Then dips kind of got pushed aside for a while here at the HQ, and now I’m looking to bring them back.  I’ve been recreating a lot of my favorite flavors of dip and using Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.

So far I’ve been successful!  The first dip I made was a roasted veggie dip that’s creamy, full of dill punch, and roasted veggie goodness.

Andrea’s Roasted Veggie Dip

• 1/4 Small or Medium Red Onion, chunked
• 1/2 Red or Green Pepper, chunked
• 1 Small or Medium Size Carrot, peeled and chunked
• 2 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 1/2C Greek Yogurt
• 1 1/2TBSP Dried Dill
• Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
• Salt and Ground Black Pepper
• 1/4tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2TBSP Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 400F. Toss veggies with olive oil and a large pinch of salt and pepper.  Roast on a baking sheet in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the onions and peppers have started to brown and caramelize.  Stir once while roasting.  Remove veggies from oven and set aside to cool.

Once veggies are cool, place in a food processor and pulse until the veggies start to break down.  Scrape down the sides, and add in the yogurt, dill, cayenne pepper, a little more salt and pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.  Pulse until smooth leaving the veggies a little chunky so there’s  a little texture to the dip.

Place in a glass bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.  Can be made the day before.  Serve chilled with your favorite veggies and chips!

By letting the dip sit in the fridge for a few hours, this allows the flavors to mingle and get more pronounced.  It’s actually best if you make this a day before you want to serve it.  Before serving, give a taste and see what you think.  If you feel there needs to be more dill added, sprinkle in a bit more.  Some people really love dill and if that’s you, go crazy with it!

What I really enjoy about this dip is that it is made with fresh ingredients along with the added bonus of using Greek Yogurt instead of sour cream.  Greek Yogurt has the benefits of yogurt along with a high protein content.  You can feel good about eating this dip!

You can also switch up the veggies to suite your tastes. Like broccoli? Add it in! You can play around with flavors and use what you have on hand or what you like.

TIPS:

Switch out the Greek Yogurt for cream cheese and now you have your own roasted veggie cream cheese.

This can also be used on sandwichs as a flavor packed spread.

If you can’t find Greek Yogurt or feel it’s too pricey for your budget, you can quick make your own.  Line a fine mesh strainer with paper towels or a cheese cloth and dump in plain 2% yogurt.  Allow to strain for several hours until most of the whey is removed.  You’ll be left with a thicker yogurt or “yogurt cheese”.  Then just follow the recipe for making the dip!

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!

Comments: 4

Whew!

So I apologize for the crooked picture but it’s not my fault and I’m okay with that.

I stumbled upon this yogurt from Traderspoint Creamery, while I was picking up some Snowville half and half for Scott’s coffee.  I thought this was just a milk company and then I noticed that this bottle said yogurt on it.

Oh?

I’ve been looking around for a new yogurt for a little while now.  I still love Fage but sometimes I want something a little sweeter and not so thick.  I’ve been displeased with yogurts lately and all about abandoned my mission.  Then the florescent store lights shined down up this gem.

100% grassfed cows and certified organic.  Pretty close since this dairy is just over in Indiana.  I can live with that.  They have different flavors of yogurt and even have a full-fat variety.

Traderspoint advertises that their yogurt is more like European style yogurts and that it has won numerous awards.  I read the ingredient list and that was fine, so I decided to give it a try. I bought the low-fat vanilla yogurt.

Believe me when I tell you that at this point, this is hands-down the best yogurt I have ever tasted.  It is thick and dreamy.  It tastes like vanilla cream.

No really, it tastes like cream.

If this is what European yogurt is like then I want it all the time.  The yogurt I’m used to has a harsh tang to it that I know turns some people off.  I don’t mind it, yogurt is something I really enjoy.  But this? This is amazing yogurt that I swear would turn any yogurt hater into a yogurt eating fool.

I love that it comes in a glass bottle but at the same time it does make it difficult to stir the yogurt.  I used a butter knife the first time and now it’s low enough that I can just gently shake the bottle to combine everything.  It pours right out and is smooth like, well, like good cream.

I can’t get enough of it! When I pull it out, even Scott has to pour himself a couple spoonfuls because you just can’t pass it up.  So good!

If you’re lucky enough to see this creamery in your local dairy section, give it a try because it’s worth every penny.

Disclaimer: I purchased this yogurt on my own and reviewed it on my own. Traderspoint Creamery is in no way associated with this review. 

Comments: 2

On the off chance that I was out at a restaurant some place, I noticed that the chicken salad and tuna salad sandwichs were always on croissants.

Being at a restaurant and seeing a croissant instantly equaled fancy in my mind.  Dining out was a privilege and meant for special occasions.  Croissants were exotic and Parisian, automatically labeling them as decadent.

I never ordered those sandwiches though, always admiring them but not connecting.

On a recent grocery trip, Scott noticed that the croissants were on sale and suggested picking some up.  The thing to know about Scott is that he doesn’t often suggest getting food.  The only requests are that he will on occasion ask me to prepare a specific dish but otherwise not a peep out of him.

The rare moment when he suggests purchasing something, it immediately goes in the cart.

Croissants on sale and I knew exactly what I was going to do with them.  Fancy tuna salad sandwiches!

Not a specific recipe because I just tossed this together but you’ll get the gist of it.

Andrea’s Fancy Tuna Salad 

• 2 Croissants
• 1 can of Tuna, (in oil or water, your choice)
• Chopped Red Onion
• Chopped Celery
• Greek Yogurt (2% Fage for us)
• Dijon Mustard
• Sea Salt
• Ground Black Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Romain lettuce leaves, 2-4

Drain tuna and add to a medium sized mixing bowl. Add all ingredients except for the croissants and lettuce leaves. Gently combine and allow to sit for about 10 minutes in the fridge before serving.

Cut croissants in half, add lettuce and tuna salad.  Serve and enjoy!

If I hadn’t been out of dill, there were have been some of that in the salad as well!

I didn’t put amounts with the ingredients because that is entirely up to you!  I will say that just one small can of tuna, you don’t need much dijon and yogurt.  I probably used about a tablespoon of dijon and may two tablespoons of yogurt.  The onion and celery are just enough for flavor and crunch.  Not too much otherwise they will overpower the tuna.

I like a lot of ground pepper in with salads like these, so I used a bunch and just a pinch of sea salt and garlic powder.

This was a quick and simple lunch to put together.  Of course being on the croissant made the lunch more fancy and special.

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy! 

Comments: 9

I love sweet potato and pumpkin as savory items more than I do sweet. Hence why I put pumpkin in just about every chili I make now and why I think sweet potato fries should contain chili powder.

Previous meals, I had a little bit of cheese mixed in with my baked sweet potato and it was glorious.  I decided at some point I was going to jump in with both feet and make a savory baked sweet potato.

Last week I tried it out and will never go back to butter and cinnamon on a sweet potato again.

Andrea’s Loaded Baked Sweet Potato

• Sweet Potato
• Pepperjack Cheese
• Sour Cream (I use Greek Yogurt)
• Hot Sauce of Choice
• Chopped Green Onions

Bake sweet potato in oven at 400 for about 1.5 hours.  How long will depend on how big your potato is.  Baking a sweet potato is similar to baking a regular potato. Poke holes in it first.  I do not put anything on the skin of the sweet potato. I line a baking sheet with foil, spray with oil and bake the sweet potato as is.

After baking, cut open and top with the above toppings.  Amount is up to you.

Eat and enjoy!

The first time I had it, Scott had a regular sweet potato with butter.  He told me I was crazy.  He said that it was a little odd.

Then he had a bite.

Now he’s converted.

If you’ve never tried sweet potatoes as savory, I highly suggest you give it a taste.  Just to see.  Maybe you’ll surprise yourself.

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!

Comments: 15

Even though I love it, sometimes leftovers need a little dolling up and superstar treatment.

Enter in the Fish Po’ Boy!

The Po’ Boy is a sandwich popular in New Orleans and consists of a toasty roll with a fried fish fillet and a sauce on top.  That’s the basics of the dish anyway.  So to create a fish po’ boy at home, you just need a few simple things on hand.

Andrea’s Fish Po’ Boy:

• Leftover crispy fish
• Crusty Bread of your Choice
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Red Onion
• Dressing (Below)

Put together sandwich by layering the lettuce, tomato, onion, and then the fish on top of that.

Andrea’s Fish Dipping Sauce:

• 2TBSP Greek Yogurt (We like Fage)
• 1TBSP Grainy Mustard
• 1TBSP Prepared Horseradish
• 2TBSP Dill Relish
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 TBSP Dried Dill

Mix together and slather all over the bread for the sandwich. This will make enough for a sandwich, if you want more for dipping, you’ll have to increase the ingredients until you get the desired amount you are looking for.  Also this is all to taste, so if you want more dill and less horseradish, go for it!

PS: This also makes a great dipping sauce for the fish and chips/fries if you have ‘em!

Assemble sandwich and serve!  Believe it or not, this tastes even better the next day!

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!

Comments: 4

Let’s keep things real, a white potato is not evil. It’s a vegetable and has a lot to offer us in terms of nutrition. Let’s embrace the potato!

One of my many favorite ways to eat a potato is by loading up a baked potato. Whenever I got a chance to get a loaded potato out at a restaurant, I always ordered it as a side.  My high school alternated between a salad bar and a baked potato bar during the week, which I loved.  A huge baked potato for lunch? Yes please!

Because of how much I adore loaded baked potatoes, I’ve taken to recreating the experience at home.

By having a loaded baked potato bar at home that means I can control the quality of ingredients and make sure that I get to use all of my favorite toppings. Plus I can control the amount and have as much of the toppings I want!

When you create a baked potato bar at home, you get to pick the toppings!  We typically have:

• Local bacon
• Extra sharp cheddar
• Greek Yogurt (sour cream substitute)
• Chopped Green Onion
• Grass-fed butter

Those are the favorite toppings for both of us.  I like tons of green onion and Greek yogurt while Scott loves lots of bacon and cheese.

But the topping ideas are endless!  For example you could also have:

• Steamed or roasted broccoli
• Small cooked shrimp
• Different cheeses (Maybe a bleu cheese or perhaps goat cheese)
• Veggie or meat based chili
• Rice and beans

That is just a few examples but you get the idea.  Baked potatoes can be topped with anything you like!  It also makes a great idea for a dinner party.  Everyone gets a potato and can top it with what they like.  Serve with a lovely mixed green salad and dinner is served!  Everyone’s happy and it’s a dinner party that won’t break the bank.

With grilling season officially kicked off, try roasting the potatoes in the coals or in your fire pit. Just make sure to wash, poke them with holes, and wrap tightly in foil first.  If you make this a party, everyone can be responsible for handling their own potato from start to finish.  Heck you can even have out different seasonings and oils to rub the potatoes with before wrapping them in foil and baking.

All of the toppings for the baked potato bar can be prepped ahead as well, saving you time on party day.  Or you can use this as a nice meal that you can prep ahead for and have ready to go after a long day at work.

Loaded baked potato bar, a great way to dress up a baked potato and get your family or guests involved in the kitchen!

Do you like baked potatoes? What’s your favorite baked potato topping?

Have fun guys and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!

Comments: 6

Let Food Embrace help!  Here’s a few recipes that you can try out this grilling season:

Chardonnay Chicken Burgers

Cranapple Turkey Burgers

Grilling steaks? Try giving those babies a little rub down.

Rather have pork?  Beer Brined Pork Chops can be grilled.

Get funky with some chicken, yogurt curry chicken or cocoa-chili rubbed chicken will do the trick nicely.

Then you can wash it down with some super special iced tea.

Have fun this summer and get your grill on!

Comments: 2

Growing up, one of the more popular dishes that I saw at potlucks was veggie pizza and it always excited me.  It was a cold pizza and it had veggies! And cheese! It tasted fantastic and I always felt a big smug as I was gladly eating up all my veggies while others munched on chips and dip.

Then when I moved out on my own, I looked up the recipe for veggie pizza so that I could make some for Scott and I.  This is when I realized that what I thought was healthy was in fact not healthy at all.

Typical “veggie pizza” had a crust made from canned croissants and a sauce made from cream cheese mixed with a packet of ranch dressing.  Tons of pre-shredded cheese on top.  The only saving grace was that it did actually contain raw veggies but man the other processed foods really bring this pizza way down.

I was bummed because I loved it and Scott loved it but once I realized what exactly it was made from, I stopped making it.

A few weeks ago, we got hit with a really hot spell here in Columbus.  It was humid and the temps were in the upper 80s.  Basically it was a sticky mess.  It also happened to be a Thursday (Pizza Thursdays!) and the thought of heating up the oven and pizza stone was not appealing.

However, pizza still was appealing, so what was I to do?

I remembered the “veggie pizza” from my childhood and decided to remake it, Food Embrace Style.

Andrea’s Chilled Veggie Pizza

• Spelt or Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
• 1 Green Pepper, chunked
• 2 Carrots, chunked
• 1/2 Large Red Onion, chunked
• 1/2 Head of Broccoli, chunked
• 1/2C Greek Yogurt (I used 2% Fage)
• Green Onion, chopped (both white and green parts)
• Shredded Sharp Cheddar
• Olive Oil for brushing (about 1/2 TBSP) and roasting (about 1 TBSP)
• Italian Seasoning
• Salt
• Garlic Powder
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Ham Cubes (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. When the oven is heated and the dough is ready to be used, grease a cookie sheet either with nonstick spray or olive oil.  Light roll out the dough and then transfer to the cookie sheet.  Using your hands, spread the dough out until it fills in the entire cookie sheet.  Push the dough up the sides so that it fills the entire cookie sheet.  Brush with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.  Place cookie sheet in oven and bake the dough until it’s cooked through, about 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Now heat the oven up to 400.  Coat the pepper, carrots, onion, and broccoli with the olive oil and seasoning with. salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes.  This is to taste, use how much you like.  Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray or olive oil.  Place the veggies on the cookie sheet and into the oven.  Roast for about 15 minutes or until everything begins to soften.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Once the veggies are cool, put them in a food processor along with the yogurt.  Pulse until everything is combined and chunky.  Taste, if you think more seasoning needs to be added, this is where you would add more in.  Spread this veggie mixture all over the pizza crust until the entire crust is covered.

Top with shredded cheese and green onion.  Again the amount is up to you.  Cover and place in fridge.  Allow to chill at least two hours before serving.  Cut and serve chilled.

This pizza hit the spot on that humid Thursday evening.  It was a perfectly cool meal full of veggies and whole grains.  And of course cheese!  Scott’s side had ham cubes on it while my side did not.  Next time I’m going to sprinkle on a bit more cheese and green onion.

Shredding your own cheese for this is key.  A great sharp cheddar is what brings this dish together and you need that bite from the cheddar to compliment the veggies.  Cabot and Tillamook are very good cheddars to check out.

If you’re looking for a more “ranch” taste, add in dill to the seasoning mix and maybe some dried chives.  To get a little extra tang, you can also add in 2 oz of goat cheese along with the yogurt.  This will result in a slightly creamier topping and will be reminiscent of the cream cheese base in the original version of this pizza.

The best part about this pizza, aside from not having to heat up the kitchen too much, is that it can be made ahead.  Even up to a day in advance!  Making it perfect for when you’ve got a long day of work ahead of you or just a busy day when you might be too tired too cook at the end of it. Or just go ahead and bring it to your next potluck.

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!

Comments: 4

Potatoes are good for you. Potatoes are a veggie that can be utilized in so many different ways. Pasta? Forget about it. I prefer my carbs and starch from root veggies, thank you.

Leftover mashed potatoes can be just lovely on their own the next day but sometimes they need a little extra love and attention.

Sometimes you just want something a little different with your leftovers.

I took some leftover mash that we had, added a few extra ingredients, baked it for about 20 minutes and got an entirely new dish out of some basic leftovers.

Andrea’s Baked Mashed Potatoes

• Leftover Mashed Potatoes
• 5 Green Onions, chopped
• 1/2C Greek Yogurt

Preheat oven to 400. Grease a small baking dish. Combine all above ingredients and place in baking dish. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the the edges and top get a crispy brown.  Serve hot and enjoy!

Pretty simple right? You could add some cheese in there too and maybe some bacon.  Or leftover ham? Heck you could even add some greens in there like spinach for some extra veggie action.  Leftovers are what you make of them, and they can be a completely different dish if you allow your imagination to wander a bit.

The measurements aren’t exact, it depends on how much you have left over and how much other things you want to add it.  It’s also a great way to stretch the use of some potatoes and save some pennies.

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!

Comments: 6

I know, shame on me.

For several years now, I have been making my own cocktail sauce so we always have horseradish on hand.  You can purchase fresh grated horseradish in a jar and it’s typically located in the refrigerated section where the shredded cheeses and dips are.  This is not horseradish sauce but fresh horseradish.  Make sure you read the label when you’re purchasing it so you don’t buy the wrong thing by accident.

I buy the HUGE bottles of it because now I can’t get enough horseradish.  A few years back we were having some prime rib for Christmas dinner and I decided to make some cream sauce to go along with it.  We loved it so much that now anytime we have beef (especially grilled steaks), horseradish cream sauce is always made.

It’s super easy and best if you make it ahead of time and let it sit for a few minutes before serving.

Andrea’s Horseradish Cream Sauce

• 2% Greek Yogurt (you can use sour cream if you want)
• Whole Grain Mustard
• Grated Horseradish

Mix in a bowl and serve!

Crazy simple, right?  No measurements because it depends on how much you need to make and what your taste preferences are.  We like it very spicy and horseradish-y so I use a big heaping spoonful of the mustard and several heaping spoonfuls of the horseradish.

This tastes amazing with steak. The crispy cooked ends and warm earthy tones of beef paired with the cool burn of the sauce are one of my favorite combos, hands down.

This sauce also goes well with grilled veggies and baked potatoes.  And also great sauce for dipping oven fries!  Basically it works well with a lot of stuff.

Do you like horseradish? Have you ever had a cream sauce paired with beef or veggies?

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!

Comments: 2