A Fork In Each Hand

Green Monster Spinach Smoothie

January 10, 2012
Shannon
2 comments
banana, peanut butter, smoothies, spinach

I hate to sound cliché but I really, really, want to start eating better. I know, I know, me and half of the country, right? It isn’t that I really eat that bad, I mean I do get the majority of my recipes from Cooking Light magazine after all, but my problem is two-fold: I don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables and I have no concept of portion control! Smoothies are a great way to get those much needed servings of fruit and vegetables that most of us don’t get and also make for a filling, delicious breakfast.

This Green Monster Spinach Smoothie may not look appetizing to some of you but don’t be intimidated by it’s bright green color. Yes, it’s a spinach smoothie but if it weren’t for the color, you would never know by the taste. This smoothie has milk, vanilla yogurt, banana, and peanut butter and tastes like a peanut butter-banana milkshake. Since spinach is nutritious and so, so, so good for us, consider putting spinach in any smoothie you make. Your body will thank you.

The ingredients:

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Pour into your favorite glass or to-go cup and enjoy!

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions: None

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Iowa Girl Eats blog

Waldorf Chicken Salad

I went a little crazy at the grocery store this weekend and bought nearly every fruit and vegetable I could get my hands on. So, this week’s recipes will be full of healthy ideas. (I hope you don’t mind!)

This recipe for Waldorf Chicken Salad was buried in a cancer-fighting meal plan on Self Magazine’s website. Don’t pass by meal plans like these in magazines when you see them because they are usually very easy, healthy and full of great ideas. I don’t normally eat Waldorf salads even though they are full of all kinds of things that I love like apples, grapes, celery, and walnuts. I suppose it is because they are dressed in mayonaisse, making them a wanna-be healthy girl’s enemy.

This version has a teeny-weeny bit of mayo but also uses plain yogurt which cuts the calories. I used non-fat Greek yogurt which is tangy but is complemented by the sweetness of the grapes and apple. This is a great use for any leftover chicken you might have on hand or if you’re in a hurry, use precooked chicken strips like I did (I love Perdue Short Cuts). I didn’t use walnuts this time (even though they are one of my faves) but instead used chopped pecans because I had them on hand. Since chicken salad usually just tastes better as flavors meld, make this over the weekend and keep it in the fridge for a few quick workday lunches.

The ingredients:

In a bowl, mix yogurt, low-fat mayonaisse, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Add in chicken, apple, celery, grapes, and onions and mix well. (I put the pecans in here too but you can wait and sprinkle them over the salad just before serving if you prefer.)

Serve over your favorite greens.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions:

Dijon mustard for yellow mustard
Pecans for walnuts
Non-fat plain Greek yogurt for low-fat plain yogurt
Light mayonaisse
Scallions for onion

Overall Rating: Like It

Source: Self Magazine

Garlicky Spinach-Sausage Gratin

I can’t seem to get enough spinach lately, I’m not sure why. I’m not complaining though, there are worse things that I could be wanting to put in my body. This Garlicky Spinach-Sausage Gratin has tons of spinach and tons of garlic and satisfies that crazy spinach craving. Sausage is sautéed with onion and garlic, mixed with a combination of milk and egg, and stirred with gobs of fresh spinach to make a thick and creamy spinachy-custard. The topping of parmesan cheese and bread crumbs, once baked, provides a slight saltiness and subtle crunch to this hearty and comforting dish. I didn’t follow this recipe exactly and used precooked spinach-garlic chicken sausage (ironically, it’s what I had in the fridge) in place of the pork sausage, 1% milk instead of 2%, and store-bought bread crumbs instead of a fresh baguette. Leaving the sausage out and reducing the milk slightly might make this a good vegetarian dish or even a side to a meal. I liked this straight out of the oven as a meal in itself so next time you are craving spinach and want something other than salad, keep this in mind. With so much garlic though, you might want to keep a stick of gum nearby.

The ingredients:

In a large pan, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add in sausage, salt, and red pepper, cooking thoroughly.

Add flour to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. In a bowl, combine milk and egg, stirring well. Add to the sausage mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.