Cheesy Artichoke Baguette Bites

by

Cheesy Artichoke Baguette Bites.... what more could you want in life?!

Sometimes you just need cheese. And LOTS of it. You know what I mean? Those days where you just want to stuff ALL the cheese into your mouth and call it a day? Well, now that I’m a big ol’ grownup, I can’t go stuffing cheese into my mouth 24/7 and I have things called responsibilities that dictate my cheese consumption hours. Growing up is rude. 

I feel like I’m blabbering, but what I’m trying to get to is that you should eat these. 

You can get in maximum cheesiness but in the grownup way. In fact, they even can be categorized by the fancy French name of hors d’oeuvres… So that makes you gain sophistication and class just by eating them, right? Just go with it. I’ve been studying like a madwoman for over a week straight and don’t have enough mental energy to type up a coherent post. 

CHEESE.  

This recipe is literally bursting at the seams with cheese. Let’s count: mozzarella (1), cream cheese (2), and, of course, parmesan (3). They all melt together in cheesy symphony to make the best appetizer ever! And then you place that delicious mixture on top of fresh baguette slices, toast it, and holy heck. Please, someone catch me as I faint. 

Cheesy Artichoke Baguette Bites

These are dreamy straight out of the oven and combine all the best of artichoke dip with everyone’s favorite bread. Remember when I professed my entire apartment’s love for baguettes? I’m 100% serious when I say we actively refer to ourselves as the “baguette babes”. The other day I found this gem on the internet machine and HAD to share it with them. I think my other bread-lovers will all appreciate this photo roundup called “Baguette Me Not“. Here’s a sample picture:

6

Also, did I mention this recipe calls for pancetta? If you don’t have it or want to leave it out of the recipe, that’s fine. It means we can’t be friends anymore, though. Just kiddin’. 

 

Also, don’t forget to enter my Kind Bar Giveaway! You have the chance to win a biiiigg pack of yummies, so don’t miss out!  

Skinny Crockpot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches

by

Skinny Crockpot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches! Only 175 calories and 28g of protein!

The other day I was lamenting the fact that I was feeling so uninspired to create new recipe for the blog. You know, just drowning away my sorrow in a bowl of Kraft mac and cheese. I’m busy. Reeaaal busy. And when I get home from a long day of concentrating on aromatic five-membered ring heterocycles and the formation of glycosides (don’t ask me, I don’t even know), the last thing I want to do is spend a few hours in our teeny-tiny kitchen in our college apartment. I swear, that kitchen can only fit 1.279 people in it. 

But then, an idea! Crockpots. I ordered a great and inexpensive one ($35!!) a few weeks ago. Yesss, that’ll do. Throw things into it before I leave at 7:45 a.m and come back to a delicious smelling house with the food already made and ready for its photo shoot. And let me tell ya, friends, these Skinny Crockpot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches didn’t disappoint! 

Skinny Crockpot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches! Only 175 calories and 28g of protein!

Imagine this scenario: a tired girl with a mushy brain gets back home and trudges up the stairs to her apartment. She pauses at the door and fiddles with her key. The door opens. Her nosebuds open (tastebuds for your noes, duh) too. REJOICE! She rushes to put together a sandwich and bingo! A healthy and delicious lunch that makes up for the fact that she has replaced the gym with pie and Netflix. She’s in heaven and everything is right in the world. The end.

Skinny Crockpot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches! Only 175 calories and 28g of protein!

But let’s back up a bit and talk about how easy and yumeriffic these are. This quick and no-fuss recipe if perfect for those times when you really are just not in the mood/too busy to cook. You literally just throw things into the crockpot, turn it on, then go about your merry way for a few hours. A little while later, you use two forks to easily tear apart  the meat and toss in the rest of the ingredients and serve. The pulled chicken has so much flavor and is wonderful on everything! We first tried it on whole wheat hamburger buns (yum), and the next night we served them on toasted baguette bread (yum x infinity). Also delicious? On a salad or, if you’re like me, straight out of the pot!

Skinny Crockpot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches

Not only is this recipe convenient, but it’s also waistline-friendly. Packed with protein and made with light dressing, it’s the perfect meal to add some tasty parmesan flavor to otherwise boring chicken breasts without all the fat and calories that normal burgers and sandwiches contain. And you know what that means, more room for pie!

Skinny Crockpot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches! Only 175 calories and 28g of protein!

Adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything 

 

Disclaimer: this post contains an affiliate link to the Crockpot I use and love! 

Blueberry Pie Oatmeal

by

Healthy Blueberry Pie Oatmeal! Done in just 10 minutes and so delicious!

One of the most important things in life to me is the pursuit of pie. Pie is very, very dear to me. 

It’s that one food that really just drives me crazy. That flaky crust and gooey caramelized fruit…oh baby! The trick is to get juuusst the perfect ratio of crust to fruit and then you stuff the whole thing in your mouth and just… Bliss. Someone catch me, I’m fainting. 

And don’t you DARE forget that big scoop of vanilla ice cream to compliment each bite. You see, I’ve got it all worked out. You get slow-churned, half-fat vanilla ice cream so you can justify an extra piece of pie. Life is all about balance. That is, until you eat twice the amount of ice cream to go along with pie round #2 because it is a sin to have one without the other. And who wants to be a sinner? NOT ME. 

Healthy Blueberry Pie Oatmeal! Done in just 10 minutes and so delicious!

 But sometimes you just don’t have access to pie. If you’re like me, you leave it at your boyfriend’s apartment because you don’t have any self control and would literally make yourself gloriously sick off of it. It’s those sad, sad moments when you need to improvise on how to get your pie fix. 

 And sometimes miracles happen. Like when you’re able to get all the flavor and deliciousness of pie into a bowl of oats and your mind is blown and your tastebuds start to dance! 

 Not only can I satisfy my primordial need for pie, but I can do so in a healthy way! Instead of lathering on the processed sugar, the blueberry pie compote is made with just a half tablespoon of natural honey per serving and the rest of the sweetness comes from the blueberries alone. Oh! And it’s fast too! From start to finish, this recipe takes me just 10 minutes, which is perfect for someone who is always rushing in the morning like me.

Healthy Blueberry Pie Oatmeal! Done in just 10 minutes and so delicious!

 This is one of those breakfasts that can get me out of bed in a jiffy. I kid you not when I say I look forward to waking up so I can get myself perched next to a bowl of these oats. They’re that good! 

 So if you’re like me and have an insatiable sweet tooth, give these fabulous Blueberry Pie Oats a go and get ready to load the train to flavor town. Choo choooooo!

Blueberry Pie Oatmeal!  

Today I’m linking up with What I Ate Wednesday to share this recipe! Thanks, Jenn for hosting!

Honey Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad

by

Honey Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad! Only 300 calories per serving and 25 grams of protein! #healthy #fresh #protein

So I’ve been sitting here for the last 10 minutes trying to think of some catchy or fun way to start off this post. Maybe it’s the physics homework I did, or the fact that the pictures for this recipe are making the tum tum grumble, but I’m having a huge brain fart right now. And now I’m reconsidering if I want to use the word “fart” in a post that’s supposed to be about making you guys drool over a recipe. Eeeeek. Please still like me! 

ANYWAYS. Going away from bodily noises and over to the food! You know me, I love smooth transitions.

What I love about this recipe (other than how delicious it is, of course), is how simple, fresh, and healthy it is. You got yo’ healthy fats from that creamy avocado, a tangy-sweet protein-punch from the shrimp, and those bites of juicy red tomato. Better yet? It’s done in less than 15 minutes and is perfect served hot or cold! 

Honey Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad! Only 300 calories per serving and 25 grams of protein! #healthy #fresh #protein

I’m a big fan of the salty-sweet combo and loved how the ingredients combined together! Each bite of shrimp is a mouthful of different flavors and the slight hotness of the red pepper flakes is cooled down by the avocado. It’s a super healthy alternative to other fried shrimp dishes (I’m looking at you, Panda Express, and your honey walnut shrimp), but will leave you feeling energized from a light and tasty meal rather than weighed-down by all that grease. 

All in all, this recipe has 25 grams of protein, 4.8 grams of fiber, and only 300 calories per serving. Looking for a low carb recipe? This dish has only 12.5 grams of total carbs and will make your tastebuds dance! 

Dig in! 

 

Baked Garlic Parmesan Fries

by

Healthy baked garlic parmesan fries! SO crispy and they taste fried!So in our family, potatoes are a big deal. I’m half Norwegian and it almost seems like a civic duty to love potatoes. I kid you not when I say that potatoes are my dad’s all-time favorite food and that making him happy is done by just handing him a potato dish. He’s a simple man.

And now I just spent 15 minutes going through all my photos to find this gem:

Norwegian potato man

Yes, the man is sitting on the couch, relaxing, and nomming his way through a cold baked potato from last night’s dinner. Plain. No sour cream. No butter. No salt. But his happiness level is through the roof and I can’t help but laugh out loud whenever I see this picture. 

Really, with all this potato-heritage I’ve got going on, it was only a matter of time till I came up with a healthier version of french fries. And VOILA! 

DSC_2118

Beautiful, crunchy, garlic-y, parmesan heaven. These thick-cut potato fries are just as crispy as their fried counterparts and ohmygosh just bursting with flavor. Honestly, I almost can’t believe that these didn’t come out of a deep fryer! 

The secret behind the insane crunch factor is sprinkling the uncooked potatoes with a bit of sugar. Weird, right? Well, it must be osmosis, because the potatoes sweat out all their liquid which means extra crispy fries!

Healthy baked garlic parmesan fries! SO crispy and they taste fried!I think I’ve just discovered my new favorite method of potato-prep. These are to die for!

Oh, but one quick thing. These are best eaten hot fresh out of the oven (I mean, what isn’t?) for maximum crispiness. They taste great the next day as well, but don’t have the same french-fry like texture to them. Eater beware! 

If you’re going to pin this recipe (please and thank you!), please pin the image below :). 

These are unreal! Just as crispy and delicious as the unhealthy fried ones!!

 Today I’m linking up with WIAW to share these beauts! Head on over if you want to see more delicious eats :).