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Italian Roasted Mushrooms and Veggies – absolutely the easiest way to roast mushrooms, cauliflower, tomatoes and garlic Italian style. Simple and delicious.




I have a simple recipe for you today and that is roasted mushrooms and veggies. I roast veggies like this all the time, on a weekly basis. This time I chose to use gorgeous and delicious cremini mushrooms, cauliflower and tomatoes. If you’ve never had roasted tomatoes before, my friends, this needs to go on your bucket list because it’s the best thing ever. Don’t cut them up or anything, I like to use cocktail tomatoes, and I roast them whole, then as you bite into them you get an explosion of flavor in your mouth, one of my favorite things.

I also added loads of garlic here, and that is whole garlic cloves, they roast nicely and once done you can almost spread them on a piece of bread, like butter, so good. But the roasted mushrooms are to die for, they’re incredible.




The beauty of this side dish is of course its simplicity. All you have to do is toss all the mushrooms and veggies together in a bowl with some olive oil, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. If you don’t have Italian seasoning, all it is is thyme, basil, oregano and rosemary, so if you have those herbs just make your own Italian seasoning. If you want the mushrooms and veggies to have a bit of kick to them add some red pepper chili flakes.




Then just roast everything for about 20 or 30 minutes at 400 F degrees and garnish with some fresh parsley. How much more simple could a side dish get? As I said I make this often, but not only in this combination. I love to use baby potatoes with tomatoes, or onion, peppers and sweet potatoes. The possibilities truly are endless. I usually serve this alongside roasted chicken drumsticks or roasted pork loin or pork chops.

Oh and if your tomatoes burst open while roasting, you’ll want to make sure you get some crusty bread to soak up all that tomato juice all mixed in with the olive oil and herbs. It’s a good thing!


PREPARATION


Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
In a bowl add all the mushrooms and veggies. Drizzle with olive oil then add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and toss until well combined.
Dump the veggies to a baking sheet and place in the preheat oven. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes or until mushrooms are golden brown and cauliflower is fork tender.
Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Recipe Notes

If you do not have Italian seasoning you can use equal amounts of basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.




INGREDIENTS

1 lb cremini mushrooms cleaned
2 cups cauliflower cut into small florets
2 cups cocktail tomatoes
12 cloves garlic peeled
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped



NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Amount Per Serving (181 g)     Calories 91 Calories from Fat 45     Total Fat 5.01g 8%
Saturated Fat 0.727g 4%     Polyunsaturated Fat 0.671g     Monounsaturated Fat 3.314g     Sodium 122mg 5%     Potassium 532mg 15%     Total Carbohydrates 9.73g 3%     Dietary Fiber 2.5g 10%     Sugars 4.09g      Protein 4.07g 8%     Vitamin A 26%     Vitamin C 62%     Calcium 3%     Iron 6%



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These fun and easy stuffed mushrooms are full of easy barbecue pulled chicken, spicy pepperjack cheese, and fresh cilantro. This post contains affiliate links, which means if you choose to purchase something I’ll earn a small commission at no cost to you.




There are very few things in this world I love more than barbecue sauce. It’s just – ahhhh. So good. And a splash of BBQ can lend a quick smoky touch and immediate depth of flavor to even the easiest, simplest dishes.

They’re ready to bake in 15 minutes, and require just 5 main ingredients. But the amount of flavor you get from the pepper jack/BBQ/cilantro combination makes them seem much more complicated than they really are




Also, I have a real problem with soggy mushrooms, so here’s a nifty trick to help you keep your stuffed mushrooms roasted to perfection: place a cooling rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet, then place your stuffed mushrooms on top of the rack before baking them. I use an oven safe cooling rack like this one from Amazon!

The cooling rack keeps the mushroom caps elevated, which means they aren’t swimming around in whatever liquid they release as they cook.

The result is a perfectly roasted, much less messy mushroom. (I also use this trick for my Portobello Mushroom Pizzas!)

Just be careful moving the pan around – mushrooms like to roll around a bit on the cooling rack, so move slowly to avoid any flipped-over-stuffed-mushroom catastrophes.




Basically, this combo (awesome, easy, delicious stuffed mushrooms + a kitchen hack to keep them from getting soggy) is a winner. And it will help you look like a total pro in the kitchen even if all you have to work with is half an hour and no patience for actually cooking things. Plus, umm, vegetables + protein = HEALTHY, right?


INSTRUCTIONS


Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place a wire cooling rack on a baking sheet and place mushroom caps top-side down on top of the rack.
Salt and pepper mushroom caps to taste.
Place a cube of pepper jack cheese inside each mushroom cap. You may not use all of the cheese, and you may have to cut the cubes up a little smaller depending on the size of your mushroom caps. Just finagle it so that you have pepper jack cheese filling up as much of the mushroom cap as possible!

In a small bowl, mix together shredded chicken and BBQ sauce. Top each mushroom cap with a spoonful of shredded BBQ chicken.

Carefully place baking sheet with stuffed mushrooms into a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until mushrooms are cooked through and cheese is melted.

Remove mushrooms from baking sheet and top with fresh chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.

NOTES

You could also use shredded pepper jack cheese in place of the cubes – I found the cubes to be a little quicker and easier.

Try to use a cooling rack that’s the same size as your baking sheet. I also recommend a rimmed baking sheet like this one (as opposed to a flat cookie sheet).

Move slowly when you’re picking up the baking sheet – mushrooms can roll around on the rack if you’re not careful, so keep an eye on them to avoid any spills!




INGREDIENTS

10 oz. baby portobello or white button mushrooms, cleaned and with the stems removed
salt and pepper to taste
3 oz. pepper jack cheese, cut into small (1/3″) cubes
1 cup cooked shredded chicken
1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped



NUTRITION INFORMATION

Serving Size: 4 (72 g)    Servings Per Recipe: 4

Calories 150.3    Calories from Fat 63 15%    Total Fat 4.5 g 14%    Saturated Fat 1.3 g 0,9%    Cholesterol 52.2 mg 10%    Sodium 199.2 mg 8%    Total Carbohydrate 4 g 1%    Dietary Fiber 1.4 g 5%    Sugars 1.8 g 7%    Protein 5.1 g 12%


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This simple baked donut recipe is full of color from funfetti sprinkles and topped with an easy chocolate glaze! The perfect lightened-up doughnut recipe for a fun brunch or breakfast. This post contains affiliate links, which means if you buy something I’ll receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Cooks Network




I’m extra excited about these donuts because APPARENTLYYYYYY today is National Donut Day! (At least according to the interwebs and my suddenly donut-covered Instagram feed. But whatever. I’m rolling with it).





This is officially the first time in, umm, EVER that I have actually been “on time” for a food holiday. Usually I’d be like “OMG! Donut pictures! National donut day! How fun!” and then three weeks later I’d be like “here is a donut recipe because I am chronically late to all of the internet parties but you can totally bookmark it for next year! But not today, you guys.




These donuts are pretty quick to make, and they’re baked (which means they’re basically health food, right?) Dip ’em in the fudge-y chocolate glaze, hit them with all of the sprinkles, then let it set for a few minutes and you’ll be on your way to baked donuts bliss.


INSTRUCTIONS


FOR THE DONUTS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together milk, Greek yogurt, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
Add the wet ingredient mixture to the flour mixture and stir until batter is just combined. It should look like thick cake batter.

Gently fold the rainbow sprinkles into your batter.
Grease your donut pan with cooking spray (I use a Misto spray bottle [affiliate link] with vegetable oil instead of store-bought cooking spray – healthier and more environmentally friendly!)
Spoon donut batter into a pastry bag with no piping tip (you could also use a plastic bag and snip off a corner with scissors).

Pipe donut batter into donut pan, filling each cavity a little more than halfway full.
Bake donuts at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned on top.
Remove donuts from oven and let them cool in the pan for 5-6 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
When donuts are nearly cooled, make the glaze.


FOR THE GLAZE

Whisk powdered sugar and cocoa powder together in a medium mixing bowl.
Add melted butter and whisk it into the powdered sugar.
Whisk vanilla extract and milk into powdered sugar mixture until smooth. The glaze should be thick and shiny.

Dip the top of each donut into the glaze and return to the wire cooling rack (you may want to put a towel or plate under the wire rack to catch any drips of frosting). Top donuts with sprinkles while glaze is still wet.

Let the glaze set for 10-15 minutes or so, then serve and enjoy.


NOTES

These donuts are best on the day they’re made, but you can store them in an airtight container on the counter for 1-2 more days if you don’t get through them all.

Baked donuts can occasionally stick to the pan a little bit (I find it depends on the pan and the cooking spray you use) but just run a butter knife lightly around the edges of each donut to coax them out of the pan if they stick! Be sure to also let the donuts cool IN the pan for a few minutes before you turn them onto a cooling rack – I almost never tell you to cool stuff in the pan, but in this case it gives the donuts a chance to set and helps you pull them out of the pan a little easier!

I use this donut pan (affiliate link) from Wilton. If you don’t have a donut pan, you can bake the batter in a cupcake or muffin tin, but you may need to adjust the cooking times, so keep an eye on them as they bake.




INGREDIENTS


FOR THE DONUTS

1 cup all-purpose flour (measured correctly by scooping and leveling)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 egg
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles

FOR THE GLAZE

1 cup powdered sugar
4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 Tbsp. milk
1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles



NUTRITION INFORMATION

Serving Size: 1 (110 g)     Servings Per Recipe: 12

Calories 332.8    Calories from Fat 58 18%    Total Fat 6.5 g 9%    Saturated Fat 4.2 g 21%     Cholesterol 37.4 mg 12%    Sodium 304.2 mg 12%    Total Carbohydrate 68.2 g 22%    Dietary Fiber 2.8 g 11%    Sugars 45.5 g 182%    Protein 5 g 10%


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This quick and easy pita bread pizza collection is perfect for busy evenings and is great for meal prep! Three different pita bread pizza recipes, including two vegetarian options. A great addition to your meal planning rotation!




You make my heart so warm and fuzzy. I am so blown away by the responses I received after Tuesday’s post. You’ve reaffirmed what deep down, I already knew: That this is a community of amazing people who care deeply, love fiercely, and will stand for no BS.

I am so freaking proud of you and the work you’re already doing to make the world a little bit better. Thank you to the moon and back for sharing your stories with me over the past few days. I love you – madly and truly – and I am so hashtag blessed to know you, whether we’re standing together at a protest or simultaneously drooling over pizza from opposite sides of the country.





Now, is this “real” pizza? Probably not. (Please don’t disown me, friends who actually know anything about Italian food!)
  1. But this IS pizza-LIKE. So I think it counts.
  2. Also, it involves whole wheat pita bread.
  3. And ALL OF THE TOPPINGS.

And is ready in less than 20 minutes so you can get back to calling your senators and doing your taxes and then getting a little wine drunk while you watch the new Beauty and the Beast trailer 1095019858 times because you’re sick of acting like a grownup.

…Not that I do that.




I’m putting three whole recipes in this post, which sounds a lot more impressive than it is because really, this is not a very recipe-y recipe.

Basically, the instructions are this: Put some stuff on a pita pocket. Cover it with cheese. Bake until cheese melts. Do a happy dance. The end.

BUT BUT BUT: The combinations of these particular quick and easy pita bread pizzas are pretty much wonderful.

There’s a quick margarita pizza (because cheese + basil + tomatoes = everything), a pesto + chicken + parmesan number (yay) and a Greek-inspired pizza that I totally and 100% ripped off from my friend Elizabeth, after she made us something similar a few months ago.

This is the perfect “we-have-nothing-for-dinner” dinner, and it’s easy to make a few different varieties so that everyone gets a couple of unique slices.

…or, y’know, so that you have five different mini pizzas all to yourself. You do you.


PREPARATION


Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Lay pita bread rounds in a single layer on a large baking sheet. They won’t rise or expand, so you can place them quite close together on the baking sheet if you need to.

Choose your pizza! You can make all three of the combinations above, or just choose one or two, or add your own favorite pizza toppings! This is kind of a no-recipe recipe, so there aren’t too many instructions.

Top each pita bread round with your desired toppings. If you’re making the margarita pita bread pizza, leave the basil leaves off until AFTER the pizza is baked, and then add them at the last minute so they don’t wilt!

Bake pita bread pizzas at 375 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until pita bread has lightly crisped, toppings are heated through, and cheese has just melted.
Slice pitas into quarters and serve immediately.




INGREDIENTS


FOR THE MARGARITA PIZZA


2 whole wheat pita bread rounds
2 tsp. olive oil
3 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
6 fresh basil leaves, for garnish


NUTRITION INFORMATION

Serving Size: 1 (93 g)    
Servings Per Recipe: 4

Calories 140.4    
Calories from Fat 104 
75%    
Total Fat 11.7 g 
17%    
Saturated Fat 4 g 
20%    
Cholesterol 18.8 mg 
6%     
Sodium 34.9 mg 
1%    
Total Carbohydrate 4.7 g 
1%    
Dietary Fiber 0.8 g 
3%    
Sugars 1.4 g 
5%    
Protein 5 g 
10%



FOR THE GREEK PIZZA


2 whole wheat pita bread rounds
1/3 cup plain hummus
1/2 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp. sliced black olives
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese


NUTRITION INFORMATION

Serving Size: 1 (118 g)     
Servings Per Recipe: 6

Calories 176.8    
Calories from Fat 121 
68%    
Total Fat 13.4 g 
20%    
Saturated Fat 6.5 g 
32%    
Cholesterol 35.8 mg 
11%    
Sodium 1025 mg 
42%    
Total Carbohydrate 5.6 g 
1%    
Dietary Fiber 1.1 g 
4%    
Sugars 3.1 g 
12%    
Protein 9.2 g 
18%



FOR THE PESTO CHICKEN PIZZA

2 whole wheat pita bread rounds
1/3 cup basil pesto
2/3 cup cooked shredded chicken
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
fresh ground pepper, to taste


NUTRITION INFORMATION

Serving Size: 1 (65 g)    
Servings Per Recipe: 6

Calories 156.3    
Calories from Fat 87 
56%    
Total Fat 9.7 g 
14%    
Saturated Fat 4.7 g 
23%    
Cholesterol 45.3 mg 
15%    
Sodium 200.4 mg 
8%    
Total Carbohydrate 2.8 g 
0%    
Dietary Fiber 0.4 g 
1%    
Sugars 1.1 g 
4%    
Protein 14.2 g 
28%



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Walnut Baklava is a holiday tradition! Layers of butter pastry loaded with ground walnuts drenched in homemade simple syrup that’s scented with orange blossom water and rose water.



Question for you

I’ve got buttery layers of phyllo pastry alternating with cinnamon-scented ground walnuts that i’ve generously drizzled with orange blossom and rose water scented simple syrup. Now would it be okay if I shared a piece with you

The sweet smells of orange blossom and rose water scented simple syrup tortures me. Mingling with toasty ground walnuts and buttery layers of phyllo. It’s a classy sort of dessert. One that I oddly grew up loving. Don’t get me wrong – I loved chocolate cupcakes smeared with frosting as much as the next kid too. In fact, I probably wouldn’t have said no to any sort of dessert. Biggest sweet tooth on the block right here. ? ? ?

There was always an abundance of this buttery pastry loaded with ground nuts and floral notes when the colder months rolled around. Homemade baklava has been a staple in our household for a majority of my life.

So many sweet memories of buttering thin layers of phyllo with my mom on chilly winter mornings. Hot cups of chai steaming in the background, uneaten toast, the windows just starting to fog, a glistening blanket of snow just beyond it. Brushing away at the phyllo layers with melted butter. It’s almost as if time would slow down and the only thing that mattered was making perfect layers for our baklava.



This year for the holidays, I wanted to revisit those beautiful times. Since making walnut baklava was a such a big part of the winter holidays for me, I pitched the idea to Anees knowing full well that it probably wouldn’t fly. To my surprise, he immediately agreed. Baklava sorta has that affect on people I guess. And then there was something about how chocolate baklava needed to come next but by then I was already swooning over the thought.

And that’s when it happened; panic struck. I grew up watching my mom make baklava (and ate loads of it too) but somehow the idea of thin phyllo alternating with nuts, without my mom watching, kinda scared me. And don’t even get me started on making simple syrup! So I did what anyone would do. I called my mom. Frantically asked for every tip she had and she assured me I could do it. She even offered to baby sit because I insisted on finally doing it all by myself. Moms are just the best, aren’t they? Besides, this was the year I told myself I’d do 30 things on my culinary bucket list I hadn’t done before. Times atickin’,  So checking another one off the list was priority.




This walnut baklava recipe is a combination of a few things like my moms baklava recipe and my favorite bakery’s take on it. They have a more middle eastern style of simple syrup where it’s spiked with orange blossom and rose water. I expect a huge thank you note for the glorious floral aromas coming from your kitchen.

The first step is to make the simple syrup. You need two parts sugar to one part water, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a couple tablespoons of honey. Once it reaches a boil, you’ll lower the heat and let it just simmer away for 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the syrup. You don’t want the flavorings to cook so be sure to do this step off the flame.

The next thing we’re going to do is make the nut filling. You’re going to  melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan or the microwave in a small bowl while you combine the California Walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Drizzle in the melted butter and stir. You’ll be left with something that looks almost like a crumb topping or streusel.




The most laborious part about making baklava is making the phyllo layers and buttering them. But if you’re anything like me, you enjoy repetitive tasks like these as they really give you a chance to just relax and let your mind wander.

You’ll start by buttering each layer of phyllo. A total of 10 layers then 1/5th of the nut mixer. Followed my 5 more layers of phyllo, then more nuts and more phyllo. See what I mean? It’s easy, just layering. The key is to start and end with 10 layers of phyllo to create a steady base, all the layers in between get 5 sheets. Cut the pastry into 4 wide strips, turn the pan and make diagonal cuts for that signature baklava look.




Finally, while it’s still hot and fresh out of the oven, drizzle it with that simple syrup. You can hear the syrup sizzling as it hits the pan. This keeps the baklava crispy for the first few days. It’s important to use room temperature syrup poured over hot baklava so that the phyllo stays nice and crisp.

Now the hard part, let it sit for 6-8 hours to soak up that syrup. My mom always says to let it sit overnight if possible. This really allows the syrup to be soaked up and the phyllo gets all crispy again. You can store leftover baklava loosely covered by a tea towel or in an airtight container. Note that it will start getting a little softer after the first couple of days.

Buttery layers of phyllo with ground nuts perfectly layered in between and topped with a rose water syrup.


PREPARATION


SYRUP:
Combine the sugar, water, lemon juice, and honey in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. When it reaches a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the orange blossom water and rose water. Let cool.

BAKLAVA:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a large bowl, add the ground walnuts, sugar, 4 tablespoons melted butter, and ground cinnamon, stir to combine. Your filling should be coarse, almost like a streusel or a crumb topping.
Lightly butter or spray the inside of a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Working on a large clean surface, unroll the phyllo dough and lay flat. Place your baking pan on top of the phyllo and trim off any excess. Cover the phyllo with a damp towel so it doesn’t dry out. Keep it covered as much as possible.

Place the first sheet of phyllo in the baking pan, brush with butter until the entire surface is evenly coated. Place a second sheet of phyllo on top and again brush with melted butter. You’ll do this a total of 10 times. Then, sprinkle on ¾ cups (or eyeball about 1/5) of the ground walnut mixture. Here’s the order:

10 sheets of buttered phyllo, ¾ cup filling
5 sheets of buttered phyllo, ¾ cup filling
5 sheets of buttered phyllo, ¾ cup filling
5 sheets of buttered phyllo, ¾ cup filling
5 sheets of buttered phyllo, ¾ cup filling
10 sheets of buttered phyllo, ¾ cup filling

Brush the top of the last layer of phyllo with melted butter. Cut into 4 wide strips, turn the pan and cut diagonally to form a diamond pattern. Bake the baklava for 40-50 minutes or until it’s golden brown on top.

Immediately pour the simple syrup over the baklava while it’s still hot. Let cool completely to room temperature. For best results, let sit at least 6-8 hours and ideally, overnight. Cover loosely with a cloth once it’s room temperature. Garnish with additional ground walnuts as desired. Baklava can be stored at room temperature for about 1- 1 ½ weeks.

NOTES:
If you don’t have ground walnuts, all you need to do is toss them into a food processor and pulse until ground.

You’ll notice that sometimes, the phyllo sheet starts sliding around over the nut layer, tap your butter-filled pastry brush rather than brushing that layer if this happens to you.

Note that the baklava will start getting softer after the first couple days. Perfectly fine to eat, but the phyllo just starts losing a little crispness.




INGREDIENTS


BAKLAVA

4 cups (1 lb.) ground California Walnuts
¼ cup sugar
2 ½ sticks (1 ¼ cups) melted butter
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 lb. box phyllo dough, thawed in refrigerator overnight

SYRUP

2 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
2 tablespoons rose water



NUTRITION INFORMATION

Serving Size: 1 (109 g)      Servings Per Recipe: 24

Calories 208.5    Calories from Fat 114 55%    Total Fat 12.7 g 19%    Saturated Fat 4.9 g 24%    Cholesterol 17.8 mg 5%    Sodium 79.8 mg 3%    Total Carbohydrate 22.9 g 7%    Dietary Fiber 1.1 g 4%    Sugars 13.8 g 55%    Protein 2.7 g 5%


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Plump juicy and sweet strawberries are the main attraction in this strawberry avocado spinach salad. We’ll top it off with a citrusy poppyseed dressing and voila! Your new favorite spring/summer salad is here.




Just look at all those beautiful strawberries?

I’m crushin’ hard on this avocado strawberry spinach salad situation that comes dressed with a citrusy poppyseed dressing, makes for excellent spring//summer lunches, and quick and easy dinners too. Bright, colorful, and eye-catching, basically all the things I love about a salad other than the most obvious one which is FLAVOR. Ever since the biological clock stuck the big 3-0, it feels like my body craves meals that are packed with nutrition. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll take a brownie or three right afterward because I have the worst sweet tooth that kicks in 10 seconds after I’ve finished eating a meal, but when it comes to the actual meal itself, I need the greens, the goods, and let’s not pretend I’m above it, the dressing.

Guys I can’t stop, won’t stop with this beautiful berry spinach salad!

We’ve got juicy, plump blueberries, buttery avocado, spicy red onions, creamy feta cheese, crisp baby spinach leaves, and sweet strawberries. Toss that all up extra generously with homemade poppyseed dressing and a hint of salt and pepper.

It’s refreshing and oh so filling.




And if you’re questioning the usage of crumbled feta cheese in a salad that’s loaded with sweet berries, hold the phone, think about the way creamy, salty, and rich flavors of that feta will pair with acidy, tangy-sweet berries. I’m telling you this combo just can’t be beaten!

Besides all the most obvious usage of strawberries, like pies, cupcakes, and shortcakes, I wanted to highlight how you can naturally incorporate more fruit into your everyday meals.

And with the weekend about 24 hours away I’m really trying to do this one diet on the weekdays called vegetables + fruits + lean proteins and attempting to keep it real where food doesn’t make me want to hate life. But really I already know when Friday strikes, it all kinda goes flying out the window until Sunday. A salad in one hand and 5 glazed and sprinkled doughnuts in the other, life is all about balance I tell you.

How about we make a deal where weekend foods don’t count? K thanks.





Noteworthy, i’ve made this strawberry spinach salad about 20 times — yes it’s that good. The dressing lasts for about a week in the refrigerator so meal prep it on Sunday’s and enjoy tossing a few ingredients together and calling it lunch on weekdays.

You can even prep this salad in your meal prep contains (these are my favorite) and pack it to go. Or if you work from home, step away from that desk for 5 seconds to toss the contents of your refrigerator into a bowl and drizzle it homemade poppyseed dressing. And when you’re too tired to cook, dice that leftover chicken from the weekend and add it in and make your strawberry spinach salad game stronger. ?? And if you’re summer 2014 was also all about Panera’s Strawberry Poppyseed Salad then toss in a can of mandarin oranges, chopped chicken, and a handful of pecans//almonds//walnuts and sit back and bask in the glory of your mega salad making skills.


PREPARATION


DRESSING: whisk together the juices, mustard, mayo, honey, and poppy seeds. Stream in the olive oil as you whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

SALAD: Toss all the ingredients for the salad together with desired amount of dressing. Serve immediately.

MAKE AHEAD: salad ingredients can be prepared ahead of time and kept separate from the dressing until ready to serve. Leftover dressing will last for up to 5 days, covered in the refrigerator.

NOTES:

Sometimes I like to add grilled chicken to this salad along with mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks, and chopped pecans for a different twist!




INGREDIENTS


POPPYSEED DRESSING

2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1 tablespoon EACH lemon juice, lime juice, AND orange juice
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD

6 cups baby spinach
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup blueberries
1 large or 2 small avocados, diced
1/2 a medium red onion, sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese


NUTRITION INFORMATION

Serving Size: 1 (195 g)    Servings Per Recipe: 4

Calories 266.1    Calories from Fat 190 72%    Total Fat 21.2 g 32%    Saturated Fat 3.7 g 18%    Cholesterol 13.1 mg 4%    Sodium 295.3 mg 12%    Total Carbohydrate 18.6 g 6%    Dietary Fiber 5.6 g 22%    Sugars 6.2 g 24%    Protein 3.5 g 6%



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These sushi-inspired Cucumber Hummus Bites are scented with toasted sesame oil then topped with pickled ginger and roasted sesame seeds. The ultimate healthy snack recipe!




Two ingredients I always have in my refrigerator are Sabra hummus and English cucumbers. My boys will eat hummus with anything from a spoon to apple slices and the same goes for cucumbers. In fact, we frequently whip up a quick batch of my Japanese Quick Pickled Cucumbers to snack on while I’m cooking dinner.




Whether or not you have little ones at home, I think we can all agree: snacks are life. When my friends at Sabra asked me to create a healthy snack recipe, I decided to create a sushi-inspired Hummus Cucumber Bite with Pickled Ginger.




Made with just 5 simple ingredients, this healthy snack recipe takes just minutes to make. Hummus is mixed together in a bowl with soy sauce and sesame oil before before piped onto cucumber slices using a simple plastic bag.

For crunch and tanginess, I top each piece with pickled ginger and black roasted sesame seeds. Scallions would be great sprinkled on top as well. While we typically eat these as a snack either after the gym or after school, they are beautiful and tasty enough to serve at a party.


INSTRUCTIONS

Place cucumber slices on a large platter and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together hummus, soy sauce and sesame oil. Carefully scrape entire mixture into a pastry bag or a resealable plastic bag. If using a plastic bag, cut off a small tip at one corner for piping.

Working one piece at a time, pipe about 1 tablespoon of the hummus mixture on to each cucumber piece. Top each with a piece of pickled ginger and sprinkle with black roasted sesame seeds to serve.




INGREDIENTS

1 English cucumber sliced in rounds
16 tablespoons Sabra Original Hummus
2 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
6 tablespoons pickled ginger (about 16 pieces)
black roasted sesame seeds optional garnish


NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Amount Per Serving    (4 pieces)     Calories 182 Calories from Fat 111    Total Fat 12.3g 19%    Saturated Fat 2.3g 12%    Monounsaturated Fat 10g    Sodium 669mg 28%    Total Carbohydrates 13g 4%    Dietary Fiber 2.4g 10%    Sugars 2g    Protein 5g 10%


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