It’s official: I can’t stop eating cucumber “noodle” salad – it’s seriously like a party in my mouth {BJ thinks I’m crazed} I love that I can taste every flavor (I could eat fresh mint & cilantro everyday), but at the same time, it’s the perfect blend and not-overpowering.  The best part?  It’s healthy and super easy to make!

Ingredients:
Cucumber
Red Onion
Scallion
Mint
Cilantro
Peanuts (optional)
Red Wine Vinegar
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
Skin the cumcumber and cut into two – julienne half of the cumber (to give it a noodle-like apperance) and thinly slice the other half.  Chop red onion, scallion, mint, and cilantro.  Combine ingredients.  Add salt & pepper, and a splash of red wine vinegar.  Top with peanuts.

Enjoy! 

I’ve been enforcing encouraging “Meatless Monday” at the Jones household (and yes, I’m aware today is not Monday – although I’ll admit, I just barely know what day it is).  We don’t eat a ton of meat as it is, but I think it’s important to make a conscious decision to avoid it once/week.  I was originally craving Chicken Tortilla Soup, but felt that with the right spices and ingredients, this soup would flourish without chicken.  I was right.  This Vegetarian Tortilla Soup was a huge hit and full of flavor.  It’s super easy to make – it’s a real crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 can (12 oz) corn
2 cans (24 oz) black beans
2 containers (32 oz) Vegetable broth
1 large can (15 oz), diced tomatoes
1 can (4 oz) diced chilies {I use mild}
3 -4 cloves of garlic
1-2 limes, juice
Handful of fresh, chopped cilantro

Spices {be bold, add or substitute spices as desired}
Cumin
Paprika
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Oregano
Salt & Pepper
Nature’s Seasoning
Chili & Smoked Sea Salt grinder {Trader Joe’s}

Directions
In a large pot, over medium heat, saute onion, red pepper, and green pepper until soft.  Add garlic, fresh cilantro, and spices, cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the green chilies, diced tomatoes, corn, black beans, juice from 1 lime, and vegetable broth.  Cook until warmed through.

Serve in bowls garished with avocado, mexican cheese, tortilla chips and lime wedge.
{other toppings include: sour cream, hot sauce, cilantro}

Enjoy!

{recipe was adapted, and made my own, from various recipes that I found online}

BJ  and I have a friend that is currently living in Kabul (yes, Afghanistan).  I don’t want to get into details – but let’s just say it’s not very fun over there.  Dave is home for 3 weeks and had one request: Thai Chicken Pasta.

This recipe is full of wonderful flavors and beautiful colors.  It’s great for parties or leftovers  {it actually tastes better 1-2 days later}.  While it’s not difficult to make, there is a lot of chopping, grating, slicing involved – but it’s totally worth it!

This one’s for you Dave!

Ingredients
1 lb chicken
1/2 lb vermicelli noodles
1/4 lb snow peas or sugar snap peas
2 Tbsp fresh minced ginger
1/4 head sliced savoy or napa cabbage
2 scallions minced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 cup peanuts
1 cup bean sprouts
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Vinaigrette
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp Thai fish sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Cook noodles al dente as instructed on package, rinse under cold water.  Meanwhile, brown chicken until cooked (I like to cook the chicken in a light teriyaki sauce).  Chop, slice, grate vegetables.  Toss all ingredients together and dress with the vinaigrette.

Note: Add bean sprouts last & reserve some vinaigrette to be added before serving (noodles will drink up the sauce)

Enjoy!

The other night all BJ wanted for dinner was soup or stew – specifically (and I quote) “something hearty”.  I wasn’t so much in the mood for beef stew (or the likes), so I racked my brain for something substantial enough for my hubs and “light” enough for me.

This recipe, adapted from Barefoot Contessa, was a huge (and I mean, HUGE) hit at the Jones household.  BJ talked about the soup of 8 days.  I am not kidding.  If you are looking for an easy but delicious soup, this recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Author Notes/Substitutions:
I used chicken/turkey/basil sausage from Trader Joe’s; I used both panko and italian bread crumbs; I used orzo instead of tubetini/stars; I completely eliminated dill from the recipe (it’s just weird)

Ingredients

For the meatballs:
3/4 pound ground chicken
1/2 pound chicken sausage, casings removed
2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
3 tablespoons milk
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 cup minced yellow onion
1 cup diced carrots (3 carrots), cut into 1/4 inch pieces
3/4 cup diced celery (2 stalks), cut into 1/4 inch pieces
10 cups homemade chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup small pasta such as tubetini or stars
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
12 ounces baby spinach, washed and trimmed

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don’t have to be perfectly round.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.

In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan.

Enjoy!

It’s no surprise that I LOVE margaritas (look directly to your right if you need proof). Like really, really love them. There’s just something about limes and salt that make me fall in love…

But, the one thing that I don’t love is lots of sugar and lots of calories.

Enter:
{will run for margaritas} Must-Have Margarita
(my version of the Skinny Girl Margarita)

Ingredients
Tequila {preferably Patron}
Triple Sec {preferably Cointreau}
Club soda or sparkling water {secret weapon}
2-3 limes
Margarita salt

Directions
Rum the rim of a cocktail glass with lime juice and dip in salt.  Mix 1.5 oz of Tequila with 1/2 oz of Triple Sec, add sparkling water and juice from 2-3 limes. Using a cocktail shaker, shake ingredients together, add ice, and serve.

Tastes just like a “regular” margarita but without all of the sugar/calories.

{drinking this margarita means that you can have more than 1 – which I do. regularly.}

Note: I am not a calorie counter (that’s why I run) but this drink comes in at around 99 calories, versus 300 calories for a “regular” margarita.

Cheers!