Skillet Basil-Peach Chicken Breasts

Sweet peaches, basil and shallots are a great flavor combination in this light, savory-sweet chicken dish.

Once in a while I like to take a break from testing new recipes and make something from one of my many cookbooks. When I look through a cookbook, I usually like to try something I would never have thought of making which is what inspired me to try this dish from Virginia Willis' Cookbook, Lighten Up 'Yall; Classic Southern Recipes Made Healthy and Wholesome. It's also peach season so now is the time to eat enjoy the sweetest, juiciest peaches.

The author shares a really great tip for easily peeling the peaches: Bring a small pot of water to a boil and have an ice bath ready in the sink. Using a pairing knife cut an "X" in the blossom end of the peach. Gently place the peach in the water for 15 to 30 seconds, then transfer to the ice bath with a slotted spoon. The "X" will open slightly and the skin can be removed by gently pulling with a pairing knife.

The recipe below is exactly as written in her book, I didn't make the full recipe so the photo only shows 2 breasts instead of three. I really enjoyed the flavors of this dish, it was light and flavorful and easy to make. My husband isn't a fan of fruit in his dinners so it wasn't his type of dish, but he did clean his plate. Hope you enjoy!

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Grilled Lemon Dijon Chicken Skewers

Here's an easy chicken dinner idea – cut up some boneless chicken breast, whip up this easy lemon Dijon marinade and leave this in the fridge overnight (or you can freeze them to use another day) then put them on a skewer and grill them for a quick weeknight dinner. The results are so juicy and flavorful, perfect with a big chopped salad (I served it with a Spriralized Cucumber Greek Salad) or make a side of orzo or grilled veggies.

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Grilled Pesto Shrimp Skewers

Homemade pesto with basil from my garden makes a scrumptious addition to shrimp. Serve these for dinner or make them at your next BBQ!

These are EASY, and now that it's grilling season I am sharing them from the archives.

Inspired by a dish served at my sister in laws garden baby shower (pictured below), this is so simple and delicious, I knew I had to make them myself.

They served them on a platter over a bed of greens, but this is also great served as skewers so you can hold them in your hand.

These have been making a regular appearance at my house since I first posted the recipe. I often keep the nuts out of my pesto to keep the fat content down and everyone always loves it. And bonus, these are low-carb, gluten-free and delicious!

Note: Keep in mind that when you remove the shell from the shrimp it will weigh less, so I started with about 2 lbs of shrimp to get 1 1/2 lbs after I peel them. Depending on the size of your shrimp you will get different amounts. I used jumbo, so that gave me about 35 shrimp, 5 on each skewer. One skewer is the perfect serving size but if you want to serve this as an appetizer, you can put 3 as a small bite.

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5-Ingredient Almond Cake with Fresh Berries

This simple almond cake is made with just five ingredients (not counting the berries), but don't let it's simplicity fool you – it's delicious (and it also happens to be gluten-free)!

When my family gets together for holidays, birthdays, or just because, everyone chips in and brings a dish. It's usually a given that my cousin Nina who blogs over at Ambrosia Baking will bring dessert. My aunt recently had to stop eating gluten, so lately the desserts have been gluten-free. The last family party we had, Nina brought this cake and I loved it. I started poking around asking her questions about the ingredients, and when I realized it was fairly light, made with no oil or butter I got busy in my kitchen testing it out. The original recipe comes from baking goddess Dorie Greenspan's cookbook, Baking Chez Moi. If you're a baker, this book belongs in your kitchen!

The only changes I made to her original recipe was cutting back the sugar and using less egg yolks. The results were fabulous, and this cake is amazing. It stays moist for days!

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Crock Pot Sesame Honey Chicken

Sweet, savory and a little spicy, this simple Asian inspired chicken dish has a balance of flavor combinations – serve this over your favorite rice and dinner is ready!

Madison is off from school this week so I'm trying to spend less time working and more time doing family stuff. This is in my slow cooker today so I thought it would be perfect to share here from the archives.

I'm not a fan of sweet foods as a main dish, unless it's balanced with savory and spicy flavors. In this dish the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sriracha compliment each other and balance out the sweetness.

I've tried a few versions floating around the web, but they were much too sweet for my taste. After a few attempts, I finally found the perfect balance of sweet-savory without adding too much sugar. Rice wine is naturally sweet, and adds a bit of acid which rounds out the flavors. I served this with more sriracha sauce on the side for extra heat and served it over brown rice.

I usually set some chicken aside for my toddler when I shred it, before adding it back to the sauce, since her palate is pickier than the rest of ours, and it works out fine. I never cook a separate meal for her, she eats what we eat, just modified at times if I cook something spicy.

For lunch the next day, I made some lettuce wraps with some leftover forbidden rice I had and thoroughly enjoyed eating them with my hands.

And since so many are asking, I have the 6 Quart Hamilton Beach Set 'n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker. I love it because you can adjust the time you want it to cook, and it automatically turns to warm when it's done. It also has a probe for meat that automatically shuts off when done. I hated my old crock pot, it burnt everything and my food had a weird taste. This crock pot is so great, I actually own two!

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Coconut Macaroon Nests

Coconut macaroons shaped like a bird's nest, filled with mini chocolate Cadbury eggs. An tasty Easter treat!

These were inspired by this month's Martha Stewart Living magazine, but after trying the recipe in the magazine, I thought it would taste better adapting it from my favorite coconut macaroon recipe instead. But rather than baking them on a cookie tin, you use a mini muffin tin to create the little nests. Fun to make with the kids!

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Baked Eggs in Spaghetti Squash Nests

You're going to LOVE these baked eggs, baked in a nest of spaghetti squash which has a flavor similar to hash browns. Perfect for breakfast or brunch, and because I love my eggs with sriracha, I top mine with a few dashes just for an extra kick, totally optional of course.

This recipe calls for cooked spaghetti squash which you can either roast in the oven cut side down in a baking dish at 375°F for 1 hour, or the quicker way is to pierce it all over with a fork, then microwave until the skin is soft, about 2 to 3 minutes per pound.  Remove the seeds and scrape the strands with a fork. Because I had the time, I did this on the oven.

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Coconut Obsessed Pie

I'm so excited about this pie, because, well I LOVE coconut and I LOVE pie! So after testing this out several times to get it JUST RIGHT, I'm thrilled to share this recipe!

I also love that this pie serves 8 people, for only 205 calories a slice!

The crust is made from crushed graham crackers and shredded coconut. You can use gluten-free graham crackers if you're gluten-free, I tested it with both and they were equally delicious. The filling is easy, and all made in the blender using organic silken tofu and coconut cream. Now, if you're thinking tofu? Think again because you'd never know it and I had the hardest time stopping at one slice. Try it and tell me what you think!

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Spiralized Mediterranean Beet and Feta Skillet Bake

Beet noodles baked with tomatoes, red onion, olives and Feta. Serve this as an appetizer with some baked pita chips, as a side dish or even as a main dish, topped with grilled shrimp or chicken – this dish is a keeper!

I think most of you know I'm pretty obsessed with my spiralizer, (I LOVE my Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer) but my friend Ali is even more obsessed than me, if that's even possible. So obsessed, she devoted her entire blog to this gadget and just came out with a cookbook that you will need to get your hands on! The book is called Inspiralized: Turn Vegetables into Healthy, Creative, Satisfying Meals, and it's only 15.47 on Amazon! Tons of great spiralized ideas, everything from breakfast to dessert – the girl is a spiralizing genius!

I had a hard time deciding what to make first, but since I typically make spiralized zucchini and cucumber dishes with my spiralizer, so I chose a dish using beets instead. As a kid, I hated beets because I only tasted the pickled kind, that came in a jar. As an adult, I started enjoying them roasted in salads, and even discovered how delicious they are raw. Here, the beets are spiralized, tossed with vinegar, oil and herbs and roasted for 20 minutes. Once roasted, the beets are tender yet firm, exactly how I like my vegetables. If you're unsure about beets, I know this dish will convert you!

The only changes I made to her recipe was using less cheese, I cut the block in half horizontally and it was still more than plenty.

Oh and one more thing, I am giving 1 cookbook away this week! For a chance to win, leave a comment below and tell me what your favorite spiralized vegetable recipe is! Good luck! Ends February 24, 2015 US and CA.

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Gluten-Free S'mores Tartlets

For all the bakers and chocolate lovers out there – this recipe is for you! These chocolate tartlets are a fun twist on a my favorite camping dessert, S'mores. Crushed graham crackers on the bottom, a yummy chocolate filling and a marshmallow Italian meringue on top.

Madison loved helping me in the kitchen. I put those little hands to work. I also made the cupcakes a day ahead, then made the meringue the following day which worked out perfect.

I adapted this recipe from Kyra Bussanich's cookbook, Sweet Cravings. Such a great cookbook for gluten-free desserts. I met Kyra a few months ago, she was the first gluten-free winner of Food Network's "Cupcake Wars" where she beat out non-gluten free cupcakes on the show which is pretty impressive. Although her recipes are all gluten-free, they are obviously not light so it took some work to cut the calories but I loved the final result. Her original recipe uses heavy cream in her chocolate ganache filling, but these worked out well using evaporated milk instead. I made some other modifications and everyone enjoyed them.

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Chicken Sweet Potato and Kale Soup

This hearty soup – loaded with chicken, kale, sweet potatoes and veggies, will warm your bones on this cold winter we are having! And the leftovers are perfect for heating up for lunch the next day and can also be frozen for another night.

I'm not a fan of sweet potatoes unless they are savory, so I loved them in this soup! There's no grains in here, but a large bowl is very satisfying. The jalapeño adds the perfect flavor, and just a trace of heat. Of course if you like your food spicy, you could add more! This is naturally gluten-free, Paleo and a great One-Pot meal – enjoy!

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Two Tomato Bruschetta

I want to thank Better Homes and Gardens for giving me the opportunity this month to guest post on their blog, Delish Dish. This was the last recipe I shared with them, perfect for the Superbowl or any get together.

I recreated their original recipe, making a few adjustments. Their recipe made 8 but this easily made 10 pieces, and I used some of the olive oil the recipe called for to drizzle on top. Otherwise I followed it exact. Delish!


Two Tomato Bruschetta
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 5 • Size: 2 slices  • Old Points: 4 pts • Weight Watcher Points+: 4 pt
Calories: 162 • Fat: 9 g • Carb: 17 g • Fiber: 2 g • Protein: 5 g • Sugar: 2 g
Sodium: 338 mg  • Cholest: 9 mg
Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup shredded feta cheese
• 1/3 cup dried tomatoes (not oil-pack), chopped
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 10 slices (0.5 oz each) whole wheat baguette (each about 1/2 inch thick)
• 2 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

For the full directions on BHG, click here.

Healthy Avocado Egg Salad and Salmon Sandwich

An open-faced egg salad sandwich with wild Nova salmon and cucumber slices – under 300 calories, protein packed, and loaded with good fats.

Easiest tip to make a sandwich lighter is to make it open-faced. To make a lighter egg salad, I use half the yolks so I am still getting the health benefits from using some of the yolks, plus I add some mashed avocado which makes it creamy and full of healthy fats.

This is great for breakfast or lunch. If you're only making one serving, you can refrigerate the egg salad in an airtight container. Enjoy!

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Shrimp Scampi Zoodles for Two

Shrimp with lemon, lemon zest and garlic over zucchini noodles – this dish is EASY low-carb, gluten-free, paleo-friendly, very satisfying and took less than 20 minutes to make, start to finish and it was DELICIOUS!

2014 was certainly the year for the zoodles (zucchini noodles)! Ever since buying my FAVORITE cooking gadget, the Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer I was hooked! I've been swapping pasta for zucchini noodles ever since. It's the easiest way to make zucchini noodles, cucumber noodles, sweet potato spirals, spiralized beets and more! Prior to owning one, I used my mandolin but it's so much quicker and easier (and safer) with this fun gadget – you NEED one!!

I took a break from zoodles for a few months because I may have over-did it this summer, but now that it's January I dusted off my Paderno and have been making them all week.

If you are new to zucchini noodles, a few tips: don't cook the zucchini longer than 2 minutes or it will become watery. I usually cook it 1-1/2 minutes so they stay firm yet warm. You can even eat it raw, like in this awesome Raw Spiralized Zucchini Salad with Avocado and Edamame.

Zucchini noodles are also great in Asian dishes, try this Kung Pao Chicken Zoodles, under 300 calories!

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Quick Mussels Fra Diavolo

Mussels in a spicy red marinara sauce – simple and elegant, best served with lots of whole wheat crusty bread for dipping into the delicious sauce.

Seafood on Christmas Eve is a holiday family tradition. This can be served as an appetizer with bread for dipping or over pasta as a main dish or even over zoodles to keep it low carb. I usually use my own homemade marinara sauce (I never use jarred sauce) when I make this, but I tried this with Delallo's Pomodoro Fresco and I have to say I was very impressed, and so was my husband! It tastes just like my homemade sauce and this dish came together in less than 15 minutes.

If you've never made mussels before, you'll be surprised how easy this dish is. The mussels should be alive when you purchase and cook them. Any mussels that are cracked should be discarded, and any mussels that don't open after cooking should also be tossed.

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EASY 5-Ingredient Nutella Almond Butter Cookies

These cookies are amazing!!! And so easy to make,  you don't even need a mixer! 

I recently discovered that Nutella has just about the same amount of fat as almond butter, which gave me the idea to add them to my nut butter cookies. I played around and found using half Nutella and half almond butter is the perfect combination which created the perfect texture and flavor. Enjoy!

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Spaghetti Squash Primavera

Spaghetti squash and fresh vegetables simmered with a quick marinara sauce and topped with fresh mozzarella if you desire - easy, cheap, gluten-free and perfect for Meatless Mondays!

I'm reviving this from the archives for those of you who may have had a little too much stuffing this Thanksgiving (I swear I'm not judging)! This recipe was inspired after watching a marathon of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, but this time we actually decided to go to the nearest DDD restaurant, The Pit Stop which was featured on the show for their spaghetti squash primavera.

As a spaghetti squash lover myself, I ordered it and loved it and knew I wanted to re-make this at home. Super easy to make and you can use whatever vegetables you like – I used broccoli, carrots and zucchini but you can use asparagus, eggplant or bell peppers. To speed this up I made the spaghetti squash in the microwave which takes only about 8 minutes to cook, but if you have more time you can make it in the oven, the directions below are for both.

Of course, I had to top mine with fresh mozzarella which was just made and still warm when I bought it this morning! Leave the cheese out for vegan, dairy-free or paleo diets, nutritional info is provided below both ways. This dish comes together in less than 20 minutes, and you can easily double the recipe to make it 4 servings using a larger saute pan. You can also freeze this once cooked and reheat it in the oven for another day, enjoy!

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Leftover Turkey and Sweet Potato Frittata

Leftover turkey, sweet potatoes, spinach and Gruyere cheese – trust me, you'll want to save some leftover turkey from Thanksgiving because this breakfast frittata is SOO good!

When I had the idea of using leftover turkey and sweet potato in a fritatta, I had no idea just how good this would turn out! In fact, I would make turkey again, just to make this frittata. Frittatas are so versatile, you could of course use leftover chicken breast instead, or swap the Gruyere for another cheese, the spinach for kale, etc. This is naturally gluten-free, and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner with a salad on the side. Hope you enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

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Butternut Stuffed Turkey Tenderloin with Cranberries and Pecans

Turkey tenderloins stuffed with a sweet and savory filling of butternut squash, cranberries, sage and pecans – this tastes like Thanksgiving, all wrapped up in one dish!

Honestly, the photos don't do this justice. I was having one of those days that I couldn't take a decent photo, but the turkey – it's amazing! And the leftovers were just as good the next day for lunch.

Turkey tenderloins (the tender long strip of white meat hidden under the turkey breast) are very tender and excellent for weeknight cooking. Because it's so lean, you want to be sure you don't overcook it or the meat will be dry.

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