Roasted Mozzarella, The New Smores

One of my favorite little bars in Austin is House Wine. I used to live down the street so I was a regular at one point. Besides the wine, I loved roasting mozzarella (as seen in the photo above). So, I thought I would share my own take on the snack, perfect for those chilly nights sitting by the fire.

You'll need: mozzarella balls, crackers (I bought olive oil and rosemary triscuits), multi-colored mini tomatoes, pesto. Of course, there are a plethora of things you can add, but I prefer to keep it simple. Here's what it looks like when put together...

Healthy "Tortilla" Soup

Recently I whipped up a soup, with inspiration from one of my favorites, tortilla soup. This is low calorie and very filling. Of course, you could add tortilla chips, cheese and avocado and it would be divine, but I promise the soup without it is fantastic and full of flavor. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cloves minced garlic

2 cups diced tomatoes

4 cups organic fat free chicken broth

4 tsp cumin

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp cayenne

1 lb. cooked chicken, shredded

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

3/4 cup diced celery

Boil chicken slowly on medium-high heat. This takes a while but the chicken will be more tender. Then, preheat pot for soup over medium-high heat. Add garlic and celery-cook for three to five minutes...I added a small amount of broth in the pan to keep the garlic from sticking (I didn't use any oil products).

Add tomatoes, chicken broth and spices then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, add chicken and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir in cilantro and simmer for five minutes more. Serves four. Really good the second day once the spices have had time to sit...I usually make it one day and eat it the next.

If you make this, let me know what you think!

My Pink Lemonade

Pretending my Lemon Razzy protein drink is pink lemonade. Add a polka dot straw to anything...and I like it.

My Summer Salad

It's in the 90's in Texas, which has sent me into fresh vegetable overdrive. I wouldn't say I am the best cook, but I am pretty creative and good at making salads! One of my favorite salads is the Nutty Mixed Up Salad at Jason's Deli, and this is my home-made alternative. I am obsessed with it right now, so I thought I would share!

Shopping List:

1. Mixed greens
2. Red grapes, seedless (sliced down the middle)
3. Apples, you will want the crispest with flavor, I used Honey Crisp or Fuji (sliced into small pieces)
4. Garlic and Herb Feta crumbles (this is a MUST)
5. Sunflower seeds 
6. Sliced almonds
7. Chicken breast (either fresh cooked or pre-cooked sliced...I didn't include it on the salad photographed)
8. Low calorie balsalmic dressing, I used Newman's Own

With this dressing, a little goes a long way. Let me know if you try it out.

Sangria Saturday

Sangria can sometimes be a little too sweet, but I found the PERFECT recipe I had to share. It is from the cookbook of one of the best restaurants in Austin, Fonda San Miguel. I made some edits to the recipe, which I noted.

2 oranges, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 lime, thinly sliced
4 cups fresh firm fruits, prepared and sliced as appropriate (we only used the oranges, lemons and limes for this portion but added more of them. You could also add apples, pears or any other fruit here)
1 gallon full-bodied dry red wine, such as a Cabernet Sauvignon (as you can see in the photo below, we picked up Fetzer, which is affordable and tastes good)
1 1/2-2 cups orange liquer, such as Cointreau or Triple Sec
1 1/2 cups Presidente brandy
2 bunches lemon verbena, washed and stemmed, about 2 cups (we skipped this)
Fresh soft fruits, prepared and sliced as appropriate (we are using pineapple, grapes, kiwi, strawberries)
Club soda, champagne, or sparkling wine (we are using Ginger Ale-it gives it a nice flavor!)

Combine citrus slices and other firm fruits in a large, nonreactive container (we used a glass pitcher). Add wine, liqueur, brandy and lemon verbena. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or up to three days). This time I didn't plan ahead to let it sit overnight-but if you do have time I highly recommend it! When ready to serve, put some soft fruits into each wine glass and fill two-thirds full with the sangria. Top off with a splash of club soda or other sparkling wine.

You can find this recipe and others from Fonda San Miguel, including their AMAZING margarita in an interview with their chef here.