretty rainbow sprinkles!

Seriously though, I love colorful food. Not only is it pretty, but I know that I'm filling my body with things that will increase my immunity, fortify my blood, bones and muscles, and just make me feel better overall. And there's nothing hard about it when it comes in the form of a sweet creamy puree to slather on a meaty, tender chicken thigh. Not only is this crazy delicious, it's also a snap to make, and requires very few steps. We all loved this meal, including my pea-hatin' hubby. You've got to give this a try!


Roasted Chicken Thighs with Green Pea and Garlic Sauce
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Ingredients

6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided (I used a garlic infused olive oil for an extra kick)
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400. Arrange chicken thighs in a 9x13 inch casserole pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast chicken thighs for 20 minutes, or until cooked through and juices run clear.

2. While chicken cooks, heat remaining oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the broth and wine and bring to a boil. Stir in the peas and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until completely smooth, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Serves 6

Per Serving (1/4 cup sauce, not including chicken): 70cal, 2.5gfat, 7g carb, 2g prot, 2g fiber

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

It's gorgeous today! The sun is shining, the wind is minimal and I didn't even need a jacket when I went outside. I can't wait for my daughter to get home because as soon as she does, we're packing up and spending the rest of the day at the park. I love days like today!

And on a beautiful spring day, you need a beautiful green salad. I found this salad on Natalie's blog, The Sweets Life. This girl knows her stuff, especially when it comes to beautiful healthy food. As soon as I saw this salad, I knew I had to have it. In my mind, it's perfect for spring because it's got the summery crispness of the leafy lettuce or spinach, but also the winter nostalgia of creamy butternut squash and dried cranberries. Combine that with crispy bacon and an incredible homemade blue cheese vinaigrette, and you have yourself springtime on a plate! Thanks Natalie, I will be enjoying this salad a lot! Check out the recipe here.