Strawberry Peach Iced Tea with Mint

Summertime is in full swing and that means it's also time for refreshing cocktails and mocktails. I made this delicious iced tea that is perfect for any cookout, BBQ, or relaxing dinner. Brewing iced tea can be a nuisance, but these Cold Brew Family Size Tea Bags from Lipton make it so much easier to concoct flavored iced teas. This recipe plus some Firefly Peach Tea could be the key to a fun summer day! I can't wait to try out some more fun drinks this summer. Just looking at all my pins gives me a couple ideas that could make for a very refreshing afternoon.

This past weekend I went to a wine tasting at the Linganore Winecellars and came home with a raspberry wine... I think I'll be sharing a fun summer cocktail with that soon!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

2 Cold Brew Family Size Lipton Tea Bags

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen fruit, thawed

5 tablespoons agave

Fresh mint

Directions

1. Place two tea bags in 8 cups of cold water. Steep for 5 minutes.
2. Reserve 1 cup of brewed iced tea.
3. Place fresh or frozen and thawed fruit in a blender with agave and reserved iced tea. Blend until smooth.
4. Strain fruit mixture into brewed iced tea. Stir and serve with fresh mint.

Lentil and Chickpea Salad with Lemon Herb Dressing

This light and fresh salad is a delicious side dish that is packed with protein and flavor. A quick addition to any meal is made possible by Trader Joe's Steamed Lentils and they are a beautiful thing! You can use them in so many different ways and can add any flavor your heart desires. Of course you can also use uncooked lentils and cook them yourself, but I'm all for convenience when it comes to legumes.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1 package Trader Joe's Steamed Lentils

Juice 1 1/2 lemons
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 14 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 bunch radishes, sliced thinly

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

Directions

1. In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper.
2. In a large bowl stir together the chickpeas, radishes, and fresh mint. Add the dressing and set aside.
3. Heat the lentils according to package directions in the microwave or on the stove. Once warm add them to the other ingredients. Stir and enjoy warm or cold.

I'm Updating!

Stay tuned for a brand new Eat. Live. Splurge.

White Cheese & Chicken Lasagna

A lasagna is the perfect way to feed a family or a bunch of friends. But, sometimes it's nice to change things up a bit! This lasagna is made with a white cheese sauce (yum) and plenty of chicken. Add a side salad and some garlic bread and you've got yourself a delicious meal! I made this for my family and everyone was pleased. I mean, how can you not love this much cheese?

(I forgot to take a real picture... so please forgive the ugly one below!)

Ingredients
9 lasagna noodles
1/2 cup butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cup reduced fat milk
4 cups reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
2 cups chicken breast, cooked, cubed
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
1 tablespoon fresh parsley

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Bring water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse noodles with cold water. 
3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion and garlic until tender. 
4. Whisk in flour and salt and simmer until bubbly. Whisk in broth and milk. 
5. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly for 1 minute. 
6. Stir in 2 cups of shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup of Parmesan. 
7. Season sauce with basil, oregano, and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
8. Spread 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Layer 3 lasagna noodles on top, then all of the ricotta cheese and chicken. Layer 3 more lasagna noodles over the chicken and add 1/3 of the sauce over top. 
9. Add spinach and remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Add the 3 remaining lasagna noodle over the cheese and spread the rest of the sauce over top. 
10. Sprinkle with parsley and a little Parmesan. 
11. Bake lasagna for 35 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

You can find the original recipe here.

BLT Chopped Salad with Ranch Dressing

Lately, I've been trying out a bunch of new salads. My cravings for salads comes in waves. Sometimes I'll avoid them for months at a time and sometimes they become my lunch or dinner go to. This is another recipe for a delicious chopped salad that's just as good as this one. There are so many bright toppings you can barely see the lettuce underneath - definitely the way to go!

Ingredients
For the salad:
4 strips diced bacon
2 cups romaine lettuce
1/2 medium tomato, sliced
1/4 English cucumber, sliced
1/4 cup sliced carrots
1/4 cup peas
1/4 corn

For the dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 green onion
1/2 tablespoon ranch salad dressing mix

Directions

1. Cook bacon according to package instructions. 
2. Combine mayo, Greek yogurt, milk, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, green onion, and ranch mix in a mini food processor and pulse until emulsified. 
3. Assemble the salad in a large bowl. Add dressing (may not need to use all of it) and lightly toss to combine.

Life Through My Lens

I'm a day late, but here's what happened in April through the lens of my iPhone. The weather finally turned beautiful enough to eat outside, wash cars, and go to baseball games. Easter was a lovely late lunch with my family and a fun mother-daughter trip to NYC to see The Wendy Williams Show was a great getaway. My best friend and I tried the new Grilled Cheese Bar in DC and J and I tried Olazzo in Bethesda this month. I can't get enough of trying new restaurants lately.

I'm happy to announce that most of the month I was celebrating (and I will continue to celebrate) because I got accepted into a dietetic internship program! I will officially be moving to Philadelphia in August to continue my journey to becoming an RD and I couldn't be more thrilled!

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.