Tag: Healthy

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.

12
Mar
2013

Italian Meat Loaf

categories: Main Dishes

I’ve always had a love for meat loaf.  Making it for someone else can be a bit scary though.  In my experience, most people love their mom’s meat loaf and have a wall up guarding their taste buds from liking another.  My husband is no exception.  He likes my food, but none of my variations of loafed meat have even come in a close second, till this one.  So, if you have a person in your life suffering from, “I like my mommy’s meatloaf” syndrome, give this one a try.  Their taste buds might have room for two meat loaves to love.  Then, after their third helping you can say it was good for them too.

1 lb ground Italian turkey sausage

1 lb ground turkey

1 zucchini, peeled, and diced

4 oz. button mushrooms, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 red onion, diced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon dried basil

1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup steel cut oats

1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Saute the zucchini, onion and mushrooms in 1/2 tablespoon olive oil for five minutes or until soft.  Add garlic and saute for one minute.  Mix in dried basil and season with salt and pepper.  Let cool.

Beat the egg in a large mixing bowl with tomato paste, salt, pepper, garlic powder and Worcestershire.  By hand, mix in the oats, turkey and sausage.

Put mixture in a meatloaf* or bread pan, bake until the juices run clear and the top is browned, 45-60 minutes.  If desired, top with marinara sauce and bake another 5 minutes.

This little beauty also freezes nicely.  So feel free to make a ton.

*On a side note, I use a special meat loaf pan to reduce the amount of fat the meat may have.  The pan is similar to the one pictured below.  The fat drains into a resevoir below the meat.  The pan is non-stick, so clean up is easy!

27
Feb
2013

Throw out the contents of your pantry and fridge! (I’m only half kidding)

categories: Health Tips

Isn’t that what you are supposed to do if you want to lose weight?  Personally, I don’t think doing a tyrannical sweep of your pantry is going to solve your problem.  Why?  Wasting food, even though I don’t consider chips and cookies food, isn’t reality.  You probably worked hard to buy whatever you have.  So, if throwing it out in a fit of healthy rage isn’t in the cards, oh well.  BUT, if you are really serious about losing weight or becoming a healthier version of you, don’t buy it anymore.  Once it’s gone, it’s gone.  If it isn’t in the house, you won’t eat it.  You will transition into a healthier lifestyle and have a better chance of staying on track.  For some people the cold turkey method does work. If it doesn’t work for you, this approach will ease you in.

Weight loss is 80% of what you eat and only 20% based off of your workout.  If you are serious about making changes, make them permanent.  If you are looking for a ‘diet’, you will most definitely lose weight, but you will find it again and be right back to where you started.  Trust me, I’ve been there.  I would take the weight off with the latest trendy diet, then it would come back to haunt me when I discovered carbs again.  If you learn how food works, and what to eat, you can splurge occasionally.  You have to look at the indulgent foods as treats, not something you nourish yourself with.

So, what should you have  in your pantry and fridge?  Keeping the items below on hand, will help you change your eating habits.

Fridge:

Almond milk

Olive Oil mayo

String Cheese

Almond Butter

Smart Balance Butter

Ground Turkey or Pork

Chicken Thighs or Breasts

mustard

Dill Pickles

Low Sodium Chicken Broth

Parmesan Cheese (not in the green container)

Natural Bliss Creamer or Half n Half

Eggs (preferable organic)

Spinach

Bell Peppers (any color)

Cauliflower

garlic

Greek Yogurt

Turkey lunch meat (one without preservatives if possible)

Kale

Romain Lettuce

mushrooms

onion

Pantry

Apples

Grape Fruit

Bananas

Natural Peanut Butter

Protein Powder

Low Carb whole wheat tortillas

Dark chocolate

A multivitamin

almonds, cashews, peanuts, not roasted

coconut milk

protein bars

quinoa

brown rice

High Protein High Fiber multi-grain Cereal (that is actually what mine is called, by Eating Right)

Whole Grain Pasta or Barilla Plus Pastas

Balsamic Vinegar

Olive Oil

Sea Salt (fine)

Black Pepper Grinder

Green Tea bags

Whole Grain Bread or Whole Grain Extra Fiber Bread

Spices (they add flavor without fat)

Dates