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Recipes
Winter Squash Wheat Berry Risotto
By laurenzembron
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss the squash with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a baking...
- 1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 16 ounces low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 cup uncooked Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup cooked wheat berries (see package directions)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 to 3 oz goat cheese
- 2 Tbsp toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Strawberry Swiss Oatmeal
By laurenzembron
Oatmeal gets the cold shoulder in this summertime treat of chilled oats, yogurt, and fruit topped with nuts and/or ...
- 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/3 cup vanilla yogurt
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 tsp all-fruit strawberry preserves
- 1/4 cup chopped hulled strawberries
- optional add-on: toasted sunflower seeds, chopped nuts, or granola
Chicken Cobb Salad with Blue Cheese Buttermilk Dressing
By laurenzembron
The classic cobb salad gets a healthy makeover!
- Ingredients for the salad:
- 4-6 cups chopped romaine lettuce or mixed greens, preferably organic
- 1 large cooked organic chicken breast, (I poached my chicken)*, cooled, and chopped
- 1 cup halved grape tomatoes, preferably organic
- 1/2 large avocado, diced
- 2 peeled & chopped hard-boiled eggs**
- Blue Cheese Buttermilk Dressing***
- Directions for the salad:
- Lay chopped lettuce out onto two plates.
- In side-by-side rows, divide the chicken, tomatoes, avocado, and eggs evenly between the two beds of lettuce.
- Either drizzle dressing over the top, or serve alongside the salad.
- Directions for the poached chicken:
- Bring a small pot of cold water to a boil over high heat. Slide chicken into the hot water, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15-20 minutes, depending on size of chicken breast.
- Remove cooked chicken breast from water, let cool a few minutes, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Chill until ready to use.
- Directions for the hard-boiled eggs:
- Place eggs into a small pot and completely cover eggs with cold water. Bring water to a boil over high heat.
- As soon as water comes to a rolling boil, cover pot tightly and remove from heat. Let eggs sit in hot water, covered, for 15 minutes.
- Drain hot water from pot and gently shake to lightly crack the shells. Cover cooked eggs with cold water and let sit until cool, a few minutes.
- Dry eggs, peel, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Creamy Stovetop Pumpkin Mac & Cheese
By laurenzembron
A childhood favorite gets a healthy makeover for Halloween with the addition of pumpkin puree
- 8 oz uncooked whole wheat macaroni pasta
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup 1% low-fat milk
- 2 oz (about 4 Tbsp) 1/3-less-fat neufchatel cream cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated 50% reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated colby jack cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pepperoni Stromboli
By laurenzembron
Basically a rolled-up pizza, this pepperoni stromboli is perfect football-watching (or anytime) grub!
- 1 lb ball whole wheat pizza dough, at room temperature
- flour, for rolling out dough
- 40 about 40 thin slices pepperoni (turkey pepperoni for a lighter stromboli, if desired)
- 1 1/2 cups freshly shredded low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 1 egg, preferably organic, beaten
- 2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
- pizza sauce, for serving
Homemade Peanut Butters
By laurenzembron
Four incredibly delicious homemade peanut butter recipes: dark chocolate, vanilla bean coconut, cinnamon raisin, & ...
- Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter
- 1 1/2 cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts, preferably organic
- 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp canola oil
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp cocoa powder
- scant 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
- 2 tsp evaporated cane juice OR granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Vanilla Bean Coconut Peanut Butter
- 1 1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts, preferably organic
- 1/4 cup coconut butter, at room temperature and well-stirred (to make at home: toss some unsweetened dried coconut flakes in the food processor and blend until liquified and smooth; measure out 1/4 cup)
- 2 tsp organic cane sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla bean paste (you can sub in 1 tsp pure vanilla extract)
- Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter
- 1 1/2 cups roasted, unsalted peanuts, preferably organic
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
- 2 tsp evaporated cane juice
- 1 1/2 tsp canola oil, divided
- 1/4 cup raisins, preferably organic
- White Chocolate Peanut Butter
- 1 1/2 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, preferably organic
- 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp all-natural white chocolate chips, such as Sunspire
- scant 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp canola oil
Cocoa-nut Almond Butter
By laurenzembron
In a pan over medium heat, toast raw almonds, until golden brown
- 1.5 c raw almonds
- 2 T coconut butter, melted
- 1.5-2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2-1 T pure cane sugar
- 1 t vanilla extract
- pinch of salt [optional]
Hawaiian Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
By laurenzembron
Hawaiian Pizza meets Grilled Cheese with these delicious sandwiches! Sweetness from the pineapple and a little spic
- 4 slices whole wheat bread
- 1/4 cup pizza sauce, may use tomato sauce
- 2 to 4 slices of low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese, enough to cover 2 pieces of bread
- 2 to 4 thick slices of fully cooked ham steak, depending on size of bread
- 2 to 4 slices of pineapple, depending on size of bread
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapeno slices
- Granulated garlic, to taste
- 2 to 4 slices of 50% reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, enough to cover 2 pieces of bread
- Extra virgin olive oil
MA Local Greens with Dried Cranberries, Goat Cheese, & Maple Vinaigrette
By laurenzembron
Ingredients from Massachusetts (and Vermont) come together in this simple - but delicious - salad
- 2 cups local greens, washed, dried, and roughly torn
- 2 Tbsp dried cranberries
- 2 Tbsp crumbled local soft goat cheese
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup, preferably grade B
- 1 tsp country Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Goat Cheese, Brie, and Caramelized Onion Sandwich with Apples
By laurenzembron
A fantastic combination of ingredients makes this sandwich stand out from all the rest
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 tsp olive oil
- pinch of Kosher salt
- pinch of sugar
- 1 oz soft goat cheese (about 2 Tbsp), at room temperature for easier spreading
- 1 oz soft brie cheese (about 2 Tbsp), at room temperature for easier spreading <– you can remove the rind if you’d like
- 1/4 Granny smith apple, preferably organic, cored & thinly sliced
- fresh baby greens
- 2 slices fruit-and-nut bread of your choice (I used When Pigs Fly Harvest Bread)