This lemon herb rub from Cooking Light is always a classic. I have used this rub recipe before to make brick chicken, where you butterfly a whole chicken and use bricks wrapped in foil to press it down to the grill for a crisp skin. This time, I tried to make things a little easier on myself by using leg quarters instead. The herb rub works well in both scenarios.

Lemon Herb Grilled Chicken

1 (5 lb) roasting chicken or leg quarters
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
3 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp salt
½ tsp fresh ground pepper

1. Prepare your chicken:

If using a whole chicken, remove and discard giblets and neck. Rinse chicken with cold water, and pat dry. Trim excess fat. Place chicken, breast side down, on a cutting surface. Cut chicken in half lengthwise along backbone (do not cut through breastbone). Turn chicken over. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.

If using leg quarters, rinse chicken with cold water, and pat dry. Trim excess fat. Using your fingers, loosen the skin from the meat.

2. Combine parsley, thyme, juice, salt, and pepper; rub mixture under loosened skin and over chicken. Gently press skin to secure. Place chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.

3. Preheat grill to medium heat.

4. Place chicken, skin side up, on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 30 minutes (for leg quarters) to 55 minutes (for a whole chicken) or until a thermometer inserted into meaty part of thigh registers 180°. Remove chicken from grill; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Remove and discard the skin.

Olivia and I first had these coconut bars at her “best friend’s” birthday party. (Yes, she has a best friend- two actually, and she will tell anyone who will listen that “Addy and Bridget are my best friends.”)

Addy’s mom made these coconut bars for dessert, and I was in heaven! They remind me of the Neapolitan-colored coconut ice candy I used to eat as a kid, only these are all-natural and a lot healthier. Each bar is around 100 calories.

Coconut Bars
From Chocolate-Covered Katie 

Makes 12-14 bars

2 cups shredded coconut (unsweetened)
½ cup agave or pure maple syrup
4 tbsp virgin coconut oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pour into a small casserole dish (I used an 8×8 inch) and refrigerate for an hour before cutting. If you are in a hurry, you can also put them in the freezer for 15 minutes to set before cutting. Bars can be stored in the fridge or freezer for a couple of weeks.

Since this little human I am growing has left me utterly exhausted recently, I haven’t been doing much adventurous cooking or trying many new recipes. Now that I’m in my second trimester, both my energy and my cooking are making a comeback.

I recently tried this Spring Vegetable Penne from the most recent issue of Cooking Light and LOVED it. The lemon cream sauce is both comforting and bright at the same time, and the veggies are perfect in it.  The only thing I might do differently next time is grill the asparagus for some extra flavor (and just because I can, since it’s finally nice out).

Spring Vegetable Pasta with a Lemon Cream Sauce

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
¾ cup chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
1 (4 oz) package presliced mushrooms
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
½ cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
½ cup half-and-half
¾ cup frozen green peas
3 tbsp shaved Parmesan cheese, divided
½ tsp grated lemon rind
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
8 oz uncooked penne (I used vegetable pasta, hence the reddish color)
1 pound (1 in) diagonally cut asparagus

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add onion and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add thyme and garlic; sauté 1 minute.

2. Sprinkle mushroom mixture evenly with flour; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

3. Stir in broth and half-and-half; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add peas, 2 tablespoons cheese, rind, and next 3 ingredients (through pepper); cook 1 minute or until peas are thoroughly heated.

4. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add asparagus to pot; drain.

5. Add pasta mixture to mushroom mixture; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cheese.

I grew up eating pimento cheese sandwiches (on white bread, no crust, cut into quarter triangles … naturally). They were a staple at every wedding my grandmother catered, and because I loved being her sous chef, I got to sample them—a lot.

It wasn’t until recently that I realized that pimento cheese is a distinctly Southern snack and that I’ve never actually made it. I don’t have my grandmother’s recipe (which I intend to get from my dad ASAP), so I looked up a half dozen recipes before trying out this concoction. The recipe I followed most closely was this one, which is based on my fav store-bought pimento cheese, Palmetto.

While I think it turned out delicious, I would probably cut back on the cream cheese just a bit next time because I thought it was just a tad overpowering, so that’s how I have written the recipe below. Also, the jalapeño can be increased or decreased depending on how much heat you like.

Jalapeño Pimento Cheese

6 oz low-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 tbsp diced pimentos
1 roasted jalapeño, seeded and diced
1½ tbsp grated vidalia onion
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

A few months ago, I started seeing these boxes showing up in the mail room at work. Then, within a matter of days, a couple of my friends posted pictures of them on Facebook. I was intrigued, so I decided to Google what the heck a “Nature Box” was.

Photo via Naturebox.com

Picture healthy, all natural snacks delivered right to your home or office each month—everything from granola to raspberry bars to pretzel bites—and you have Nature Box. I decided to give it a try because I figured I could use some healthier snack options at work. As it turns out, my entire family wanted in on the goods! And I have no problem with my daughter snacking on any of it because I know it’s made of natural, healthy good stuff.

The boxes start at $19.95 a month, which is the size I signed up for. In my first box, I got Lemon Meringue Waffles, Italian Pretzel Bites, Raspberry Bars, Taj Mahal Snack Mix, and Banana Bread Granola. I was expecting almost sample sizes of each item, but I actually got full-sized packages (about the size you’d expect if you bought the same items at Trader Joe’s). There wasn’t anything we didn’t like in the box, and my husband especially loved the Taj Mahal Snack Mix. The Raspberry Bars (kind of like Fig Newtons) were my fav.

If you’re trying to eat low carb, this might not be your best option. But if you’re just looking for quick, easy, healthy snacks for you and/or your family, then I would give Nature Box a shot. It is actually not a bad deal considering what you get in each box. I know my family will be eagerly awaiting our May box!

If you’re looking for a fun activity that the whole family can get involved in, try a family sushi night. We are a sushi-loving family; so when my brother recently taught us how to roll it ourselves, I was thrilled to find that it was surprisingly easy.

Not into raw fish? No big deal! You can make veggie rolls (avocado, cucumber, and cream cheese are my daughter’s favorite!), use imitation crab meat, or roll your sushi with cooked fish like shrimp tempura.

What you’ll need:

Bamboo sushi mat
Plastic wrap
Sushi rice (cooked and cooled- we used this recipe, which was perfect)
Nori seaweed sheets
Large bowl of water
Sharp knife

Sushi fillings (sliced thin and vertically):
Sushi-grade tuna or salmon
Imitation crab meat
Avocado
Cucumber
Cream cheese
Green onion
Hot chili mayonnaise (if you like spicy rolls)
Tempura flakes

Condiments:
Pickled ginger
Wasabi paste
Soy sauce

1. Wrap your bamboo mat with plastic wrap to make clean-up easier.

2. Lay a piece of the nori seaweed at the end of the mat and top with a small handful of the sushi rice. Press and spread the rice to cover the seaweed and then carefully flip it over. Tip: the sushi rice will be very sticky, so use the bowl of water to dip your fingers and keep the rice from sticking to your hands.

3. Place whatever fillings you want in your roll in the center of the seaweed. Using the bamboo mat and your fingers, roll the sushi, being careful to squeeze the completed roll tightly before unrolling the mat.

4. Dip the knife in the water and slice the roll in half. Continue to cut the roll into small pieces, dipping the knife in the water frequently to keep the rice from sticking to the blade.

My daughter loved helping me roll the sushi, though I took care of the cutting. But even more than making it, she loved eating the finished product. It was the best she has ever eaten sushi, and I really think it’s because she got to be involved in the process. It was a fun night for all of us, and we ate about $100 worth of sushi (in restaurant prices) for maybe $50—not bad at all!

I really love quiche, but I had never made one until now. I’ll pretty much eat anything with caramelized onion in it, so this Cooking Light recipe seemed like a good place to start. I thought it turned out great and, after initially turning her nose up at it, Olivia eventually gave in and ate her whole piece. We had this dish for dinner, but it would also be a fantastic brunch option.

Zucchini and Caramelized Onion Quiche

1 refrigerated pie crust
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tsp sugar
4 cups sliced zucchini
3 cloves of garlic, minced
¾ tsp kosher salt, divided
1 cup low-fat milk
1½ tbsp all-purpose flour
½ tsp pepper
3 large eggs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent. Sprinkle in sugar, stir, and continue cooking until the onions are very tender, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool and then finely chop.

2. Preheat oven to 425°. Unroll pie crust and fit into a 10-inch pie plate. Bake the pie crust for 12 minutes or until edges are golden. Remove and allow to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 375°.

3. Heat large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add remaining olive oil the pan. Add zucchini and garlic, and sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt. Sauté 5 minutes or until zucchini is crisp-tender. Cool slightly.

4. Arrange caramelized onions over the bottom of the pie crust; top with zucchini mixture. Combine ½ tsp salt, milk, flour, pepper, eggs, and cheese in a mixing bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Pour the egg mixture over the zucchini and onions.

5. Bake the quiche at 375° for 35 minutes or until set. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting. 

Whenever we had steak growing up, which was a special treat, we nearly always had twice baked potatoes to go with it. I absolutely love them, but I’m always looking for ways to make classic comfort foods a bit healthier. I decided to try making twice baked potatoes with sweet potatoes. Because the flavors are so different, however, the normal bacon, cheese, sour cream, butter mix-ins just didn’t seem to work. So here’s my take on healthier (and slightly more gourmet) twice baked potatoes.

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

5 medium sweet potatoes
¾ cup sliced mushrooms
2 cups fresh spinach
1 cup sliced onions
3 slices precooked bacon, crumbled (this is a healthier option than regular bacon—turkey bacon works too)
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
2-3 oz crumbled reduced fat blue cheese
1 tsp sugar
1½ tbsp olive oil
Salt
Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until fork tender.

2. While the potatoes bake, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and cook until translucent. Sprinkle in the sugar, stir, and continue to cook the onions until they are brown and tender. Once done, put the onions in a bowl and set aside.

3. In the same sauté pan, heat the rest of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and spinach and cook until soft and wilted. Add the vegetables to the same bowl as the onions.

4. Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Once cool enough to touch, slice each sweet potato in half and scoop out the insides, keeping the skins intact. Put the scooped out potato into a large mixing bowl.

5. Add the onions, mushrooms, spinach, yogurt, salt, and pepper to the scooped out potatoes and mix well. Fill each of the potato skins evenly with some of the mixture. Top each one with blue cheese.

6. Return the potatoes to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

We usually eat vegetarian a few nights a week, so I’m always on the lookout for recipes that are outside of the usual salad/pasta/quinoa rotation. I saw this recipe for vegetarian stuffed peppers and decided to try my own spin on it. 

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

2 green peppers
2 red peppers
2 yellow peppers
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 small onion, chopped
2 small tomatoes, diced
2 cups fresh spinach
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup goat cheese crumbles
1 clove minced garlic
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°, and lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place the halved and seeded peppers cut side down on the baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.

3. While the peppers roast, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for one minute.

4. Add onions and mushrooms and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and spinach and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

5. In a large bowl, mix together the rice, vegetables, goat cheese, salt, and pepper.

6. After the peppers are done roasting, flip them over and fill each half with the rice and vegetable mixture.

7. Return the peppers to the oven and roast for another 5 minutes.

I don’t usually post on Fridays, but this was just too cute not to share!

My coworker, Stephanie, brought each of us an Easter treat this morning—little Rice Krispie Easter eggs covered in pastel sprinkles, all wrapped up in adorable packaging. Seriously, how cute are these?!

I love Rice Krispie treats because they’re kid-friendly and super easy to make. And today, I am choosing to believe that they are a nutritious breakfast food (hey, it’s cereal, right?).

This is actually the second Easter-themed Rice Krispie treat I’ve had this week. My in-laws came over on Sunday and brought Olivia a plate of Rice Krispie Easter baskets filled with M&Ms, similar to the ones pictured below, sans coconut. Olivia was thrilled to be allowed to have two of her favorite treats in one!

Photo via RiceKrispies.com

Ok, that’s all I have for today. Just wanted to share these sweet little treats! I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter!