Perfectly Hard-Boiled Eggs [the EASY way]

I've searched the Internet so many times for a simple way to get perfect hard-boiled eggs. I've read a lot of articles that included several complicated steps and dishes, and I thought, "Surely, there's a better way."

I'm not going to lie, I never attempted any of the complicated methods. My grandma taught me how to boil eggs, so I do it her way. Three simple steps, one dish.

1. Place eggs in a pot and cover with water (make sure no part of any egg is out of the water).

2. Bring water to a boil, and let boil for 10 minutes.

3. Cool the eggs (THIS is the most important step). I've found that the best way is to cool it down with water first (pour out hot water & fill pot with cold water & ice). Transport the eggs to the fridge & let sit in fridge for at least half an hour.

If your eggs are cooled enough, the shells will come off easily without damaging the egg white at all. To crack the shell (another trick my grandma taught me) - wrap the egg in a paper bowl or napkin, roll on a hard countertop until the egg is softly cracked all over, then peel - the shell will come off easily.

Whole Grain Peach-Banana Muffins

It's about time this special ingredient debuted on my blog. 

That's right.

It's banana time.

In order to honor my blog's title, as well as my lifelong compulsory epithet, I'm going to be doing more banana recipes. After all, bananas are the fruit of life. (That statement may or may not be true, but it sounds cool.)

Whole Grain Peach-Banana Muffins
(adapted from recipe)

Muffins
1/2 c brown sugar

1/4 c real maple syrup
3/4 c peach yogurt 

2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 c melted butter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c steel cut oats
1 c flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 c ripe peach, chopped 

Topping
1/2 c chopped pecans
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c butter, melted
1 pinch ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat muffin pan with non-stick baking spray, or use muffin liners. 

2. Mix together brown sugar, maple syrup, peach yogurt, bananas, butter, eggs, & oats until well blended. Allow mixture to sit so that the oats will soften - about 10-20 minutes. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to banana mixture, along with the peaches, until just combined. Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 of the way full. 

3. Mix together topping ingredients. Sprinkle over the top of each muffin until it is used up (you can be generous). Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 

Tzatziki

Greek food and I are really great friends. I remember the first time I tried tzatziki; despite my inability to pronounce it, I found it extremely delightful. And because I've since learned to speak its name with confidence, I decided it was about time to learn how to make it.

This fresh, cucumber-y spread is good on everything - crackers, pitas, sandwiches, vegetables, your fingers, etc. - and is healthier than its counterparts.

Tzatziki (adapted from recipe)

Ingredients:
-1 (32-oz) container plain Greek yogurt
-1 cucumber
-1/2 clove garlic, diced
-1 1/4 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
-1 tbsp. olive oil
-1/2 tbsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. pepper
-2 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped


1. Start by straining the yogurt. Use a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, and place it over a bowl. Scoop yogurt on top, and allow to sit for about an hour to drain all the liquid into the bowl (the warmer the yogurt is, the faster it will strain).

NOTE: I have made this without straining the yogurt & it tastes fine - it just gets really watery after sitting.

2. While yogurt is straining, wash cucumber & chop off both ends. Use a cheese grater to grate the cucumber, and place on a paper towel. Using your hands, squeeze the excess water out of the grated cucumber while holding over the sink. Throw a bit of salt on top & wrap in a paper towel until ready to mix into the yogurt.

3. Once yogurt is done straining, put in a bowl & whisk until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, including the cucumber, and mix thoroughly. Eat immediately, or refrigerate. It's delicious right away, but gets even better as it sits.

Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip

Did I ever mention that I'm not a huge fan of vegetables? I've definitely learned to love them more as I've gotten older, but I still don't just get excited about them. Unless they're drenched in something like cheese, butter, or ranch dressing. So, today, I tried out a new snack. Instead of pulling out the bottled ranch dressing, I mixed a little bit of ranch dressing mix with plain Greek yogurt & a little bit of skim milk. The result? Awesome. I'm never using "real" ranch again.

Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup skim milk

Mix together in a storable container - and eat with whatever you would like! For a creamier dressing, use less milk.

Roasted Garlic & Lemon Broccoli

So, I've never been a big vegetable eater. I know I'm supposed to eat them, so I do, but I have a hard time enjoying them. I've really never been a broccoli fan. Until now. I found this recipe at The Amateur Gourmet, and it is AAA-MAZ-ING. I've also seen it called "The Best Broccoli of Your Life." I guess you'll just have to find out for yourself.

Roasted Garlic & Lemon Broccoli
1 lb. broccoli crowns
5-6 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 lemon
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Start by washing the broccoli, then chopping off the broccoli heads and arranging them on a cookie sheet covered in foil. Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle the diced garlic over the top of the broccoli. Add salt and pepper. Cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops of the broccoli start to turn brown. Take out of the oven, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Zest the lemon over the top of the broccoli, then squeeze the lemon juice over the top as well. You won't be disappointed.

Quinoa Shrimp Salad

I enjoyed the last quinoa dish (Quinoa Burrito Bowls) so much, that I just had to try another one. This one is somewhat similar to the last, but it definitely has a different kick. Nothin' like healthy food that actually tastes good!

Quinoa Shrimp Salad
1 cup quinoa
2 cubes chicken bouillon

1 bag frozen baby shrimp (12 oz.)
1/2 cup butter, melted
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt & pepper

1/2 red onion, diced
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, warmed
2 oranges, peeled & chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Lemon Vinaigrette 
Juice of 2 lemons
6 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
pinch of stevia, or other sweetener
Salt & pepper

In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa, chicken bouillon, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to low and simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes, stirring periodically. Remove from heat.

While the quinoa is cooking, begin the shrimp. In a small bowl, mix together the frozen shrimp, melted butter, and lemon juice. Cover a baking sheet with foil, pour shrimp mixture on top, and salt & pepper. Broil for 8-10 minutes, or until well done.

To make the vinaigrette, combine the ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid, and shake well.

Instead of sugar, sweeten the dressing with a calorie-free
sweetener, such as Truvia. 

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, quinoa, and the rest of the salad ingredients. Pour the vinaigrette over the top & mix (you may not use it all). This salad can be enjoyed warm or cold. Yum!

This recipe was modified from the version found at Iowa Girl Eats.

Apples & Peanut Butter

Okay, I don't know about you... but I am a snacking fiend. I think it's because I love eating... all the time. I've had my share of potato chips, candy, baked goods, etc. - but we all know what that kind of snacking leads to. In my quest for a variety of delicious, healthy snacks, I've decided to start a new series called "Zero Guilt Snacks." Along with my regular recipes, I'll post about healthy snack ideas every Monday.

The first is one of my favorite snacks of all time: apples and peanut butter. To make this snack especially healthy, I use natural peanut butter. I prefer Smart Balance (either creamy or chunky - both are delicious).  When I'm feeling especially crazy, I'll even add a tiny bit of stevia to sweeten the peanut butter a little bit. Or a few chocolate chips, to get that "chocolate-covered apple" taste. Just make sure you don't go too crazy on the peanut butter... I usually have to measure it out to make sure I don't eat too much (it's just so yummy).

Quinoa Burrito Bowls

So... I've been hearing all this hype about "quinoa." After finally learning how to say it (keen-wah), I decided I better get on this bandwagon and learn to cook it. I went to buy some at Wal-Mart, and the cashier was asking me all these questions about it. I felt like kind of like an idiot when I didn't even really know what it was, so here are some quick fun facts about quinoa before we start:

• It is a species of goosefoot, which is a grain-like crop primarily grown for its edible seeds.
• It is classified as a "chenopod," which makes it closely related to species such as beets, spinach, and tumbleweeds.
• Nutritional value: high protein content (14%), and it is a complete protein (meaning it contains all nine of the amino acids necessary for our dietary needs). It is also a good source of dietary fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and calcium. Source

So, pretty much, quinoa is an amazing superfood. I feel good about that. And, turns out, it tastes pretty darn good.

Quinoa Burrito Bowls
1 cup quinoa
1 cube tomato bouillon with chicken flavor (you may find it in the store as "caldo de tomate")

Cook the quinoa as directed on the package, but add the bouillon to the water as the quinoa is boiling. This will give it an amazing flavor, similar to Mexican rice.Make sure to stir the quinoa as it is cooking, so it doesn't burn.

Toppings (serve these Hawaiian-haystack style):
Shredded chicken (as usual, I prefer rotisserie chicken - brown in a medium saucepan with a bit of olive oil)
Black beans (heat in a medium saucepan)
Lime juice
Corn
Cheddar or Jack Cheese
Shredded Lettuce
Greek yogurt
Diced tomatoes
Cilantro
Sliced avocados or guacamole
Hot sauce

I loaded all of this on my bowl, and it was AMAZING. I didn't even realize I was eating something totally healthy, which is the way I like it! This recipe yields about 4 servings.

This recipe was altered from the recipe found at The Shiksa In the Kitchen.

Hummus

I don't know about you, but I love me some delicious hummus. However, I feel it's kind of hit-and-miss with store-bought hummus - so I decided it was about time to make my own. It was actually super easy... especially if you have a nice food processor (which I decided I need to invest in).

Ingredients:
2 cans garbanzo beans, drained
1/4 cup tahini (aka sesame seed paste... you might have to go to a specialty store for this one)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced
1 pinch paprika

Stick everything but the olive oil, parsley, and paprika in a food processor or blender (as long as it's a really good blender... my little magic bullet didn't quite do the trick). Mix until smooth. Scoop into a bowl, then drizzle olive oil and sprinkle the paprika & parsley over the top. You won't be disappointed. I like hummus with pita bread, pita chips, or veggies--but do what you like with it!

Chicken & Veggie Omelet

Ingredients:
4 mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 broccoli florets, chopped
1/4 c cooked chicken, shredded
1 T red pepper, chopped
1 T green pepper, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
2 T milk
1 1/2 t butter
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
Sauté the mushrooms, broccoli, cooked chicken, red pepper, green pepper, and green onions in half the butter until somewhat browned (approximately five minutes). Remove from pan. Beat eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Heat remaining butter in pan until just melted, and pour the egg mixture in the pan so that it spreads evenly. Continually tilt pan back and forth to make sure the egg cooks evenly. Once the egg looks fairly cooked through, add cooked toppings and cheese. Fold in half, and allow to continue cooking until the cheese is melted. Slide onto a plate, and enjoy!

Black Bean & Avocado Salsa

This recipe is almost... embarrassingly easy. I get so many requests for the recipe, though, so I decided it would be a great addition to my blog.

You will need:
3 ripe avocados
1 red onion
3-4 tomatoes
juice of 4 limes
1 bunch of cilantro
4 ears of fresh corn (or 1 can of golden corn)
1 can black beans, rinsed
Fresh jalapeno or serrano pepper for an extra kick (optional)
Italian dressing seasoning packet
Salt & pepper to taste

Okay so the instructions are as follows... chop the tomatoes, onion, cilantro & avocado and put into a bowl. Add the corn, black beans, & lime juice. Use Italian dressing seasoning packet and salt and pepper to taste... and that's it! If you let it sit in the fridge for about an hour, it allows the flavor to come out better.


For this batch of salsa, I was especially lucky to be able to use mostly produce that was in season:

Delicious, red tomatoes


Fresh corn on the cob


Crisp red onion...


All locally grown!

And then there was the fresh cilantro, lime, and avocado from the grocery store... I guess everything can't be in season at once.







MOST. DELICIOUS. SALSA. EVER.

In Search of the Perfect Chipotle Dressing...

I love the taste of chipotle.

I don't know what it is, but it is amazing.

Every time I go to a restaurant and something has any kind of chipotle sauce on it, there's a good chance I'm ordering it.

However, I've never been able to find a delicious chipotle sauce/dressing/anything at the store. I've tried a few different recipes, but nothing has quite done it for me.

So I decided to concoct my own dressing. It was pretty simple, but the results were amazing. Here's what I came up with:


Chipotle Ranch Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise (I used Smart Balance... I guess that makes me feel healthier)*
1/2-1 cup milk
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
Ranch dressing mix
Salt, to taste
Juice from one lime

*To make this even healthier, use Greek yogurt.

Put all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor, and let the magic happen. You can adjust the quantity of peppers for spiciness, and the salt/ranch dressing mix for taste. You can add more or less milk to adjust creaminess. This is perfect with a delicious taco salad!


I made a yummy taco salad with cilantro, lime, shredded lettuce, black beans, red onions, and ground beef. It was life changing.


YUM.