It's a CharM'ed Life: May 2012

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Baked Sweet Potato Fries (the healthy kind!)

You will need...

2 Medium Sweet Potatoes, washed, sliced thin
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400*. Toss together sliced sweet potatoes, oil, salt and pepper. Spread out over a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn/flip potatoes and bake another 15 until golden brown and crispy. Wicked easy, huh!? Enjoy!

A Memorable Weekend

Hhhmmmm... the long weekend was just perfect...quality time with close friends and family, great food and drink, warm, toasty fires and sparklers, snuggles with my sweet smelling Brookie girl (I finally got her to the groomer's), and a little extra time with my one and only love. Such fun. Can't wait to do it all summer long...11.5 more days 'til summer break. This tired teacher is ready for some down time. But boy, how fast time flies!? I can't believe it is the end of yet another school year. Wow.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

A favorite...

My beautiful peonies have officially popped open to welcome summer (I've been waiting all week)! What a perfect kickoff. Happy Saturday. Happy Weekend. xo

Big hugs & thanks to my Auntie Kelly over at The Greeley Girls for giving me this gorgeous plant!

Friday, May 25, 2012

a holiday weekend & some pictures

Have a very happy and safe Memorial Day weekend everyone! I for one am beyond excited to have a few extra fun filled days with my closest family and friends. Time to welcome summer! Enjoy, enjoy! xo

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Tuesday Dins: Chicken Quesadillas

Keeping it simple tonight. This rain is bringing me down, man. Time to brighten up my evening with some yummy, healthy chicken quesadillas. Easy and totally satisfying.

White for the Mr. / Whole Wheat for me

I guess they were good, huh?

You Will Need...

skinless chicken breast, fat trimmed

cumin

oregano

garlic powder

salt and fresh pepper

cooking spray

1/2 small onion, cut into strips

1 bell pepper (red or green) cut into strips

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp oil

1-1/3 cup Weight Watchers Mexican blend shredded cheese

1 cup medium salsa

1 avocado

Maria and Ricardo's Tortilla Factory Multigrain Tortillas

Start by seasoning the chicken generously with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano and garlic powder. Lightly spray a skillet on medium heat with oil or if using a grill, grill chicken until cooked on both sides. Remove from heat and cut chicken into strips, set aside. To the skillet, add 1 tbsp oil and cook onions and peppers, season with salt and pepper. Cook about 2 minutes, add garlic and continue cooking until vegetables are soft being careful not to burn the garlic. When cooked, set aside. Heat skillet on medium heat and lightly spray with oil. Add tortilla, top with cheese, chicken, onions, peppers, and salsa. Top with the other tortilla. Cheese should be melted and the bottom of the tortilla should be golden brown. Put a plate on top of the quesadilla to flip it over onto the plate. Then slide the other side onto the skillet. Cook another minute and remove with a spatula. Cut into wedges and serve with sour cream and sliced avocado for the most perfect Mexican dish!

Inspired by SkinnyTaste.com

Monday, May 21, 2012

What's Cookin' ??

So, I guess we'll stick with food this week. I'm kind of liking weekly themed posting (must be the teacher in me). Tonight for dinner I prepared roasted chicken and broccoli with farfalle/bow tie pasta (cute, cute). Those who know me well enough know my overall dislike for pasta (sorry, pasta people out there). I don't know what it is, I've just never been a fan of it. I've always been more of a meat and potato kind of girl (thanks to my mom, she makes THE BEST mashed potatoes you would ever want to eat). This pasta dish seems to be the only pasta I can eat and actually enjoy! And not for nothin'...it's a skinny girl recipe...even better, huh!? I mixed together two recipes (Chicken Piccata/Roasted Broccoli w Garlic/Oil) to come up with this tasty dish. Perfect for the start of a busy work week! Enjoy.

Ingredients

8 oz high fiber or low carb pasta

3 Chicken Breasts, cut into chunks

1 1/2 lbs broccoli florets

6-8 cloves garlic, smashed

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt and fresh pepper

1/4 cup fresh grated Pecorino Romano

1 tbs light butter

juice of 1 lemon, lemon halves reserved

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup fat free chicken broth

Preheat oven to 450° (hotness, I know). In a baking dish combine broccoli, chicken, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Roast broccoli and chicken about 25-35 minutes, tossing half way, until both are browned and tender.

Meanwhile, boil salted water in a large pot. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente.

For the sauce, prepare a saute pan. Over medium heat, melt butter, add the lemon juice, wine, chicken broth, the reserved lemon halves, salt, and pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Discard the lemon halves. Mix together the broccoli, chicken and pasta. Pour the sauce over bowl of pasta and mix well. Serve with a slice of lemon, a sprinkling of fresh parsley and a glass of Perrier sparkling water and you are good to go!

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Stickin' to it

I am happy to report that my healthy lunch plan has been working! Yayy! So far, so so good. I have been looking forward to my lunches each and every day and have been pretty satisfied with my healthy choices. Here is a sneak peek into tomorrow's lunchbox. Have a great week everyone!

Chobani Pineapple Greek Yogurt with 1/2 cup of Fiber One Cereal and freshly sliced pineapple chunks

Lettuce, sliced red pepper, tomato, broccoli slaw, salsa...I will wrap these with a Weight Watchers Pita

Sound good? Try it!

Inspired by Taralynn of Undressed Skeleton

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Life Lately...

Happy weekend everyone! Here are a couple instagram/iphone pictures from last weekend and earlier this week. Over the next two days the hubs and I will be puppy sitting Prince Preston (my sister's pup). Let's see how my little bubba Brooklyn does with this. Whoa baby! Wish us luck! =)