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Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies | alidaskitchen.com #recipes #lemon #cookies #SundaySupper

Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies #SundaySupper

March 30, 2014 ·

Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies are the ultimate chewy sugar cookie with a lemon twist. These are a perfect Springtime treat to welcome the season!

While it may technically be spring, Minnesota temperatures remain chilly (think single digits, brr!) It is this time of year, the transition from winter to spring, that lemon desserts are wonderful. Berries are not quite in season, and lemon is like a bite of sunshine, all bright and cheery. Add lemon to the ultimate chewy sugar cookie, and it’s Springtime perfection in cookie form….

Filed Under: dessert, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: cookies, cream cheese, easy, lemon, spring, sundaysupper

30 Healthy Greek Yogurt Recipes #AetnaMyHealthy | alidaskitchen.com

30 Healthy Recipes using Greek Yogurt #AetnaMyHealthy

February 20, 2014 ·

A collection of 30 Healthy Recipes using Greek Yogurt, plus healthy eating tips.

Recently, AETNA posed the question to me – ‘What’s your Healthy?’ While I share recipes ranging from healthy to splurges, I am actually a health and fitness fanatic. I am often running, at the gym, or chasing my kids. When not exercising (or baking up delicious desserts to share with you!), I am trying to figure out ways to make our every day foods healthier.

One of my favorite healthy food secret ingredients is Greek yogurt. It is high in protein and calcium, is delicious plain and also works great in lightening up recipes without sacrificing taste. From dips and pastas to smoothies and desserts, there are so many way recipes can be made healthier using Greek yogurt. Here I gathered some delicious recipes using Greek yogurt from my favorite food blogger friends….

Filed Under: Recipes, round-up

Over 30 Perfect Party Dips and Desserts | alidaskitchen.com

30+ Perfect Party Dips and Desserts #HolidayHelper

November 23, 2013 ·

Over 30 recipes for Perfect Party Dips and Desserts made using cream cheese, yogurt or sour cream that are easy to make and great for a crowd. For all of these recipes and more, be sure to visit my Perfect Party Dips and Dessert board on Pinterest!

Lately I have been receiving many requests for party menu ideas, as people begin planning their Holiday festivities. I thought it would be fun to share some recipes from my favorite bloggers. I gathered the most amazing appetizer and dessert recipes ~ think savory dips and spreads, as well as dessert dips and simple cheesecakes. They are all easy to make, many require no cooking or baking, which is all very welcome when it comes to planning a party!

…

Filed Under: appetizers, dessert, Featured, Recipes, round-up Tagged With: cheese, cream cheese, dips, easy, entertaining, holiday, snack, sour cream, yogurt

Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars {Alida's Kitchen}

Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars #SundaySupper

August 18, 2013 ·

Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars are easy, no-bake bars made nut-free with sunflower seed butter, and topped with a layer of semi-sweet chocolate. They are also gluten-free.

With back-to-school just around the corner, we are starting to think about ideas for what to pack for school lunch. Something nutritious, delicious and easy isn’t too much to ask, right? A little variety might be nice too. Fortunately, today I am joining the Sunday Supper Movement, and the theme is ‘lunch box.’ Several wonderful bloggers have come up with fantastic recipes and ideas to help solve the lunchbox dilemma. These are recipes are helpful when packing your own lunch to bring to work! You can find links to all of the wonderful recipes at the bottom of this post. But first, let’s talk about these Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars! …

Filed Under: dessert, gluten free, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: chocolate, easy, no bake, quick, snack, sundaysupper, sunflower butter

Happy Fourth of July! {easy summer favorites}

July 4, 2013 ·

Today I am sharing with you some of our favorite recipes that are perfect for your Fourth of July weekend celebration, or for any of your summer festivities. Now, I had intended to post this much earlier today, but we were without power for a while. Fortunately these are quick and easy recipes! There will be a new recipe next week…and it’s a good one! In the meantime, here is a list of some of our easy summertime favorites ~ starting with dessert!

Indoor S’mores: no summer celebration is complete without s’mores, and here is a no-bake, graham, chocolate, and marshmallow bar that is super easy to make. Click here for the recipe…

Strawberries and Cream Sandwiches: a chilly version of strawberries and cream made into a ‘faux’ ice cream sandwich. Click here for the recipe…

No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie: this takes only 10 minutes to prepare and then is chilled to creamy, peanut butter perfection. The recipe makes two pies ~ one for now and one for later! Click here for the recipe…

Grilled BBQ Chicken {DIY Barbecue Sauce}: making your own barbecue sauce is so easy. This version is slightly spicy and is made using common pantry ingredients. Click here for the recipe…

Grilled Peanut Butter Chicken: peanut butter, ginger, and soy sauce give this chicken a Thai-inspired flavor. This is always a crowd favorite! Click here for the recipe…

Balsamic Blueberry Salad: peppery arugula topped with blueberries, feta and a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette makes this a light and summery salad. Adding chicken is optional, but tasty! Click here for the recipe…

Pasta with Grape Tomatoes and Mozzarella: this pasta can be served as a side salad or as an entree. It’s a great way to use up some of those little tomatoes taking over your garden, as well as fresh herbs. Click here for the recipe…

Balsamic Portobello Mushroom Burgers: a healthy, flavorful, vegetarian alternative on the grill…even carnivores won’t miss the meat! Click here for the recipe…

Rosemary Cornbread: each summer we have an abundance of fresh rosemary, and this cornbread is our favorite recipe to use it up. This was also one of my very first posts, and clearly needs an updated photo 🙂 Click here for the recipe…

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: holiday

healthy blueberry strawberry blackberry yogurt smoothie

Diet Mixed Berry Smoothie

March 11, 2013 ·

This Diet Mixed Berry Smoothie is quick and easy to make and perfect for breakfast on a busy morning, a post-workout recovery drink, or an afternoon pick me up. Made with just a few healthy ingredients, it’s a vitamin-packed smoothie that can be enjoyed anywhere, anytime (and portable too for when you’re on-the-go!).

Recently, I was given the opportunity to try Ocean Spray’s Diet Juice Drinks and thought it would a tasty addition to this smoothie recipe. At only 5 calories per serving, swapping out full-calorie juices in favor of Ocean’ Spray’s Diet Juice Drinks can help save calories (and carbs, if that’s a concern), while still tasting delicious. For this recipe, I used Ocean Spray’s Diet Cranberry juice and it went nicely with the berries used in the rest of this smoothie. For next time, I have my eyes on the Diet Blueberry Pomegranate!

To learn more about Ocean Spray’s Diet Juice Drinks, visit http://www.oceanspray.com/Products/Juices/Diet-Light/Diet-Cranberry-Juice-Drink.aspx.

Diet Mixed Berry Smoothie

Yields: 1 servings

Ingredients

½ cup Diet Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Drink, any flavor
½ cup frozen mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries)
1 ripe banana, frozen and cut into slices
3 ounces fat free plain or berry-flavored Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon flaxseed (optional)

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender (or Magic Bullet). Blend on high speed until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Pour into a chilled glass. Enjoy!

Notes

Tip: slice banana before freezing...it's much easier!

Adapted from Ocean Spray

I have partnered with Ocean Spray through DailyBuzz to help promote their new Ocean Spray Diet product. I have been compensated for my time commitment to work with this product, however my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.

Filed Under: Admin, breakfast, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: beverage, drink, easy, quick, smoothie, snack, tastemaker, yogurt

{Closed} Peanut Butter 4 Breakfast: $50 Visa Gift Card Giveaway and more!

March 16, 2012 ·

Yesterday I shared with you one of my new favorite ways to enjoy peanut butter for breakfast. Today, I am excited to share with you an exciting opportunity as part of the National Peanut Board’s ‘Peanut Butter for Breakfast’ campaign. Not only will you be able to help people in need with a click, but you also have the opportunity to win peanut butter samples and a $50 Visa gift card!

While most people agree that breakfast is the most important meal, many of us end up skipping breakfast every day. Reasons for skipping out often include trying to lose weight or not having the time. Yet adding peanut butter can help to make breakfast quick, easy and provide the fuel needed for the rest of the day.

Making time for breakfast and choosing to incorporate nutritious ingredients like peanut butter, which is a source of fiber, protein and good fats, can play a role in maintaining a healthy diet. Peanut butter is a great addition to mornings because it is a natural, plant-based source of eight grams of protein and more than 30 essential nutrients and phytonutrients.

To help make mornings easier, the National Peanut Board is equipping peanut butter fans with nutritious breakfast tips and recipes at www.pb4breakfast.com. Visitors are encouraged to vote for their favorite peanut butter breakfast dishes. For every vote, America’s peanut farmers will donate $5, up to $10,000, to help serve a nutritious breakfast to the hungry.

…which brings me to the giveaway.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

The generous folks at the National Peanut Board have provided me with a $50 Visa gift card and peanut butter product samples to award one lucky reader.

Entry details are below. The giveaway is open until 5:00p Central Time on Sunday, April 1st. I will draw one winner using random.org and post the results here as well as e-mail the winner. If I do not hear back from the winner within 2 days, a new winner will be selected.
(Open to US residents only).

***REQUIRED ENTRY***

Vote for your favorite recipe on the PB 4 Breakfast Facebook page. In order to vote, you need to “like” their page on Facebook.
Then after you vote, come back and leave me a comment on this post telling me you voted. I would also love to hear your favorite way to enjoy peanut butter for breakfast!

Remember: With your vote, $5 will be donated by America’s Peanut Farmers to help feed hungry people a nutritious breakfast.

***BONUS ENTRIES***

You have the opportunity for up to 5 additional entries to the giveaway by completing any of the following:

“Share” the giveaway on Facebook.
“Retweet” the giveaway on Twitter “I just entered to win a $50 Visa Gift Card #giveaway @alidaskitchen and helped feed hungry people #PB4breakfast http://bit.ly/zmg8Dy“
“Like” Alida’s Kitchen on Facebook.
“Follow” Alida’s Kitchen on Twitter.
“Follow” Peanut Butter RD onTwitter.

Each action qualifies for one additional entry. In order for each bonus entry to count, please be sure to leave a separate comment on this post for each completed action.

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WE HAVE A WINNER! [UPDATED 4/2/12]

First, I want to thank each and every one of you who participated in this giveaway. Not only were you entered to win a great prize, but with each entrant, $5 was donated by America’s Peanut Farmers to feed hungry people. Together we raised $210! How awesome are you all!!

Now to the moment we’ve been waiting for…the giveaway. *drumroll* Using random.org, we have #32: Lindsay for sharing the vote on Facebook!

Lindsay, I just sent you an email requesting your address so we can send your $50 Visa Gift Card and peanut butter products. Thank you so much for participating!

*************************************************************************

Logo and pictures were provided by and used with permission from the sponsor.

Disclaimer: The National Peanut Board provided me with a gift card to promote their Peanut Butter for Breakfast campaign, but the opinions shared in this post are my own. The National Peanut Board is providing the product giveaway and gift card.

Filed Under: giveaway Tagged With: giveaway, peanut butter

Lemon Poppy Seed Ricotta Pancakes with Blackberry Sauce

February 28, 2012 ·

Since blueberries are not quite in season, I decided to put a twist on my Blueberry-Lemon Ricotta Pancakes and make Lemon Poppy Seed Ricotta Pancakes. I thought they deserved a suitable accompaniment. As luck would have it, Trader Joe’s had in stock their mega containers of blackberries. Score!

Since I was planning to top the pancakes with lightly-sweetened berries, I decided to reduce the sugar. Otherwise I stayed pretty true to the recipe. The sauce is very simple and can be made ahead, which is very nice.

Lemon Poppy Seed Ricotta Pancakes are a nice burst of lemony goodness. They are higher in protein, made with whole wheat flour, and delicious on their own. When topped with a lightly-sweetened blackberry sauce, they are extraordinary.

Lemon Poppy Seed Ricotta Pancakes with Blackberry Sauce

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

Sauce:
16 ounces blackberries (fresh or frozen)
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pancakes:
15 ounces low fat ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs
zest of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅔ cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
cooking spray
confectioners' sugar, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Sauce: In a medium sauce pan, bring blackberries, water and sugar to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
Pour into a strainer (or colander with smaller holes) to drain excess water. Put drained blackberry mixture into a bowl and stir in lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Pancakes: In a medium bowl. whisk together ricotta cheese, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, juice and vanilla extract.
Fold in flour until just combined; add poppy seeds, gently mixing until combined.
Spray large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium-low heat. Add batter, using a scant ¼ cup for each pancake. Cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer pancakes to a paper towel-lined plate.
Serve hot, with confectioners' sugar or maple syrup, if desired.

Pancakes adapted from my Whole Wheat Blueberry Lemon Pancakes;
Sauce adapted from Eating Well

Filed Under: breakfast, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: blackberries, easy, lemon, pancakes, poppyseed, ricotta, topping, whole wheat

Our favorites from 2011

December 30, 2011 ·

I enlisted Mike’s and Adam’s assistance in narrowing down our favorites from 2011. We each chose 3 favorites from 2011 (only rule was they could not have appeared on the most popular post from yesterday), and then I selected 3 bonus recipes that are family favorites.

**Adam’s 3 favorites**

Cottage Cheese Pancakes -Without a doubt these are Adam’s favorite thing in the whole world. I make a double batch every month to freeze, as he is always asking for some cottage cheese pancake strips. He’s happy, we’re happy, it’s a win-win.

Strawberry Vanilla Pancakes – These are a very close second to the cottage cheese pancakes. Once Adam ate an impressive 7 pancakes in one sitting!

Garden Pizza Puffs – Like most kids, Adam loves anything in pancake form or muffin form. He calls these ‘pizza muffins.’ I often make them with spinach or broccoli, and they are a huge hit at dinnertime.

**Mike’s 3 favorites**

Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Scones – This was my first attempt at ever making scones, and Mike insisted these were the best things I ever made.

Ravioli with Roasted Zucchini – Within a week of making this for the first time, we made it at least 3 more times. We don’t repeat meals nearly that often, but we just couldn’t get enough!

Triple Chocolate Malted Cookies – I made these a few years ago and Mike has been asking for them ever since.

**Alida’s 3 favorites**

Banana Split Cupcakes – These cupcakes are fun to make, end up so cute and are always a crowd pleaser. I love the surprise inside, which is so easy.

Black Bean Chili with Roasted Butternut Squash – This was a new recipe for me this year, and I love the sweetness of the butternut squash with the spicy chili.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes – I loved this new spin on my old favorite ricotta pancake recipe. Blueberry and lemon are always a wonderful combination. My mom started making this recipe, and even my dad, who doesn’t typically like blueberry pancakes, loved these!

**Bonus picks**

Tortellini Soup with Chunky Tomatoes and Spinach – While in general I’m not a soup person, I do make an exception for very few. This soup ranks at the top of that list! Since posting this recipe, my mom added this to their rotation and has made it nearly every week.

Grandma’s Peanut Blossoms – My family LOVES these peanut blossoms more than any other cookie (maybe even dessert). Catch them when they’re fresh out of the oven, and they are warm, the chocolate is melty, and they are just to die for. My grandma knew what she was doing in the kitchen, and this recipe is no exception.

The Best Chicken Sate with Peanut Sauce – This is my most requested recipe by far. It’s easy to whip together, delicious and healthy too!

That’s all folks! Whether you’re a long time reader or brand new, I thank you all for being here. 2011 was a fun year, and I have many exciting things planned for you in 2012. So have a very Happy New Year! Cheers!