Baltimore, MD

My boyfriend and I decided to do an overnight trip to Baltimore a few weeks since neither of us had been there in a really long time.  We didn’t realize it but they were having the Star-Spangled Sailabration, which was a pleasant surprise!  We were lucky enough to have made it into town for the Air Show which was incredible to see. 

After the air show, we decided to grab something light for lunch as Joe Squared in PowerPlant Live!, which is right around the corner from the Harbor.  Unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures of the food while we were there, but we opted for a small pizza and a small bowl of risotto.  Both were exceptional!  The pizza had a thin crust with a butternut squash sauce as the base and was topped with artichokes, ricotta cheese, and basil.  All of the flavors went so well together!  The risotto was probably the best I have ever eaten.  We decided to try the Prosciutto and Spinach and were not disappointed in the slightest!  It was so creamy and decadent and I would highly recommend trying it if you are ever in the Baltimore area!

That night for dinner we went to B&O American Brasserie.  The reason why we picked this restaurant is because it was voted in the Best of Baltimore for 2011 and 2012 and their chef, Thomas Dunklin, was voted as best up and coming chef.   Again, sorry for no pictures!!  The menu is made up of small plates and entrees.  We opted to get an appetizer (Gunpowder Farms Bison Carpaccio), two small plates ("Bacon and Eggs" and Charred Octopus), and one entrée (Slow Cooked Pork Cheeks).   In general the items we picked were good, although we did feel everything was a little heavy handed.  Also, the wait staff needed a little help!  When we were brought our appetizer and two small plates, the runner asked how we were doing and we asked him in return.  His response was “Better when I get out of here”.  Not sure if that’s what you want to be telling your diners!  All in all, I would say there are probably some better options in Baltimore that I would have liked to try over this. 

After dinner, we decided to take a walk around the Harbor.  It was a little chilly but the view was beautiful.  There were so many boats docked in the Harbor because of the Sailabration and all their lights were lit up.  The entire area is really great and I am looking forward to going back.  

Chicken Salad

With summer finally here, now is the time for grilling outside and having barbecues with friends.  A recipe that is great for a barbecue is my Aunt Loretta’s chicken salad.  We just had a family party last weekend and this was a hit!  It really is my favorite and I wanted to share it with you! 

Ingredients:

• 3 Chicken Breast (approx. 2 ¾ lbs total) fat removed and rinsed
• 2 Large Celery Stalks, chopped
• 1 Small Onion – preferably white, chopped
• 4 oz. slivered blanched almonds (half of an 8 oz. bag) (you can substitute sliced if you can’t find slivered)
• ½ lb of green grapes, cut in half or quarters depending on how large they are
• 1 cup of Mayonnaise (or to your taste)**
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Season the chicken breasts with onion powder, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. 
3. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until no longer pink.  Let cool
4. In the meantime, toast almonds in a frying pan on medium to low heat until lightly browned, tossing often.  Be careful as they can burn quickly.
5. Once chicken is cool, cut into bite size pieces.  Add celery, onion, almonds, salt and pepper and mix. 
6. Add mayo starting with a half cup and add more as needed.
7. Arrange in serving bowl and decorate with grape halves around the border.

Nutritional Information (serves 10):  388 calories, 18.4 g fat, 12.6g carbohydrates, 1.9g fiber, 5.5g sugar, 41.5g protein

Weight Watchers Points per serving: 10 points plus

 **If you use reduced fat mayo instead, the nutritional info is: 332 calories, 13.3g fat, 9.8g carbohydrates, 1.9g fiber, 4.0 sugars, 41.2g protein.  The weight watchers points would be: 8 points plus

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Last night I decided to make this Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese recipe that I found here.  It was delicious!! It was so creamy and the panko breadcrumbs add the perfect amount of crunch.  I modified the recipe by cutting it in half since it's only my boyfriend and I.  Also, I am not a huge fan of Gruyere cheese, so I swaped that out for 2% mozzarella cheese (I love the Trader Joe's brand). 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 6 oz. (half a box) Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta -- I used the rotini
• 1/2 cup fat free milk
• 3/4 cup fat free vegetable broth
• 1.5 garlic cloves, minced**
• 1/4 cup fat free greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup 2% mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste (one mistake I made was I didnt add enough salt so we had to add it in our servings)

**(I actually love the garlic that is already minced in a jar of water – tastes the same and eliminates all of the work!My mom introduced me to these and now I always use them.The two brands I like are Spice World and Bellino)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and coat an 8 x 8 pan with non-fat cooking spray.
2. Put the squash, milk, broth, and garlic in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil (watch this process because the milk could boil over) over medium high heat.  Once it starts boiling, lower the heat to medium low and let simmer until the squash is soft.  Mine took about 15 minutes. 
3. Once the squash is soft, let cool for about 10 minutes.  While it is cooling, cook pasta al dente, about 7 minutes. 
4. After the squash mixture is cooled, transfer it to a blender and add the greek yogurt and salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.  At this point, it will resemble a sauce.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add cheese and mix well.
5. Once the pasta is drained, add it to the squash mixture and toss to coat. 
6. Transfer the pasta/squash mixture to the 8 x 8 pan.
7. Top the pasta with the 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs.  Bake for about 15 minutes or until the bread crumbs are toasted. (This picture is before it went in the oven.)

 

 

The entire recipe makes 4 servings, so there was one serving left for me to bring to work today for lunch!

 

Nutritional Info (makes 4 servings): 303 calories, 7.3g fat, 48.2 carbohydrates, 5.9g fiber, 4.9 g sugar, 16.5g protein

Weight Watchers points per servings: 7 points plus

Pick-me-up Snack

For my first post, I wanted to share with you a product I learned about from my friend Samantha.  It really is the perfect snack because it incorporates both salty and sweet and is good for you – if eaten in moderation!  The snack is from Trader Joe’s and it’s their “Nuts About Raspberries & Chocolate Trek Mix."

It’s the perfect afternoon snack pick me up!  It has almonds, peanuts, raspberries, and chocolate chips and it’s only 4 weight watchers points for ¼ cup.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!