Blonde Appetit...at Home!

Way back in 2008, I was a part time freelance writer (and a full time pharmaceutical sales rep!).  I had a regular feature in a local monthly magazine.  It was all about throwing parties!  I decided to branch out and explore the world of blogging!  I created my very own blog - Blonde Appetit!

"I am a forever food-loving gal down in South Carolina. I love food and drink. I love everything about it. The sound of the sprinklers going off in the produce section of the local grocery. The tarty taste of fresh squeezed lemonade from the State Fair. The subtle hint of salt and pepper on a juicy, just-picked garden tomato. The sugary frosting on a child's birthday cake. Ordering a fine bottle of champagne on girls' night out. Drinking tequila with hand's messy from all-you-can-eat crab legs. And I am absolutely over the moon for cheese. So, grab a knife and a fork, and a bottle and a cork..."

That was then...

This is now...

One sweetie and two kids later...Blonde Appetit took a back seat to life!

While I am still the same forever food-loving gal from South Carolina, there is a lot more going on in my world!  My parties now involve princesses and my grocery list contains diapers and juice boxes.  I am now in advertising and my sweetie and I own an auction house in downtown Columbia.

We are the proud parents of two little blondies - Lily (6) and Anne Heyward (2).

With the baby phase behind me, I am inspired to get back to writing and sharing!

Without further ado, I would like to introduce you to - Blonde Appetit...at Home!

Let's eat, drink, and be merry!

Spicy Honey Mango Greek Yogurt Sauce

I was in the mood to make tzatziki sauce tonight, but did not have any fresh herbs on hand.  I wanted to jazz up  my dinner of organic chicken breasts and fresh zucchini.  I have become a fan of this recipe on how to make easy, juicy chicken breasts.  I doctored up the chicken with fresh lemon juice, Kosher salt and pepper before cooking.   I steamed some fresh zucchini and it drizzled with a little olive oil and lemon, a pinch of salt and feta.  This sauce was a unique compliment to the chicken!

Spicy Honey Mango Greek Yogurt Sauce

1/4c lowfat Greek yogurt
2 tbsp low fat sour cream

2 generous tbsp honey

1/2 fresh mango, diced

generous amounts of cinnamon and chili powder (cayenne would be good too!)

shredded coconut, if desired

Combine the above ingredients together.  Gently mix well.  Chill and then serve.  

This would be nice with chicken, fish, or shrimp.

Top chicken with a sprinkle of shredded coconut, if you desire!

***I had one of the Greek yogurts with honey in the fridge!  Super handy!

Coconut Chicken Quinoa Lettuce Wrap

Coconut Chicken Quinoa Lettuce Wrap

Ingredients

2 cups of rotisserie chicken, pulled

2 stalks of spring onions, diced

1/2 cup of peas, fresh or frozen only

1 jalapeno, diced

1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes

1/2 lemon, juice

Kosher salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Cumin, 5 dashes

Cinnamon, 2 dashes

1 cup quinoa, uncooked

Coconut water

Boston Bib Lettuce

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, spring onions, peas, jalapeno, and coconut flakes. Add the juice of half of a lemon, add the zest of the lemon if you like.  To season add a pinch of Kosher salt, a few dashes of pepper, 5 good dashes of cumin, and 2 dashes of cinnamon.

Give 1 cup of quinoa a good rinse with water. In a medium sauce pan, combine 1 cup of uncooked quinoa with 2 cups of liquid (water, coconut water, or stock of your choice.)  Bring to a boil.  Cover.  Reduce heat.  Cook for 20-25 minutes.  Remove lid and fluff with fork.

Combine one and 3/4 cups of the cooked quinoa with the chicken mixture.  Gently stir together.  Add about 1/4 cups of coconut water to the salad and mix well.  

Refrigerate and let marinate at least 3 hours. Season, by taste.

Serve either warm or cold over Boston lettuce, as a lettuce wrap.  

Fresh herbs, such as cilantro, would be a nice addition!

Oven Roasted Garlic Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, and Onion & Lemon Parmesan Breaded Chicken

Oven Roasted Garlic Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, and Onion

Ingredients

1 pound of Brussels sprouts, trim of the bottoms and cut into half

1/2 a head of cauliflower, trimmed into florets

2 medium onions, sliced thin

olive oil

4 garlic cloves, smashed

Kosher salt and pepper

pecans, chopped

Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. Placed all veggies into a 9x13 glass dish. Toss with olive oil, garlic, kosher salt and pepper Bake for 25 minutes. Toss veggies. Add pecans. Cook for 25 more minutes. Add additional salt and pepper, to taste. Serve toss with Parmesan cheese.

Lemon Parmesan Breaded Chicken

4 thin sliced, organic chicken cutlets

olive oil vinaigrette dressing

1 egg

milk

3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Kosher salt and pepper

1/2 lemon

Directions

In a medium bowl, marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes in vinaigrette dressing. In a 9x13 glass dish, lightly coat the bottom with olive oil. In a separate bowl, add an egg with a splash of milk and whisk together. In another bowl, combine Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Put chicken in egg wash and then into bread crumb mixture. Place into glass dish. Bake oven at 425 for 20 minutes. Before serving, top with a squeeze of lemon juice and lemon zest.

Butternut Squash and White Bean Soup

Butternut Squash and White Bean Soup

Ingredients

1 carton chicken broth

3 stalks of celery, diced small

1 medium onion, diced small

2 cans of cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed

generous dash or two of cinnamon

generous dash or two of all-spice

generous dash or two of garlic powder

dash of cumin

2 tbsp red peeper flakes

3 tbsp sage

1 medium butternut squash

Kosher salt and pepper

Directions

In a crock pot, combine the broth, celery, onions, beans, and all of the spices. Set to high. Carefully slice the butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place into a glass dish with a bit of water in it and microwave for 30 minutes. When complete, scoop out the tender squash and add to the crock pot for about 6-8 hours on high. Kosher salt and pepper to taste. Top with grated parmigiana cheese to serve.

It was rainy and cold today. Perfect soup weather. I paired my soup with a Pillsbury Cranberry Quick Bread, which I added chopped pecans and extra Craisins too. I spread each piece of bread with Maple Syrup Cream Cheese from Bruegger's Bagels. Delish blend of ingredients.

Smashed Cauliflower with Feta goes double duty as a Breakfast Faux-tata tomorrow!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am looking to add more diversity to my vegetables when grocery shopping. I never, ever buy cauliflower. So...I bought one. Now what to make with it??? Steamed? Boring. Steamed with cheddar cheese a la it's cousin the broccoli? Too suburban housewife of the 50's. I searched all types of recipes online and will be trying some unique ones in the future. I decided to keep it simple and make smashed cauliflower, similar to mashed potatoes. Chris is spending the night in Charleston, so I figured it would be a good night to try something different. The result - crumbly, nutty cauliflower mixed with salty feta and a hint of spring onion. Not as creamy as regular potatoes, but then again...this side has virtually zero carbs. Bottom line - nice & light. It also doubled as the base for my breakfast tomorrow!

Smashed Cauliflower

Ingredients

1/2 head of cauliflower

2 ozs feta cheese

2 spring onions, diced

Milk, splash

Kosher salt and pepper, optional

Directions

Cut the base and leaves off of the bottom of the cauliflower. Put into a shallow bowl with about 3/4 cups of water. Top with plastic wrap and microwave for about 8 minutes. Drain well. Pat dry. Add the feta, spring onions and a tiny splash of milk. Mash with a potato masher until your desired consistency. (You could transfer cauliflower to a food processor and puree until smooth.) You may have to pull out any long pieces from the stalks. Salt and pepper, to taste. Personally, I left mine without seasoning, as the feta added enough saltiness.

Knowing that Chris may not eat the leftover cauliflower, I was inspired by another recipe that combined cauliflower, feta and eggs. I whipped up a quick breakfast for tomorrow with the leftovers. FYI - a faux-tata is a makeshift frittata, without the fuss of putting in on the stove and then the oven.

Cauliflower and Feta Faux-tata

Ingredients

3 eggs, scrambled

Milk, splash

Leftover smashed cauliflower

Crushed red pepper flakes

Olive oil

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350. In a small bowl, combine 3 eggs and milk. Whisk together.

Grease the bottom of a small casserole dish with olive oil. Pour the smashed cauliflower mixture into the bottom of the dish. Add the eggs.

Top with red pepper flakes.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Let set before serving.

Chick Pea & Feta Salad

This past weekend I went grocery shopping and decided to stray from my "comfort" veggies and pick up new items. One of the items was chick peas. Chick peas can be a nice addition to White Bean Chili or other stews. However, I did not have much experience with more unique recipes. I stumbled upon a recipe for White Bean and Chick Pea Salad. It sounded fresh and lovely with a hint of mint. Due to my lack of ingredients, I modified based on what I had in my fridge and pantry. This salad was a delightful, simple lunch today and a snack tonight. I even have enough for a small snack for tomorrow.

Chick Pea and Feta Salad

Ingredients

1 15oz can of chick peas, drained and rinsed

2oz feta cheese (abt 1/2 a package)

2 spring onions, diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

4 pepperoncinis, diced

1/2 lemon, juice and zest

dash of red pepper flakes, to taste

2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine all of the above ingredients. Gently mix well. Chill in refrigerator overnight.

A Super New Me!

Life is good. I have a happy 2 1/2 year old daughter giggling in her bubble bath as I type. I love my new job at the television station and business at our antique store has been great. However, one part of my life that I am not thrilled about is the lack of effort that I put into making it a priority to go to the gym. Therefore, I am disappointed that I still have about ten pounds to loose since having that said 2 1/2 year old. I have made a promise to myself and my family that by this Summer, I will be healthy inside and out. Being able to be bikini ready is a big motivation too. It seems pretty far away.

So, I am writing this as much for myself: to document my track record of success, as I am to share the healthy recipes that I try along the way.

Years ago, when I was single and baby free, I found it very successful to keep a written journal of everything that I ate and drank, everyday. I allowed myself room to cheat a little bit on the weekends. I would go for a brisk 5 mile walk down at the river about 4-5 times per week with my dog. I would also doing at least 100 daily crunches with an exercise ball and use light weight repetitions to tone my arms. As a good friend recently put in her blog, the weight loss process should be slow and steady. I knew that with consistent behavior, I would see results over time. I did.

I am going to follow that same process this time. However, instead of going totally low carb, I am going to eat clean. By eating "clean", I will incorporate lean meats, colorful fruits and veggies, and smart whole grains into my daily consumption. It is easier for me to prepare meals for my entire family this way. I still know my body type and by limiting starchy white carbs, I will loose weight quicker. I may make a meal the whole family will enjoy, but I will limit what I eat from certain dishes.

I hope that you enjoy reading about this journey. I have no expectations to inspire anyone, other than possibly positively influence my daughter to exercise and eat well. I may stumble upon some delish recipes along the way and if I do, I will be sure to share them. That is between caring for my family, working a busy, full-time job...and going to the gym. Shoot...I still need to find time to do that!

Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake

Blueberry-Lemon Pound Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups butter
• 3 cups white sugar
• 6 eggs
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• • 1/2 lemon, zested
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 pint blueberries
• 
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Grease a bundt pan and lightly coat with flour.
2. In a large bowl or mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the flour alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated.
3. Rinse blueberries and toss lightly in flour.
4. Add vanilla, lemon zest and juice to batter. Gently mix.
5. Delicately fold blueberries into batter.
6. Pour batter into bundt pan. Tap pan on counter-top to release any air bubbles in batter.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 3o minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. After removing from the oven, immediately loosen cake edges with a knife. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Put a large plate on top of bundt pan. Flip over and then remove from the pan.

Vanilla Lemon Glaze

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested

Directions:

Mix the above ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and well blended. Drizzle glaze over the top of a warm pound cake. Sprinkle extra zest over top of cake. Light dust with powdered sugar.

Collard Green and Black Eyed Pea Soup

A meal of black-eyed peas and collard greens on New Years Day is a Southern Tradition. It symbolizes luck and prosperity in the New Year. The peas represent coins and the greens represent money. It is often served with corn bread, which is thought to represent gold. Here's to a prosperous 2012!

Ingredients:

2 cups of carrots, diced

3 stalks of celery, diced

1/2 package of cherry tomatoes, halved

2 jalapeno peppers, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 package of fresh collard greens, chopped

1 carton chicken broth (I used Tuscany-style), 32oz.

1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped

1 handful fresh parsley, chopped

dash of onion powder

salt and pepper, to taste

hot sauce

red pepper flakes

1 can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed

(If you have a leftover ham bone from Christmas...throw it in the pot!)

Directions:

In a large crock pot combine the above ingredients, minus the beans. The longer the better. 4-6 hours minimum. About an hour before serving, add the beans. Taste and season to your liking...I like mine to have a little heat so I add red pepper flakes and hot sauce. If needed, add a cup or so of water while cooking. Serve with corn bread.

Meal #9: Spiced Apple Pork Tenderlion

I never realized what a crock pot junkie I was until I started documenting these recipes. Crock pots are the perfect Fall Kitchen small appliance. In the summer it is the grill...however the cool, dark Autumn nights lend for slow, easy cooking.

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin

1 cup apple juice

1 cup chicken broth

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup apple butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

All spice

Cinnamon

Pepper

Kosher salt

Directions:

In a crock pot, combine tenderloin, onion, apple juice, and chicken broth. Season meat with salt and pepper. Cook on high for 4 hours, minimum.

Prior to serving, preheat oven to 350. Place pork tenderloin, onion, and some of the juices into a glass baking dish. Combine the apple butter, brown sugar, all spice, cinnamon, salt and pepper in a bowl. Glaze over the top of pork tenderloin. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until it caramelizes.

Meal #8: Herbed Pot Roast

Haha! Can't help but laugh at the title of this one.

Well, I still have not been to the grocery store to do a major shopping.

I went for beer and milk the other day. Staples!

I was a little bored with the crock pot and decided to try a roast in the oven.

I had many fresh herbs on hand and decided to take an

alternative approach to my traditional pot roast.

Herbed Pot Roast

Ingredients

1 lb chuck roast

2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced

garlic

garlic powder

pepper

Sage, fresh

Cilantro, fresh

Thyme, fresh

Gourmet Garden Italian Herb Blend paste - found in produce section

1 can cream of celery soup

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Place the onions in the bottom of a small roasting pan. Take the fresh garlic and smash 4 cloves open with the back of a spoon. Cut garlic into slivers. Pierce roast with the tip of a sharp knife. Put garlic slivers into the pockets. Start with one side of the roast. Sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper. Place into pan on top of onions. Repeat process on the other side. However this time drizzle a little olive oil on top of roast. Then sprinkle with garlic powder, pepper and a generous amount of herb paste. Work the seasonings into the meat creating a rub. Spoon the Cream of Celery Soup around the meat. Place fresh herbs into the soup mixture. Top with tin foil and cover with lid. Bake in oven for 2.5 hours. Before serving remove the lid and tin foil. Turn on broiler and let the herbed top slightly crust. Remove any large pieces of fresh herbs from gravy before serving. The meat should be tender and flaky.

Serve pot roast over mashed potatoes and generously top with onion gravy.

Brussel sprouts (or any fresh, green vegetable) steamed and tossed with feta makes a light and bright companion to the flavorful meat.

Herbed pot roast may make you sleepy or cause unusual cravings. Be warned.

Meal #7: Crock Pot White Bean Chili

White Bean Chili is one of my favorites.

I have a white bean chili recipe that has been one of my favs for many years.

For the sake of convenience, I pulled out my crock pot this afternoon, modified it a bit, and then whipped up another easy dinner. Bonus: a girlfriend of ours brought us a ton of chilies and other peppers from her garden! You can't beat homegrown, fresh veggies!

White Bean Chili

Ingredients

1/3 carton of reduced sodium chicken broth

2 15oz cans of navy beans, rinsed and drained

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 medium onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 poblano pepper, diced

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 tbl. Minced garlic

1 tbl. cumin

2 tbl. chili powder

1 tbl. black pepper

Tabasco, Chipolte

Lime

Avocado: mashed with lime juice and a sprinkle of Kosher salt

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

In the crock pot: add the beans, chicken, peppers, onions, chicken stock and spices. Gently stir. Let cook for at least 2.5 hours. The longer you let the crock pot do its thing, the more the chicken will begin to fall apart. If necessary, pull the cooked chicken out and dice/shred then return to the crock pot before serving. Taste and season with Tabasco, lime juice, and cilantro. Stir well. Top each bowl with cheese, avocado, and more cilantro.

Serve with Corn bread.

Jalapeno and Cilantro Corn Bread

1 package Jiffy Corn Bread Mix

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

jalapeno, diced

fresh cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all of the above ingredients. Pour into 9" ceramic dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Top with a bit of butter.

Meal #6: Fall Feast for Two

This combination is fantastically Fall.

The potatoes are a savory spin on traditional sweet potato recipes.

A must-try!

Harvest Cole Slaw

1/2 purple cabbage, roughly chopped

1/2 Honey Crisp apple, diced and tossed in lemon juice

1 handful Craisens

1/4-1/2 cup chunky bleu cheese dressing (preferably Marie's)

All spice seasoning

Cinnamon

Pepper

In a medium bowl, combine cabbage, apples, and Craisens. Toss and coat cabbage with bleu cheese dressing. Add a dash of all spice and a dash of cinnamon. Pepper to taste. Chill in fridge for 30-60 minutes.

Sweet Potatoes with Garlic and Sage

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thin rounds

1/3 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

handful of fresh sage

beer

Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium skillet, fry whole sage leaves lightly in hot olive oil. Gently remove and drain on paper towel. Toss the garlic and potatoes into sage infused oil. Coat potatoes in oil and garlic. Saute in the same skillet until slightly browned. Place into a 9x13 glass baking dish in the oven. Sprinkle onion over potatoes. Deglaze pan with a splash of beer and pour over potatoes and onions. Bake until lightly golden brown. (I turned the broiler on at the end to caramelize even more.) Serve tossed with sage leaves and a little Kosher salt.

Breaded Pork Chops

Ingredients

2 pork chops, abt 1"

1 egg

milk

Italian bread crumbs

All-spice

Directions

Beat the egg and a splash of milk in a shallow dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs in another bowl. Dredge both side of pork chop in egg mixture, season with all-spice on both sides. Coat in breadcrumbs. Take one pork chop and place in the same skillet that the potatoes were sauteed in. Brown in skillet for about 2 minutes per side. Place pork chops into dish with potatoes. Place into oven and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350.

Meal #5: Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Well...it is another SOUPER Sunday! I typically go grocery shopping on Sundays, but my fridge and freezer are still stocked with healthy goodies to create new recipes with!

I love using the crock pot to create no fuss, simple meals that required little prep work and clean up. I am stealing this recipe from my girlfriend's new wellness and nutrition blog - Salootay. I am a firm believer that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, especially when it comes to sharing recipes!

I am paring down the volume of the liquid in this soup, as we do not need as many servings, however the basics are the same. I only added one can of crushed tomatoes, 3/4 of a carton of reduced sodium chicken broth, and only one pound chicken tenderloins. I added a dash of garlic powder...well because I am an over-doctorer. As well as a diced green pepper and a handful of diced baby portabellas, simply because I had the extra produce on hand. A can of drained and rinsed black beans would also be a nice addition and add a little more protein and fiber. I am an advocate of finding a recipe that sounds like you would love and tweaking it to make it your own. If you do not have all of the items in your fridge or pantry, it is possible to recreate the recipe as long as the staples remain the same.

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

courtesy of Chris Carrington

Ingredients~

• 1-1.25 lbs organic boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 large cans crushed tomatoes (I try and buy low sodium)
• 1 carton low sodium chicken broth
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 10-12 white corn tortillas, sliced into thin strips
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 2-3 limes
• 2 avocados
• 2 TBSP Mexican Style Chili Powder
• 1 TBSP Cumin
• shredded monterey jack cheese (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Process~

• Pour the chicken broth and crushed tomatoes into a crock pot
• Add the diced onions, some chopped cilantro and spices and mix well
• Place the chicken breast in the liquid
• Cover and set on Low for 6-8 hours or on High for 4 hours
• After it has cooked for the time above, pull out the chicken and shred with a fork.
• Place back in the crock pot.
• Add the white corn tortilla strips to the soup, cover and let it cook another 10-15 minutes
• When ready to serve, top each serving with some diced avocado, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. The pepper jack cheese is optional.

**if you prefer a more soupy consistency, you can add more chick broth**

Meal #4: The Great Pumpkin....Chili?

Okay. I did not tell anyone that there was pumpkin the in the chili when I served it for the fear that the first reaction would be....weird!?!

However, the combination was rustic and creamy with a hit of...pumpkin! Pumpkin and sage pair well together and the splash of dark beer leaves the taster pleasantly pleased with the meal. It has a little something special that they just can't put their finger on.

Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients

1 16oz black beans, drained and rinsed

1 16oz Northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 16oz chili beans, do not drain or rinse

one 16oz corn, drained and rinsed

1/2 15oz can pureed pumpkin

1 small onion, diced

All-Spice

Cinnamon

garlic powder

onion powder

chili powder

Tabasco, Chipotle

fresh sage, chopped

beer (Fat Tire 1554, in this recipe)

Directions

In a crock pot, combine all of the beans, corn, and onion. Mix well. Then add a half can of pumpkin. Add a dash or two of All-spice, cinnamon, garlic and onion powder. Add a generous amount of chili powder. Again mix well. As the chili begins to warm throughout, taste and season as needed. I like to add a good amount of Tabasco for heat and about a cup of beer to the chili towards the end of cooking. Season with fresh sage. Total time in crock 1.5-2 hours or more.

Pumpkin Corn Bread

Ingredients

1 package Jiffy Corn Bread mix

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1/2 can pumpkin

brown sugar

cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400. In a medium bowl, combine the all of the above ingredients. Pour batter into a 9' ceramic or glass pie pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve with melted butter over the top, if desired.

#3 Meal: My Big, Fat, Greek Dinner

Rotisserie chicken from the deli is a great item to have on hand for the basis of an easy dinner. I picked up a Lemon-Pepper chicken from Publix for $4.99. Mediterranean-esque side items compliment the lemon-pepper marinade.

Greek Cole Slaw

Ingredients

1/2 red cabbage, chopped into small, rough pieces

1 small cucumber, loosely peeled and diced (seeds removed)

2 oz. crumbled feta cheese

1/4-1/2 cup Greek vinaigrette (Marie's)

lemon

pepper

oregano

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine cabbage, cucumber, and feta. Toss with dressing until all cabbage is lightly coated. Add a generous amount of pepper and a dash of oregano along with the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Stir well and let sit in fridge for 30-60 minutes.

Warm chicken in the oven, topped with remaining lemon juice. Serve with sauteed spinach tossed lightly with olive oil and Kosher salt. Add a pepperocini for a little bite!

Meal #2: Spicy Sausage and Kale Soup

Today is a Sunday and it is dreary and cool outside.

Perfect soup weather!

I had package of kale in the fridge and had already made some chips with it. (If you haven't tried kale chips...you should...they are very yummy and nutritious too.) I decided to use the remaining kale to make a hearty soup.

Spicy Sausage and Kale Soup

Ingredients

1 lb. Italian style ground sausage

32 oz. reduced sodium chicken broth

1 medium onion, chopped

1 portobello mushroom cap, chopped

2 cans Northern beans, rinsed and drained

4 large handfuls of fresh kale, chopped

Tabasco, Chipotle style

Crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

olive oil

Directions

In a large stock pot, drizzle olive oil to coat the bottom. Brown the sausage and break into smaller pieces. Add the onion and mushroom, then saute. Add the chicken broth and beans, then bring to a boil. Season to taste. Add the kale. Put on the lid and turn heat to simmer. You want the kale to break down and for the soup to thicken. Taste the broth to ensure that it is perfectly spicy. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve with a piece of crusty bread.

$138 - 14 Meal Challenge

I love going to the grocery store! I always try and shop very budget-consciously. My bill is usually around $100 for the week and I typically save at least a 1/3. Today I went grocery shopping and spent $138. I was a little mad at myself....then I realized I had 14 plus meals, as well as paper towels, diapers and other bigger ticket items. It inspired me to blog about it. Stay tuned to see how far I can stretch that dollar over the next 2 weeks!

I try and choose healthy, simple recipes. I can guarantee there will be a cheat meal here and there! However, we all need to keep items on hand to feed hungry mouths quickly!

Whenever I see that Publix has their brand pizzas on sale, I will pick up one or two. For $3.99, you have an easy lunch or dinner. A good idea is to keep a plain, cheese pizza in your freezer. Top it with whatever you have in the fridge. I love pears, goat cheese, and prosciutto. Voila! A quick gourmet pizza that does not break the bank!

Meal #1: Plain cheese pizza topped with whatever ingredients that you have on hand to create your own specialty za!