Archives for June 2017

Almond Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Yogurt Dressing #StonyfieldBlogger

One of my favorite appetizers has been transformed into a delicious salad. Almond Chicken Salad is topped with homemade Honey Mustard Yogurt Dressing for a delicious everyday meal.
Thank you Stonyfield and Taylor Farms for sponsoring this post.

Almond Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Yogurt Dressing from LoveandConfections.com #StonyfieldBlogger


My mom used to make this amazing almond-crusted chicken when I was little. It was usually an appetizer at a party, but I would fill my plate with them and could have it as my meal. I haven’t had it in a while and knew that it would be the perfect topping to my salad.

Stonyfield tasked us with creating a yogurt-based dressing to go along with Taylor Farms salad greens. So many options sprung through my head, and I had a hard time narrowing it down. I eat Taylor Farms quite often so coming up with a new salad took a little time thinking, and a little bit of craving.

Almond Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Yogurt Dressing from LoveandConfections.com #StonyfieldBlogger

I hadn’t had my mom’s almond chicken since childhood. Since I have a toddler (going on teenager), lately I have been thinking about all the delicious recipes my mom used to make for us as kids. I cook almost every night, but I want to cook more of the recipes I grew up with too. So, my mom and I made this chicken and I used it in my salad the next day. It is best when freshly made, but crisped up just fine in the oven too!

Homemade honey mustard is so easy to make. I had all the ingredients already in my pantry and whipped it up in less than 2 minutes. Homemade dressings are easy to make and it feels great knowing exactly what goes into them.

I love using Stonyfield Organic Yogurt in my dressings for that rich creamy texture. Greek yogurt is good for a dressing with body and when I want a tangy taste. Stonyfield’s Smooth & Creamy is also a great choice if you can’t find the Greek yogurt. I hope you try my almond chicken salad and homemade honey mustard yogurt dressing soon!

Almond Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Yogurt Dressing from LoveandConfections.com #StonyfieldBlogger

Almond Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Yogurt Dressing

By Love and Confections
Published 06/30/2017

Ingredients

  • Taylor Farms 50/50 Spring Mix and Sweet Baby Lettuce
  • Almond Beer-Battered Chicken Fingers
  • Tomato, diced
  • 1/2 cup Stonyfield Whole Milk Greek Yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Place salad greens in bowl. Top with sliced almond chicken and tomatoes.
  2. In small bowl, mix yogurt, mustards, honey, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour desired amount over salad. Alternately, cut chicken tenders and coat with dressing, then add to salad.

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!


I have an ongoing relationship with Stonyfield Yogurt as a recipe developer and brand ambassador. I receive product, coupons and/or compensation for posts featuring their products.

Almond Beer-Battered Chicken Fingers

Almond Beer-Battered Chicken Fingers are a delicious addition as a party appetizer, or great protein for any meal, salad or wrap.


Almond Beer-Battered Chicken Fingers from LoveandConfections.com


My mom used to make these amazing slivered almond, beer-battered chicken tenders when I was little. They were mostly as an appetizer for parties, but I would fill my plate with them and could have it as my meal.

Almond Beer-Battered Chicken Fingers from LoveandConfections.com

Dipping sauces for them varied, but basically anything tastes amazing with them. Barbecue sauce, honey mustard dressing, or ranch are perfect accompaniments. You can even take a twist with dips like sweet chili, peanut sauce, or hoisin.

Almond Beer-Battered Chicken Fingers from LoveandConfections.com

These chicken fingers take a little bit of prep work, but the results are amazing. The easiest way to make them is with a deep fryer. You can definitely fry these on the stove in a dutch oven, but to avoid splattering and making a mess, we have always friend them outside in an electric fryer. This Cuisinart CDF-100 Compact 1.1-Liter Deep Fryer, Brushed Stainless Steel would be a great option

Almond Beer-Battered Chicken Fingers from LoveandConfections.com

We usually make a big batch when preparing these, so I scaled down the recipe a bit. If you have leftovers, they can be crisped up in the oven for another meal too. I will even eat these chilled right from the fridge (even though they are best eaten when freshly made) because I love them so much.

Almond Beer-Battered Chicken Fingers from LoveandConfections.com

When making almond chicken for appetizers, you can cut a breast into 6 bite-sized pieces, or if you prefer strips, use chicken tenderloins, but make sure you remove the white tendon before coating in the batter. The chicken fingers are great on their own, but they are great on a salad or in a wrap! I hope you enjoy a family favorite and make my Almond Beer-Battered Chicken Fingers for your next gathering.

Almond Beer-Battered Chicken Fingers

By Love and Confections
Published 06/29/2017

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 6-8 ounces light beer
  • 2 pounds chicken tenders, cut in half 
  • 10 ounce bag sliced almonds
  • peanut oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Combine flour, salt, pepper and baking powder in medium bowl. Whisk in light beer until batter is a little thicker than what a box cake mix looks like.
  2. Line sheet tray with foil and spread half of the almonds on it. Dredge chicken in batter then lay on almond-covered sheet tray. Spread remaining almonds on top.
  3. Heat fryer to 400F. In batches, fry chicken 2-2 1/2 minutes, or until cooked throughout.
  4. Spread chicken on clean sheet tray lined with paper towels. Eat immediately.

Here are some great dip choices from fellow bloggers:
Berry Barbecue Sauce from Honey and Birch
Easy Homemade Ketchup from Strength & Sunshine
Buffalo Ranch Dressing from Peace, Love and Low Carb
Skinny Bang Bang Sauce from Trial and Eater
5 amazing Fry Sauces from Around My Family Table

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

This post contains affiliate links. 

Vanilla Bean and Mint Layered Smoothie #StonyfieldBlogger

Vanilla bean and mint smoothie is a refreshing and fun layered drink. Flecks of vanilla bean float in one layer while mint combines with spinach for a beautiful green layer.
Thank you Stonyfield and Walmart for sponsoring this post.

Vanilla Bean and Mint Layered Smoothie from LoveandConfections.com #StonyfieldBlogger


Toddler LnC and I usually have a smoothie every day, and recently I have been wanting to play around with different fruits and vegetables, so we have a variety. A layered smoothie is not only pretty, but a great way to have different flavors.

Vanilla Bean and Mint Layered Smoothie from LoveandConfections.com #StonyfieldBlogger

Green smoothies are great for adding extra veggie goodness to your smoothies. Sometimes the toddler will drink a green smoothie, but sometimes I have to camouflage it, and mint seems to be a new favorite. Spinach doesn’t have too much flavor, so when it’s blended with some home-grown mint, it creates a refreshing and vibrant green layer. 

Vanilla Bean and Mint Layered Smoothie from LoveandConfections.com #StonyfieldBlogger

Walmart as started to carry quite a few organic products, including Stonyfield Yogurt! I try to eat organic, but it isn’t always wallet-friendly. Luckily, now that Walmart is carrying more organic products, my family can eat healthier and I don’t have to worry about taking out a loan for groceries.

Vanilla Bean and Mint Layered Smoothie from LoveandConfections.com #StonyfieldBlogger

In my latest haul, I purchased a good amount of organic food from Walmart. Stonyfield Yogurt is always on our shopping list. I also bought organic sugar cookie mix, cereal and macaroni & cheese for the toddler. Some other organic produce, like spinach for smoothies, and carrots and green onions for dinner that night. I always keep a good supply of organic dark chocolate chips and unsweetened coconut flakes on hand in case I need them for baking. I also stocked up on a few organic canned pantry items.

Vanilla Bean and Mint Layered Smoothie from LoveandConfections.com #StonyfieldBlogger

I hope you try a layered smoothie soon, and don’t forget to check out all my Smoothie recipes! 

Vanilla Bean and Mint Layered Smoothie

By Love and Confections
Published 06/23/2017

Ingredients

  • 10-20 mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup packed baby spinach
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 cup Stonyfield Vanilla Bean Greek Yogurt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup Stonyfield Vanilla Bean Greek Yogurt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
  • 1 frozen banana

Instructions

  1. Place ingredients for green smoothie in high-powered blender. Blend until combined then divide between glasses. Freeze for 20+ minutes so distinct layers are made
  2. Blend ingredients for vanilla smoothie. Top green smoothie and enjoy!

Yield: 2

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

I have an ongoing relationship with Stonyfield Yogurt as a recipe developer and brand ambassador. I receive product, coupons and/or compensation for posts featuring their products.


https://www.loveandconfections.com/2017/06/vanilla-bean-and-mint-layered-smoothie.html


Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowls

Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowls are not only pretty and delicious, but will also leave you fueled and energized for your day ahead!

This post is sponsored by Florida Dairy Farmers in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. All opinions are my own.

Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowls from LoveandConfections.com #SundaySupper #JuneDairyMonth

Smoothies are an almost every day event here, but recently I have jumped on the smoothie bowl bandwagon. I’m sure you’ve seen these gorgeous bowls all over Instagram and Pinterest, with their colorful hues and beautiful fruits, nuts and seeds.

Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowls from LoveandConfections.com #SundaySupper #JuneDairyMonth

Most of the smoothies we make are drinkable, but the ingredients are a bit different for the perfectly spoon-able smoothie bowl. I usually try to make my smoothie bowls a little on the thick side and use milk as my liquid of choice. Frozen fruit is key for the ingredients – that way the smoothie stays nice and thick.

Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowls from LoveandConfections.com #SundaySupper #JuneDairyMonth

Milk isn’t just for your cereal or smoothie bowl. It’s a versatile ingredient that can be used in cooking and baking throughout the day, from breakfast to dessert, and everything in between. This is my second year participating in June Dairy Month, and I love working with Florida Milk and learning about Florida’s dairy farmers. Florida is home to more than 100 farm families who work every day to produce fresh, quality milk from their farm to your refrigerator.

Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowls from LoveandConfections.com #SundaySupper #JuneDairyMonth

Did you know that more than 120,000 dairy cows live in Florida and collectively produce over 270 million gallons of fresh milk per year? You can find delicious Florida Milk recipes and more on their website, and at these links and by following them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowls

By Love and Confections
Published 06/04/2017

Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowls are not only pretty and delicious, but will also leave you fueled and energized for your day ahead!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
  • 1 medium banana, frozen and sliced
  • 1/2 cup strawberries, frozen and diced
  • 2 cups frozen cubed dragon fruit
  • Banana, strawberries, blueberries and chia seeds to garnish

Instructions

  • In a high power blender or food processor, add all ingredients and blend until combined. Divide between bowls and top with garnishes

Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 05 mins.

Total time: 5 mins.

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Recipes Using Milk

Milk Recipes for Breakfast

Milk Recipes for Lunch

Milk Recipes for Dinner

Milk Recipes for Dessert



Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowls from LoveandConfections.com #SundaySupper #JuneDairyMonth



This post is sponsored by Florida Dairy Farmers in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. All opinions are my own.