Tag: Greek yogurt

Better Than Takeout, Bread, Breakfast/Brunch, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Low Sugar, Snack, Vegetarian

Sweet Potato Bread for Breakfast

Annie

March has been a weird month. As a nurse practitioner, it’s the year of the nurse. However, with the coronavirus pandemic knocking on our door (or literally at our door), I wasn’t expecting the year of the nurse to be quite like this. I deal with stress by cooking and baking. You should maaaybeee expect some baking recipes to come. I started on this sweet potato bread recipe before the pandemic broke out, and man, this breakfast bread is good. After some tweaks, it’s finally ready to share. Oats and almond flour are the “flour” or grains and applesauce and Greek yogurt act as the butter and oil. Have you had Starbucks’ pumpkin loaf when it debuts each fall? This Sweet Potato Breakfast Bread is that good, but a little healthier for you. It’s spiced, just the right amount of sweet, and pairs oh-so-well with your bitter cup of coffee in the morning or a mug of tea.

Continue reading “Sweet Potato Bread for Breakfast” →

Dessert, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Low Sugar, Snack, Vegetarian

Cool Down with These Mango Popsicles

Annie

In honor of the weather hitting the 90’s here today, here’s how I stayed cool this summer: Mango Coconut Popsicles! These popsicle molds from Target were worth the investment. You can make full batches, half batches, mix and match. Popsicles are a great way to “meal prep” some desserts—easy prep to reap the benefits later. They fall more on the icy end of the spectrum instead of creamy, but swap coconut water for coconut milk for a more decadent treat.

Continue reading “Cool Down with These Mango Popsicles” →

Better Than Takeout, Entrée, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Meal Prep, Salad

Copycat Sweetgreen Strikes Again with Tahini Chicken Quinoa Bowls

Annie

IMG_9033.JPG

I love me some Sweetgreen. What I love even more is when I find how to hack Sweetgreen’s dressings and create something just as good at home. I give you Creamy Sesame Tahini Quinoa Bowls. They’re sweet and spicy, while also filling and oh-so-hearty thanks to the quinoa and chicken. The Creamy Sesame Dressing is a blend of tahini and sesame oil adding a savory, umami kick to tie things together.

Continue reading “Copycat Sweetgreen Strikes Again with Tahini Chicken Quinoa Bowls” →

Better Than Takeout, Entrée, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Meal Prep

Perfectly Spiced Harissa Chicken Buddha Bowls

Annie

IMG_9032.JPG

It’s a meal prep Sunday recipe: Harissa Chicken Bowls. This might be a new staple. Harissa is a Tunisian hot chili pepper paste that goes perfectly with chicken. You can make it from scratch or you can be lazy like me and use a pre-made one like Trader Joe’s. Greek yogurt cuts the spiciness and adds a little tang. I love how fresh these bowls are by using cucumbers, chickpeas and cauliflower as the “rice.” You could also try some avocado tzatziki for dairy-free action and added creaminess.

Continue reading “Perfectly Spiced Harissa Chicken Buddha Bowls” →

Better Than Takeout, Bread, Breakfast/Brunch, Lightened Up, Low Sugar, Meal Prep, One Pot Dish, Snack, Vegetarian

The Best Bagel Recipe?!

Annie

IMG_8452

If you’ve seen these easy bagels floating around social media, they do not disappoint. In honor of it being FriYAY, here’s a bagel recipe to brighten your day. My nursing friend, Jen, tipped me off to Skinnytaste’s new recipe. I loved that Skinnytaste’s is no boil one (because doesn’t everyone want to skip a step?) and comes together in a matter of minutes. I made the recipe even easier by using self-rising flour and Greek yogurt, just like that 2-ingredient flatbread. The bagels still rise and are fluffy, have that golden edge from the egg wash, but with a bit of a tangy flavor. For how quick and easy these are (and healthier!), I think No Boil Bagels are definitely worth that fresh bagel feeling you can get at home.

Continue reading “The Best Bagel Recipe?!” →

Entrée, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Meal Prep, Mexican, One Pot Dish, Soup

Making Green Chili for Dinner

Annie

IMG_8580.JPG

Have you ever tried a Chicken Chili Verde or green chili? It’s so worth it if you haven’t. A green chili is a fun change with white beans, hominy, quinoa and chicken. The salsa verde, a tomatillo-based salsa, limes and cilantro bring a totally different flavor from your traditional chili. Using rotisserie chicken and already prepped salsa instead of tomatillos, this chili is truly a dump, stir and dish up kind of recipe. Top with a little plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream), lime and extra cilantro. You’re going to want seconds before you’ve even finished.

Continue reading “Making Green Chili for Dinner” →

Better Than Takeout, Entrée, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Meal Prep

The Best (Healthy) Buffalo Chicken & Sweet Potatoes

Annie

IMG_8524.JPG

One word: yum. I totally meant to make buffalo chicken stuffed sweet potatoes because my nursing friend, Jen, would bring those to lunch all the time during clinical, but I went for the sweet potato mash last minute. I even brought leftovers to my parents and I didn’t think my mom was a big buffalo fan and even she approved. As much as I like blue cheese with these and my homemade (and lightened up!) blue cheese dressing, I feel like whenever I buy blue cheese, it just sits in my fridge. I’ve really been trying to buy groceries with the intent to use everything, so I just stuck with plain Greek yogurt to cut the spiciness of the hot sauce and add a little creaminess to the bowl. I also think these bowl are pretty well balance between healthy fats, protein and carbs. I didn’t always have these with avocado slices, but they just add an extra element of creaminess. For a game day, potluck or just meal prep, these Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Bowls are oh-so-good. (Or just make the slow cooker buff chick ahead of time or for salads, nachos, quesadillas, baked potatoes . . .)

Continue reading “The Best (Healthy) Buffalo Chicken & Sweet Potatoes” →

Bread, Entrée, Lightened Up, One Pot Dish, Snack, Vegetarian

The Easiest Flatbread Recipe

Annie

IMG_7037.JPG

Clearly I need to work on my dough rolling skills, but this was such a fun and easy dinner to make. I saw this idea for a Two Ingredient Flatbread on BuzzFeed‘s Tasty and then the day after on Pinch of Yum‘s Instagram. It was a sign; I needed to make this. That coupled with my pizza cravings, I added fresh basil, mozzarella, red peppers, red onion and zucchini to a flatbread for some homemade ‘za. The flatbread is just self-rising flour mixed with full-fat plain Greek yogurt. Each flatbread packs 10 g protein per serving. Cook two ways: place in a skillet for a naan-like bread or bake as a pizza crust.

Continue reading “The Easiest Flatbread Recipe” →

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

Crazy about Carrot Cake for Brekkie

Annie

IMG_5434

I’m back on an overnight oat fix (and smoothies, but we’ll get leave that for another time). We’ve had some stressful exam weeks approaching finals so meal prepping has been key. I whipped up a couple jars of some different flavors like Carrot “Cake” Overnight Oats. These are so easy to make, you can enjoy them hot or cold and you have all the flavors of carrot cake without the huge indulgence. I also promise you won’t even realize the carrots are there. They finer you grate them, the more they disappear. (It’s like a zucchini bread turned oatmeal if you still need a hard sell.)

Continue reading “Crazy about Carrot Cake for Brekkie” →

Dessert, Lightened Up, Low Sugar, One Pot Dish, Snack, Vegetarian

Better (Butter-less) Greek Yogurt Brownies

Annie

IMG_5561

Confession: apparently I don’t have a square baking pan? I realize this every time I need one and never seem to remember to pick one up when I don’t. This explains as to why I baked my brownies in a pie pan and the pieces aren’t perfect squares . . . I made chocolate cookies using Greek yogurt before instead of butter and loved them. Like those, I made Greek Yogurt “Skinny” Brownies, which baked into dense, yummy brownies. These brownies are lower in sugar, low in fat (with the fat being healthier) and more nutrient packed if you use carob over cocoa powder. I tossed in some chopped walnuts and unsweetened coconut for texture. I was rationing my chocolate chips and would totally add more for next time! I’ve really wanted a true dessert versus just grabbing some dark chocolate pieces and/or some dates post dinner. I’ve been dreaming of some Halo Top ice cream on top of these brownies — stay tuned. It’s going to be amazing.

Continue reading “Better (Butter-less) Greek Yogurt Brownies” →