Red+White+Blue S’mores

I have a long list of recipes that I was contemplating sharing for this holiday weekend. However, with berry season in full swing and, of course, keeping up with the patriotic theme, I knew that berries needed to be included.  I kept thinking about S’mores- the quintessential American summer treat. But how exactly do you incorporate berries into a S’more recipe? Drumroll please…

White Chocolate S’more Dip topped with strawberries and blueberries—AMAZING!! Incredibly easy to make that you can even have your kids pitch in to help. I can assure you, this is a dessert you want to have on Saturday evening after a long day of celebrating!

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend!

Happy Fourth of July!

Red+White+Blue S’mores

Ingredients

2 Cups white chocolate chips (you can also use dark or milk if you prefer)

20 Large marshmallows

1 Cup strawberries

½ Cup blueberries

Graham crackers

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Pour the chocolate chips in an oven safe baking dish. Make sure it is spread evenly across the bottom. Cut marshmallows in half and cover the chocolate completely.

Place in oven to bake (uncovered) for 7-9 minutes until the marshmallows are browned and the chocolate is melted.

While the dip is baking, quarter strawberries and toss with blueberries.

When dip is ready, allow to cool for a minute before serving with graham crackers. Top each smore with strawberries and blueberries.

Enjoy!

 

Strawberry-Mint Cucumber Avocado Salad

As my recent posts confirm, I have eaten way too many desserts lately. I mean, it is bathing suit season, I should probably skip the extra slice of cake :). Lucky for me, when it gets hot outside, I definitely crave salads and fresh fruit. So yesterday when trying to decide what to have for lunch, I made this incredibly delicious Strawberry-Mint Cucumber Avocado Salad that truly tastes like summer. It is light and crisp and the avocado adds a perfect touch of creaminess. I tossed it with a homemade lime vinaigrette.

This is a perfect salad to serve at your next bbq, a light lunch or a side at dinner.

Enjoy!

Strawberry-Mint Cucumber Avocado Salad

Ingredients:

Salad:

2 Cups strawberries

1 Handful fresh mint

3 Persian or Israeli cucumbers

1 Avocado

Dressing:

1 Lime

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Teaspoon pure maple

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Chop cucumbers, and mint finely. Chop strawberries and Avocado into large pieces.

 

Combine in large bowl.

In a separate container, mix the juice of one lime, olive oil, and maple. Add salt and pepper.

Mix into salad.

Enjoy immediately. If you make ahead of time, mix in dressing right before serving. Additionally, you may want to also keep avocado separate and squeeze lime on it to keep from browning.

Funfetti Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

I realize as I write this post that I have posted a lot of dessert recipes lately, but I could not resist with this one. When I started planning for Emmi’s first birthday party, I knew that I wanted to make everything myself-decorations and food.  So, when I decided to make the cake, I thought that I should probably do a trial run just in case I am not cut out for the job (I do not want to serve a large group of people a cake that tastes bad  – is there such a thing?) . My solution was to make a mini-cake for Emmi. Nothing like making your baby the taste-tester.

I scoured the Internet for recipes and chose this homemade Funfetti Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Typically, this frosting is reserved for red velvet cake or carrot cake but I love cream cheese frosting so much, I figured it had to taste good and besides it is my party (ahem, Emmi’s party).  The recipes for both the cake and frosting come from Hummingbirdhigh.com, a baking blog that I love to follow.

As I am sure you already figured out there is nothing healthy about this dessert but the occasional splurge never hurt anyone. The cake turned out AMAZING and I was right about the frosting, great combination! The recipe does have a lot of steps but it is not as difficult as I originally expected—100% worth the effort!

If you want to see more pictures from Emmi’s birthday party including the awesome dessert table, check out my instagram @newlyfedblog.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Cake:

(Makes one 8-inch, 2-layer cake)

1 Cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature

1 ½ Cups sugar

4 Large egg whites

¼ Cup and 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract

2 ½ Cups cake flour (you can find it at your local grocery store but it is a mix of cornstarch and white flour)

2 ¼ Teaspoons baking powder

¾ Teaspoon kosher salt

1 Cup whole milk

2/3 Cup and 1 Tablespoon brightly colored sprinkles

Cream Cheese Frosting: (Makes about 3 Cups)

16 oz. whipped cream cheese

1 Cup unsalted butter,

2 Teaspoons vanilla extract

4 Cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Prepare cake pans by spraying with cooking spray and lining with parchment circles.(You can cut the circles and use the pans as stencils).

If you have a electric mixer, you can do all of this using the paddle attachment. I, however, used a hand mixer and it was great!

In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar and mix on medium-high speed for at least five minutes, until it is fluffy and grew in volume. Add the 4 egg whites, one at at time. Add each egg, after completely mixing in the previous egg.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil and the vanilla extract. Pour into the egg mixture and mix.

In a medium bowl, mix the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, in 3 parts, alternating with the cup of milk. So 1 part flour, ½ cup milk, 1 part flour, rest of milk, 1 part flour. Mix on low speed. Do not over mix.Using a rubber spatula, mix in the sprinkles, again making sure not to over mix.

Divide the batter between the pans. Bake in over for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

Beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Gradually mix in the sugar and once all added, turn mixer up to high and beat until light and fluffy. Do not overbeat as it will liquefy.

Frost cakes. Layer on top of one another and frost the outside using a smooth spatula or a large spoon.

Enjoy!

Cherry Strawberry Ice Pops

It has been so hot this week in NYC. Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining. I will take this heat over the winter we had any day. However, I hate that when I take Emmi out of her stroller, her hair is matted to her head and she is soaked with sweat. So, I decided to take matters in my own hands. I blended cherries and strawberries with some water and a touch of raw agave poured the mixture into molds and a few hours later had these delicious Cherry Strawberry Ice Pops to cool everyone off. Super simple and delicious. But let me warn you, Emmi got so excited to eat this, she kept grabbing for the ice pop and it got everywhere. I should have thought twice before wearing a white tank while feeding it to her. So I suggest, dark-colored clothes if feeding this to kids under 2 :).

Cherry Strawberry Ice Pops

Ingredients:

3 Cups fresh pitted cherries

3 Cups fresh strawberries

½ Cup water

½ Tablespoon raw agave (optional if you are sugar-free)

Directions: Wash and dry fruit. Pit the cherries. Slice the strawberries. Put all the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 3 hours. Enjoy!

One Pot Meal…Roasted Chicken with White Beans, Shitake Mushrooms and Tomato

     Let me let you in on a little secret—this is probably one of the easiest things I ever made. No, seriously. When I decided to make this, I anticipated spending tons of time in the kitchen however, before I started making it, my daughter woke up early from her nap, I had about 50 emails to which to respond, a bunch of phone calls to make, and a load of laundry to fold. I started stressing, and contemplated making it another day. My mother-in-law, who is visiting from out of town, ended up taking my daughter out to the park so I knew it was time to get cooking. Literally, within 10 minutes the chicken was baking in the oven. What I also did not realize was how amazingly delicious this one-pot wonder would come out!! The chicken stock with the sliced lemon creates a perfect light and flavorful broth. The vegetables are a perfect side dish to accompany the chicken. Oh, and since it all cooks in the same pot—easy cleanup!

So, long story short: MAKE IT!

You will definitely not be disappointed.

Enjoy!

Roasted Chicken with White Beans, Shitake Mushrooms and Tomato

Ingredients:

6 Boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed

1 ½ Cups Chicken Stock

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

1 Large Lemon

1 ½-2 Cups Shitake Mushrooms

1 Cup Grape Tomatoes

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Teaspoons Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°.

Slice lemon and set aside. Chop mushrooms roughly.

In a pot, pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss with mushrooms, tomatoes, and white beans, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.

Spread mustard on one side of chicken thighs and remaining salt and pepper. Nestle the chicken (mustard side up) in the pot. Arrange lemon slices on and around the chicken. Drizzle dish with remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Roast chicken in oven for about 35 minutes, stirring and shaking dish halfway through.

Chocolate Mousse Pudding

I don’t know about you, but I usually crave something sweet after a meal. Sometimes I can ignore those cravings while other times, I insist on ordering dessert while we are out or I have a couple of pieces of dark chocolate after dinner at home. When I stumbled upon this recipe for Chocolate Mousse Pudding on Mindbodygreen.com, I thought it was too good to be true. A dessert that claims to be healthy enough to have for breakfast? And actually tastes good? Umm… No way!

But I figured I would give it a try. In the words of my daughter’s nanny “You’ve got to be kidding me??” Yup! It is that good. It is also incredibly easy to make! Personally, it is a little too much of a “dessert” for me to have for breakfast, but I certainly won’t judge if you decide to have it.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Mousse Pudding

(adapted from Mindbodygreen.com)

Ingredients:

8 Ounces of dates, pitted (about 1 ½ cups)

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

6 Tablespoons cocoa powder

¼ cup almond butter or peanut butter (Almond butter will taste slightly less sweet)

¼ teaspoon ground sea salt

1 Tablespoon chia seeds, ground into powder.

Toppings (optional): Fresh Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or bananas

Directions:

In a small container, soak dates in the nut milk for a few hours. You can also soak in the fridge overnight.

Grind chia seeds if not already ground. Grind the dates and the almond milk in a food processor or blender until creamy. Add the salt, chia seeds and half the cocoa powder and grind.Add the rest of the cocoa powder and the nut butter and mix until smooth.  Pour into glasses or small bowls and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Top with fruit of your choice.

Enjoy!

 

Pear and Pecan Salad

Last weekend, our good friends, Katie and Steve, visited from Philadelphia. For dinner, I made Pasta Bolognese and this Pear and Pecan Salad.  When Katie eyed the salad she hesitated. I later found out she is not much of a nut or spinach fan. But to her surprise and my relief, she loved the salad! She was really into the spiralized pear (more on spiralizing in a minute) and loved the dressing. So much, that a couple of days later Steve sent me a text for the recipe so that they can make it at home. The takeaway from this story is that even if you do not like salads, you may actually like this one, so give it a try!!

If you notice in the pictures, the pear is not sliced–I used a spiralizer to create the noodle- like shape. A spiralizer is super easy to use and creates noodles out of vegetables and fruits. I get many of my spiralized dish recipes from Inspiralized.com where the blogger spiralizes EVERYTHING!! The best part of using a spiralizer is that it is so quick and easy which is why I decided to use it for the pear–Yes, I was being lazy. I use the Paderno Spiralizer. Do not worry if you do not have a spiralizer, this recipe can be made without it. Finally, you will notice that the recipe below calls for chicken because I wanted to give you the option of creating an entrée salad. Feel free to omit it if you prefer this as a side dish.

Ingredients:

Spinach or any other green you like (I used a mix of baby spinach, baby kale and swiss chard

1/4 cup to ½ cup pecans

¼ Red onion

1 Pear

(Optional: 1 Pound Chicken Breast, Garlic Powder, Salt, Pepper)

Dressing:

3 Tablespoons Olive oil

2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

½ Tablespoon Pure Maple Syrup

Salt and Pepper to taste 

Directions:

Wash and dry greens. Place in a large salad bowl. Slice onion thinly and add to salad. Slice of ends of pear. Place in spiralizer and turn to create the noodles. If you choose not to use the spiralizer, slice pear into thin, long slices.

Add to salad. 

Add pecans and toss until mixed well. Set aside.

(If adding chicken: Cut chicken into bit size pieces. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Grill. Add to Salad.)

In a separate container (small Tupperware works great), mix the dressing ingredients and shake well. Pour over salad and mix.

Enjoy!

Back at it…Overnight Maple Banana-Nut Oats

So it has been many months since my last blog post—turns out having a baby takes up more time than I expected :). Luckily, I was still able to cook but writing and taking pictures had to take a back seat for a while. I actually thought about just stopping the blog all together, but much to my surprise (and excitement!) so many people were asking me to continue, which was just the motivation I needed to start again. I mean, I need to give the people what they want-right?

For those of you who have followed me, you may notice some changes on the blog (and in my life!). We are happily back in NY and I am enjoying motherhood to a 10 month beautiful little girl. Juggling motherhood and work responsibilities is not easy but I am trying to continue doing what I love. You will find that many of my new recipes are even easier and quicker to make and most are baby/child friendly. I have tried to cook things that the whole family can eat, including my daughter. We have experimented with many new foods with her and she now eats whatever we eat. I am shocked at how many things she is willing to taste and am crossing my fingers that this will continue and set the foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating.

This post is an ode to my new favorite breakfast—Oatmeal! I never had oatmeal growing up and I was definitely missing out! These overnight oats are so easy to put together. Pour it all into a container, and stick in the fridge. The next morning, top with sliced fruit and nuts and that’s it–truly a grab and go breakfast. It is a no-brainer! Did I mention that oatmeal will definitely keep you full till lunchtime? Enjoy!!

Overnight Maple Banana-Nut Oats

Ingredients (Serves 1-2):

1 Cup Almond Milk (I use Silk Pure –feel free to use regular milk/Coconut milk if you prefer)

1 Cup Rolled Oats

1 Tablespoon Pure Maple

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon Chia seeds (optional)

1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Toppings

1 Banana

1-2 Tablespoons Walnuts or Pecans

**Feel free to be creative-you can top with berries, extra maple, and a variety of nuts***

Directions:

In a small container with a lid, combine the milk, oats, maple, cinnamon, chia seeds and vanilla. Cover and shake well. Place in refrigerator overnight. In the morning, top with sliced banana, nuts and other toppings you may like. Enjoy!

**If you forget to do this at night, you can always make this on the stove top. Just heat the milk, maple, cinnamon and vanilla in a saucepan on medium heat, stirring frequently. Once warmed, add the oats and continue to cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Make sure to stir frequently so it does not burn. Pour into a bowl, add toppings and enjoy!

In Season Love… Grilled Peaches and Mozzarella!

I cannot believe that the summer has come and gone–it really flew by! In an ode to the last days of summer, I am posting this delicious Grilled Peach Mozzarella dish. In early July, my friend Jaleh, told me that she had a burrata grilled peach appetizer and I have dreamed about it since.

Last week, we spent a long weekend in Sag Harbor with some friends and I was set on making this for one of our dinners. As I was prepping, my duties as a mom called, but luckily, my friend Andrea stepped in and finished the prep for me. This is super easy to make and incredibly delicious. We grilled the peaches on the barbecue but you can easily make this right in your kitchen!

Thank you Jaleh and Andrea—Here is to good friends and good food!

Grilled Peaches and Mozzarella

Ingredients(serves 6):

3 Fresh peaches

6 thick slices of Fresh Mozzarella (about 6 oz)

¼ cup shelled pistachios

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Slice peaches in half and discard pits.

Over a high flame in a greased (cooking spray) grill pan (or hot BBQ) place peaches face down and allow to cook for about 5-7 minutes until it begins to caramelize and you see the grill marks.

While cooking, chop pistachios into large pieces and set aside. am

Slice Mozzarella.

In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. When peaches are ready, top with slices of mozzarella and pistachios. Drizzle with olive oil-balsamic dressing. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Crispy Beet Chips!

I got the idea to make these while scrolling through my food-filled instagram account and saw a bunch of beet inspired dishes. While grocery shopping I saw red and golden beets and had to buy them. I was making burgers for dinner and instead of going for my go-to side of baked sweet potato fries, I decided to make beet chips.

They were delicious and super easy to make. Just make sure you cut them as thin as possible. I used a mandolin slicer (here) but you can use a sharp knife but watch your fingers!!

Enjoy!

Crispy Beet Chips 

(Cookinglight.com)

Ingredients:

6 Beets (Any color you chose)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 Teaspoons salt

½ Teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Cut off the ends of each beet and scrub and wash well (no need to peel).

Slice the beets thinly (thinnest setting on madoline). Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Lay the beets in one layer on parchment paper.

Bake for 12 minutes, flip and bake for another 8-10 minutes until the beets are crisp around the edges. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before eating.