Author: Claire

Pancakes for Two

Happy Valentine’s Day, Everyone! This morning I woke up and just felt like doing something festive. My Valentine was still a sleeping giant upstairs, so I decided to make him something tasty to wake up to. Little did I know that he wouldn’t actually wake up until 1pm… but hey- pancakes work for lunch too, right?

Anyway, this recipe is great because it makes the perfect amount for two to share, or a big portion for one. I love how you can just mix up a few of the ingredients in a small bowl and then not have to figure out a way to use up all the extra batter. Pancake ice cubes? Face mask?

Of course you have to make them pink for the day. Just a few drops of red food coloring will do, or, if you’re really granola and can’t stand the thought of such artificial coloring in your cakes- gasp!- you could use pureed strawberries.

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I hope that today, whether you’re old or young, whether you’re single, dating, or married, whether you’ve had a terrible week or the best week of your life, that you surround yourself with all the people you love, and that you remember why we love in the first place.

“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

Pancakes for Two
Recipe Type: Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: Breakfast
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2
Happy Valentine’s Day! Here’s an easy recipe that you can use to make a small serving of pancakes for you and your honey. Don’t forget to add a few drops of food coloring for Valentine’s Day cheer, and top with powdered sugar and strawberries.
Ingredients
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 2 tbsp oats
  • 3 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp melted butter
  • 1/3 cup low-fat milk
  • dash of vanilla (about 1/2 tsp)
  • 2 drops red food coloring
  • extra butter or cooking spray for the pan
  • small handful chocolate chips
  • 1/2 banana, sliced
  • powdered sugar, for topping (optional)
Instructions
  1. Whisk all dry ingredients together in a small bowl.
  2. In another bowl, whisk butter, milk, and vanilla.
  3. Combine wet and dry ingredients and stir until just combined- don’t overmix! It will be a bit lumpy. Stir in food coloring.
  4. In a small skillet on medium heat, melt additional butter or spray with cooking spray.
  5. Pour one scoop of batter (depending on how big you want your pancakes) into skillet and top with a few slices of banana and chocolate chips. Cook 1-2 minutes, or until bubbles appear on the top.
  6. Flip carefully and cook 1 more minute.
  7. Repeat with remaining batter.
  8. Top with powdered sugar and serve with sliced strawberries on the side!

Recipe Adapted from Joy the Baker

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“Everything But the Kitchen Sink” Weeknight Stew

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“Everything But the Kitchen Sink” Weeknight Stew
Recipe Type: Soup, Stew
Cuisine: Easy, Healthy
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
I literally threw together whatever I could find that would be somewhat tasty for this easy weeknight stew! All you need to spice up that boxed or canned soup that’s been in your pantry for a year is a few pantry staples!
Ingredients
  • 1 box or can black bean soup, or black bean soup base (I had a box of “Simply Balanced Organic Soup, Southwestern-Style Black Bean” in my pantry left over from like, a year ago that I got on sale at Target)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 3 links chicken or turkey sausage, sliced
  • EVOO
  • 1/2 tbsp each garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, ground coriander, cinnamon, cocoa powder
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1-2 cups water or chicken broth, depending on how thick you like your stew!
  • 1 can tomatoes and their juice
  • 3/4 cup frozen corn
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
  • Handful of barley (about 1/4 cup)
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • kale or spinach
  • greek yogurt, for topping
Instructions
  1. Cook onions and garlic on medium high heat with a drizzle of olive oil, 3-4 minutes or until soft.
  2. Add sausage and corn. Stir until all browned bits on bottom of can are gone.
  3. Add all spices and stir continuously for 1 minute.
  4. Stir in chicken broth or water, add tomatoes, corn, pumpkin, and barley. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
  5. Just before serving, stir in kale or spinach.
  6. Serve with greek yogurt and pepper on top, with some hearty blue corn tortilla chips on the side!

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Note: I used this organic soup base from Target. I highly recommend, but I have to warn you- it’s pretty salty. To avoid getting diagnosed with congestive heart failure (or if you just want to watch your sodium intake), I’d suggest adding a few cups of water or LOW-sodium broth to dilute it a bit. 

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Pesto Feta Chicken Burgers

Ben told me that he was craving a big, juicy chicken sandwich last night. We didn’t end up getting him one, since I was craving a big, juicy salad…

You’re always craving a salad! he said to me when I suggested we go to Jason’s Deli.

What did we end up doing?

Jason’s Deli, FTW. But it’s ok. Because he still got a chicken panini. And I got my big salad (side note: isn’t J’s Deli awesome? You can get a humongous salad to-go and make it last like, three meals. Plus, free pickles!)

Tonight I decided to be a good wife and make my hubby his precious chicken sandwich. But not just any chicken sandwich. I decided to make Pesto Feta Chicken Burgers. Juicy chicken breast stuffed with pesto and feta cheese (or pimiento, since we had only a bit of feta left), seared in olive oil and served over a nice big kale salad (ok, he really ate it on a bun. The salad on the side only stayed because it was already on the plate from me taking pictures of it). These are juicy and savory, and you’ll really love the surprise of the oozy cheese in the center. They’re also really versatile. Add whatever kind of cheese or seasonings you want to customize to your own tastes, or make the patties a bit smaller/rounder for meatballs!

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PESTO FETA CHICKEN BURGERS

 

Pesto Feta Chicken Burgers
Recipe Type: Burger, Chicken
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 15
Tender, savory chicken stuffed with feta or pimiento cheese and seasoned with garlicky pesto… how can you go wrong?
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 onion, minced
  • 1 tbsp garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup white beans, drained
  • 2 packages ground chicken, 50% lean
  • 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tbsp Italian parsley, minced
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup oats
  • 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup pesto
  • 1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • Pimiento cheese
  • Feta cheese
Instructions
  1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onions and garlic, stirring occasionally, until soft- about 4 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl, mash beans with a potato masher until chunky. Add remaining ingredients (except cheese) and stir to combine.
  3. Spray hands with olive oil or cooking spray. Grab a handful of mixture and form into 2″ diameter patties. Place each onto a sprayed sheet of parchment paper and with your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each patty.
  4. Fill each patty with about a teaspoon of feta or pimiento cheese. Add a bit more of the meat mixture (or just pinch up the sides) to close the patties.
  5. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
  6. In a large skillet or griddle, add remaining olive oil or cooking spray and cook each patty on medium-high heat (to get that nice seared look!) for 3 min per side, or until cooked through.
  7. Serve on a bun or over a big kale salad!
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Combine all the ingredients in a big bowl.
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Poke a hole in the center of each patty and fill with cheese of your choice! I used feta and pimiento.
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Cook 3 minutes each side on medium-high heat.
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Nice and browned. Yum.
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Ready to devour! Pesto Feta Chicken Burgers, FTW!

Claire1 Comment

Peanut Butter Power Breakfast Cookies

I caved today. After years of turning my nose up at all the yoga-pants-wearing, kale-eating, “I only shop at Whole Foods” granola moms who insist on cooking with only organic ingredients, I finally caved. I became one of those Whole Foodies who spends three times as much than she needs to because the recipe calls for almond flour and ground flaxseed. But hey- before you poo-poo me with that look of disdain on your face, let me just say that I did NOT buy the natural peanut butter or pure maple syrup! Some things are just not worth it. But today, I wanted to do this recipe justice, and make it full of as many whole foods (see what I did there?) as possible, since I plan on having these bad boys for a post-workout, pre-breakfast fuel for the next few weeks as I start my new clinical rotation.

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Peanut Butter Power Breakfast Cookies

I prefer to work out in the morning, and my schedule for this upcoming rotation requires me to be at clinic by 7:30, which means that I need to be at the gym by 5:30am if I want to get my full workout in. I’ve been looking for a recipe for a good post-workout snack that I can take with me to clinic, something with a good balance of protein and carbs, that will help me refuel without giving me GI issues or taking the place of a real breakfast (if I eat too big of a snack after a workout, I tend to try to “push back” a real meal and end up not fueling enough!)

Adapted from one of my favorite blogs, fANNEtastic food, these peanut butter power bites are packed with wholesome ingredients including oats, flaxseed, and almond flour. Just under 100 cals a pop, they also have a great balance of carbs, protein, and fat to be enjoyed as a post-workout snack or breakfast on the go! They’re sweet enough to feel like a treat (especially for all of the other athletes out there who tend to crave sugar after your run!), but not so sweet that you feel like you’re eating dessert. You can also freeze these in ziplock snack bags and grab one or two in the morning before you head out the door- they’ll be nice and chewy by the time you’re ready to chow down!

Peanut Butter Power Breakfast Cookies
Recipe Type: Post-Workout, Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: Healthy, Natural
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 24
Adapted from one of my favorite blogs, fANNEtastic food, these peanut butter power bites are packed with wholesome ingredients including oats, flaxseed, and almond flour. They also have a great balance of carbs, protein, and fat to be enjoyed as a post-workout snack or breakfast on the go! You can also freeze these in ziplock snack bags and grab one or two in the morning before you head out the door- they’ll be nice and chewy by the time you’re ready to chow down!
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • 3/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 heaping tsps vanilla protein powder
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter or other nut butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup (honey would also work!)
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 deg.
  2. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients from oats to raisins and stir to blend .
  3. In another smaller bowl, melt peanut butter. Stir in applesauce, maple syrup or honey, almond milk, egg white, and vanilla until combined.
  4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to incorporate.
  5. Chill for at least 30 minutes to allow mixture to set.
  6. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. When cooled, heap 1 tbsp mounds of mixture about 1″ apart on baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes at 350 deg.
Serving size: 1 cookie Calories: 93

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Claire1 Comment

Monday Pizza Night!

Tonight I decided it was time to make another pizza. Something about having the Duke-Pitt game on TV, having the whole day to let the dough rise and add a bunch of leftover toppings, and picking up a sweaty husband from the gym just screamed “PIZZA!” to me. I’d been planning this ever since I brought back half of my Chili’s Margarita Grilled Chicken and decided it wouldn’t be any good on its own. But instead of tossing it, I figured I’d chop it up and at least use it as a pizza topping! For the Southwestern half, I added a little cumin and garlic powder, then the chicken (which was already conveniently seasoned with pico and some other mystery Chili’s spices that I’d probably rather NOT know about…), and for the Greek half, I used a bit of Italian marinated chicken I made for Ben last night, along with some Greek spices, veggies and feta.

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Monday Pizza Night!
Recipe Type: Pizza
Cuisine: Southwestern, Greek
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Monday Pizza Night! Dinner in front of the Duke-Pitt game… can’t get any better than this! All you need is a refrigerated pizza dough from your local grocery store (love Harris Teeter and TJ’s!) and top with all your leftovers!
Ingredients
  • 1 whole wheat pizza dough (Harris Teeter)
  • EVOO
  • 1 cup reduced sodium tomato sauce
  • Greek Spices: 1/2 tsp each dried oregano, Italian seasoning, Greek seasoning
  • Greek Toppings: chopped broccoli, chicken, black olives, tomatoes, feta cheese
  • Southwestern Spices: 1/2 tsp each cumin and garlic powder, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • Southwestern Toppings: chicken, black olives, black beans, frozen corn, salsa, shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 deg. Allow pizza dough to come to room temperature for at least 1 hour, punching it down to knead gently every half hour or so.
  2. Spray a pizza pan with cooking spray. Give the dough a few kneads, then press out to sides of pan using fingertips (if it springs back, give it a few minutes and let it rise a bit more, then continue to press out to the sides. You can also let the dough hang from your fingertips and let gravity help stretch it!)
  3. Drizzle with a little EVOO and use your fingers to spread around the entire surface of the dough.
  4. Top with sauce and seasonings, then add the toppings to make 1/2 the pie Greek, and 1/2 Southwestern!
  5. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown and fluffy.
  6. Slice into as many pieces as you’d like!

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Claire2 Comments

Rocky Road Muffins

This one goes out to all my fellow DPT 3rd years who are just finishing up PT802! I know it’s been a looooong road (and probably a little rocky!) to get to where we are today, but just think- we’ll be done in three months and we graduate in four! Make a batch of these “Rocky Road Muffins” this weekend to kick off your week off, and think about all the things you’ve learned over the past few years- both in the classroom and the clinic, but also outside of both as you’ve balanced school/family/personal lives. Wherever you end up next, keep that head up (and shoulders back, and chin tucked!) and make this next 12 weeks worth it.

Or just do it for the chocolate.

Rocky Road Muffins
Rocky Road Muffins
Rocky Road Muffins
Recipe Type: Muffins
Cuisine: Dessert, Snack
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 24
When the road gets rocky… make rocky road muffins!
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup low-fat milk + 1 tbsp water
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
  • 1/4 cup coconut, for topping
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 deg.
  2. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
  3. Whisk together eggs, yogurt, milk, water, applesauce, oil, and vanilla in a small bowl.
  4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined (don’t overmix!).
  5. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  6. Fill two 12 cup muffin tins with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.
  7. Spoon batter into each muffin tin until about 3/4 full.
  8. Bake at 375 for 15 min or until toothpick comes out clean. In the final 3 min of baking, top muffin with 4-5 marshmallows and a pinch of coconut. Continue to cook until golden brown on top.

 

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