Category: Lightened Up

The “skinny” version of classics. Made less processed, low carb, with less fat, lower sodium, less sugar (or naturally sweetened) and/or with more whole grain.

Breakfast/Brunch, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Meal Prep, One Pot Dish, Snack, Vegetarian

Outrageously Tasty Oat Muffins

Annie

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I haven’t posted in while partly because I’ve been adjusting to working full-time as a nurse practitioner and partly because sometimes you need a break to find joy again. These Oat Muffins  are worth coming out of a recipe hiatus. They’re a spin on your classic bran muffins, but easier to make since I, for one, am more likely to have oats on hand instead of bran. Mix in walnuts, cranberries, and coconut for a heartier option. Using unsweetened applesauce and vanilla skyr yogurt, you can’t even tell these muffins are oil-free. Enjoy as breakfast or as a snack. (Ted even added chocolate chips and almond butter.) They’re so tasty that before you know it, you’re left with two muffins to use for photos–oops!

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Bread, Dairy-Free, Lightened Up, Meal Prep, Side, Vegetarian

Fall Take on Cornbread with Pumpkin Cornbread

Annie

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Pumpkin Cornbread may be my new favorite cornbread recipe. Sometimes cornbread can dry out a wee bit as it cools or when served as a leftover. Not this version. The pumpkin blends seamlessly, and you won’t feel overwhelmed by a pumpkin flavor. Paired with extra virgin olive oil, the cornbread isn’t dried out. We enjoyed this with buffalo chicken chili. Plus, both the chili and cornbread use pumpkin purée, so you won’t feel guilty about opening a new can or having any leftover sit in your fridge (or check out more recipes using pumpkin). You’ll find yourself grabbing piece after piece, just like Ted when he ate half the pan!
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Dairy-Free, Drinks, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Vegan, Vegetarian

Ending Summer with an Iced Matcha Latte

Annie

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I like an extra dose of lunch-time caffeine, but lately, I’ve shied away from more coffee. I’ve gravitated toward tea lattes: chai in the winter and matcha (or green tea) in the summer. Matcha is a finely ground powder from green tea leaves. It can have an earthy, bitter taste depending on the matcha you buy; the more expensive matcha tends to increase in its green color and vibrancy. While the green color can be off-putting at first, paired with milk and a little sweetener, Iced Matcha Latte has a mild taste and is quite refreshing. Compared to its Starbucks counterpart that has a whooping 30 g of sugar, try making this at home, experimenting with milk (coconut milk is lovely!) and sweeteners.

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Dairy-Free, Entrée, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Meal Prep, Seafood, Vegetarian

Time to Dip Grilled Shrimp & Zucchini in a Tahini Parsley Sauce

Annie

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I can’t rave about this parsley tahini sauce enough. When we first made it, it was in this setting: Grilled Shrimp & Zucchini with Parsley Tahini Dipping Sauce. The char from the grill and that smoky flavor pairs so well with the bitter umami of the tahini and bright citrusy parsley. Grilled shrimp is such a summery choice. Plus it’s super fun to dip things. Brings my back to my childhood days when chicken nuggets were the best thing. We paired this with Trader Joe’s multigrain medley, which I highly recommend stocking up on if you have TJ’s near by. We’ve since had it on (beef) burgers, turkey burgers, with chicken, with just grilled veggies.

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Breakfast/Brunch, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Low Sugar, Meal Prep, One Pot Dish, Vegetarian

Lemony Oatmeal Bake with Maine Blueberries

Annie

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A breakfast just in time for the end of summer. These are the blueberries from my parent’s house in Maine. We have blueberry bushes in the backyard and I always associate picking them with mid to late August, nearing the end of summer. These blueberries tend to be a bit tart, so baking them seemed ideal. Last summer and this summer, I liked to meal prep my breakfast to give me more time to sleep and less time assembling and cooking in the mornings before work. Oatmeal bake has been a staple, topped with Greek yogurt and drizzled with maple syrup. I love using my Maine blueberries and the bright addition of citrus for Lemon Blueberry Oatmeal Bake.

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Bread, Dairy-Free, Lightened Up, Low Sugar, Meal Prep, One Pot Dish, Side, Vegetarian

Cast Iron Skillet Honey Cornbread

Annie

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Since it’s been a chilly spring in Boston, we’ve been eating chili and cornbread. My grandparents lived in Belfast, Maine, and this recipe was my grandmother’s, which is why my family recipe is called Belfast Corn Muffins. They’re best served hot and right out of the oven. I made some tweaks by baking them directly in a cast iron skillet and drizzled honey on top, hence why I named these Skillet Honey Cornbread. With the summer upon us, these could be a staple for a barbecue, accompany the grill, or coming up for the Fourth. Honey highlights the natural sweetness and baking in a skillet gives it a crispier edge.

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Dairy-Free, Dessert, Drinks, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Vegan, Vegetarian

A Spin on Lemonade & Piña Colada

Annie

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This may be my new summer drink, so much so that we made this twice in once weekend. Frozen Coconut Lemonade will be your new favorite drink to cool down and sip a decadent version of lemonade. I made this both as a cocktail and a mocktail. I’d suggest the full-fat coconut milk for a mocktail and using the proportions below for a cocktail. Either way is delicious. It’s sweet, tart, rich, and zesty.

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Breakfast/Brunch, Dairy-Free, Dessert, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, One Pot Dish, Snack, Vegetarian

Gooey, “Buttery” White Chocolate Strawberry Blondies (Gluten-free!)

Annie

Do you ever make a recipe that you just want to eat and eat? That’s these White Chocolate Strawberry Blondies. They’re gooey, melt, rich, and sweet while using applesauce and almond butter for butter and also gluten-free. As I write about these blondies, I’m literally salivating thinking about eating one. They’re very tasty and the perfect spring or summer treat, packed with fresh strawberries and white chocolate chips.

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Bread, Dairy-Free, Lightened Up, One Pot Dish, Side, Vegan, Vegetarian

The Best No Knead Dutch Oven Bread

Annie

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This is just like my no-knead rosemary pumpkin bread; using a wet and sticky dough, there’s no kneading involved. Plus, if you use a Dutch oven, you have the crunchiest bread with such an even crust. I’ve been making this Dutch Oven Bread since last year, and feel like I finally have the proportions, timing, and variations down. Using all white flour, you get a light, airy, and fluffy bread–literally perfect for dunking in extra virgin olive oil with herbs or using for avocado toast. While whole wheat is still good, it’s a bit drier and denser than all white flour. I also enjoy the variation of olives or fresh herbs with minced garlic; the latter makes great bread for a grilled cheese with tomato soup.

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Entrée, Lightened Up, Meal Prep, Salad, Vegetarian

Spring Buddha Bowls with Veggies & Farro

Annie

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Ted and I couldn’t get enough of these Spring Veggie, Marinated Chickpeas, & Farro Bowls. It’s the type of meal that you’re sad when you finish the leftovers. These grain bowls are savory yet bright with the dressing, chewy thanks to the farro, crunchy from the radishes and snap peas, and creamy because of the goat cheese and avocado. By marinating the chickpeas directly in the dressing, they absorb some of the flavor. We served this with a piece of crusty bread, channeling our inner sweetgreen during this pandemic. This salad is fun because you can change your veggies and toppings every time. We added pumpkin seeds one night, fresh basil and mint another, and Ted added cherry tomatoes on our third try. We did only spinach for one and mixed greens for another. Mix and match to make it your own!

 

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