A fridge dump

If you read my last post, you know that I was tight on time this weekend due to an awesome girls’ weekend with my SIL.  We went shopping, got pedicures, went for long walks around my lake, visited a peach farm to view their peach blossoms and feed the deer, watched movies (I highly recommend Inside Out and Martian :)) and cooked some amazing meals!

The drawback to such a fun weekend is having very little time or desire to meal plan, grocery shop and cook.  So, I didn’t…meal plan and grocery shop, that it.  Instead, I took a look at what I had in my fridge and freezer and threw it together to make an impromptu, quick and easy set of meals for the week.  And they came out great, if I do say so myself!

In my last post, I shared my chorizo stuffed acorn squash recipe that I plan to eat for breakfast this week.  Below is what I’ll be eating for lunch all week.

I found chicken tenders in my freezer, asparagus in my veggie drawer, half a jar of Arrabiata sauce and a 1/4 can of sliced olives on the top shelf of my fridge, and some feta cheese.    I also had quinoa leftover from my acorn squash recipe, so I figured I’d use that too.  Seeing that, I knew I could put together a tasty, pretty and healthy meal for myself.

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs chicken tenders
1 bunch asparagus
1/4 small can sliced olives
1c cooked quinoa
1/2 jar Trader Joe’s Arrabiata sauce
1/2c crumbled sheep’s milk feta
1.5T Italian seasoning
1/2t garlic powder
black pepper, salt, and crushed red pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat skillet on medium heat
Spray chicken tenders with olive oil spray and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic and crushed red pepper
Place chicken in skillet and let brown before flipping
Chop off bottom 1/3 of asparagus and toss in the trash.  Then cut the remaining asparagus into thirds.  Place in the pan with the chicken, add any additional seasoning you’d like and cover for 5 minutes.
When the asparagus looked bright green and the chicken seems to be about 3/4 cooked, add sliced olives, quinoa, sauce and feta and let simmer for another 3-4 minutes before turning off heat and letting it sit and simmer on the hot burner for another few minutes until everything looks cooked through.  Viola!

Although I haven’t tasted yet, it looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it!

I’m back! And I’m cooking up some goodness!

Chorizo Stuffed Acorn Squash for Breakfast

It has been a long time since I’ve posted any recipes. Hell, it’s been a long time since I’ve posted ANYTHING!

Today seemed like a great day to start back up.

My sister-in-law visited this weekend and we had a blast!! As a result though, I didn’t have a chance to do any grocery shopping. I definitely didn’t want to cut into our fun time together to grocery shop, so I decided to work with that I had. Luckily, I had groceries from last week I never used, such as two beautiful acorn squash, fresh spinach (albeit a bit wilted) and an onion. So I decided to pull some chicken chorizo from the freezer and stuff my squash. I was going to add egg whites to this and bake it up really nicely but I didn’t trust the egg whites…they were two weeks old. So, even though this will be my breakfast, it doesn’t really look like it. Whatevs! The point here is that meal planning doesn’t have to be stressful or time consuming if you can be creative and flexible.  Simply see what you’ve got, and let your creative juices flow.  The worst that can happen is that whatever you make sucks…consider it a learning lesson then 🙂

Here’s the ingredients:
2 acorn squash cut in half and de-seeded
1lb chicken chorizo sausage
1/2 chopped onion
1/2 bunch fresh spinach rinsed and chopped
1c cooked quinoa
1c finely shredded Manchego cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425
Spray inside of squash with olive oil spray
Season inside of squash with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper
Roast in oven, cut side down, 20 minutes
Meanwhile, sautée onions on medium heat for about 5 minutes before adding chorizo.
When chorizo is cooked through drain the excess fat
Add chopped spinach and quinoa
Once spinach is wilted, fold in cheese and then stuff the squash

Place stuffed squash back in the oven for 20 minutes or until squash is done.

This was really a very fast meal to put together and it looks delish!  I can’t wait to eat it for breakfast tomorrow!

Check out my next post on the lunch I threw together for the week, as well.

How To Replace Eggs In Your Recipes!

Swanson Health Blog brings to you a Top 7 Vegan Egg Substitution.

There are many reasons people choose to eliminate eggs from their diet: they’ve chosen to lead a more plant-based lifestyle (veganism and some forms of vegetarianism), concerns with environmental and human contamination, conditions chickens are raised in, cholesterol concerns, or allergies. Regardless, we’re here to help make sense of how to replace eggs in your recipes. This post is going to be especially beneficial for vegan baking, as converting a non-vegan recipe to vegan is usually going to involve substituting the egg with another ingredient.

All of the substitutions below replace one egg. (Double, triple, quadruple, etc., if necessary to follow your recipe.)

1. Ground Flax seeds – Mix 1 Tablespoon of ground flax with 3 Tablespoons of water. Stir with a fork until mixture is thick, creamy and egg-like.

2. Chia Seeds – Put 1 Tablespoon of chia seeds in 1/3 cup of water. Stir and then let sit for 15 minutes, until it becomes gelatinous. Learn more about chia seed uses.

3. Soy Protein – Mix 1 Tablespoon of soy protein powder with 3 Tablespoons of water. Mix thoroughly.

4. Agar Agar Flakes – Mix 1 Tablespoon of agar agar with 3 Tablespoons of water.

5. Ripe Bananas – Take 1/2 of a ripe banana and mash with a fork.

6. Applesauce – Measure out 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce.

7. Peanut Butter – Use 3 Tablespoons of organic peanut butter.

– See more at: http://www.swansonvitamins.com/blog/kaitlins-blog/egg-substitutes#sthash.kzqVChdj.dpuf

Check Out This AWESOME Veggie Burritos Recipe!

Black Bean and Butternut Squash Burritos

You are going to love them, even if you are not a vegetarian!

Yield: 4 burritos or 3.5 cups of filling

Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, cubed, & roasted
• 1/2 cup uncooked short grain brown rice (yields: 1.5 cups cooked)
• 1-2 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped sweet onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• 2 tsp ground cumin, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• One 15-oz can black beans (about 1.5-2 cups cooked), drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup Daiya cheese
• 4 tortilla wraps (large or x-large) [hint: corn tortillas are lower in sodium and calories, so consider converting these into tacos instead of burritos and use corn tortillas]
• Toppings of choice: (avocado, salsa, vegan sour cream, spinach/lettuce, cilantro, etc)

1. Preheat oven to 425F and line a large glass dish with tinfoil. Drizzle olive oil on squash and give a shake of salt and pepper. Coat with hands. Roast chopped butternut squash for 45 mins. or until tender.

2. Cook brown rice (for directions, see here)

3. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add oil, onion, and minced garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Now add in salt and seasonings and stir well.

4.  Add chopped red pepper, black beans, and cooked rice and sauté for another 10 mins. on low.

5. When b’nut squash is tender remove from oven and cool slightly. Add 1.5 cups of the cooked butternut squash to the skillet and stir well. You can mash the squash with a fork if some pieces are too large. Add Daiya cheese and heat another couple minutes.

6. Add bean filling to tortilla along with desired toppings. Wrap and serve. Leftover filling can be reheated the next day for lunch in a wrap or as a salad topper.

Thank you Oh She Glows for such an amazing recipe!
Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/10/24/black-bean-and-butternut-squash-burritos/#ixzz3WeO8EJIP

How much dark chocolate can I eat?

(Image by Ghirardelli)

I don’t know about you, but that was my first question after reading my last post.  Here I am, trying to be healthy and LEAN and I’m promoting the benefits of dark chocolate.  Great, but how much dark chocolate do I have to eat (yeah right! I really mean, “…can I eat”) to actually gain the health benefits from that last article.

Not to ruin the surprise but the answer is only 6.7g per day.  So, if you are anything like me that number means nothing.  Luckily, the Easter bunny gave me those bite sized Ghirardelli dark chocolate squares for Easter.  Those little suckers are 11g, which means you only need to eat approx 60% of one of those little squares to get the health benefits you read about.  Based on your perspective, this is either good or bad news to you.  I honestly wanted an excuse to eat an entire 3.5oz bar per day, but (heavy sigh) I guess it’s not to meant be.

So, read this article and see the science behind the number.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/10/09/how-much-chocolate-should-you-eat.aspx

Amazing Healthy Facts About Dark Chocolate, You Are Going to Love it Even More!

Check out this list of benefits of dark chocolate from hurbanwired.com.

Dark chocolate nutrition has clearly stated that a bar of chocolate gives you better health and fulfills overall nutrition of your body. Curious to know all the health benefits of dark chocolate? Here you go.

1: Cardiovascular Benefits

If you wish to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, a small piece of dark chocolate as part of your daily diet could help a lot. The antioxidant compounds and flavonoids present in the dark chocolate play a very vital role in enhancing the flexibility of arteries and veins thereby regulating the flow of the blood. The chances of high blood pressure are spontaneously lowered and the cardiovascular complications are kept at bay. It is really a blessing that a small square of healthy dark chocolate has the power to ward off the deadly dangers of heart problems.

2: Gives you an Ideal Figure

Dark chocolate nutrition help you satiate all the unnecessary cravings you encounter during the day. This small piece of dark chocolate could help satisfy your taste buds and help avoid binge eating on sugary food and drinks through out the day. People looking to cut down on calorie intake should replace with sugary foods with this.

3: Reduces Risk of Diabetes

The flavonoids in the dark chocolate escalate the production of nitric oxide, which in turn plays very significant role in controlling the insulin sensitivity. Research indicates that flavonol epicatechin in cococa has impact on insulin signaling and glucose production.

4: Tasty and Side-effect Free Anti-Depressant

Whether a housewife, student or a professional; everyone on earth is destined to come under psychological pressures and tension at some or the other times. Dark chocolate produces stress busting endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are stimulated by the phenylethylamine or PEA found in the dark chocolate. The release or production of endorphins in the brain makes one feel relaxed and happier. The dark chocolate may not be considered to be the medicine or diet to bring someone out of depression but it does lighten you up. If you face any kind of mental pressure, bite on a bar of dark chocolate because the caffeine present in the dark chocolate is quite beneficial in revitalizing your mood and improving cognitive functions of your brain. Unlike the caffeine in the coffee, the caffeine in the dark chocolate does not make anyone addictive to it and therefore is a risk free solution.

5:  Effective Anti-Aging Drink

Who does not want to look young? No one likes wrinkles on their face or skin. The breakdown of collagen in the skin is reduced to a great extent as cocoa brings down the stress hormones and as a consequence the wrinkles on the skin are slowly reduced. The skin thus becomes fresh and young from inside and it makes one look younger. The aging symptoms are thus controlled by drinking hot dark chocolate.

6: Natural Sunscreen

One of the external factors that damage the skin is the harsh sunlight. The UV rays can severely damage the skin and it may take quite long to recover. The antioxidants like flavonols play important role in protecting the skin from harsh sunlight and UV rays. Dark chocolate improves the blood flow in the skin and makes sure the skin is hydrated.

7: Great for Teeth

Unlike white or processed chocolate, the organic cocoa containing dark chocolate is a wonderful food for your teeth. Dark chocolate makes your teeth healthier and brighter. The enamel protects the teeth from abrasion and any other external or internal damages. The loss or reduction of the required amount of enamel can be very dangerous to the teeth. Dark chocolate nutrition facts tell us that it is rich in theobromine, which strengthens the tooth enamel and protects your teeth.

8: Prevents Cancer

The free radicals in the body not only escalate the aging process but also can become the cause of various types of cancers. One of the best ways to keep the body free from free radicals is the consumption of food items that are rich anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants play crucial role in removing these free radicals from your body. Dark chocolate is laden with anti-oxidants, which discard the carcinogenic elements from the body.

9: Lowers the risk of Alzheimer

The dark chocolate has lots of iron. It counters all the mental problems and enhances cognitive functions, such that it lowers the risk of Alzheimer to a great degree. The pregnant women are advised to consume certain amount of healthy dark chocolate so that the baby in the womb develops properly and acquires the strength to fight the risk of Alzheimer.

– See more at: http://urbanwired.com/health/dark-chocolate-nutrition-facts/#sthash.oYxo2iMK.dpuf

Best Meatless Protein Sources

Are you ready to start a vegetarian diet, or are already in one but you don’t know sources to get the protein from other than meat? Check out this list of vegetarian protein sources from sparkpeople.com, which are delicious, nutritious and easy ingredients to cook with!!

For more related articles visit: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=158

Yup! As good as I thought!

I posted this recipe back in October of last year, but never had the chance to make it.

I finally made it last night and it is D-LICIOUS!  I didn’t have to make any modifications to it for health reasons, but ended up modifying it simply due to what I had on hand.  I used chicken breasts instead of turkey and then used half figs and half dates because I doubled the recipe and only had enough figs for 1 recipe.  I’m not sure if it was because I used chicken breasts or a cast iron skillet, but I had to reduce the baking time by 10 minutes to avoid overcooking the dish.  We then paired it with seared broccolini and a glass of Cabernet.  What a lovely dish to share with my wonderful man, out on the back patio watching the stars.  Good food, good company, and good scenery…nothing does a body, mind, and spirit better than that!

Find this amazingly fantastic recipe here: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/09/stuffed-turkey-breasts-with-butternut.html?m=1

Anyone else crave Super Supreme Pizza or is it just me?

When I was a kid, one of my favorite places to eat was Pizza Hut.  Yeah, I know, I know. 🙂  Anyway, my favorite was the Super Supreme pan pizza.  To this day, I still miss that pizza!

So, I decided to make something that tasted pretty darn close.  Even eaten cold for breakfast the next day, as any good pizza should be, it’s delicious! 🙂  Admittedly, you can’t eat it with your hands, as it is actually a casserole, but it is just as delicious. Promise!!

Are you ready for it????????

Super Supreme Pizza Quinoa Recipe

1c uncooked quinoa (read package directions and cook accordingly, then put aside)

Chopped onion to taste

Chopped bell pepper to taste

Mushrooms to taste

1 small can sliced black olives drained

3-4 slices Low sodium, nitrate free deli ham cut into 1″ pieces

10 Turkey pepperoni cut into quarters

1 hot italian chicken sausage link (cook this until done and then chop up)

Jar of your favorite pizza/spaghetti sauce

1c shredded goat gouda (good texture and flavor for this dish…doesn’t taste goaty 🙂  You can get this at Trader Joe’s)

Once the quinoa and sausage are cooked, mix all ingredients together in a bowl except the cheese.  The amount of sauce you add is up to your liking.  I had a large jar of sauce, so I used 3/4 of it instead of the entire thing.  Add any Italian spices you think it needs (maybe some extra garlic and oregano).  Press the mixture into a baking dish and sprinkle the cheese over the top.  Bake for approximately 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Viola!  Super delicious!

As always, you can change out the toppings to fit your own tastes, just keep nutrition and weight loss in mind.  Also, I use gluten and dairy free products because I believe gluten and dairy are inflammatory.  It is your choice whether you do the same.

This is healthy comfort food at its finest if I do say so myself.  When you have a craving for pizza, turn to this recipe for a sure fire winner.

Eat apple pie while losing weight? Wait, what?!?!

Making the delicious nutritious…that’s one of my main philosophies for success in enjoying life while remaining healthy.

Well, I LOVE LOVE LOVE dessert and so am always looking for ways to make the delicious nutritious…and for my crazy life (and the crazy lives of my clients), fast and easy!

Well, check out this simple, easy, fast and yet oh-so-YUM dessert.

1c Trader Joe’s chunky apple sauce
1/2t cinnamon
2T homemade granola (recipe below)

That’s it!  Doesn’t look nearly as mind blowing as it tastes, but I swear it was like eating apple crumble.  The trick is Trader Joe’s chunky apple sauce.  It has actual slices of apples in it (like apple pie!) and is sweetened with apple and grape juice.  This gives it the perfect sweetness without adding any refined sugars. 

You can’t get simpler than this!

Granola recipe:
6c gluten free rolled oats (cheap at Trader Joe’s)
1c pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1/2c sunflower seeds
1/3c chia seeds
1/3c flax seeds
1c nuts of choice
1/2c unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2-1c organic agave nectar/maple syrup/raw honey (based on how sweet you like it)
1/2-1c coconut oil (or other healthy oil of choice)
1=2T cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (optional)

Mix all ingredients together.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or foil and spread granola mix evenly on pan. Bake at 325. Stir every 10 minutes and pull out of oven when the granola is golden brown (approximately 30-35 minutes).  Let it sit for 15-20 minutes so it hardens and creates those yummy granola clumps.  Add whatever dried fruit you’d like.  I also like to add hemp seed to my granola after it is done baking for additional nutrition.  This makes a LOT of granola, so don’t hesitate to share it with your friends and inspire them to be healthy too!