The Protein Bar Buffalo Salad

 

I went to Protein Bar over the weekend and got my favorite dish - the Buffalo Salad (all-natural chicken, organic quinoa, crumbled blue cheese, and house-made vegan buffalo sauce over our Super 6 Salad Mix - romaine, spinach, broccoli, carrots, kale, purple cabbage). It was delicious, but it was also really experience at about $10. I loved it but knew I could make something as delicious but not as expensive at home.

Ingredients:

• 2 c. mixed greens and spinach mix salad
• 3/4 c. shredded chicken (I used a rotisserie)
• 1/2 c. organic quinoa, cooked (I used a mix of red and white)
• 1/4 c. crumbled blue cheese
• 2 tbsp. Frank's buffalo sauce

Directions:

1. Combine!

I also love how the buffalo sauce acts as the dressing so this is super, super low calorie. And super filling!

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Broiled Caramelized Sugar Grapefruit

 

Grapefruit is one of my favorite foods. Topped with a small amount of sugar, it's such a delicious snack. I have caramelized sugar a few times (specifically on salmon here), so I figured why not caramelize the sugar on the grapefruit?!

Ingredients:

• 1 grapefrit
• 1 tsp. sugar
• Dash of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Turn your oven's broiler on
2. Cut grapefruit in half
3. Put grapefruit halves on baking sheet (thinly shave off a small piece of the outside of the grapefruit if it's not sitting straight on sheet)
4. Top with sugar and cinnamon
   
5. Put under broiler for 5 minutes

You can also cut the grapefruit before broiling, but it's still easy to eat if you don't do that.

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Greek Marinated Chicken

 

This was incredible. I love Greek food (check out my favorite Tzatziki recipe here), and I wanted to make another chicken marinade. I love using Greek yogurt and this combination was incredible!

Ingredients:

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 c. plain Greek yogurt
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced, fresh
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• Lemon zest of one lemon
• Juice of one lemon
• Salt and pepper 
• Mixed greens and spinach (optional)
• Organic brown rice (optional)

Directions:

1. Set oven to 375 degrees
2. Cut fat off off chicken
3. Spray baking dish with cooking spray
4. Combine yogurt, garlic, oregano, parsley, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt and pepper. Mix together
5. Add in chicken and coat
6. Pour everything into baking dish
   
7. Cook for 45 minutes
   

I ate this shredded up with a mixed green and spinach salad, organic brown rice, and the salad dressing from Lou Malnati's. Amazing! I was sad when it was all gone.

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Coconut Oil Popcorn

 

I LOVE popcorn. My Mom got me my own bowl in high school because I used to eat one bag a day. Now I don't eat the bags anymore as I learned how bad they are for you and only do homemade. Usually I use vegetable oil, but I've read a few times how amazing coconut oil is. And with all the benefits of coconut oil, I was intrigued. It's a delicious combination!

Ingredients:

• Popcorn kernels
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil

Directions:

1. Put coconut oil in pot over medium heat with one kernel
2. Shake around every so often
3. When kernel pops, pour more in (I usually pour about 1/2 c. in)
4. Cover and shake
5. Cook until pops are a few seconds apart
6. Top with salt, and more coconut oil if you want to

For more popcorn ideas:
Homemade Popcorn (Part I)
Homemade Popcorn (Part II)
Maple Bacon Popcorn
Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Roasted Garlic Mac and Cheese

 

Roasted Garlic. Mac and cheese. Combined. That's all that needs to be said.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 c. Panko Japanese bread crumbs with Italian seasoning
• 1 head garlic
• Olive oil
• 1 pound uncooked pasta (I used penne)
• 6 tbsp. flour
• 5 c. whole milk
• 6 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees
2. Melt 1/2 stick of butter in saucepan over medium heat
3. Add breadcrumbs and stir
4. Cook for a few minutes until toasted
5. Set aside
   
6. Roast the garlic (place garlic in aluminum foil, slice 1/3 top off, drizzle with OO, salt and pepper, place 1/3 back on top, make a sealed soil packet, and place in oven for 30 minutes)
   
7. Let garlic cool, then squeeze garlic out into a bowl and mash with fork
8. Cook pasta in salted water, drain, saving 1/2 c. of pasta water
9. Spray baking dish with cooking spray
10. In a large saucepot, melt the remaining 1 stick of butter over medium low heat
11. Stir in flour and mashed garlic. Cook for 3 minutes
    
12. Whisk in milk, bring to a boil, then reduce to low and cook for 3 minutes
    
13. Add in cheese, salt, and pepper, and stir well
    
14. Add pasta and pasta water to cheese and stir well
    
15. Pour into baking dish (I made one large baking dish and two smaller ones I could put in the freezer and eat later)
    
    
    
    
    
16. Sprinkle with crumbs
17. Bake for 25 minutes

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Original recipe here

Bakin' & Eggs BLT

 

Bakin' & Eggs is the cutest little brunch place by us. Every time I have gone, I have absolutely loved what I ordered. We went a few weeks ago for my birthday, and I ordered the BLT which was absolutely amazing. This was me trying to re-create it. (Their version is "bacon + eggs your way + aged cheddar + walnut & basil pesto mayo  + field greens + tomato on multigrain. I made due with what I had)

Ingredients:

• Croissant
• 1 tbsp. pesto
• 1 tbsp. mayo
• 2 slices bacon, cooked
• 2 eggs, scrambled
• 2 slices white American cheese
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cut crossiant in half
2. Combine pesto and mayo, stir, and spread on croissant
   
3. Pile on bacon, eggs, and cheese
   
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Avocado Mayo Spread with a Fried Egg, Bacon, and Blue Cheese Sandwich

 

My obsession with breakfast sandwiches continues...

Ingredients:

• 2 slices whole grain bread
• 1 avocado
• 1 tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 fried egg
• 2 slices of bacon, cooked
• 1/4 c. crumbled blue cheese

Directions:

1. Combine 1/4 of the avocado with the mayo and mix with knife
2. Toast bread
3. Spread with avocado/mayo mixture
   
4. Top with fried egg, blue cheese, and bacon
   
   
   
   

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Chocolate and Pecan Waffles

 

I woke up on a Saturday and was really craving waffles. We had a ton of chocolate left over from Christmas, so I decided to add in different chocolates to each waffle. The combination was incredible!

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 tbsp. butter, melted, plus more for topping
• 1 c. warm water
• 1 1/4 c. Belgian waffle mix
• 1/2 c. chocolate chips (I used white, peppermint, and milk)
• 1/4 c. chopped pecans
• Syrup

Directions:

1. Turn waffle maker on to medium high heat
2. Spray with cooking spray
3. Combine butter and water and whisk until well blended
4. Add the waffle mix and stir until just combined
5. Pour even amounts into waffle maker
6. Before closing, top with chocolate chips and pecans
7. Upon finishing, top with butter and syrup

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Veggie and Turkey Sausage Scrambled Eggs

We had a ton of leftover asparagus from New Years, so I decided to throw some into an egg scramble and it was the perfect dish. I have eaten this everyday since New Years! Perfect combination of fresh veggies and protein. So filling.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• Pre-cooked turkey sausage
• Veggies (I used sweet potato, carrots, asparagus, and spinach)
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a nonstick skillet
2. Add sausage and veggies and let cook for a few minutes
   
3. Add egg (I did both scrambled and sunny side up. I think I liked sunny side up better)
   

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Pan Seared Filet with Blue Cheese and Butter

 

I have never cooked my own filet before so this was quite nerve racking, but this turned out delicious! Though it's tempting, remember to not flip too many times as this causes the meat to dry out.

Ingredients:

• One small filet (my sister-in-law got me a few for Christmas) - 1 inch thick
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• Butter and blue cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 500 degrees
2. Make sure meat is fresh, not frozen, and pay dry
3. Place nonstick skillet over high heat and add olive oil
4. When oil is hot, carefully place filet in oil and cook for 2 minutes
5. Flip, and cook another 2 minutes
6. Place filet in oven safe container and cook for 7 minutes, or until your liking
7. Remove from oven, cover with aluminum foil, and let sit for 10 minutes
8. Top with butter and blue cheese, salt and pepper (optional)

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Hasselback Potato

 

I topped this with bacon bits, sour cream, cheese, and a bacon fat Parmesan crisp. Excuse me as I drool from remembering how good this was.

Ingredients:

• One large baking potato
• Optional toppings: bacon bits (see The Best Bacon You'll Ever Make), sour cream, cheese, Bacon Fat Parmesan Crisp
• 2 tbsp. butter
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Set oven to 400 degrees
2. Clean and scrub potato, and then pat dry
3. Cut deep in very thin increments
   
4. Cut butter very thin and slip inside of the cuts
   
5. Optional: pour bacon fat over the potato (I did. Not ashamed) 
   
6. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
7. Bake for 1 hour
8. Add cheese and bake for anoter 5 minutes
   
9. Add toppings

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Bacon Fat Parmesan Crisp

This was an accidental genius moment. After I made some delicious bacon, I wasn't sure what to do with the bacon fat. I cooked the potato in it, but after topping the potato with cheese, some of the cheese fell into the fat. After cooking, it had crisped into a cheesy, bacon fat piece of deliciousness.

Ingredients:

• Bacon fat
• Cheese (I used sharp cheddar)

Directions:

1. After cooking bacon, keep fat
2. Sprinkle cheese over fat
3. Cook at the temperature you were cooking the bacon (I use 400 degrees), and cook until crisp is, well, crispy (I did 5 minutes)

Enjoy!

Kelsey

The Best Bacon You'll Ever Make

 

I love bacon. I use it in a ton of recipes (see below). I've tried cooking it a ton of different ways, but this is what I have found to be the best way.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of bacon

Directions:

1. Cover two baking sheets in aluminum foil
2. Place bacon on foil
3. Put sheets in COLD OVEN and turn to 400 degrees
4. Cook for 20 minutes
5. Remove from oven and place between paper towels

Now I like my bacon really, really crisp, almost burnt. If you don't, start checking around 10/15 minutes and cook to your desired consistency.

You can also put a cooling rack on top of the baking sheet so that the bacon fat drips off, but I find everything more delicious if the bacon cooks in the fat.

Recipes to try:
Lentil Soup with Rosemary Ham and Bacon
Caramelized Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Blue Cheese
Candied Bacon and Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Candied Bacon and Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pesto and Candied Bacon Grilled Cheese
Candied Bacon
Beer Candied Bacon
Maple Bacon Popcorn
Brown Sugar Crusted Bacon
Bacon and Fried Egg Grilled Cheese
Bacon Grilled Cheese
Cheese Bacon Hot Dog

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Boiled Asparagus

 

We needed a good veggie for our New Years Eve dinner, and asparagus sounded perfect!

Ingredients:

• Asparagus
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Remember when storing asparagus to keep it in water in the fridge

   

   So many uses for my Will's cup!

2. When ready to cook, clean and cut off about an inch of the ends
   
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil
4. Add asparagus and cook for 5 minutes
   
5. Remove and add to ice water
6. Drain and ate salt and pepper

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Homemade Sausage, Egg, and Cheese on a Kaiser Roll

 

Breakfast sandwiches are one of my favorite things in the world. Not proud of the fact that I used to eat a sausage, egg, and cheese McMuffin from McDonalds every weekend (thankfully one time they messed up the order and it was disgusting and I have since kicked the habit). I still love the sandwich though. My Mom/"Santa" bought me a breakfast sandwich maker (you can find it here) and I immediately put it to use. Seriously, after heating up, it only takes 5 minutes!

Ingredients:

• Kaiser roll
• 1 slice of white American cheese
• Pre-cooked turkey sausage
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. Assemble!

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Rtiz Rolo Sandwiches

I kept seeing this pop up on Pinterest - "Rolo Stuffed Ritz Crackers." I thought to myself, "I want that! Sweet? Salty? Perfect." Easiest thing ever.

Ingredients:

• Ritz crackers
• Rolos

(The best part? If you want 5, make 5 (like I did). If you want 30, make 30!)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Place one Ritz cracker on baking sheet
3. Top with Rolo
4. Place in oven for 4 minutes
5. Remove and squeeze down another Ritz cracker on top
6. Wait until cool before enjoying (I couldn't wait and burned my tongue!)

Hint: buy the individually wrapped Rolos. It takes more work to unwrap them, but it tastes better vs. the Rolos that comes in the bag already unwrapped. In my opinion at least :)

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Quinoa and Veggie Quesadilla

 

I wanted to make a quesadilla, but I didn't have any meat around that I could use. So I decided to use some already made quinoa that was in my fridge. It turned out quite delicious! Great substituion.

Ingredients:

• 2 tortillas
• 1/2 c. quinoa
• 1/2 c. cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
• Any veggies (I used shredded carrots, shredded sweet potato, and spinach)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat
2. When hot, put down one tortilla
3. Top with quinoa, cheese, and veggies
   
4. Top with other tortilla
5. Cook for 5 minutes, and then flip
6. Cook until cheese is melted and tortilla is cooked to desired crispiness (I like mine almost burned)
7. Remove and cut 
   

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Sweet Potato Egg Nest

I follow a blog called Against All Grain which focuses on gluten free food. She posted a picture of a sweet potato nest a few months ago, and said she used a spiralizer, or a spiral cutter. I put it on my Christmas/Birthday list, and got it! You can find it here. It's the easiest thing! You can put anything in, spin, and it makes "noodles". I've only tried with a sweet potato, but you could use a carrot, zucchini, anything!

Ingredients:

• Sweet potato, cleaned
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• Egg
• Salt and pepper

Ingredients:

1. Put a nonstick pan over medium heat and add olive oil
2. When oil is hot enough, use spiral cutter to make sweet potato "noodles"
   
3. Cook for 5 minutes, or to your liking (more time = more crispy)
4. Crack egg on top of "nest"
   
5. Cook until your liking of your egg (I like it runnier these days, but up to you!)
6. Top with salt and pepper

The crispiness of the sweet potato combined with the runny egg was such an amazing combination. I can't wait to try this with other veggies!

Enjoy!

Kelsey