Shakshouka originated in North Africa. For those more geographically-impaired, that would mean the countries of Tunisia, Libya, Algeria and Morocco. It’s also become popular in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, with restaurants in those parts popping up solely to serving up the dish. Shakshouka means “a mixture.” And that’s exactly what this dish is, it’s a delicious mix of tomatoes, peppers, eggs and cheese. (more…)
Lasagna gets boring after a while – at least it does for me. Not that I eat it all the time. To be completely honest, I keep lasagna noodles at home and have never made traditional lasagna once. I’ve eaten it and my mom used to make it when I was a kid, but I didn’t really venture into making it the traditional way. I just find it boring – layers of cheese, ground beef, tomato sauce and noodles. But for a working mom, it must have been really easy to pull together for her kids. (more…)
Cheesy nachos at any Mexican restaurant can put a serious dent in your daily calorie count… if you’re counting. Step away from the cheesy nachos and look for something better. Before you start freaking out and guilt-tripping yourself out of cheesy nachos for life, try making your own. Oh the horror! Not having someone prepare it and serve it to you on a silver platter. Before you go complaining about how everything that tastes good isn’t good for you, try these cheesy white bean nachos. I promise, you won’t be slaving away in your kitchen for these. They’re easy for snacks or for an addition to Mexican night. (more…)
Mac and cheese, the ultimate comfort food, right? I’m a total sucker for Velveeta, too. At our house, as a kid we used to have macaroni & cheese and hot dogs. Healthy. Unfortunately, comfort food equals an unsightly amount of calories. Calories we, quite frankly, can’t afford to be consuming. Not if we want to fit into our super cute, bought it a little-too-tight because I know I can lose weight before the event dress, for example. I can’t tell you how many of those I own.
Total sucker for comfort food. Yes, I’m the one in the Kenmore Fridge ad – the one who grazes. Regularly. That’s why I try to keep my fridge as snack-free as possible. But not all mac and cheese is bad for you. Honestly. (more…)
The last time I made rice, it took me exactly 1 minute and 30 seconds. I basically pulled the plastic wrap off of minute rice, stuck it in the microwave and waited impatiently for one minute while it cooked. Needless to say, rice is not my forte. Even more needless to say, I barely eat rice at home, unless it’s minute rice of course. Despite this, I still decided to try my luck with a healthy, lower-calorie version of a rice casserole. I wasn’t sure. I’ve had too many experiences where the rice was either over (mushy) or under cooked. Trust me, if I can do this, so can you. (more…)
It’s been feeling a lot like summer around DC lately. Strange, considering it’s March and we had a very mild winter and practically no spring. Honestly, spring time is my favorite time of year. I may be a bit biased because my birthday is in April. What’s not to love though? The weather is usually amazing – warm during the day with little-to-no humidity, and there are more outdoor gatherings. When the weather gets warmer, I start to crave lighter foods. That mean, more fruits, veggies and salads. The following is an easy recipe for Spring Focaccia Bake.
Adapted from D’s Kitchen.
Spring Focaccia Bake Recipe
Ingredients
1 loaf Focaccia Bread, cubed (or frozen cheesy focaccia rolls, cubed) 1 tablespoon Olive oil 1 Buffalo Mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch squares 1 package fresh Basil, chopped 15-20 Grape Tomatoes, halvedDirections
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle olive oil on the bottom of a baking dish (or corning ware dish) Lay focaccia squares in the dish, top with mozzarella, and then tomatoes. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Top with basil and serve.
Servings: 4
Nutrition Information: Cals 436. Carbs 53g. Fat 18g. Protein 16g. Sodium 554mg.