simple toppings, dips & marinades

anything can be made better with a simple sauce or marinade.  you can turn bland chicken into a brilliant entree or a boring salad into an impressive side.  below are a few of my go-to favorites to zest up dinner any night of the week! toppings & dips:

1 avocado + 1 tbsp minced garlic + 1-2 tbsp grated parmesan mash all the ingredients together and use it on chicken, fish, rice or as a salad topping

credit {here}

1/4 cup mayo + 1 tsp curry mix together and use as a dipping sauce for sweet potato fries, beer battered fish or homemade chicken tenders

marinades:

1/4 cup mustard (any kind) + squeeze of lemon + salt & pepper coat 2 chicken breasts in this simple marinade and let them sit (in fridge) for at least an hour.  then pan saute in a bit of olive oil.

mustard marinade - credit {here}

2 tbsp teriyaki (or soy sauce) + 1 tsp minced garlic (bonus: + sesame seeds or sesame oil) marinate 2 fish filets in this asian-inspired sauce for at least 30 min before cooking.  try cooking your fish "en papillote" (i.e. in a foil packet with veggies).  it makes the fish super tender and ensures that it doesn't dry out!

do you have any simple cooking secrets to share?

 

 .

healthy snack-attacks

i am a snacker.  and i eat several times throughout the day.  i find that if i go more than 3-4 hours (sometimes 2-3 hours) without food, my stomach starts rumbling, and i find my mind wandering toward "what can i eat?"

as i sit here with my cut up apple, munching away, i thought i'd share some of my all-time favorite (healthy) snacks with you. 

- fruit - my "go-tos" are apples, oranges and grapes, but i also love all the fresh berries that are available this time of year.  i just got some cherries that are to-die-for!

- yogurt - i love yogurt because you can dress it up so many different ways.  sometimes i top it with bananas, raisins and cinnamon, other times granola (or cereal) and pb.  anyway you make it, yogurt is yummy and super good for you.

- cheese & olives - lately i've been enjoying string cheese and olives.  this small savory snack is really satisfying.

- nuts - i personally adore pecans, though almonds are super good too.  for a sweet treat i mix a few tbsp of pecans with some raisins and a dash of cinnamon - eat it all together and it tastes like an oatmeal raisin cookie - no joke!

- hummus & crackers - this is a great option if you're craving something crunchy.  plus hummus comes in so many flavors & varieties, you're bound to find one that suits your fancy.  (also, try hummus with apples or carrot sticks for an even healthier version.)

me & my apple snack

so there you have it.  my list of go-to snacks.  but before i release you back into the snacking wilderness, there are a few other things to keep in mind.

portion control - because i eat/snack throughout the day, i am conscious of portion control.  i never sit down with the whole box of crackers and container of hummus.  instead, i plate up a small portion and then sit and enjoy it.

thirsty? - i am so guilty of this.  thinking i'm hungry when i'm actually thirsty.  keep hydrated and listen for your true hunger so that you don't overdo it.

slow it down - if you're going with small meals/snacks to satisfy you, it's really important to eat slowly and chew thoroughly.  if you rush through your mini-meals, they won't even register, and you'll just leave yourself feeling unsatisfied.  take your time to taste your food : )

so, mavens, what healthy, wholesome snacks do you love?.

carrot ribbon salad

this super simple salad is the perfect summer side.  (you like all the alliteration?  thank you, ap english.)  anyway, if you have 5 min, you can pull it together...and it's so pretty : )

2 large carrots
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp teriyaki
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp chopped garlic

makes 2 side dish servings

1. peel the outer layer off the carrots and toss it
2. keep peeling...and peeling...
3. toss the ribbons with the soy, teriyaki, oil and garlic
4. done!

i didn't have any (unfortunately) but fresh chopped chives would be awesome on this! 

we enjoyed our carrot ribbon salad along with homemade turkey burgers, sweet potato fries with chipotle salsa dipping sauce and sauteed onions & zucchini.

.

sweet potato fries

the other day at the natural foods market i found local sweet potatoes.  upon seeing them i knew what i wanted to make - baked sweet potato fries.

when i started peeling them, i noticed something peculiar.  the flesh was not bright orange, as i am accustomed to, it was pearly white.  hmmm...intriguing...

don't worry, they tasted amazing - even better than the orange-colored fries i've made before.  i'm not sure if it was the fact that they were fresh & local or perhaps white-fleshed sweet potatoes are just better, but they were seriously the sweetest sweet potatoes i've ever enjoyed.

1 large sweet potato (will make 2 hearty side portions or 4 small servings)
1-2 tsp olive oil
salt & cracked pepper
red curry

preheat oven to 400

1. peel the potato and cut into 1/4 in sticks

2. place on an oiled baking sheet and spray/drizzle with more olive oil

one of my favorite cooking tools -  my olive oil mister

3. season with salt, pepper and curry and give them a light toss

4. make sure fries are laying flat on the baking sheet, and bake for 25-35 min until golden brown, flipping fries 1/2 way through

we enjoyed ours with an easy dipping sauce i whipped up quickly.

1 part bbq sauce
4 parts salsa

i used honey bbq for subtle sweetness and corn & chipotle salsa for a little smoky heat.  yum!

p.s. oh happy day is giving away a 7 day trip to PARIS for 2!  enter {here}

.