Indulgence: S'more Cookies

Nothing says summer like s'mores. Am I right? Or am I right? We love s'mores, but we have one little problem... we don't have a fire pit. It's makes it a little hard to make them the traditional way, and I'm not brave enough to let my kids do it using our gas stove, so these are our next best alternative. :) And though we try to keep things healthy around here, an indulgence every now and again is just fine. Happy 4th of July!

Indulgence: S'more Cookies
24 SERVINGS 
PREP: 12 minutes           COOK: 12 minutes            READY IN: 24 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 11 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 heaping cup of mini marshmallows
• 1-2 packages graham crackers, broken into squares (I used 24 squares, but how many squares you use will ultimately depend how much dough you put on top of them)
• 3 regular sized Hershey’s bars, broken into single squares

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Mix together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar together until nice and creamy.
2. Add in the eggs, one a a time. 
3. Once mixed, add the vanilla. Mix.
4. Add the baking soda, sea salt, and flour. Mix together.
5. With a large spoon, or spatula, mix-in the chocolate chips and marshmallows.
6. Chill the dough for one hour in the refrigerator.
7. Preheat the oven to 375º.
8. One a cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper, lay out the graham crackers, side by side. (For step by step pictures, click here).
9. On top of each graham cracker, place a tablespoon of dough on top. (I used my regular sized cookie scoop and it worked great).
10. Bake the cookies for 5-6 minutes, add the Hershey bar to each graham cracker cookie and bake for another 5-7 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely (I threw them in the freezer for about 20 minutes) and cut them with a sharp knife.

Enjoy!
Recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Chicken Tikka Masala

A bunch of ladies in my neighborhood got together and made a cookbook of our favorite recipes and I was so excited to try some of them out! This one in particular. I've heard so many good things about masala and this dish lived up to my expectations. I made it a little a lot too spicy, but I like some kick to my food. But don't let the spicy-ness scare you...its EASY to tame that!

Chicken Tikka Masala
4-6 SERVINGS 
PREP: 2 hours           COOK: 30 minutes            READY IN: 2 hours 30 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 3-6 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size cubes
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (or any other red pepper will do)
• 2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 jalapeño, chopped 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon garam masala (optional) 
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
• 1-2 cup evaporated milk

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Cut chicken into bite-size cubes and place in marinade dish. 
2. Mix black pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin, cinnamon, salt and ginger together in a small dish. Sprinkle over chicken. 
3. Add yogurt and lemon juice to marinade dish. Let marinade for 1-2 hours or overnight. 
4. After chicken has marinated a bit, cook chicken in a skillet and set aside. 
5. In a separate skillet, melt butter. Add in chopped jalapeño and saute for 1 minute. 
6. Add in garlic, coriander, garam masala, cumin, paprika, and salt. Mix together well. 
7. Add in tomato sauce. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes on a simmer until it begins to thicken. 
8. Add chicken. 
9. Add in evaporated milk, 1/2 cup at a time, until you get the desired heat. 
10. Garnish with cilantro and serve over brown rice and quinoa mixture. 

NUTRITION FACTS

---

   1 serving   335 calories  13g fat  19g carbs   36g protein   12g sugar   

Enjoy!

Honey Lime Chicken Kabobs

For nearly the entire summer, our dinners are made on the BBQ. We love spending our summer evenings outside, and dinner seems to be ready in a flash while the kids are happily playing in the yard. :) This is a random creation that we came up with last week, and it's now been declared a favorite. The flavor is sweet with a little kick (thanks to the red pepper) and it's lip-smacking delicious. Two thumbs up across the board, even from the kids.

Honey Lime Chicken Kabobs
6 SERVINGS 
PREP: 35 minutes           COOK: 10 minutes            READY IN: 45 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1 pound boneless chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (add more if you want more spice to your chicken)
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
• dash salt

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Cube chicken into about 1 inch pieces.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together soy sauce, honey, olive oil, lime, garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, cilantro, and salt. 
3. Place chicken into the marinade, and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
4. Put the chicken on skewers, and hang onto the marinade.
5. Place chicken skewers on the grill. While grilling, every 3-4 minutes turn the chicken, and baste it with the marinade.
6. Grill skewers for 8-10 minutes, or until done.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 skewer    191 calories   8g fat   6.8g carbs    22g protein    5.9g sugar   

Enjoy!

Meatloaf Muffins

One of my children's favorite meals lately is meatloaf. I make it, and they aren't quite sure of it and then I remind them that it's one of their favorite dishes. Then they try it and sing my praises. It's kind of awesome. But making the traditional meatloaf all the time gets a little old so to mix it up, I make meatloaf muffins. To be honest, the name kind of grosses me out. I think muffins is such a breakfast term. But the name stays. The kiddos love it and it's kind of catchy. :)

Meatloaf Muffins
12 SERVINGS 
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 40-45 minutes            READY IN: 50-55 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1/4 cup of milk (I used skim, but any kind should work)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoning 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. In a large bowl, mix together turkey, egg, quick oats, milk, salt, Lawry's seasoning, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and parsley. 
3. Use a cookie scoop to make 12 even meatloaf balls. Roll out and place into a greased muffin pan.
4. Mix ketchup and BBQ sauce in a small bowl. Place a little bit on top of each meatloaf muffin and spread around.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until cooked all the way through.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 serving    84 calories   3.4g fat   4.8g carbs    8.6g protein    2.1g sugar   

Enjoy!

Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich

We have a thing for hard-boiled eggs around our house lately. The kids love them, and I do too. For breakfast, I like to have two eggs every morning. I've finally realized what a great source of protein they are, and they keep me fuller than anything else (i.e. cereal). The only problem is that some mornings just don't allow me to fry up a couple eggs and that's where the boiled eggs enter. They are easy for me to prep before hand, peel, and keep in the refrigerator for a quick snack, breakfast, or even lunch. Though my kids weren't sure of this, I loved it and it was super filling and healthy!

Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich
2 SERVINGS 
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 0 minutes            READY IN: 10 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 1/2 hass avocado (or 1 small avocado)
• 1 tablespoon greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 4 pieces of whole wheat bread

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Peel the hard boiled eggs, and dice them. 
2. Mash the avocado and mix with the eggs. Add greek yogurt, mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the eggs and mix together.
3. Place on one slice of bread. Feel free to spruce up with any toppings like spinach, tomatoes, onion, or sprouts.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 serving    256 calories   8.7g fat   27g carbs    17.8g protein    5.4g sugar   

Enjoy!

Brown Coconut Rice with Cilantro

I feel like one of the easiest side dishes for me to prepare with grilled chicken, fish, or pretty much anything is rice. We definitely eat our fair share of rice around here. :) But plain brown rice can get really boring, really fast and I feel like this coconut rice with cilantro is a nice way to mix it up. And it's so easy, the hardest part is remembering about an hour before dinner is getting it started. (Unless you use Trader Joe's 15 minute basmati brown rice... that stuff is genius and always comes in handy when I've lost track of time).

This dish has just a little hint of sweet, it's really not much, but it might surprise you that this is a sugar-free side dish. It's a great compliment to a spicy, savory entree.

Brown Coconut Rice with Cilantro
4 SERVINGS 
PREP: 5 minutes           COOK: 45 minutes            READY IN: 50 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1 cup uncooked brown rice (I used long grain, but jasmine, basmati, or short grain would work too)
• 1 1/4 cup lite coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 bunch cilantro, diced

DIRECTIONS

---

1. In a medium pot, or a rice cooker, combine rice, coconut milk water, garlic, and salt.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium, cover and simmer until all the liquid evaporates, about 45 minutes. (Or let the rice cooker do its thing for about 45 minutes.)
3. Remove from heat, leaving it covered for a few minutes. Fluff with a fork and toss in the cilantro.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1/2 cup serving    216 calories   5g fat   39.5g carbs    4.6g protein    0g sugar   

Enjoy!

Skinny Shrimp Potato Chowder

We have declared this a winter of soups at our house. Anyone else? It just feels so cold all the time and soup seems to bring that needed warmth and comfort. Funny thing is, we lived in Minnesota last winter, and this winter in Colorado should feel quite warm to us, but I guess it's easy to forget -40º weather and anytime the weather is subzero, it feels cold.

This soup is very easy to make and it tastes wonderful! If you or your children aren't quite sure of shrimp, feel free to omit it, but I think it brings a nice texture and flavor to the soup.

Skinny Shrimp Potato Chowder
6 SERVINGS 
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 75 minutes            READY IN: 85 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 6-8 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 12 ounce bag small pre-cooked shrimp
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup green onion (use the white ends for the soup, and reserve the green ends for the toppings for the soup)
• 3 cups skim milk
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS

---

1. In a large pot, boil potatoes in water until cooked. Drain water.
2. Add corn, shrimp, water, and white onions. Bring to a boil.
3. Combine milk and flour in a separate container. Add to soup while stirring.
4. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium/high and cook until it thickens. (It took about an hour for me).
5. Add salt and pepper (to taste).
6. Serve with toppings if you'd like. We like green onions and bacon. Cheese would be yummy too.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 serving    260 calories   .8g fat   49.8g carbs    15.5g protein    10.2g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Food.com.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Soup

This was a recipe that just kind of happened in a round about way. I was craving a brothy, chicken soup (big surprise for me this time of year, I know), but I wanted something different than my Healthy Chicken Chili. I wanted something with a little more punch, or spice. So that is how this soup was created and it's now one of our favorites. The flavors are a perfect mix, with just a little kick to help you take in that chilly air.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Soup
6 SERVINGS 
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 25 minutes            READY IN: 35 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1 pound chicken breasts (2 large breasts), cooked
• 32 ounces chicken broth
• 22-ounce can diced tomatoes 
• 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 limes
• Sour cream (optional, topping)
• Cilantro (topping)

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Shred the chicken, and put in a large pot with the chicken broth. Add the diced tomatoes and diced tomatoes with green chiles. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Add the corn, green pepper, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt and black pepper. Cook for 10-20 more minutes. 
3. Cut the limes in half and squeeze juice into the soup pot. 
4. Serve and top with desired toppings.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 cup serving    234 calories   6.9g fat   16.4g carbs    27.4g protein    6.8g sugar   

Enjoy!

Balsamic Vinaigrette Carrots

I'm always on the search for yummy and healthy side dishes. It is so easy to whip up some rice or microwave some corn - but sometimes you just need to add some excitement to your meal, right?? Well on my search for said excitement, I stumbled upon a pin I had from awhile back (when I pretty much was obsessed with Pinterest... Don't worry, I've learned to get this obsession under control and actually make the things I pin.)

These balsamic vinaigrette carrots are a great "mixer-upper" for your vegetable side dish. They have great flavor and are definitely a crowd pleaser. I put on some pretty basic seasonings, but don't be afraid to experiment a little. After all, everyone needs to add some extra excitement every once in awhile!

Balsamic Vinaigrette Carrots

4 SERVINGS 

PREP: 5 minutes           COOK: 25-30 minutes            READY IN: 35 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1 pound carrots
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. In large ziplock bag, mix carrots, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Seal bag and shake until evenly coated.
3. Pour carrots onto greased cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
4. Take cookie sheet out of oven and drizzle carrots with vinaigrette. 
5. Return to oven and cook for another 5 minutes (or until desired texture).

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    3/4 cup serving    152 calories   11 g fat   13.4 g carbs    1.1g protein    7.7 g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from So Wonderful So Marvelous

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

'Tis the season for appetizers and dips, yes? I feel like all I've been doing for the last two weeks is snacking. With New Years this week, let's cheers to one more week of snacking and then get back to meals and less eating. Who's with me? You will love this zippy hummus recipe if you like a little kick to your dips. It would even be delicious on a sandwich.

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus
MAKES: 1 1/2 cups
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 0 minutes            READY IN: 10 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 15 ounce can garbanzo beans
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Place all ingredients, except for the salt and pepper, into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
2. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
3. Serve with pita chips, crackers, veggies, or bread.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1/4 cup serving    53 calories   2.7g fat   6.5g carbs    2g protein    1.2g sugar   

Enjoy!

Shrimp Avocado Dip

Growing up, I always looked forward to Christmas Eve. We would kick off the evening at church and would have a candlelight service and sing Christmas hymns. Afterwards, my dad whipped up some of his favorite "special" traditions including steamed pudding (yum!) and oyster stew (um yeah...). There was always plenty of food which often consisted of appetizers, soups, and goodies like cookies or fudge.

This is the first year that we are doing Christmas Eve (and day) solo as our very own family. I am looking forward to creating our own traditions, and blending those which have been passed along to my husband and me. Though it feels a little overwhelming to decide what we should do, I will adopt my mother-in-law's favorite saying, "Keep it simple." I figure if I screw it up big time this year, I have a few years before all my kiddos leave the house to make things right. One thing I know for sure is that we will be having this dip. This is a tradition that comes from my husband's side, I believe, but we modified it to be a little healthier. For years we've made it with cream cheese instead of avocados as the base. My husband had the brilliant thought that we should try avocados instead because it has the same texture as cream cheese. (And the colors just scream holidays, right?!) This dip tastes amazing, and bonus: it's healthy! If you already have your holiday menu planned out, this would also be perfect for New Year's Eve.

Shrimp Avocado Dip
15 SERVINGS 
PREP: 5 minutes           COOK: 0 minutes            READY IN: 5 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 2 avocados
• dash of salt
• 4 tablespoons cocktail sauce
• 1 cup of small cooked & peeled shrimp (I purchased my shrimp in the frozen section and just thawed with cold water prior to making this)

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Peel and pit the avocados. 
2. Place the avocados in a small bowl and add the salt. Mash the avocados until smooth. Place on a plate.
3. Put cocktail sauce on top of the avocados.
4. Sprinkle the shrimp on top.
5. Serve with crackers and enjoy!

NUTRITION FACTS

---

(not including crackers)

    1/8 cup serving    61 calories   5.2g fat   1.8g carbs    1g protein    1.7g sugar   

Enjoy!

Cilantro Lime Turkey Burgers

My number one priority for fixing dinners, besides having a well rounded meal, is time. Sure, there are occasions that I bake and cook for fun, but really, with 3 kids ages 5 and under, let's be honest, time isn't plentiful. Not that I'm complaining - my house is always a party - but a party that must be monitored, otherwise I'd have naked kids running around smearing who knows what on the walls. And that's really not the type of party I want to welcome in my home, if you catch my drift.

You will notice most of my dinner recipes posted on this site are easy, or can be prepped throughout the day. Otherwise, we'd be eating take out every night, or I'd be fixing dinner with 3 kids hanging off me. And if I felt up for the extra exercise, I might consider it. But really, by dinner time, I'm usually ready for bed.

This recipe has been a favorite the past few weeks. It's packed with protein, and super simple to prepare. I've even prepped them the day before and left them as patties in the fridge until we were ready to throw on the grill or George Foreman.

Cilantro Lime Turkey Burgers
4 SERVINGS 
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 10 minutes            READY IN: 20 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1/4 large red onion (or 1/2 of a medium one)
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• juice from 1 lime
• cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS

---

1. In a food processor, pulse the red onion and cilantro until it's just past diced.  (You could dice them by hand as well, I just don't like big bits of onion in my burger. I like the taste to be more subtle).
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the red onion, cilantro and turkey.
3. Add in the garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and lime juice. Mix together until blended.
4. Divide into 4 equal patties and throw on the grill. Grill for 7-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

*These nutritional facts are for the turkey patty only. They do not include toppings or bun.

    1 turkey patty    197 calories   10g fat   2.3g carbs    21.6g protein    .7g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Subee's Kitchen.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

I had this wild hair the other day to challenge myself and do something I've never done in the kitchen before: roast red peppers and make some soup. I've always been a fan of the roasted red pepper soup from Trader Joe's so I figured I could replicate the yummy soup and make it a little healthier on my own by using fresh ingredients. There's nothing like a nutrition-packed soup that makes me happy. I didn't know what the nutritional stats were when I made this soup, and knowing I got 4 servings out of this surprised me that it was only 83 calories per serving! I served it with a nice vegetable salad on the side and was more than satisfied for dinner. I think it had something to do with the nice flavor punch in the soup. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup
4 SERVINGS
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 70 minutes            READY IN: 80 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 4 large red peppers
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 32 ounces chicken broth (or vegetable broth would work too)
• 1/4 cup milk (optional, but I like my soup a little creamy)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Roast the red peppers. If you have never done this, it's okay. I hadn't either and it's really very simple. Cut the peppers in half and deseed the peppers. Lay them down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cut side down. In an oven set to 400ºF, bake the peppers for 15-18 minutes. The peppers should be charred (about 1/2 of the pepper will be black) and then they're ready to be pulled out of the oven.
2. Put the peppers in separate dish and cover for 15 minutes. Peel the outside skin off the peppers and dice.
3. In a large pot, sauté the garlic and onion until tender, about 5-7 minutes. 
4. Add the red peppers, tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Blend in a blender until smooth.
6. Place back on the stovetop and add milk, lemon juice, salt, lemon pepper, and black pepper. Simmer for 3 minutes.
7. Serve in a bowl and top with cheese if you'd like. Mozzarella or goat cheese are great options.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

(not including a cheese topping)

    1 1/2 cup serving    83 calories   2g fat   10.3g carbs    6.8g protein    6g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Closet Cooking.