I had picked up some strawberries at the local farmers’ market earlier this week and thought I’d do something a little unique.  I put on my cooking cap and came up with this quick gem for a sweet and savory fruit salsa.  Paired with some home-made pita strips, it was a healthy afternoon treat that hit the spot for everyone in the family.

Kate’s Thoughts

I loved the tangy, sweet combination of lime juice and honey!  If you like a little heat in your salsa, incorporate finely chopped seeded jalapeno for a little spice.

I separated some pitas we had on hand and sliced them into strips for my dipper of choice.  To make your own, spray the strips lightly with cooking spray, sprinkle with kosher salt, and bake at 325F for 5-7 minutes, or just until crispy.  My only downfall was not making my first round of strips wide enough to scoop up all the delicious salsa!

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I am not shy about my love of cheese and nothing gets me more excited than a quality home-made macaroni and cheese.  The obvious bummer about the home-made variety is that they can be fairly time consuming to make.  While my usual compromise is a low-calorie stove top version, I think I found a new contender for our go to recipe of choice.  This asparagus filled wonder requires less than 15 minutes of hands on time, but is just as satisfying as the baked versions I have made in the past.  Vegetables, cheese, tons of flavor, and can be ready in 30 minutes?  Sign me up!

This dish was also a huge hit with my almost 3-year old.  He scraped his plate and asked for seconds!  The asparagus flavor is very subtle and the toughest sell for the 10 and under crowd will most likely be the green color.  But then again, maybe you can just say you are celebrating some random green-themed holiday?  I promise I won’t tell…

Kate’s Thoughts

I chose Gruyere cheese because I wanted the nutty flavor of the cheese to complement the asparagus, but this recipe can also be made with cheddar if you think your family would prefer a milder flavor.

I know it’s strange for me to create a recipe that involves adding butter, but it really helps give the asparagus sauce the creamy texture you expect in a traditional mac & cheese.  I tried to limit the quantity, but I really don’t think it can be omitted.  I want to try using Greek yogurt next time and will certainly post an update when I do.

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Although it’s a pretty versatile veggie and incredibly nutritious, I find that asparagus can be a little strong flavored so it can be tricky to get my son to eat.  As a result, I put myself on a mission to create a couple kid friendly recipes for the spring so that everyone in the family could enjoy it.  My first creation was today’s oven-baked asparagus fries.  We love squash fries in the summer, and I knew asparagus would lend itself well to that same crispy coating.  I’m not sure what it’s like for the rest of you with little kids, but I find my son will eat just about anything if I tell him they are fries and serve it with dipping sauce.  I then casually throw in that it’s asparagus while he’s chewing…

For a little added flavor, I incorporated Parmesan cheese to the bread crumbs.  I’ve prepared the fries both ways, and they are just as tasty without the added cheese if you prefer.  And last, but certainly not least, the dipping sauce is a simple mustard-yogurt sauce which complements the asparagus quite well.

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I revamped this recipe a couple months back and as I sat down to brainstorm for this week, it just kept coming up in my mind as the perfect option to share pre-Easter.  It’s perfect for busy holiday mornings when you want something tasty to serve but don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen.

My goal was to create a fresh recipe that could still be prepared the night before, but amped up the health factor.  For this recipe makeover, I compared my own version to the classic sausage & egg casserole layered over crescent rolls and sprinkled with cheese.  There was a 43% decrease in calories, 87% decrease in total fat, 90% decrease in saturated fat, 68% decrease in cholesterol and 32% decrease in sodium compared to the original recipe.   This doesn’t even start to take into account the ADDED nutritional value from the vegetables!

Kate’s Thoughts

I must admit that I was particularly pleased with the fruits, or should I say veggies, of my labor on this recipe makeover.  The vegetables provided so much incredible flavor and were much more satisfying than the crescent roll crust.  Other than the extra time it took to chop the veggies, it seemed like this recipe came together in no time.  Plus, I left the breakfast table feeling full, but not in the “oh my goodness I just ate a pound of grease” full kind of way.  The casserole was very light and fluffy and felt well balanced.

You can add just about any vegetable to this recipe and I do not think you’d be disappointed.  For Easter you could use asparagus; in the summer I’d recommend zucchini and grape tomatoes.  The beauty of this recipe is the flexibility and you can adjust it to fit your family’s preferences.  Plus, it’s a wonderful way to incorporate those vegetable servings for the kiddos!

I apologize that the photos do not show the sausage.  I wanted to try it with and without meat, and chose to share the sausage recipe version with you as it rang truer to the original recipe.  The good news is that the recipe is quite tasty regardless of which way you choose to make it.

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Kar’s Thoughts

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Broccoli can be enjoyed in any number of ways, but one of the classics has to be the creamy, and unfortunately not so healthy, broccoli cheese soup.  I’m always up for a challenge and so I thought I might put my recipe makeover skills to use and come up with a healthier alternative.  I knew mimicking that rich, creamy texture was key to a good makeover, but just how would I go about pulling this one off?  I contemplated a cauliflower puree base, but was worried about a veggie overkill.   I settled on a white bean puree and loved the finished product!

This soup can be prepared in about 35 minutes, and has almost half the calories and 85% less saturated fat and cholesterol than the original.  Plus it tastes just as creamy and rich!  Are you sold yet?

Kate’s Thoughts

I chose to be conservative about my cheese usage, but you can increase to 1 cup of shredded cheese and you will still reduce calories by 40%.  For the photo I added a dollop of non-fat Greek yogurt and it added a bit of refreshing tang!

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Last week my best friend was nice enough to share a flavorful recipe for spinach enchiladas. I found the meal so tasty that I was inspired to incorporate some of the same elements into today’s recipe. I chose to take on the usual boring skinless, boneless chicken breast and transform it into a filling main dish that was sure to please everyone. The combination of spinach and black beans with just the right amount of cheese created a well-balanced stuffing for chicken breast and the spice mixture coating provided added flavor to complement the stuffing.

This chicken dish comes together very quickly, but can also be made ahead of time and refrigerated for 2 days or frozen for 3 months. (If frozen, defrost in the refrigerator the day you plan to cook.) I served mine with Mexican red rice for a complete meal that was ready in 30 minutes.

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For those of you frequenting your local farmers’ market as of late, have no fear that there is a spring produce light at the end of the tunnel.  But in the mean time, my guess is that you might have a little bit of kale on hand and have quickly exhausted your go to recipes?  If that is the case, this month’s first recipe is just for you!  There is no doubt that kale is the winter locavore’s best friend and it doesn’t hurt that it packs a pretty incredible nutritious punch.  High in antioxidant rich vitamins A, C, and K, not to mention calcium and fiber, kale has a well deserved reputation as a super food.

But just knowing it is good for you doesn’t mean you want to eat it!  I created today’s recipe to maximize the nutritional benefits of kale, while incorporating as much flavor as possible.  Plus the busy working mom in me loved that there would be make ahead components to make it a cinch to get on the dinner table  any night of the week.  (See Kate’s Thoughts below for more!)  The kale pesto has a rich, nutty flavor that is complemented perfectly by the salty spice of the turkey sausage (I chose hot sausage for an added bite!).  I loved how every strand of spaghetti was coated with kale goodness.  Some people may find kale a bit on the bitter side, but in this recipe it took on a velvety texture, thanks to the olive oil, that was fresh and inviting.

Kate’s Thoughts

If you are like me, the rush to fix dinner can be stressful with small children and other household chores to contend with, so  I love to provide my customers’ with easy ways to get healthy, home-made meals on the table even faster.  Why would my blog be any different?

Meal components that can be prepared ahead of time:
1. Prepare pesto
2. Brown sausage

For this particular recipe, the pesto can be prepared up to 3 days in advance or frozen for 3 months.  If you are not immediately using the pesto, I recommend incorporating only 4 tablespoons of olive oil in the food processor.  When you go to store the pesto (either in the refrigerator or freezer), top with remaining tablespoon of oil.  Simply stir in the oil when it is time to serve.

This recipe yields about 1 cup of pesto, which is more than enough to coat your pasta.  You may even find yourself with extra!  As with other types of pesto, this sauce is incredible versatile so it would be well worth it to double the pesto ingredients to save for later uses.  Looking for ideas?  Think sandwich spreads, pizza toppers, fish or chicken glaze, or a flavorful mix in for your favorite winter veggie soup.

Turkey sausage is usually sold in 1 pound to 1 1/4 pound packages and I rarely use an entire package for one meal.  Think like a meal planner (that would be me!) and plan 2 meals that incorporate sausage crumbles.  Brown all the sausage as directed for this recipe and then reserve remaining amount for meal idea #2.

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Our little family relocated to a brand new area at the end of 2012.  While I love the excitement that moving brings, there is always the trepidation as you find yourself with the need to make new friends, try not to get lost, figure out your key people (food resources for me, doctors and dentists for the family, the ever so important hairdresser, etc), and basically learn to survive in a brand new place.  What added to this normal moving angst was the knowledge that my husband was deploying after the new year and would not be around for most of 2013.  And oh yeah, did I mention I am pregnant and due in May?    I’d like to say I handled this all with grace and courage, and at times I tried, but it wasn’t always the case.  I like to cook; I do not have superwoman powers as a result.  The fact of the matter is that I am surviving, holding strong, and doing my best to smile through it all.

All this craziness brings me to what I am looking forward to the most in 2013: the positives that tend to come out of a tough situation.  I now face 9 months or so of being a single parent while my husband is deployed.  I’d like to think I knew what I was talking about before when it came to facing the dinner time crunch with a plan, but I can honestly say that I am quickly becoming even more of an authority!  Each week for my customers I lay out tips and strategies for working ahead and being prepared in addition to the weekly meal plans.  Now I will begin incorporating a lot of these tips and strategies into my blog posts as I continue to share ways to choose fresh, healthy meals over the processed food alternatives.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, cooking meals at home doesn’t have to be an intimidating process.  It just means having a plan and trying your best.  And when in doubt, you rely on me for help!

So that is my 2013!  I ask for a little patience as my son and I adjust to our new life, but I promise I will be back blogging and sharing my cooking adventures in the weeks ahead.  In the mean time, meal plans are diligently being prepared, tested, and well crafted so please do not hesitate to place an order!

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This toffee recipe is like the Lay’s potato chip of dessert, I bet you cannot eat just one piece.  They are so deliciously addicting and I cannot almost guarantee you will have random people signing up to become friends with you just in hopes you might share a piece or two.

 Kate’s Thoughts

As with the previous post’s marshmallows, do not attempt this recipe unless you own a candy thermometer.  Getting the sugar mixture to the right temperature is an exact science!  Other than that, one of the toughest parts is honestly just getting that first piece out of the pan.  Enjoy!

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