Orange Nectarine Raspberry Smoothie

I made a pretty awesome smoothie on Saturday afternoon for the hubs and I. It was really refreshing on the scorching day we were having. However, although it does have a bunch of fruit in it, it's very high in sugar, so it's not the healthiest drink, but still not the worst. It hit the spot and I'd still recommend giving it a try (just not every day!)

I used the awesome magic bullet my sister gave us to make this one. I didn't measure anything, so just eyeball it and add more of whichever ingredient is your fave - it's really good with a little extra sorbet!

• Get your blender or magic bullet
• Add a little orange juice 
• Cut up a ripe nectarine and toss it in
• Add a few spoonfuls of raspberry sorbet
• Blend to break up the chunks of nectarine
• Then add ice, blend some more and you're good to go

It's seriously so good (and I HATE orange juice). Super refreshing. I also think it would be an awesome cocktail if you just add a few splashes of raspberry flavored vodka.


Do you have any delicious, refreshing smoothie recipes to share?

What I Pinned: Pinterest March 2012

I'm a little behind on this, but these are my March faves from Pinterest...follow my boards to see more!

Coffee Table: I pretty much love everything about this room, but I pinned it especially for the coffee table. I love the industrial look with the metal frame, the casters and the farmhouse appeal of the wood. I'm trying to figure out how I can make this myself.

Natural Dyes for Easter Eggs: Perfect to try this weekend. I don't think Jon & I will be dying Easter eggs this year, but good to have for reference.

Red Bench from World Market: I'm really digging this bench, also available in a few other colors. It's pretty inexpensive as well, but I've never purchased anything from World Market before, so I'm not sure about the quality, but I think it would look super cute on our front porch.

Jalapeno Cilantro Margarita Recipe: Ohmygod this sounds delicious! A spicy jalapeno mingled with refreshing cilantro and lime - it's the perfect summer cocktail. I hope to be enjoying many of these on the patio this summer!

Luggage Shelves: I already wrote a post on these because I'm so in LOVE with them. I really really really NEED to do this in my office. If anyone has any vintage luggage they'd like to donate to the project, please let me know!! Such an amazing idea!

Stools, Table, Chevron Print: Ignore that this table has Christmas decorations on it. Now can we talk about how adorable those little stools are?! I freakin love them. And I love the chevron print in the backround that I originally thought was paint or wallpaper, but just realized it's art - genius! I love the colors, the cross between the glossy white table, the modern chevron print and the vintage stools that look like they were made from crates, and the mix of metal & wood. I want this in my house!

Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls: Just say buffalo and chicken in the same sentence and my mouth waters. These little egg rolls look amazingly delicious and easy to make...bonus that they boast to be only 100 calories each!

White & Green Kitchen: I want to make something in this kitchen, perhaps the buffalo chicken spring rolls and a jalapeno cilantro margarita? (smile) It's just so bright and welcoming and the pop of green against the white & gray color scheme really makes the island the focal point of the room. I want an island, sigh.

50+ Wood Pallet Project Ideas: So many great ideas for transforming wood pallets into functional pieces for your home. I have been dying to do something with pallets and there are tons of options on this site.

And for dessert....

Pretzel Crusted, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Pie: Wow! I actually made this a few weeks ago to bring to a friend's for dessert. It was incredible. Seriously rich, so you can't eat too much, but it was amazing. If you like cookies, chocolate and peanut butter, and who doesn't, then you need to try this dessert. It was really quick and easy to make too - definitely my kind of recipe.

What have you been pinning? Leave your pinterest link below so I can check out your pins and follow you too!

Recipe: Spicy, Roasted Chickpeas

I'm forcing myself to leave the kitchen...because I just made these & they're SO good!

I've been trying to eat healthier these days, but have found myself craving carbs, crunch & salt in the afternoons. I haven't given in, but have been searching for a healthier solution to satisfy all these cravings, in a healthy way.

Enter chickpeas. They're packed with nutrients, protein, good fats and are relatively low on the glycemic index. The dried variety are more nutritious than canned, but I used canned to make mine cuz that's all I had.

Here's how I did it (I didn't measure anything):

• Can of chickpeas, rinsed & patted dry
• Throw in a bowl & add olive oil, cayenne pepper, chili pepper, onion powder, garam masala, salt & pepper
• Mix everything together so they're evenly coated with EVOO and spices, then spread on a cookie sheet
• Stick in the oven at 450 for 30-40 minutes. (I checked it at 30 & took the really browned chickpeas out. Then cooked the rest for about another ten mins until they were slightly browned and crunchy)

Then I ate a handful :-)

They came out really good. They're super crunchy, spicy and just a tad salty.

Here's to hoping this will satisfy my 3pm carbohydrate craving tomorrow!

~Amy

Chicken with Israeli Couscous, Spinach & Feta

I hate cooking. I don't know what it is but I just find it stressful, I hate the mess it makes (prob got that from my mom!) and I am usually awful at it. So Jon does most of the cooking in our house (while I drink the wine). I do however love to bake and am pretty good at that.

But, I stumbled across this recipe by searching for recipes with some ingredients I already had on hand - chicken & Israeli couscous. Israeli couscous is so much better than regular couscous, by the way. This dinner was super easy to make and ended up being edible (which is always a plus!) and actually pretty tasty. It was filling & healthy too. Thought I'd share the wealth. Forgive the horrible iPhone photo, but that's all I had with me. Plus food usually doesn't photograph that well when I'm behind the camera anyway.


The only thing I would change is to eliminate a little of the lemon juice. It was really lemony...I think that was from the dressing I put on at the end, so I'd probably do slightly less than that. Otherwise...yum!


Chicken with Israeli Couscous, Spinach and Feta
2 servings


1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 (6 to 8 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
Table salt and ground black pepper
3 TBL olive oil
3/4 cup Israeli couscous
1 shallot, minced (about 3 TBL) - I used regular onions b/c we didn't have shallots 
3 garlic cloves, minced (about 3 TBL)
1/2 tsp grated zest plus 3 TBL fresh juice from 1 lemon
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
6 oz baby spinach (about 6 cups)
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)


1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 200 degrees. Place the flour in a shallow dish. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt & pepper. Working with one breast at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off excess.


2. Heat 1 TBL of the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Lay the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook until well browned on the first side, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip and reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook until the thickest part of the breast registers 160 to 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 6 to 8 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a plate, tent loosely with foil, and let rest in the warm oven while prepping the couscous.


3. Wipe out the skillet with a wad of paper towels. Add 1 TBL oil and the couscous to the skillet and toast over medium heat until light golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the shallot, 2 tsp of the garlic, 1/4 tsp of the lemon zest, and 1/8 tsp of the pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.


4. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.


5. Meanwhile, whisk 1 TBL of the lemon juice, remaining 1 TBL of oil, remaining 1 tsp garlic, remaining 1/4 tsp lemon zest and remaining 1/8 tsp pepper flakes together in a small bowl.


6. Stir in the spinach, one handful at a time, into the skillet and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the feta and remaining 1 TBL lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the couscous between two plates and top with the chicken. Drizzle with the lemon juice mixture, serve and enjoy!


Do you have any quick go to recipes to make after work? Share with me!

~Amy