Mexican Chopped Salad (also gluten free)

I love a chopped salad. I love all the bite size pieces of lettuce and fixins, avoids smearing dressing all over my lips and cheeks while trying to shove too big of pieces of lettuce into my mouth! When trying to eat healthier, the trick is to use a lot of flavor and spices to make up for the fat, salt and sugar. Experimenting with Mexican flavors is perfect when trying new healthy foods. This salad does just that, and doesn't skimp on the flavor. The best part is the dressing and baked tortilla strips! Makes you feel like you're really indulging, but the dressing is made with fat-free greek yogurt andthe tortilla strips are baked.

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup fat free Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup low fat milk (1% or 2%)
• 1 Tbsp. ranch packet seasoning
• 1/2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
• Dash of lime juice
• Optional- small can diced jalapeños 

Mix above ingredients in small bowl and chill for 30 minutes.

Baked Tortilla Chips:

Take 2 corn tortillas and cut with a pizza roller into strips. Place in single layer on baking sheet, spray with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until crispy.

For the Salad:

• Romain lettuce
• Vine tomatoes
• Red onion
• Avocado
• Boiled egg
• Turkey bacon bits

Chop all ingredients, including the lettuce into small (1/4 inch) pieces. You can add or subtract ingredients for your preference. Use the amount of each item that you like.

Chicken:

I used a chicken breast I already had cooked from another night, but you can use a raw one as well. Cut into strips and season with taco seasoning, chili powder or cumin. I also add a dash of cayenne pepper to make it spicy. Grill on stovetop until cooked thoroughly. You may need to cut some more once finished cooking to achieve the bite size chopped pieces.

Mix all ingredients together except tortilla chips and toss with dressing. Add tortilla chips to the top and serve. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Bacon, Onion and Garlic Pizza

This recipe is an adapted one from Udi's website. Their website calls for what I think is a ridiculous amount of cheese, onions and bacon. This recipe is so delicious and just a little bit spicy, know one will even know it is a healthy meal! Using uncured bacon greatly reduces the sodium and sugar content of the bacon. You can substitute uncured turkey bacon for even less fat.

  Ingredients

•  1 Udi’s Gluten Free Pizza Crust
•  1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
•  1/3 cup thinly sliced Vidalia onion
•  Dash kosher salt
•  1 tsp. minced garlic
•  1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
•  3 strips uncured, gluten free bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
•  Dash of crushed red pepper flakes (more depending on your spice preference)
• 3 thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add onions. Stir to cover onions in oil and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until nicely browned.

Add the vinegar and garlic and remove from heat. Meanwhile cut the bacon into 1/2 inch pieces and cook until crispy in another skillet.










Brush the pizza crust with olive oil and sprinkle cheese, red pepper and basil.

Then top with onion mixture and bacon. Bake at 424 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.

This recipe was featured on the Marvelous May Menu, be sure to check out the rest of the May Menu.

5 Things to do With all the Plastic Easter Eggs

If you are anything like me you always find yourself wondering what to do with the plastic eggs after the egg hunt is over.    Here are some of my favorite ideas for my little guys.

1. Word Families
2. Match upper case with lower case letter
3. Solve addition or subtraction problem and match with correct answer
4. Identify number of dots on egg and match with correct numeral
5. Make patterns

All you need are some plastic eggs and a permanent marker to create fun learning tools for your little one.

{after dark} Easter Egg Hunt

The Henderson kids and Lewis kids are getting together for spring break for some fun!  There is sure to be some later than normal bedtimes so we have planned an after dark Easter Egg hunt.  Fill each Easter egg with an activated glow stick.  I used the bracelet size because they fit best in the small eggs.  This size can often be found in the dollar section at the front of Target and at the checkout at Micheal's Crafts.  For even brighter eggs put a blinking LED ring or ball inside.  Then send the kids out with a flashlight and a bucket to find the glowing eggs.  It will be one egg hunt they will never forget.

Whiskey Steak

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Rosemary
• Juice of 1/2  lemon
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons A1
• 2 Tablespoons of Whiskey
• Steaks- your favorite cut

Combine all ingredients except steak and mix well.  Pour mixture over steak and let it marinade about 30 minutes.  Then grill steaks to desired temperature.

I served with Oven Roasted Asparagus, Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes, and Mushrooms.

This recipe was featured on our Appetizing April Menu. Check out the entire April menu for a variety of dinner ideas!

Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes

Potatoes are a very versatile side dish.  I like this particular recipe because it can be made ahead of time.  I have made these several times when we are having people over for dinner because I can make them earlier in the day and put them in the refrigerator.  Then I  put them in the oven when the rest of dinner is almost ready.  You just need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.  Cold potatoes will take longer in the oven then semi-warm potatoes.   

Ingredients:

• 4-5 Russet Potatoes
• 2 Tablespoons sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon Minced Garlic
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 Tablespoons Real Bacon Bits
• About a 1/3 Cup of Shredded Chedder Cheese
• chives
• 2 Tablespoons of Butter

Cook potatoes in microwave until you can stick a knife in them easily.  Let cool for a few minutes (unless your hands are made of steel).  Cut the tops off of the potatoes. 

Scoop the insides of the potatoes out into a bowl.  Make sure to keep the skins intact.

Combine the potatoes with the garlic, salt, pepper, bacon, cheese, butter, sour cream, and chives.

Smash with potato masher and fill potato skins with mixture.

Preheat oven to 375.  Bake for about 10 minutes, remove from oven and top with additional cheese, bacon, and chives.  Return potatoes to oven and bake for another 5 minutes.

This recipe was featured on our Appetizing April Menu. Check out the entire April menu for a variety of dinner ideas!

Oven Roasted Asparagus

Whenever we have asparagus for dinner I always think about the fact that when I first met Scott he didn't eat anything green other than green beans.  Now I can get him to try almost anything and he LOVES asparagus!

Ingredients:

• Asparagus
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Preheat oven to 400.  Place asparagus on baking sheet, lightly brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.

This recipe was featured on our Appetizing April Menu and our 30 Days of Dinners June Menu, Make sure to check out all of the other great recipes on the menus.