Maria Menounos Shares Her Recipes On Access Live

Cranberry-Chicken Salad (Serves 3-4)

Feel free to make this salad your own. Substitute apple
for the cranberries, almonds for the sunflower seeds, scallions for the red
onion. You get the idea!

EveryGirl Tips

• Skip the dried cranberries and this recipe is
  diabetic friendly. Even with them, it’s gluten-free!
• Don’t have any cooked chicken? Pick up a
  rotisserie chicken and use the breast meat. Remember to remove the skin.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup fresh raspberries
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 cups diced cooked white-meat chicken
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• ½ cup diced red bell pepper
• ½ cup sweetened dried cranberries
• ½ cup salted sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons diced red onion, as desired

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, mash the raspberries with a
   fork. Whisk in the oil and vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Add the diced chicken, celery, red pepper,
   cranberries, sunflower seeds, and onion. Toss to coat.

Cucumber-Tomato-Feta Bites
(Makes 12 bites)

Just because you are in a rush doesn’t mean you can’t
have a little fun with your food. Who doesn’t like to eat from a stick? This
one is a total crowd pleaser.

EveryGirl Tips:

• This recipe is diabetic-friendly and gluten-free!
• Don’t cut the veggies too thick, otherwise your
  guests won’t be able to grab them. Trust me, I’ve made that mistake@
• If you’ve got some fresh herbs, chop them up and
  sprinkle them over the kabobs before serving.
• Some people don’t like the skin on the cucumber,
  but the skin is full of nutrients! Compromise by running a fork down the length
  of the cucumber before slicing; this removes a little bit of the skin and looks
  pretty.

Ingredients:

• ½ small cucumber, split and cut into medium
  slices
• 6 cherry tomatoes, cut in halves
• 3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled into bite size
• ½ red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (if you prefer
  vinegar, use that)
• Oregano

Instructions:

1. Using toothpicks, slide slices of the cucumber
   and tomatoes, the feta, and red pepper in alternating patterns onto the
   toothpicks.
2. Drizzle the veggies with the oil and lemon
   juice, and sprinkle with oregano.

Roasted Sweet Potato Fries with maple Hummus Dipping
Sauce (Serves 4)

You can make these as spicy as you want by upping (or
omitting) the cayenne pepper. You can also forgo the dip and serve with
ketchup. Your guests are going to love them!

Ingredients:

Sweet Potato Fries:

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 large)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Maple Hummus Dipping sauce:

• ½ cup prepared or homemade hummus
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two
   rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the sweet potatoes into
   quarters, then into ½-inch wide wedges.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cornstarch, garlic
   powder, paprika, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the potato wedges;
   toss to coat. Drizzle with the oil; toss again. Spread the potatoes out onto
   the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, or until brown and crisp; flip
   the wedges and cook for 15 minutes, until the other side is crisp.
3. Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce. In a small
   bowl, stir together the hummus and maple syrup. Serves with the hot fries.