Antioxidant Martini

Merry Christmas to all!  

Last weekend we stayed downtown at the W Chicago.  

While we were there I had the most amazing drink, an Antioxidant Martini! 

 I was determined to make one at home and enjoy it with all my holiday festivities. 

 It turned out fantastic.  

A must try!!!  

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I found a link to a video making the same drink at M Waterfront Grille in Naples, Fl.

Watch and Learn

Link to video

4 simple ingredients

Veev

Fresh Lemon Juice

Pom (Pomegranate Juice)

Agave (or any sweetener  - you just need a dash)

Check out more information on Veev and the superfruit Acai at their website.

Link to veevlife.com

Veev

A great alternative to any vodka drink!

Pomegranate juice - another superfruit!

Maple syrup, honey,  and simple syrup (2 parts water, 1 part sugar) are great substitutes for Agave. 

Detox Smoothies

Are you trying to find balance as you rush through the holidays and begin a new year filled with resolutions? I always try and take 30 minutes a day to myself and just sit down and breath.  

Making yourself a drink like a cup of tea,  a smoothie or a glass of fresh juice 

is a great way to make yourself sit down for a moment.  

 Whole Living offers 7 detox smoothies.  

I made the Mango-Coconut Water Smoothie. 

 It was so refreshing!  I can't wait to try them all.  

Link to 7 Detox Smoothies

A pinch of red pepper gave this smoothie just the kick it needed! 

Indian-Spiced Chicken and Quinoa

Ingredients:

2 cups water

2 T chopped ginger

1/2 t salt

1 cup Quinoa or any kind of rice

1 lb boneless chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces

handful snap peas, green or red pepper, and green beans

1t curry powder, cinnamon, cardamom,  ground cloves, red pepper flakes, 

coriander, ground black peppercorns.

1 cup almond, coconut or cows milk (I used almond milk)

2 T lime or lemon juice

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Directions:

1. Bring 2 cups of water, 1 T of ginger and 1/4 t salt to a boil.   

Stir in 1 cup of Quinoa or any kind of rice.

Reduce heat to medium-low. 

Cover an cook 45 to 50 minutes.

2. Sprinkle curry, cinnamon, cardamom,  

ground cloves, red pepper flakes, coriander, 

ground black peppercorns. 

1t of each

Rub on each side of the chicken chicken.

( I cut up my chicken into 1 inch pieces after I cooked it)

Saute chicken until cooked.

Set aside.

 The spices leave a crispy outside, while the chicken is so moist inside.  

3. Chop up the following: 

a handful of snap peas, green beans, green pepper 

(red peppers would have brought more color to this dish), 

  onion, garlic and ginger

4.  Coat pan with cooking spray and set on medium-high heat. 

Stir in onions, garlic and 1T ginger.  

 Cook for 5 minutes, or until soft.

Add beans, snap peas and peppers. 

Cook for 7 minutes or until veggies are crisp-tender.

Add milk, chicken and cooked Quinoa.

Cook 1 minute.

Stir in lime juice.

Serve.

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This dish is so flavorful! 

Toothpicks and Marshmallows

Need a fun project to do while the kids are home for the holidays?  

 Our wonderful sitter Megan had fun this weekend with the boys making these awesome towers.  

Quick Tip - She left the marshmallows open overnight so they would harden a little.  

The boys just loved this project!  

Try it.  

Christmas Tree Fresh Veggie Pizza

Christmas Tree Fresh Veggie Pizza

 Christmas Appetizer

I love festive treats.  When I saw this one on Make Myself at Home blog,

 I just had to make it for the boys as an after school snack today.  The recipe is linked below.  I made my tree with just crescent rolls, cream cheese and veggies.  The original recipe combines cream cheese, sour cream and dill.  Make it any way you like. 

Link to Recipe

Use whatever veggies you have or like.

You need 16 crescent rolls ( 2 packages)

Arrange on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

You can use cookie cutters on veggies! 

Cut up your veggies

Perfect!

Spread cream cheese.

Add your veggies.

I love my new platter from Crate and Barrel - thanks to my sister Christine!

Tear apart and enjoy!

Pork Lettuce Wraps

While waiting in the grocery store checkout line, I am always reading the cover of all the gossip magazines.  This week, however, my attention was drawn to the magazine Prevention and the headline "15 Recipes That Fight Fat And Taste Amazing".  I decided to buy the magazine and try out some recipes.   I made their pork lettuce wraps.  They were deliciously light, but oh so filling.  

Ingredients

1 lb extra lean ground pork

 (I used Italian extra-lean sausage and squeezed it out of the casing)

You can use any ground meat.

2/3 cup brown rice

(I used Quinoa Blend)

2 carrots, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 bunch scallions, chopped

2 T fresh ginger, chopped

2 T reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 T fresh lime juice

1/2 t grated lime peel

1/4 t red pepper flakes (add if you like)

1/4 t salt

1 head Boston Lettuce

(Boston Lettuce folds and wraps so nicely)

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1. Cook rice (Quinoa) according to package directions.

2. Cook ground pork in skillet and remove to a plate.

3. Coat skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat.  

Stir in carrots, bell peppers, scallions, and ginger.  Cook 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender.

4. Add soy sauce, lime juice, lime peel, pepper flakes, salt, pork and rice.  

Cook and toss 1 minute, or until heated through. 

5. Arrange lettuce on platter.  Divide pork mixture among leaves and fold into bundles.

The fresh ginger makes these veggies so good on their own too.  

Kid friendly approach...

Keep the ingredients separate and let your kids decide what they want in their wraps.

I've used Romaine Lettuce before, but Boston Lettuce wraps better. 

Salad Bar with 

Ginger Chicken,

 Pretzel Bread Croutons,

and Pomegranate Balsamic Dressing

We love salad bar in our house.  Everyone gets to make their salad exactly the way they want.  

This week we made delicious ginger chicken, pretzel croutons and fresh pomegranate dressing.  

Yum, Yum, Yum!

Broccoli, currants, carrots, pomegranate seeds, almonds, yellow peppers,

 tomatoes, pretzel croutons,  and dried cranberries.

I did something different with the lettuce this week.  I mixed 3 different store bought packages together...

Fresh Spring Greens and Herbs, Vegetable Slaw and Kale.

(1/2 bag of each)  

Ginger Garlic Marinade

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 teaspoon ginger (I used fresh chopped ginger)

3 medium garlic cloves , crushed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 lb skinless chicken breast

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Last year I started to sear my meat on a grill pan before baking it in the oven.

Sear on high heat for about 1 minute on each side.

It gives the meat a great texture.

Pretzel Bread Croutons

 (Use any kind of your favorite bread)

Cut up bread into cubes.

Sprinkle with oil, grated cheese and herbs.

Place on a baking sheet and cook until golden brown and crispy.

About 10 to 15 minutes.

Pomegranate Dressing 

Link to How to Make Dressing from a Previous Blog Post