Mexican Street Corn

School is winding down over here, the weather is (slowly) getting warmer, my daughter won't take off her ballet recital costume, and The Voice finale is next week... meaning I'll get my husband back... also meaning I can practically smell summer grilling season.  We're the type of family that fires up the barbecue in the dead of winter, but there's obviously something different about those charred, smoky meals when you're eating them outside.  In anticipation of al fresco style dining, the other day I made a grilled corn side dish that would pair perfectly with BBQ chicken or these tacos.

Often this type of corn is smothered with rich mayo, but we've been trying not to eat foods that are high in cholesterol.  This is why I was thrilled to pair up with Best Foods and work with their Carefully Crafted dressing which is free from eggs, cholesterol and artificial flavors and colors.  It makes such a difference in my day when I don't have to stress about what my children are putting into their mouths!  (So I can concentrate on all the OTHER stresses... like potty training.)  

This corn is so delicious and you can feel good about eating it.  It's also very easy to make: simply grill corn and then roll the cobs in a combo of greek yogurt, Carefully Crafted dressing, cotija cheese,  chili powder, cilantro and fresh lime juice!  You should totally make this for dinner after your son's Field Day or whatever end-of-the-year activity you're celebrating right now :)

Mexican Street Corn

Serves 6

Printable Recipe

6 ears shucked corn

1/4 cup Carefully Crafted dressing & sandwich spread

1/4 cup greek yogurt

1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese, plus more for serving

1/2 teaspoon chili powder, plus more for serving

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

Fresh lime juice (1/2 a lime), plus more wedges for serving

Salt and pepper to taste

Spray outdoor or indoor grill with grilling spray.  Heat grill to medium-high and while grill is heating, combine the Carefully Crafted dressing, greek yogurt, cotija cheese, chili powder, cilantro and the juice from a half of a lime in a bowl and stir until combined.  Grill corn, turning until all sides are cooked, roughly 8-10 minutes total.  Immediately roll corn in dressing and place on platter.  Sprinkle with more cheese and chili powder, and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

#BePicky #Sponsored            

Bolthouse Farms

I recently partnered up with Bolthouse Farms and attended an event where they premiered a line of new beverages.  The ingredients are fresh and honest and the flavors unique and exciting, such as Mango Pineapple Colada and Banana Honey Almond Butter (my personal favorite).  They sent me a bunch to try and challenged me to come up with four recipes featuring their smoothies, shakes and juices, and they are posted below!  It was so much fun to think outside the box (or bottle - puns are sort of my thing), and I'm really happy with each creation.  My family was my main source of inspiration, particularly my middle child who desperately needs more fruits and vegetables in her life, and I am NOT above sneaking nutrition into her diet in a covert manner.      

First up, these muffins that are a great snack or breakfast on-the-go.  When I tasted the combo of banana, honey and almond butter, I immediately wanted to bake with it.  Adding the shake to the muffins keep them moist, and adding ripe bananas and almond butter make them burst with that perfect flavor combination.  My toddler LOVED these, and I was happy knowing she was getting some extra protein in her diet!     

Banana Honey Almond Butter Muffins

Yields: 12 muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup Bolthouse Farms Banana Honey Almond Butter Protein Shake

1/4 cup almond butter

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

Turbinado sugar (cane sugar) for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Whisk first 5 ingredients in a bowl, set aside.  In a separate bowl, whisk together both sugars with protein shake.  Stir in almond butter, egg, vanilla and mashed bananas.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.  Place into paper-lined muffin tins, about 3/4 of the way full, sprinkle a little cane sugar on top of each muffin, and bake for 18-20 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  

Next, after sipping this sweet and tart Raspberry Blood Orange juice, I thought it would be great as a vinaigrette for salads (and I may or may not have poured some with vodka while I whisked away).  It's particularly delicious over peppery arugula, and would also make a great glaze for chicken or fish.

Raspberry Blood Orange Vinaigrette

Yields: approx 2 cups

1/2 cup Bolthouse Farms Raspberry Blood Orange Juice

1 small shallot, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth.  Taste, and add more salt and pepper if necessary.  Pour over salad or save in a mason jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Smoothie bowls have always intimidated me.  They look like masterpieces on Instagram, and too pretty to eat.  But after creating my own bowl, I was pleasantly surprised how easy and quickly it came together.  I added avocado for texture and creaminess, but the options are endless (banana, yogurt, leafy greens, etc).  And don't get me started on the toppings! 

Green Goodness Smoothie Crunch Bowl

Yields: 1 bowl

1 15 oz. Bolthouse Farms Green Goodness Smoothie

1/2 avocado

1/2 cup ice

Suggested Toppings:

Raspberries

Blueberries

Sliced bananas

Shredded raw coconut

Granola

Drizzle of honey

Combine Green Goodness Smoothie in a blender with avocado and ice and puree until smooth.  Pour into bowl, top with desired toppings and drizzle with honey.  

Finally, this cake.  This cake, that I want to make love to.  After one sip of the Mocha Cappuccino beverage, I knew I wanted to make something rich and decadent.  It tasted like such a treat, and I knew it would translate well as a dessert.  While this cake is creamy and indulgent... it's also light and would be a great thing to serve as the weather starts to get warmer! 

Mocha Cappuccino Smoothie Ice Cream Cake

Yields: 1 cake

35 chocolate wafer cookies, divided

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1.5 quarts coffee chip ice cream 

1 cup Bolthouse Farms Mocha Cappuccino Smoothie Beverage

1 cup ice

1 cup whipped cream

Chocolate chips or shavings for topping (optional)

Place 25 cookies in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until crumbs are formed.  Add butter and pulse until combined.  Place mixture in the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan (with approx. 3 inch sides) that is lined with parchment paper, and press with your fingers until crust coats the bottom of the pan.  Freeze for 10 minutes.  During this time, remove ice cream to soften and pulse remaining 10 crackers in the food processor, then set aside.  After the 10 minutes, remove pan from freezer and add ice cream.  Smooth with a spatula to create an even layer, then add cookie crumble on top, and place back in freezer for 10 minutes.  During that time, place ice and coffee beverage in a blender and pulse until a smoothie is formed.  Remove to a bowl, and fold in whipped cream.  Place on top of cake and smooth with a spatula.  Sprinkle chocolate chips or shavings on top, and freeze for 30 minutes or until ready to eat. 

Kale Caesar Salad

So I finally finished this season's Homeland, and I was depressed about it all weekend.  Not only because of the ending (no spoiler alerts, don't worry), but because it was OVER, and now I have to wait however long for more of it.  Does anyone else experience this type of TV-related depression?  Don't even get me started on the finality of Breaking Bad ending...

Ok, I don't really know where I'm going with this.  I'm tired.  I've had insomnia for two nights in a row, and I'm not sure why.  Is it Homeland related?  Maybe.  Am I pondering that I'm about to turn 35, which seems like a really big number?  Probably.  It's a good thing I had yummy food to eat this weekend, otherwise I'd be a zombie.  Like this Kale Salad with the most delicious and HEALTHY Lime Caesar Dressing.  It's made with greek yogurt and Parmesan cheese and anchovy paste for that familiar, salty Caesar flavor.  It was so good and very easy to make.  I topped my salad with shredded Parmesan, sliced tomatoes and homemade croutons (and followed this recipe for everything else).  

Ok... Monday, let's do this.

Crunchy Taco Kale Salad

Day 2 of Salad Week!  I barely made it!  (By the way, you should know that 6pm is practically midnight in my world.)  Also, I'm terribly disappointed in myself, because in my "hangry" haste last night I forgot to take many pictures of Day 2 Salad.  You're just going to have to take my word that it was delicious.  We typically partake in Taco Tuesday cuisine, but rarely do salads.  However, after viewing this recipe for a Crunchy Taco Kale Salad (and in our ongoing effort to eat slightly better, at least during the week) I decided to go for it.  Homemade Chipotle Lime Avocado Dressing??  Yes please.  And it was as creamy and (subtly) spicy as you would imagine.  Drizzled atop a kale salad with chopped cilantro, black beans, shredded white cheddar and a variety of veggies... and I also roasted some shrimp for protein.  Oh, and did I mention the homemade tortilla strips??