Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

This past week and a half has just been a fabulous time for me in the kitchen. Not just one, but two failed recipes. And I'm getting to the point where I really only have energy to make one thing at a time. Which means we're kind of screwed when dinner comes around.

I keep telling myself that I'm going to go back and fix at least one of those failed attempts (the other, I have no idea how to fix that mess). But alas, I have Christmas gift shopped my way into a state of exhaustion almost every day this week by 3 pm. And I am sorely running out of time to play in the kitchen instead of getting down to business and start my prepping for when Adam's family comes to visit next week.

So, what is a person to do when they're exhausted from shopping all morning and have a Christmas party to attend later that night (for which a dessert is requested)? Go simple. Sweet, simple, and festive. Then call it a night.

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Adapted from: Two Peas and Their Pod

1 (18.75 ounce) box red velvet cake mix
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a baking mat; set aside.

In the large work bowl of a mixer, beat together all of the ingredients except for the powdered sugar until no more lumps remain and all ingredients are well incorporated.

Place the powdered sugar in a small, wide bowl. Roll 1 tablespoon of cookie dough into a ball, then roll through the powdered sugar until completely coated. Place ball on a prepared baking sheet, then repeat until sheet is full. Bake for 10 minutes, or until edges are set and the cookies begin to crack.

Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to fishing cooling. If the majority of powdered sugar has melted into the cookie, feel free to top with additional powdered sugar.

Makes: 33 cookies

While these definitely fit the bill of simple, festive, and sweet, I almost felt like there was something missing. It wasn't that these were bad by any means, oh no. Maybe it's because I'm so used to having cream cheese as red velvet's companion that I'm kind of missing it here? I'm not sure. I would still make these again, but I might play around with them a bit to see if I can make them go from "good", to "wow".

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 24g
Amount per serving
Calories 106	Calories from fat 47
% Daily Value
Total Fat 5.2g	8%
Saturated Fat 1.3g	6%
Cholesterol 10mg	3%
Sodium 97mg	4%
Total Carbs 13.6g	5%
Sugars 8.0g
Protein 1.1g
Vitamin A 0%	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 3%	Iron 4%

Pad Se Eew

If it's one thing I almost always overlook when trying to plan my weekly menus, it's Asian food. I'm not exactly sure why, as they come together fairly easily and are delicious. Oh, maybe it's due to half the recipes needing "this" added at just the right moment, or "that" needing to be cooked only mere seconds before it's too far gone. It kind of stresses me out.

But then I end up eating the dishes and remember that yes, it is so totally worth it to make it at home. Especially when the only other close option is greasy Americanized Chinese food that is way overpriced. Or delivery pizza that arrives barely lukewarm. Don't even get me started on that.

I'm not sure how I even came across this recipe, as I've never heard of Pad Se Eew before. Just one of those lucky times when a great recipe just randomly pops up while perusing a site, I guess. So, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this probably isn't overly authentic, but honestly, I don't really care. It was definitely tasty and hit the spot.

Pad Se Eew

Adapted from: Allrecipes.com

6 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons Sriracha
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces chicken tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces
16 ounces frozen cut broccoli
1 (15 ounce) can baby corn
1 pound dried flat rice noodles
1 egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the soy sauce, sugar, and Sriracha. Simmer until the sugar dissolves into the sauce, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Boil noodles for 3-4 minutes or as according to package instructions. Drain.

In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the garlic and chicken to the pan, cooking until chicken is no longer pink, about 7-8 minutes. Stir in the broccoli and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add the baby corn, and continue cooking until broccoli is heated through. Add the noodles to the skillet, and pour the sauce over top. Continue to cook and stir until the sauce begins to thicken.

Make a small space on the side of your pan, and add the egg. Scramble the egg, making sure it is cooked thoroughly, then stir it in with the rest of the mixture.

Serve topped with sesame seeds and red pepper flakes.

Serves: 4

One of the other great things about this recipe is, outside the rice noodles, you most likely already have all the other ingredients in your pantry. Okay, except the chicken, that would be kind of gross. I love it when I am able to make an Asian dish without having to run all over the place looking for hard to find ingredients.

Both Adam and I really enjoyed this dish, although I made my noodles right when I first started (instead while I was cooking the chicken/veggies) so they ended up being kind of clumpy and hard to separate by the time I wanted to use them. Lesson learned.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 427g
Amount per serving
Calories 714	Calories from fat 88
% Daily Value
Total Fat 9.8g	15%
Saturated Fat 2.1g	10%
Cholesterol 79mg	26%
Sodium 1670mg	70%
Total Carbs 129.5g	43%
Fiber 7.5g	30%
Sugars 12.7g
Protein 24.0g
Vitamin A 7%	Vitamin C 76%
Calcium 7%	Iron 15%

Tuscan White Bean Pasta

Oh my goodness. Is it just me or has the past week or two just flown by? Maybe it just me, as we had visitors and a baby shower the weekend before Thanksgiving, followed by leaving the day after our guests for my parent's house for the.day.of.food.and.all.things.fattening.

Needless to say, it's been a whirlwind around here, and even though I've put away most of the things we've received from both our showers, our living room is still strewn with baby things. Oh, who am I kidding? It's everywhere, not just the living room.

Sometimes though, you just need to stop. Back up. And take a breath. Back away from all the holiday hub-bub and just have a day here and there of "the usual". No leftover cranberry sauce infused this, or leftover turkey sandwich that. Just a nice normal dinner that's actually somewhat good for you. I mean, there's even green stuff in it. Which totally makes up for all that pumpkin pie, or cookies to come.

Tuscan White Bean Pasta

Adapted from: How Sweet Eats

2 cups whole wheat pasta
1/4 cup pancetta, chopped
1 cup onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 (12 ounce) jar roasted red pappers, drained and diced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans
10 fresh basil leaves, julienned
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 (15 ounce) can low-fat evaporated milk
1/2 cup 1% milk
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Cook pasta according to package instructions.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the pancetta until crispy and most of the fat has rendered. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let drain.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the onions and cook 3-5 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and spinach, stirring until spinach wilts. Toss in roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, and beans. At this point the pasta should be finished cooking and drained; add to the mixture. Reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Once melted and pan is hot, whisk in flour until no lumps remain, and mixture is golden and fragrant. Pour in evaporated milk and regular milk. While whisking continuously, bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir frequently for 5-7 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened to desired consistency. Reduce heat to low and stir in Parmesan cheese and basil. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Serves: 6

I actually made this a while back, and seemed to remember liking it... but when you're making multiple new meals a week, things tend to blend into one another. So I gave this another shot, and I am so glad I did. It's creamy and satisfying, perfect for the winter, but not overwhelmingly so that all you feel like doing is sitting on the couch in your favorite pair of stretchy pants. Though that's not always a bad thing. I love how colorful this dish is -- reminds me with every bite that there's something healthy going on, and healthy tastes absolutely fantastic.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 523g
Amount per serving
Calories 624	Calories from fat 88
% Daily Value
Total Fat 9.8g	15%
Saturated Fat 3.2g	16%
Cholesterol 31mg	10%
Sodium 990mg	41%
Total Carbs 95.1g	32%
Fiber 22.7g	91%
Sugars 12.8g
Protein 35.2g
Vitamin A 84%	Vitamin C 33%
Calcium 43%	Iron 48%

Mexican Quinoa

Ever since finding out I was pregnant, it feels like so much more of what I do is under scrutiny. "You can now eat for two!" "Don't eat for two, all you really need is 300 more calories per day." "Are you exercising enough?" "Are you exercising too much?" "Are you eating soft cheese/deli meat/insert new no-no food here?"

There's so many do's and don'ts that it can be a little overwhelming at times, not to mention hard to remember. Or keep straight which things are old wives tales and which are actually based on current research. Sometimes I feel like my diet is a hot mess. Okay, well, sometimes it really is a hot mess... littered with old Halloween candy wrappers.

However, there are certain key items that are important to try and include more of in your diet, such as iron, calcium, and protein. You know, the things I am not that great at getting a ton of. After tracking my protein intake for a class I was taking over a week's time, I realized I really needed to get back on the healthy eating bandwagon. While I do like all kinds of meat, I get annoyed with having to cook it a lot of times (read: I am lazy). Enter quinoa. High in fiber (another great thing for pregnant ladies) and protein. Okay, maybe not quite as high as say... a steak, but better than downing some mac'n'cheese. Add in some beans and we've definitely upped our health factor here.

Mexican Quinoa

Adapted from: Annie's Eats

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup hot cherry peppers, diced (I used the jarred variety)
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 1/4 cups vegetable broth (or reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth)
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Optional add-ins: Salsa, sour cream, cilantro

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Saute the garlic and peppers until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the next 6 ingredients (through kosher salt). Bring mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 25 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese and any additional add-ins.

Serves: 6

I've actually made a very similar dish in the past, but the addition of peppers and lime juice really carries this over to the Mexican flavor side. I was a little worried that this might not be quite heavy enough for an entree for Adam, but surprisingly, it was. Well, after he doubled the amount of cheese, but I digress. Both of us really enjoyed the flavor of this dish, and I'm sure I'll be pulling this one out again to make myself feel just a smidge better between the gluttony of the holidays.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 273g
Amount per serving
Calories 451	Calories from fat 79
% Daily Value
Total Fat 8.7g	13%
Saturated Fat 2.9g	15%
Cholesterol 10mg	3%
Sodium 441mg	18%
Total Carbs 71.9g	24%
Fiber 14.6g	58%
Sugars 4.6g
Protein 24.1g
Vitamin A 16%	Vitamin C 23%
Calcium 18%	Iron 30%

Broccoli Rabe & Provolone Grinders

Now usually, I'm not a huge sandwich for dinner kind of person. I mean, sure, I've stopped my fair share of times at Quiznos or Subway for dinner, but most of the time I tend to think sandwich = lunch.

Every once in a while though... I change my mind. Or maybe I get in a sandwich mood and am just far too lazy to put that much work into my lunch. I'm only creative when it comes to dinner. True story.

But for some reason these grinders caught my eye. Maybe it was because they were chalk full of veggies and no meat? Definitely unprecedented in this house. As far and sandwiches go anyways.

Broccoli Rabe and Provolone Grinders

Adapted from: Bon Appetit, February 2012

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, undrained
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

4-5 pounds broccoli rabe (rapini), ends trimmed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
20 cloves garlic (1 head), thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 6-8" French Rolls, cut in half lengthwise
8 slices Provolone cheese
1 red jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm 3 tablespoons oil. Add garlic and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to pan; cook 4 minutes, or until garlic is golden and fragrant. Stir in beans with liquid. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook 10 minutes, or until liquid thickens. Transfer to a food processor, adding 3 tablespoons oil. Process until smooth. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cook broccoli rabe, 1 bunch at a time for 2 minutes, transferring to a baking sheet to cool, allowing water to return to a boil between batches. Once cool, squeeze dry and coarsely chop.

Drain pot and wipe out with a dry paper towel. Place back on stove and lower heat to medium. Add 1/4 cup oil, garlic, red pepper flakes; cook 2-3 minutes, or until garlic is golden and fragrant. Add broccoli rabe, cooking 4-5 minutes, or until stem pieces are just turning tender. Stir in lemon juice. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Transfer mixture to a rimmed baking sheet and let cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Open rolls and arrange face up on two baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil. Spread bean puree on the bottom half of each roll, top with a slice of cheese, then chile slices. Toast rolls, 7-10 minutes, rotating pans after 5 minutes. Divide broccoli rabe evenly among rolls, slice, & serve.

Serves: 8

Man, for a sandwich, it's kind of a bit of work. You can definitely break it down into making the puree and blanching the broccoli rabe beforehand and storing it in the fridge... but I mean, really? For a sandwich? That's kind of overkill.

While it was tasty, I'm not sure I'd revisit this another time. I like my sandwiches quick and easy.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 470g
Amount per serving
Calories 835	Calories from fat 260
% Daily Value
Total Fat 28.9g	44%
Saturated Fat 7.2g	36%
Cholesterol 29mg	10%
Sodium 1368mg	57%
Total Carbs 112.3g	37%
Fiber 15.7g	63%
Sugars 5.7g
Protein 39.7g
Vitamin A 196%	Vitamin C 228%
Calcium 57%	Iron 48%

Roasted Garlic Black Bean Dip

As I mentioned last week, Jalapeno Cheddar Hummus wasn't the only thing on my mind when it came to making something for the Superbowl. I have seen countless recipes floating around for a black bean dip, which intrigued me, but for some reason I decided to go off on my own for this one.

I knew going in that I wanted to somehow incorporate roasted garlic into the dip because I love it so. Originally, I was only going to use one head of garlic, but I made up a second just.in.case. Definitely the right move. It may seem like a ton of garlic, but since it's roasted, it becomes much more subtle and doesn't come through in an "in your face" sort of way. Which is a good thing when we're talking 2 heads of garlic.

I simply topped the dip off with a few seasonings (cumin and cayenne) and away we went. Very easy to throw together, and the only time consuming thing was roasting the garlic. The rest utilized the "dump and blend" method. Perfect for those times you really don't feel like making anything but don't want to go the store-bought route.

Roasted Garlic Black Bean Dip

Original Recipe

2 heads garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried chives

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Tear two squares of aluminum foil and lay flat on a work surface. Cut the top 1/4 off each head of garlic. Place one head of garlic in the center of each foil square. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Wrap foil around garlic and roast in the oven for 1 hour. Remove and let cool at least 15 minutes, or until able to handle.

Squeeze the cloves out of the heads of garlic into the bowl of a food processor. Add the black beans. Pulse until ingredients are pureed. With the processor still running, pour in the olive oil until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. Add tahini and remaining 4 ingredients. Process again until the mixture is smooth, adding water if it becomes too thick.

Serve with pita chips or veggies.

Serves: 20 (2 tablespoons per serving)

Next time around, I think incorporating fresh chives (and more of them) or green onions would be a must. Most of the flavors in this dish a very mild and mellow, and I think adding one of those options would really brighten things up. Overall though, not too bad for doing my own thing. :)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 55g
Amount per serving
Calories 199	Calories from fat 50
% Daily Value
Total Fat 5.5g	8%
Saturated Fat 0.8g	4%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 121mg	5%
Total Carbs 29.0g	10%
Fiber 6.7g	27%
Sugars 1.0g
Protein 9.8g
Vitamin A 1%	Vitamin C 4%
Calcium 7%	Iron 14%

Spicy Thai Chicken Nuggets

Chicken nuggets to American children is like peanut butter to jelly. Or chocolate. Even if the parents are completely pro non-hormone, non-fried, do-not-dare-feed-that-McDonald's-to-my-child, I'm sure the child has had, in some form or fashion, a chicken nugget. And they.love.them.

Admission: I still get chicken nuggets whenever we go to Chick-Fil-A. I pink puffy heart them.

There's a reason children people love them so much -- they're portable, easy to eat, and the good ones are seasoned well, juicy, and flavorful. But the buck doesn't have to stop there when it come to chicken nuggets. Clearly people have figured this out when it comes to chicken wings, and let's face it, boneless chicken wings is just a grown-up name for large chicken nuggets.

So there's absolutely no reason we can't bring home a little bit of that flavor to a healthier, non-fried version. Chicken nuggets for adults don't have to be plain Jane breadcrumb-crusted pieces of chicken any more.

Spicy Thai Chicken Nuggets

Inspired by: The Realistic Nutritionist

3 (4 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
2/3 cup mild sweet Asian chili sauce (such as Maggi)
1 tablespoon garlic chili paste (sambal oelek)
1/2 cup panko
1/4 cup lightly salted peanuts
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Slice chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. (I was able to get 7 pieces from a 4 ounce breast.) In a small bowl, whisk together the chili sauce and the garlic chili paste. Place the chicken breast pieces in a large ziploc bag. Pour the sauce over the chicken, seal the bag, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray; set aside. Remove chicken from the fridge; set aside.

Place the panko in a wide, shallow bowl or plate. Place the peanuts into the bowl of a food processor, and grind until very fine. Mix ground peanuts and dried basil with the panko, tossing to combine. Roll each piece of chicken in the breadcrumb mixture, completely coating, then place in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining chicken, making sure the pieces do not touch in the baking dish. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until chicken is done.

Serves: 3 (7 nuggets per serving)

Originally I added 1 teaspoon of basil to the recipe, but I felt it's flavor was a little on the strong side, so I have adjusted the recipe above to reflect a lower amount. But feel free to add more if you love it! I also think next go around I'll add more sambal oelek as the spice didn't come through in quite the way I was hoping. Or maybe I'll toss some red pepper flakes in the panko.

And trust me that they'll be a next go around. Adam wasn't even completely done going through 14 nuggets before telling me I HAD to make these again. Soon. Sounds good to me, especially since they take all of 10 minutes total of prep time.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 191g
Amount per serving
Calories 467	Calories from fat 126
% Daily Value
Total Fat 14.0g	22%
Saturated Fat 3.2g	16%
Cholesterol 101mg	34%
Sodium 1019mg	42%
Total Carbs 46.3g	15%
Fiber 1.5g	6%
Sugars 17.3g
Protein 37.6g
Vitamin A 2%	Vitamin C 3%
Calcium 6%	Iron 15%

Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup is the ultimate "feel better" soup. (Unless you're my husband and want vegetable soup in that scenario, but he's just weird.) I totally grew up on the Campbell's version of the soup, but you really can't beat it when it's homemade. (Um, of course, you can add three times as many noodles!)

Usually though, when I'm not sick, I tend to steer away from the comforts of the Chicken Noodle Soup. Not that I don't enjoy it, but, it has it's time and place -- when I'm sick. However, this version of Chicken Noodle Soup is one I definitely embrace sick OR healthy.

Sick version: up the amount of Sriracha and red curry paste and you will be guaranteed to clear out those sinuses. Even if you can't taste it.

Healthy version: keep "as is" and enjoy a nice spicy Asian flavored soup.

See, that's just a win-win for me.

Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Adapted from: RavieNomNoms

3 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
8 ounces cooked shredded chicken
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup snow peas, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons Sriracha
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger
3 ounces uncooked rice flour noodles
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup green onions, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the first 9 ingredients (through ginger). Bring to a simmer for at least 5 minutes, then keep warm.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the rice noodles and cook according to package instructions; drain. Transfer 1/4 cup noodles into each soup bowl.

Remove ginger from broth mixture. Add lime juice and stir. Ladle about 1 1/2 cups soup into each bowl. Sprinkle with a tablespoon each of cilantro and green onions.

Serves: 4

Not only is this super tasty, but it's also a breeze to throw together. Simply heat the ingredients in a large pot and away you go. Kind of sounds like the canned Chicken Noodle Soup. But tastier.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 400g
Amount per serving
Calories 195	Calories from fat 22
% Daily Value
Total Fat 2.4g	4%
Saturated Fat 0.7g	4%
Cholesterol 44mg	15%
Sodium 648mg	27%
Total Carbs 22.6g	8%
Fiber 2.1g	8%
Sugars 1.8g
Protein 19.5g
Vitamin A 53%	Vitamin C 22%
Calcium 4%	Iron 10%