Tino and Lola

Enjoying life, one adventure at a time…

Archive for category Treats

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

Dec 16

Posted by Amanda in Treats | No Comments

When it gets cold outside, one of my favorite ways to warm up it to indulge in a hearty, heart-healthy( and vegetarian, duh!) bowl of black bean and sweet potato chili!  As with most of my favorite recipes, this one ends up being a hodgepodge of many yummy flavors that I really love.  Because I tend to look at recipes as “suggestions”, I always end up with a slight variation.  I will give you my basic plan and you can tweak the ingredients to your liking.  I’m a girl who loves it spicy, so I go for the full flavor and heat of fresh jalapenos, but if you like it a bit more tame, then I have found that poblanos work really well with the smoky chipotle flavor of the overall dish.  No matter how hot you like it, this satisfying chili is served best topped with a dollop of light sour cream and fresh cilantro.  And one more quick note…even though it is delicious right out of the pot, storing this chili and re-heating it later makes it a great dish for busy nights or a “heat it up at the office” lunch.
Spicy and Sweet...a cold weather treat!
Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

2 large sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed)

3 cans (15 oz.cans) black beans, rinsed

2 medium yellow onions (chopped)

4 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 large lime (juice and zest)

1 can whole tomatoes (28 0z., chopped)

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons each (cocoa powder, cinnamon, chili powder, cumin)

2 chipotle chilis, chopped (found in a can in adobo sauce)

2 diced chili peppers (your mix/choice or jalapenos, poblanos, green or other)

1 bunch of fresh cilantro (cleaned and chopped)

1 cup water

sautee pan

large pot

In a sautee pan, cook the onions and garlic in olive oil over low heat until cooked throughout.  Then add your lime zest, the lime juice and the combination of spices (trust me on the cocoa powder…it makes all the difference).  Cook the combined ingredients for about 15 minutes covered, on medium heat.  You can add a bit of the water to the mixture in case it begins to stick to the bottom of the pan.  Then, add your sweet potatoes, black beans, chipotle chilis, peppers, cilantro and tomatoes into a large pot.  Add the already-cooked onion, garlic and spice mixture to the pot.  Cook all the ingredients together on medium heat until the sweet potatoes are tender when poked with a fork.  Cover and allow to simmer at a low temperature for about ten minutes…enjoy!

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Deeply Dark and Decadent

Oct 13

Posted by Amanda in Treats | 2 Comments

Hershey's Extra Dark It seems like everywhere I turn, new products are popping up claiming that they are high in antioxidants.  From face cleansers to lotions,  to supplements to teas, it seems like everything is getting a boost from these tiny molecules that help to reduce nasty free radicals and possibly even aid in the fight against diseases like coronary heart disease and even cancer.  So I felt it only right that I set out on the journey to find some natural sources of antioxidants.  To my surprise, and absolute delight, I found a great new product that naturally contains high levels of antioxidants and is given the best life seal of approval…and oh yeah, did I mention is also completely decadent?

Hershey, the iconic brand that brings us our favorites like KitKat and Reeses’s, now creates a delicious collection of Extra Dark chocolates . Research shows that one serving of Hershey’s Extra Dark chocolate contains the flavanol antioxidants equal to 2 glasses of red wine or 1 1/3 cup of blueberries. And with 60% cacoa expertly mixed with thoughtful ingredients like pomegranates, blueberries, almonds and cranberries, these treats are nothing short of sinful! Trust me, I’ve tried three of the varieties and even put my hubby through a “taste-test” and we both agree…they are delicious! (Yes, I know it’s hard work, but someone has to do it.)

Hershey's Extra Dark4

So this Halloween, leave the milk chocolate and gummy goodies for the “trick-or-treaters” and give yourself a well-deserved, healthy treat from Hershey’s. Speaking of Halloween and treats, don’t forget to check out Hershey’s special Halloween Treats site for great holiday snack and treat recipes as well as great craft and decorating ideas for all the little “monsters” in your life!

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Sweet and Savory Side Dish

Sep 25

Posted by Amanda in Treats | 1 Comment

So, it seems like an eternity since I have been able to enjoy some of my favorite foods.  After a two-week bout of serious salmonella food poisoning, I thought I was about to literally turn into a Wendy’s plain baked potato! It became my food of choice and seemed to be about the only un-offending morsel I could even consider eating.  I couldn’t see food, smell food, or even think about preparing food.  My poor Hubby was banished to another room if he was eating.  But now that I am feeling better, I am so excited to start cooking again!

Yesterday was my first, and very successful, trip to the supermarket since fall has arrived and I enjoyed every minute of it.  From the carving pumpkins out in front of the store to the gorgeous selection of newly harvested apples in the produce section, I knew I would be able to find some great ingredients to make some delicious autumn-inspired treats.  One of my favorite flavors of fall is the combination of apples and cinnamon, and I found a very creative and delicious way to use them…I give you, sweet and savory green beans.  This idea was inspired from an recipe I came across that steamed green beans in apple cider, but I wanted to take it one step further, while keeping it healthy, and really enjoyed the results of this simple side dish.

Sweet and Savory Green beans

Sweet and Savory Green beans

Ingredients:

Fresh green beans (about 4 handfuls, cleaned)

Lite apple juice (Mott’s makes a great tasting lite version, 1 cup)

One sweet spanish onion (medium sized, sliced)

cinnamon (about 1/2 tablespoon)

Red delicious apple ( large, cored and diced, with skin on)

Garlic (one clove, diced)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (enough to coat  pan)

Salt

Pepper

Preparation:

In a large pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat, seasoning the pan with a bit of salt and pepper.  When the oil is hot, add the green beans, garlic and onions.  Allow these ingredients to soften a bit, mixing them in the pan so that they are evenly coated with the oil.  Then, add the apple pieces, apple juice and cinnamon, mix and cover for about 10 minutes on medium heat, allowing the apple flavors to simmer with the beans.  The apples will soften a bit and then it’s ready to serve.  Season to your liking with a bit of salt and/or pepper.

This healthy side dish is quick, easy and a great addition to your favorite fall meals…enjoy!


Tiny Waist Zucchini Bake

Aug 14

Posted by Amanda in Treats | No Comments

If you are looking for a delicious side dish to liven up lunch or to share with  friends at a dinner party, look no further.  Here’s a colorful casserole that is tasty and will help you regain, or maintain that ity-bity waistline.  This recipe, like many of the recipes I love and prepare, was created on the fly and turned out really tasty!  This dish works really great as left-overs too because as it bakes, it makes a delicious savory broth,that can be enjoyed over your favorite whole wheat pasta or brown rice. I have listed the ingredients I used, but encourage you to add your favorites, whether it be a spice here or there, or a favorite herb. Personalizing recipes is a great way to integrate healthy bites into your everyday meals.

Zucchini 1

“Tiny Waist Zucchini Bake”

Zucchini (one very large or 2 medium, hollowed out and chopped into small cubes)

Large yellow onion (chopped)

Green pepper (chopped)

Red pepper (chopped)

Fresh parsley (a handful,  roughly chopped)

Diced tomatoes (2 cans…I’m loving these)

Garlic (one clove, chopped)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (enough to sautee garlic)

Seasoned bread crumbs (1/4 cup)

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the olive oil to a sautee pan and and sautee the chopped garlic.  Add the zucchini, onion, red and green pepper, and sautee over medium heat, stirring just enough to coat the vegetables with the garlic-infused oil.  Remove from heat, and add two cans of diced tomatoes and fresh parsley.  Fold the mixture together in the pan.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetable mixture into a baking dish.  As it bakes, it will make a savory broth, so it is not essential to get all the liquid from the pan to the baking dish.  Sprinkle the seasoned bread crumbs evenly over the vegetable mixture.  Put the baking pan into the already heated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. Mangia bene!

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Skinny bitch

Aug 7

Posted by Amanda in Treats | 1 Comment

No bones about it, when Tino and Lola are hungry, they eat! And so should you! OK…ok, I know where this is going, yes I am about 110 pounds soaking wet, but get over it already…this girl LOVES to eat! Of course, I also love to cook and try out new recipes. What started as a joke really got me thinking.  I was given the book, Skinny Bitch and didn’t know whether to be slightly offended, or really offended.  But, as I read though the book and later read the equally-as-bawdy cookbook, Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, I found some great recipes and some seriously disturbing facts about what we are putting into our bodies with the foods we are eating. So stop bitching about this skinny-minnie and check it out for yourself!

Yummy!

Yummy!

Make sure to check back for more healthy recipe ideas and get the skinny on lite bites you will love!

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