Monthly Archives: November 2014

White Bean Spread

When you are eating healthy, you need healthy snacks, right? So you buy some baby carrots to have on hand to snack on here or there but after a while you just want to dunk it into some creamy or cheesy dip. Carrots are my quickest go-to when it comes to quick-grab veggies but sometimes, I just can’t eat another one plain. And since I hate cooked carrots more than anything and don’t particularly care for light dressings, I’m left to find myself another way to eat these little guys. Luckily for me, I usually have cans of beans on hand so when I came across this recipe for White Bean Spread, it was like an aha moment.

Canned cannellini beans are whirled together with nothing more than lemon juice, fresh thyme, salt and pepper, producing a fiber and protein-filled snack. This vegetarian dip is simple but complex in flavors and one of the easiest things you can make. The lemon juice gives it a real vibrancy and the thyme shines through subtly. I didn’t process the beans all the way so I could have some chunky bites here and there (for those of us who like lumpy mashed potatoes) which made this feel more like a small meal than a snack. This dip is thick and only gets thicker if you put it in the refrigerator but can easily be thinned out with water or additional lemon juice. If you are sick of hummus, give this fresh dip a try.

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Combine beans, oil, lemon juice, thyme, salt and pepper in a food processor.

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Process until smooth.

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Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions: None

Overall Rating: Like It

Source: Family Circle magazine

Chicken Salad Melts

Why is lunch such a pain? Breakfast is easy. Dinner is usually easy. But lunch? You need something to keep you going that won’t fill you up so much that you can’t get through the rest of a long afternoon. Do you need a super easy, super quick lunch? Well I do! I’ve been working from home lately but that doesn’t mean I’m left with all kinds of time to sit and have a nice long lunch. Between meetings, conference calls and a lot of work to do, I need something fast.  These Chicken Salad Melts are perfect for a quick little bite that won’t take up a lot of time and won’t leave you needing a nap right away.

Precooked rotisserie chicken (a busy girl’s lifesaver) is mixed with fat-free Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, dill, and scallions. The mixture is covered in cheddar cheese and broiled until melted and gooey. Thin slices of fresh apple and leaves of Bibb lettuce round out this little sandwich which can be easily made ahead of time and wrapped up to-go (just heat up the cheese in a microwave or leave it off completely). I have to admit, I’m not the biggest fan of using Greek yogurt in chicken salad but if there is a nice balance with some light mayonnaise, it can actually provide a nice little tang that you wouldn’t normally get. Give these a try. I mean, it beats yet another boring can of soup or unsatisfying frozen meal!

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Preheat broiler to high. Combine chicken, yogurt, mayonnaise, dill, salt, pepper and scallions in a medium bowl; stir well.

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Place 1/3 cup chicken mixture on bottom half of each muffin. Top evenly with cheese. Broil 1 minute or until cheese melts.

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Top sandwiches evenly with apple, lettuce, and top halves of muffins.

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Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions:

  • Light mayonnaise

Overall Rating: Like It

Source: Cooking Light magazine