All posts by kimshealthyeats

Black Bean Mango Quinoa Salad

Food, Game Day Recipes, Recipes, Salads, Sides, Vegetarian, , , , , ,

Happy Cinco de Mayo! With warmer weather approaching I love to add a fresh, easy salad to our meals. This quinoa salad makes a perfect side to just about anything you throw on the grill. It’s also a great dish to take to a picnic. Make it the night before and the flavors combine perfectly.

And for the best part, my 5 year old daughter gave it two thumbs up.

Black Bean Mango Quinoa Salad

Continue reading Black Bean Mango Quinoa Salad →

Mexican Egg and Quinoa Muffins

Breakfast, Food, Main Dishes, Mexican, Recipes, Snacks & Appetizers, Vegetarian, , , , , ,

Keeping with the Cinco de Mayo theme… I give you Mexican Egg and Quinoa Muffins!

Mexican Egg Quinoa Muffins

I just love to make all kinds of things in my muffin pan. These muffins are so darn good I just had to share. Not only are they super easy to make, they’re good for you too.

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Healthy Broccoli Slaw Fish Tacos

Food, Main Dishes, Recipes, , , , , , ,

By popular request, healthy fish tacos! Last Friday I posted a question on Facebook asking what people liked to eat or drink to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

Well, I got lots of feedback! Yesterday I posted a guacamole recipe, the number one favorite. Guacamole would make an awesome topping to these delicious fish tacos!

Broccoli Slaw Fish Taco

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Grilled Sweet Potato Fries

Food, Game Day Recipes, Grilling, Recipes, Sides, Snacks & Appetizers, Vegetarian, , , , , ,

As soon as it gets warm outside I am ready to fire up the grill so get ready for some grilling recipes!. It makes my life so much easier. Grilling is fast, makes food taste even more delicious, and the best part, very little clean up.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

I have been on a sweet potato kick lately. I’m really starting to like them. I just needed to get a little more creative with the ingredients. So I decided to make grilled sweet potato fries.

Grilling them gave them the perfect crunch on the outside and the combination of fresh cilantro and citrus is so good, you will keep going back for more! In fact, my husband did. Again and again until they were gone.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

tips&tricks

You can boil the sweet potatoes the day before and store in fridge overnight. Then slice up and grill the next day for a quick side dish. You could also cook these in a cast iron skillet if you do not have a grill.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

Recipe adapted from Sweet Treats & More

  • 3-4 sweet potatoes
  • Steak seasoning or salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon of lime or lemon zest
  • 1/2 lime or lemon, juiced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

  1. Pre heat grill to medium high heat. 
  2. Place sweet potatoes in large pot of water and bring to a boil. Boil potatoes for about 20 minutes, or until fork tender. Cook time will vary depending on the size of the potatoes.
  3. Let potatoes cool for a few minutes and slice into wedges, leaving the skin on the potato.
  4. Brush potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with steak seasoning or salt and pepper.  
  5. In a small bowl combine, lime or lemon zest, juice, and cilantro. Set aside.  
  6. Place sliced sweet potatoes right on the grill and cook for about 8-10 minutes on each side, or until they show grill marks. Every grill is different, so keep an eye on them while cooking.  
  7. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with cilantro and citrus mixture.

Enjoy!

Sugar Snap Pea Salad

Food, Recipes, Salads, Sides, Vegetarian, , , , , ,

Happy Earth Day! The sun is shining and it’s finally starting to feel like spring here in Pennsylvania. So yesterday I tackled my gardens.

After carrying bucket after bucket of debris to the compost pile, which is all the way at the end of my yard, I worked up an appetite.

snap pea salad

Since the weather is slowly getting nicer I am craving salads. Sugar snap peas are in season and they are so delicious.

Paired with radishes and fresh mint, this combo makes a great spring or summer salad. You could even add some quinoa or pasta to make it more of a meal. I served these with a piece of grilled salmon.

snap pea salad

Ingredients

Recipe adapted from The Parley Thief

  • 1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed with strings removed and cut in half
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 of a lemon, juiced 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 1/2 bunch of radishes slice thinly
  • 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, thinly chopped (if you don’t have fresh mint, I am sure dried dill would taste good too)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 ounces or crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional, I did not add any cheese to keep the recipe Paleo and it was delish)

Directions

  1. In a bowl prepare and ice bath with some cold water and ice cubes and set aside.
  2. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and blanch the snap peas for 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to ice bath to stop the cooking. Once the peas are cold dry them with a kitchen towel. Transfer into a dry bowl and add radishes.
  3. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and mint. Pour over peas and radishes and toss. Add salt and pepper. If using, top with cheese.
  4. This recipe can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Just keep dressing separate and add right before serving.

Enjoy!

Spinach & Artichoke Grilled Cheese

Food, Main Dishes, Recipes, Sandwiches, Vegetarian, , , , ,

In honor of National Grilled Cheese month I made this awesome sandwich for lunch.

spinach artichoke grilled cheese

This was the first sandwich I had posted on my facebook page and I just realized it was not on my blog. How could I have kept this sandwich hidden? It’s just too darn yummy!  The cheese melts perfectly into the spinach and artichokes which makes it so juicy and delicious.

spinach artichoke grilled cheese

did-you-knowDid you know spinach can help fight wrinkles?  It’s high amount of vitamin A promotes healthy skin by allowing for proper moisture retention in the epidermis.  This helps to fight wrinkles, psoriasis and more.  Click here for more healthy benefits from eating spinach.

spinach artichoke grilled cheese

Ingredients

  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 3-4 cups of fresh baby spinach leaves
  • 4 artichoke hearts, diced
  • 2 tablespoons of greek yogurt
  • slices of cheese of your choice, I like swiss (or no cheese if you don’t eat dairy)
  • 4 slices of whole grain bread
  • 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (or oil of your choice)

Directions

  1. Saute garlic for 1 minute in a hot skillet with a little oil.  
  2. Add spinach and stir until wilted. About 4 minutes and the add artichokes and stir until heated through.
  3. Remove from heat and drain any liquid from the pan.  Mix in greek yogurt.
  4. Heat a clean skillet (I like cast iron) on medium  low heat.
  5. Spread coconut oil on one side of each slice of bread. Place the bread, oiled side down, on heated skillet and add cheese and spinach mixture. Place remaining slice of bread on top (oiled side up) and cooked for about 3-5 minutes on each side, or until the bread is nice and brown.

Enjoy!

Grilled Cilantro Chicken Kabobs

Food, Game Day Recipes, Grilling, Main Dishes, Mexican, Recipes, , , , , ,

My husband and I love to entertain, especially in the summer. Making kabobs is one my favorite things to make for guests. They are easy, look pretty, and you can please just about any type of eater. And let’s face it, who doesn’t like eating food from a stick!

chicken kabobs

Kabobs also make a quick and easy week night dinner and paired with this marinade you can’t go wrong. This marinade would also taste great with beef, pork, shrimp, fish, or veggies.

chicken kabobs

tips&tricksWhen getting ready to juice a lime put it in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds. The heat helps the citrus juice flow out of the lime much easier.

chicken kabobs

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
  • 1 cup of fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 jalapeño pepper (optional)
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • dash of rice wine vinegar, or any white vinegar

Directions

  1. Prepare grill over high heat.  
  2. Place cut up chicken pieces in a medium sized bowl and set to the side.
  3. In a blender or food processor add cilantro, jalapeno, lime, lime zest, oil, and vinegar and puree until nicely blended.
  4. Pour marinade over chicken and marinade for at least 20 minutes. The longer it marinade the better it tastes.  
  5. Place marinaded chicken on skewers and grill for about 5-8 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink.  Remember to soak wooden skewers before adding the chicken, so they don’t catch on fire!

Enjoy!

Quinoa Black Bean Quesadillas

Food, Main Dishes, Mexican, Recipes, Snacks & Appetizers, Vegetarian, , , , , , , ,

I totally made this recipe by accident and I’m so glad I did! I was originally planning on making tacos with this recipe but I couldn’t get the tortillas to cooperate for the photos. Hmmm, what to do? Then it struck me… Quesadillas!

quinoa black bean quesadilla

It was Sunday afternoon and we had a day full of projects, so this made the perfect quick and healthy lunch. My 5 year old loved them and ended up eating more of these than I did.

quinoa black bean quesadilla

tips&tricks

Super busy during the week? Make the quinoa mixture ahead of time and then assemble the quesadillas for a quick week night dinner. The mixture also works with tacos or a burrito if you prefer.

quinoa black bean quesadilla

Ingredients

  • ½ cup quinoa, cooked
  • ¼ cup onion, diced
  • ½ jalapeno pepper, diced or more for added heat
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • ½  teaspoon chili powder Package of whole wheat flour tortillas
  • Fresh cilantro, Greek yogurt, sliced avocado, salsa, shredded cheese, or any of your favorite toppings!

Directions

  1. Cook quinoa according to package directions.  
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Sauté onion and jalapeno pepper for 3 minutes.  
  3. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute.  Add cooked quinoa, black beans, diced tomatoes, and chili powder to the sautéed veggies. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Set aside  
  4. Heat ½ tablespoon of oil in another skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium high heat.  
  5. Place tortilla in the skillet and spread about a ¼ cup of the quinoa mixture over the tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese, optional, and top with another tortilla.   Cook for about 5 minutes, or until brown, and flip.
  6. Cook for a few more minutes, until that side is brown.  
  7. Cut into pieces and serve with your favorite quesadilla toppings. 

Enjoy!

Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Vinaigrette

Food, Grilling, Recipes, Sides, Vegetarian, , , , , ,

Spring is in the air! It’s time to get out the grill. Grilling is one of my favorite ways to prepare veggies, or anything really. It makes food taste great and there’s so much less to clean up.

Asparagus is a great vegetable for the grill.  You can wrap them in tin foil or just throw them right on. Skewing the asparagus makes it easier to flip and prevents them from falling down into the grill.

asparagus

tips&tricksWhen removing the woody ends of the asparagus, hold the spear firmly in each hand.  Bend the asparagus and it will naturally snap at the perfect spot.

asparagus

Vinaigrette Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • ½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar, or any white vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon dried tarragon

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh asparagus with stems removed (see tip)
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Heat grill over high heat.  
  2. In a bowl, coat asparagus with olive oil and salt and pepper. Skewer asparagus on metal or wooden skewers.  If using wooden skewers, make sure you soak them first so they don’t catch on fire.  
  3. Place skewered asparagus on the grill and cook on each side for about 3 minutes or until desired tenderness. They will start to caramelize and turn brown.  

For the vinaigrette  

  1. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk and set aside.  
  2. Place grilled asparagus in serving bowl and top with vinaigrette.  

Enjoy!