Cinco de Mayo Skinny Recipe Roundup

May 2, 2013 by

Ok guys, I told you I just had to do one more Mexican-themed post! But, it’s Cinco de Mayo this weekend, what do you expect?!

Although I love Mexican food, it will often cost you a LOT of calories. Between all of those chips, sugary margaritas, huge portions, and tons of cheese, you can consume an entire day’s worth of calories in one sitting.

I have made you a list of 10 great Cinco de Mayo recipes! And you know what the best part of this list is? These are all pretty healthy options! You can still enjoy the day with these recipes without feeling guilty the next day. And aside from the pork tacos, these are all vegetarian options! Trust me when I say that with these recipes, you will not miss all the calories!

Cinco de Mayo Skinny Recipe Roundup

(from left to right, top to bottom)
1. Easy Mexican Rice
2. Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls
3. Teedo’s Famous Salsa
4. Crazy Guacamole
5. Chili Lime Pulled Pork Tacos
6. Spicy Black Bean Enchiladas
7. Corn Salsa
8. Southwest Chicken Salad with Avocado Lime Dressing

Cinco de Mayo Skinny Recipe Roundup

9.  Skinny Raspberry Margaritas
10. Skinny Strawberry Margaritas
Filed Under: Dips/Sauces, Entrees, Holidays, Kid-Friendly, Low-Fat, Pork, Salads, Sides, Snacks, Vegetarian/Vegan · Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , 6 Comments

Fruit Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

April 29, 2013 by

Fruit Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

Why must weekends be only two days? Weekends are not long enough. Saturdays are always spent running around, grocery shopping, and then Sundays are spent cooking and taking photos. I want a day of complete laziness!

Luckily many of the recipes I make are relatively easy because well, I just don’t have the time or energy for more difficult ones. This fruit salad is ridiculously easy, but it is so good, it might just be my new favorite thing. It’s getting to be so dang hot here, I have been craving lots of cold fruit and smoothies. I just couldn’t resist buying so much of it so I could make this salad! The honey lemon dressing is light, but gives the salad the perfect touch of sweetness!

You can use whatever fruits you want for this. I used strawberries, bananas, cantaloupe, honey dew, grapes, and oranges. Pineapple or other berries would also be great! Live it up, go crazy!

Fruit Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

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Fruit Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Yield: Serves 4-6

Fruit salad tossed with honey lemon dressing - the perfect summer treat!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chopped fruit of your choice
  • 3 tbs. honey (or to taste; can also use agave nectar)
  • juice of one lemon (can also use the zest if desired)
    • Suggested fruits:
  • strawberries
  • bananas
  • mango
  • cantaloupe
  • honey dew
  • pineapple
  • grapes
  • oranges
  • apples

Instructions

  1. Combine all of the chopped fruit into a large bowl.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and lemon juice.
  3. Pour the dressing over the fruit and toss to combine. Cover and chill for about 30 minutes and then serve.
http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/04/fruit-salad-with-honey-lemon-dressing/

Fruit Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

Filed Under: Desserts, Kid-Friendly, Low-Fat, Salads, Snacks, Vegetarian/Vegan · Tagged With: , , , , , 21 Comments

Lemony Potato Salad

March 6, 2013 by

Lemony Potato Salad

After posting those decadent Nutella cheesecake brownies on Monday, I think we need something a little lighter today, don’t you think?!

Along with the brownies, I also brought this potato salad to my potluck party last week. You’ve all heard me say before how picky I am when it comes to potato salads and chicken salads. This potato salad is a great alternative if you do not like the traditional potato salad that has mayo. This lemony potato salad is light and fresh and of course, lemony!

Lemony Potato Salad

This is also the type of dish that you can serve when warm, at room temperature, or cold, which makes it the perfect dish to bring to a party as you do not have to worry about keeping it cold or warm. I tasted some right after I mixed it up (so it was still warm), at the party (at room temp.), and then again the next day when it was cold and I liked the way it tasted every time! I think I am slightly partial to having it warm or at room temperature, but you really can’t go wrong with this one!

Lemony Potato Salad

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Lemony Potato Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 cups baby red potatoes, cubed
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 tbs. red-wine vinegar
  • 1 tbs. minced garlic
  • 2 tbs. finely chopped fresh parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • fresh chives, chopped (for garnish, optional)

Instructions

  1. Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until fork tender, about 10-15 minutes. Drain the water and pour the potatoes into a large bowl. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
  2. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red-wine vinegar, garlic, and the parsley.
  3. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and gently toss to coat all of the potatoes with the dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with freshly chopped chives (or green onion) if desired. Serve at room temperature or cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to serve.
http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/03/lemony-potato-salad/

Lemony Potato Salad

Filed Under: Low-Fat, Salads, Sides, Vegetarian/Vegan · Tagged With: , , , 18 Comments

Cobb Salad Pizza

February 22, 2013 by

Cobb Salad Pizza

Last spring, I made Greek Salad Grilled Pizza and I am not kidding when I tell you it is still one of my most favorite pizzas ever. I love the thinner crust and all that fresh Greek Salad on top. It’s so light and flavorful. It truly is the perfect pizza for spring and summer.

Cobb Salad Pizza

I’ve been wanting to try another salad pizza so I turned to one of my other favorite salads…the Cobb salad. I love a good Cobb salad loaded with great toppings! It’s all about the toppings! Thus, the Cobb Salad pizza was born!

Cobb Salad Pizza

You really can’t go wrong with this recipe. You basically just grill or bake your crust and then toss some salad on top with your favorite toppings! For the meat, I used some deli chicken we had in the fridge, but I think some grilled chicken, turkey, or even ham would be great as well. How you make the crust is also flexible. I like to use my grill pan to grill mine. First, it gives the crust a nice crisp, and secondly, it is done in a jiff! If you don’t want to grill it, you can always just bake it in the oven.

Cobb Salad Pizza

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Cobb Salad Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb. fresh pizza dough
  • 1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 cups fresh hearts of romaine (or lettuce of your choice)
  • 1/2 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tbs. chopped red onion
  • 1 cup meat of your choice (grilled chicken, turkey, ham, etc.)
  • 1/4 cup cooked bacon, chopped into small pieces
  • 1/2 of an avocado, diced
  • Low-Fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (or the dressing of your choice)
  • extra cheddar cheese or blue cheese crumbles (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat a grill or grill pan on medium heat. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough until it is about 1/4" thick. Brush half of the olive oil on one side of the dough and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the oiled side down on the heated grill/pan and grill for about 3-4 minutes until lightly browned. While the first side is face down on the grill. Brush the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with more salt and pepper on the other side. Turn the dough over and grill for an additional 3-4 minutes until browned.*(see note)
  2. Remove the dough off the grill/pan. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and the cheddar cheese evenly over the top. It will melt as the dough is still warm.
  3. In a bowl, add the lettuce, onion, meat, tomatoes, bacon, and the avocado. Toss to mix.
  4. Distribute the salad evenly over the pizza. Drizzle as much of the ranch dressing (or dressing of your choice) over the pizza as you'd like. If desired, sprinkle additional cheddar cheese or blue cheese on top.

Notes

You do not have to grill the pizza dough if you do not want to. Feel free to bake it in the oven as you would other pizzas.

Traditional Cobb salads contain eggs. I chose to omit egg from this pizza as I felt it was just too much with the crust, but feel free to add some if you want!

http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/02/cobb-salad-pizza/

Cobb Salad Pizza

Filed Under: Entrees, Low-Fat, Pizzas, Salads · Tagged With: , , , , , 15 Comments

Low-Fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

February 18, 2013 by

Low-Fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Oh, ranch dressing, how I love thee! Perfect for salad, dipping veggies, pizza crust. So good, you could bathe in it. Ok, wait…no, that’s gross. Maybe chocolate, but I’m not sure I love ranch dressing that much…

ANYWAY…As much as I love ranch dressing, I have found that I hate pretty much all bottled ranch dressings. I feel like I have tried every brand in existence and I just can’t find one that I like enough to finish or buy again. And don’t even get me started on low-fat ranch dressings. Most of them are just horrid and have a weird chemically taste to me. Blech!

Low-Fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

If I would have known earlier that it was so easy to make my own ranch dressing AND that it would actually taste good, I would have saved myself a lot of money! And best of all, it’s also low in fat! This recipe makes a good amount of dressing too so you can keep a bottle stashed in your fridge to have your own low-fat buttermilk ranch dressing whenever you want!

Low-Fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

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Low-Fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Serving Size: About 1/4 cup

Calories per serving: 55

Fat per serving: 3 g

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup fat-free sour cream
  • 2/3 cup fat-free, plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
  • 1 1/2 tsp. dried dill
  • 1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp. fresh cracked pepper (or to taste)
  • 1 tbs. white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup low-fat buttermilk (see note)

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, combine the sour cream, yogurt, mayo, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, dill, pepper, and the salt.
  2. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, followed by the buttermilk.

Notes

If the dressing seems to watery, you can add in more sour cream, Greek yogurt, or the mayo to thicken it a bit. If you like for the dressing to be thicker, start by pouring half of the buttermilk in and then add more in until the dressing reaches your desired thickness.

If you do not have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding about 1 tsp. of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk and let stand for about 5 minutes.

Adapted from Skinnytaste

http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/02/low-fat-buttermilk-ranch-dressing-2/

Low-Fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Filed Under: Dips/Sauces, Low-Fat, Salads · Tagged With: , , , , , 17 Comments

Avocado Mango Chicken Salad

February 4, 2013 by

Avocado Mango Chicken Salad

I love chicken salad, but I am super picky about it and I have a couple of chicken salad rules. First, it can’t be drowning in mayonnaise. The second big rule is that I like for it to be chunky. I hate when the chicken is cut up or shredded so small that it is almost non-existent. This rule is especially important when coupled with Rule #1. I also like a little crunch or something to break up the chicken and mayo, whether it’s celery, onion, or in this case, mango!!

Given my craziness when it comes to chicken salad, I often just make my own. I have been on a huge mango kick lately. Putting it in salsas and smoothies. Why not put it in some chicken salad? So put it all together and you have some avocado mango chicken salad! And instead of mayo, I went for Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt gives it that creamy texture and gives it a nice tang. I love the combo of the mango, chicken, and avocado. Of course there is avocado in this. Because you know I can’t be helped. This avocado mango chicken salad is creamy, it’s nice and chunky, and isn’t drowning in mayo. Yup, this meets all of my chicken salad requirements!

Avocado Mango Chicken Salad

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Avocado Mango Chicken Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized cubes
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 3/4 cup diced mango (fresh or frozen will work)
  • 3 tbs. diced red onion
  • 2/3 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt (can adjust depending on how creamy you want it to be)
  • 1/2 lime, juiced
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Mix together all of the ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Serve over greens, in a wrap, or on some bread or a croissant.
http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/02/avocado-mango-chicken-salad/

Avocado Mango Chicken Salad

Filed Under: Chicken, Low-Fat, Salads, Sandwiches · Tagged With: , , , , , 23 Comments

Buttermilk Dill Pasta Salad

May 29, 2012 by

Oh, hi Summer! It’s nice to see you. Kind of. I have to admit that I REALLY hate Florida summers. The humidity just totally disgusts me! You can break a sweat just walking to the mailbox. And don’t even get me started on my hair. Thick and wavy hair does not work well in humidity. I don’t even know why I bother straightening my hair.

One thing I do enjoy about summer is food. Duh. Summertime makes me think of great picnic and BBQ foods. Pasta and potato salads are a summer favorite. I have some serious standards when it comes to pasta salads. If there is a ton of mayo, you can forget it! I also like my pasta salads to filled with other great ingredients like lots of fresh veggies for added texture and flavor.

THIS pasta salad! This pasta salad is an exception to my pasta salad rule. There isn’t a ton of mayo. The buttermilk gives it a nice tang and the dill just adds even more great flavor! The other thing I love about this pasta salad is how versatile it is. I added peas, corn, and bacon to mine as that is what I had on hand at home, but you could really add so many different things to this pasta salad! Maybe some cherry tomatoes, broccoli, or carrots. I think some chicken or shrimp would also be nice!

OH, and before we get to the recipe, have you entered my digital food scale giveaway from SlimKicker? What are you waiting for?! Enter here!

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Buttermilk Dill Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces whole grain shell pasta (or pasta of your choice)
  • 1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise (I used the kind made with olive oil)
  • 1/4 cup low fat or fat free buttermilk
  • 1 cup frozen green peas
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 4-5 slices reduced fat bacon, cooked and diced into small pieces
  • 1 tbs. fresh dill, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 tbs. lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
  2. In a small saucepan, combine the frozen corn and peas with about a half a cup of water. Heat on medium heat and cook until the vegetables are warm and tender. Drain and set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, buttermilk, dill, garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
  4. In a serving bowl, combine the cooked pasta, corn and peas, and bacon. Add the buttermilk sauce and toss to combine. Serve or store in the fridge.

Notes

Adapted from Cooking Light

http://eat-drink-love.com/2012/05/buttermilk-dill-pasta-salad/
Filed Under: Low-Fat, Pasta, Salads, Sides, Vegetarian/Vegan · Tagged With: , , , , , 30 Comments

Southwest Chicken Salad with Avocado Lime Dressing

April 30, 2012 by

You’ve heard me say like a billion times now how much I love Mexican food, so you probably aren’t surprised that Mexican-inspired salads are my fave!

With Cinco de Mayo coming up this weekend, I thought I would share a recipe for those of you looking to celebrate with some healthier recipes. Who says you can’t have a salad for Cinco de Mayo?!

Meet my latest lunch obsession. This avocado lime dressing is the bomb.com! The avocado makes it nice and creamy, but the dressing still has a light texture. I’m not really giving a recipe for the salad as you can really use whatever ingredients you want!

And hey, with the calories you save eating this salad, you can make up for it by drinking more margaritas! ;)

Print
Southwest Chicken Salad with Avocado Lime Dressing

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Yield: makes 1/2 cup dressing (serves 2)

Calories per serving: 100 (for the dressing)

Ingredients

    For the Salad
  • 4 cups lettuce of your choice
  • Suggested Toppings: sliced chicken breast, black beans, corn, tomatoes, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, etc. (whatever you want!)
    • For the Dressing
  • 1/2 avocado, diced
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 tbs. cilantro
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup-1/2 cup water (depending on how thick you want the dressing to be)

Instructions

  1. Place the avocado, lime juice, cilantro, and garlic powder in a food processor. Pulse until the avocado is pureed.
  2. Add 1/4 cup of water and pulse. If dressing is too thick, add additional water until the dressing reaches your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
http://eat-drink-love.com/2012/04/southwest-chicken-salad-with-avocado-lime-dressing/
Filed Under: Dips/Sauces, Salads, Sides · Tagged With: , , , , , , 80 Comments

The Perfect Tailgate Pasta Salad

November 9, 2011 by

Last week, my good friend Raquel told me about a fundraiser that her daughter’s school was having so that they could afford to go on their first class trip. In order to raise the money, the Katzenbach School for the Deaf is selling pasta! But, this is no ordinary pasta! No, no, it’s FUN pasta! And when Raquel told me that they had Seminole pasta, I HAD to buy it!

How fun is that?! I am totally loving these little Chief Osceola heads!

The school is not only selling collegiate-themed pastas, but they also have fun holiday pastas and other hobbies (like dance, golf, cats, dogs, oh my!). The pasta is so fun and affordable and would make GREAT holiday stocking stuffers and gifts for your loved ones! Please see the link, along with a note from Raquel below about the fundraiser:

The Early Childhood Program at The New Jersey School for the Deaf is raising money so that their little ones can finally go on a trip this year! The school earns 40% of all online sales. This is my daughter’s 2nd year enrolled in the program and because funds have been tight, she and her classmates haven’t been able to go on a field trip.
For more information on the Early Childhood program, please visit this link! Thank you!
Raquel Parker

If you are interested in buying some of this awesome pasta for a great cause, CLICK HERE! Then click the yellow button at the top that says “Shop Now”. The deadline for orders is November 14th.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Now, onto this pasta salad. The pasta actually came with it’s own seasoning packet, but I wanted to share my favorite pasta salad recipe with you all so I am going to save the packet for another time. This pasta salad recipe is light and lower in fat compared to pasta salads that use mayo. I guess you can say this is an Italian style pasta salad! Just some EVOO and vinegars is all you really need! This pasta salad is perfect for tailgating because it is so easy to make and it does not require any refrigeration (though, if you plan to leave it out for an extended period of time, you may want to leave out the cheese and meat). I threw in some black olives, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese into mine, but you could use any of your favorite ingredients for this recipe!

The Perfect Tailgate Pasta Salad

Serves 6-8

Ingredients for the pasta:

– 1 lb. pasta, rinsed and drained (you can use any pasta for this!)

– 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced

– 2 cups mozzarella cheese, diced into small cubes

– 2 cups black olives, sliced

– 2 tbs. parsley, chopped

– Optional: Diced pepperoni and/or salami

Ingredients for the dressing:

– 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

– 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

– 2 tbs. balsamic vinegar

– 1 tbs. lemon juice

– salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, tomatoes, olives, cheese, and parsley. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing. Pour over the pasta and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours (or overnight).

Filed Under: Pasta, Salads, Sides · Tagged With: , , , 56 Comments

Shrimp and Bulgur Salad

November 7, 2011 by

This weekend, we drove down to Orlando to spend the weekend with my mom, stepdad, and little brother. Although Thanksgiving is going to be here soon, I haven’t made a visit home since early September and I just needed some family time NOW! My mom told me about this recipe last week and she wanted to make it again this weekend so I could share it with all of you!

This salad is refreshing and really easy to make! It’s more of a summer dish, but I live in Florida, so I think we can still get away with some lighter dishes! My mom and I ate this for lunch, but it would also make a great side dish! If you aren’t a fan of shrimp, I bet this would also be good with some shredded rotisserie chicken!

Shrimp and Bulgur Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

– 1 cup bulgur

– 2 cups cooked baby shrimp (thaw if frozen)

– 4 tbs. pitted green olives (or kalamata olives)

– 6-8 grape tomatoes, sliced and diced

– 2 scallions, trimmed and chopped

– 4 tbs. Italian parsley, minced

– 4 tsp. white wine vinegar

– 4 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

– salt and pepper to taste

– Optional: 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Directions:

1. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add in the bulgur. Cover the pan and remove from the heat. Let stand for about 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the bulgur is chewy. Add to a medium-sized bowl and let cool.

2. Add shrimp, olives, tomatoes, scallions, and the parsley to the bowl and mix everything together. Combine the olive oil (and cumin) with the salad and season with salt and pepper.
Filed Under: Fish, Salads, Sides · Tagged With: , , , 30 Comments
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