Strawberry Swirl Pound Cake

I'm always eager to make a dish to take to family or friend gatherings. Last week, I had promised to bring a dessert to a late lunch with my family, but totally did not plan accordingly. I needed to come up with something quick and this is what came out of it. I even had all the ingredients at home! No grocery store trip was needed (I always have frozen fruit in the freezer for quick smoothies). Also, I cheated and used regular flour instead of cake flour.

The difference between these two is that all purpose flour has more protein and therefore, more gluten than cake flour. If you don't want to use cake flour you can use two tablespoons less per cup of all purpose flour.

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups sifted cake flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, room temperature

2 1/2 cups sugar

6 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups strawberries (I used frozen, thawed)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and prepare two loaf pans with butter and a little bit of flour. 
2. Lightly whisk the cake flour, baking soda, and salt to combine and set aside. 
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix until smooth. Add the dry mixture in batches until incorporated. 
4. Puree the strawberries in a blender with the brown sugar. 
5. Fill each loaf pan halfway up with the batter. Pour half of the pureed strawberries into each pan. Pour the rest of the batter on top in each pan. 
6. Use a butter knife to swirl the batter and puree together. 
7. Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before slicing.

You can find the original recipe here.

Greek Yogurt Mac & Cheese

My obsession with using Greek yogurt recently continues. I love macaroni and cheese (who doesn't?) and I really wanted some new lunch ideas to take to work. I came across this recipe and had to try it and I love it! I've now used it multiple times and have added other veggies, like grape tomatoes and portobello mushrooms, and I've also added chicken a few times. It's delicious and turns out great every time! Don't forget to use whole wheat pasta for a serving of whole grains.

Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat elbow macaroni
2 cups reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 cups fresh spinach
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. 
2. Put the spinach in the bottom of a colander and when the pasta is ready drain it over the spinach. Make sure to save 1/2 cup of pasta water for later. 
3. Return the drained pasta and wilted spinach into the pot. 
4. Add 1/4 cup of pasta water and stir in the cheese until it is melted. Stir in the Greek yogurt, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add more pasta water to reach desired consistency. Serve warm.

You can find the original recipe here.

Banana Pudding Bars

This is the last of my recipes from J's birthday. I know it was almost a month ago... but this is a great refreshing dessert that isn't too sweet. J loves any kind of dessert involving banana pudding and vanilla wafers so this is definitely not the first recipe I've tired, but it's a good one. Next time I think I'll go with something that's a little less time consuming. Although the end result is delicious!

I halved this recipe because I was only making dessert for J and I, but even the recipe cut in half makes about 9 servings. Also, this recipe is a bit of work and to save myself time I used cool whip for the topping instead of making my own whipped cream. You can't go wrong with using cool whip!

Ingredients
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup gingersnap crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups reduced fat milk, divided
Fresh banana puree (2 bananas)
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup mini vanilla wafers
Cool whip

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, gingersnap crumbs, and melted butter in a medium bowl. Press into an 8x8 inch baking pan. Bake for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. 
3. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 1/4 cups milk, banana puree, 1/4 cup sugar, and vanilla. Cook over medium heat, whisking until the mixture boils. Once it boils, remove pan from the heat and set aside. 
4. Combine 1/4 cup milk and gelatin in a small bowl and let sit while whisking together egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, and flour until smooth. 
5. Add gelatin to banana mixture and whisk to combine, ladle 1 cup hot milk mixture to yolk mixture while whisking constantly. 
6. Slowly add egg mixture back into milk mixture while whisking. 
7. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Boil gently for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. (Straining the mixture is tough, but do your best.) 
8. Spread have the mixture onto the crust then make a layer of vanilla wafers then spread the other half of the mixture over top. 
9. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours. 
10. Add cool whip to the top before serving and some more vanilla wafers if desired.

You can find the original recipe here.

Spring Wedding

The weather is finally starting to warm up, summer plans are coming together, and J and I have a spring wedding to attend soon. J.Crew Factory is having my favorite kind of sale (50% off everything) and so I finally was able to buy this perfectly festive 'neon rose' dress and beautiful gold circle necklace. I'm also obsessed with Essie Romper Room and will definitely be painting my nails this color. Now all that's left is deciding on what shoes to get! I think weddings are a great excuse for new clothes as long as you know you'll wear it again. Right? Duh.

I'm really looking to find nude or tan sandals that are dressy enough for a wedding, but I could also wear them with jeans for a night out. I generally shop at DSW because I always manage to get a good deal. Check out my options below! They are all great and now I just have to decide which ones to get...

Shoe options from DSW:

Right - Adrienne Vittadini Goldie Gladiator Sandal $69.95

Middle - BCBG Paris Jaze d'Orsay Pump $59.95

Left - Naturalizer Danya Sandal $59.95

I think I might also be a little bit obsessed with these Adrienne Vittadini Greece Sandals.

Chopped Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

I literally can't get over how delicious this salad and salad dressing are. Greek yogurt can actually take on any flavor and the outcome is always so tasty. This dressing mimics a creamy, fatty type dressing but with less than half the calories!

A great tool that always comes in handy when making dressings and other things in small quantities is a mini food processor. There is no need to use a huge one that is a hassle to clean. Bed, Bath, and Beyond has some great options and remember you can use expired coupons there! This recipe makes one large, delicious salad packed with protein and healthy fats that is perfect for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

For the salad:

2 1/2 cups romaine lettuce

1/4 cup sweet corn

1/4 cup black beans

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 avocado, diced

For the dressing:

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 clove garlic, minced

Juice 1 small lime

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Salt

Directions

1. Combine cilantro, Greek yogurt, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, vinegar, and salt in a mini food processor. and pulse until emulsified. 
2. Assemble the salad in a large bowl. 
3. Add dressing (may not need to use all of it) and lightly toss to combine. For extra crunch, add tortilla chips if desired.

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

This low cal version of spinach & artichoke dip will make you think twice about ordering this appetizer out. I think this recipe tastes just as good, if not better than at a restaurant! I made this for J's birthday dinner and I'm definitely going to make it again soon. Plus, I can't wait to start making crab dip at home when the Mother Nature decides it's finally time to stay warm.

Ingredients

8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 cup reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced

10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained (squeeze out all excess water)

14 oz canned artichoke hearts, drained, chopped

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Bread or tortilla chips for dipping

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, Greek yogurt, 3/4 cup of the mozzarella, 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan, the garlic, spinach, artichokes, and pepper. 
3. Transfer mixture to a casserole dish and spread evenly. 
4. Top with remaining 1/4 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 tablespoon of Parmesan. 
5. Bake for 30 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Serve warm.

You can find the original recipe here.

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

I've been looking for new recipes to take for lunch since my routine has gotten a little boring. This orzo salad is super tasty, easy to make, and filling enough to keep my hunger at bay for the rest of the afternoon. There are plenty of fresh veggies, a punch of protein, and a salty bite from the olives that make this a recipe to keep. I made enough for two large servings for myself. You can definitely double this recipe if you want to share. It can also be served chilled or at room temperature. Yum!

Ingredients

3 oz whole wheat orzo, uncooked

Juice 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt

1/2 teaspoon honey

1 clove garlic, minced

4 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup English cucumber, sliced and quartered

1/4 cup reduced fat feta cheese

10 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

1/2 can chickpeas, drained

2 green onions, sliced

Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Cook orzo according to packaged directions. 
2. Whisk together the lemon juice, Greek yogurt, honey, garlic, and olive oil. 
3. Add tomatoes, cucumber, feta, olives, chickpeas, and green onions to a large bowl with cooled pasta. 
4. Add dressing, salt and pepper to taste then toss to combine.

You can find the original recipe here.

Copeland is Back!

I have to share this with you all because Copeland has been my favorite band for as long as I can remember. Their music is soothing and creative and I could listen to it on repeat for the rest of time. They announced the upcoming release of their 5th full length album yesterday and I was basically praying this was real and it is!

You can pre-order Ixora here.

My other Copeland must listens:

Control Freak - Eat, Sleep, Repeat

You Have My Attention - In Motion

The Grey Man - You Are My Sunshine

Life Through My Lens

Here's what happened in March through the lens of my iPhone. The month was filled with bar crawls, nights out, plenty of food (Jackie's was amazing), friends, and J! Not to mention a University of Maryland basketball game, The Bachelor finale viewing party, and birthdays. A couple trips to Philly included a beautiful view of City Hall and a trip to Reading Market Terminal. I can't forget meeting a perfect corgi puppy and loving my two favorite boys snuggling on the couch.