Snack Attack

I would definitely be okay with living off of appetizers.
Everything tastes better when it's mini and made into a dip anyway, right?

Which leads me to the reason for this post: Spinach and Artichoke Dip and Jalapeño Poppers.

Before I get into the recipes, I have a confession to make...
Although I made these for us to enjoy on Superbowl Sunday, we didn't actually watch the Superbowl, per se... whoops. In my defense, the food is the best part anyway and we had a lot of shows on the DVR to catch up on! I know, I know...next year for sure.

Whatever the occasion, both of these recipes are sure to please and easy to make!

For the Jalapeño Poppers, you will need:

- WHOLE jalapeños (as many as you want, I had 6 wish made 12 poppers)
-cream cheese
-bread crumbs

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Wearing gloves, cut the top (stem) off each jalapeño and then cut each in half lengthwise. Next, filled each half with cream cheese and rolled them in breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes. That's it!

Warning: These turned out too spicy for me to eat more than one :( but the BF loved them! It depends on how spicy the jalapeños you buy are, but you may want to try this with a slightly milder pepper if you're a wuss like me.


For the Spinach and Artichoke Dip, you will need:

-1 8oz. container of cream cheese
-1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
-1/2 block of sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 oz.) + another 1/4 of the block (about 2 oz.)
-1/2 tsp. black pepper
-1 tsp. garlic powder
1 can of artichoke hearts (drained and chopped)
-1 cup of packed frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed dry)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients in a bowl (except the extra 2 oz. of cheese - that's for the top). Spread the mixture in a pie pan or other shallow baking dish and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake for about 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips, pita chips, or crackers.

Side Note: We basically ate this entire dish of dip in one sitting...it's that good. Also we're gluttons for snack foods. 

Breakfast (Smoothie) of Champions!

I've been a little lazy with the cooking and blogging lately, but now that we're starting to get settled here in Florida, I'm trying to get back on the bandwagon.

This is a very simple and easy breakfast (or dessert) smoothie that is also ridiculously healthy
and ridiculously delicious. (I just finished mine and I'm considering making another one for lunch).

Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT be deterred by its green hue! It tastes nothing like "green" as some people might say... and I think the color is actually quite pretty.



Here we go! Ingredients:

- 1 frozen banana
- a handful of spinach (this is not much)
- 2 dashes of cinnamon
- a dash of nutmeg
- about a cup of coconut milk (or any other milk you like)






Directions:
Put everything into a blender (or nutribullet, which is what I used), and blend until smooth. Drink!


Now some of you might be wondering, 'what's so great about a smoothie with bananas and spinach in it? And what's up with the cinnamon and nutmeg!?' 

Well, besides all the ingredients being yummy, here's why they are also really good for you:

Bananas

 

Spinach                       

Cinnamon

Nutmeg



Happy Blending! :)

Spinach Shrimp Quesadillas

 Some of the most delicious meals can be made from fridge leftovers.

Quesadillas are especially good for leftover concoctions. You can literally put anything in them. We had shrimp and spinach in the freezer, so I went in that direction. It was a good decision for a Friday night quickie dinner. 

Here is what I used, but like I said there are many variations:

-1/2 a white onion, chopped

-1/2 a jalapeno, chopped 

-shredded cheddar cheese

-flour tortillas

-shrimp, thawed and patted dry

~1/3 cup chopped (frozen) spinach

-a dash each of: cumin, chili powder, salt and cilantro 

Directions: 

In a small pan, saute the onion, jalapeno, spinach and spices in olive oil. Then add in the shrimp and cook for another minute. In another pan, (NOT oiled) place a tortilla. Turn it on medium-low. Put cheese on the tortilla, and then spoon some of the filling you cooked on top. 

Cover with another tortilla. Cook for about 5 minutes (or until slightly brown on bottom) and then carefully flip over with a spatula. Cook for another 5 minutes. 

Eat! 

Chicken Tikka Saag

Today, I took the day off work to go to a doctor appointment, which I thought would mean I'd have the other 7 hours of my day to lounge around.
I was way off. Somehow, having a day off to relax suddenly turns into 'chore day'. #bummer.
So, I did laundry, cleaned, went to visit some old co-workers, went to my check-up appointment, aaaaaanndddd made Indian food in the Crockpot for dinner! :)

So here it is! My first attempt at making Chicken Tikka Saag (in the Crockpot)!
From what I understand, 'saag' means spinach and 'tikka' just means little pieces, so basically this recipe is chicken with spinach and some 'Indian' spices.

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
-1 large chicken breast (I used frozen)
-2 cups frozen chopped spinach
-1 cup chicken stock (which I made using 1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon + 1 cup water)
-1 small onion, chopped
-1/2 tsp. chili powder
-1/2 tsp. coriander
-1/2 tsp. cumin
-1/2 tsp. crushed garlic
-1 tsp. garam masala (which is an Indian spice mix)
-a few turns of the black pepper grinder (to taste)

Directions:
Throw everything in the Crockpot, (liquids and chicken first), then cover and set to low for about 8 hours. Shred chicken. Serve with rice.

*Notes* 
This is a very healthy dish, however that to me, makes it taste slightly less authentic in a way. Next time I make this, I might try using some olive oil or coconut milk, to give it a little creamy nudge.

Also, I'm just now realizing that this a very frugal meal to make, which is awesome! I'm thinking about adding price approximations to the meals I make from now on! :)

I hope you try this recipe! Enjoy!