Month: March 2013

21
Mar
2013

Lasagna Casserole

categories: Main Dishes

casserole I have two versions of a cheat day. A ‘healthy’ cheat day and a ‘I’m going to have to eat lettuce the rest of the week’ cheat day. This recipe would go into the healthy cheat day category. My mom made this casserole a lot when I was little. It was up there with my favorites. (Broccoli soup was always my #1). This version of the casserole has a lot of the fat taken out, but not all. The fat is actually my favorite part. The sour cream and cream cheese co-mingled with green onions makes this dish sing. So, as much as I would have loved to take more of the fat out, the 9 year old version of myself wold have beaten me up for doing so. This dish would be great to make on a night where you want comfort food, but not the guilt. Bonus: The leftovers are even better, if they are any.

 

 

 

1- 12 oz. bag no yolks egg noodles

1 lb. lean ground turkey

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 t. dried basil

salt and pepper to taste

2 – 8 oz. cans organic, no salt added tomato sauce

1/2 block cream cheese (reduced fat)

1/4 c. sour cream (reduced fat)

6 green onions, chopped

1/2 c. cheddar cheese

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the noodles according the package. While the noodles are cooking brown the turkey, in the last few minutes of cooking time add the garlic, salt and pepper, and tomato sauce. Simmer sauce for 5 minutes. While the sauce is simmering mix the cream cheese, sour cream and green onions together. If cream cheese isn’t soft enough to be mixed, put it in the microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds till able to mix. To assemble, spray an 8×8 pyrex dish with olive oil cooking spray. Spread 1/3 of the tomato mixture on the bottom of the dish. Then add a layer of noodles, then cream cheese mixture, then the meat mixture. Do twice, finishing with cheddar cheese. Bake for 20 minutes till hot and bubbly. Hide any leftovers so you have them all to yourself.

19
Mar
2013

9 Reasons to Drink Green Tea Everyday

categories: Fit Tips
  1. It’s an excellent source of antioxidants
  2. It burns fat and enables you to exercise longer
  3. It prolongs your life
  4. It lowers stress and boosts brain power
  5. It reduces high blood pressure
  6. It helps to protect your liver from alcohol
  7. It prevents tooth decay and cures bad breath
  8. It helps to preserve and build bones
  9. It boosts your immunity against illness

Source:  http://every-single-moment-counts.tumblr.com/post/3247896137

18
Mar
2013

Chicken Stew served over Quinoa

categories: Main Dishes, Side Dish

IMG_1201I’m kind of obsessed with quinoa lately.  I love that it is an all encompassing food, with the best possible nutrition bio a food can have.  I even got my kids to eat it today, begrudgingly, but they did eat 3 bites each.  It’s a texture thing with them.  At least they tried it.

This recipe is a play on a dish my Assyrian grandmother used to make called kurush.  I have always looked forward to eating this dish. Walking into a home where this was cooking would send my salivary glands into over drive.  In it’s original state, it is a tomato meat stew with green peppers, and canned green beans, served over rice that has been baked all day in butter.  Not exactly the poster child for health.  So I took it to the kitchen and gave it a health makeover.  After serious changes, in all of it’s stewy glory, it walked out of the kitchen smelling delicious, and looking fit.  Instead of the buttery rice, a bed of quinoa now soaks up the luscious red sauce.  The canned green beans have been replaced with fresh, crisp green beans.  I hope you enjoy this play on my grandma’s dish.  I hope she approves of the nutritionally necessary makeover.

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, all visible fat removed, cut into bite sized pieces

1 – 2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 lb. fresh green beans, wash and cut in half lengthwise

2 large bell pepper, ct into chunks

1 onion chopped into wedges

1 lb. sliced mushrooms

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1 14 oz can organic diced tomatoes

1 8 oz. can organic tomato sauce

1 6 oz. can organic tomato paste

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

sea salt to taste

For the quinoa

2 cups quinoa

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.  Season the chicken by sprinkling with salt, pepper, and paprika.  Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven and brown all sides.  Brown in batches so that the pan is not overcrowded, if needed.  Put the browned pieces in a bowl and set aside.  If needed, add a small amount of olive oil and saute the vegetables over medium high heat for 5 minutes.  Pour the chicken broth into the pan to de-glaze (scrape all of the brown bits off the bottom of the pan).  Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, paprika, basil and black pepper to the pot with the vegetables.  Bring to a boil and add the chicken back in. Put the lid on and place in oven.  Set the timer for 30 minutes.

For the quinoa:

Bring the stock to a boil and add in the quinoa and turmeric.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 to minutes or until the liquid has evaporated.  make sure to check after 15 minutes that the bottom is not burning.  Stir and put the lid on if there is still liquid present until done. Pull off heat and set aside.

When the stew is done, pull out of the oven. Stir and serve over the quinoa.  Then leave a comment and tell me your experience!

15
Mar
2013

Delicious Green Smoothie

categories: Smoothies

green I added delicious into the name for two reasons.  First,  because it is.  Second, because most people hear green smoothie and immediately they decide it can’t be good.  I then go on to tell them there is spinach and peanut butter in and it.  That is when they start running.  To the doubters I say, “Stop being a wuss and try it!”.  Maybe that was a little harsh.  No never mind, definitely not.

This protein, fiber, iron, flavor packed smoothie is really good.  Everyone I have ever made it for continues making it at home once they try it.  Bonus:  it’s quick and easy to make and clean up is a snap.  It can replace an entire meal.  I will drink it after a workout to rebuild broken down muscles.  So put your big girl/boy underwear on and try it.  You’ll thank me, I promise.

6 oz. almond milk

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1/2 banana for women, 1 whole banana for men

1 tablespoon natural peanut butter (or pb2*, almond butter is another great alternative)

1 tablespoon FiProFlax* (see note below)

1 big handful of spinach

1/2 cup of crushed ice

Put the ingredients in the blender in the order listed, except for the ice.  Puree the mixture till smooth (there will be small bits of spinach in a regular blender).  Add the ice and blend until it is the smoothest your blender can muster.  Mine will leave small chunks, but I am fine with that.  Drink and pass on the recipe once you realize how awesome it is.

*You can find FiProFlax and PB2 on Amazon.

fiproflax

Benefits of flax seed:

  • Lower blood cholesterol
  • Reduce viscosity of blood
  • Lower arterial blood pressure
  • Prevent colon and breast cancer
  • Improve mood
  • Diminish allergies                
  • Produce healthier skin

14
Mar
2013

Paleo Friendly Turkey Meat Balls

categories: Main Dishes

trkey eat ballsI have not converted solely to the Paleo way of eating, but I like eating clean and limit my gluten.  The Paleo recipes help me to just that.  For those of you who are not familiar with the Paleo Diet, let me explain.  Paleo-ians, believe that the cave man had it all figured out in terms of what we should be eating.  Better yet, let the founder himself explain, “The Paleo Diet is based upon eating wholesome, contemporary foods from the food groups our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have thrived on during the Paleolithic era, the time period from about 2.6 million years ago to the beginning of the agricultural revolution, about 10,000 years ago. These foods include fresh meats (preferably grass-produced or free-ranging beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and game meat, if you can get it), fish, seafood, fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and healthful oils (olive, coconut, avocado, macadamia, walnut and flaxseed). Dairy products, cereal grains, legumes, refined sugars and processed foods were not part of our ancestral menu”.  I agree with most of what was said, but I need dairy and carbs every now and then.  In moderation of course.

This recipe is chock full of veggies and lean protein, with a splash of almond flour to help bind them together.  All the ingredients are chopped and mixed in a food processor.  The balls come out light and the veggies are hidden.  They are perfect for health nuts and picky eaters alike.  If you want the rest of your meal to mimic the Paleo ideals, cauliflower mashed potatoes or zucchini noodles would be a perfect pairing.

1 lb ground turkey or chicken

1 zucchini, cut into 4 pieces

handful of spinach

1 cup baby carrots

3 medium garlic cloves

¼ cup blanched almond flour

1 egg

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon ground white pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350.  In a food processor, pulse together the zucchini, carrots,  and garlic.

Add almond flour, egg, turkey, salt, pepper.  Puree till smooth.  Using a melon baller, scoop the turkey mixture onto a foil lined baking sheet.  Spritz the balls with olive oil.

Bake 25 minutes.