Social media has indeed taken the world by storm and has become a very important and integral part of our day-to-day affairs. Whatever issue we might encounter or an update we might want to receive from anyone, be it your friend, family, or someone else, we always make our way to social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to do so. There is also no contradicting the fact that a lot of us are guilty of spending a fair bit of our time on these social media platforms for a variety of reasons. Instagram is one platform that is considered extremely versatile and user friendly because of its new and improved updates regularly. While speaking of Instagram, one cannot simply overlook some food influencers who have been a major part of the Instagram revolution that has been taking place in recent years. If you are a budding food blogger, you can also check out who views your Instagram using the following link: www.simplygram.com/can-you-see-who-views-your-instagram/
May 10th is just around the corner, and this year, make Mom a healthy Mother’s Day brunch that will delight her taste buds without wrecking her diet (or at least steer your family in the right direction!) The Daily Plate on LIVESTRONG.COM has compiled some healthy and tasty alternatives to the typical calorie-filled Mother’s Day brunch items.
Here’s a list of some Mother’s Day food and drink favorites below, with delicious alternatives. Recipes for these healthy alternatives can be found at: Healthy Mother’s Day Brunch Tips on LIVESTRONG.COM.• Instead of: Eggs Benedict – 442 calories and 36 fat grams; have: Mediterranean Eggs Benedict — 355 calories and 15 fat grams
• Instead of: Traditional French Toast — 2 slices = 356 calories, 19 fat grams, Add Maple Syrup 2 Tbsp = 100 calories; have: Baked French Toast with Berry Medley– 2 slices = 270 calories, 6.7 fat grams
• Instead of: Traditional Breakfast Potatoes – 186 calories, 7 fat grams; have: Roasted Sweet Potatoes – 118 calories, 3.5 fat grams
• Instead of: Classic Coffee Cake — 1 slice, 570 calories, 28 fat…
What You Need:
2 c. sweet Bermuda onion, chopped2 c. Swiss cheese, shredded2 c. light mayonnaise
How to Make It:
Place the oven on 350 degrees and allow the oven to heat while assembling the dip.Dump the onions into a mixing bowl.Pour in the Swiss cheese.Fold in the mayonnaise being sure to incorporate all the ingredients together well.Spread the dip into an ungreased 9 in glass pie plate.
Bake 55 minutes, remove and allow the dip to cool slightly.
Serving Size: 2 cups…
Want to turn this dish into a main meal? Add 2 cups of chopped ham placed on top of the potatoes. By rinsing the potatoes in water and cream of tartar it helps to keep them firm during the slow cooking process.
Mushroom Garlic Parmesan Potatoes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. of water, divided1/2 tsp cream of tartar8 medium russet potatoes, peeled and sliced1 (10 ¾ oz.) can golden mushroom soup1/4 c. of flour3 tbsp butter, melted1/2 tsp salt1/4 tsp pepper1/4 tsp garlic powder1/3 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions:
Pour 1 C of the water into a large mixing bowl.Sprinkle the cream of tartar into the water and stir to dissolve.Add the potato slices and toss to coat well.Drain the potatoes and discard the water.Place the potatoes into the bottom of the crockpot.In another mixing bowl mix together the soup and the remaining water.Sprinkle in the flour and stir gently to moisten.Add the melted butter, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.Whisk gently until all the ingredients are blended together well.Pour the mixture over the potatoes in the crockpot.Stir to cover the potatoes…
Given a choice between Beef, Chicken or Seafood, I’ll always go with the Seafood. These easy-to-make crab and garlic-herb Florentine sauce crepes are just right for brunch or a light dinner on the deck during hot summer evenings.
Crepes With Crab and Garlic-Herb Florentine SaucePrep Time: 15 MinutesCook Time: 15 Minutes
What You’ll Need:
2 tbl. Butter or margarine½ c. chopped red bell pepper2 large shallots, minced1 (8 oz.) tub of Boursin (garlic-herb) cheese½ tsp. Hot sauce12 oz. King crab meat, chopped2 c. cooked white rice1 (10-count) pkg. Prepared crepe shells2 (9-0z). pkgs. Frozen creamed spinach, thawed½ c. shredded Parmesan cheese
How to Make It:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat an 11×7×2-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and shallots; cook and stir until soft. Stir in garlic-herb Boursin cheese and hot sauce. Stir in crab and rice.
Spoon 1/3 of the crab mixture along one edge of a crepe shell; roll up shell jelly-roll style and place in prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining crab mixture…
Grilled Marvelous Meat Munchers work out well if you’ll be hosting some deck or pool-side birthday parties for the kids.
In addition to the hotdogs and burgers for the kids, serve up some easy-to-prepare fare for the adults who’ll be on hand supervising the kiddos in the pool!
Meat Munchers can also be used as appetizers for any party or buffet you’re hosting.
Marvelous Meat Munchers
What You Need:
1 lb chicken breasts, boneless, skinless and cubed1 lb beef sirloin, boneless and cubed1/2 c. canola oil3 garlic cloves, minced1/3 c. pineapple juice2 tsp soy sauce1 tbl Country Bob’s All-Purpose Sauce1 tsp red pepper flakes4 jalapeno peppers8 strips of bacon – cut in half16 toothpicks
How to Make It:
Whisk together the canola oil and minced garlic in a large mixing bowl.Add the pineapple juice and soy sauce, Country Bob’s Sauce and continue whisking until well blended.Stir in the red pepper flakes.Place the mixture into a large zip lock bag.Trim any fat away from the pieces of meat.Place the meat into the zip lock bag, close tightly and shake to insure the meat is completely covered…
In keeping with the at-home Mother’s Day Brunch theme that I’m sure many of you are planning, lest not forget the little ones or teenagers!
Special occasions call for special beverages! Rather than plain fruit juice, soda or punch, make a pitcher of Smoothies!
Even the grown-ups will enjoy this idea!
You may be asking yourself, what is a breakfast smoothie and how do I even begin to prepare it? Well, you’ll be surprised to learn that a smoothie is simply fruits, soy milk, or yogurt blended into a rich, nutritious breakfast drink. Do you want to know how to make a breakfast smoothie? Here are several variations you can choose from, and the great part is – all you need is a blender!
Breakfast Smoothie
Strawberry and Chocolate SmoothieTo your blender add:1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)2 bananas2 tablespoons chocolate syrup1 cup plain vanilla yogurtMix for 30 seconds or until smooth.
Cherry and Chocolate SmoothieTo your blender add:3 bananas2 cups cherries2 cups chocolate soy milk (or regular milk)Mix for 30 seconds or until smooth.
Blueberry SmoothieTo your blender add:1…
One of the best things I like about living in New England is Fall. I enjoy everything about it – the changing colors of the foliage; the sound of crisp leaves crunching under my feet as I take an evening walk; the smell of wood stoves burning; and trips to the cider mills.
Also right up there are comfort foods – which to me means casseroles and slow cookers!
I recently had the opportunity to vote for the upcoming cover of the Betty Crocker Casseroles and Slow Cooker magazine which goes on sale December 29.
My choice was Cover #1. I liked it because I collect pretty and functional casserole dishes. I also have a collection of casserole dishes that were passed down to me from my Grandmom (who lived to be 101) and from my own mom.
Some of the cool things that will be in this issue are:
There are 120 great-tasting recipes32 quick-prep casserolesHearty fix-it-and-forget-it slow cooker recipes like Chili Mole, Easy Beef Short Rib Supper and Beef and Barley SoupYummy side dish casseroles like Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots with Asiago and Orange, and Brie Mashed PotatoesNew…