Monthly Archives: May 2012

Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip

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So I’ve been MIA the past 2 weeks…oops.  I’ve been super busy, so when I actually got the chance to sit down, I mostly just watched TV and relaxed.  Lazy I know, but it felt good.  We have had super fun weekends the past two.  We went to Niagara Falls with our friends Maria and Rob which was of course a great time!  This is us before we boarded the Maid of the Mist and got a close up view of the falls which was so awesome!

This past weekend, we went to Huntingdon, PA to hang out with a few friends from college.  It is always great to see them, eat, and just spend time together.  This time we went on two hikes, one up a mountain over 1,000 steps (literal rock ledge steps) and my calves are most definitely feeling it.

It’s always great to be able to spend time with friends, so I’m so glad we were able too!

Now it’s back to a normal week, except it is getting to be more and more like summer everyday which makes me very happy.

There are so many recipes for Buffalo Chicken Dip, so I wanted to see what I could come up with that would be healthier, but still have that spicy/creamy taste. This is just the ticket!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

6 oz fat free plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp hot sauce (or more to taste)
2-4 chicken breasts
2 c cooked cauliflower (optional)
2 tsp ranch seasoning mix

Grill chicken breasts sprinkled 1 tsp ranch seasoning mix (recipe below).  I used my George Foreman.  Shred Chicken, or cut into small pieces.

You can use 4 chicken breasts, or for something a bit lighter use 2 chicken breasts and 2 c cooked cauliflower cut into small pieces.

In a medium saucepan, add Greek yogurt, hot sauce, ranch seasoning mix, and chicken (or chicken and cauliflower mix) and heat until hot and everything is mixed together.

Serve immediately, as a dip, in a Sandwich, or on top of salad.  The possibilities are endless.

Ranch Seasoning Mix

1 tsp dried parsley
3/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp dried thyme

Mix everything together.

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Cinco De Mayo

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Happy Cinco De Mayo!

I plan on enjoying today to its fullest!  I started off right with a delicious breakfast, that I called my Cinco De Mayo breakfast, though only for the eggs.

I scrambled 3 egg whites, with a little bit of spinach, added 1/4 of an avocado and my favorite salsa.  Then finished it off with a little bit of pepper.  Oh man, so good!

My favorite salsa by the way is most definitely Trader Joe’s Habanero and Lime:

It has in my opinion the perfect amount of spiciness, with a slight lime flavor.  And it has carrots in it!

John and I are going to ride our bikes all day, so I wanted a protein filled breakfast.  along with my Cinco De Mayo eggs, I also had a whole wheat, low carb tortilla with my Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter and fresh pineapple.

I’m looking forward to enjoying Mexican food, chips and salsa and of course margaritas tonight too!  Hope everyone has a great day!

 

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Healthier Alfredo Sauce

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We had such a busy, yet great weekend in York/Hershey/Harrisburg!  We did a tasting tour at Troegs Brewery and also went to Hershey’s Chocolate World.

Beer and Chocolate you know…what could be better than that? This was all in the morning/early afternoon before my friend Rachel’s wedding which was beautiful!

On Sunday after church we went to a Japanese Restaurant for lunch, then went hiking at Rocky Ridge followed by Rita’s Italian Ice before heading back to Pittsburgh!  A day filled with a lot of my favorite things, including spending time with my parents. The Exercise trail at Rocky Ridge is always a fun time!

I learned through all of this that I really need to work on taking pictures to make my blog more interesting.

This weekend was the beginning of lots of weekends to look forward to, then summer with even more to look forward too!  I love that feeling!

Last week I was so busy that I didn’t eat dinner at home once.  This week I was excited to plan out meals and start cooking and eating at home again. We’re getting into different types of foods for the spring/summer season and I’m excited to try several new recipes, including a lot of salad.  Last night however, I made a hearty meal of Broccoli, Chicken, and Pasta with Healthier Alfredo Sauce.  We went for a bike ride last night so I thought this would be a good, fulfilling meal to have. And it was!

Broccoli, Chicken, and Pasta with Healthier Alfredo Sauce

Prep

I had John grill a chicken breast on our George Foreman with a little bit of salt and pepper before I got home to save some time.

Then I boiled water on the stove, and added the pasta and broccoli.  Brought to a boil again, and boiled for about 8 minutes or until the pasta was al dente or however you like it.

Healthier Alfredo Sauce

1 tbsp butter or oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 c 0% Greek yogurt
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
2-4 tbsp water

Melt butter or oil, then add minced garlic. Saute for about 1 minute.

Stir in salt, pepper, basil, and oregano.  Cook for another 2 minutes.

Add Greek yogurt and stir until softened.

Add cheese.  Stir until combined and cheese starts to melt.

Add water to desired sauce consistency.  Stirring until sauce is heated through and cheese is melted.

Drain pasta and broccoli and put back in pot over low heat. Stir in chicken chopped into bite sized pieces.  Add Alfredo Sauce.  Stir until combined.

Serve with a little more Parmesan cheese on top, and you’ve got that delicious Alfredo Sauce you crave with a fraction of the calories.  Enjoy!

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