Posts tagged ‘Lemon’

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July 6, 2012

Summer Quinoa Salad with Jicama and Black Eyed Peas

Happy belated 4th of July! I had all intentions of posting this last night, however Mike and I decided to go see Ted instead. Oops! If it’s any consolation, the movie was hilarious. Anyway, I hope you stuffed yourself with borderline too much grilled cuisine, sported lots of red, white and blue and, of course, enjoyed some good fireworks to celebrate our great country’s birthday. I certainly did, with the exception that I wore pink instead of red (I can honestly day I do not own a single article of clothing that is red…not a fan) and my town firework show was nothing to write home about. Regardless, it was still a relaxing cheat day for me—the annual parade took priority over gym time—and I lent a hand with some of the tasty, healthy cuisine at my family party. Shrimp kabobs, guacamole and a summer quinoa salad to name a few. 

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 red bell pepper
1 large tomato
1/2 of a jicama
1 can of black eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1/2 loosely packed cup of basil
Juice of one lemon
Drizzle of olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegarCayenne pepper, black pepper and sea salt to taste

I love making different renditions of a light, cold quinoa dish for summer parties (remember my grad party?). It’s a versatile side that pairs wonderfully with burgers, grilled veggies and the like, but also tastes great on top of a bed of greens as leftovers. After snagging a jicama the other day at Whole Foods, I wanted to let the sweet crispness shine and think this salad allowed just that. Start by cooking the quinoa, following the directions on the box. Typically you bring two cups of water to a boil, add in the cup of quinoa, reduce the heat and cover until the water is fully absorbed. While that is cooking, get started on chopping the tomato, bell pepper, jicama and basil. Combine in a large bowl. Open a can of black eyed peas, thoroughly rinse and drain before adding them to the veggies. Once the quinoa is done and cooled, add that to the mix.

Now for the dressing. Squeeze the juice from one lemon (add a little zest, too, while you’re at it), drizzle a little olive oil, alongside the red wine vinegar, over the salad. Mix thoroughly. Season with salt, cayenne and cracked black pepper. Cover and chill before serving. Clean, light and refreshing, yet filling. Perfect for a hot summer day! This may be my new go-to beach food.
What was your favorite 4th of July dish? 

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren

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October 24, 2011

Naked

I have always been a fan of Naked all-natural juice and smoothies. The Green Machine is my jam! That’s why when I was contacted by the fabulous brand to try their new reduced calorie smoothies, I was thrilled. Guilt-free, 100% juice and no added sugars? SCORE! The Reduced Calorie Lychee and Reduced Calorie Citrus Lemongrass are far from watery or tasteless, like other “reduced” drinks. Instead, they provide for satisfying hydration, loaded with nutritional value at just 100 calories per serving! The tropical lychee smoothie made for quite a refreshing post-run fuel with its coconut water base, if I do say so myself. 

I had the Mango Veggie smoothie the other day as an on-the-go meal replacement. Who knew it could be that easy to get your daily dose of veggies? Each 15.2-oz bottle has two full of veggies and one serving of fruit (the ingredients include mango, carrots, sweet potato, sweet corn, apple, chickpeas, butternut squash and a hint of lemon). Can’t beat that! According to Naked Juice’s global nutritional manager Laura Karness, Ph.D., R.D., ”The Mango Veggie blend can help meet the daily requirement for more than 8 nutrients, including fiber, vitamins A, C, E, B6 and B12, niacin and pantothenic acid.”

Thanks again, Naked Juice! I loved the new juice blends and highly recommend them. Two thumbs up from me!

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren

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August 3, 2011

Yep, Another Salad Recipe Coming At Ya!

So I bet you’re probably getting sick of all my salad posts right about now. I’m sorry…I really am but when the humidity is so thick you can cut the air with a knife, the only thing that gets my taste buds goin’ are crisp greens. Why not soak up all the fresh ingredients you can get while they are in season, right? While skimming through the recipes on one of my favorite blogs, With Style & Grace, I came across this Chickpea and Basil Salad and stopped dead in my tracks. You all know by now that I adore chickpeas. Add in my favorite herb, basil, and you’ve got yourself a winner in my book. So needless to say, I made it (with minor changes) shortly after my discovery, spooned some over mixed greens and loved it. Best thing about it? It is ridiculously easy. Perfect after a rough day of lounging by a pool…

Ingredients
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 a carton of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 english cucumber, quartered
1 1/2 red bell peppers, diced (1 would do just fine!)
3 scallions, diced
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Juice from 2 small lemons
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of garlic powder, salt and pepper
Optional toppings: crumbed cheeses (i.e. goat or feta) and/or slices of avocado

The directions are super tedious so get your thinking caps on. Just kidding! All you have to do is chop, dice and cut everything up before combining it all into a large bowl. Whisk together the vinaigrette and drizzle over the veggie/bean mix. Season and let marinate before topping a salad, pasta or eating as is. Enjoy!
What’s your favorite herb?

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren 

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July 21, 2011

Skinny Summer Cocktails

Oh, hey there! Today’s post comes from a fellow foodie and fitness fanatic over at LoveEatRun, Jenny! After being featured on the gorgeous gal’s blog last week, I asked her to do the same for Sprinkled with Love and let me tell you…it’s pretty darn fabulous. After you’re done here, you must check out LoveEatRun for fitness advice and a look at the nutritious, healthy lifestyle she leads! 

***** 

Hi to all you Sprinkled With Love fans out there!!  I’m Jenny from LoveEatRun and I’m so excited to be guest posting for Lauren today!  How awesome is she and how awesome is her blog?!  I love her fresh approach to fitness, recipes and fashion all rolled into one!

If you all aren’t familiar with what LoveEatRun is all about, I blog pretty much about anything and everything with a focus on living a healthy lifestyle full of food, fitness and fun.  I’m currently training for my first full marathon, which I will be running this October, so much of my fitness right now is dedicated to cracking down and getting those miles in, while working in strength training, cross-training and lots of yoga! 

And now, getting my guest post… My top 5 skinny summer cocktails! I recently came across a recipe for a Freckled Kiwi summer cocktail on VitalJuice.com and it immediately caught my attention. I love a refreshing drink on a hot summer day and this seemed right up my alley, not to mention it is a recipe that isn’t loaded with artificial flavoring, juices, etc. It’s pretty light and “skinny”. And we all know that Skinny Cocktails are all the rage right now.

So in light of this discovery, I thought I would share some of my favorite summer skinny cocktails with you. 

 1. Vodka & Soda with a Lemon & Lime: I love this drink on it’s own but also find that teaming it up with a variety of Crystal Light flavor packets also suites me well. I’ll mix the vodka and soda and pour in just enough powder to give the drink of hint of flavor but not overwhelm it.  

Some of my favorite flavors are: 

2. Arnold Palmer: To make this I use Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka and mix it with lemonade, made from mixing water and a Crystal Light Lemonade packet. A nice twist to an old favorite.

3. Skinnygirl Margarita: I used to drink this straight over ice but since discovering Cara from Chic Meets Healthy’s blended version I don’t think I will be looking back! I love frozen drinks but the calorie counts can be outrageous because of the drink mixes used.

 By using frozen berries and ice, you can significantly cut back on the number of calories while still enjoying a perfectly tasty frozen cocktail. I recommend trying it with blueberries or strawberries but the possibilities of flavors are endless – just throw the skinnygirl, ice and whatever fruit you chose into the blender!

4. Spritzers: White wine with club soda. Simple and refreshing, garnished with berries.

5. Peach Bellini: Another easy breezy summer drink. Mix 2 parts champagne with 1 part peach juice and garnish with a peach wedge. To make this a little lighter in calories, simply use an Ocean Spray white cran peach packet mixed with water in place of the peach juice.

So there you have it, simple, low-cal summer cocktails at your fingertips!

Is it happy hour yet?!

Posted in Food for Thought, Random | 11 Comments »

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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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June 2, 2011

Sweet Summertime

I’ve been pretty nostalgic lately. Maybe it’s the fact that being home and sleeping in the same room I’ve slept in since kindergarten has finally sank in. Or maybe it has been the catching up, immature giggles and cocktails with my two best friends from high school, alongside the run-ins from old classmates wherever I may go. Come to think of it, you know what could very well be the nostalgia culprit? My new obsession with Gossip Girl. I’ve watched half of the first season in a matter of days. I think I have a problem. Regardless, let me summarize my overall weirdness by saying I got teary eyed listening to Trace Adkins’ “You’re Gonna Miss This” while driving through my neighborhood…

Whatever this emotional stint may be/be about, I have decided not to fight it. Instead, I’ve allowed it to inspire me, especially when it came to making one of my favorite summertime meals the other night: Spinach and Strawberry Salad. Although I lost the original recipe my friend, Amy, and I used to make, I decided to improvise a bit using Fitness Magazine’s Mesclun Strawberry Salad as a guide. It ended up tasting great, especially with grilled chicken on top. Avocado mixed in would have been divine, but my local grocery store was all out so I had to manage without my favorite ingredient. Besides that, it was pretty darn perfect. Oh, the taste of sweet summertime!

Ingredients
(Yields 2 servings)
2.5 ounces spinach
8 large strawberries (or more if you love ‘em like me!)
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed juice from 1/2 of a lemon
Freshly chopped basil to taste (less than 1/4 cup?)
2 ounces of crumbled goat cheese
Handful or two of walnuts
One avocado, cubed
3 small chicken breasts

Start by throwing your chicken on the grill. I was so hungry I didn’t marinate it but feel free to do so if you would like. I bet it would compliment the salad well if marinated in a strawberry vinaigrette! Next, hull and slice the strawberries. In a large bowl, add in the spinach, strawberries, goat cheese, avocado (if desired) and walnuts. In a separate bowl combine wet ingredients and chopped basil.

Once the chicken is done, finish assembling the salad. Drizzle with the dressing, mix it all up and serve! Delicious! Light but sweet and filling with the chicken. Add a pinch of salt alongside a little honey or agave nectar to the dressing if need be.

In other news, I have been trying to get my act together these past few days in preparation for the start of life in the real world and the ever-so-dreaded, intense commuting schedule. Task number one: tackle my bomb of a room.

I would have taken a “Before” to compare to this “After” photo, but it was far too embarrassing to share with you all. Good as new, now. It’s funny how much better you feel in a tidy space. Please note my beautiful bottle of lemoncello brought back from Florence, Italy, courtesy of my besties. 

Next project: organizing the closet by type for easy access and outfit arrangement (jackets>tanks>short sleeved shirts>dresses>oxfords>cardigans). Can you tell I have a ‘thing’ for navy blue stripes? Yeesh…

To make my stripe addiction more apparent, I would like to introduce you to today’s glorious Steve Madden purchase. They can be laceless and feel like a sneaker. Perfect for running around NYC in! Hi, I like you. Boy, am I am a sucker for seersucker…

Last but not least on my agenda was to start compiling a summer reading list. I love having free time to read during my time off from school and what better way to keep me occupied on the train!? Thanks to my wonderful Twitter followers, I have a nice list going already…
Do you have must-read suggestions? What is a theme in your closet? 

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren

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May 24, 2011

Favorite Things, Round 2

After a seven hour shift on my feet, followed by a decent workout, I am pooped and turning in early. Don’t ya just love being in bed by 10 PM on a Monday evening? I know I do. Macbook + online shopping + Adele’s 21 CD (which has been blasting on repeat the last two weeks) = ideal. Woop, woop…am I one wild and crazy 21-year-old or what? Anyway, I have some new, favorite food obsessions I would like to share with you, all in which are pictured below. Not the most fun or intriguing of posts, but a necessary one to hopefully perk up some of your taste buds!

Bartlett pear slices with almond butter…a favorite snack of mine, which I picked up on thanks to a friend of mine (Amy). Take your morning toast up a notch by adding on this delightful combination (with a drizzle of honey or agave nectar). Can I hear an AMEN?

AVOCADOS ARE FINALLY REALLY IN SEASON! In other words, I’ve been avocado-happy, topping everything and anything with this glorious fruit…or is it a vegetable? Regardless, I love ‘em, especially on my scrambled eggs in the morning. The past few I picked up from my local Stop & Shop have been flawless and divine.

You can’t go wrong with a humongous salad. Top it with avocado, tofu cubes, an assortment of fresh, colorful veggies, sesame seeds and a large dollop of hummus? Even better. Clean meal for a clean eatin’ gal. I’ll take it any day.

Here’s one of my favorite evening snacks when I’m plopped in front of the television, feeling the need to graze and craving something both salty and sweet: savory popcorn, popped on the stove. Making it yourself on the stovetop is a healthier alternative to sodium-filled, overly buttery microwavable bags, plus a lot tastier and versatile (you can mix in your favorite spices for a whole new take on this classic snack). Did I mention low-cal? Um, yes please? I’ve been making mine in extra virgin olive oil and seasoning with cinnamon with a quick drizzle of agave nectar for a sweet, dessert-like snack. Surprisingly very filling, might I add!

Although I would have loved to have had the opportunity to live in NYC this summer, being home has suited me well. Having home-cooked meals prepared for me has added to the overall appeal, I’m not going to lie. Cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner for yourself day in and day out as an off-campus student can be taxing after a while! My father made the baked salmon pictured above for dinner last night with a side of corn on the cob and fiddleheads (below). Just a little bit of olive oil, sliced green peppers, parsley, onion and lemon made for pure perfection. I likey.

I had never tried fiddleheads before last night but can officially call myself a fan. My dad simply sautéed them in a little bit of olive oil, garlic and shallots. Yum, yum, yum! Welp, there ya have it. My recent favorite foodie trends I can’t get enough of the past few weeks.
What have you been loving lately?

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren

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May 18, 2011

Refueling, Refrigerator-Purge

I recently purchased wheat berries and amaranth grain on a whim after seeing them used in a variety of ways on some of my favorite foodie blogs. Since finding them in the health section of my local Stop & Shop, the grains have been sitting, untouched in my cupboard begging me to incorporate them in a dish. After returning home from a taxing upper body workout at the gym this evening (which had followed a 7 1/2 hour shift), I was in dire need of some fuel, so threw together this “garbage” meal…aka use up the produce in the fridge and try out some new ingredients in the process. Success on all levels: quite filling, energizing, nourishing and tasty! Jane and Steve (my parents) approved. So did my belly.

Ingredients
1/2 cup amaranth grain
1/2 cup hard red wheat berries
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cups water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can chickpeas
1 can navy beans
1/2 cup onions (I used half red, half white)
Veggies of your choice (I used broccoli, spinach, zucchini and carrots)
Olive oil, fresh lemon juice and apple cider vinegar
Red pepper flakes, freshly ground pepper and sea salt to taste 

Start by preparing the grains. (FYI: the wheat berries can take around an hour to cook so make sure you get these on the stove before anything else).

In a medium-sized sauce pan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add in the wheat berries, cover and let simmer until the wheat berries are tender. In a smaller sauce pan, bring water to a boil before adding in the amaranth grain, which takes 18-20 minutes to cook. 

While the grains get going on the stove, open the cans of beans. Thoroughly rinse and drain them both.

Next, choose vegetables of your liking, or whatever ingredients you want to get out of your fridge, and dice up. My dad mentioned shrimp would have been great in this dish. Duly noted, father. Thanks, although I hate shrimpies. Something about the texture freaks me out…

Anywho, like I have said, I was trying to use up a lot of produce in the refrigerator so took advantage of the onions leftover from last night’s dinner. My dad pitched in by chopping these up (as well as the other veggies pictured above) while I tended to the grains. Look how pretty he made it for me! Can you tell he worked in the restaurant business for 25 years? Perfection.


Onto the stir-frying portion. Lightly drizzle olive oil into the bottom of a large pan over medium heat and sauté veggies of your choice. Season with red pepper flakes.

Add in the beans…

And once the grains are tender and drained, add them to the mix. I squeezed half a lemon and added a splash of apple cider vinegar for some more flava. Before serving, season with freshly ground pepper and a pinch of sea salt.

Yum, yum, yum. How fabulous is that close-up? Talk about refueling the tank…this dish does the trick! Plus kept me satisfied for the rest of the night. Don’t-cha just love when that happens? I’m pumped for leftovers tomorrow.

What refuels you?

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren 

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April 2, 2011

Green with Envy Drink

Good morning! I woke up bright and early on this sunny Saturday to get a nice workout in (P90x Plyometrics) before meeting up for a group project. What was on the menu for pre-Plyo breakfast? A glorious green drink!

Ingredients
1/2 English cucumber
1 Granny Smith apple
Two big handfuls of spinach
1/2 inch ginger root
1/2 lemon
1/4 cup water

I threw all my supplies into the juicer and voilà! Breakfast. Next time I’ll definitely add in some celery…and maybe another apple. Still very refreshing and a great start to my day! What’s your favorite pre-workout fuel?

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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