• Recipes,  Something Savory

    Cheesy Quinoa & Mushroom Burgers

    These Cheesy Quinoa & Mushroom Burgers have become a go-to meal for me. In fact, I have made them at least 4 times in the past month. They are so hearty and satisfying and with a little prep, make for a healthy, casual meal. Quinoa is known as a “superfood” in the health world because it is one of the few grains that is a complete protein, unlike wheat or rice.  Quinoa also packs in significant amounts of dietary fiber, phosphorus, magnesium and iron.

    I like the fact that these veggie burgers feature quinoa, rather than just starchy beans like most veggie burgers usually do. The burgers are made with onion, mushrooms, cheese, pecans, an egg and a dash of soy sauce and sprinkling of herbs. The result is

  • Recipes,  Something Sweet

    Cherry Vanilla Popsicles

    My latest food obsession: popsicles. I got a Zoku Classic Pop Mold from my Mom this Christmas and I have been having a blast experimenting with different homemade popsicle recipes. It’s very easy to make popsicles into a healthy snack full of nutritious ingredients like fruit, Greek yogurt and a small amount of honey or agave nectar. Of course, you can go wild with “ice cream” style pops complete with half & half and melted semisweet chocolate, but since I am on my New Years health kick, I am sticking with the low-cal varieties for now.

    One of my favorite combinations is cherry and vanilla. To make the pops, I

  • Recipes,  Something Savory

    Layered Vegetable Bake

    I hope everyone had a wonderful festive season and enjoyed a lot of delicious food with your loved ones! For those of you like myself who may have overindulged a little too much (see here), I am excited to introduce the first of several healthy recipes this month here on The Chic Brûlée. I refuse to sacrifice on taste, so all of my healthy recipes are not only low in calories and carbs, but delicious in their own right as well.

    I recently picked up a copy of Honestly Healthy by Natasha Corrett and Vicki Edgson, a cookbook that follows the trendy alkaline diet, beloved by the likes of Victoria Beckham and Gwyneth Paltrow (just sayin’). The diet discourages ‘very acid forming’ foods like starchy grains and vegetables (pasta, wheat, beans, etc.) as well as all dairy products, meat, and fish, because, in their opinion, these foods are bad for you. It also promises many health benefits and aims to reduce the amount of internal stress on the body. Although I am NOT following the diet in its entirety, I was excited to try out a few recipes in the book and add them to my healthy eating repertoire.

    Last night I made a divine Layered Vegetable Bake. A sort of “lasagna,”

  • Recipes,  Something Sweet

    Strawberry Vanilla Protein Shake

    This recipe is so simple that I hesitated to even post it, but the result is SO delicious and healthy I couldn’t resist. It’s my new go-to 132 calorie healthy snack that satisfies my sweet tooth and packs in 20 grams of protein. All you need is

  • Recipes,  Something Savory

    Curried Dhal with Grilled Eggplant

    I had some extra red lentils leftover from when I made my Red Lentil, Carrot & Cumin Soup, so I decided to make another dish featuring these much-loved legumes. Prior to this recent lentil kick, I didn’t realize how high in protein lentils are. In fact, they contain 26 grams of protein per 100 grams and are also low in fat and a good source of fiber. All the more reason to enjoy lentils more often. Anyway, this is a delightfully tasty recipe for curried lentils topped with grilled eggplant. The lentils are cooked in turmeric and tamarind paste and then finished off with a healthy dose of curry powder, onions, garlic and ginger. The result is a sweet and sour taste with plenty of kick. The lentils are good on their own, but adding some grilled eggplant slices on top makes it a nice light meal. Enjoy!!

  • Recipes,  Something Savory

    Red Lentil, Carrot & Cumin Soup

    Here is a lovely recipe for a healthy Red Lentil, Carrot & Cumin Soup. This soup is full of warm, spicy flavors and quite simple to make. I always like to cook a few healthy dinners during the week to balance out some indulgent ones frequently consumed on the weekends (see here and here), and this fit the bill perfectly. The only (fairly) time consuming part is the shredding of the carrots, however, if you have a food processor with a grating attachment, the process is very quick! (Purchasing a high quality food processor is a life-changing addition to any kitchen as many of you know!) This soup doesn’t contain any butter, milk, or cream,

  • Recipes,  Something Savory

    Secret Chicken Noodle Soup

    There is nothing more comforting and warming than a bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup. I have a secret recipe that will change how you make chicken soup forever (promise!). The ingredient list may seem ordinary and pretty straightforward, but it’s the method that will create the most richly colored and full flavored soup. The key is to

  • Recipes,  Something Savory

    Almond Butter Rice Cakes

    I am so excited to share with you all my latest food obsession: almond butter. Luckily, almond butter is not only delicious and satisfying, but it is good for you too. I hate to admit it, but I learned about this snack from a recent episode of Dr. Oz where Snooki (yes, Jersey Shore Snooki), was on the show to share the diet she used to drop 42 pounds

  • Recipes,  Something Savory

    Roasted Cauliflower Soup

    Last night I made a hearty Roasted Cauliflower Soup with homemade garlic croutons. If you are looking for an easy weeknight dinner packed with nutrients and good-for-you vegetables, look no further than this recipe. I decided to roast the cauliflower in the oven before I added it to the soup to bring out all of the flavors and it was totally worth the extra step. I also decided to forgo the cream and half-and-half usually used in cauiliflower soups because this soup is thick and creamy enough on its own (who needs the extra calories?). I made a few homemade garlic and thyme croutons for extra crunch to serve on top. Perfection! 

  • Recipes,  Something Savory

    Lightened Up Italian Wedding Soup

    Here is a recipe I created for a lightened up version of Italian Wedding Soup. Traditional Italian Wedding Soup consists of chicken broth, hearty greens and tasty homemade meatballs. Instead of using the higher-fat meats traditionally used to make meatballs (pork, veal or beef), I used lean ground turkey breast and the results were excellent.