Spiced Shrimp and Tomato Kebabs

In the summer, tt and I are always looking for new things to grill. While we love grilled food any night of the week, we always make sure to at least grill on Sundays. That's when we like to try out new recipes {and by we, I mean, I do.} 

Since starting my health kick last year, and realizing that I really can cook and really enjoy cooking, I subscribe to all sorts of emails and started following all sorts of foodie bloggers. I have gotten great ideas from these people, both for my blog as well as, you guessed it, recipes! 

{And don't worry fellow bloggers, I always give credit where credit is due- I would hate if someone stole my recipe and didn't tell the world where it came from}

This particular recipe I am excited to try tomorrow. I'm thinking tt and I will enjoy it on the deck with quinoa and a quick little green salad, probably with cilantro and a quick lime vinaigrette if I'm feeling extra fancy and remember to get limes at the market! Either way, these kebabs sound delightful. 

Recipe of the day

Spiced Shrimp and Tomato Kebabs

Recipe spotted on Yahoo Shine - originally from FoodandWine.com

Ingredients:

1/4 cup thinly sliced peeled ginger

4 garlic cloves

1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves

2 tablespoons packed basil leaves

1 tablespoon packed mint leaves

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

40 large shrimp (about 2 pounds), shelled and deveined

1 pint grape tomatoes

Instructions:

1. At least 30 minutes prior to cooking: combine ginger, garlic, cilantro, basil, mint, cayenne, paprika, lime juice, honey, salt and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a food processor and and puree. 
2. Place marinade into a large bowl, add the shrimp and toss to coat. Cover/refrigerate for at least 30 mins.
3. Thread the shrimp and tomatoes onto skewers. 
4. Grill the skewers over high heat, turning once, until the shrimp are lightly charred and cooked through and the tomatoes are just beginning to burst, about 6 minutes. 
5. Serve right away.

Notes:

• Shrimp can marinate for up to 4 hours in the fridge. 
• If you are using wooden skewers - don't forget to soak them!! Otherwise they will burn.
• Be sure to oil the grates of the grill to avoid kebabs sticking.

Apple Pie Smoothie

We're all on as much of a health-kick as we can stand to dedicate ourselves to this summer. There are some tricks that help to beat those icky cravings that come when the weather heats up, so that we can avoid the cookout food {mmm hot dogs!} and tasty adult beverages {TABs as I like to call them}. One thing that I have found works wonders, is making sure I have a protein-packed breakfast - as close to waking up as I can. 

Most days, I get up, shower, and then drink a cranberry lemon and ACV detox/energy drink to take my vitamins {women's multiV with added iron and calcium; probiotic for digestive health; vitamin D which no one gets enough of in the northeast; ginko biloba, because I have the worst memory in life; fish oil because why not; biotin for skin/nails/hair; and newly added evening primrose oil for a wealth of things} and then I have a smoothie for breakfast. I typically stick with a green smoothie, so that I can get that one extra dose of veggies, even though I eat a ton of vegetables anyway. I got the recipe for the one I make from Iowa Girl here. It's Dole's Green Monster Smoothie and it's delicious {you would NEVER guess that it is chock-full of spinach and goodies!} BUT I have discovered a new smoothie that I'm mildly obsessed with this week: Apple Pie! 

No greens, unfortunately, but it has a ton of protein filled yummies that keep me full until lunchtime, even though I've been forcing a mid-morning snack since I don't get to eat lunch until 2:00 these days. And let me tell you - this really tastes like a liquid apple pie! {although not nearly as weird as that sounds}

Recipe of the day

Apple Pie Smoothie

Recipe spotted on FitSugar.com

Ingredients:

5 raw almonds

1 red apple

1 banana {I use frozen, sliced bananas that I always have on hand in my freezer}

3/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt {I prefer 0% Vanilla Chobani}

1/2 cup non-fat milk {I use unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze... for everything}

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Place ingredients in high-powered blender.*
2. Blend on medium-high speed until everything is mixed. 

Notes:

• *Most recipes I have seen recommend jumping on the Vitamix bandwagon. I'm avoiding it as long as I can for budgetary reasons. I find my Kitchen-aid is plenty strong to cut thru most smoothie ingredients.
• I honestly think part of the reason I am able to use my regular every day blender is because I typically do the pulsing "crush ice" first - to break thru any frozen items and/or the nuts, and get the fruit on its way. Then I go to puree, then I increase to liquefy at the end, and let that go a good 20+ seconds depending on what's in there and how it looks. 

Get the original recipe by clicking here

And seriously... if you haven't signed up for FitSugar's daily emails... do it. Really good stuff. 

Deviled Eggs gone... green?

So, today kicked off day one of thirty to thirty...one. Aka, Crazy Coleen Diet 2.0. Day one of clean has included thus far:

7:30 am - Breakfast

Detoxifying and Energizing Cranberry Cleanse Drink with my vitamins

Green Monster Smoothie

10:30 am - Snack #1

0% plain Chobani Greek Yogurt with raspberries, blueberries, blackberries

{which, BTW, were buy one/get one at S&S this week - woot!}

1:00 pm - Lunch

Bean Salad over arugula

3:30 pm - Snack #2

1/2 of an avocado deviled egg (OMG... wait for the recipe)

Handful of raw pistachios

Dinner... TBD

(But I have a few options..depending on what I'm feeling like by the time I get home)

Recipe of the day

Deviled Eggs {gone green}

Adapted from a few recipes I have found online

Ingredients:

6 hard boiled eggs, sliced in half the long way

1 avocado
2 tsp dijon mustard (I used grey poupon)
Sprinkle lime juice
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp paprika
Salt + pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. On a small plate or in a bowl, mash together egg yolks, avocado, mustard, and spices. Mix well to combine.
2. Scoop mixture back into egg whites to create deviled eggs. Sprinkle additional paprika on top if you'd like. 
3. Serve cold. 

Notes:

• When I tried it all last night when I made it - the avocado mixture was a true delight. Today, while my little devil eggie was still delicious, some of the flavors had settled a bit. I would recommend probably kicking up the spice notch a bit by either pumping up the volume of chili powder/paprika, or adding in a little red pepper flake. 
• Another option could be to use diced red onion and/or tomato - to make it more like a guacamole type concoction inside the egg. 
• If you love deviled eggs the way that I do, and love avocado the way that I do... then really, the possibilities are endless. 

Kale Chips + Spicy Miso Dip

Can we talk about the munchies for a second? We all get that urge... When nothing {and I mean nothing} will satiate you until you have something crunchy and super salty in your mouth? I, like, can't even take it. The minute that comes over me I am donezo. 

Thank goodness I have discovered a few options for healthy-er snacking! Especially after the week I've had in terms of eating. Let's just say that the menu in ME didn't include anything green. 

I am particularly fond of roasted chick peas, but have recently started experimenting with kale chips. I have not quite gotten the hang of them. I can't get the size down, nor the exact amount of oil to toss them in, which typically has led to some burnt chips {which I actually don't mind the taste of, and they're extra crunchy!} but I did come across this recipe that peaked my interest. I haven't made them yet, but wanted to share what I have found with you. 

Recipe of the day

Kale Chips + Spicy Miso Dip

Recipe spotted on Shape.com

Ingredients:

For the kale chips:
   8 packed cups kale, stems removed, torn into chip-size pieces
   2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
   2 tablespoons roasted sesame oil
   2 teaspoons garlic powder {or more, to taste}
   1/2 teaspoon chili powder or cayenne pepper {or more, to taste}

For miso dip:
   1/2 cup olive oil mayonnaise
   1 tablespoon red or white miso paste
   2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion, cut on the bias

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 
2. Place kale on two cooking sheets lined with aluminum foil. Drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil, and sprinkle with spices to taste. 
3. Bake for 20 minutes or until crisp, rotating pans halfway through. Remove from oven and cool to allow chips to crisp up. 
4. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo and miso. Stir in green onion. 

Notes:

• The dip will last in the fridge for up to one week.

Get the original recipe by clicking here.