twinswithoriginality

Healthy Recipes of 2013

Published on January 9, 2014January 9, 2014 by twinswithoriginality1 Comment

Now that you know how to “Stay Fit in 2014,” why not compliment it with some healthy recipes! It’s only been a week into the New Year and T.W.O. decided to recap on 2013’s healthy recipes so you can jump start your clean-eating and not push it back a week or T.W.O. to wait for us! Take a look at some of these delicious and nutritious bites that will start your year off right!

Just hover over the picture so that you can see the name of the dish and then search for it in our recipe section! It’s that easy!

Sriracha Chicken Kabobs

Fresh Tomato Bun Burger with Avocado

Zucchini Noodles

Grilled Peach Caprese Chicken Salad

Toasted Quinoa

Polenta Fries

Roasted Butternut Squash Harvest Salad

Zucchini Noodles with Low-Fat Pesto

Harvest Quinoa Salad

Spaghetti Squash with Ground Turkey, Swiss Chard, Cranberries & Spicy Dijon, Lemon Vinaigrette

Roasted Butternut Squash with Swiss Chard

Turkey Chili

Roasted Brussesl Sprouts

Overnight Oats

Grilled Peach Crostini

Stuffed Peppers

Published on January 7, 2014January 5, 2014 by twinswithoriginalityLeave a comment

Growing up, T.W.O. grew up with a traditional Russian dish called Golubzi, which are cabbage rolls stuffed with ground meat, rice, carrots, and garlic. This dish is definitely a favorite, but we decided to change things up and stuff peppers instead! Check it out!

Ingredients

-1 to 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef, lean
-1 cup basmati rice, cooked
-1 cup carrots, shredded
-1 can (8oz) tomato sauce, seasoned with herbs
-1/2 cup Crimini mushrooms, chopped
-4-5 Large Bell Peppers
-1 can stewed tomatoes
-Mozzarella Cheese
–Crazy Salt
-Garlic powder
-Ground Pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F. Begin by mixing the ground beef (uncooked), rice, carrots, tomato sauce and mushrooms together. Season with salt, garlic powder and pepper.

Next, cut the bell peppers in half and remove seeds. Stuff each pepper half with meat mixture and place into a Pyrex.

Pour the stewed tomatoes over the peppers. If there are large pieces of tomato, cut them into smaller pieces.

Cover Pyrex with foil and place into oven. Bake for about 30 minutes. Remove peppers from the oven and place slices of mozzarella cheese on top and place back into the oven on broil. Once the cheese is melted and slightly brown, take the peppers out of the oven and serve!

If you are not stuffed now, you will be after eating these!

DIY Greeting Cards

Published on January 2, 2014January 1, 2014 by twinswithoriginality1 Comment

Now that the Holidays are over, it’s time to sit down and write those “Thank You” notes for the gifts received, the hosted parties you attended, the kind words you received or even a “Just Because” note! So instead of heading out to spend more money, why not make your own! T.W.O. has a great idea that will add a little personal touch to each note and can be used for a variety of occasions! And the best part is that you get to pick the colors, design and save money!

Supplies

-Greeting cards, plain white
-Acrylic paint (or stamp pad)
-Chinese cabbage*
-String

*Treviso radicchio or any other leafy vegetable can be used

Begin by cutting off the end the stem of the cabbage or leafy vegetable. Secure the head of lettuce by tying a string around it.

Dip your cabbage into the paint and stamp onto the greeting card. (You might want to stamp it on a scratch piece of paper before you stamp the greeting card to get any extra paint off.)

Repeat process to create more flowers. Allow the paint to dry for about 30 minutes. Once dry, it’s time to start writing those notes!!

Overnight Oats…Oh, Oh!

Published on December 24, 2013December 23, 2013 by twinswithoriginalityLeave a comment

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But many people often skip breakfast because they do not have time to prepare it or are just too lazy. Don’t let yourself be categorized as one of these people. Start your morning right by preparing your breakfast the night before! Overnight oats is a simple, healthy breakfast option that makes skipping breakfast impossible! All you got to do is let it sit in the refrigerator overnight and then heat it up in the morning. BAM! Now you are off to a great morning start!

Ingredients

-1/2 rolled oats
-3/4 cup almond milk
-1/4 cup Greek Yogurt

Place rolled oats, almond milk and Greek yogurt into a jar. Mix well. Close the jar and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, place oatmeal into a bowl. You might need to add a little more almond milk if you like your oatmeal on the “soupier “side. Heat up oatmeal for 1-2 minutes in the microwave. Add in anything you like- brown sugar, agave, fruit, vanilla extract, peanut or almond butter, dried fruit, etc.! T.W.O. added brown sugar, bananas and peanut butter to their oatmeal this time. Get creative and start your morning with a tasty, healthy meal!

Chicken Enchiladas

Published on December 23, 2013December 22, 2013 by twinswithoriginalityLeave a comment

Chicken or beef? Red of green sauce? What is your favorite enchilada? T.W.O. sure enjoys a chicken and green sauce enchilada! Both flour and corn tortillas! This time we decided to feature these enchiladas with flour. This dish makes for a great weeknight or weekend dinner! So next time you are in the mood for a fiesta, make this dish and you and your guests will be doing the “La cucaracha!”

Ingredients

-Cooked chicken, diced*

-Flour Tortillas

-Green Enchilada sauce

-Green onions, chopped

-Ortega chilies, diced

-Mushrooms, chopped

-Black olives, diced

-Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

*T.W.O. used a Costco pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.

Begin by pouring some enchilada sauce on the bottom of the Pyrex. This will prevent the enchiladas from sticking.

Next, lay a tortilla flat. Place chicken, mushrooms, green onions, Ortega chilies and black olives down the center of the tortilla. Then add your cheese and some enchilada sauce.

Now its time to roll it up! Place the enchilada into the Pyrex and repeat for the rest of the tortillas. Once you are done, pour the enchilada sauce over the tortillas and top with cheese.

Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes. Once the enchiladas are out of the oven, allow it to sit for about 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

Published on December 18, 2013December 17, 2013 by twinswithoriginalityLeave a comment

It’s getting colder outside, so let’s get warmer inside by making a large pot of soup! T.W.O. loves to cook soup during the chilly, winter nights- especially this Chicken Vegetable soup we grew up eating. We felt a little nostalgic and decided to cook it up one rainy night. It’s simple, tasty and makes for great leftovers! Give your tummy a little warmth and give this recipe a try! You won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients

-1 whole chicken, uncooked
-1 can of stewed tomatoes
-5 to 6 carrots, peeled
-2 to 3 cups spinach, chopped
-2 potatoes, cubed
-Lawry’s seasoning
-Italian seasoning
-Salt & Pepper

First, wash and clean the chicken. Butterfly the chicken by cutting down the along the backbone of the chicken. Place chicken into a large pot and season chicken with some Lawry’s season, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Fill pot with enough water just to cover the chicken and bring to a boil.

Once the water is boiling, turn down to a medium-low heat. Chicken should cook for about 1-1.5 hours or until the chicken meat pulls away from the bone.

While the chicken is cooking, begin chopping the carrots, spinach, and potatoes. You also might want to cut up the tomatoes into smaller pieces if they are too large.

Once the chicken is cooked, take the chicken out of the pot and allow it to cool. Strain your broth by running it through a sieve or colander.

Next, cut up the chicken into chunks. Bring the broth to a boil and throw in the vegetables, potatoes and chicken. Once to a boil, reduce to a medium-low heat. Allow the soup to simmer for about 20-40 minutes.

Time to serve!

Peanut Butter Cups

Published on December 13, 2013December 12, 2013 by twinswithoriginality5 Comments

The idea of making homemade candy might intimidate a lot of people. It sounds difficult, time consuming, and a lot harder than just getting in a car and driving to the market. Well put down those car keys and stay put because T.W.O. has the recipe for you! Candy making can be easy, fun, and tastier than store-bought candy! We decided to take one of our favorite ingredients-peanut butter- and make homemade peanut butter cups! You will never want to buy store bought Peanut Butter Cups after making this recipe!

Ingredients

-1/2 cup peanut butter*
-2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
-2 Tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
-1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
-pinch of salt
-1 Tablespoon Crisco or butter
-2 to 3 cups chocolate chips

*T.W.O. used crunchy peanut butter, but also suggests using creamy-both are delicious!

First, line a muffin pan with paper liners and set aside. Mini muffin pans can also be used for smaller candy pieces.

Next, add the peanut butter and brown sugar to a medium saucepan. Set over low-medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is melted and smooth. When the mixture starts to bubble around the edges, take the pan from the heat and add the confectioners’ sugar in steps, mixing well after each addition. Then add a pinch of salt and mix. Set aside to cool.

While the peanut butter mixture is cooling, place about 1-1½ cups chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl. Add the Crisco or butter to the chocolate chips and microwave for about 30-45 seconds. Take the bowl out of the microwave and mix. If the chocolate chips are not fully melted, place back into the microwave for a very short time. You don’t want them to burn!

Once melted, spoon the melted chocolate into one well of the prepared muffin tin. Use a paintbrush or the back of the spoon to spread the chocolate about ¾ of the way up the sides of the paper liner. Fill one well at a time so the chocolate doesn’t set before you have time to spread it. Once all the liners have a chocolate coating, place the muffin tin into the freezer for about 10 minutes or until the chocolate has set.

While the chocolate is setting, begin shaping the peanut butter filling. Take about 1 tablespoon (1 teaspoon if using the mini muffin tins) of the peanut butter mixture and roll into a ball.

Then flatten into a patty with a size a little smaller than the diameter of the muffin well bottom. Repeat with the remaining peanut butter mixture and then chill in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes. Once chilled, remove the muffin pan and peanut butter patties from the freezer. Place one patty in each chocolate cup.

Next, place the bowl of chocolate (if left over) plus the remaining chocolate chips back into the microwave to melt. When the chocolate is melted, pour it over each of the peanut butter patties until covered. Once each well is filled with chocolate, put the muffin pan into the freezer for about 15-20 minutes to chill and harden.

When this time is up, take the pan out of the freezer and allow to sit for 3 minutes. Then it is time to take the peanut butter cups out and enjoy!!! There is no doubt you will be enjoying T.W.O. of these!

Enjoy!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Published on December 11, 2013December 9, 2013 by twinswithoriginalityLeave a comment

Indications to modern Brussels sprouts were likely cultivated in ancient Rome. Brussels sprouts, as we call them now, we grown as early as the 13th century in what is now Belgium. Brussels sprouts have made their way into the American cuisine. Today, they have become a popular item on restaurant menus as well as in households. These “mini cabbages” are full of nutritional benefits and have often been considered a power food. Whether they are boiled, roasted, or shredded- they will make for a great meal.

Ingredients

-20 to 30 brussels sprouts -1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil -1/3 cup balsamic vinegar -1/4 cup spicy or Dijon mustard -Garlic powder -Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Begin by washing the brussels sprouts and cut each in half.

Place the cut brussels sprouts in a bowl.Next, pour the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper over the brussels sprouts and mix.

After the brussels sprouts have been coated well, spread them on a foil lined cookie sheet.

Place in oven for about 15-20 minutes. The last 2-3 minutes, put the oven on broil to crisp them. Make sure to watch them closely, for you don’t want them to burn!

Time to eat!

Leg of Lamb

Published on December 9, 2013December 8, 2013 by twinswithoriginality3 Comments

With the holidays in full swing, there are parties to attend and parties to host. And with hosting a party, it might mean that you are responsible for the meal. You are in luck-T.W.O. has a fabulous recipe for your main entrée- Leg of Lamb! We absolutely love this dish- it is easy, full of flavor and perfect for a group of people. Plus, it makes for great leftovers!

Ingredients

-4 ½ lb. boneless leg of lamb
-5 garlic cloves, halved
-Montreal Steak Seasoning
-Apricot preserves

Preheat oven to 425°F. Begin by washing the leg of lamb. Place leg of lamb in a roaster pan. Using a knife, poke holes in the leg of lamb for the garlic cloves. Make sure to do this for the bottom of the lamb. Take garlic and stick into each hole.

Next, season both sides with Montreal Steak seasoning.

When the oven has reached its temperature, place the lamb in. Roast for 15 minutes at 425°F. After 20 minutes, turn heat down to 325°F for the remainder of the time. Leg of lamb should be roasted for about 20 minutes per pound or reach an internal temperature of 145°F. A 4 ½ pound lamb takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes. About 15 minutes before the lamb is ready, cover spread apricot preserves on the lamb. Make sure to put a good amount on the top and sides.

Once the lamb has reached an internal temperature of 145°F, take it out and cover with foil. Let the lamb sit for about 10 minutes.

After it has had time to sit, you are ready to slice and service!

Bon appetite!

DIY Wine Glass Charms

Published on December 3, 2013December 1, 2013 by twinswithoriginalityLeave a comment

Ever been to a party, put your wine glass down and come back confused on which glass is yours? It probably happened over Thanksgiving to a lot of people, right? Well, it happened to T.W.O.! We decided to come up with something creative to solve this problem. And that we did! T.W.O. added some foliage to our wine stems to not only give the glass some style, but also as a perfect identifier for everyone’s glass.

T.W.O. and company decided to make this a DIY craft event! We gave each person some raffia and allowed each person to pick his or her own “identifier.” Some of these items were flowers, wine corks, leaves, and twigs. It was a hit and not one glass was mistaken for another’s!

This is a great way to decorate wine glasses when you have a large number of guests using the same wine glass. You can either decorate them ahead of time or allow guests to decorate their own after their arrival! T.W.O. will be decorating their wine glasses this Christmas with some holiday decorations….stay tuned!!

Happy crafting!