Summer’s around the corner! That means that if you have an outdoor grill, you better put it to use! If you can’t grill outside, don’t worry. This recipe will work just as well on a George Foreman or grill plate. Check out the red quinoa and corn-avocado salad recipes for easy side dishes to pair with the lamb.

Ingredients

A full rack of lamb
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 limes, juiced
1 jalapeño, finely chopped
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste

For the sauce:
2 cups of plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
about a handful of cilantro, finely chopped
about a handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Trim the fat of the rack of lamb, if not done already and separate into chops.

2. Put the chops in a large bowl and lightly rub with the finely chopped garlic, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, chopped jalapeño, and salt and pepper. Marinate in the fridge overnight or at least 3 hours.

3. To make the sauce: Throw the cilantro and mint in a food chopper and grind together until finely chopped. Add to the yogurt and add garlic, salt and pepper. Put the sauce back in the fridge.

4. Grill the lamb chops on medium heat on the grill until they are cooked, but tender. Enjoy with sauce on top or on the side.

If you’re looking for something new to do with sweet potatoes, I highly recommend trying this recipe because it’s simple, healthy, and makes an excellent side dish, anytime of the year. You can find the recipe here, but take a look at how I changed things up:

• I used about half the amount of onion and added 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic.
• I sautéed the spinach with the chopped garlic for just about 2 minutes before adding the sweet potatoes to it. This is because the first time that I made this recipe, the spinach didn’t wilt very easily.
• I used orange blossom honey since I think the orange undertones in the honey work really well with both veggies.
• I added a pinch of grated nutmeg. Nutmeg and spinach are just made for each other.

Give this a try, I am sure you’ll love it!

Here’s what I’ve been eating (and drinking) this month!

Breakstone’s Cottage Cheese & Fruit

Cottage cheese is very versatile and can be used to make anything from lasagna to tuna salad. It’s also a really convenient snack and even serve as a light breakfast or lunch with some extra fruit.

What I love: I often eat the Breakstone’s cottage cheese & fruit for breakfast because it keeps me full for a while, plus it’s low in fat and calories and give you 15% of your daily dose of Calcium. My favorite flavors? Pineapple and strawberry!

What I don’t like: The taste of cottage cheese takes some getting used to. It also has its share of sodium so it’s a bit on the salty side, which is why I think the fruit goes well with it. If you eat this for a few weeks in a row, you might get a bit tired of it.

The Verdict: Grab some in the dairy isle and try having this for breakfast with some extra fruit, juice, or tea on the side. It’s a great way to start your day.

Horizon organic milk

Organic milk is something that’s fairly new to me, as I previously purchased regular 1% milk. However, it’s becoming more common and the variety of brands is slowly increasing, so I hope that this also means that the number of organic farms are increasing, which will increase supply and hopefully lower prices as well.

What I love: The taste!! Organic milk just tastes much better than regular milk to me. In addition, it has a longer shelf (refrigerator shelf, that is) life since it is pasteurized. I drink a small glass every night to get an extra dose of Calcium in. The great thing about this milk is that it also comes in very convenient on-the-go packages, which are great for you or the kids when you’re on the road.

What I don’t like: Organic milk is still a bit pricey…as much as $1.20 more for half a gallon. However, I think this is a small price to pay for helping out organic farmers, your health, and the environment.

The Verdict: You don’t completely have to move over to the “green” side, but try switching out your regular milk for organic one week and see what you think!

Bigelow Organic Pomegranate Acai Berry Tea

This is one of my favorite new teas! Bigelow is a brand that you can find at almost any grocery store, so this shouldn’t be too hard to find.

What I love: The tea itself provides a good amount of mellow sweetness, so you might not even need sugar in this. Plus, it provides a good amount of antioxidants.

What I don’t like: Not much, really! Don’t try drinking this tea if you need a hefty dose of caffeine, though, it won’t provide it.

The Verdict: Try this as a nice, fruity, and refreshing substitute for green tea. You’ll love it!

When on vacation in Hawaii last year, Anil and I ate these amazing coconut pancakes at a cozy breakfast place on Waikiki beach. The pancakes were actually just regular once you could get at iHop but they came with this fabulous coconut syrup that I could almost drink! That breakfast inspired me to whip up these pina colada waffles…I added pineapple into the mix because coconuts and pineapple are obviously a natural fit. The thing I love about this recipe is that it’s not too sweet, yet it satisfies your sweet tooth. You do need a waffle maker for this recipe. If you need any recommendations, let me know, but I have the Waring Pro Professional Belgian Waffle Maker and it’s fabulous! You can find it on Amazon or Macys.com, in addition to other sites. A waffle maker is a great investment, in my opinion, because it’s pretty easy to use if you buy the right one and is awesome for entertaining. This recipe doesn’t take long to make at all, so get out a bowl or two and get ready for a wonderful spring brunch!

Ingredients (for 2 people, yields about 2.5 to 3 waffles)

For the waffles:

2 cups of Bisquick Hearth Healthy mix
1 1/3 cup of milk – preferably skim or 1%
1 egg
2 tablespoons of vegetable or canola oil
2 teaspoons of coconut extract

For the pina colada topping:

One 8 oz. can of crushed pineapple, drained, or fresh pineapple
About 1/4 cup of sweetened condensed milk
3 tablespoons of light sour cream
1/2 cup of sweetened coconut flakes
A splash of milk

Directions

1. Add the Bisquick mix to a large bowl and make a small well in the middle. Add the egg, milk, and oil to the middle of the dry mix and mix everything together until smooth.

2. Mix in the coconut extract and set the batter aside.

3. Drain the pineapple, or cut fresh pineapple into small tid bits.

4. Add the condensed milk and sour cream and mix together with the pineapple. You want to make sure that the mixture does not get too liquidity, so use your judgment when adding the splash of milk.

5. Toss in the sweetened coconut flakes and set aside.

6. Bake the waffles on your favorite setting. They should be golden brown, slightly crispy on the outside, and soft and tender on the inside.

7. Top the waffles with the pina colada topping, serve immediately, and enjoy!

If you really want to be adventurous, you can try adding a shot or two of coconut rum to the topping. This will make your topping a bit more watery, so you do need to be careful about how much you add. I haven’t tried this yet, so no guarantees here

I’ve made a few changes to my blog that I hope you’ll like. Here’s what’s new:

Since I’ve been extremely busy over the last few months, I decided to post more recipes that are quick to prepare, since that’s what I’ve been focusing on. Let’s be realistic…whether you work full-time, are a stay-at-home-mom with young kids, or enjoy the best of both worlds, no one has the time to spend endless hours in the kitchen. I thought we could all use a break, so most of the recipes you’ll see from now on are either fast to throw together, or are weekend dishes that are designed to be prepared for when you have a bit more time to spare.

In addition to quick meals and dishes, I also wanted to focus more on healthy products that can be consumed on-the-go or make your every day meals a bit more nutricious. Look out for the “Health Nut Faves of the Month” posts each month to see what I’ve been eating lately.

Finally, I’ll be adding some more cool techie posts where I blog about the latest technologies that make my life a little easier. As you may know, technology is one of the other loves of my life, so I’ll be sharing some more ideas in this category, some which you can even take into the kitchen!

Much more to come so stay tuned!

- Varsha

I think now is about the time when diets and new year’s resolutions start waning. If this isn’t the case for you, congrats! For me, on the other hand, this is the time when I’m getting really busy, and between work, travel, and social events, I end up eating more on-the-go food and definitely have less time to throw together a healthy, nutricious meal. This prompted me to review some of my favorite health-nut foods, that I absolutely love because they allow me to stay on track on-the-go, and / or don’t take a lot of time to prepare.

I reviewed some of these foods below, and also commented on anything I didn’t like about them, so you get a fair, balanced opinion. Look for a new Health Nut Food Faves blog entry every month!

Stonyfield Farms Organic Yogurts

What I love: These fat-free or low-fat yogurts provide you with a good amount of Calcium (20% or more) and make an excellent snack that keeps you full for a while.

What I don’t like: Some of them, such as the Chocolate Underground flavor, are loaded with as many as 35 grams of sugar.

The verdict: A wonderful, low-fat snack, but be weary of the sugar amounts. Find out more at http://stonyfieldfarms.com/.

Cascadian Farms Organic Granola Bars

What I love: They’re delicious! Most of them provide a good amount of fiber, if you get the ones with the “Fiber Right” sign on the box. They tend to be pretty low-fat as well.

What I don’t like: You do have to carefully read the boxes, because some types of bars, like the “Almond Butter Crunchy” granola bars come with 2 bars in one package. If you end up eating both, you’re looking at about 180 calories, which is a bit on the high side for me, as I tend to eat these as a small snack.

The verdict: Great tasting and decently priced for a granola bar, especially considering the fact that it’s organic. Sign up for a $1.00 off coupon on their site: http://cascadianfarm.com/coupons/default.aspx?WT.srch=1

Trader Joe’s Cage-Free Eggs

What I love: The price! Whether you’re looking for cage free, vegetarian fed, or completely organic eggs, Trader Joe’s has a great selection of eggs at very reasonable prices. In addition, since 2005, all Trader Joe’s branded eggs come from cage-free hens. In my opinion, happier hens produce better eggs – up for debate.

What I don’t like: Not much not to like here! Sometimes they run out of the eggs I like to purchase, but in general, I’m able to find what I’m looking for.

The verdict: Great value and quality eggs. If you’re not blessed with a Trader Joe’s in your area, let them know by sending a location request: http://traderjoes.com/static/contact_us.html

Luna Bars

What I love: Everything! These bars are loaded with vitamins and minerals, are super tasty, and will give you a good dose of folic acid and biotin, which I bet most girls don’t get enough of. They are specifically designed for women, but I’ve seen some men devour them as well.

What I don’t like: You’ll get a moderate amount of fat and sugar in these, so you probably want to stay away from downing a few a day…(not that you couldn’t…they’re THAT good!).

The verdict: These are great for breakfast, with a cup of tea, so definitely check them out. My favorite flavors are Caramel Nut Brownie, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Peanut Butter Cookie (not too peanut buttery at all!), and Nutz over Chocolate…are you starting to see a trend here? The Lemon Zest flavors is also very refreshing with a cup of green tea.

My husband made this dish as a pre-Valentines dinner and it was delicious! I know I’m a bit biased, but he’s probably one of the best male cooks that I personally know. Here’s how you pull this together:

Ingredients (for 2 people)

1 large tomato, cut into large chunks
1 portobello mushroom, sliced into long strips
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into long strips
1/2 red onion, sliced into long strips
A handful of cilantro
Juice of 1/2 lime
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon paprika powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
cooking spray
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cut the veggies and heat up a griddle or grill pan.

2. Spray the grill with cooking spray and add the tomatoes and portobello mushrooms. Baste them with the salsa.

3. While the veggies are grilling, sauté the onions, red bell pepper and garlic with olive oil in a medium frying pan.

4. Once the tomatoes and mushrooms are nice and soft, add them to the frying pan and saute with the cumin, coriander, paprika, and onion powder. Add salt and pepper to taste and saute for another 5 minutes.

5. Garnish with the chopped coriander and fresh lime juice.

Serve with warm flour tortillas, shredded Mexican cheese, sour cream, and your favorite salsa. Instead of the spices used, you can also use your favorite taco or fajita seasoning and you can certainly substitute the Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde with another brand or other tomatillo based salsa.

What I love about this side dish is that it’s so easy to prepare that you can easily do it with very limited time (think: after you come home late from work and have no idea what veggies to add to your meal). I usually buy fresh, organic spinach and have not tried to make this with frozen spinach yet, but let me know if you decide to give that a try.

Ingredients

1 bag of fresh baby spinach
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
A handful of raisins, soaked in water
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Soak a handful of raisins in water, so they can plump and get all nice and juicy.

2. Put a large frying pan on medium heat and toast the pine nuts until they just start to get some color. You do not want them to turn very brown, so if they start to get slightly brown spots, they’re probably toasted enough to take them off the heat.

3. Once you’ve taken out the pine nuts, add the olive oil to the same pan and saute the spinach until it just starts to wilt.

4. Add salt, then the raisins, and then the pine nuts. Sauté for another 2 minutes and serve warm!

Cooking for vegetarians can be a challenge for some, so I experimented with some ingredients to see if I could pull off a vegetarian gravy to serve with mashed potatoes. Gravies tend to be meat or poultry based, so it’s often hard to replicate the flavor of them without adding any chicken or beef stock. Check out this recipe and let me know what you think. We think it’s pretty tasty!

Ingredients

1 cup of Crimini or baby Portobello mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons corn starch, more if needed
1 cup water, more if needed

Directions

1. Add the butter to a medium sauce pan on medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and sliced mushrooms.

2. Cook until the onions and mushrooms start to brown.

3. Add the black pepper, salt, and soy sauce and give everything a stir.

4. Mix the corn starch with water and add to the mixture. You’ll have to stir the gravy to get a sense of its thickness. If you feel that you need more water, add about 1/4 cup at a time. If your gravy is too watery, dillute some more cornstarch with water and add to gravy, until the desired thickness has been achieved. Keep in mind that the gravy will thicken a bit more once you take it off the stove. Add more salt if desired.

You can also look for a vegetarian browning sauce in grocery stores and substitute that for the soy sauce. Serve over mashed potatoes or anything else you like. Enjoy!

This is an Indian dish that does take quite a bit of time to prepare since you have to mix quite a few spices that you’re stuffing each baby eggplant with. It’s very exotic and great for entertaining. You might get intimidated by the long list of ingredients, but it will definitely satisfy your sweet and spicy tooth and makes for an excellent weekend dinner.

Ingredients (for 2-3 people)

About 8 baby eggplants (often found in Asian stores)

For the stuffing:

1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon crushed dried curry leaves
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon dried mango powder (optional)

For the sauce:

A handful of chopped cilantro
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 medium red onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients for the stuffing. Keep in mind that you might have to make another batch if you run out. Pre-heat overn to 400 degrees.

2. Cut slits in each eggplant, making sure that you don’t cut through the entire eggplant.

3. Take about a teaspoon of the stuffing mix and put in each slit. If you run out, make another batch with the same amounts of ingredients.

4. Once you’re done, add the eggplants to an oven safe casserole.

5. In a medium sauce pan, heat the olive oil and add the cumin and mustard seeds on medium heat until they start to sputter.

6. Add the crushed tomatoes, cilantro, and red onion. Cook for about 5 minutes and then transfer to the casserole, covering the baby eggplants with the sauce.

7. Bake for about 30 minutes or until eggplant is fork tender. Serve warm, with white or brown rice.