Grapes | 20something cupcakes

simple fruit + cheese plate.

September 17, 2011 — 2 Comments

You probably don’t need me to tell you how to put together a cheese plate as simple as this one.

A cheese plate doesn’t require a recipe, though you could certainly make your own miniature cheese spreads and salads if you wanted to. For me, I think back to what I learned from Ina long ago: Don’t make everything from scratch when entertaining. If you’re reading this, you probably know that that can be rather difficult for me. For whatever reason, I feel the need to make juices from scratch rather than buying them. I can’t help myself – it’s how I roll. Sometimes I watch Ina buy a pound cake from the market and I think to myself, “I wish I could do that.” Maybe if I had markets as fabulous as Ina has to shop at, I would do things like that. That’s what I tell myself, anyway.

In Fabulously Simple, Starters cheese plate, easy appetizers, grapes, strawberries, summer recipes

waldorf chicken salad, lightened up.

August 2, 2010 — 3 Comments

Greek yogurt has officially changed my life.

At first, it only found its way into the mini-meals I consume throughout the day, usually consisting of yogurt, berries, nuts, and bit of honey.

But now – since discovering that you can use it in place of mayo in a creamy chicken {or tuna} salad – now, it’s on.

Why am I so obsessed? For one, it packs a serious protein punch: one cup gets you about 20 grams. And when you use the plain, which I do, you’re getting the lowest amount of sugar possible. It’s also fat free, of course, and it has a perfectly creamy and slightly tangy taste.

It’s perfect in this salad, which I made for dinner served over a bed of cold, crisp Romaine. You could also eat it plain, or grab some bread or a wrap and sandwich it up. The idea is that you’re replacing half of the mayo – or less, or more if you’d like – with the Greek yogurt, lowering the total fat content and up-ing the protein. It’s a pretty much a win-win.

Skinny Waldorf Chicken Salad

Adapted from Skinny Taste

2 poached chicken breasts, cubed {I poached in water; see original recipe if you want to use chicken broth}
2 apples, chopped
2 cups halved red seedless grapes
1 cup celery, chopped
1/4 – 1/2 cup good light mayo
1/4 – 1/2 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup pecans or walnuts
Mixed greens of your choice {I used Romaine}

To poach the chicken, place the breasts in a pot and fill the pot with enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil, and then turn the heat down and let them simmer for a few minutes. Take the pot off the heat, cover it, and let the chicken continue to cook for about 15-20 minutes. You can use chicken broth instead of water if you’d like, and adding veggies or herbs will help you add more flavor. I wasn’t that concerned with flavoring the chicken for a salad like this, but I did throw in a few celery leaves just because they were there.

Combine all ingredients, adding nuts just before serving, and serve over salad greens of your choice.

I used more Greek yogurt than Gina did in her original recipe, because I wanted to make it even healthier – and we all know I’m a little protein obsessed. Feel free to play with the proportions to your taste.

In Healthy Eats, Salad Bar apples, celery, chicken, grapes, greek yogurt, how to poach chicken breasts, lunch, main course salads

Goat cheese makes everything better.

Not only is it delicious, but it’s naturally lower in fat and calories – yet higher in calcium – than cheese produced from cow’s milk. It also averages about 5 grams of protein per 1 ounce serving – which you know I’m a fan of! (And if not, you can read about my obsession with protein here.) Another fun fact of the day is that it’s easier to digest – many who are lactose-intolerant are able to happily eat cheese produced from goat’s milk.

Now that we’re all schooled up on the benefits of goat cheese, let’s get back to the salad. Goat cheese is one of my favorite things to add to a salad because it just deposits that rich, tangy flavor all throughout the dish. It goes great with so many different types of fruits and veggies, but here I added red seedless grapes – which was a perfect complement. I also paired it with a dill vinaigrette which was delicious, healthy, and most importantly – easy.

Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese and Grapes

Adapted from BHG

1 package salad greens
2 chicken breast halves (either grilled or Rotisserie)
1 cup red seedless grapes, halved
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled

For the dill vinaigrette:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced (or you can use 1 tablespoon dried)
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

First, make your dressing. This is a very simple vinaigrette – so I forgo my Magic Bullet and just whisk my vinegar and seasonings together, and then add the olive oil in a slow stream. You could also easily shake it all together in a small jar. And as for the chicken, I went with a pre-purchased Rotisserie from the deli. It makes life that much easier. You can also grill your chicken on a grill pan, Foreman, or – if you’re lucky enough to have one – an outdoor grill.

Toast your pine nuts by tossing them in a pan (dry pan – not nonstick) over medium heat for a few minutes, or throwing them on a sheet pan into the oven (set to 350 degrees) for 5-10 minutes. Be careful they don’t burn! You just want to lightly brown them to bring out their flavor – but it’s definitely not a necessity if you’re feeling lazy – you can always throw them in raw.

Now just grab your salad bowl and add your greens. You can use whatever you like – I think I used a Romaine mix here, but spring greens would be especially good. Slice up your chicken and add it to the bowl, along with the grapes, pine nuts, and goat cheese. Pour some of your freshly-made dill vinaigrette over the salad and enjoy.

Serves 2.

ladies who lunch.

March 22, 2010 — 7 Comments

Does lunch get any more fabulous when this is where you’re sitting?

Yes, it does. Enter melon-infused wine.

And gazpacho made with fresh green grapes, alongside tomato and mozzarella sandwiches.

Leave it to my fabulous Aunt Sandy to serve this up on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Honestly – she is the most wonderful aunt (friend, mentor, and woman, really) anyone could ask for – and I know I’m biased, but it’s the truth. She has inspired me since I was a little girl, and the recent discovery of my own passion for cooking has taken it to the next level. She’s a true gourmet chef, the hostess of all hostesses, and SO much more.

I have to say – my favorite part of the day was the discovery of this new way to enjoy white wine. All you do is take a melon baller and scoop your melon into balls (you can really use any melon here, but we did cantaloupe), place them into a carafe or pitcher, then pour your wine in (we used a pinot grigio) and let it soak for a day or so. The melon balls are like little sponges for the wine, you will be surprised at how much they absorb! We also added several fresh sprigs of mint, which was a perfect addition. The end result is so crisp and refreshing, and just *screams* to be drank on a beautiful spring day.

Then there was a little caprese sandwich station where she had set up beautifully thick tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, arugula, prosciutto, and turkey all on a stand, complete with mayonnaise, sun-dried tomato spread, and french bread, of course. The presentation was simple but made it so much more special than serving the sandwiches on a plate.

And what other way is there to eat a gazpacho other than out of a martini glass? This is what it’s all about – a simple change in serveware to make things fun and elegant. The gazpacho was a chilled, puréed mixture of green grapes, almonds, lowfat buttermilk, garlic, and scallions; it was so delicious and unique, and the garlic really took it to the next level.

{Note: This gazpacho was born from some extra grapes and buttermilk that my aunt needed to use – and that is my definition of a true chef. When you understand ingredients and how they work together, something as simple as leftovers in your fridge have the ability to form a perfect dish.}