Homemade Brushetta (Gluten-Free)

Why is game day food so bad for you? I know, I know. Because it's so incredibly tasty and it's a known fact that the bad stuff often tastes the best. Now I love my fair share of cheese fries, buffalo wings and Mozzarella sticks, but I also prefer some lighter options to be thrown into the mix as well.

If you're like me and want a healthier option available for the Super Bowl this weekend, homemade bruschetta is the way to go. You can have it prepared in 5 minutes, plus it's perfect for a crowd and something everyone will enjoy. I personally won't be watching the Super Bowl this year since my team (the Giants) had a less than stellar year...and if I do, it will solely be for the commercials. But I still might help myself to some tasty (and healthy!) treats since it's the perfect excuse to do so. Have a great weekend!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (14.5 oz.) can plain petite diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 4 large basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. onion, minced
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Crackers, for serving

Combine tomatoes, pepper, salt, garlic powder, basil leaves, onion and olive oil in a bowl. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve with crackers.

Source: My Mom

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Brown butter is a simple yet overly satisfying twist on regular butter that strongly enhances the flavor of whatever it touches. By cooking the butter for a few short minutes, a hint of hazelnut is emitted. Before these cookies, I had only had brown butter in savory dishes, which is somewhat shocking since it tends to be a little sweet. It's no surprise that the intense brown butter flavor in these cookies brings the traditional Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie to another level. This is cookie sophistication at its finest. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk the butter continuously as it bubbles, foams, and brown bits begin to form on the bottom of the pan (approximately 5 minutes). Once the brown bits form, remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the butter to cool (cool slightly for thinner cookies, or cool completely for thicker, puffier cookies--I only let mine cool slightly).

In a bowl, combine the flour, oats, salt and baking powder.

Pour the brown butter into a large bowl. Add both sugars to the butter and whisk until smooth.

Add the egg and vanilla to the butter/sugar mixture and mix until combined.

Slowly begin to add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, working in batches, and making sure that the dough is completely combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips and mix gently, ensuring that all ingredients are well-mixed.

Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

Once dough has chilled, roll cookie dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, placing them on your prepared cookie sheet a few inches apart.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or just until the edges begin to brown.

Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Source: Adapted from Juanita's Cocina

Spicy Grilled Shrimp Tostadas

"Mexican Mondays" have become sort of a thing in our household. Since a majority of Mexican dishes are simple to make and use basic ingredients, it's nice to start out the week with something easy yet deliciously satisfying. Usually some sort of taco is involved, but this past week I decided to switch it up and use tostada shells for a different presentation.

I have never cooked with nor eaten a meal containing a tostada, so I had a blank canvas to work with. I adapted the marinade for the shrimp from my Shrimp Quesadillas, and then stacked on whatever else I would normally pile into a quesadilla or taco shell. Refried beans, lettuce, salsa, cheese, guacamole. There was no holding back here. The result was a fun-looking stack that was filled with layers of contrasting flavors and textures. This would be a fun one for the kids to create for themselves as well. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
Makes 4 servings

• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 lime, juiced
• 8 skewers
• 4 tostada shells
• Fat-free refried beans
• Romaine lettuce, shredded
• Guacamole, store-bought or homemade
• Salsa verde
• Mexican cheese, shredded

Combine garlic powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, pepper and lime juice in a bowl. Add shrimp and stir to coat. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Add 5 shrimp per skewer (presoak the skewers for 30 minutes if using an outdoor grill). Spray a grill pan with cooking spray and heat to medium. Add shrimp skewers in an even layer so they are not touching. Cook 2-3 minutes per side, or until shrimp are pink. Remove from grill and set aside.

Heat refried beans in a medium pan. Spread a thin layer of refried beans over each tostada shell. Add a layer of lettuce and top with a spoonful of salsa verde and guacamole. Sprinkle with cheese. Lay two shrimp skewers on top of each tostada.

Source: SK Original

Lighter Steak and Cheese

I originally posted this recipe back in 2008. It was actually my very first blog post, if you can believe it or not. I think my blog has come a long way since then and I thank all of you for your continued readership throughout the years! I love this little bit of space on the web that I can call mine and I really enjoy sharing my recipes and thoughts with everyone!

Chris is a big fan of this sandwich and requests it as often as he can remember. Since the Pioneer Woman's version is not the healthiest, I decided to switch up the recipe a little bit to lighten it up. I used reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce, much less butter, and the butter that I do use is "light butter" so we can save some calories. I made this lighter version the other weekend without telling Chris, and he had no complaints about the taste whatsoever! I actually think it might even be better this way. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 large onions
• 5 tbsp. light butter, divided
• 2-3 lbs. cube steak
• Lawry's seasoned salt
• 1/2 cups reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce
• Hot sauce, to taste
• Provolone cheese
• 4 whole hoagie rolls

Slice onions and cook in 2 tbsp. butter until soft and light brown. Remove and set aside.

Slice cube steak against the grain. Season generously with Lawry's.

Heat 2 tbsp. butter over high heat (in same skillet) until melted and beginning to brown. Add meat in single layer. Cook one side until brown, then flip and cook until brown, about a minute on both sides.  If all meat does not fit in the skillet in a single layer, do it in batches setting the first batch aside while the second batch cooks.

Add Worcestershire sauce, 5-6 shakes hot sauce, and 1 tbsp. butter. Add cooked onions. Stir to combine.

Assemble sandwiches by topping with meat mixture, then placing two slices of Provolone cheese on top of each sandwich. Place under broiler (on high) until cheese melts and bun begins to brown. Remove from broiler, spoon some extra juice goodness on top, followed by the top of the bun.

Source: Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Mini Banana Puddings

I try (and I emphasize the word try since it doesn't always happen) to make my close group of girlfriends something for their birthday whenever one rolls around. We get together and then I typically make some sort of dessert that they request or that I think they will enjoy. For my friend Geni's birthday, she requested banana pudding. I appreciated the request since I had a newborn in the house and knew it would be simple! But I decided to make it a little special by making everyone an individualized portion.

I loooove these. They are super simple to make and I typically keep all the ingredients on hand in case I need to make a last-minute dessert. Or in case Chris and I are in the mood for one. Which happens often! Mini vanilla wafers work perfectly for these mini-sized treats, but use the regular size if your local store doesn't carry them. I also opted for reduced-fat milk in the pudding and fat-free whipped cream to save a few calories. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
Makes 6 servings

• 3 cups cold reduced-fat milk
• 2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) vanilla instant pudding
• 60 mini vanilla wafers
• 3 bananas, sliced
• 1 tub (8 oz.) fat-free cool whip, thawed

Beat pudding mixes and milk with whisk for 2 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Arrange 5 vanilla wafers on the bottom of 6 mini glasses. Top with an even layer of banana slices and 2-3 big spoonfuls of pudding. Spread a spoonful of cool whip over top. Repeat all layers, ending with pudding. Top each glass with a dollop of cool whip and a vanilla wafer.

Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.

Source: Adapted from Kraft

Easy Korean Beef Over Rice

Today's recipe comes from Juanita's Cocina, who is a fellow member of The Secret Recipe Club. Juanita (whose real name is Jen...but you have to go read about her on her blog to figure that one out!) is a lover of all things food and loves to experiment in the kitchen. At first I made her Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, which were absolutely delicious, but I decided not to feature them today. They'll be on the blog soon, though, so be sure to check back! Instead, I made this mouth-watering, easy peasy beef dish. Pure bliss.

I've seen pictures of this Korean Beef all over Pinterest, so I was stoked when I saw it on Juanita's recipe list. I knew I wanted to make it soon, and this was the perfect excuse to do so! And it definitely lived up to my expectations. It was easy to make since it uses ground beef, so there's no trimming or slicing involved. The sauce blends the perfect amount of sweetness and savoriness together, and the pepper flakes and ginger balance it all out. This is a perfect weeknight meal that can be made in less than 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped

Heat a large skillet with the sesame oil over medium heat. Once the skillet is heated, brown the hamburger and minced garlic until meat is cooked through. Drain all fat from the meat.

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Pour mixture into the skillet over the meat and bring to a simmer.

Simmer the meat in the sauce for 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and reduces.

Serve the Korean beef over rice and top with a small handful of green onions.

Source: Juanita's Cocina

Spiked Godiva Nutella Hot Chocolate

Okay so I'm sure you're already sold from the title, right? I mean this hot chocolate is made with Nutella. NUTELLA. And it's spiked with liqueur. Liqueur that tastes like Godiva chocolate. GODIVA. And I use reduced-fat milk as the base. Because I'm trying to save you some calories here! Yea, exactly. Whatever. 

Yes, if you're serving this to kids you can absolutely leave out the Godiva liqueur and it will still taste amazing with just the Nutella. But if you're of age and it's that time of day, then help yourself to a few splashes of this liqueur and it will make this drink out-of-this-world good. Enjoy this one, guys!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
Makes 2 servings

• 3 cups reduced-fat milk
• 1/2 cup Nutella
• 1 oz. Godiva liqueur 
• Mini-marshmallows

Heat milk and Nutella in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to steam. Remove from heat and add liqueur. Pour into mugs and top with mini-marshmallows.

Source: SK Original

BBQ Sloppy Joes

I've mentioned many times before that Chris' preferred birthday dinner is sloppy joes from the can. I've tried on many occasions to make a homemade version that would be a suitable substitute, and although good, he still always reverts to the canned stuff. Until now!

I finally made a similar sandwich that Chris thoroughly enjoyed! Although the flavors stray from the traditional flavors he is used to, this is still a good option to switch it up. Barbecue sauce is the star of the show in this sauce and adds a smoky flavor to the tomato base. I snuck in some onions and peppers to provide us with some extra vegetables and they add a delightful crunch. This sandwich is easy to make and definitely a new recipe for the rotation...and maybe even Chris' birthday! Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
Makes 4 servings

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup frozen chopped onions and green peppers
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce
• 4 hamburger buns
• 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Add the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Wait 5 minutes then add the frozen onions and peppers. Cook until beef is no longer pink. Drain mixture well.

Return beef mixture to skillet. Stir in tomatoes, ketchup and barbecue sauce. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Top each bun with sloppy joe mix. Divide cheese on top of each. Put in the oven for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Source: SK Original

Nutella Waffles

Chris is an eggs and bacon kind of guy and rarely wants something sweet in the morning. So when I asked him what he wanted for breakfast the other weekend and he said chocolate waffles, I jumped at the opportunity! I broke out the Nutella and instantly went to work before he could change his mind. Did you really think I would use something else? These are perfectly sweet from the hazelnut-chocolate spread, yet still light and airy. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
Makes 8 waffles

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups reduced-fat milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup Nutella
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter

Preheat waffle maker to medium-high heat. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla.

In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture until smooth.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the Nutella and butter for 30 seconds. Stir and then microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Stir until smooth.

Stir the Nutella mixture into the batter. Pour the batter into the wells of your waffle iron and cook as directed for your particular waffle maker, or about 4-5 minutes. Makes 12 waffles.

Source: Adapted from Sugarcrafter

Chicken Parmesan Burgers

Tammi over at Momma's Meals has this really cool feature on her blog where she makes another blogger's recipe and then features them on a specified Friday--a fun thing she refers to as "Food on Friday." Today she's featuring one of my recipes, so I decided to feature one of hers in return! Make sure you go check out her blog to see which recipe she's showcasing today!

I quickly chose to make these Chicken Parmesan Burgers since the idea intrigued me. I usually make Chicken Parmesan the old-fashioned way and then scoop a cutlet onto a roll, so this simple version that uses ground chicken and the classic ingredients to make it into burger form is genius to me! All the same flavors are there, but they're packed into a patty and grilled. Simply amazing! I know you guys will love this one. It's delicious. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
Makes 4 burgers

• 1 lb. ground chicken
• 1 tbsp. olive oil plus 2 tbsp. for frying
• 2 tbsp. tomato sauce, plus extra for topping
• 2 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tbsp. chopped dried onion
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 cup panko crumbs
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese, grated
• Sprinkle of shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 4 rolls

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix chicken, 1 tbsp. oil, sauce, basil, onion, garlic powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese together. Form the chicken mixture into four balls.

Mix remaining 2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese with the panko crumbs. Flatten burgers into patties and coat each one with the panko mixture.

Put burgers on waxed paper and allow them to set in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Pour remaining 2 tbsp. in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook burgers until done and crispy, about 4 minutes per side. Drain them on a paper towel.

Top burgers with some additional tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. Put in oven for five minutes, until cheese melts.

Serve on rolls.

Source:Adapted from Momma's Meals

No-Bake Smart Balance® Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Smart Balance® has introduced this amaaaaazing new Natural Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter...in both creamy and crunchy spreads! They are made with rich peanut butter and real dark chocolate. The spreads are lactose-free, dairy-free, non-GMO and contain no hydrogenated oils or trans fats! Amazing, right? They are also sweetened naturally with dried cane syrup and molasses for a smooth, creamy texture, which makes them ideal for spreading, cooking or baking. Chocolate, peanut butter and all these other perks? What more could you ask for?

As a part of their new campaign, I was asked to make a healthy recipe using one of the Smart Balance® Dark Chocolate Peanut Butters that they graciously sent me samples of. I decided to make these healthy no-bake cookies that are great on the go and provide a little pick-me-up in the middle of the day. The peanut butter and chocolate provide an instant surge of energy, while the applesauce, cane sugar and light butter make them healthy enough to not feel guilty about. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 tbsp. unsalted light butter
• 1/2 cup cane sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3/4 cup Smart Balance® creamy chocolate peanut butter
• 2 cups rolled oats

Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a medium saucepan. Stir in the sugar and applesauce and mix until incorporated. Add the peanut butter. Heat and stir until melted and fully combined. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the oats.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop heaping spoonfuls onto the sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour or until firm. Store at room temperature in an air-tight container.

Source: SK Original

Lighter Tuscan Garlic Chicken

Most people are surprised when I tell them I enjoy the Olive Garden. Not because they expect me to be cooking at home every night, but because my family is Italian and the Olive Garden is considered "low grade" on the Italian food scale. But I'm not going to lie, I think it's very tasty! And I can't get enough of their salad and breadsticks. That's what mainly keeps me going back.

I love copycat type of recipes, so when I saw this one for the Olive Garden's Tuscan Garlic Chicken, I was excited to try it. I've never had it in the restaurant so I had nothing to compare it to, but I thought it was phenomenal. I altered the ingredients just a little to make it more figure-friendly, but the taste was still there. The sauce is thick and creamy and the peppers, spinach and Parmesan really kick it up a notch. Enjoy this meal in the comfort of your own home with a glass of nice wine!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 each (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 cups flour, plus 1 tbsp.
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 lb. fettuccine pasta, cooked according to package directions
• 5 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 red pepper, julienne cut
• 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 lb. whole leaf spinach, stemmed
• 1 cup reduced-fat milk
• 1 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in the mixture, shaking off any excess.

Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken breasts 2 at a time over medium-high heat until golden brown and crisp (2-3 min). Add more oil for each batch as necessary.

Place cooked chicken breasts on a baking sheet and transfer to preheated oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a sauce pan. Add garlic and red pepper and cook for approximately 1 minute. Stir in 1 tbsp. flour, broth, spinach and milk and bring to a boil. Sauce is done when spinach becomes wilted. Complete by stirring in Parmesan cheese.

Coat cooked, drained pasta with sauce, then top with chicken and remaining sauce. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese.

Source: Adapted from Olive Garden

Tomato Pepper Steak over Quinoa

Asian flavors always seem to pop up in my head when I'm trying to create a new dish. I don't know if it's because I know they always work or because I know Chris really enjoys them, but they always seem to have some kind of influence on me. I don't really mind, though, because I have yet to have one type of Asian-inspired flavor that I dislike. Can't really go wrong with soy sauce...am I right?

This particular dish includes soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and ginger, but I decided to give it a tomato sauce base to make the sauce thicker. Plus I wanted to switch it up from typical soy sauce-based recipes I usually make. I was skeptic, but seasoning the tomato sauce with Asian-inspired ingredients really worked. I used affordable flank steak and spruced it up with red and yellow peppers to add some vegetables. Serve this over quinoa and you have yourself an extremely flavorful and healthy dinner. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. butter or oil
• 1 1/2 lbs. flank steak, sliced
• 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp. ginger, grated
• 2 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
• 2 scallions, chopped
• Quinoa, cooked, for serving

Marinade

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Add all marinade ingredients to a large bowl or ziplock bag. Add the sliced steak, and toss in the marinade. Cover/seal and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Remove the meat from the marinade. Reserve marinade and set aside. Heat 1 tbsp. oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meat in 2 or 3 batches so that each batch just covers the bottom of the skillet without crowding. Remove meat and set aside.

Reduce heat. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar, bay leaves, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and remaining marinade. Stir to combine. Add the sweet peppers and cook for 10 minutes. Add the scallions and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the steak back to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook for an additional minute, then remove from heat.

Serve immediately over quinoa (or rice).

Source: SK Original

Lighter Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Happy New Year!! I hope everyone had a fun and safe evening. May 2014 be nothing short of amazing for all of you! Thank you for continuing to read my blog. You guys are the best!

Now on to the recipe for this scrumptious looking soup...

I'm a big fan of eating soup in the winter. Not only are they easy meals to make, but they warm up your insides after being outside in the crisp winter air. Crank up your stovetop to prepare this and that warm, cozy feeling will spread throughout the house. There's nothing like cuddling up on the couch with a big, fluffy blanket and a steaming bowl of soup.

I lightened this up by using reduced-fat milk and light sour cream. It still turned out thick, creamy and delicious. I love the chunks of potatoes, the crispy bacon hidden throughout and the subtle cheese flavor. If loaded baked potatoes are your thing, this soup will be right up your alley. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1/2 tbsp. garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup flour
• 4 1/2 cups reduced-fat milk
• 3 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
• 2 tbsp. scallions
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

In a large pot over medium heat, cook bacon. When done, remove and drain on a paper towel-lined dish.

Add butter to bacon grease. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute.

Slowly add milk to pot, whisking constantly. Once mixture is smooth, add potatoes. Cook for 15 minutes over medium heat until potatoes are fork tender.

Add half of the reserved bacon bits, scallions, sour cream and cheese. Stir until combined.

Serve topped with remaining bacon bits, extra cheese, sour cream and scallions, if desired.

Source: SK Original