Winter Salsa

June 21, 2016April 28, 2018Leave a comment

Well folks! I’m finally returning back to my blog. Adjusting to life with two children was a little more challenging for me than I thought it would be. So, the blog just never made it on the to-do list. I’m feeling much more adjusted to life now days and am creating/trying new recipes again. Yay! So . . . without further ado, let’s get back into it with salsa! Salsa that tastes fresh, even in the winter months.

I love salsa! That’s no secret if you peruse the blog here. I definitely prefer fresh salsa over the store-bought stuff. Sometimes that just gets tricky in the winter months since the tomatoes are just not in season and lacking in flavor. I mean, let’s be honest . . . we only get the good garden-fresh tomatoes a few months out of the year. So, what can we do the other nine?

Surprisingly, I whip up this salsa from canned tomatoes and jalapeños. I pair the canned stuff with fresh cilantro and onions. The salsa is AMAZING and full of rich tomato flavor. My husband tells me that it tastes just like the salsas found in authentic Mexican restaurants. You know . . . when you get served the chips and salsa when you are seated.

Perhaps that is all you need to know. But, more importantly, you can still make salsa during the winter months or when you just don’t have fresh tomatoes handy. This salsa is good year round.

Enjoy!

Winter Salsa
Mimi’s Fit Foods

Ingredients:
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon canned jalapeños
1 onion, roughly diced
1/4 – 1/2 cup cilantro (depending on your taste preference), roughly torn
juice of 1 lime
salt & pepper to taste (I do about 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper)

Directions:
Put all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until salsa is “chopped” up to desired consistency (anywhere from 5-10 pulses).

Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing

October 22, 2014April 28, 2018Leave a comment

This is for all of you Ranch Dressing lovers! I recently made this to go on our taco salads. I usually make my Ranch Dressing with cottage cheese (you can check that out here), but this is a good alternative . . . especially if you’re looking for more of the “right” consistency.

I throw everything in a Mason Jar and shake it up. It turns out beautifully! Make sure you use the Ranch Dressing packet (not the Dip packet).

This is a GREAT alternative to making the typical Ranch Dressing with full-fat sour cream and buttermilk. It can be used for everything you love to use Ranch Dressing with (salad, veggies, snacks, etc.).

Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing | Mimi's Fit Foods

Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing
Mimi’s Fit Foods
Adapted from No Thanks To Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup low fat milk (I used 1%)
1 packet of Ranch dressing mix

Directions:
Put all ingredients in a pint jar. Tighten lid on jar and shake until everything is well combined. (You could also put all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.)

Serves 12.

Dark Chocolate Covered Frozen Banana Bites

July 22, 2014April 28, 2018Leave a comment

As promised, I’m brining you some delicious and pretty healthy summer treat options using that delicious Homemade Dark Chocolate Magic Shell! These are seriously so amazingly delicious! Frozen banana offers such a creamy texture, if blind folded, I wonder if you would honestly think you were eating ice cream. So, to have it covered in chocolate . . . . yeah, pretty awesome!

These are a cinch to throw together. All you do is cut up your bananas, freeze them for a bit and then dip them in the Magic Shell. Since that Magic Shell takes all of about 2 minutes to complete, you can have you a delicious summer treat in no time.

I gotta tell you. . . sometimes I fear dipping stuff in chocolate because it seems like every time I do, it’s a disaster. The chocolate never sticks, and if it does, it looks like my two-year-old did it. I was THRILLED when I simply dipped my bananas, pulled them out, and found that they looked absolutely beautiful.

After dipping you can sprinkle them with other toppings if you want. My little babe is loving sprinkles as of late, so we did some with sprinkles just for fun. Think of how fun it would be to use sprinkles that are centered around a particular holiday (like red, white and blue for Independence day). Oh . . . so cute!

While I think these make for a perfect summer treat or snack, don’t be thinking that they wouldn’t be good year-round. Oh, I’ll be making these quite often . . . regardless of the season. I’ve been using these babies for a quick fix when I’ve wanted a treat. You know . . . instead of running out for a triple sundae, or sneaking a full size candy bar, I’ve just popped one of these Banana Bites in my mouth and my treat fix has been cured. My banana bites are slowly disappearing, but I’m happy to report that my waist size isn’t growing. LOL!

Go! Make you some Frozen Banana Bites! You’ll be glad you did.

Dark Chocolate Frozen Banana Bites
Mimi’s Fit Foods
Adapted From Gimme Some Oven

Ingredients:
3 medium ripe (but not soggy) bananas
1 batch Homemade Dark Chocolate Magic Shell (follow link in blog post)
popsicle sticks
sprinkles, optional

Directions:
Cut the bananas into six equal bite-sized pieces. Place on a foil- or parchment-covered baking sheet. Then poke them with the popsicle sticks. Freeze for at least 2 hours or until frozen.

Remove and dip each banana in the magic shell until covered. (I used a tall jar . . . the one pictured in the Magic Shell post . . . so that it would be easier to dip.) Sprinkle with sprinkles, if desired, and place back on cold baking sheet until dried.

Serve immediately or re-freeze.

Yields 18.

Lime Kissed Fruit Salad

July 9, 2014April 28, 2018Leave a comment

Lime Kissed Fruit Sald | Mimi's Fit Foods

With it being summer and having all this lovely fruit in season, fruit salads are all the craze! I absolutely love eating fresh fruit in the summer and find that it makes a delicious, light, and beautiful side dish to almost any meal. That being said, this has become my most favorite way to serve it as of late!

This fruit salad is oh-so-simple, takes very little time, and seriously takes that fresh fruit up a gazillion notches to SUPER awesome! I’ve been toting this fruit salad to family and friend BBQ’s all summer long and every. single. time. I am asked how to make it because everyone is drooling over every bite.

I’ve found that the fruit options are endless. I typically make it with whatever fruit I have on hand or with whatever fruit I am in the mood for. Being summer . . . there is usually melon and strawberries in it for sure. Then, I add others. You can change things up to your liking.

One little note that I must mention is that you should not “dress” this salad until it is time to eat it. It only lasts a couple of hours before going “mushy” and gets all juicy. (I mean, the mushy and juicy fruit is still to-die-for, but you know . . . not the most optimal to serve.)

All I’m saying is that if you want to be praised for your little-to-no-effort salad, this is it folks! Make it for your next BBQ. Or, if you don’t have a BBQ, make it for yourself. You’ll be in heaven! And, keep it in mind for the fall/winter months too because it’s even delicious with canned fruit. No kidding!

Lime Kissed Fruit Salad
Mimi’s Fit Foods
Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
3 cups watermelon, cubed
2 cups strawberries, quarters
1 cup grapes, halved (red or green)
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained well
1 banana sliced
zest from one lime
2 tablespoons honey

Directions:
Combine the fruit in a medium-large serving bowl. Add the lime zest and gently toss.
Drizzle the honey over the fruit and again, gently mix until the fruit is evenly coated with the honey. Serve.

Roasted and Crispy Parmesan-Cauliflower Poppers

March 7, 2014March 18, 2014Leave a comment

These are a “fun” way to eat your veggies!

I love roasted cauliflower, but I thought this would be a fun and different way to make it as well. My little munchkin loves to “dip” her food, so I figured she would fall in love with these little “Cauliflower Nuggets” without even thinking twice. I was totally right!

The panko gives these a nice crispy crunch. I toasted the panko beforehand because it’s not super awesome to brown itself in the oven. And, well . . . I think the parmesan cheese is definitely a no-brainer when it comes to cauliflower. I used egg whites to get the panko to stick and that worked like a charm . . . plus it added a nice protein factor to the end result.

You can serve these with a variety of sauces/dips. I recommend Simple Marinara, Fit Ranch Dip, Spicy Chipotle White Bean Hummus, or Fresh Garden Salsa.

When you create your “breading station” you’ll find that there will be a little bit of leftover ingredients with each step (flour, eggs, breadcrumbs). I prefer it this way so that I’m not struggling to get everything coated. That being said, the nutritional information is based on what I actually used (not what the recipe suggests).

We had these for a snack the other afternoon and we ate them all! My babe couldn’t even wait for me to finish taking pictures before she started dipping. Now . . . go surprise yourself and/or your kiddos with these addictive, yes addictive, Cauliflower Poppers!

Roasted and Crispy Parmesan-Cauliflower Poppers

12 oz bag cauliflower florets, cut into small, bite-size “popper” pieces
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
pinch paprika
pinch salt
pinch black pepper
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3 egg whites
cooking spray, optional

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare baking sheet by lightly spraying with cooking spray, or by placing a silicone mat on sheet.

Toast your panko breadcrumbs by heating a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Constantly stir breadcrumbs until they start to brown (approximately 3-7 minutes). Place toasted breadcrumbs in a gallon-sized ziplock bag and add the parmesan, paprika, pepper, and salt. Set aside.

Continue to set up your breading station by adding the flour to another gallon-sized sip lock bag. Set aside. Beat the egg whites in a large bowl and set aside.

To bread, lightly spray cauliflower pieces with cooking spray (this may not be necessary if your pieces are still a little wet from washing). Add cauliflower pieces to the bag with flour and very gently shake to coat the pieces well. Next, add the floured pieces to the bowl with the beaten eggs and toss the pieces to coat with egg. Next, add the pieced to the bag with the panko/parmesan mixture, and again, gently shake to coat the pieces well (I added my egg-coated cauliflower in two phases). Take the coated pieces out and place on prepared baking sheet in a single layer (no over-lapping).

Place cauliflower in heated oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender (I roasted mine for 23ish minutes).

Remove from oven and serve with dipping sauce of your choice. (I recommend Simple Marinara, Fit Ranch Dip, Spicy Chipotle White Bean Hummus, or Fresh Garden Salsa).

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving)
Calories: 123.8
Protein: 8.4g
Carbs: 18.2g
Fat: 2.6g (1.4g = Sat.)
Fiber: 3.4g
Sugars: 0.1g

Spicy Chipotle White Bean Hummus

January 29, 2014March 18, 20142 Comments

Here’s another great recipe for game day! I absolutely love the smokiness of chipotle peppers. And, guess who loves them even more? My hubby! If I make anything with chipotle peppers in it, I’m bound to get all kinds of compliments for my kitchen craftiness.

This hummus is excellent. I like hummus, but sometimes I find it to be a bit bland. Not this one! This one has a fabulous little kick from the chipotle peppers and the smokiness is enhanced by the cumin. It’s a hummus with a Mexican twist. Awesome!

It seriously takes all of 5 minutes to whip up, and it’s oh-so-good! Add this to your healthy game day line-up. You won’t be mad about it.

Spicy Chipotle White Bean Hummus
Slightly Adapted from Damn Delicious

1 (15-ounce) can cannelloni beans (white kidneys), drained and rinsed
1-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (the more you use, the “hotter” it gets)
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

In the bowl of a food processor, combine cannellini beans, chipotle peppers, garlic, Meyer lemon juice, cumin and chili powder. With the motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified.

Serve with pita bread, crackers, chips, or veggies.

Serves 12.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 2 Tablespoons)
Calories: 86
Protein: 1.9g
Carbs: 5.4g
Fat: 7.1g (1g = Sat.)
Fiber: 1.6g
Sugars: 0.2g

Creamy Avocado Dip

January 27, 2014March 18, 20143 Comments

I know the Super Bowl is coming up and people are already planning their parties. And, as we all know, while the game is the reason we get together with friends and family, the REAL reason we love the party is for the food. Am I right!?

I’m highlighting a couple of healthy, but delicious game-day recipes this week. Why not totally enjoy the food, but without ALL the extra calories and bad fats?

This, my friends is definitely a favorite dip of mine! I love just about anything that has avocado in the name, and this is NO exception. It’s kind of like guacamole, but with a little extra creaminess factor. The addition of garlic, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice and cumin bring the flavor of the dip to a whole new level too. We’re talking creamy, bursting with flavor, and healthy! Yeah!

I typically serve this with Baked Tortilla Chips, but you can serve it with whatever you love (multi-grain chips, pita chips, cut-up veggies, etc.). And, let’s just say that if (and that’s a huge IF) you were to have any leftover, you could use it on sandwiches or as a snack at home.

Here’s to planning a healthier game day!

Creamy Avocado Dip
Recipe Source: Two Peas and Their Pod

1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
2 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Place the yogurt, avocados, garlic, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, and cumin in a blender or food processor. Mix until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Scrape dip into a serving bowl and serve with pita chips, tortilla chips, or cut up veggies.

Makes approximately 1 3/4 Cup Dip (depending on the size of your avocados).
Serves 7.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1/4 Cup)
Calories: 94.7
Protein: 2.6g
Carbs: 5.7g
Fat: 7.6g (1.1g = Sat.)
Fiber: 3.4g
Sugars: 1g

Skeleton Veggie Tray

October 25, 2013October 23, 20133 Comments

Ok, folks! The Halloween parties are in full swing for us, so I’m guessing they are for you too! One of the tips I suggest to my clients when going to parties is to offer to take something healthy that you know you can/should eat. I mean, let’s be honest. When we show up to parties there is always a lot of fun food that is loaded with fats and or sugars (admittedly they are usually way yummy, but not good for the belly/hips/thighs . . . ya know!?). So, I always like to play it safe by taking something healthy that I know I can eat.

A veggie tray is alway a good solution. However, it can be BORING. Well, it doesn’t have to be boring for Halloween! I found this fun way to amp up the fun with a typical veggie tray. I took this to a family Halloween pot-luck party last weekend and it was eaten up in minutes. There was another large veggie tray there too, but it had hardly been touched. I’m still kind of sitting here amazed that the skeleton trick won over the kiddos and got them to eat their veggies. They seriously ate it up (literally and figuratively).

I made the protein-packed dip from cottage cheese. If you haven’t made the Fit Ranch Dip/Dressing yet, you must! (You will also deceive your little and big people with this dip.)

Hopefully this gives you a fun idea on how to fill up your belly with veggies instead of Halloween candy. Have fun at all your parties and be safe!

DIY Microwave Popcorn with Coconut Oil

October 11, 2013October 10, 20134 Comments

Popcorn is one of our most favorite low-calorie treats. We love the flavor and the crunch. That all being said, I hate to get out the air-popper all the time and sometimes the store-bought microwaved stuff doesn’t really pop all that well (I swear I burn it more than I don’t!). Besides that, it isn’t all natural . . . just look at your label next time.

I ran across this option to microwave my own popcorn and just had to try it! It works so well and now we pop our popcorn like this 99% of the time. It’s fast, easy, and all natural. I opt to use Coconut Oil rather than any other oils because the health benefits of this oil outweigh all the others. I also find the results are a little better when I use the bigger lunch bag (Approx. 13″ tall by 8″ wide), but have also made it in a traditional lunch bag (Approx. 10″ tall by 5″ wide) with okay results.

Along with my love of popcorn, my little baby also LOVES popcorn and constantly asks for “pop pop” when it’s snack time (she couldn’t even wait 2 seconds for me to take a picture before she stuck her cute, little hand in for a taste). I am always happy to oblige to her request! Give it a whirl! You’ll love it too!

DIY Microwave Popcorn with Coconut Oil
Adapted from Mostly Homemade Mom

1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup corn kernels

Melt coconut oil in a small bowl (takes about 1 minute on 1/3 power in the microwave). Add salt and kernels to the oil and stir to coat kernels. Drop kernels into a paper lunch bag, fold over twice and microwave for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes. (Cooking time will vary based on your microwave. I like to cook mine for 1 1/2 minutes. I still end up with a few extra un-popped kernals, but I never burn my popcorn.) Add additional salt if desired.

Serves 2.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = Approximately 3 Heaping Cups)
Calories: 106
Protein: 2.7g
Carbs: 16.7g
Fat: 3.3g (1.9g = Sat.)
Fiber: 3.3g
Sugars: 0g

Grilled Asparagus

July 3, 2013July 10, 2013Leave a comment

Oh, how I love beautiful side dishes to go with my main meal. I also love it when the vegetable is one of the best parts of the meal! Our little family LOVES grilled asparagus. The grill really helps to bring out the beautiful, unique flavor of the asparagus making it taste so incredibly fresh with LOADS of flavor. We’ve been having this quite regularly around my house. It’s tasty, but also SUPER easy and SUPER fast! We’re talking a total of 6-8 minutes from start to finish. Usually I just toss it on the grill while our meat is cooking and it’s all ready at the same time. It’s FABULOUS!

Grilled Asparagus
Slightly Adapted from allrecipes.com

1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
fresh lemon wedges

Preheat grill for high heat.

Lightly coat the asparagus spears with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I usually do this on a plate or in a shallow pan and I toss the spears all around to ensure they get evenly coated).

Place spears on hot grill and grill over high heat for about 2 to 3 minutes, rotate, and then grill for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or to your desired tenderness. Just before serving, squeeze fresh lemon wedges over asparagus.