This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Albertsons. All opinions are 100% mine.

While I’m not the biggest fan of Valentine’s Day (*ahem* Singles Awareness Day), I can always get behind some chocolate covered strawberries, no matter the time of year! Even better — they are about the easiest treat to make and only require three ingredients.

I purchased my ingredients at my local Albertsons. But if you’re short on time, any of the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Safeway, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Randalls, Shaw’s Supermarket, Star Market, Tom Thumb and Vons, offer a wide variety of options for Valentine’s Day, including pre-made chocolate-dipped strawberries, custom floral designs, wine, meat and seafood, custom bakery treats, and more.

And if you want to make things even quicker, Albertsons and Safeway also offer Grocery Delivery and DriveUp & Go for convenient ways to shop! I’ve used this service before and it truly is simple, fast, and efficient.

The strawberries available at Albertsons were bright, plump and shiny — perfect for making these chocolate covered strawberries. Combine semi-sweet chocolate chips and a little coconut oil and you’re ready to rock!

First, wash the berries and make sure they’re dry. You can either let them air dry or dry them with a kitchen towel, but it’s important that they’re no longer wet, otherwise your melted chocolate won’t stick to them.

Next, melt your chocolate along with the coconut oil, taking time to stir between heating time in the microwave. After the chocolate is totally smooth, get your dry berries set to dip, and prepare a small baking tray covered with parchment paper to place your chocolate covered strawberries on.

The key to a good dip is to hold the strawberry by its green top and then dip and swirl the berry around in the melted chocolate. Try to ensure that the chocolate comes as close to the green top as possible. If you have excess chocolate on the berry after its covered, just gently wipe one side on the side of your chocolate bowl and then place that side down onto your parchment paper.

Repeat the process until all the berries are covered and then pop those beautiful little treats into your fridge to set.

Lastly, try not to eat them all before you give them as a surprise. (But I do recommend a quality control sample or two. ) And, it’s totally legit to surprise yourself with these — treating yourself well as a single person is important, too.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

 

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Prep time

3 mins

Cook time

3 mins

Total time

6 mins

 

Chocolate covered strawberries make for an easy, fast, beautiful dessert!

Author: Big Sky, Little Kitchen

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Makes: approximately 22 medium berries

Ingredients

• 16 ounces fresh strawberries
• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil

Instructions

1. Wash the strawberries and let them air dry completely, or dry them off with a clean dish towel or paper towel. (Chocolate won't stick to wet strawberries.)
2. Add chocolate chips and coconut oil to a small microwave safe bowl. Heat the mixture in the microwave in 20 second increments, stirring well after each heating, until the mixture is melted and smooth.
3. Dip strawberries into the melted chocolate, one at a time. Hold strawberry by the leaves, dip into chocolate, swirl, and coat all sides.
4. Lift the berry and allow any excess chocolate to drip off. Place the berry onto a parchment-covered baking sheet.
5. Repeat until all strawberries are chocolate-coated. Transfer the dipped strawberries to refrigerator and let the chocolate set for about 15 minutes.

Notes

Store berries in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For best results, enjoy within one day of making.

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Albertsons. All opinions are 100% mine.

The dawn of a new year traditionally invites people to clean the slate, so to speak. And many folks use this as an opportunity to introduce healthy practices into their lifestyle. (Happy New Year, by the way!) While I’m a huge proponent of living mindfully and healthfully, I’m also not one to push for diets or fads or changes that cause you to just beat yourself up. That’s the opposite of healthy. All that said, if you want to introduce some better choices into your routine, whipping up this healthy green smoothie is a great way to start!

And when I say whip it up, I mean whip it up. This delicious smoothie comes together in just a few minutes with minimal ingredients! The recipe was made even quicker by the fact that I took advantage of Albertsons‘ DriveUp & Go for a super convenient way to shop.

As I mentioned above, the smoothie requires just five ingredients — a banana or two, frozen peaches and frozen mangos, spinach and some water. As someone who is mindful about what I put into my body, I opted to use O Organics® brand peaches, mangos, and spinach, which are all certified USDA organic.

But what does that actually mean? According to the USDA’s website:

USDA certified organic foods are grown and processed according to federal guidelines addressing, among many factors, soil quality, animal raising practices, pest and weed control, and use of additives. Organic producers rely on natural substances and physical, mechanical, or biologically based farming methods to the fullest extent possible.

Produce can be called organic if it’s certified to have grown on soil that had no prohibited substances applied for three years prior to harvest. Prohibited substances include most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

Pesticides are no joke, so when I can’t grow my own food, I purchase organic to avoid ingesting a dangerous pesticide cocktail.

This healthy green smoothie makes about one large serving or two small ones so you can share with a friend. I love it because it’s an easy way to get some greens into my system, without needing to eat them in a salad. And, I can assure you, this smoothie in no way tastes like spinach. It would also be a great way to sneak greens into kiddos, too! (I’ve heard some folks get their kids excited by the green color and tell them it’s a Shrek drink – smart!)

Overall, this recipe is light, bright, and fruity. If you’d like to add a little extra protein in your drink, feel free to toss in a bit of plain, low fat greek yogurt and just increase the water so your smoothie isn’t too thick.

Once you’re ready to go, throw all your ingredients into a blender, puree away and you’re set! Enjoy at breakfast, as a healthy snack, or (my personal favorite), after a workout.

I shopped at Albertsons in my local area to score these ingredients, but you can also look for similar products at any of the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Safeway, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Randalls, Shaw’s Supermarket, Star Market, Tom Thumb and Vons.

Healthy Green Smoothie

 

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Prep time

3 mins

Total time

3 mins

 

Whip up a healthy green smoothie in just a few minutes with minimal ingredients!

Author: Big Sky, Little Kitchen

Recipe type: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Makes: 1

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 bananas (I usually opt for 1)
• ½ cup O Organics frozen peaches
• ½ cup O Organics frozen mango
• A couple large handfuls of O Organics baby spinach
• 4 to 8 ounces of water, depending on how thick or thin you prefer your smoothie
• 4 ounces non fat, plain greek yogurt (optional)

Instructions

1. Add all your ingredients to your blender, layering heavier ingredients at the bottom.
2. Add enough water to blend, and enjoy!

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Albertsons. All opinions are 100% mine.

One of my all time favorite side dishes to celebrate autumn harvest and to make for holiday celebrations is browned Brussels sprouts with lemon. These are so good I could easily eat the entire recipe all in one sitting. (But shhh, don’t tell anyone I said that.) And Albertsons is your simple solution for your own holiday planning. You can purchase ingredients for your holiday meals (like these Brussels sprouts), prepared foods from the bakery and service deli, holiday treats, party trays, décor, greeting cards, gift supplies, etc. — all from Albertsons.

Even better? These Brussels sprouts are easier than easy to whip up, they don’t take lot of cook time, and they’re cheap!

If you want to up the ease factor, take advantage of Albertsons Grocery Delivery or DriveUp & Go services to order your groceries ahead of time and pick them up — all without having to go into the store yourself. That’s what I did for this recipe to save a little time, which was a huge bonus! Don’t forget to visit the Albertsons website for recipes, shopping, meal orders, etc.

Once you’ve got your veggies and any other ingredients you need back home, preheat your skillet, be sure to wash the sprouts, trim the bottoms off and discard any outer leaves. (You might want to give them another rinse after this step, too, just to ensure you’re cleaning off any residual dirt.) Then, slice your sprouts in half (or quarters if you’d prefer).

Once your skillet is nice and hot (I love my cast-iron skillet), add the oil and butter and sprouts and you’re off to the races! But don’t get too fired up yet — let the sprouts chill for a bit to give them their first browning.

Then, get your stir on. Shuffle those sprouts around a few times to evenly brown them on all sides. (I like mine extra browned, which you can see in my images. If you prefer a less-browned sprout, stir them more often.)

To give your sprouts the perfect bite — not too hard, not too soft, juuuust right — you’ll want to steam them. Toss in the water, put a lid on it, and let those little gems soften.

Last, but not least (because this is my absolute favorite part and what really makes this recipe sing), season your sprouts to taste with salt, pepper, (the optional pinch of nutmeg), and the ever-magical lemon juice.

I absolutely love a sprout that’s a little tart, so I opt for the larger amount of lemon juice. If you’re unsure how you’ll like it, start small and add more juice to taste. A large half of a lemon will typically give you plenty of juice. (And that leftover second half of the lemon will come in handy when you decide to immediately make this recipe again.)

Serve the sprouts warm and try not to devour them too quickly!

I shopped at Albertsons in my local area to get my ingredients, but you can also look for similar products at any of the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Randalls, Shaw’s Supermarket, Star Market, Tom Thumb, Safeway, and Vons.

Browned Brussels Sprouts with Lemon

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

16 mins

Total time

26 mins

 

Author: Big Sky, Little Kitchen

Recipe type: Side dish

Cuisine: American

Makes: 8

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 pounds fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• Kosher salt
• ¼ cup water
• 2 to 4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I like mine tart so I usually use 4)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat (I love my cast-iron pan for this). When it’s hot, add the oil and butter. As soon as the butter melts, add the Brussels sprouts and spread evenly around the pan. Sprinkle with salt and cook without disturbing until browned on the first side, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the pinch of nutmeg if you'd like, and continue to cook, stirring the sprouts occasionally, until they’re well browned all over, another 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Add the water, cover partially, and cook until tender, another 4 to 5 minutes (if the water evaporates completely during cooking, add more, 2 Tablespoons at a time). Don’t overcook; the sprouts shouldn’t be mushy.
4. Season to taste with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately or keep warm for up to 20 minutes. These are also delicious as leftovers.

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Albertsons. All opinions are 100% mine.

One of the easiest things we can do with the abundance of summertime fresh produce (including fresh blackberries) is to make an easy, healthy blackberry jam with it! I’m also a fan of reducing the amount of refined sugar in my diet, so this recipe speaks to that desire by replacing refined sugar with nature’s candy – honey.

I shopped at Albertsons in my local Montana area to pick up these blackberries, but you can also find a beautiful assortment of fresh produce at any of the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Safeway, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Randalls, Shaw’s Supermarket, Star Market, Tom Thumb and Vons.

The best part about this jam is the simple list of ingredients – blackberries and honey! And, really, you could use any summer fruit. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or Flathead cherries are just a few that come to mind. As long as you can boil the fruit down and to a thicker, jam consistency, then you’re set!

Blackberries are particularly nice, though, because they naturally contain a higher amount of pectin than, say, strawberries, which helps the jam to thicken up. What exactly is pectin? Pectin is a carbohydrate found mostly in the skin and core of raw fruit. In nature, it functions as the structural “cement” that helps hold cell walls together. And, it also happens to help hold jams together, too!

Keep in mind that you’ll want to choose a pot with just a little extra headroom (about an inch or so is fine) because the blackberries will start bubbling and producing the prettiest, pinky-purple foam as they begin to cook down. If the bubbling bothers you, you can knock it back by stirring regularly. I used a 3-quart pot and had no issues when making the jam.

Did you know that blackberries are packed fully of Vitamin C? “Vitamin C is integral to collagen formation in bones, connective tissue, and blood vessels.” They’re also high in fiber, a great source of Vitamin K, high in manganese, they may boost brain health, and they help support oral health due to their anti-inflammatory qualities. Lastly, one cup of raw blackberries has only 62 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 14 carbs. (Source: Healthline) Pretty darn great if you ask me!

While most people use jam on toast or in sandwiches, you can always get creative with your jam in other ways too! This healthy blackberry jam is especially tasty on pancakes, muffins, and crepes, and I love to make a healthy dessert by swirling some into non-fat plain greek yogurt for a creamy, healthy treat.

If that sounds good to you, did you know that you can make it even easier on yourself with grocery delivery from Albertsons? Albertsons and Safeway also offer Grocery Delivery and Drive Up & Go for convenient ways to shop!

What sorts of things do you love to make with fresh blackberries? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Don’t forget to check Albertsons’ Weekly Ad for deals!

Healthy Blackberry Jam

 

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Prep time

2 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

32 mins

 

Easy, healthy blackberry jam makes summer produce the star and keeps refined sugar on the sidelines.

Author: Big Sky, Little Kitchen

Makes: Approximately 1.5 pints

Ingredients

• 5 cups fresh blackberries (about 2½ pounds)
• ½ cup honey or 1 cup white sugar

Instructions

1. Wash the blackberries well. Add all fruit to a medium-sized sauce pot (about 3 quarts is good). Add the honey (or white sugar if you're using it in place of the honey) to the pot. Stir to combine.
2. Place the pot on medium to medium-low heat and simmer covered for about 10 minutes. (Stir to keep any bubbling down.) Remove the lid and allow the fruit to cook for another 20 minutes while you stir from time to time. Make sure the fruit doesn't scorch. If the fruit mixture looks too thin, keep cooking and monitoring regularly until it's a thicker consistency and most of the liquid has boiled off.
3. Once the jam is gelling, transfer to a glass container to cool. Once cooled, store in the fridge.

Notes

If your jam isn't coming together at 30 minutes, this likely means you're cooking at too low a temperature. But don't give up! Keep cooking until most of the liquid has cooked off and you're left with a jam consistency to your fruit.

If you'd like, you can squeeze 2-3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice into your blackberries at the start of your cooking, too.

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Albertsons. All opinions are 100% mine.

If there’s one thing I love about summer, it’s definitely the abundance of fresh summer fruit healthy snacks! Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and those beautiful Flathead cherries are all favorites of mine to satisfy my sweet tooth, but also still toe the healthy line. These fruits are available at most Albertsons and Safeway stores within Missoula, but be sure to ask a store near you!

Speaking of which, did you know that “fruits are an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals, and they are high in fiber? Fruits also provide a wide range of health-boosting antioxidants, including flavonoids.” Additionally, “eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables can reduce a person’s risk of developing heart disease, cancer, inflammation, and diabetes. Citrus fruits and berries may be especially powerful for preventing disease.” (Source: Medical News Today)

The fruits that I picked up from Albertsons make it so easy to encourage healthy snacking. No chopping required! No baking in the heat of the summer! Just a good rinse under some water and you’re set to pop ’em in your mouth, or top off a healthy smoothie recipe. I shopped at Albertsons in my local Montana area to score these goodies, but you can also find a beautiful assortment of fresh, quality produce at any of the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Safeway, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Randalls, Shaw’s Supermarket, Star Market and Tom Thumb.

I was pretty impressed by the quality of the fruits they offer at Albertsons. (And, when I went they had a 3 for $6 deal that was a pleasant surprise – keep in mind that this kind of deal may vary depending on where you’re located.) They were all beautiful, ripe, and the most important part, tasty! Flathead cherries weren’t yet in season when I made my fruit purchase, but definitely keep your eyes open for them as these gems will sell quickly! For all of you hikers out there, throwing some fresh fruit in my day pack is high on my list of essentials. I can tell you from experience there is absolutely nothing better than reaching the top of a peak after a grueling climb, plopping yourself down on a sun-warmed rock, whipping out a juicy strawberry or cherry and biting into that deliciousness as you survey the world from the tippy top of your new viewpoint.

And, if you’ve just spent a gorgeous day outside and would rather expend your energy anywhere else than on a grocery shopping excursion, don’t forget that Albertsons and Safeway also offer Grocery Delivery and Drive Up & Go for convenient ways to shop! Even better – keep an eye out for regular deals in their Albertsons weekly ad.

What are some of your favorite summer fruits? How do you love to use them and their easy pack-ability? How do you incorporate fruits in your healthy lifestyle? I’d love to hear your ideas!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Safeway. All opinions are 100% mine.

Montana seems to have finally gotten the memo that it’s summer, and the temperatures are thankfully beginning to get a bit warmer after a long, cool spring! With these warmer temps, it’s only natural to crave a refreshingly cool, summery drink to chill down after a hot day in the sun. And my recipe for pineapple-peach mojito mocktails (featuring two new flavors of Signature SELECT Soleil sparkling water) will certainly do the trick!

First things first, this is a ridiculously easy recipe to make – you need just five ingredients and you’re set to go! Sugar, fresh peaches, fresh mint, peach flavor and pineapple flavor sparkling water! That’s it!

If peach and pineapple aren’t your thing, keep in mind that Signature SELECT Soleil sparkling water is unveiling a bunch of new flavors, including Peach, Pure, Apple, Pineapple, Caffeine Lime, Caffeine Blood Orange and Caffeine Grapefruit. Discover savings and more great items like this here!

I used two cans of peach and two cans of pineapple sparkling water. However, you can get away with just four ingredients by using four cans of a single flavor. For instance, four cans of peach or four cans of pineapple. But I personally love how these two flavors mix together.

Muddling the fresh mint leaves and freshly sliced peaches is and important step to meld the flavors, so don’t skip it! If you’re unfamiliar with what muddling does, “to muddle” means to press the ingredients against the side of the glass with a muddler. Muddling is an essential step in many summer drinks that use fresh produce and herbs because it helps to release the flavors of the fresh ingredients so they bind with your drink better. If you don’t own a muddler (I admit, I don’t), you can muddle the peaches and mint in this recipe either with the back of a wooden spoon, or even a pastry blender. I used a pastry blender and it worked great!

Some of you may also find yourself wondering if mint and peach really go well together. I’m here to answer that question with a resounding, “Yes!” The way this drink is put together ensures that the mint flavor isn’t overly strong – it simply adds a refreshing profile to the overall drink. I promise you, it won’t remind you of toothpaste! (And that is a very good thing!)

On a very hot day, I’d recommend chilling your sparkling water beforehand to make the coolness of your drink last longer (along with the help of the ice cubes, of course).

If you’re someone who’s trying to be more aware of your sugar intake, you could also easily reduce the amount of simple syrup included in the recipe and this drink would still be delightfully tasty, just a little less sweet! Just adjust the sparkling water to taste to account for the reduced simple syrup volume.

Also, did you know that Safeway offers Grocery Delivery and Drive Up & Go for convenient ways to shop? I haven’t personally used the service, but saving a little extra time is always something that’s worthy of being explored!

Overall, I’m a huge fan of this recipe. It’s quick to put together, unbelievably pretty, really refreshing, and would be such a nice treat to serve at a barbecue or get-together. Or, heck, just for yourself after a day floating the river! And, adding your alcohol-of-choice to this drink would be exceptionally easy, too if you’d prefer more of a cocktail and less of a mocktail.

If you don’t drink it all in one go, it also holds up well over a couple of days in the fridge. You’ll lose some of the “sparkle” of the sparkling water, but there’s still a slight “zing” to it, and the side bonus is that the flavors have even more time to meld, blend, and really do some great things.

I shopped at Safeway in my local area to find these new Soleil flavors, but you can also find Signature SELECT Soleil exclusively at the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Albertsons, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Randalls, Shaw’s Supermarket, Star Market, Tom Thumb and Vons. These new flavors are available at most stores within the Intermountain Division. Be sure to ask a store near you if they carry these flavors!

And lastly, enjoy!

Pineapple-Peach Mojito Mocktails

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Author: Big Sky, Little Kitchen

Recipe type: Drinks

Ingredients

• 1 cup of granulated sugar (mixed with ¾ cup of hot water to form a simple syrup)
• 3-4 peaches, pitted and sliced
• 1 bunch of mint leaves (about 1 cup of loose leaves, saving some for garnish)
• 2 cans Peach Signature SELECT Soleil sparkling water
• 2 cans Pineapple Signature SELECT Soleil sparkling water
• 2 trays of ice (about 24 ice cubes)

Instructions

1. Make the simple syrup by either turning your faucet to hot and filling up a measuring cup with ¾ cup of hot water, then pour in the 1 cup of sugar and stir until it dissolves. If your faucet water isn't hot enough you can microwave your water until you reach a temperature that will dissolve the sugar (usually about a minute is good).
2. In a medium-sized bowl, add the peach slices and the mint leaves (leaving out a few of both peaches and mint for garnish), and pour half the simple syrup in. If you have a muddler use that to muddle the peaches and mint together until mint leaves are torn and bruised and peaches are mashed down a bit into smaller chunks. If you don't have a muddler, you can do this with the back of a spoon, or even a pastry blender.
3. Pour the muddle mixture into a pitcher, along with the remaining simple syrup.
4. Add the ice into the pitcher, pour in the peach and pineapple Signature SELECT Soleil sparkling waters, stir the mixture a few times, and you're done!
5. To serve, pour the mojitos into glasses and spoon in a few peach slices and mint sprigs for garnish, and enjoy!!

Notes

You can add an alcohol of your choice to turn the mocktail into a cocktail.
You can substitute 4 cans of peach Signature SELECT Soleil sparkling water, or 4 cans of pineapple Signature SELECT Soleil sparkling water for a more concentrated flavor of one or the other.
You can reduce the sugar in the simple syrup and replace with additional sparkling water for a less-sweet drink.
Be sure to serve promptly to retain the bubbly nature of the sparkling water!

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I woke up this morning to several inches of fluffy new snow adorning my house and neighborhood, which I think is pretty near utter perfection. There’s barely a green thing in sight and my garden is hibernating under mounds of snow. But all I could think about is just how much I was craving a taste of some bright and spicy guacamole – because nothing says “guacamole time” like feet of snow higher than my front porch, right?

I’m sure my craving for guacamole also has something to do with the fact that the Super Bowl is right around the corner, but that certainly wasn’t on my mind as I had to ask a friend, “Is the Super Bowl this coming Sunday?” I could practically hear her thinking, “Why yes, You-Who-Live-Under-a-Rock, of course!” (I don’t have cable and don’t watch the Super Bowl unless the Packers are in it – wah wahhhh sad trombone noise for their oh-so-close call to making it again.)

Anywho…Super Bowl or not, guacamole was going to be made today. I had several avocados who had not yet sacrificed themselves to some avocado toast, and the cilantro in my fridge was calling out to me. It was time.

 This guacamole is one of my all time favorite recipes. Yes, you probably really don’t *need* a recipe for guacamole, but I really dig this one, and wanted to share it with you all, too. It’s super simple, can easily be doubled (and probably should be doubled, if not quadrupled, because it’s just. that. good), and it’s full of fresh, bright flavor that can transport you to breezy summer days, even if you are peering out into feet and feet of beautiful fresh snow.

 I also adore this recipe because it’s got a little kick to it too from the entire jalapeño that hangs out alongside the rest of the ingredients. If you’re not a fan of heat in your guac, you can always reduce the amount of jalapeño that’s added, or omit it entirely. But it’s nothing too terrible if you decide to leave it in. It just adds a little punch, and, to be totally honest here, I like having that extra spice in it to keep me from eating the entire lot of it – plus there are additional health benefits to spice, too.

 I’m also a huge, HUGE fan of cilantro. While I realize there are basically two camps with regard to the use of cilantro (Those who LOVE it vs. Those who LOATHE it), I fall firmly in the love, love, love it camp. But, if you’re a loather, you could also reduce the amount of cilantro in the recipe, or remove it altogether if you truly do hate it. As an interesting side note, if you loathe cilantro (and maybe think it tastes like, egads! soap), did you know it may be a genetic thing that you really can’t help? And, as a side note to the side note, that link features a video made by Missoula’s own Hank Green – kinda nifty, eh?

So, what are you waiting for? Add a little brightness and spice to your day and whip up a batch or two of this bright and spicy guacamole – fair warning though…you *may* not want to share with others.

Bright and Spicy Guacamole

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: Big Sky, Little Kitchen

Recipe type: Condiment

Makes: 4

Ingredients

• 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
• 1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice (about half a lime)
• ⅔ to 1 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• ¼ red onion, roughly diced
• 1 medium to large jalapeño, deseeded and roughly chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a small bowl. Use an immersion blender to combine ingredients to your desired consistency.
2. Store in an airtight container with a layer of plastic wrap placed on top of the surface of the guacamole to ensure maximum freshness. Refrigerate.

Notes

You could also use a food processor to combine your ingredients if you don't have an immersion blender.
If you don't have an immersion blender or a food processor, finely chop all ingredients and then mash and stir together with a fork.
Adapted from a Food Fanatic recipe.

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Ah, summertime. It’s toasty hot, I’m usually pretty exhausted from long hours spent photographing in the relentless sun, and all I crave is, what feels like, bucket-fulls of fresh fruit. Enter this peach blackberry and strawberry fruit salad with basil, lime and pepper. So easy, so fast, and so bright with fresh flavor!

 I also love that this fruit salad takes the interest level up a notch by adding in the black pepper. Quite honestly, it may sound like a pretty odd addition to a fruit salad, but trust me – it’s a perfect pairing and gives it just a little kick to make your tastebuds really darn happy.

 As far as fruit salads go, this one scores top marks for me not only because of its great flavor, but for the fact that it’s not loaded with sugar, and uses mostly natural sugars already found in the fruit.

This comes together lickety-split, so do yourself and your tastebuds a favor and make it for dinner or your next picnic!

Peach Blackberry and Strawberry Fruit Salad with Basil, Lime and Pepper

 

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Prep time

25 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Author: Big Sky, Little Kitchen

Recipe type: Salad

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 peaches (about 6 ounces each), halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 10 ounces (about 2 cups) blackberries
• 10 ounces strawberries, hulled and quartered lengthwise (about 2 cups)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Instructions

1. Combine sugar, basil and pepper in a large bowl. Using a rubber spatula, press the mixture into the side of the bowl until sugar becomes damp, about 30 seconds.
2. Gently toss fruit with sugar mixture until combined. Let sit at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until fruit releases its juices, about 15 minutes.
3. Stir in lime juice to taste and serve.

Notes

From The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook.

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Once again, life gets away from me and I haven’t been able to post on here as much as I’d prefer. I’ve also been in a bit of a slump recipe-wise. You know…the kind where you make a meal and it’s just sort of lacking somehow and all you can do is utter a resouding, “Meh.” Thankfully, that’s turned right around with these Chipotle Spice Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Cream. An about face, really!

I made these last night, and I canNOT get enough of them, despite the fact that they are tacos and are somewhat messy to eat (I tend to avoid messy things, which is really pretty silly of me). In my opinion, these tacos embody everything that really makes a recipe shine – they’re easy, they’re quick to make, they’re healthy (gluten-free, too!), they deliver a satisfying crunch of texture, they’re filling yet light, and they make my spice-loving self giddy.

Spice, to me, is essential in a good recipe. Without spices to take regular ingredients to the next level, I’m left with that unsatisfied “meh” feeling. But this…this recipe is full of robust flavor. The chipotle spice is a little sweet, a little smoky, with just a hint of heat. And yes – it’s specifically chipotle chili pepper powder you want to use here. Regular chili powder is often a blend of spices. Typically in the blend you’ll get chilis (however, you often won’t know what kind of pepper is included), cumin, oregano, garlic and salt. And while that may work in a pinch, it’s nice to use straight up chipotle chili pepper powder that’s unadulterated by those other spices.

It’s worth mentioning, too, that the heat from the chipotle chili pepper powder is tempered by the addition of the avocado cream, so if you prefer more heat in your meals, then I’d suggest cutting the chipotle powder with a little cayenne to amp up the heat level.

Which leads me to…that avocado cream. You’ll start out making this first, and ohhhhh – is it ever-so-delicious, so refreshing, so light and pleasantly tangy. I’m a bit of a lime-lover, so I tend to splash a little more lime juice and a little more lime zest than called for into my recipes. Not *too* much more, though, or that pleasant tang can overpower the other flavors of this dish.

Once you’ve made the avocado cream, you can prep the cilantro slaw, which is also bright, light and happy, and really adds a satisfying crunch to the tacos. I just used a pre-made slaw base to keep this on the quick and easy side, but you can make your own from scratch, too. I again splashed a little more lime juice than called for into the slaw and added a generous dose of cilantro, a dash of green onions, and, holy moly – I lurrrve it.

Once you’ve got your avocado cream and slaw created and ready to go, go ahead and start working on your chicken. Sprinkle the spices evenly over the 1/4″ strips you’ve cut from the breast, pop them into a toasty-hot pan lightly coated with olive oil, and sizzle away for about 4 minutes or so as you stir and flip the chicken pieces frequently. You’ll likely want to cook your chicken in two batches, so be sure to keep the first batch warm by tenting it with foil as you finish up the rest.

Tent all the chicken once you’ve completed cooking it, and get your tortillas warm and ready to go. There are a few options – you can microwave them along with a damp paper towel, you can dry toast them in a hot, dry pan (this will add just the slightest crunch, so if you like that, go for it!), or you can directly toast them over an open flame on your stovetop. I prefer this method and turn my flame onto a medium-low setting, set the tortilla directly over the flame (and on the stove top grate) for about 30 seconds each side, shifting it around a bit so it can evenly warm and lightly char the surface. After you’ve warmed and toasted your tortillas, you’ll want to prevent heat loss by gently wrapping them in a clean dish towel.

Then, it’s assembly time! A serving of these chipotle spice chicken tacos with cilantro slaw and avocado cream is about two tacos, so get everything ready to go, add a few pieces of chicken, add a few tablespoons of slaw, add about a tablespoon of avocado cream and sprinkle with a few rinsed and drained black beans. Voila – dig in!

(P.S. If you don’t eat all the servings for this recipe in one go, it makes for great, fast leftovers, too. Just heat your chicken separately, get your tortillas toasted and assemble. Easy as pie!)

Chipotle Spice Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Cream

 

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Prep time

22 mins

Cook time

8 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Big Sky, Little Kitchen

Recipe type: Dinner

Makes: 16 tacos (8 servings)

Ingredients

Avocado Cream

• ¼ to ½ teaspoon grated lime rind (or grate about half a lime)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ½ cup non-fat, plain Greek yogurt
• 4 tablespoons plain, unsweetened coconut milk - not from a can, but from a carton (like Silk)
• 1 ripe, peeled avocado, diced

Cilantro Slaw

• 4 cups packaged slaw
• 1 cup thinly sliced green onion
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ½ teaspoon salt

Chipotle Spice Chicken

• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into ¼-inch strips
• 1½ teaspoons chipotle chili pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Beans

• 1 can, rinsed and drained black beans

Tortillas

• 16, 6-inch corn tortillas

Instructions

1. For the avocado cream, combine lime juice, lime zest, yogurt, coconut milk and avocado in a blender, food processor or immersion blender, and process until smooth. Set aside.
2. For the cilantro slaw, combine slaw, green onion, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice and salt in a medium-sized bowl, and toss to coat. Set aside.
3. For the chicken, heat a large saute pan over medium-high to high heat.
4. Combine chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, salt and cumin in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
5. Sprinkle the chicken with the seasoning mixture.
6. Add olive oil to pan and swirl to coat.
7. Add about half the chicken to the pan and cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently, and flipping the chicken about halfway through. Remove and keep warm with foil tent. Repeat this for remaining chicken.
8. Heat the corn tortillas either via dry toasting in a dry pan, via microwave along with a damp paper towel, or directly over an open flame. To keep tortillas warm until ready to serve and assemble, place in a clean dishtowel and loosely cover.
9. Divide the chicken mixture evenly among the tortillas. Top each with ¼ cup slaw mixture, 1 tablespoon avocado cream, and 1 tablespoon black beans, and serve.

Notes

Regular, low-fat or non-fat milk can be used in place of coconut milk in a carton.
Light sour cream can be used in place of the Greek yogurt.
If you'd like more heat in your tacos, I suggest cutting a bit of the chipotle spice with cayenne to amp it up a bit more.

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