In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Sauté mushrooms, red pepper, carrots and garlic; cook for about 5-7 minutes. Add the spinach and sugar snap peas; stir to combine and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the spinach has started wilting. Meanwhile, cook the lo mein according to package instructions. Once cooked, add the noodles to the vegetables. Reduce the heat to low and add the soy sauce, Sriracha sauce and ginger to the lo mein. Stir to combine completely. {You can add more/less of these ingredients depending on your taste. I just wanted to make sure there was enough soy sauce and Sriracha to coat the vegetables and noodles.} Serve and enjoy.
Happy Friday! Well, we finally made it to the end of the first full week of 2015! I hope everyone’s year is off to a great start and you are sticking to all those resolutions 😉 Today, I am sharing a super quick and easy weeknight meal. It’s so difficult to come up with quick weeknight meals. After a long day at work, and not getting home until almost 7, a complicated dinner is the last thing I am in the mood for!
I am not a huge fan of Chinese food {I know, I know. I just find Chinese {especially takeout} to be so salty I am literally thirsty for two days!} but it’s one of Richard’s favorites, so I try to make it every once in awhile. This was a super simple lo mein that can truly be customized to whatever you like! The one thing I love most about this dish is the heat from the Sriracha: it’s the perfect compliment to the vegetables and noodles. And by making this traditional Chinese takeout dish at home, you can not only save on calories but also watch your sodium intake with the use of low sodium soy sauce.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a pizza pan that has been oiled or sprayed with cooking spray, spread the pizza dough out to desired thickness. Cook in the oven, without the toppings, for 8 minutes {these directions are on the pizza dough packaging too}. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and add the sliced peppers, cooking under tender and brown, about 10 minutes. To assemble the pizza: place the sauce on the dough, followed by the shredded cheese, peppers and slices of prosciutto. Garnish with the basil and Parmesan cheese. Bake the pizza for 8-10 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Serve and enjoy!
Today I am sharing a pizza recipe I made for New Year’s Eve {hence why it’s just a little more unhealthy than the buffalo chickpea pizza I made last week 😉 } This past weekend, I was watching one of my favorite shows on Food Network, “Beat Bobby Flay” and asked Richard what my signature dish would be if I was on the show. For those that don’t know, {“Beat Bobby Flay” has two contestants that go head-to-head to make the best dish and the winner gets the opportunity to face Bobby Flay making the contestants signature dish.} We agreed that it would definitely have to be a pizza!
I am not a huge fan of prosciutto, but it’s one of Richard’s favorites so I decided to incorporate it into the pizza of the week. Actually, I cannot take complete credit for this recipe, it was Richard’s idea to combine the peppers and prosciutto {not surprising since those are two of his favorite foods!}. And I have to say, it turned out perfectly! Just a heads up, the Hungarian/banana peppers I used for this pizza were fresh, as opposed to canned, and they were SUPER hot. Our grocery store, Wegmans, has a huge section of peppers and I just grabbed one, without reading the description, to add to the pizza. The flavors were amazing, but a little spicy in case you like to stay away from the heat 😉
1 15.5 ounce can garbanzo beans {I used organic}, drained & rinsed
1 red pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups arugula
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 tablespoons Ranch dressing {I used low fat}
Olive oil or cooking spray
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a pizza pan that has been oiled or sprayed with cooking spray, spread the pizza dough out to desired thickness. Cook in the oven, without the toppings, for 8 minutes {these directions are on the pizza dough packaging too}. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the garbanzo beans with about 2 tablespoons of the Frank’s RedHot Sauce, just enough to cover the beans. Remove the dough from the oven and spread about 3 or more tablespoons {depending on how much heat you want!} of the Frank’s RedHot Sauce over the pizza to create the “sauce.” Add the mozzarella cheese in an even layer, followed by the arugula. {The arugula will look overwhelming, but it shrinks in the oven!} Place the chopped red pepper and red onion on top of the arugula, followed by the chickpeas. Place the pizza back in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Remove the pizza from the oven and starting in the center of the pizza, continue a circle of ranch dressing until reaching the outer layer, almost to the crust. Serve and enjoy!
January 2nd. The day most Americans begin their New Year’s resolutions, most of the time, having something to do with eating healthier or working out more. In honor of the conclusion of the holiday season, I am sharing a healthy version of one of my favorite foods. As you may recall, I hate chicken. But, there is something about buffalo chicken that I am absolutely in love with {maybe it’s the breading haha 😉 }.
One of our traditions in the McCarthy household is Pizza Friday. I’ve made some not so healthy {but ridiculously delicious} pizzas in the past, but this one is definitely not on that list! The best way to describe this pizza is a vegetarian version of a buffalo chicken salad. {Side note: you could also make this vegan if you omit the cheese!} The delicious flavors of the arugula and chickpeas combine with the classic buffalo sauce to create the most delicious, healthy version of a buffalo chicken pizza. Here are some other suggestions for changes to this recipe that would also be amazing: use blue cheese dressing instead of ranch, use spinach instead of arugula and add celery and/or carrots to your toppings! This pizza will be a new Pizza Friday favorite in our house!
Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous weekend!
One of the best gifts you can give this holiday season is something truly from the heart. These homemade baskets are the perfect gift for anyone on your list and with these simple recipes, you will be able to assemble the special treats in time for Christmas! I love to cook and this was a wonderful project for a creative outlet 🙂 I have included all the recipes to these sweet treats below, include Chocolate Pecan Turtles, Gingerdoodle cookies, Christmas Peppermint Bark {last seen here}, Chocolate Marshmallows and Roasted Cinnamon Almonds. As for the packaging details, Target has a huge selection of tins, baskets, festive bags and the most perfect ribbon to complete your presentation!
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and cluster 3 pecans together on the baking sheet. Place one caramel on top of the pecan cluster and bake for 3-4 minutes until the caramel is soft. Remove from the oven and spray the back of a spatula with cooking spray. Using the back of the spatula, gently press down on each caramel, allowing the caramel to spread out across the pecans. Transfer the pecan clusters to a sheet of wax paper. Melt the milk chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second intervals, about 1 minute total. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the milk chocolate over the pecan cluster. Allow to cool completely before packaging.
Gingerdoodle Cookies
1 package Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cookie Mix {plus the ingredients on the back of the package}
1 package Betty Crocker Snickerdoodle Cookie Mix {plus the ingredients on the back of the package}
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make the Gingerbread Cookie Mix according to package directions in one bowl. Make the Snickerdoodle Cookie Mix according to package directions in a separate bowl. Take a tablespoon of each cookie dough and roll together in a ball. Place the cinnamon sugar in a small, shallow bowl. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar and place on an ungreased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheets and transfer to cool rack. Cool completely before packaging.
Chocolate Marshmallows
10 large marshmallows
1 cup white chocolate morsels, melted
10 white sticks
Sprinkles, crushed candy canes, etc for decorating
Place one marshmallow on each stick. Place the white chocolate morsels in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals {mine took about 1 minute} until melted. Dip the marshmallow in the chocolate, covering almost the entire marshmallow, and sprinkle the wet chocolate with desired sprinkles. Allow to dry, sitting up, in a glass. Allow to dry completely before packaging.
Roasted Cinnamon Almonds
4 cups whole almonds
2 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy; beat in the vanilla. Add the almonds. In a separate large bowl, mix the sugar, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Add to the nut mixture and stir to coat. Transfer to a large baking sheet and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once at the halfway point. Cool and store in an airtight container.
Christmas Peppermint Bark
2 cups white chocolate {I just used the morsels, but if you are using a brick of chocolate, cut into 1/2 inch pieces}
1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup crushed peppermints {I used candy canes, of course!}
Line a baking sheet with foil, shiny side up. Be sure that all the creases are smoothed out of the foil. Place 1 cup of the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring each time with a rubber spatula, until the chocolate has melted {for me, it was about 1:30 minutes}. Once the chocolate has melted, stir in the other cup of the unmelted white chocolate. Stir vigorously until all the chocolate has melted and there are no lumps {Note: if you were to melt all the chocolate together, the chocolate would have a tendency to look dull. By stirring in the unmelted chocolate, it creates a beautiful and shiny chocolate!} Spread the chocolate onto the foil-lined baking sheet to about a 1/4 inch thickness. Work quickly as the chocolate hardens pretty fast! Place the mini marshmallows in the chocolate and sprinkle with the crushed peppermints. Allow to harden at room-temperature for about an hour. Once hard, break into uneven pieces. Store in airtight container for up to a week.
Drain and press the tofu dry with a paper towel. Slice the tofu into four square pieces. Place sauerkraut in small saucepan over low heat. On a cutting board, brush about 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce on one side of the tofu; season that side with 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, salt and pepper. Heat 3-4 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, place the tofu seasoned-side down. Season the other side, while in the skillet, with 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Transfer tofu to a clean plate. With a paper towel, wipe out the skillet and melt about 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet over medium heat. {I used about 2 tablespoons of butter per sandwich} Spread about 1 tablespoon of the Thousand Island dressing on each side of the sandwich bread. Place the slice of tofu on one side, followed by 2 slices of the Swiss cheese and about 3 tablespoons of the sauerkraut {more or less depending on your preference!}. Place the top slice of bread on top of the sauerkraut to make a sandwich. Transfer the sandwich to the hot skillet {as if you were making grilled cheese}, toasting the bread on each side for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Makes 4 sandwiches.
Happy Friday! As you may know, I have been on a quest to incorporate more tofu into our dinners. {You can see more tofu recipes here, here & here} One of my husband’s favorite sandwiches in the world is a Reuben sandwich. I’m not much of a meat eater, so I honestly don’t think I’ve ever tried a classic Reuben sandwich! I thought I would substitute the meat for tofu and create a healthier version of my husband’s favorite {and maybe something I could tolerate!} Well I’ve never tried the classic, but this healthy version was amazing! The flavors incorporated so well together and the cheese melted perfectly. Even my husband said it was the best version of the “Reuben” he has ever had 😉 This was a super quick dinner too, and for me, that’s always a bonus! Maybe I’ll even try a classic Reuben now… 😉
1 medium-sized butternut squash, peeled & cubed into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cup low sodium chicken stock
1 1/2 cup fat free milk
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 1/4 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound dry pasta {I used cavatappi}
1/2 cup panko
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cubed butternut squash, chicken stock, milk and garlic. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium and allow to simmer until the squash is tender, about 25 minutes. Place the squash mixture in a blender. Add the Greek yogurt and season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Transfer blended squash back to the sauce pan and stir in the Gruyère, Pecorino Romano and just 2 tablespoons of Parmesan. Stir until completely combined. Meanwhile, make the pasta according to package directions; drain. Add the pasta to the squash and cheese mixture and stir combine. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and transfer the pasta mixture to the casserole. In a separate small bowl, combine the panko and the rest of the Parmesan cheese, stir to combine. Sprinkle the panko mixture over the top of the mac and cheese. Divide the 4 tablespoons of butter into fourths and scatter over the top of the panko. Bake, uncovered, until bubbly, about 25 minutes.
Today I am sharing one last recipe with butternut squash until next fall and this is a good one. Macaroni and cheese is by far one of my favorite guilty pleasures — there are so many variations to mac and cheese and I love experimenting with all of them! Most of them are full of fat and calories, but not this one. The butternut squash combines with just the right amount of cheese to create the most creamy mac and cheese ever. You will hardly taste the difference between this healthy version of the full calorie favorite!
Yesterday, my office celebrated our annual Christmas lunch. As an added treat, I made these cute peppermint bark gifts for each of my coworkers. Peppermint bark is a delicious Christmas treat and combine that with cute packaging and you have a perfect little gift for your office, neighbors or any other foodie on your list! And chocolate bark is so easy to make! One of my favorite things about it is that you are able to customize it to your liking or make it fit with any occasion or season. This peppermint bark will truly give you the flavors of the season in one bite!
Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by!
Christmas Peppermint Bark
2 cups white chocolate {I just used the morsels, but if you are using a brick of chocolate, cut into 1/2 inch pieces}
1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup crushed peppermints {I used candy canes, of course!}
Line a baking sheet with foil, shiny side up. Be sure that all the creases are smoothed out of the foil. Place 1 cup of the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring each time with a rubber spatula, until the chocolate has melted {for me, it was about 1:30 minutes}. Once the chocolate has melted, stir in the other cup of the unmelted white chocolate. Stir vigorously until all the chocolate has melted and there are no lumps {Note: if you were to melt all the chocolate together, the chocolate would have a tendency to look dull. By stirring in the unmelted chocolate, it creates a beautiful and shiny chocolate!} Spread the chocolate onto the foil-lined baking sheet to about a 1/4 inch thickness. Work quickly as the chocolate hardens pretty fast! Place the mini marshmallows in the chocolate and sprinkle with the crushed peppermints. Allow to harden at room-temperature for about an hour. Once hard, break into uneven pieces. Store in airtight container for up to a week.
*I made six 8 ounce jars for my office. To fill the 6 jars, I made 2 1/2 recipes of this bark.
For the packaging:
Place the chocolate bark in mason jars and secure the lid tightly. Wrap a festive ribbon {I chose ribbon that looked like candy canes 😉 } around the mason jar and tie into a bow. Tie on gift tag and you are ready to go!
3-4 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese {I used fat free}
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Begin by cooking the pasta according to package directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup of water in case you need to loosen the sauce at the end. In a medium-sized skillet, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Slice the sausage into bite-sized pieces. Place the sausage in a hot skillet and cook until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Once sausage is cooked, place on clean plate and set aside. Meanwhile, in a separate large skillet, heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and add the onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is soft, about 6-7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 2-3 minutes, just until the tomatoes begin to soften. Turn the heat down to low and toss in the spinach. Place the cooked onion, tomato and spinach mixture in a large serving bowl, followed by the cooked pasta. Mix with the pesto and toss with the sausage and feta cheese. If the sauce seems too thick, you can gradually add, 1 tablespoon at a time, the pasta water to help loosen the sauce. Serve and enjoy!
I made this fun Mediterranean pasta dish this past weekend and it did not disappoint! With all the fresh vegetables and the whole wheat pasta, this is one meal you don’t have to feel guilty about eating. As you may recall, I definitely have an obsession with chicken sausage {see a few other recipes here & here} and I love trying it in different dishes! If you aren’t a fan of chicken sausage, you could replace it with a grilled or baked chicken too. This was one of my quicker weekend meals, so I would most assuredly recommend this for a weeknight dinner too!
Happy Friday! I’ve been all about quick and easy weeknight recipes the past few weeks. There is so much to accomplish before Christmas {can you believe it’s only 20 days away?!} that I have been trying to come up with quick dinners so I am able to get a few things done on weeknights after work. This is such a simple, yet delicious, recipe that is perfect for any weeknight! Customize it with your favorite toppings for your own unique Mexican flatbread!
Have a fabulous weekend, everyone!
Mexican Flatbread
1 pound ground beef {or ground turkey}
2 sheets flatbread {something like this would be perfect!}
1 15.5 ounce can black beans, rinsed & drained
4-6 ounches shredded Mexican cheese
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt & pepper
Store-bought salsa, sour cream and guacamole for garnish
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lay flatbread on a dry baking sheet and place in oven for just 2-3 minutes to allow the flatbread to get a little crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside. Meanwhile, cook the ground beef {or turkey} in a medium-sized skillet over medium high heat. Season with cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook until brown; drain off the excess grease. To assemble flatbreads, spoon a layer of the cooked ground beef all over the flat bread {leaving enough room for a “crust”} followed by a layer of black beans. Top with desired amount of Mexican cheese and place back in the oven for 2-3 minutes, just to allow the cheese to melt. Garnish with salsa, sour cream, guacamole or your favorite toppings!
Today, I am sharing a few pictures from Thanksgiving weekend back in Ohio. From the delicious food {I’ve included just a few of the amazing dishes!} to the Turkey Trot to Black Friday shopping, it was a wonderful weekend back at home with family!
2014 5-mile Turkey Trot
Thanksgiving Tablescape
Festive Name “Cards”
A Thanksgiving Tradition
Spicy Cheese Ball
Pumpkin Ravioli in Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Butternut Squash & Sweet Potatoes with Balsamic Glaze
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.
