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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Mustard Herb Crusted Chicken Breasts

These chicken breasts are are lightly brushed with Dijon mustard and herbs and breaded with panko and parmesan cheese. Then they are lightly pan fried until golden and finished in the oven. 

A quick and easy weeknight chicken dish that I served with a simple green salad on the side. This would also be great with roasted parmesan green beans or roasted broccoli with smashed garlic on the side.

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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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BLT Salad with Avocado + The Skinnytaste Cookbook and OXO Giveaway

I LOVE bacon – who doesn't? And I love a BLT sandwich. This salad, featured in The Skinnytaste Cookbook has all the flavors I love in the sandwich without the extra calories you get from eating it on bread! Plus it's easy – only FIVE ingredients not counting s + p!

OXO sent me these Chopped Salad Scissors which made chopping the lettuce in the bowl easy. Although I only chopped the lettuce for this salad, they are also perfect for chopping anything you would eat in a chopped salad – cooked chicken, cucumbers, peppers, onions, etc.

And I'm excited to share that OXO and Skinnytaste have teamed up to bring you an awesome January giveaway!

We are giving away 10 copies of The Skinnytaste Cookbook, Chopped Salad Scissors, Healthy Portions Scale and 2-in-1 Salad Servers to TEN LUCKY WINNERS! If you want to enter, simply fill out the Promo Simple form below! Giveaway ends next Monday January 19th, US only.

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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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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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Baked Buffalo Chicken Nuggets

I took my Healthy Baked Chicken Nugget recipe and and added a touch of spice!

We eat a lot of homemade Baked Chicken Nuggets for lunch in my house. Madison loves them, I love them and they're so easy to make. Every now and then I take my standard recipe and change it up. This week I thought why not try it with hot sauce – we loved them! Not overly spicy, but enough to know it's there. You could of course kick it up a notch by using tabsaco sauce and adding some ground cayenne pepper to the seasoning.

Serve them with celery and carrots if you wish, and my homemade Low Fat Blue Cheese Dressing.

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Fig Balsamic Roasted Pork Tenderloin

This is a great, quick and easy pork tenderloin recipe topped with a sweet & tangy glaze. It's super simple to make with just a few ingredients which is perfect for weeknight cooking.

I'm pretty obsessed with Trader Joe's Fig Butter and combined it with some balsamic vinegar to create this glaze. Then I roasted it in the oven for about 25 minutes and served it with these awesome brussels sprouts. If you can't find fig butter, any fruit butter such as apple butter would work great.

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Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken Drumsticks

This is an EASY slow cooker chicken dish made with only 6 ingredients, including the salt and pepper! Kid-friendly and delicious – the chicken literally falls off the bone!

It's great having friends who love to cook. I get the best ideas from them, and this recipe is the perfect example. My girlfriend Nalini is an excellent cook, and she was telling me about this chicken recipe she made in the oven for her family. Me of course changed the recipe (I just can't help myself) I removed the skin from the drumsticks, modified the ingredients and adapted the recipe for my slow cooker. Results – AMAZING! Kids, husband, everyone loved it!! I served this with Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Proscuitto from The Skinnytaste Cookbook (which my 4 year old loves) and everyone was happy.

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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Caramelized Apple Onion Soup

This soup tastes like Fall in a bowl! Apples and caramelized onions are simmered with cider and broth, and blended with a touch of cream. The flavor is the perfect balance of savory and sweet. One bowl filled me up and made my tummy very happy!

Last Fall while visiting Harry and David in Oregon, I had lunch at a quaint bistro called Deja Vu Bistro that had this incredible soup.

I was dying to make this at home and I emailed the chef for the recipe. He was kind enough to send it to me and I've made it several times with slight adaptions to his original to lighten it up. In place of 1 cup of heavy cream I used 1/2 cup light cream. I also cut back on the butter and used slightly less cider since I was using less cream. Although it takes some time for the onions to caramelize, I think it's worth it. It also happens to be vegetarian and gluten-free. Enjoy!


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Skinny Garlic Parmesan Fries

These delicious fries are baked in the oven with garlic, a little olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper, then sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan and parsley – to die for!

Inspired by a night out with friends, my girlfriend ordered something very similar although fully fried and I couldn't stop eating them – I knew I had to make them at home!

Yesterday I set out to see if I can recreate them, and luckily I had a houseful of people who helped me taste test them. BIG HIT with everyone in my house!! You don't miss the fact that they are not fried at all, and the garlic smells amazing while it's baking in the oven. I listed them here as 1 serving which is basically one potato per person, but you could share them if you were serving them as a side.

I made two batches and baked them on two baking sheets because the key to making them crisp is to make sure they all lay flay on the baking sheet, you don't want to crowd the pan.

To cut them, I used my mandolin and sliced them into 1/4-inch thick slices. Then I took a knife and sliced them into 1/4 inch thin strips. If you cut them thicker you'll have to adjust the cooking time. Next time I may try my paderno slicer and see how they work out spiralized.

And for those of you who are scared of potatoes, I just want to remind you potatoes are good for you! They are rich in fiber, potassium and magnesium, which are all listed as shortfall nutrients in the American diet. Plus, they are naturally gluten free and part of a clean eating diet!


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Grilled Veggie Towers with Mozzarella

Eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, red onion and bell peppers are marinated in a white balsamic vinaigrette then grilled, stacked and topped with fresh mozzarella. These are DELICIOUS and such a great use of the end of summer's bounty!

If you prefer to make them indoors, you can also grill the vegetables on a grill pan, then preheat to oven to 350°F, make your vegetable stacks on a baking sheet and melt the cheese in the oven. The vegetables can also be grilled a day ahead and reheated in the oven as well.

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Weeknight Skillet Sazon Chicken Tenders

This simple, kid-friendly chicken dish is quick and easy to make for any night of the week – ready in under 15 minutes!

When Karina, my oldest daughter (and the pickier of the two) was younger, and I was making something spicy I knew she wouldn't eat, I used to quickly whip up this dish. Nothing fancy, it was simple and easy with ingredients I always had on hand.

Funny because once she went off to college I never made it again. Recently I ask her which of my recipes she likes most, this one is in her list of top 10. Considering how much she likes it and how quick and easy it is to make, I figured I'd have to share it with you all here. I always served it for her over rice with avocado but you can serve it over farro, quinoa or any grain you prefer. I've also taken the leftovers and shredded them in my blender for amazing shredded chicken to use in fajitas and quesadillas.

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Grilled Mediterranean Chicken and Quinoa Salad

The is the perfect summer salad! Juicy grilled chicken, garden cucumber and tomatoes, red onion, olives and Feta cheese all tossed with quinoa and lemon juice. It's packed with protein (20 grams!), not to mention tons of wonderful flavor.

To make the grilled chicken extra flavorful, I like to marinate it overnight with lemon juice, garlic and fresh herbs like rosemary or oregano. This is great to bring to a potluck, to enjoy as a light meal. You can make the chicken and quinoa ahead if you wish, and mix everything together when you're ready to eat.

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Summer Breakfast Quinoa Bowls

 

Of all the ways to eat quinoa, this is my favorite! Served as a warm cereal topped with fresh fruit and a drizzle of honey – it reminds me of eating a bowl of farina as a kid, memories I hold dear and near.

I cook the quinoa in almond milk sweetened with just a touch of brown sugar (you can use any sweetener or omit if you wish) and serve it with extra warmed milk on the side. That's just my preference, if you prefer your cereal thicker you can add less milk. Using almond milk makes this a great dairy-free, gluten-free breakfast option for people with allergies. 

And for a Fall inspired bowl of quinoa cereal, you can also try my Apples and cinnamon breakfast quinoa which is equally delicious!


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Bali Banana Date Smoothie

I'm super excited to share this guest post from my friend Heather. I met Heather a few years ago in San Francisco, and we've been friends ever since. She's an inspiring, positive person – the kind of person you want to be around all the time. She's also the nutrition expert for The Skinnytaste Cookbook, please welcome her!

Hi there, I’m Heather! I’m a dietitian and the founder of www.heatherkjones.com – a weight loss site that focuses on healing and hope instead of diets (ugh) and deprivation (no thank you!). I’m also the creator of Smaller Size Bigger Life, an online group coaching program for women who struggle with emotional eating, compulsive overeating, or body image issues.

I’m thrilled to guest post on Skinnytaste today (thank you, Gina!), and I’m so honored to be the nutrition expert in the upcoming Skinnytaste cookbook. Gina poured her generous heart into this beautiful book and I know you’re going to love it as much as I do!

So I’m a huge fan of green smoothies, in fact I drink a Skinny Green Monster at least a few times a week. But on a recent trip to Bali I discovered a banana smoothie that just blew me away.

The simple combo of banana, dates, yogurt, honey, ice, and (surprise!) cinnamon, makes a refreshing and tasty concoction, especially for sipping on steamy days. I drank one of these delicious smoothies every morning before heading to the pool or biking thru the rice paddies.

Here’s to a healthy and happy summer. Enjoy!

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Picadillo Quesadillas

One word... YUM!

I make Crock Pot Picadillo all the time in my house (Madison's number one request), and because it makes so much I like to get creative with my leftovers. I came up with this for lunch one day and my husband said I should put it on the blog, so I thought with Cinco De Mayo coming, it would be fun to do some Cuban-Mexi fusion.

I made a really quick & easy Pico de Gallo to add along with the cheddar jack cheese, the results – delicious!

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Superfood PB Banana and Cacao Green Smoothie

Whenever I go to my local health food store, I like to challenge myself and purchase something I've never tried before. Last week I bought a small bag of raw cacao nibs which come from the bean of the cacao plant and is rich in antioxidants, fiber and magnesium. What I was expecting when I opened the package was the bitter taste when I put a spoonful in my mouth. But after asking around on Instagram I got tons of great feedback and ideas. I realized if you combine them with something sweet, the bitterness subsides and tastes like rich dark chocolate.

I've been playing around with them all week and decided to try them in my smoothie. Here, I combined almond milk, peanut butter, a really ripe banana with a few drops of stevia along with a handful of spinach. Aside from all the health benefits associated with raw cacao which you can read more about here, this tasted great and was very satisfying.

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