Posts tagged ‘Lime’

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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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May 5, 2012

Cinco de Mayo: Sneak Peak

Tequila, lime, cilantro, jalapeños…need I say more? Today has been filled with lots of exercising, errand running and prepping for tomorrow’s Cinco de Mayo/Graduation Fiesta. The menu is full of Mexican must-haves like homemade guacamole, tacos, etc. but I’m also whipping up a Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa to top grilled chicken (marinaded overnight in juice from oranges, lemons and limes with garlic), a Quinoa Black Bean and Grilled Corn Salad, as well as Tequila Lime Shrimp (pictured below). Lots of delicious dishes in the works, our kitchen smells way too good right now.

I’m pooped from an early three miles and a Piloxing class (pilates + boxing, a very interesting combo) so will be hitting the sack shortly for all of tomorrow’s festivities. I can already tell that my glutes and quads are not going to be happy with me in the morning. Phew!
Any fun Cinco de Mayo plans? What’s your favorite Mexican dish?

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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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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July 1, 2011

Cross It Off the Bucket List

Happy Friday! I hope you all had a fabulous week. Here’s a look at what’s been going on with me lately. As I mentioned in my last post, it was my sister’s graduation last weekend so I wanted to give you a quick glance at the celebratory festivities first and foremost. Congrats Kru! You made it!

The graduation was postponed Thursday evening due to the bad weather so we all woke up bright and early Friday for the rescheduled ceremony. Luckily, the rain held off for the Class of 2011 to march to Pomp and Circumstance and grab their diplomas!

Saturday was Kristen’s graduation party. The food (half of it being catered for convenience purposes) got rave reviews but the fruit salad in particular, the presentation courtesy of my father’s “famous” pineapple trick, was my personal favorite. I’m pretty sure half of that big bowl was consumed by yours truly, alone…my stomach is still thanking me for that.

Although I would have loved to help make a few dishes, I was quite busy catching up with visiting family members and enjoying some much-needed R&R so I contributed by making a simple punch. Two liters of raspberry lime seltzer + one 64-ounce Ocean Spray Light Cranberry Raspberry Juice + a bag of frozen raspberries + lime slices = perfection. For my over 21-year-old crowd, add some cranberry or raspberry flavored vodka and you have yourself a great cocktail. 

Before I knew it, it was Monday again and I was back on the train to New York. Tuesday was super exciting because I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing Giada De Laurentiis! Words can’t even begin to describe…such an amazing experience. What did I ask? What did I learn? Find out soon at The Fit Stop. I’ll keep you posted!

I had to show you Tuesday’s romantic train ride dinner for one: Chicken & Avocado Salad (topped with Lentil & Couscous Salad) drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette from Pret A Manger! Can you tell I was ravenous? Every last bite was consumed and 5 miles were ran once I got home thanks to the boost in energy! After a very busy day in the office on Wednesday, I attended an Ed2010 event about the do’s and don’ts of interning. Really great stuff! A fellow intern, TK, and I ended up going to Havana afterwards for some Cuban cuisine. I got the Ensalada De Pollo A La Parilla (Grilled Chicken Salad) for an incredibly affordable $9.00. (Of course I took a photo but it didn’t turn out well, wahh!) TK and I couldn’t believe our bill was just over $20, not that we were complaining! We ended up crashing on another intern’s couch for the night after sitting in Bryant Park and chatting under the twinkling lights of the NYC skyline for a bit. Isn’t it funny how comfortable you feel right off the bat with someone who shares a lot in common with you? We both joked the entire night how we felt like we had known each other for years, rather than days.

The first month of my internship is now behind me and I cannot believe how fast it whizzed by. I have been learning so much, meeting incredible people I will be sure to stay in touch with in the future and even got to cross something off my bucket list! Someone PLEASE pinch me. After getting off the train yesterday morning and squeezing in a quick upper body workout at the gym, I relaxed poolside with Chelsea. We flipped through magazines, chatted about our week and bronzed our pasty bods. Sounds like one solid afternoon to me! At 5:30 we headed over to a favorite local restaurant of mine, The Guilford Bistro & Grille Cafe, for a mother/daughter dinner. How priceless is that picture?

I got the Montego Bay salad (arugula and fennel with balsamic vinaigrette) topped with grilled salmon and asked for some cucumbers and grilled asparagus to be thrown on there. Delicious!

A bottle of red and a bottle of white were polished off, four massive meals were enjoyed (with endless MMmmm’s! inserted here and there) and girly giggles were muffled by napkins, as we tried to not disturb other patrons enjoying the outside dining. Such a pleasant way to end the week before a long holiday weekend! Bring on the fireworks!
If you could meet one celeb who would it be? What would you ask them if you had the opportunity?

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren 

Posted in Random, Reviews | 5 Comments »

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April 18, 2011

Summer-Inspired Zesty Basil Burger

Nothing reminds me of summer quite like a solid burger. My two vegetarian summers were such a drag and not nearly as delightful without the staple cookout food. Don’t get me wrong, I love veggie burgers but the fact I was always making things difficult at BBQs, having to explain why I became a vegetarian and that whole schtick in the process, became tiresome. Regardless, I still make things somewhat difficult for I haven’t consumed red meat since (except over this past Christmas break when I was starving at our family friends house and a bit tipsy but that’s neither here nor there…) my senior year of high school and therefore turned to turkey burgers. Ground turkey is much leaner and, in my opinion, tastes better so I’m fully content with bringing my own patties wherever the grilling takes place, often converting beef-lovers into turkey burger fans.

 I desperately needed to take a break last night from my endless amount of end-of-the-year group projects/papers so decided to make a light, summer-inspired dinner. I had fresh basil in the fridge leftover from a wine/homemade pizza dinner I hosted Friday with friends so experimented a bit with my favorite herb, alongside some spinach, garlic and onion, of course.

Ingredients
20 oz. 99% Fat Free ground turkey
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1 finely chopped garlic clove
Juice of half a lime
Pinch of chili powder and cayenne pepper
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper 

To start, finely chop onion, spinach and garlic. In a large bowl, combine the veggies with the ground turkey with the freshly squeezed lime juice.

Season with chili powder, sea salt, cayenne and freshly ground pepper. Add more for more kick!

Mix together and form into patties. Can you tell I was hungry with my enormous portion size? Sorry I’m not sorry…

Time for the grill! Yummm…

I put my burger on a grilled whole wheat wrap (which ended up getting crispy and chip-like) with a generous dollop of hummus. It was delightful, alongside spicy cayenne-lime veggies. Too bad tomatoes aren’t in season yet, otherwise I would have had a nice thick slice on there. I was also wishing I had some feta cheese to crumble on top. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. Dear summer, get here faster. Please and thank you! What is your favorite summer food? Are you a burger fan (veggie, beef or turkey)?

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren

Posted in Dinner | 2 Comments »

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