Cilantro Lime Dressing With A Sweet Kick

I love Mexican and dinner tonight is pulled chicken tacos. To make them a bit more interesting, I created a tangy multi-purpose dressing sauce. It was so easy and it so super tasty I want to eat it with a spoon. But I won't for fear of judgement from my Martha.

What You'll Need:

• Food processor or blender
• 1 healthy, fresh bunch of cilantro
• 2 Tbps of honey (always nice to use local honey - support your local producers!)
• 2 Tbps extra virgin olive oil
• Juice from one fresh lime
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 Tsp of your favourite chili sauce
• 2 Tbps fat free Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbps of tahini (this is optional, but it adds a nice, nutty depth to the flavour)
• Salt and twists of fresh black pepper to taste

What You'll Do

• Take the bottom of the stems off your cilantro, add to your processor
• Add in all the other ingredients
• Blend until combined

That's it! Super easy.

You can also use this dressing as a dip for a veggie tray, or try it on grilled white fish. I think the tangy kick of this cilantro lime dressing with go with so many things!

The STEWART SCORE:
Appearance: 1 (its green...nothing special)
Taste: 2
Ease: 2

Sweet Potato Hummus

I am on a hummus kick. This paired with an excess of the most delicious little sweet potatoes, I created a delicious, easy, tasty, healthy sweet potato hummus I will definitely make again!

What You'll Need:

• Blender (or food processor)
• Large pot
• 3-4 small sweet potatoes
• 1/2 large lemon (or one small one)
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1/4 cup of tahini
• 1 crushed clove of garlic
• 1/4 tsp of sea salt
• Plenty twists of fresh black pepper
• 1/2 tsp tumeric powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 cup filtered water

What You'll Do:

• Boil your water
• Peel your potatoes
• Chop your potatoes into smaller cubes so they boil quickly
• Once boiling, place your potato pieces into the boiling water and cook until very tender
• When the potatoes are boiling, get your blender (or food processor) ready
• Rinse and drain your chickpeas then add into your blender
• Squeeze the juice of your lemon into the chickpeas
• Pour in the tahini and extra virgin olive oil
• Add in your crushed garlic 
• Sprinkle in your tumeric, coriander powder, chili powder, sea salt and ground pepper
• Your boiling potatoes should be ready by now
• Drain them and then add into your blender
• Blend until smooth
• I had to add a little filtered water to ensure it had a nice and creamy texture
• That's it!

Hummus doesn't just act as a dip, though a delicious one, you can also use it as a sandwich spread.
If you are a dipper, I love to dip raw veggies into hummus, corn chips, and whole-wheat pitas.

If you like things with a kick - add more chili and make this hummus nice and spicy.

The STEWART SCORE:
Appearance: 1 (it looks like orange sludge...not overly attractive, but you can fancy it up by topping it with fresh basil or chopped green onions)
Taste: 2
Ease: 2

Low Fat Greek Yogurt and Apple Sauce Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I love this recipe for low-fat banana chocolate chip muffins for so many reasons:

1) I saw it on Pinterest and for once, it didn't suck!
2) It is low-fat but actually tastes delicious
3) It uses both apple sauce and low fat Greek yogurt in place of butters and oils
4) It is moist (I hate that word, too;) and springy

What You'll Need:

• 3 very ripe bananas
• 1.5 cups of whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp soy butter (or regular butter if you don't have this handy)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Ideal white sugar substitute (or white sugar substitute, like Splenda)
• 1 cup chocolate chips (you can cut back according to your taste)

What You'll Do (for about 24 muffins):

• Pre-heat your oven to 190C (370F)
• Line your muffin tins with muffin cups (cuter the better!)
• In a small bowl, mash your three bananas
• In your mix master, or using your hand blender and a larger bowl, mix together your apple sauce, dollop of soy butter, low-fat Greek yogurt, brown sugar, Ideal (or other white sugar alternative, like Splenda) and vanilla
• Blend well - for about 2 minutes or until very smooth
• In a separate bowl, add in your whole wheat flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda
• Mix thoroughly
• Separate your eggs, keeping the egg whites and adding them into your banana mixture
• Pour your banana mixture into your wet mixture and blend until mixed
• Add your wet mixture into your dry mixture, stirring until combined but not smooth, leaving some lumps for good measure!
• Fold in your chocolate chips
• Fill each muffin cup just over 1/2 way full 
• Bake for around 15 minutes or until the tops are lightly brown and when you stick a toothpick in, it comes out clean
• Place on a wire cooling rack and enjoy!

 If you are more of a loaf over muffin fan, this recipe can easily be turned into two lovely banana chocolate chip loaves. Just bake for around 35-40 minutes instead.

The STEWART SCORE:
Appearance: 1.5 - nothing to write home about
Taste: 2 - for a low-fat baked good, this is the stuff!
Ease: 2

French-Inspired Apple Tart with Rhubarb Compote

I love making desserts and having recently found puff-pastry here in Holland, I was quite excited to make a lovely French-inspired apple tart, using a rhubarb compote base.

This is a simple recipe that yields delicious results (especially when served hot with icecream).

What You'll Need:

• Base of a large spring form pan or very shallow pie pan
• One roll of puff pastry, from the fridge, not freezer
• 2 Tbsp rhubarb compote (you can also use apple sauce). You can buy this pre-made and it is often found in the jams and jelly aisles. The brand I used was 'Bonne Mama' from France
• 4 apples (I used some sweet, red apples, but you can also opt for a more tart variety like a Granny Smith)
• 2 Tbsp of caster sugar
• 1 Tbsp butter

What You'll Do:

• Roll out your puff pastry over top of your greased base of your spring form pan
• Trim the pastry so it just overlaps the base
• Crimp the pastry so there is a slight edge
• Chill in the fridge to re-set
• After about ten minutes, spoon the rhubarb compote onto the pastry, ensuring it is evenly spread
• Chill in the fridge until your apples are ready for placement

• Slice the apples to a very thin width (you can choose to peel your apples, I chose to keep the peels on to maintain some of their natural vitamins...making dessert a health food;)

• Pre-heat your oven to 190C (375F)
• Now, place your apples onto the compote-covered pastry base. This is tricky. You want them to fan out, starting from the inside and working your way inside - using the smaller pieces on the inside
• Once you are happy with the apple placement, sprinkle your sugar on the apples, then dot the pastry with your cubed butter slices

• Place in the oven and bake until lightly brown - around 25 minutes
• Serve hot with vanilla icecream. A delicious and light dessert!

The STEWART SCORE:
Appearance: 2
Taste: 2 (you can also mix this up by adding cinnamon, or apple cinnamon sauce instead of rhubarb compote)
Ease: 2

Tex-Mex Stuffed Sweet Potato

I don't love cooking meat in the summer unless I BBQ. Living in Amsterdam makes it tough to BBQ, so we have been going 'meat-free' for much of this month.

I loved this fun, tasty and fresh Tex-Mex inspired stuffed sweet potato recipe that is meat-free, sugar-free and gluten-free.

What You'll Need (serves four):

• 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes. I know these can come large in North America, so if they are monstrous, just use two (1/2 per person)
• 1 baking tray lined in tinfoil
• 1/2 red pepper
• 1 white onion
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Green onion
• 1 cup black beans
• 1/2 avocado
• 2 tomatoes
• Cilantro
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1/2 package of your favourite, gluten-free taco seasoning
• Shredded cheese (I used a spicy hard cheese that I grated very thinly using a Parmesan grater - this way it looks like you have more cheese when you actually eat less!)

What You'll Do:

• Pre-heat your oven to 210C (375F)
• Poke your sweet potatoes so steam can be released when cooking
• Bake for 45 minutes or until really tender (You can also microwave your potatoes for around 10 minutes, ensuring you puncture them before cooking to release steam. I prefer baking as they come out with a much nicer texture)
• While the potatoes are baking, prep your veggies!
• Dice your red pepper and 1/2 your onion and saute using your olive oil until lightly browned
• Mix your taco seasoning into your fat-free Greek yogurt and set aside in the fridge
• Dice your avocado and set aside 
• Dice your green onion and set aside
• Shred your cheese and set aside (keep cool so your cheese doesn't stick together)
• Dice your tomato, other half of your onion, cilantro and add together with some salt and pepper to make a salsa fresca (dry salsa)
• Rinse your black beans and set aside
• Once your potatoes are nice and soft, cut them in half (watch your hands as they are hot!) and load on the toppings!

 
This is a fairly quick, super tasty alternative to tacos or baked potatoes. I hope you like them as much as we do!

The STEWART SCORE:
Appearance: 2 (so colourful!)
Taste: 2
Ease: 1.5 (if you microwave your taters, this would also be a 2)

Avocado Chickpea Salad

Summer is finally here and nothing beats a fresh, healthy salad using all the lovely summer-ready ingredients!

This avocado chickpea salad is quick, easy and very filling.

What You'll Need (serves 4):

• 1/2 large avocado
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas (or you could use black beans)
• 1 cup cooked corn
• 1/4 white (or red) onion
• 1 lime
• 1 Tbsp drizzle of your nicest extra virgin olive oil
• fresh cilantro
• Sprinkle of salt
• Twist of fresh black pepper
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes

What You'll Do:

• Dice your avocado and set aside - as you won't add this in until you are ready to serve your salad
• Dice your cherry tomatoes in half
• Rinse and drain your chickpeas and canned corn
• In a separate bowl, squeeze your lime juice and drizzle in your olive oil
• Twist in your pepper and salt
• Twist in your chili flakes
• Dice up your cilantro leaves into small pieces and add into your bowl of liquids
• Mix and pour onto your bowl of chickpeas, tomato and corn
• When you are ready to serve, top with your chopped avocado
• That's it!

This will pair nicely with BBQ'd chicken, my lemony dill baked salmon or my healthy Dukan polenta oatbran chicken nuggets. It will also store in your fridge for a day or two.

The STEWART SCORE:
Appearance: 2
Taste: 2
Ease: 2

Spinach Chicken Bake

My husband and I are currently on the Wild Rose Cleanse after much vacationing and summer-weather indulgences.

We love how they Wild Rose Cleanse is making us feel so far - not bloated, full of energy and without our usual sugar cravings! It's easy to follow and you can eat pretty much everything you should be eating anyway.

This spinach chicken bake recipe is super tasty, fast and can go on top of brown rice or quinoa.

The Wild Rose Cleanse calls to use organic products where available.

What You'll Need: Serves 2

• Tinfoil-lined baking tray, lightly oiled with vegetable oil
• 2 chicken breasts
• 250 grams of fresh, washed spinach
• 1 large, firm tomato
• 1 cup brown rice (or quinoa)
• 4 stalks of spring onion
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp of your favourite poultry rub - I wanted some kick, so I used The Silk Road Spice Merchant's 'Saltwater chili-lime seasoning' and a couple twists of chili flakes
• Twist of salt and pepper
• Tinfoil to cover the baking tray

What You'll Do:

• Line and grease your baking tray
• Turn your oven on to 350
• Start cooking your brown rice (or quinoa). I use 2 cups of water to one cup of rice, but this varies according to how firm you like it. I find cooking it this way provides a non-mushy texture and takes about 25-30 minutes to cook
• Place your spinach leaves evenly on the baking tray
• Twist on your salt and pepper
• Pour your chicken broth over top of the spinach
• Place your washed and dried chicken breasts on top of the spinach
• Rub your chicken breasts with your selected spices 
• Dice your tomatoes and onion and spread over top of your chicken

• Cover the baking tray with tinfoil and bake for 25 minutes
• Uncover the baking tray after 25 minutes and bake for another 10 minutes (or until cooked through)

By the time your chicken is cooked, your rice or quinoa should also be done and there you have a deliciously healthy, fast and Wild Rose Cleanse friendly dinner that even Martha would be proud of!

The STEWART SCORE
Appearance: 2
Taste: 2 (you can make this dish as spicy as you want, or substitute the spiced rub with something like lemon pepper!) 
Ease: 2