Relaxi Taxi Spa-Tini

Ingredients:
• 1.5 oz. SMIRNOFF Sorbet Light Lemon
• 1.5 oz. Club soda
• .05 oz. Lemon juice
• 0.5 oz. Agave nectar
• Garnish: 10 slices cucumber

Directions:
Muddle cucumber slices in the bottom of a mixing glass with SMIRNOFF Sorbet Light Lemon, lemon juice and agave nectar. Strain into a chilled martini glass and top with club soda.

Leading Lady

Ingredients:
• 1.5 oz. SMIRNOFF Sorbet Light Raspberry Pomegranate
• 2 oz. Diet ginger ale
• 1 oz. Cranberry juice
• Garnish: Lime wheel and/or raspberry

Directions:
Build in a highball glass over ice, squeeze in lime and stir. Garnish with lime wheel and/or raspberry.

Iced Mamacita

Ingredients:
• 2 oz. SMIRNOFF Iced Cake Flavored Vodka
• 2 oz. Lemonade
• 0.5 oz. Amaretto liqueur
• Garnish: 1 twist lemon, 3 piece(s) strawberries

Directions:
Muddle strawberries and SMIRNOFF Iced Cake Flavored Vodka in a shaker. Add other ingredients. Shake well with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a strawberry and a lemon twist.

Today, Friday, April 19th is National Garlic Day!

If you’re like me, you’re always searching for fun, yummy recipes to cook with the family, it can be hard to get the kids to try new foods – but sometimes just using the right ingredients can REALLY make a meal much healthier (and more delicious)!

National Garlic Day marks a day devoted to an ingredient that really packs a punch of flavor, helps the kids keep the vampires away and is scientifically proven to be a heart-healthy superfood. Just one clove can keep the family heart-healthy.

Below, you’ll find some tasty, delicious and completely kid-and-heart-friendly recipes from Chef Anthony Stewart at the Pritikin Longevity Center that include a little of this flavorful “super ingredient” to make dishes amazing! Using favorite staples like chicken, hummus and pasta, adding some garlic (with some healthy guidelines from Chef A and Pritikin) these dishes pack a lot of flavor that everyone in the family will love.

Creamed Spinach Hummus Dip

A rich and creamy variation of a classic hummus dip, this dish combines the spinach the kids “hate” to eat and adds a mix of delicious spices to serve up a fun treat! Snack on this with veggies or whole wheat pita chips or serve with dinner.

Ingredients

· 15 oz. garbanzo beans, cooked and drained
· ¼ cup lemon juice (adjust according to taste)
· 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
· 1/8 cup fresh parsley, chopped
· ½ cup fresh dill, chopped
· 1 cup Creamed Spinach
· 1 dash Tabasco
· 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
· ½ cup chopped celery

Methods/steps

· Puree all ingredients in food processor.
· If mixture is too thick, add 1 tablespoon water.
· Serve with raw vegetables or whole wheat pita chips.

Pasta Primavera in Roasted Garlic & Caramelized Onion Sauce

Who doesn’t love pasta? Using spring’s freshest ingredients, try this recipe to add a punch of flavor to a regular dish of pasta during a family dinner night or when cooking for friends.

Ingredients

· 1 cup carrots, julienned (cut into long thin strips)
· 1 cup zucchini, julienned
· 1 cup yellow squash, julienned
· 1 cup sliced domestic mushrooms
· 1 red onion, julienned
· ¼ cup chopped fresh garlic
· 1 cup sliced asparagus
· 1 cup arugula leaves, chiffonade (stack leaves and roll tightly, then cut across with a sharp knife to produce fine ribbons)
· 1/8 cup basil leaves, chiffonaide
· 1/8 cup Italian parsley, chopped
· 2 cups Roasted Garlic & Caramelized Onion Sauce
· Salt-free Italian seasoning, to taste
· Black pepper to taste
· 2 pounds cooked whole-wheat pasta

Methods/steps

· In large hot nonstick skillet, sauté carrots, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions till slightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add garlic. Sauté 30 seconds.
· Add asparagus. Continue sautéing till asparagus is tender. (Time depends on thickness of asparagus.)
· Add arugula, basil, parsley, roasted garlic/onion sauce, salt-free Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Heat.
· When heated, add just-cooked pasta. Toss and serve.

Roasted Garlic & Caramelized Onion Sauce

Ingredients

· 2 large yellow onions, sliced
· 2 cups whole peeled garlic cloves, roasted*
· 1 tablespoon thyme, leaves picked and chopped
· 1 tablespoon rosemary, leaves picked and chopped
· ¼ cup white wine
· 2 lemons, juiced
· 1 chipotle pepper (left whole)
· 1 pint low-sodium vegetable stock

Methods/steps

· Place garlic cloves on a nonstick sheet in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes on one side, then 5 minutes on the other, till brown.
· Heat a large nonstick skillet to smoking hot. Add onions, and lower heat to medium.
· Cook onions until brown and sweet. Add roasted garlic, thyme, and rosemary.
· Cook over low heat for 4 minutes. Add wine and lemon juice.
· Continue cooking till mixture is reduced about two-thirds.
· Add chipotle pepper and stock. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
· Remove chipotle pepper. Puree.

Blackened Chicken

A favorite at the Pritikin Longevity Center with both parents AND kids, this extra-crunchy-extra-flavorful chicken can be great on the grill or in the oven and served with veggies or other tasty sides!

Ingredients

· 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
· ¼ teaspoon cayenne
· ¼ teaspoon granulated onion
· ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
· ¼ teaspoon chili powder
· ¼ teaspoon cumin, ground
· ¼ teaspoon coriander, ground
· ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns, ground
· 1 tablespoon paprika
· ½ teaspoon thyme

Methods/steps

· Coat chicken in spice.
· In a hot skillet brown chicken with no oil or water.
· When edges brown, flip and cover cook until cooked though.
· Time depends on the thickness of the chicken.

Brownies are everyone’s favorite, here is a healthier version that is just as tasty. These bites are loaded with fiber yet still maintain the chocolatey-goodness of a regular brownie! Your kids will love them too!

You can use a mini-muffin pan or an 8×8 brownie pan. Just adjust the cooking time to longer in the oven by about 10 minutes.

Ingredients
2 cups black beans (freshly cooked is best, but canned is ok- drain & rinse if canned)
1 ripe banana
1/3 cup of raw blue agave nectar or Grade B maple syrup
½ cup date paste* (see recipe below) *allow 1 hour soaking time for date paste
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
½ cup raw cacao powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup oat or almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup grain sweetened or vegan chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease mini muffin tins with coconut oil or coconut spray.

In a food processor with S-blade, combine black beans, banana, agave nectar, date paste, coconut oil, cacao powder, vanilla, cinnamon & sea salt until combined well and smooth. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Fill mini muffin tins about 2/3 full and bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes and transfer to a wire rack.

To make Date Paste: Pour 2/3 cup of hot water over 1 cup pitted dates and then soak for about an hour. Throw all ingredients into a blender and process until a smooth, thick paste is formed.

Makes about 30 mini muffins

I’ve decided to finally take control of what goes into my body.  I’m not going to say I’m dieting, because diets fail.  What I’ve decided to do was to finally take a stand on what’s going in my (and my families) bodies.  What does that mean?

Eating healthier!  Eating cleaner!  I’m not saying we never go out to eat anymore, because we do, but it’s fewer and far between, I’m not going ALL ORGANIC, I just can’t afford to do that with a family of 4, but when I can, I do.  I’m cooking more at home, cooking a little more naturally, and making healthier decisions when I do cook.

I’ve also decided to use a resource I have, my fabulous Zumba Instructor MiZFitness-Liz Davis.  Liz just had a baby and her motivation throughout her pregnancy and after has inspired me beyond belief.  She’s also a fitness coach, which I’m taking advantage of very soon to help me reach my goals.

A few weeks ago she posted a recipe that sounded really good so I decided to try it out, not only do I like it but so does my youngest daughter and my hubby, so yummy!!!

No-Bake Energy Bites
(makes 18-20 bites)

Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/3 cup raw honey
1 cup shredded unsweetened organic coconut
1/2 cup ground flaxseeds
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
Take all of your ingredients and mix them all up into a bowl until everything is thoroughly mixed. Put into the refrigerator for about a half hour.

Once your ingredients have been chilled, roll them into balls, and ENJOY!

The Energy Bites can be placed into an air tight container and into the fridge for about a week.

There are various things you can put into your energy bites, don’t want to go organic don’t, don’t want to use peanut butter you can use any other kind of ‘butter’ that you’d like.

Next time I’m going to try to make them with agave nectar, you can also use that or any other kind of honey or syrup you’d like. I’m also going to maybe add some protein powder and goji berries to them, play around, you can add/omit things and make them your own!

Smashed Peas and Carrots where the recipe originated from, has a ton of other ideas you can use to substitute things in this recipe.

Visit my friend Liz on her Facebook page MizFitness-Liz Davis, Twitter @ZFitWithLiz, and on her blog, she has some amazing recipes and tips daily!

George Duran (host of TLC’s The Ultimate Cake Off), will be appearing on HSN this Monday, February 14th 9-10AM EST to share his twist on the average mac n’ cheese, with his recipe for Fiery Tomato-Basil Mac & Cheese.

Courtesy of IMUSA

Ingredients:

1 lb. macaroni (elbow)
Kosher Salt
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 cup packed fresh basil, chopped
1 stick butter
½ cup flour
5 cups whole milk
4 cups (16 oz) sharp cheddar, grated

For Topping
1 ½ cup Italian Style breadcrumbs
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Basil leaves for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 F.

Preparation:

Bring 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil and add salt to taste. Then, add macaroni and stir gently allowing it boil for about 7 minutes until “al dente”. Remove from heat and drain well and place in an extra large bowl. Add both cans of diced tomatoes and chopped basil and mix with a rubber spatula. Set aside. For béchamel sauce start by making a roux in a medium stock pot. Melt butter under medium heat and whisk in flour. Keep whisking for under medium heat until roux is browned, about 5-6 minutes. Add 2 tsp. salt. Gently whisk in the milk until properly combined. Constantly whisk the sauce until it thickens and begins to simmer, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and add 4 cups of cheddar. Gently mix it with a rubber spatula until completely melted. Combine cheese sauce and macaroni and pour into a caldero (for best results use an IMUSA Evolution Nonstick Caldero). Make topping by combining all of the ingredients and spread it evenly on top of mac and cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes until top is golden brown. Serve and garnish with basil.

If you enjoyed this recipe, you can follow this link to get a peak at the live stream of George Duran on HSN.