Spinach Smoothie with Fruit

Going in a bit of a different direction … as I’ve been looking for new recipes to try, I’m coming across a lot more than just delicious dinner recipes!  There is so much out there.  And Greg and I recently decided to start trying to eat a little healthier than we have been.  I’m going to be looking for and cooking healthy dinners, but we’re also looking to change our breakfast, lunch and snack habits.  

Instead of that Saturday morning Dunkin’ Donuts run, why not start your day with a nutritious and delicious smoothie?  I’ll admit – when I first came across the pictures of these green smoothies, I thought, ‘Ew. Who would want to drink that? Looks gross…’  But after making and drinking it, there is only a slight veggie/green-ness undertone to it.  The mango, grapes, and lime juice really mask the fact that you are drinking a spinach smoothie.  And this smoothie is so good for you – spinach is packed with protein and lots of other vitamins and minerals. 

The original recipe, found in Real Simple magazine, calls for collard greens, but spinach was presented as a substitute, and I went with it.

Here’s what you’ll need:

2 tablespoons lime juice

½ water

2 cups chopped spinach

1 ½ cups frozen mango chunks

1 cup green grapes
 

Here’s how to make it: 

Pour lime juice and water into blender first. Then follow with chopped spinach, mango and grapes.  Puree for at least a minute until smooth.  (I noticed a few tiny bits of spinach while I was drinking it, so next time I’ll probably blend for 90 seconds or so.)  Add more water if you like your smoothies with a little thinner consistency.    

This was a super quick and easy recipe to make.  Now that I know how easy and healthy smoothies can be, I think I’ll be using my blender a lot more often!

 

Stir-Fried Beef with Broccoli and Bell Peppers

Here’s another healthy recipe I found in the pages of Cooking Light magazine.  I have realized that we eat a lot of the same types of foods in our house – this recipe contains broccoli and peppers, two things that I know I have blogged about before.  But they’re healthy and delicious, so I guess there’s nothing wrong with that!  However, I just might have to change it up a little bit soon.  Nothing too crazy, or Greg won’t eat it!  This recipe combines meat, veggies, and grains, making it an easy one-dish meal.

Stir-Fried Beef with Broccoli and Bell Peppers adapted from this recipe in Cooking Light.

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 pound flank steak

4 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

3/4 pound frozen cut broccoli

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

Hot cooked white rice 

Here’s how to make it:

Cut steak in half lengthwise, and then cut each half across the grain into 1/8 inch thick slices.  Combine meat with 2 tablespoons soy sauce, garlic, and black pepper.  Mix well.  Cover and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.  Sometimes I even leave it in there overnight.

 

Combine water, remaining soy sauce, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add beef mixture to the skillet.  Cook until browned, stirring occasionally.  Once browned to your liking, remove from heat and set aside. 

Add broccoli to the skillet and allow it to cook until tender crisp.  Add the red bell pepper slices to the skillet.  Stir and cook for about a minute.  Add the beef mixture to the skillet.  Stir in the water/soy sauce/crushed red pepper mixture.  Cook until heated through.  Serve over the hot cooked rice.

 

 

Roast Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers

Greg is back in town and last night I made one of his favorite meals to warmly greet him home. (I know, I am such a good wife!)  This one is adapted from a recipe I found flipping through the pages of Cooking Light magazine.  I used to have a subscription, and I don’t know why I don’t anymore!  The cover of the November 2012 issue caught my eye in the grocery store line a few months back, and I couldn’t resist buying it!  (Those point-of-sale marketing tactics really work…)  It was their 25th anniversary issue, so there were quite a few good recipes in it, but this one quickly was added to our regular rotation. 

Roast Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers adapted from this recipe originally published in Cooking Light. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

salt 

fennel seeds

ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

skinless, boneless chicken breasts

olive oil

cooking spray

thinly sliced red bell pepper

thinly sliced yellow bell pepper

thinly sliced shallots

sprinkle of rosemary

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Here’s how to make it:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add some oil and swirl it around. 

Put together the spice rub – combine ½ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder and oregano.

Gently pat a light layer of the spice rub over the chicken and place chicken in the pan.

While the chicken is browning, prepare the peppers and shallots.  The original recipe calls for two cups of sliced red pepper to one cup of sliced yellow pepper.  I just get one red and one yellow.  I like the contrast of the different flavors. 

 

Also, onions are a perfectly good substitute for the shallots, but I do think the shallots are a little more flavorful.

Once the chicken is browned, transfer to a shallow baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Bake for 10 minutes in the oven.

While the chicken is baking, add a bit more oil to the skillet.  Add peppers, shallots, and rosemary to the pan.  Sauté for about 3 minutes.  Then, stir in the broth and scrap up any remaining browned bits from the pan.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. 

Increase the heat to medium-high again and stir in the vinegar, a dash of salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.  Cook for another 3 minutes, stirring to let the peppers and shallots mixture soak up the flavor.

Serve pepper mixture over chicken.  Serve with a side of mashed potatoes. Buon appetito!