Figsinmybelly

I usually tend to cook vegetarian meals at home mostly out of ease – I find it is easier to throw together vegetarian staples than think about where the meat I am buying comes from and how long from when I buy it do I have to cook it.

Every once in a while, though, I feel the urge to cook something with meat, fish, or chicken. There was chicken breast on sale at my local food co-op, so I took advantage of the deal and decided to make an Indian-style chicken curry for dinner.

This chicken curry is full of onion and spices and tomato, and the finishing touch is a stir-in of room temperature (to avoid curdling) yogurt. *This dish could easily be made vegetarian by using cooked chickpeas instead of chicken, just add them in when the recipe says to add in the tomatoes and yogurt. 

And since I was going all out with this recipe, I made a homemade flatbread to go with the curry. The flatbread contains milk and butter, which makes it tastes rich and delicious. You could also serve the curry with rice.

If you are craving some Indian-inspired flavors, try this recipe. It’s great for a weekend or weeknight meal, and even for entertaining friends.  Continue reading →

I am a member of a community of health and dietitian bloggers called The Recipe Redux. The Latin “redux” means to revisit or reinvent, and the aim of The Recipe Redux is to reinvent the idea of healthy eating with a taste-first approach.

On the 21st and 22nd of each month, members of this community receive a unique recipe challenge. This month’s challenge is: Sheet Pan Meals. We love throwing ingredients together on a sheet pan and roasting for a simple sheet pan dinner. They make busy weeknights a bit more manageable. (And clean-up isn’t bad either!) Show us your healthy take on a sheet pan meal.

September is here, fall is upon us, and we can all start to use our ovens again without overheating the entire house.

This sheet pan meal uses a quick source of protein (chicken sausage), a hearty starchy vegetable (winter squash), and a leafy green (kale) to create a balanced meal that goes from oven to table in 30 minutes. Continue reading →

I am a member of a community of health and dietitian bloggers called The Recipe Redux. The Latin “redux” means to revisit or reinvent, and the aim of The Recipe Redux is to reinvent the idea of healthy eating with a taste-first approach.

On the 21st and 22nd of each month, members of this community receive a unique recipe challenge. This month’s challenge is: Rise and Shine with a Savory Breakfast. Show us a healthy take on eating a protein-packed savory or dinner-inspired dish for breakfast. 

If I make myself breakfast on a weekday,  I usually tend to lean toward my sweeter go-to’s like oatmeal, yogurt, or nut butter on toast with fruit. I like eggs and avocados and bagels, but sometimes those foods feel like more ‘work’ before I even get to work.

So for this month, I am bringing back an old savory favorite, the tofu scramble. Continue reading →

I am a member of a community of health and dietitian bloggers called The Recipe Redux. The Latin “redux” means to revisit or reinvent, and the aim of The Recipe Redux is to reinvent the idea of healthy eating with a taste-first approach.

On the 21st and 22nd of each month, members of this community receive a unique recipe challenge. This month’s challenge is all about beating the heat. Whether you go slow or fast, just don’t turn on the oven. 

I am using the microwave to indulge my chocolate cravings without heating up the entire apartment. While this is not nearly my favorite type of cake, it hits the spot for a quick and kinda healthy-ish single-serving fix.

This chocolate ramekin / mug cake is made with equal parts flour and cocoa powder, uses 1/4 teaspoon liquid fat (melted coconut oil, butter, or canola oil) and a few spoons of applesauce or yogurt.  Continue reading →

For the past 6 months I have been blogging for Savor Health‘s “Savor Cooks” series highlighting a seasonal fruit or vegetable of the month with corresponding recipes.

The recipes are posted every month on the Savor Health blog.

See below for some of the recipes I created so far this year, and don’t forget to eat your fruits and veggies EVERY day!

Matcha Kiwi Banana ‘Ice Cream’ Continue reading →

I am a member of a community of health and dietitian bloggers called The Recipe Redux. The Latin “redux” means to revisit or reinvent, and the aim of The Recipe Redux is to reinvent the idea of healthy eating with a taste-first approach.

On the 21st and 22nd of each month, members of this community receive a unique recipe challenge. This month’s challenge is all about making healthy, colorful cocktails and mocktails for spring and summer celebrations.

I came home from the store this week with a carton of strawberries– my first strawberries of the season! After eating a few right out of the sink, I set to work preparing a strawberry simple syrup.

With strawberry simple syrup on hand, I can make my own strawberry soda by topping a shot or two of syrup with seltzer water. What a pretty way to stay hydrated on a sunny spring day.  Continue reading →

Every few months I get a package with a Cranberry Bog Blogger Recipe Challenge. This month is all about using dried cranberries.

Dried cranberries add fiber and sweetness to snacks and meals, and they store well at room temperature. This video from the Cranberry Marketing Committee shows how to enjoy Dried Cranberries, 5 Ways featuring:

• Cranberry Chicken Salad
• Baked Brie with Dried Cranberries
• Spinach Salad with Cranberries
• Cranberry Trail Mix
• Ladybugs on a Log

Below are 2 recipes I created that use dried cranberries:

• Cranberry-Fig-Pecan-Almond Charoset
• Cranberry, Carrot, and Acorn Squash Salad with Parsley and Feta

Continue reading →