Posts tagged ‘Bell Pepper’

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November 18, 2012

Another Chili Recipe…With a Pumpkin Twist

There’s nothing better than a big bowl of chili to accompany football watching (/noshing) on a cold Sunday afternoon. Hearty, delicious and beyond easy to make. One batch, dinner for a week. Or if you live with two boys, like me, a meal and a half total. Tops. Let’s just say Mike isn’t shy when it comes to seconds or thirds of this stuff and I don’t blame him. Although I’m a fan of old-fashioned chili, I wanted to add a little pizazz to the norm so experimented with pumpkin. I couldn’t help but think–or should I say dream–of this warm concoction during my Tough Mudder a few weeks back so after completing all of those obstacles, I tackled this kitchen feat. It hit the spot. I was cold and knew a hefty serving of spicy goodness would do me well, heating me up from the inside out and lending a hand in my recovery. Protein, check. Carbs, check. Veggie-packed sweetness with a kick of jalapeño…check, check and check. Adding pumpkin for depth and texture was a fabulous idea, if I do say so myself. Watch out, healthy chili recipes! This one will knock your socks off.

Ingredients
1 small yellow onion
2 green bell peppers
1 small jalapeño
2 Roma tomatoes
1.5 pounds ground turkey
28 oz. can of tomato purée
15 oz. can of pumpkin purée
1 cup dried black beans (soaked and cooked)
1 large garlic clove
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of cinnamon and cayenne pepper
Sliced avocado to top, duh.

In a large pot, heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil over medium heat. Chop up and toss the onion, bell peppers, jalapeño, tomatoes and garlic into the pot. Stir until the onion is cooked through before mixing in the turkey. Once the turkey is browned, add pumpkin, tomato purée and water. Bring to a boil, combining beans, corn and spices. Simmer for 15-30 minutes and serve. Yep, it’s that simple. Want to add in other veggies? Go for it! Remember this recipe? I like chili. Can you tell? Warning: leftovers are just plain amazing.
What’s your twist on the traditional chili recipe?

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren

Posted in Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish | 1 Comment »

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May 14, 2012

Tequila Lime Shrimp and Quinoa Black Bean & Grilled Corn Salad

Ok, so I got sidetracked with the two recipes I promised you all last week! I’ve been lollygagging ever since graduation (post tomorrow on that!). Oops? Don’t hate…I’m getting used to life as an unemployed, recent grad. Here you go:

Tequila Lime Shrimp
3 garlic cloves
1 jalapeño
1/4 cup tequila
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup lime juice (and zest)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 pounds of shrimp, shelled and deveined

Directions: Similar to the chicken from my last post, I marinaded these babies overnight to ensure a powerful punch of flavor and boy, did they deliver! Every last shrimp was snarfed down in a matter of minutes. So let’s get started. After removing the shells and veins, place the shrimp in a large resealable plastic bag with all the ingredients EXCEPT for the lime juice—the acidity will actually start cooking them so wait to add that until right before you throw it on the grill! Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. After the shrimp have soaked up all the glorious juices, spear them onto skewers (next time I’ll be adding veggies and maybe some pineapple to the kabobs?) and place them on the grill until pink. Easy enough, right? Yum.

Quinoa Black Bean & Grilled Corn Salad
1 cup dry quinoa
3 ears of corn, grilled
2 cans black beans
1/2 cup cilantro
2 beef steak tomatoes
2 scallions1 avocado
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon jalapeño, minced
Salt, pepper and lime juice to taste 

Directions: This recipe is super easy to make in advance (just add the avocado right before serving), not to mention you can basically alter it anyway you see fit for fab results. Start by cooking the quinoa and grilling your corn. Allow for the corn to cool before cutting the kernels off the husks! Roughly chop the tomatoes, fresh cilantro and scallions. Combine the cooled quinoa and corn with everything else (rinse and drain the beans, chop the veggies, mince the and jalapeño, etc.). Serve cold. Don’t forget to add in the avocado! The lime should keep it from browning after serving.

Can’t wait to recreate these!

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren

Posted in Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish | 3 Comments »

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May 10, 2012

Citrusy Chicken with Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa

It’s hard to believe that I was a vegetarian for over a year simply because I love chicken. Heck, chicken is one of the main reasons I reverted back to my carnivorous ways a few years ago. That and the fact that I seriously lacked the necessary amount of protein in my diet as a college freshman who hated dining hall food options. This recipe made me re-fall in love with chicken. Marinated overnight in a simple combination of orange, lemon and lime juice, thrown on the grill for some char marks and topped with a spicy but sweet salsa, I can proudly say it’s a home run. Perfect for the surge of summer barbecues around the corner! Keep in mind we were serving many hungry bellies so cut the recipe down as you see fit!

Chicken:
12 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied
1 cup orange juice
Juice from one lime and one lemon
6 garlic cloves

Combine the citrus juices and pour into a resealable plastic bag (or multiple if needed). Add in the chicken breasts, throw in the garlic cloves and let marinade in the refrigerator for 4+ hours. Like I said, I let the chickies soak in the flavorful goodness overnight, giving the bag a nice shake every time I had my head in there for a snack…which is often.  

Salsa:
1 1/2 cups pineapple
1/2 cup red bell pepper
1/2 cup green bell pepper
1/4 cup red onion
1/2 jalapeño
Juice from one lime
1/2 cup chopped tomato, or two small romas
Heaping tablespoon of cilantro

Nothing too daunting here but oh so fresh. Simply chop up and combine all of the ingredients, allowing for the juices to mingle and hangout with one another in the fridge before serving. While that’s happening, fire up the grill and let it do its magic! Serve with the salsa as a side or throw it right on top of the chicken for you and your guests to enjoy. Sprinkled a little extra cilantro on there and add a lime wedge to the plate. Is your mouth watering or what? With the other recipes including tequila and avocado I didn’t think this one needed it but if those ingredients strike your fancy, throw ‘em on in! I bet it would be divine.
Could you ever go cold turkey (er, I mean chicken in this case?) and give up a food you love?  

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren

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February 25, 2012

Spicy Lime Protein Lettuce Cups

I started cutting down on my carb and processed food intake right around the summertime. I was sick of how bloated I felt, my constant irregularity (TMI? sorry, but it’s true…) and simply believed that if I weaned off of my faithful cereals, pastas and breads, I would have to incorporate more nutritious foods into my diet. I did and, quite honestly, it was the best decision I have ever made. People think it’s weird that I crave a big bowl of greens topped with an assortment of veggies or have a piece of fruit to satisfy my sweet tooth. Heck, they see my portion sizes and don’t understand where it all goes. Straight to fuel, ladies and gentleman! But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what other people think. It’s about taking control of your health and feeling GOOD. I can’t tell you how much of an affect (for the better!) this decision has had on my exercise alone. Add in no more bloat, clearer skin and more energy and you can see that the proof is in the (most likely chia) pudding! I’m not going to lie, it’s a tough transition and takes some getting used to, but after months of clean, healthy eating, I decided last weekend to go full out gluten-free. I’ve done a ton of research, have stocked up on amaranth, quinoa, etc. from my local food stores and am excited for what this decision will bring for my overall well-being AND Sprinkled with Love. 

I mean, this was a food blog at one point wasn’t it? I didn’t use to ramble as much about my life and I sure as hell didn’t waste time explaining myself time after time as to my lack of blogging. Hopefully I can get back to posting recipes now that you understand the madness behind a lot of raw ingredients and clean eats. As I’ve come to realize after all my dietary experimentation, you are whatcha eat! Ok, ok. You get it. Enough of me blabbing away. Let’s look at what I made for dinner last weekend for the boyf. Flavorful, filling and hm, another “f” word…not the one you’re thinking of, FRESH. Oh and finger-food is always fun, right? Fabulous.

Ingredients
(Inspired by Keep Your Diet Real)
1 block of extra-firm tofu, cubed
3 green onions, diced
Juice from 2 limes
1 large red pepper, diced
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cups quinoa (follow cooking directions on package)
1 can black beans, rinsed and dried
1 1/2 cups of fresh, hot salsa
A head of bibb lettuce for wrapping (or any leafy, rollable green!)
1 thinly sliced avocado
Extras to serve with: hot sauce (or cayenne pepper), salt, pepper and extra salsa   

Now, this recipe is by no means difficult. Simply rinse and prepare the quinoa according to the box’s directions. While that is simmering, sauté the tofu cubes in a sprayed pan. Feel free to add some minced garlic in there for a little more flavor. Next, slice and dice the rest of the ingredients before combining with the salsa and beans.

Once the quinoa and tofu are done, let it cool before putting everything together in a large bowl with the lime juice. Refrigerate before serving. I would have LOVED to have wrapped them in kale, swiss chard or collard greens but I didn’t think Mike would like that as much. I’m such a considerate girlfriend!

Spoon the quinoa salad into the lettuce cups, add a slice of avocado and extra salsa. Wrap it up and dig in! The spicy lime quinoa itself is great to top a salad or eat on its own. I really enjoyed the leftovers…full of protein, veggies plus gluten-free!  
Are you a lettuce wrap lover? What’s your favorite thing to wrap up in greens?

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren 

Posted in Dinner, Lunch | 1 Comment »

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September 20, 2011

Fall-Inspired Shrimp with Whole Grain Hodgepodge

I am on a shrimp kick. I have been buying the frozen (cooked and deveined) crustaceans to add a low-cal protein boost to a variety of dishes and can’t get enough of ‘em! Preparing shrimpies is a breeze (just defrost in a skillet on the stove) and the bite-sized seafood makes each meal all the more satisfying. On Friday, two of my girlfriends and I decided to boycott the home football game to get some work done — and when I say “work” I’m referring to catching up on our favorite blogs and “pinning.” Oops?

Anywho, in lieu of my departure for Manhattan adventuring the following day (post on that to come!), I decided to cook up my remaining produce and created a delightful hodgepodge of a meal in the process. With a hint of cinnamon and the nutty heartiness of wheat berries, this refrigerator purge resulted in one H-E-double hockey sticks of a recipe. Pat on the back to mwah.

Ingredients
1 cup wheat berries
1/2 cup quinoa
1 lb of frozen shrimp (I used 41/50 pre-cooked, deveined)
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 bell peppers
2 medium beets
2 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil
Salt, pepper and cinnamon to taste

To start, prepare the grains. Give yourself about an hour for the wheat berries to cook! Next, roast your veggies for about 30 minutes at 375°F after lightly drizzling with olive oil. While those get going, sauté the onion and garlic until lightly browned. Time it out so that you are adding in the shrimpies right around when the quinoa, wheat berries and vegetables are almost done!

Once your veggies are tender, roughly chop them up and add them to the sauté alongside the cooked grains. Season with salt, pepper and a dash or two of cinnamon for a festive flavor.

I introduced nutritional yeast to my friends for a cheesy topping. I know this sounds like a somewhat bizarre combination but I SWEAR it was divine. The “leftovers” were consumed that same evening…
What ingredients scream fall to you? 

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren

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July 26, 2011

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

It has been hot, hot, hot the past few days and the only things I’ve been able to eat are light salads or fruit. Not too shabby of a diet, if I do say so myself, especially since I’ve been living in a bikini! To change up my typical veggie-topped spinach salad for dinner, I decided to create my own Black-Eyed Pea Salad the other night. It was the perfect summer meal with fresh, seasonal ingredients, plus super filling!

Ingredients
3 tomatoes
3 corn on the cobs
3 cans of black-eyed peas
A bunch of green onions
1/2 of a red bell pepper
1/2 of a jalapeño
1 cucumber
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice from half of a lemon
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil

First things first, get your grill fired up. After shucking off the husks, lightly brush each ear of corn with olive oil and place on the grill rack. (You can soak your corn for 2 to 4 hours prior to grilling if preferred. I got lazy and listened to my stomach instead of my head (oops?), although I honestly can’t tell a difference between soaked and not-soaked grilled corn.) 

While the corn gets all toasty and lightly charred, begin preparing the other ingredients. FYI: The order in which you do so doesn’t matter. Open the cans of black-eyed peas, rinse and drain thoroughly. Blot with a paper towel until dry, if necessary.

Once the corn is ready, remove it from the grill and set aside to cool down. Dice up the tomatoes and bell pepper. Slice and quarter the cucumbers. Chop the jalapeño and mince the clove of garlic.

Carefully cut the corn off the cob and combine all the ingredients together! Whisk the dressing (the red wine vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil) before drizzling over the salad. Mix everything thoroughly and chill before serving. 

As you can see, I topped mine with avocado slices! So colorful, so good. Bon appétit!
Do you get sick of the same old salad? How do you change ‘em up for a new and improved meal?

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren

Posted in Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish | 1 Comment »

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June 14, 2011

Tuna Salad Roll-Ups

After a successful leg strength training routine yesterday morning, with a little cardio and abs thrown in here and there, I needed to refuel with an energizing lunch full of greens and protein. For some reason, the first thing that came to mind was tuna. I honestly don’t recall the last time I ate the smelly canned fish but it was all I could think about and I simply didn’t fight it. Instead of creating a fattening, mayonnaise-doused tuna salad sandwich, I decided to make a healthy alternative and ended up wrapping my salad creation in colorful swiss chard. It. Was. Delish.


Ingredients
4 large swiss chard leaves
1/2 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
2 cans of tuna fish (I used Bumble Bee’s Solid White Albacore Very Low Sodium in Water)
1 can of chickpeas
1/2 of a red bell pepper, grilled
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup English cucumber, sliced and cut into quarters
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

To start, place half of a red bell pepper on the grill until lightly browned.


While that cooks, combine the mix-ins for the dressing: apple cider vinegar, olive oil, lemon zest/juice and garlic. Whisk together and set aside.


Time to cut and combine the ingredients! Thinly slice the red onions and chop the parsley. Open and drain both cans of tuna, as well as the chickpeas. (Rinse and dry the chickpeas before pouring in.)

Cut cucumber slices into fourths for bite-sized chunks!

Finely chop up half of the cooked bell pepper after removing it from the grill and add to the salad. Julienne the rest into strips to place inside the wraps. Drizzle the ingredients with the dressing and mix it all up! 


Now for the wrap portion. After rinsing and drying the swiss chard, add strips of the roasted red pepper to the middle of the leaves. The bell pepper provides great flavor, not to mention adds to the contrast of colors. I could not stop admiring the beautiful array of brights!

Last, but certainly not least, add a generous helping of salad and roll it all up! Use toothpicks to hold it all in place.


Mmm, there you have it! The perfect, energizing lunch I was looking for. By skipping on the bread and mayo, you reduce carbs and fat content, amping the entire recipe up with the nutritional value offered by the veggies, beans and fish. Special thanks to my dad for helping me with the pretty presentation and three helpful recipes (found here, here and here), in which I used as a jumping off point. This is definitely a recipe I will be making often this summer.
Have you had a random craving lately you’d like to share?

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren

Posted in Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish, Snack | 7 Comments »

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March 18, 2011

Tofu Shirawhat-y?

I was ecstatic when I found Tofu Shirataki in my local grocery store last week! I have been looking forward to trying these low carb, low calorie, vegan noodles ever since a good friend of mine, Emily, pointed them out during a Whole Foods shopping trip. What is this stuff exactly? Basically, it is a combination of the root of the Konnyaku – a member of the yam family – and tofu. It may not sound too appealing, but guess what? An entire 8 oz. bag has just 40 calories and 6 g. carbs! Caaarazy, I know. I decided to reuse a delightful vegetable stir fry recipe I made a while back (seen here) with a few minor adjustments to see how the noodle substitute compared. To be honest, I was skeptical at first while preparing the Tofu Shirataki (the stench was overwhelmingly unappetizing), but the end result was divine. Two thumbs up! I can proudly say that I am officially a Tofu Shirataki fan and plan to replace pasta with these fun noodlies very often in the future.

Ingredients
1 bag of Tofu Shirataki (I used angel hair)
Veggies of your choice (I used kale, broccoli, red bell pepper, onion and asparagus)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
1 1/2 tablespoons ginger
Sesame seeds (or flaxseeds) to top the dish and/or chopped peanuts (optional)

Over medium heat, combine garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar and ginger.

Add in your vegetables of choice and sauté. Mmm smells delicious…

Turn down the heat and stir in the crunchy peanut butter.

Now, time to prepare the noodles. Don’t they sort of look like Ramen? ✄ Cut open the package and drain the noodles into a colander. Rinse them thoroughly with cold water (for about 1 minute) and blot dry with a paper towel. Next, put them in a bowl and place in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until completely dry. WARNING: The Tofu Shirataki is extremely smelly! Bleh…the fishy-ness almost made me give up, DON’T! I swear the end result is amazing and worth the few minutes of nose-plugging.

Once you have prepared the Tofu Shirataki, mix the noodles in with the vegetables and voilà, a guilt-free Asian inspired stir fry! I topped the dish with flaxseeds for an extra crunch. Mmmmmm….

Side Note: I need your help! I’m signed up for the Leprechaun 5-miler this Sunday with Emily and am working on a solid playlist. Any suggestions? What songs really pump you up?

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren

Posted in Dinner, Food for Thought, Reviews | 7 Comments »

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February 28, 2011

The Breakfast of Champions

Good morning all! And what a wonderful morning it is. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping…oh, what am I kidding. It’s a dreary day. A day of leggings, rain boots, a baseball cap (concealing bed head) and a windbreaker. What can make a rainy Monday morning better? Breakfast. My favorite meal of the day! This morning I pulled out leftover quinoa stir-fry I made last night (with garlic, spinach and lentils), added in some sautéed vegetables and topped with an egg over easy. It was delightful and started my day off on the right foot. If you want to kick your breakfast up a notch, try this protein-powered meal with your favorite vegetable mix-ins.

Ingredients
Egg, over easy
Quinoa
Broccoli
Spinach
Yellow Bell Pepper
Lentils
Garlic
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I started by sautéing a handful of chopped broccoli and yellow bell pepper in about a tablespoon of olive oil (I know, really professional measurements here). I added in my leftover quinoa stir-fry once my veggies were lightly browned.


I then carefully cooked my egg…it’s always disappointing when I ruin it and don’t get a runny yolk! I put it over the quinoa and dug in, while looking over my to-do list for the week. Bleh, I hate Mondays!

Busy, busy bee! Over the weekend I did very little besides perfecting my resume, working on my cover letter and hitting up the gym so it’s time to kick it in high gear! Lots to do before a much-needed Spring Break…awful midterm on Wednesday, lots of internships to apply to, column to write, etc. Ahh! Have a great week!

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren

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January 20, 2011

Healthy Hummus

As you already know, I love chickpeas (seen here and here). With lots of veggies in the fridge and my new mini food processor, I decided a dip was a must and what better a snack than hummus? A lot of times hummus can be pricy at the grocery store so if you’re on a budget like me (oh, the life of a college student…) making your own is great on both your wallet and stomach.

Ingredients
1 can garbanzo beans (drained)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice (or more if you like lemons like me!)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil (depending on how thick you like it)

The instructions on this one are easy: put all the ingredients into the food processor and blend together until desired consistancy! I kept mine a little chunky. Slice up your favorite vegetables and dig in! Easy and delicious if you’re hosting a party or great to nibble on as a healthy afternoon snack.

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren

Posted in Hors D'oeuvre, Snack | 4 Comments »

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