Apricot-Lemon Chicken

Prep: 4 minutes; Cook: 14 minutes; Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 1 1/2 tablespoons apricot-lemon sauce)
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
1/3 cup apricot spread (such as Polaner All Fruit)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
Preparation:
1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; rub mixture over chicken.
2. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Cook chicken 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan, and keep warm.
3. Add apricot spread, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons water to pan, stirring until smooth. Cook over medium heat 1 minute. Spoon sauce over chicken; sprinkle with lemon rind.
Nutritional Information:
Calories:
245 (8% from fat)
Fat:
2g (sat 0.6g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.5g)
Protein:
39.4g
Carbohydrate:
14.5g
Fiber:
0.3g

Quick Chicken & Dumplings

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups)
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup prechopped onion
2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 (10-ounce) box frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Preparation:
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in chicken and vegetables; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.
While chicken mixture cooks, combine water, flour, and broth. Gradually stir broth mixture into chicken mixture. Stir in salt, pepper, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes. Stir in tortilla strips, and cook 2 minutes or until tortilla strips soften. Remove from heat; stir in parsley. Discard bay leaf. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information:
Calories:
366 (23% from fat)
Fat:
9.3g (sat 3.1g,mono 3.9g,poly 1.4g)
Protein:
29.8g
Carbohydrate:
40.3g
Fiber:
5.3g

Rolo Cake Cookies

Got this recipe from my friend Shalyce. Made them last night. Easiest cookies ever & so good!

1 Chocolate Cake Mix (we used Betty Crocker Tripple Chocolate Fudge)
2 Eggs

1/3 Cup Oil

1 bag of Rolos

DON'T follow the recipe on the box of the cake mix! Just put in these ingredients.

Take the dough, wrap it around a rolo & shape it into a ball.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

And that's it!

Scandinavian Almond Bars

made these last night for a birthday gathering.

i already handed out the recipes for two of them:

get the ginger snap recipe here.

get the pumpkin choco chip here. Now we're gonna make these yummies.
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp. banking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tablespoon almond extract
milk
confectioners sugar
Stir together flour, baking powder & salt. In large bowl beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg and extract and beat well. Add flour mixture and beat until well mixed.

Form dough into log, flatten, cook at 350 for 12-14 min. I cut it lengthwise (while hot), then diagonally (1" strips) with a pizza cutter.

Cool-drizzle with icing.
Icing: 1 cup confectioner sugar, 1/4 tsp. or more almond extract and 3-4 or more tsp. milk.

Marshmallow Popcorn Bars

Makes 24 bars

Hands-On Time: 10m

Total Time: 20m
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
1/2 cup popcorn kernels or one 3.5-ounce package plain microwave popcorn
1 10-ounce bag marshmallows
Directions
Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pop the popcorn according to the package directions.
Melt the butter and marshmallows in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth, 5 to 7 minutes.
Fold in the popcorn until coated. Press into the prepared dish and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting into 24 bars.

Happy Halloween!

Sweet Potato Fries & Dipping Sauce

Made this after church today. Grand. Plus, this week in my health class I discovered sweet potatoes were the best veggies! Who woulda thunk?

P.S. I'm a "little bit of this & little bit of that" cooker. I don't measure & I eye ball my stuff in the oven. So this is going off of what I think I put together. Hopefully you can trust me on this one...

Directions for fries:

Cut up sweet potatoes into fries.

I put them into a pot of boiling water to soften them up for a little over 10 minutes.

Lay them out on a cookie sheet.

Put a little olive oil, salt & pepper on top.

Set the oven to 375 & stick them in for about 15 minutes. Once again, I would keep checking to make sure they don't burn!

Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

3/4 Cup Sour Cream

1/4 teaspoon lime zest

1/4 teaspoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

cilantro

Mix all together.

Chomp down.

This was good guys.

Quick Fall Minestrone

Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups vegetable broth
2 1/2 cups (3/4-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
2 1/2 cups (3/4-inch) cubed peeled baking potato
1 cup (1-inch) cut green beans

1/2 cup diced carrot
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups chopped kale
1/2 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 2 1/2 minutes or until tender. Add broth and the next 7 ingredients (broth through salt); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes. Add kale, orzo, and beans; cook 5 minutes or until orzo is done and vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with cheese.
Nutritional Information
Calories:
212

Fat:
5g
Protein:
9.6g
Carbohydrate:
36g
Fiber:
3.9g

Ginger Snaps

You guys, these really are divine and my roommate nailed it, "It's like Christmas in your mouth..."
So it's only October... but I was aching to make these bad boys for our picnic today & for more Mason Jar give aways. I'll admit, they make me a little homesick because my family makes them every Christmas Eve & they're still the cookies I give to Santy Claus. Here it is:

1 1/2 cups veggie oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molassas
4 cups flour
4 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp salt
1 Tab. ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
sugar for coating
Beat first three ingredients together. Add dry ingredients. Chill for 1 hr. Roll 1 12" balls-roll in sugar...cook 6-8 minutes @ 350.

Tip 1: Take the cookies out of the oven when they're starting to "crack" on top or else they'll be crunchy. No bueno.

Tip 2: When adding the molassas to the recipe, spray the measuring cup first with Pam and then the molassas will slip right instead of STICKING to the measuring cup which is totally annoying.

Enjoy!

Parmesean Zucchini Sticks with Smoky Roasted Romesco Sauce

My love for zucchini will never die.

*to save time, use your own marinara sauce instead of making the one from the recipe. Yield 8 servings (serving size: 6 zucchini sticks and 1/4 cup sauce)
Ingredients:
Sauce:
3 medium red bell peppers
2 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup (1/2-inch) cubed French bread baguette, crusts removed
1 1/2 tablespoons smoked almonds
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 large garlic clove
Zucchini:
3 large zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup egg substitute
Cooking spray
Preparation:
1. Preheat broiler.
2. To prepare sauce, cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place bell pepper halves and tomatoes, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten bell peppers with hand. Broil 10 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel and coarsely chop, reserving any liquid.
3. Combine bell peppers, reserved liquid, tomatoes, and next 8 ingredients (through garlic) in a blender or food processor; process until smooth.
4. Preheat oven to 400°.
5. To prepare zucchini, cut 1 zucchini in half crosswise; cut each half lengthwise into 8 wedges. Repeat procedure with remaining zucchini. Combine breadcrumbs, panko, cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish. Dip zucchini in egg substitute; dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place zucchini on a wire rack coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat zucchini with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately with sauce.

*recipe from cooking light

Southwestern Soup

LOVE the Southern Living Magazine. I devour our stack everytime I go home. The January 2009 issue had a little gem. Southwestern Soup. MMMhMMM good. It has a lot of ingredients but is totally worth it. For all you Provo dwellers, make it on a depressingly cold day. It is a COZY COMFORT food.

Prep: 15 min., Cook: 45 min.
Yield
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (16-oz.) cans light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-oz.) can petite diced tomatoes and jalapeños, undrained
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes and mild green chiles, undrained
1 (14-oz.) can beef broth
2 cups frozen yellow and white whole kernel corn
1 (1-oz.) envelope taco seasoning mix
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Toppings: sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation:
1. Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring often, 10 to 12 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink and onion is softened; drain.
2. Stir in kidney beans, next 8 ingredients, and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in cilantro just before serving. Serve with desired toppings.

so obsessed with....

Halloween cupcakes right now.

Ms. Stolworthy will have so many Halloween cupcakes in her classroom next fall.

Quick King Ranch Chicken

Made this one last night. Not healthiest, but quick & easy.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup margarine
1 medium green bell pepper, diced fine
1 medium yellow onion, diced fine
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cans Milder Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed (i use the canned chicken)
12 whole wheat tortillas, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 cups shredded cheddar or velveeta cheese
preheat oven to 325 degrees. in a large saucepan, saute the bell pepper and onion in the margerine until tender (about 5 minutes). add both soups, the rotel and chicken pieces and stir until the mixture is well-blended. in a 10x10 lightly oiled casserole dish, start making thin layers with the corn tortillas first, then the cooked chicken mixture and last the cheese. repeat about 3 times with the cheese on top. bake for 40 minutes, covered, or until hot and bubbly. Serve over rice with sour cream on top.

cookie monster

Don't worry, Sara & I have still been doing our weekly Mason Jar give away. I've just been bad with updates. These are our projects for the last two weeks:

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 (16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions: In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add pumpkin, oil, eggs, milk and vanilla; beat on medium speed until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 13-14 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Cool for 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

*The cookies are baked in the exact shape you put them on the pan. Since the batter is sticky, Sara & I put a little oil on our fingers & smoothed out the cookies before baking.

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups dried cranberries
2/3 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate
Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Put oats in the blender & blend until a they are fine. Combine oats, flour, salt, and baking soda; stir into butter mixture one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

mason jar love

Anyone that knows me knows that I love Mason Jars. There's so much to do with them.

Sara & I have recently decided every Sunday we would make a treat for someone in need & deliver it to become more selfless :)

(i'm not gonna lie, it really bothers me that the pinkish ribbon clashes with the red salsa, but it's all i had & i couldn't send it plain. don't worry, my mama sent more ribbon this week to me. babe.) This Salsa is so good. My mom always makes it & now I make it weekly because everyone loves it so much.

JD even made it as one of Ashley's favorite foods when he proposed.Salsa
1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 can black beans (undrained)
1 can white corn (undrained)
1 packet of Italian Dry Dressing Mix
Cilantro
Green Onions (optional)
Mix all things together in a bowl. There you have it folks! Easy as can be.

Hamburger Cupcakes

These are just funny. Make some yellow cupcakes & chocolate cupcakes first. (Hint: When making the yellow cupcakes, don't put as much batter in the pans so when you cut them in half they look more like buns!)Make "condoments" out of icing (we just used "ketchup" & "cheese"). Dye some cocunut light green for shredded lettuce. And there you have it! Perfect for your kids when they refuse to eat real hamburgers, wink wink!

Cumin-Spiced Chicken with Chunky Tomato Sauce

Prep: 2 minutes; Cook: 15 minutes; Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 1/4 cup tomato sauce)
Ingredients:
Cooking spray
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (10-ounce) can mild diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
3/4 cup (3 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation:
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat; coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle both sides of chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon cumin and salt; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.
3. Add 1/4 teaspoon cumin and tomatoes to pan; cook 1 minute. Return chicken to pan; spoon tomato mixture evenly over chicken. Sprinkle evenly with cheese; broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Top with cilantro.
Nutritional Information:
Calories:
253
Fat:
6g
Protein:
45.9g
Carbohydrate:
2.7g
Fiber:
0.9g

Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Sandwiches

Prep: 6 minutes; Cook: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)
Ingredients:
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices fresh pineapple
4 (1.5-ounce) whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted
Light mayonnaise (optional)
4 large basil leaves
Preparation:
1. Prepare grill.
2. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until done, brushing occasionally with lime juice. Grill pineapple 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until browned.
3. Spread mayonnaise on bottom halves of buns, if desired. Top each with 1 chicken breast half, 1 pineapple slice, 1 basil leaf, and 1 bun top. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information:
Calories:
333 (11% from fat)
Fat:
4g (sat 0.9g,mono 1g,poly 1.4g)
Protein:
43.4g
Carbohydrate:
30.5g
Fiber:
4.1g

Grilled Chicken with Rustic Mustard Cream

I'm finding treasures on the Cooking Light site right now. All chicken, all 5 ingredients or less...

Prep: 6 minutes; Cook: 12 minutes; Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 1 tablespoon mustard cream)
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon whole-grain Dijon mustard, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon water
Rosemary sprigs (optional)
Preparation:
1. Prepare grill.
2. Combine 1 teaspoon mustard, oil, and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl; brush evenly over chicken. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until done.
3. While chicken grills, combine 1 tablespoon mustard, mayonnaise, and 1 tablespoon water in a bowl. Serve mustard cream with grilled chicken. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.
Nutritional Information:
Calories:
262 (34% from fat)
Fat:
10g (sat 1.8g,mono 4g,poly 3g)
Protein:
39.6g
Carbohydrate:
1.7g
Fiber:
0.2g

Pear-Walnut Sandwiches

mmmmmmazing.

Prep: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (4 ounces) tub-style light cream cheese
8 (1.1-ounce) slices cinnamon-raisin bread, toasted
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, toasted
2 Bartlett pears, cored and thinly sliced
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
Preparation:
1. Spread 1 tablespoon cream cheese evenly over each of 8 bread slices. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon walnuts evenly over each of 4 bread slices. Top each evenly with pear slices, sprouts, and 1 bread slice. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally.
Nutritional Information:
Calories:
335 (29% from fat)
Fat:
11g (sat 3.7g,mono 0.4g,poly 1.8g)
Protein:
8.7g
Carbohydrate:
52.2g
Fiber:
5.9g

*for a healthier option, replace raisin bread with whole wheat bread.

*i'll replace the pears for green apple slices sometimes & add turkey. it's all good in the hood. mix it up.

Chicken-Tortilla Pie

So many good things about this. Fast, healthy & only calls for 5 ingredients. WOOT WOOT!

*from cooking light website

Prep: 13 minutes; Cook: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)
Ingredients:
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/4 cup Fresh Salsa
1 cup spicy black bean dip (such as Guiltless Gourmet)
4 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas (such as Tumaro's)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) reduced-fat shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Cooking spray
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Combine chicken and salsa in a medium bowl.
3. Spread 1/4 cup black bean dip over each tortilla. Top each evenly with chicken mixture and 2 tablespoons cheese. Stack tortillas in bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese melts. Remove sides of pan. Cut pie into 4 wedges. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information:
Calories:
380
Fat:
11g
Protein:
39.9g
Carbohydrate:
28.7g
Fiber:
12.2g

10 Foods That Sound Healthy (but Aren't)

For the last few years I've been really interested in foods concerning what is good & bad for you. I found this article off the Cooking Light website & it helps explain those tricky labels that might sound healthy.

This is what they came up with:

1. Multi-Grain and Wheat Breads (should be 100% WHOLE wheat)

2. Prepared Salads

3. Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter

4. "Energy" Bars

5. Bran Muffins

6. Smoothies

7. Packaged Turkey

8. Foods labeled "Fat Free"

9. Restaurant Baked Potatoes

10. Sports Drinks

Find the whole article here.

Berry Crumble

The other night my friends & I were in an experimental mood & it payed off. SO SO good, fast & EASY. A must try.

Ingredients:

15 oz. of frozen mixed berries

2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. flour
1 c. quick oats
2/3 c. butter softened
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
Directions:
1.Sprinkle lemon juice over frozen berries in an 8x8 pan.
2. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl.
3. Crumble over berries.
4. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
Serve with Ice Cream.

Chicken Kebabs With Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad

Trying to hold on to summer with this recipe sent to me by Steph. Serves 4

Hands-On Time: 20m

Total Time: 20m
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
4 ears corn, husks removed
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
4 scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
8 6-inch skewers, soaked in water
Directions
Heat grill to medium-high. In a bowl, toss the chicken, garlic, thyme, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Thread the chicken on the skewers.
Grill the chicken and corn, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the corn is charred, 7 to 10 minutes for both.
In a bowl, toss the tomatoes, scallions, orange zest, the remaining tablespoon of oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Serve with the chicken and corn.

Grilled Bread With Zucchini, Ricotta, and Basil

I LOVE zucchini squash, so of course this one's amazing to me...

Serves 4, Hands-On Time: 20m
Ingredients
4 1/2-inch-thick slices country bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 small zucchini (about 2 pounds), thinly sliced lengthwise
1 cup fresh basil, leaves torn
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
kosher salt
1 cup fresh ricotta
Directions
Heat grill to medium-high. Brush the bread with 1 tablespoon of the oil and grill until golden and crisp, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to plates.
Grill the zucchini until tender and slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Toss in a large bowl with the basil, red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the remaining tablespoon of oil.
Top the bread with the zucchini and ricotta.

How to Read Nutrition Facts Labels

I think a lot of us have no clue what half the things on the Nutrition Labels mean.

Here's an article by Real Simple that gives us the run down.

I'll help you

Want to lose weight or know someone who does?

Talk to me, I'm a health coach for Take Shape for Life. And I can totally hook you up with the best plan ever.

Grilled Chicken With Green Beans and Tomatoes

My cousin Stephanie sent this one to me & said it was so good (& I'm all about healthy)! I love cilantro so I'm gonna have to try it. Serves 4

Hands-On Time: 25m

Total Time: 25m
Ingredients
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon plus 3 teaspoons olive oil
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound green beans
4 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
Directions
Heat grill to medium-high. In a small bowl, combine the cilantro, garlic, lime juice, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the oil.
Rub the chicken with 1 teaspoon of the oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In a large bowl, toss the green beans and tomatoes with the remaining oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
Grill the chicken until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Grill the green beans and tomatoes, turning the green beans often and the tomatoes once, until tender and charred, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with the vinaigrette.

Parmesan Pasta With Chicken and Rosemary

Steph & I made this one in Texas. It was good! Even my picky little brother loved it & has asked me to make it again!

Serves 4 Hands-On Time: 15m Total Time: 15m
Ingredients
12 ounces (3 cups) orecchiette pasta (i always use whole wheat pasta so it's healthier)
1 3 1/2- to 4-pound rotisserie chicken
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
kosher salt and pepper
Directions
Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
Shred the chicken, using a fork or your fingers, while the pasta cooks. Discard the skin and bones.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1 1/4 cups of the water. Return the pasta to the pot.
Add the reserved pasta water, chicken, rosemary, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the pot. Stir over medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.
Divide among individual bowls and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

Rainbow Cake

To make this, I used gel food coloring instead of liquid to make the colors brighter. You can even use neon colors! We ended up buying two boxed cake mixes and seperated the batter into five bowls. Originally we wanted to do all the colors in the rainbow, but the cake was getting a little too tall, so we stuck with five.

Between each cake we used a tiny bit of lemon icing just to get it to stick. We iced the cakes right out of the oven so you wouldn't be able to tell there was icing (and it made the cakes moist).
On top of the cake, we used vanilla icing & made a rainbow out of skittles & marshmallows.

Boy was it sweet! By the time we finished the cake, we were already sugared out from picking at it. Good thing we had boys there to eat it for us. I won't be making this one again until Saint Patricks Day!

new uses for old things

The New Uses for Old Things section in Real Simple Magazine is genius! These are a few smart tips!

Reviving stale bread. Rub an ice cube (or drizzle water) across unsliced bread until the crust is damp, then bake at 370° F for 12 minutes.

Ketchup Bottle as Pancake Batter Dispenser

Use Cookie Cutters to Decorate Cakes
Grate Away Charred Muffin Bottoms