Tuna Brussels Sprout Salad

Happy Super Bowl Sunday! I don't really watch football at all, so today's kind of like a regular old Sunday for me. I'll be busy studying for my exams on Monday and Tuesday. I know, my life is so exciting, right?

When I get super busy, I tend to get really lazy about cooking. Especially when I'm cooking for one, my meals are usually very simple. I made this tuna salad for lunch today and added shredded brussels sprouts to boost the vegetable content. It's actually more "salad" than "tuna". The dressing is mayo-free and made with Greek yogurt for more protein. I threw in some shredded radishes and cranberries for added flavor, but this recipe is really customizable with whatever you usually like in your tuna salad. Try adding some chopped celery, onions, sunflower seeds, etc. I had my tuna salad on an open-faced sandwich, topped with some avocado. Yummy :)

Tuna Brussels Sprout Salad

You will need:

3 Tbsp Greek yogurt

juice of 1/2 lemon or lime

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

1 6oz canned tuna

1.5 cups shredded brussels sprouts, about 6-7 sprouts

4 radishes, shredded

1/3 cup dried cranberries

To make the dressing, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk the yogurt, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Drain the tuna and add to the dressing. Add the shredded brussels sprouts, radishes, and cranberries and stir to combine evenly. 

Make it vegetarian- use a can of lightly smashed garbanzo beans instead of the tuna. Add dulse flakes if you desire, for a more umami flavor.

Make it vegan- do the same to make it vegetarian, and sub 3 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise for the Greek yogurt. 

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I'm the Worst Blogger Ever (but here's a soup recipe)

Let's pretend that it hasn't been over two months since my last blog post. And the fact that I am lazy and the only reason I am writing is because I have two snow days in a row due to the blizzard dumping 2 feet of snow in Boston.

The storm started Monday night, picking up early Tuesday morning and lasting throughout the day. I was notified of my school's closure midday Monday, so the evening was spent with plenty of wine and Netflix.

It was windy and nasty-looking out, and while I usually love snow and extreme weather, I didn't feel like venturing out. I kind of wish I did go out and brave the storm yesterday while the snow was still fresh. 

Instead, I finally bundled up this morning to explore the transformed city.

The city did a pretty great job at clearing major roads and walkways. I went down to the river, around Beacon Hill, and the Commons. A lot of the narrow streets were still snowy and cars were mostly buried. 

And now to my soup recipe, the perfect food for a blizzard. I made this on Tuesday and survived, so it's proven to be effective.

Broccoli and Kale Cheese Soup

You will need:

1/2 onion, diced

1 small sweet potato, diced

3 cloves garlic

1 small bunch green kale, chopped

1 head of broccoli, chopped into small florets

1 quart chicken or vegetable broth

3 tablespoons corn starch

2/3 cup shredded cheese

salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, sweat the onions and garlic for 2 minutes. Add the sweet potato and cook on medium heat until they are softened. Add half of the broth and bring to a simmer.

Pour the contents of the pot into a blender and blend until completely smooth. Add the cheese and cornstarch and blend again. Be careful to let the steam escape through the lid so that it doesn't pop off!

In the meantime, steam the kale and broccoli with the rest of the broth in the large pot (no need to wash it) until tender. Add the contents of the blender to the veggies and stir to combine. Simmer on low heat for a few more minutes. If you want to thicken the soup, add more cornstarch dissolved in a little water. Season to taste with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, sriracha, whatever your heart desires.

Ladle into bowls and eat, preferably while watching a snowstorm :) I topped mine with a sprinkle of cheese and sriracha sauce because I am obsessed.

Make it vegetarian- sub vegetable broth instead of chicken broth

Make it vegan- sub 1/3 cup nutritional yeast for the shredded cheese

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Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon Curd and Butter Cream

I had some leftover frosting and lemon curd from the lemon chiffon cake that I made for Mother's Day, so of course I couldn't let it go to waste. I made vanilla cupcakes that I filled with the lemon curd. Then I put both the pink and white butter cream frosting into a pastry bag and topped each one with a multi-colored swirl. So pretty :)

Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling and Butter cream

For the cupcakes:

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

In a small mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Start adding the flour mixture little by little, alternating with the milk. When all the flour and milk is added, beat until just combined to avoid over mixing.

Divide the batter among a cupcake tin prepared with cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 of the way. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cakes feel springy when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleanly. 

Cool completely and prepare the lemon curd and frosting in the meantime.

For the Lemon Curd:

2 large eggs

1/3 cup sugar

juice and zest of 1 large lemon

4 Tbsp butter

pinch of salt

In a small saucepan, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt. Turn the heat onto medium, and add the butter. When the butter melts, turn heat to medium-low and continue to whisk until mixture thickens and briefly holds the lines when a whisk is drawn through. Chill the mixture completely before filling the cupcakes.

For the Lemon Buttercream:

1 stick butter, softened

3 cups confectioner's sugar (more or less might be needed)

2 Tbsp lemon curd

pinch of salt

Beat all the ingredients together until a thick frosting consistency is reached. Adjust with more or less confectioner's sugar if needed. Continue whipping the frosting for about 3 minutes until it is very fluffy. Color with food coloring if desired. 

To fill and frost the cupcakes

Fill a pastry bag or Ziploc bag fitted with a plain round tip with the lemon curd. Poke the tip into the middle of the cupcake and apply gentle pressure until the cupcake is filled to the top of the hole. Repeat with all the cupcakes. If you have leftover curd, you can add more to the buttercream for a more lemony flavor.

Fill a pastry bag (I used a gallon Ziploc) fitted with a large star tip with the buttercream. Fill it half and half with two colors if you want a swirl effect. Frost each cupcake with your desired amount of frosting. Eat the leftover frosting with your fingers :P

Enjoy life and eat a cupcake! <3

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Lemon Coconut Cookies

Don't these lovely lemon cookies remind you of spring? They have a bright citrus flavor with a rich, buttery coconut scent. The tops of the cookies get rolled in coconut flakes, which get lightly toasted as they bake. Don't like coconut? If you just want to make lemon sugar cookies, simply omit the coconut.

Lemon Coconut Cookies

1 stick butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 tsp lemon zest

4 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1 2/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

2/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 375 F

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric beater or mixing spoon to cream together the butter and sugar until smooth Add the egg, lemon zest, juice, and salt and mix thoroughly to combine. (Tip: using a food processor for these two steps is a lot easier) 

In another large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and 1/3 cup coconut flakes. Add the butter mixture and mix until a stiff cookie dough forms.  Use a rounded tablespoon or cookie dough scoop to portion out dough into balls. Place the rest of the coconut flakes onto a small plate, and gently press one side of the dough balls to coat. Place cookie dough onto greased baking sheets, coconut-coated side up, about 2 inches apart. 

Bake for 7 minutes, or until the edges look very lightly browned. Cool completely on the baking sheets.

Enjoy! 

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Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos

Who doesn't love a good taco? I made up this recipe for salsa verde chicken, and although it is in no way authentic, it's still very tasty and easy to make! I used salsa in the marinade, which is then used to make a sauce for the flavorful and moist shredded chicken. Wrapped in a warm corn tortilla and topped with a sprinkling of lettuce and cilantro, these tacos make a healthy and delicious meal :)

Salsa Verde Chicken

1/2 cup salsa verde (I used 365 Everyday Value from Whole Foods)
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small lime, juiced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp agave nectar (or other sweetener)
2 Tbsp olive oil

3 chicken breasts, about 1 1/4 lbs
1 small onion, sliced

In a shallow dish, mix together all ingredients for the marinade. Place the chicken breasts in the marinade and toss to completely cover. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour in the fridge.

After the chicken is done marinating, heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan on high heat, and add the chicken breasts, shaking the excess marinade off before placing in the pan. Reserve the marinade. Sprinkle the sliced onions around the chicken. Cook chicken on medium high heat for about 4 minutes, or until browned on one side.

Flip the breasts over and brown on the other side for another 3-4 minutes. Add the reserved marinade to the pan, cover, and simmer on low for about 7 minutes, or until chicken breasts are cooked all the way through.

Remove from heat, and with two forks, shred the chicken into bite sized pieces.

Heat your corn tortillas, either on a griddle or in the microwave covered with a damp paper towel. Add the chicken to each tortilla, and top with: 

shredded romaine lettuce
diced red onion
chopped cilantro
salsa verde
cheese

or whatever you desire!

Enjoy! <3

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Baked Falafel and Pita Bread Recipe

I've been craving something meatless recently, so I decided to make falafel. Of course, I can't have a falafel sandwich without pita bread, so I tried my hand at making it myself. It's actually not that hard, and better than store bought, in my opinion. I incorporated some whole wheat flour in it, as well.

Pita Bread

2 cups bread flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 1/2 cup warm water

1 package yeast

Add the sugar and yeast to the water, dissolve, and allow to sit until the yeast starts getting foamy, about 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours and salt. Pour the water mixture over the flour, and stir until a dough forms. Knead the dough for 7-10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic. Add more flour if it is too sticky, but only a little at a time.

Drizzle a small amount of oil over the dough, and roll it around to evenly coat. Cover the dough and allow to rise for 2-3 hours. When it has doubled in size, punch the dough down and roll into a long log. Cut the log into 10 even pieces. Cover the divided dough while you preheat the oven to 500 F. 

On a floured surface, roll out each ball of dough into circles that are about 1/4 inch thick. You don't want to roll it too thin or the bread won't puff up properly and form a pocket.

Place a few on a baking sheet and bake for 4 minutes, or until the bread is puffy. Flip over and bake for 2 more minutes. Remove from the oven and repeat until all the dough balls are baked.

Enjoy your freshly baked pita bread dipped in hummus, baba ganoush, etc. Or stuffed with falafel!

Baked Falafel

2 cups dried chickpeas

1 small finely chopped onion

1 cup parsley or cilantro or both

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

2 Tbsp flour

Soak the chickpeas for overnight, or until about doubled in size. If you're short on time, do a quick soak by bringing a pot of dried beans covered in at least an inch of water to a boil. Boil for 4 minutes, then turn off the heat. Allow to sit for an hour.

In a food processor, add the soaked chickpeas and the rest of the ingredients. Process until a cohesive "dough" forms. You don't want to process it completely like a paste, but the mixture should hold together fairly well. 

You want it slightly more processed than this. I didn't process it well enough and it didn't hold together very well.

Using your hands or two spoons, shape the mixture into small patties. Place on a well-oiled baking sheet (they can be pretty close together, just not touching) and bake in a 375 F oven for 15 minutes, flip, and return to the oven for about 13 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Enjoy stuffed in your freshly baked pita bread with tzatziki, shredded lettuce, onion, tomato, hummus, olives, pickles, or whatever you want to add!

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Pumpkin Layer Cake with "Cream Cheese" Frosting

Yesterday, I made a pumpkin cake because my relatives were visiting. I chose pumpkin just because I had a can of it in the pantry, and I love everything that's pumpkin flavored! I wanted to frost it with cream cheese frosting, but didn't have cream cheese, so I improvised. I used Greek yogurt in the frosting instead, and I think it still tasted like cream cheese frosting. Ya hear that? Healthy cream cheese frosting! (who am I kidding...)

For the cake:

4 large eggs

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp salt

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 15oz can of pumpkin puree

For the frosting:

6 Tbsp butter, softened

4 Tbsp Greek yogurt

1 lb confectioner's sugar (a box)

pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease two 9 inch round cake pans.

In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Beat with a mixer for 2 minutes, or until everything is well combined and a bit frothy.

Sift the flour, baking soda, and baking powder together. Add to the wet mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in the pumpkin puree. 

Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans, smoothing over the surface of the batter. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleanly. Cool completely before frosting. 

For the frosting, beat the butter, yogurt, and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, until the frosting has a thick consistency. Whip a minute or two more, until it's very smooth and fluffy.

To assemble the cake, place one of the layers on a cake plate or round. Spread an even layer of frosting on top, and place the second layer on top. Dump most of the frosting on top, and started spreading it to the edges. Frost the sides of the cake, smoothing it out, or making it textured. Garnish however you like; I used some coconut flakes on top and chopped almonds on the sides. 

What's your favorite cake flavor?

Layer cake or cupcake? 

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Super Hulk Smoothie

I have been eating out every day for the past few days. On Friday, I went out for pizza. Saturday, I went to a creperie and a Peruvian restaurant. Sunday, I went out for dinner to celebrate a birthday, and yesterday, I splurged on an Indian lunch buffet. And today, I grabbed lunch at the salad bar at Dawson's Market. 

I try to eat healthily most of the time, but weekends is when I tend to over-indulge. Lunch buffets are my weakness, and I always leave feeling too full. Last week, I went to a sushi buffet and an Indian buffet. I am a glutton and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

But seriously, I need to pay more attention to what I'm eating. As much as I dislike the term "clean eating", I am going to try to eat more greens, less sugar and fried foods. After a hard work out, I tend to feel endlessly hungry, and I grab whatever is convenient and yummy. Such as apple pie, cookies, bread, muffins, froyo. I don't make the smartest food choices :P 

But I'm not a dumb person and I can change my gluttonous ways! Case in point, I made a superfood and protein-packed green smoothie for my post-workout snack today. I added some Amazing Grass Green Superfood to my smoothie, which has wheatgrass, alfalfa, broccoli, probiotics, cocoa, acai, and a bunch of other healthy-sounding stuff. It's chock-full of antioxidants, which is important for recovery after a hard workout. I also added some fresh spinach and Greek yogurt for protein. It tasted sweet from the banana, which helped mask that green taste. 

I call it the Super Hulk Smoothie because it has superfoods, it's green, and it has protein so you can bulk up like the Hulk ;) 

Super Hulk Smoothie

1 banana

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

2/3 cup milk (dairy, almond, soy, etc )

Handful of spinach

1 scoop Amazing Grass Green Superfood

1 cup ice 

Add the banana, yogurt, milk, and spinach in a blender. Blend until very smooth and add the super foods powder and blend again. Add the ice and blend on the highest speed until there are no more ice chunks. 

Enjoy a refreshing and super healthy smoothie!

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Healthy Green Eats for St. Patty's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day! We had yet another snow day today, so it was a nice three-day weekend. I spent the day shoveling snow, having a snowball fight, eating lunch at an Indian buffet, and playing poker. I was wearing a green sweat shirt, so the luck was on my side and I won! As much as I want spring to hurry up, it's still nice to have an extra day off to spend with my family :)

I don't really celebrate St. Patrick's day, but I will have a beer in honor of it. Maybe I'll even color it green. Here is a recipe round-up of green (ish) foods to celebrate! 

My Green Smoothie Formula (customizable!)

Chinese Chive Turnovers

Sushi with Avocado

Spinach Alfredo

White Lasagna with Spinach and Sausage

Did you run a St. Patty's day themed race this weekend? What are you eating/drinking to celebrate?

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IT'S PI DAY FRIDAY

Happy Pi Day, everyone! Since I'm a geek who loves to eat, of course I wouldn't forget this very important day celebrating all things pi!

Pi:  The number π is a mathematical constant, the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, approximately equal to 3.14159. Wikipedia

Pie: a baked dish of fruit, or meat and vegetables, typically with a top and base of pastry.




I have been baking all morning, making cookie dough, granola, and of course, a pie! I decided to keep it simple and make an apple pie. 

My Pi Day pie! :) 

Are you eating pie today to celebrate? Check out some of the other pie recipes on my blog!


No-bake Blackberry Yogurt Pie
gluten-free

Apple Pie with Coconut Oil Crust 
vegan

Pumpkin Whoopie Pie (also a kind of pie, right?)

vegan

What is your favorite type of pie? 

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Apple Streusel Cake

For my aunt's birthday, I made her an apple streusel cake. The cake has a rich vanilla cake layer on the bottom, apples in the middle, and a toasty, buttery streusel topping. It's a easy cake that you can make in one bowl; no separating eggs or anything too complicated. This would be perfect served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

For the cake:

2 3/4 cup flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
3 eggs
1 stick butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups sliced apples


For the streusel topping:

1 cup flour
4 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until just thoroughly combined. Pour into a greased round cake pan. Arrange the apple slices on top of the cake batter.

To make the streusel topping, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small mixing bowl. Add the softened butter and mix until crumbly. I like to use my fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture. Sprinkle the streusel evenly on top of the apples.

Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleanly. You can also tell that the cake is ready by gently poking the center of the cake. It should feel springy.

Enjoy this classical apple streusel cake!

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Coconut Cranberry Oatmeal Bread

I've been making a lot of quick breads, lately. They keep disappearing really fast and a loaf hasn't lasted over 24 hours without being completely devoured. My family eats a lot. It's in our genes :P

I know I said that I would share my Lemon Cranberry bread that I made for brunch on Saturday, but I want to share this recipe first. This loaf is filled with coconut, cranberries, and sunflower seeds. The bread itself is lightly sweetened and has a coconut-y, buttery flavor that is so addicting. Each bite has the sweet-tart bits of cranberries and crunch of sunflower seeds. 

Coconut Cranberry Oatmeal Bread

1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup + 1/2 cup oats
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cranberries
1/3 cup coconut flakes
2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup turbinado sugar (or white sugar)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (or oil or melted butter)

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a blender, blend 1 cup oats until it becomes a fine flour. Add to a large mixing bowl and add the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cranberries, and coconut flakes.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, sugar, and vanilla extract. Add the melted coconut oil to the flour mixture, followed by the milk mixture. Stir until just combined and avoid over mixing.

Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleanly.

Enjoy!

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Sweet Saturday- Soft Gingersnaps Recipe

As promised, my recipe for soft gingersnaps! I made these yesterday for my 4K for Cancer fundraiser. I delivered them to my friends who donated, and they loved them!

Soft Gingersnaps

1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 taps ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup turbonado sugar (Sugar in the Raw, optional)

Preheat oven to 360F.

In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric beater or by hand. Add the egg, molasses, and salt and mix until combined.

In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon together. Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and thoroughly mix. Add the remaining flour and mix until a uniform dough forms.

Use a spoon to scoop out balls of cookie dough, about the size of a large walnut. Dip one side in a bowl of the turbinado sugar and place on a greased cookie sheet. Use the palm of your hand to gently press down to flatten it slightly, with the sugar-dipped side up. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Bake for about 8 minutes. You want to underbake them slightly so they will be soft. The bottoms should be only slightly browned.

Enjoy!

*** You can still enter to win a sample of ENERGYbits, so enter my giveaway HERE***


What are your plans for this Saturday? If the weather's nice, are you doing anything outdoors?

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Funfetti Sugar Cookies

Happy belated Valentines! I hope you had a great day surrounded by your loved ones :)

For the holiday, single me didn't have specific plans. I did bake some delicious heart shaped cookies for my family to enjoy! I don't know about you, but funfetti makes everything more yummy. I made a sugar cookie dough and just dumped a bunch of nonpareils on top. Isn't it healthier to eat all the colors of the rainbow? Something like that. 

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Sweet Potato Muffins

I made these on Saturday so that I could grab a quick snack throughout the week. I ended up with 11 muffins, and I already ate two yesterday as a snack, and two this morning for breakfast. These aren't going to last long...

I tried making these healthy by making it with white whole wheat flour and adding flax meal. They aren't very sweet and are pretty low fat, but they are still very flavorful  and smell delicious baking :)

Sweet Potato Muffins
yields 11-12 muffins

• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp flax meal (optional)

• 1 1/2 cup flour*
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/3 cup milk**

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Pierce the sweet potato a few times with a fork. Microwave it on high for 5 minutes, or until completely cooked through and very soft. You should be able to pierce a knife easily through to the middle. Peel the skin off.

In a medium bowl, mash the sweet potato until it is pretty smooth. Let it cool for a couple of minutes (you don't want the egg to cook!) Add the oil, egg, sugar, salt, spices, and vanilla and mix thoroughly. 

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and milk to the sweet potato mixture. Mix until just combined. Avoid over-mixing.

Spoon batter evenly into a greased muffin tin. Bake for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Notes:

* I used white whole wheat flour. All purpose will work fine as well, or a mixture of white and whole wheat flours.

** I used almond milk, since I usually don't buy dairy milk. Use any type of milk you have or prefer. Even water would work.

Sorry that I don't have a picture of these. They may or may not be gone already... >.>

What is your favorite type of muffin? 


When you bake, do your bake goods disappear within a day or two? (I have that problem every time I bake...)

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