some simple recipes to follow......

 Homemade Strawberry MilkYield: 2-4 cups Strawberry Milk Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
milk
Directions:
In a small sauce pan over medium high heat, bring strawberries, sugar and water to a boil. Boil for 10-12 minutes --until the mixture slightly reduces and the strawberries are starting to break down.
Using a mesh strainer, strain the mixture into a bowl and allow to cool. Once cool stir strawberry syrup into cold milk --adding as little or as much as you like!
If you have any leftover, syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.


Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates
Ingredients3 oz goat cheese, softened
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
16 pitted dates
Directions:
In a small bowl, cream together goat cheese, honey, cinnamon and salt. Gently stir in chopped walnuts.
Pitted dates usually have already have a slice through one side. If yours don't, slice an opening in one side.
Fill each date with filling. Top with more walnuts and a drizzle of honey if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cilantro Corn Confetti
Ingredients;

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups fresh corn kernels
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon garlic salt (or to taste)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
In a large deep skillet over medium high heat, warm olive oil. Toss in corn, red onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno.
Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to turn translucent. Stir in garlic salt and black pepper, tasting to adjust.
Remove from heat and gently toss in fresh cilantro. Serve immediately!

Buffalo Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
1 heart of Romaine lettuce, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1/4 cup matchstick carrots
3/4 cup buffalo shredded chicken
1/3 cup crumbled Kerrygold Cashel Blue
for the dressing:
2 tablespoons low fat mayo
1/4 cup low fat buttermilk
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup crumbled Kerrygold Cashel Blue
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
In a large bowl combine the Romaine, celery, and carrots. Top with shredded buffalo chicken and crumbled Kerry gold Cashel Blue cheese. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, buttermilk, Greek yogurt, white vinegar and sugar. Fold in crumbled Kerry gold Cashel Blue Cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Drizzle salad with dressing and serve with extra hot sauce

Spinach Pesto PenneYield: 4 servings Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 pound whole wheat penne
3 garlic cloves
2 oz goat cheese
1 oz fat free cream cheese
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil
8 oz fresh baby spinach leaves
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons freshly grated Asagio
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the penne and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes.
Mince the garlic in a food processor. Add the goat cheese, cream cheese, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, basil, and half of the spinach leaves. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set the cheese and spinach mixture aside.
Meanwhile, place the cherry tomatoes and the remaining spinach leaves in a large bowl. Drain the pasta. Spoon the pasta atop the spinach leaves in the bowl. Scrape the cheese and spinach mixture over the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the Asiago cheese over and serve.

Tandoori chicken pizza

Ingredients:
4 oz tomato sauce
4 tablespoons tandoori paste
4 tablespoons peach preserves (sugar free)
4 Ole' Xtreme Wellness Tortillas
1 cup fat free mozzarella cheese
6 oz cooked chicken, chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 large yellow bell, chopped
4 tablespoons chives, minced
4 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place flour tortillas on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until just browning at the edges. Remove from oven.
Combine tomato sauce, tandoori paste, and peach preserves in a medium bowl. Mix well. Divide evenly among tortillas and spread till within a half inch of the edges.
Top each tortilla with mozzarella, followed by chicken, tomatoes, yellow bell, and chives. Bake in oven for 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Top with cilantro and serve immediately.

Pan fried plantains
Ingredients:
2 overly ripe (black) plantains, peeled and sliced in 1 inch slices
4 tablespoons butter
Directions:
In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, melt butter.
Add plantains, in a single layer (you will have to do multiple batches). Cook plantains on each side, for about 2-3 minutes, or until they reach a caramelized brown color.
Transfer to a plate covered with newspaper (or paper towels) and allow to drain for a minute or two. Then serve!


Sweet & Sticky Baked Chicken DrumsticksIngredients:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
6 chicken drumsticks, about 1.25 pounds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, lightly toasted
a few pinches chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and cracked black pepper. Pour into a large zip lock bag and add chicken drumsticks. Shake to coat chicken and refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight, giving the bag a shake whenever you think about it.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a Cooling Rack on top.
Remove the chicken from the bag, reserving the marinade, and place the drumsticks on the rack. Bake the drumsticks, on the middle oven rack, for 25 minutes.
While the chicken is baking, place the leftover marinade in a small saucepan. Bring the marinade to a boil, then reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Cook over low heat, stirring as needed, for about 15 minutes or until thickened.
Remove drumsticks from oven (after first 25 minutes of cooking) and heavily coat with the thickened marinade, using a silicone pastry brush. Return to the oven and cook for 10 more minutes. Coat the drumsticks again and return to oven to cook for 5 more minutes, or until an internal temperate of 160°F is reached.
Coat the drumsticks one last time, with any remaining sauce, and sprinkle with sesame seeds and parsley.