The Cereal Collection Macarons at Hash this weekend!

May 16, 2014 by Melissa Milonas

I'd like to invite you all to try a variety pack of my cereal macarons! It's my twist on the French classic macaron "cookie". It entails a crisp outer shell with a light fluffy middle, and in between is a sweet, creamy center that brings the flavors together. I've been told they don't taste like the traditional macaron, and they are addicting!

This weekend, Hash Chicago will be featuring my macarons in: Cap'N Crunch, Cap'N Crunch Berries, Cocoa Puffs with Nutella filling and Cinnamon Toast Crunch flavors!

If you also haven't tried brunch at Hash…please do! You will not regret it! My VERY favorite dish from there is the Corn Beef Hash with over easy eggs. YUM!

Hash Chicago @ 1357 N. Western Ave. Chicago IL 60622 (www.hashchicago.com)

And just in case you forgot who makes them…I pinned a smiling bee on them so you don't forget! :)

Super Squash Stir-fry

May 14, 2014 by Melissa Milonas in Savory

Our 30 day challenge continues! It's becoming more difficult to find "healthy" things to eat without just eating straight raw veggies and fruit non-stop. But I came across this recipe for a squash stir-fry that involved cinnamon and other odd ingredients that made it not so healthy…so I changed it to fit our new eating regimen. I have never really cooked with butternut squash and I thought it would be fun to try it in a stir-fry.

It's week one at our new gym and it's become increasingly tough! We've done two power body classes this week so far, which has involved kettle bells, climbing, and resistance bands. My husband, Jon and I are still pretty sore the next day, but I can feel my body getting stronger and the exercises are becoming easier. I'm looking forward to more energy and more endurance! I'm learning that what we eat is equally as important as the workouts…and we need both to see change in the 30 days. So here we go!

This recipe can also be cooked with chicken, we used tofu, only because we're trying to eat mainly vegetables. But any protein would work in this simple stir-fry!

Super Squash Stir-fry

Ingredients:

1 (2lb.) Butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 Red pepper

1/2 Yellow onion

2 tbs Sesame oil

1lb Chicken breast, cut into strips or 1lb. of diced extra firm Tofu

2 tbs Raw Honey (or an organic brand)

3 tbs Low-sodium soy sauce (or dilute regular soy sauce with 1:1 of water)

2 tbs Worcestershire sauce

2 tbs Rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup Chopped green onions

Directions:

1. Place squash in a skillet. Add water to a depth of 1/2 inch. Cook covered on high until squash is soft (a fork can easily pierce through). Drain and set aside.

2. Combine ingredients for sauce, whisk together until well combined. (soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar & Worcestershire sauce). Set aside.

3. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet or wok. Add garlic, tofu, onions and red peppers. Pour the sauce mixture in the wok. Sauté ingredients until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes.

4. Toss in the squash and coat evenly with sauce. Serve over with rice or quinoa.

This colorful dish is a delicate balance of sweet and savory. It's quick and easy and very nutritious! We paired this with a tri-color quinoa. Delicious!

"Substitute Oatmeal, Blueberry & Almond Cookies"

May 12, 2014 by Melissa Milonas in Sweets, Gluten Free

Every recipe has a story….and here's this one! As I said before in my bio, I am a foodie. About 3 weeks ago I went on a food crawl to New York with a group of friends and it was an eating frenzy. All we did was walk and eat and then eat some more. It was absolutely glorious. Before I had left for my trip, my husband and talked about joining this gym across the street. We agreed that we would start AFTER my New York City binge…(another reason why I ate my heart out in NY..I knew I was going to have to pay for it later). Little did I know that this gym was not just a typical gym. This was a fitness program which involves intense cardio interval training, strength training, and yes, a plant based diet nutrition plan.

Our first workout at our new gym was nothing short of a nightmare. I was sweaty, uncomfortable, tired, whiney :) and when we got home I looked at my husband sternly in the eyes and I said, "You signed us up for 30 days of Hell".

On the first day of our "diet", I was at work and a patient brought us some bakery goods from Starbucks. Immediately this moist blueberry crumble muffin caught my eye. Before inhaling this delicious muffin, I decided to text my husband to consult him if it was a good idea to just take one bite of this deliciousness. He quickly shot that idea down and replied, "NO MUFFIN". To which I replied with a crying sad face and a, "Wahh". God knew that I needed someone in my life to teach me discipline and keep me grounded. Thanks to my husband, I ate an apple instead and it was not satisfying. I did however, bring home the muffin and threw it my freezer in case after the 30 days I would still want it :).

I knew if I were to keep up with this 30 day challenge, I would need to make some sacrifices, but also get creative with my baking. This is where this recipe came from. I wanted something hearty, "breakfasty", healthy and yummy. These baked up to be thick, chewy cookies. Just how I like 'em. And of course, the perfect substitute for that blueberry muffin waiting in the freezer for me.

"Substitute Oatmeal, Blueberry & Almond Cookies"

Ingredients:

3 cups Rolled-Oats (I used a gluten free brand from Trader Joe's)

1 1/4 cups of Almond flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup drained Cannellini beans

1/2 cup all-natural Almond butter

2/3 cup coconut oil (heated until in liquid form, about 10 seconds in the microwave)

1 cup Turbinado raw cane sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup dried wild blueberries

1 tbs chia seeds

*I only made a 1/2 batch since it's just my husband and I. Recipe makes about 48 cookies.

**I purchased all of the above ingredients at Trader Joe's.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Combine oats, flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. In a food processor, puree beans and almond butter until smooth.

4. Combine bean and almond butter mixture with coconut oil, turbinado sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat well.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Add blueberries and chia seeds and stir by hand.

6. Using a cookie scoop, drop batter on lightly greased baking sheet or a parchment lined/silpat lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until center is firm and edges are lightly browned. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Mmmmm…who would want a blueberry muffin when you can have this! :)

"Glimpse of Spring" Strawberry Pie

March 31, 2014 by Melissa Milonas in Sweets

This is my first ever blog post! It's been a long time coming, but I am thankful that I have great friends that are talented in the tech department to help me make my entrance into the blogging world.

I live in Chicago and this winter has been brutal. Mounds of snow. Record-breaking sub zero temperatures. Potholes the size of craters. It's no wonder that this city has been dubbed "Chiberia". But today, I stepped out into a blast of warm air with the sun draping me. I couldn't resist looking up, closing my eyes, taking a deep breath and smiling. The first taste of Spring is intoxicating. :)

As I walked through the grocery store, I wanted to find something "summery". Something that reminds me of warm weather and great memories with friends. I decided to make a strawberry pie. Nothing welcomes Spring like a bright, red, sweet, strawberry pie. This is a simple recipe that requires little baking. Not only is it delicious, it's quite a beautiful addition to any table.

"Glimpse of Spring" Strawberry Pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

2.5 cups of Nilla Wafers

6 tbs of melted butter

1 tbs granulate sugar

Strawberry topping:

3 lb Fresh strawberries (washed and hulled)

2 cups water

2 cups granulated sugar

6 tbs cornstarch

1 box of strawberry jello (8 oz)