Slow Cooker BBQ Beef

This Slow Cooker BBQ Beef made with a beef chuck roast is delicious on its own or on a bun as a sandwich! Seasoned beef chuck roast cooks low and slow in your crockpot, until it's fork tender, then it's smothered in your favorite BBQ sauce. YUM!

Frozen Melon-Lime-Basil Pops

Last week, my son got a Zoku Quick Pop Maker.  Introduced in 2009 by it's developers Jackie Zorovich and Kristina Sacci, it makes frozen pops on your counter top in 7 - 9 minutes!  The possibilities for flavor combs are endless and what a wonderful, healthy way to end your dinner on a warm ( or hot!) summer evening!  We have been having so much fun with it!

Of all the flavor combos we have tried so far, this one is my favorite by far!  It is so tangy and refreshing...and 1p+ a pop?  Wow.  I even enjoyed this fruit/basil combo better than the Strawberry Basil Sorbet I made a few weeks ago.  And the honeydew combined with the lime?....incredible. 

If you don't have a quick pop maker, there is no reason you can't make these the old fashioned way...with paper cups, wooden sticks, some foil and time.  I also believe, this would be wonderful made into a sorbet in an ice cream maker, following manufacturer's directions.  I haven't done it yet though...so if you do...let me know how it works out.  I think I would double the base recipe if I were going to make a sorbet. ( Pictured below is about half of what the recipe makes)

Frozen Melon-Lime-Basil Pops

from "Quick Pops" by Jackie Zorovich & Kristina Sacci

Printable Recipe

Servings - 6 pops   Serving Size - 1 pop   Points Plus per Serving - 1 point+

Calories - 49.7,   Total fat - 0.1g,   Carb. - 13g,   Protein - 0.3g,   Fiber - 0.4g

Ingredients: 

9 oz. honeydew melon, cut into about 1" cubes ( approx. 18 cubes)

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

4 large fresh basil leaves

3 TBS. water

1/4 cup granulated sugar  ( you might have to adjust according to the sweetness of your melon, adjustments my affect point+ values) 

Directions:

1. In blender or food processor, puree all ingredients until basil is broken down.  
2. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions for quick pops or divide mixture evenly between 6 - 5oz. paper cups placed close together on tray.  Cover all cups with a sheet of foil and insert wooden sticks into each cup, about halfway down into liquid.  Freeze until completely frozen. 

----------------------------------------------

Yup, I need to get to the store to get more honeydew, because I am craving these right now as I type.  So delicious...so healthy!   And with as HOT as many of us have been this past week....These are the perfect, refreshing way to cool off!

If you haven't entered my giveaway for Fiber One 80 Calorie Honey Squares yet...you can go HERE to read all about it  and try your luck!  I have finally been able to play around with the multifunction pedometer that comes in this prize pack...and it is really nice!  One of the things you can do with it is set a goal for the amount of steps you would like to achieve in any 12hr or 24 hr time, and it alarms when you reach that goal!  Its slim and lightweight, and fits right in your pocket....you will probably even forget you have it in there.  ( Mine has tried to go into the laundry a couple of times! )  On Saturday, I hit 12,000 steps!  Woo hoo!

Summer Fresh Peach Salsa with Grilled Chicken Breasts

Summer Fresh Peach Salsa with Grilled Chicken Breasts is a delicious combination! Fresh peach salsa takes ordinary grilled chicken breasts to a whole new level!

Recipe inspirations come from many places.  When I read about a peach salsa on Biz's blog yesterday, I instantly knew what I was going to make for dinner. 

The southern peaches we have had in my grocery store for the past few weeks have been outstanding.  Juicy and sweet, yet firm enough to work with. 

Having already decided that chicken was going to be the main course, I decided to make a simple marinade that mimicked the flavors of the salsa for the chicken, grill it, and serve it all over a bed of rice pilaf topped with the salsa and steamed broccoli on the side.  It was delicious.

This salsa is really wonderful enough to stand on its own with some pita or tortilla chips.  I imagine it would also be good on top a salad or over some grilled or pan seared fish. 

I changed up Biz's original recipe, by reducing the sugar even more than she did, omitting the fish sauce and replacing it with salt, using fresh sweet red pepper, and adding onion. The only reason I replaced the fish sauce was because I planned on serving it over chicken.  But if you plan to serve this over fish, I highly recommend using the fish sauce in place of the salt, as it gives dishes such a depth of salty flavor and no...it isn't too fishy.  ( replace salt with 1 TBSP fish sauce )

I was able to use the very first harvest off my little patio garden....a jalapeno!  It wasn't very spicy though...so I did need to jazz up the salsa with a few squirts of sriracha. Not all fresh jalapenos are created equal.  Some are super spicy, others not so much. 

This really is a great summer time meal, as you use your outdoor grill and don't really need to do much cooking that will heat up your kitchen.  I hope you will enjoy this dish as much as my family did!

Summer Fresh Peach Salsa with Grilled Chicken Breasts

(peach salsa recipe adapted from My Bizzy Kitchen )

Printable Recipe

Servings - 6   Serving size - 1 grilled chicken breast and approx. 1/4 cup salsa  Points Plus per serving - 4 Points+ (for chicken and salsa),  1Points+ (for salsa alone)

Nutritional information for chicken breast and salsa:  Calories - 151.8,   Total Fat - 2.9g,   Carb - 8/1g,   Protein - 23.7g,   Fiber - 1.4g

Nutritional information for  approx 1/4 cup salsa alone:  Calories - 31.8,   Total Fat - 0.1g,   Carb - 8.1g,   Protein - 0.7g,   Fiber - 1.4g

For the chicken marinade:

6 - 4 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

2 TBSP fresh lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

For the peach salsa:

3 firm, ripe, peaches, peeled and small diced

1/4 cup red onion, small diced

1/2 cup sweet red pepper, small diced

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed, small diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. brown sugar

1 TBSP  fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper ( optional )

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

2 TBSP fresh mint leaves, chopped

1.  Combine all ingredients for chicken marinade in a zipper plastic bag and allow to sit in fridge for at least 30 minutes.( not much longer though! )

2. While chicken is marinating, combine all ingredients for the salsa in small bowl.  Mix well.  Allow to sit in refrigerator until chicken is done cooking to meld flavors.  

3.  Heat grill to med-high.  Discard leftover marinade and grill marinaded chicken until done or internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. 

4.  Serve grilled chicken with about 1/4 cup of the peach salsa on top. 

------------------------------------------------------

This really did make a quick and delicious weeknight dinner.  You could easily make the salsa up the night before, but I wouldn't recommend marinating the chicken for much more than 30 minutes, as the lime juice will start to cook the chicken and make the outside kind of mushy. Thirty minutes is really all you need. 

Fresh Strawberry Basil Sorbet

Fresh basil pairs beautifully with sweet summer strawberries in this tasty sorbet. Since I had some strawberries cut up already in the refrigerator and my basil was in need of some serious trimming to keep it bushy and from seeding,  this was the perfect thing to make for a warm, lazy summer's night treat.   I first saw this recipe on Two Peas & Their Pod.

And the dish is super easy to make!  All you need is a bit of time and patience....

 
You will need some equipment  to make this sorbet:  a food processor or blender and an ice cream maker ( I used Cuisinart ).  The recipe itself requires only 4 ingredients.  I did strain the mixture before freezing it through a fine mesh sieve, the original recipe doesn't ask you to do this, but I am not big on seeds.  I guess I really needed even a finer mesh than what I used, because I still had a lot of seeds in my sorbet....but it was still delicious. 

You could omit the basil altogether and just make a very easy strawberry sorbet if  you aren't a fan of basil.  I doubled the recipe from the original, because I found it made only about two or three servings of sorbet, and if you are going to go through the work of making it, you might as well make enough to last a few days! I also reduced the sugar to make it more point friendly.  My strawberries were pretty sweet, so the reduction in sugar was a perfect match. 

Fresh Strawberry Basil Sorbet 

Printable Recipe

Servings - approx. 6   Serving size- 1/6th of recipe   Points Plus per serving - 3 points+

Calories - 110,   Total Fat - 0.6g,   Carb. - 27.3g,   Protein - 0.9g,   Fiber - 3.5g

2 lb. fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

2 tsp. lemon juice

1.  In a med bowl, combine the strawberries and the sugar.  Allow to sit at room temperature for 1 - 2 hours, to allow the sugar to completely dissolve and the strawberries to macerate a bit.  

2.  Once the strawberries are ready, in a food processor ( or blender ), process the basil leaves until finely chopped.  Add the strawberry/sugar mixture ( should now look all syrupy ) and the lemon juice.  Process until pureed.  Refrigerate until mixture is cold.  

3.  Churn in an ice cream maker, according to manufacturer's directions.  ( Mine took about 20 - 30 minutes to freeze into sorbet ).   Remove from ice cream maker and spread into a freezer container.  Freeze to harden about 3 - 4 hours.  Serve and enjoy!

----------------------------------------------

As I have mentioned before, I am not a huge ice cream/sorbet fan, but the strawberry/basil combo intrigued me.  I am glad I tried it.  I LOVE fresh basil.  Such a taste of summer!  And sorbet is so much more diet friendly than ice cream. 

Are you a frozen dessert lover?  Sorbet or ice cream? 

More strawberry recipes to enjoy!

Easy Strawberry Mango Smoothies

Triple Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake

Peanut Butter Toast with Berries and Honey

Strawberry Apple Salsa

Strawberries Romanoff

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

A quick and delicious dressing for your salad.  I served this salad and dressing along side my Chicken and Zucchini Enchiladas.  It showcases both the lime and the cilantro flavors perfectly for a nice summery dressing for any veggie salad.

Isn't this dressing gadget cool?  I got it at Williams-Sonoma for under $20.  It has a twisted stick mixer attached to the inside which you work by squeezing the handle to mix up and emulsify your dressing.  It got some mixed reviews on the site, but I haven't had any issues with it except that I agree that the spout is small and the cap should have been designed to stay with the lid so it doesn't get lost.  But I love that there are several recipes right on the sides of the bottle for recipes and it stores easily in the refrigerator.  I did, however, make this dressing in my mini food processor before transferring it to this container (because the garlic and the cilantro needed to be finely chopped)...but when the oil starts to separate from the other ingredients, just a couple of squeezes brings it right back! 

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

from the kitchen of MKA

Printable Recipe

Servings - 3  Serving size - 1 oz. per serving   Points Plus per serving - 1 point+

Calories - 49,   Total Fat - 4.5g,   Carb. - 3g,   Protein - 0.2g,   Fiber - 0.1g

3 TBS. fresh squeezed lime juice

2 TBS. plain rice vinegar

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 TBS. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. granulated sugar

salt and pepper, to taste

In food processor ( I used my mini one), put in garlic clove and cilantro leaves and pulse until finely chopped.  Add in the lime juice, vinegar, and sugar.  Process to blend.  Add in the olive oil.  Process to emulsify.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

------------------------------------------------------

It really is hard to believe we are halfway through summer!  Wow.  Summer goes by so quickly and the colder months just seem to drag.  I actually find it harder to stay on plan during the summer months, which is strange because you would think with all the fresh produce available and the nice outdoor weather, it would be easier...but it seems summer provides me with endless reasons to party and indulge.  I really have to watch what I allow myself to eat during this time.  Although, if I had a choice, I would have summer year round.  It would totally be worth having to be more vigilant with my diet and exercise to have summer weather to enjoy!

How about you?  Is it harder or easier to stay on plan during the summer months?  

This post is being shared with:

Tasty Tuesdays @ 33 Shades of Green


Looking for more tasty salad dressing ideas?  Try these:
Red Wine, Balsamic Dressing from The Kitchen Chopper

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Cheesecake.... surely one of God's gifts to humanity...lol  I normally try not to post back-to-back dessert recipes, but I made this cheesecake over the holiday weekend, and it is outstanding.  I couldn't wait to share it with everyone!  The recipe comes from WW online ( you can find the original recipe HERE), and let me tell you, it is every bit as decadent as the real, full -fat deal. 

Right from the oven! Ready to cool. 

It combines fat-free cream cheese, reduced fat cream cheese and fat-free cottage cheese to produce a very creamy, rich filling.  Someone suggested in the reviews on the WW site, using something other than the cream-filled sandwich cookies to make the crust lower in calories...but I feel that the cream filling helps hold the crust together...otherwise you would need to add some sort of fat ( butter or margarine spread)  and that would negate the benefits of not using a sandwich cookie...so go ahead and indulge...feel naughty and use Oreos!  You end up using about 1/3rd of a package. Give the rest away to someone else...so you won't be tempted to eat whats left!

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

adapted from WW Online

Printable Recipe

Servings - 12    Serving size - 1/12th of cake    Points Plus per serving - 6 points+

Calories - 220.9,   Total Fat - 8.2g,   Carb. - 33.1g,   Protein - 7.1g,   Fiber - 0.2g

Ingredients:

10 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies ( I used Oreos but NOT double stuff ) 

4 oz. fat-free cream cheese, tub-style

8 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese, tub-style

1 cup sugar

2 TBS. all purpose flour

1 cup fat-free cottage cheese

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

6 large egg whites

3/4 cup mini-chocolate chips, divided

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  

2.  Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.  Run cookies through food processor with blade attachment and pulse until fine crumbs form.  Press the crumbs on the bottom of prepared pan.  

3.  In a med-large bowl, combine the fat-free cream cheese and the reduced-fat cream cheese with an electric mixer on low speed until blended.  

4.  In 2-cup glass measure or small bowl, combine the sugar and the flour.  Mix the sugar mixture with the cream cheese mixture and blend with electric mixer until smooth. 

5.  In the food processor ( just wipe out the crumbs...no need to wash ), add the fat-free cottage cheese and process until very smooth.  Add the cottage cheese and the vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture and blend.  Add egg whites, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Stir in 1/2 cup of chips.  

6.  Pour on top of crust.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chips.  Bake on middle rack until top is almost set, about 1 hour.  

7.  Transfer to wire rack and allow to cool completely.  Run knife around edges of pan, and release the sides.  Cover and chill for several hours or overnight.  Cut into 12 slices.  

------------------------------------------------------

We had both sets of parents over for dinner and I made this cheesecake for our dessert yesterday.  Everyone loved it.  It is honestly an excellent lower calorie cheesecake that no one will every guess is "diet." 

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend!  We got the yard spiffed up...the shrubs were in need of a much overdue trimming and just spent some time enjoying each other's company. I am also very happy to report, a half a week into my gelish manicure and all is well.  Not one chip or peel, even after all that yard work!

I also wanted to pass along some exciting news!  I was contacted by Goya Foods last week and they are interested in helping me do a giveaway in the near future!  Celebrating its 75^th year in business in 2011, Goya Foods is America’s largest Hispanic-owned food company, and has established itself as the leader in Latino foods and ingredients. Goya manufactures, packages and distributes over 1,500 high-quality food products from every region of Latin America and Spain. Goya products have their roots in the culinary traditions of Hispanic communities around the world; the mix of authentic ingredients, robust seasonings and convenient preparation makes Goya products ideal for nearly every taste and table.  I have personally used some of their spice blends as well as their canned bean products.  The representative from Goya wanted me to pass along some exciting news about a FUN promotion they are currently running on their website...it's called the "Match Your Birthday Game" and you can read all about it HERE.   
I hope that if you have time, you will check it out!  

This post is being shared with:

A Mouthwatering Monday @ A Southern Fairytale
Tasty Tuesday @ For the Love of Blogs 
Full Plate Thursdays @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage