Dark Chocolate and Pretzel Haystacks

This recipe is basically the same concept as the Cranberry almond turtles. My daughter in-law loves sweet and salty, and I promised her I would experiment with her desire. I used broken up pretzel sticks to get the saltiness and crunch. Her idea was wonderful, and I call the creation “Haystacks”, because the way they looked.

• 1 bag of dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup broken up pretzel sticks
• 1/2 cup low sugar cranberries

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Melt the chocolate chips in a pan, stirring constantly. Remove from stove and add the pretzels and cranberries. Mix gently. Drop spoonfuls of mix on the cookie sheet. Cool in the fridge 20-30 minutes before serving.

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Onion

Sweet potatoes are at the top of nearly everyone’s healthiest foods list.  Sweet potatoes contain vitamin A,  vitamin C, and some calcium, potassium, and iron too. All this at just 105 calories! My mother in law loves onions, so I decided to cook sweet potatoes with onions one evening when we had her over for dinner.  Hopefully I earned few brownie points with her!

• 1 pound cubed peeled sweet potatoes
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
•  salt
• black pepper
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion

Place sweet potatoes and onions in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Bake at 325° for 40 minutes tossing few times during baking.

Snapper with Spicy Tomatoes and Mint

This fish dish is so fast you can have it ready before you could run for take out. I love dishes that have only few ingredients and take under 30 minutes to prepare. This meets my criteria, plus it is delicious.

• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1 glove of garlic, pressed
• zest of a lemon
• 2 tbs olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbs chopped mint

Mix together.

• 1 cup of grape tomatoes cut in halves

Toss tomatoes with chili mixture.

• 2 snapper or bronzino fillets with skin on
• salt and pepper
• arugula

Season the fish with salt and pepper. Coat a skillet with 2 tbs of olive oil. Set over medium heat. Once oil is hot, place fish, skin side down in pan. Cook about 4-5 minutes until skin is crisp. Flip fish and cook 1-2 minutes. Plate the fish,  top with the tomato mix and arugula leaves.

Pesto Zucchini

I had some left over pesto in the fridge and hated to throw it away. My husband is not the greatest veggie eater, but he always enjoys zucchini, so l decided to combine both of our favorites: zucchini, pesto and tomatoes. Who would have thought how delicious this combination would be. Now on, I will always make extra pesto for this recipe.

• 2 gloves of garlic, pressed
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 3 medium zucchini, diced
• 1/2 cup sliced grape tomatoes
• 1 green onion thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 tbs pesto
• juice of lime
• salt and pepper

Cook garlic in olive oil in skillet, over medium heat. Add zucchini and cook stirring about 5 minutes. Add green onion. Cook 1 more minute. Turn heat off. Add rest of the ingredients. Serve right away.

 

 

Almond and Cranberry Turtles

For a friends birthday I wanted to come up with a healthier option for dessert. She has been working out hard and eating healthier. I did not want to sabotage her efforts.  If you can find un-sweetened cranberries these would be even healthier.  This dessert is super easy and quick.

• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup of low-sugar or sugar free cranberries
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds

Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper.Place the chocolate chips in a small sauce pan. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until chips are melted. Remove from heat. Stir in the cranberries and almonds. Drop rounded tablespoons onto parchment paper. Cool in refrigerator for an hour or until firm.

Watermelon and Tomato Salad

 On a hot day nothing is better than crunchy, thirst quenching watermelon. Like tomatoes, watermelon is a good source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells and in the body from oxygen damage. I made this salad after a hot 2 hour bike ride and it was perfect way to cool down and hydrate. 

• 2 cups watermelon, cut into 1 inch chunks
• pint of cherry tomatoes cut into halves
• 1/3 cup torn fresh basil
• 2 tbs green onion thinly sliced
• arugula

Gently toss all of the above together except arugula. Place in fridge until ready to serve.

Dressing:

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2  tbs olive oil
• 2 tbs white balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

In a jar, mix the dressing ingredients together.  Place arugula on top of  watermelon mix. Pour the dressing over and gently toss, and serve right away.

Mushroom and Corn Succotash

Some people get sick of corn, but we never do. Before we know the best corn season is over. This is healthy and delicious vegeterian meal, or side dish for carnivores. I was in the mood for vegan dinner and wanted to try succotash with fresh mushrooms added to it. My husband enjoyed it as a side dish.

• 4 ears of corn cut of cob
• olive oil
• 2/3 cup fresh green peas
• 2 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, cut in halves

Coat a pan with olive oil. Sauté the corn. Set a side. Cook the peas in pot of boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove and drain.  Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, garlic and shallot, and sauté until translucent. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and peas, toss to combine. Add the corn and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

I added a fried egg to my dish for extra protein.