From watermelon salads to summer veggie wraps, there is no shortage of delectable looking dishes taking over social media. Seasonal veggies stacked high on pastel plates seem to catch the perfect ray of sunshine, even on a cloudy day, and scrolling through Facebook on an empty stomach could just about send you over the edge.
Ever wonder who is behind some of the most jaw-dropping and mouthwatering photos on the net? They’re cool and creative Midwest moms who are showing us all how to step up our cooking game.
By Michelle Magee Elfvin
Picture perfect recipes.
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Lauren Sebastian of BigBlondeHair.com
Lauren is just a maÂ’ tryinÂ’ to look like the nanny. Her instagram page is filled with humor, style tips and baby bumps. She is currently pregnant, and completely fabulous.
Ingredients:
24 oz jar of salsa
3 15.8 oz cans of Great Northern beans, drained
1/2 red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium/large frozen sized chicken breasts (no need to defrost)
Optional toppings:
Sour cream
Shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
Ditalini pasta
Tortilla chips or strips
Healthy substitutes:
Low sodium Great Northern beans
Low fat sour cream
Low fat cheese
Directions:
Put salsa, drained beans, chopped onion, minced garlic and frozen chicken into a crockpot and cook on low for six hours. Once time is up, pull the chicken apart with a fork (it will fall apart easily if itÂ’s done) and let the chili sit with heat off for 10 minutes to allow it to thicken. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, add toppings and enjoy! If you use thawed or a rotisserie chicken, you can reduce the cooking time to 3-4 hours. This recipe is also great reheated, and the leftovers also make a great taco filling!
LuluÂ’s Lentil Balls
Leslie Bruce of Unpacified.com
Leslie Bruce is a New York Times bestselling writer, an entertainment journalist and a champagne enthusiast. The Chicago-native currently lives in Beverly Hills, California with her husband and daughter–but she’s still a White Sox fan.
Ingredients:
1 cup red lentils
4 cups water
1 medium onion
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
1 zucchini
½ green bell pepper, de-seeded
1 teaspoon crushed garlic (I used Trader JoeÂ’s brand)
¼ cup fresh parsley (or 4 teaspoons dried)
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cups walnuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 large eggs, beaten
¼ cup parmesan cheese
¼ cup ricotta cheese
¼ cup whole wheat panko
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring four cups of water to a light boil. Reduce heat and add lentils. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Roughly chop the onion, carrot, celery, zucchini and bell pepper. Place all chopped vegetables in a food processor. Add crushed garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper and walnuts. Lig
Easy French Toast Casserole
Emma Arnold of TresAwesome.com
Emma Arnold is a lover of photography and fashion. She was awarded Best Of Chicago Top Fashion on Instagram award for her street style photography. She hopes to inspire people through her photography, and encourage us to experiment more with style and self-expression.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 loaves Brioche or Challah Bread
12 large eggs
2 1/2 Â cup milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 stick of butter
Real maple syrup and fresh berries to put on top when served
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a 9×12-inch baking dish. Beat milk, eggs and vanilla extract together in a bowl. Pour milk mixture over bread into the baking dish and move bread as necessary to ensure all bread is absorbing liquid. Let sit for 15-20 minutes to make sure everything is absorbed. Sprinkle cinnamon, brown sugar and place pats of butter over the top. Bake in the preheated oven until browned and bubbling, about 60 minutes.
Summer Veggie & Hummus Wrap
Michelle Elfvin of @ChicagoMomGoesSuburban
Michelle is claiming to be a vegan with a chocolate donut in hand. This hummus recipe is delicious, and can be paired perfectly with your favorite farmerÂ’s market produce.
Ingredients:
Hummus
1 can of chickpeas
½ a lemon
1 tbs tahini
2 cloves of garlic
½ teaspoon of cumin
Salt & pepper to taste
FixinÂ’s (Veggies can be substituted!)
2 whole-wheat tortillas
1/2 cup of shredded carrots
¼ cup diced cucumber
¼ cup diced tomatoes
¼ cup diced mushrooms
½ avocado
½ cup shredded lettuce
(Grilled chicken or salmon would be great in this too!)
Directions:
Blend hummus ingredients together till smooth and slather on whole-wheat tortillas. Fill in with your veggies!
JodiÂ’s Pea Agnolotti with spring onion, asparagus, goat cheese broth & mint
Jodi Fyfe of Paramount Events
Jodi Fyfe started Paramount Events in 2011 to offer fully customized catering in Chicago. On-site catering? Put this woman on your speed dial.
Ingredients:
Pasta dough
5 cup all-purpose flour
5 cup Semolina
16 eggs
3 tablespoons salt
Pea filling
16 oz fresh blanched peas, smashed
8 oz fresh ricotta
4 oz Parmesan-Reggiano
Kosher salt and pepper
Goat cheese broth
8oz spring onion, whites only
4oz fennel bulb
2 garlic cloves
8 oz chicken stock
2 sprigs thyme
12oz chevre goat cheese
Directions:
Mix dry ingredie
