RECIPE | REDUCED GUILT SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP

I had been craving Spinach and Artichoke Dip for weeks and having leftover crackers from a wine and cheese night with the girls, I decided to try my hand at a healthier alternative.  I traded sour cream for non-fat Greek yogurt, 2% low-fat milk mozzarella cheese and low fat whipped cream cheese.  The experiment turned out quite impressively and my roommate could not even tell that I had swapped some of the traditional ingredients.  This recipe is very simple, great for those on the go or don't want to purchase too many ingredients.  For a party, I would top with parmesan cheese, but seeing that I don't cook with parmesan much, I decided to double duty the mozzarella.

Nutrition Fast Facts:

Artichoke: one of the top ten highest antioxidant-rich foods

Spinach: rich in carotenoids, vitamin K, and anti-inflammatory flavonoids

RECIPE | CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE STUFFED PRETZELS

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you read that correctly, chocolate chip cookie stuffed pretzels.  This was my first attempt and they were a huge hit!  These pretzels have a wonderfully soft and doughy pretzel plus a gooey chocolate chip cookie filling.  I adapted the following recipe from Half Baked Harvest.

RECIPE | HEARTY KALE AND SWEET POTATO SOUP

Spring may be here but there are still those chilly evenings that call for a pot of hearty soup.  I found this recipe in the January edition of the Oprah Magazine and with a few tweaks, this one is sure to stay in my cold weather arsenal.  There are so many textures, flavors and colors in this soup, making it filling without being heavy.

Nutrition Fast Facts:
Kale: rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, folate, and antioxidants that help fight inflammation.
Sweet potato: also rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C, slow-release carbohydrates to regulate blood sugar levels, and potassium

RECIPE | BLOOD ORANGE-WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE MACARON FILLING

Macarons are perhaps the most frustrating yet satisfying things I have ever baked.  Still, I am determined to master these finicky cookies one day. For this round, I used Food Noveau's detailed step-by-step guide and aside from under baking the first batch, these were a success.  Since blood oranges are in season, I filled my macarons with blood orange-white chocolate ganache.  The combination is delectably sweet, creamy and a tad tart. Mmm...simply divine!

      

RECIPE | GARLIC CHIVE SALAD

Finding garlic chives at my local farmer's market instantly reminded me of the chive salad (buchu muchim, I believe) I had at Korean barbecue a few weeks back.  My rendition is much different than that I had experienced at the restaurant, but this recipe is still tasty and most importantly, quick to make.

Nutrition Fast Facts:

Chives: detoxifying sulphur and quercetin, an anti-inflammatory flavonoid

Garlic: contains antibacterial and antifungal sulfurous compounds, stimulates nitric oxide production in the blood vessels, which helps lower blood pressure 

Sesame seeds: good source of vitamin E and calcium 

RECIPE | THE BEST BRINE

Thanksgiving may have come and gone but that doesn't mean this turkey brine recipe has to be put away for another year....it works great with chicken too! This recipe by the Pioneer Woman produced the best tasting turkey I have ever had. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the best. Dry, crumbly white meat? No more. Every bite of meat is juicy and the skin has a wonderful crunch of citrus, fresh herbs and the right amount of salt.