Major Baby Food Batch

I had planned for a major baby food recipe session the other day and thought I had made enough food for 2 weeks.....well my Bambino decided otherwise and is likely bouncing through a growth spurt. He is eating and accepting so many new foods (which is exciting) but I NEED to step up my game with his meal planning. That being said, this batch would likely make enough purees for a baby not in the throws of a growth spurt for a week to 2 weeks depending on the appetite. This whole batch took 1 hour! I'll write up a separate post for tips and tricks with making large amounts of foods in short periods of time.

Side note: Apologies for my varying storage container sizes! I ran out of my little snack zip top bags so I was a little all over the place tonight!

Ingredients for success :-)

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen broccoli
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1 cup frozen mango slices
5-6 large frozen strawberries
1 small, fresh zucchini, ends cut off
1 avocado,


pitted
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 small banana, peeled
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
21 raisins
baby oatmeal - I love Beechnut brand, see here for more info.
baby rice cereal
1 cup quick cook barley - uncooked
12oz breast milk or prepared formula

Also used: cauliflower, spinach, white bean and butternut squash purees I had made already a few weeks back. Make sure they are refrigerator thawed before using.

Tools

Baby Bullet - milling blade, blending blade, small blending container (3), small steaming baskets (2)
Baby Bullet Turbo Steamer
spatula

1. Fill the Turbo steamer with 1 cup of water.
2. Add broccoli to one steaming basket and corn to the second basket.
3. Set steamer to 4 and begin steam cycle, allow to run the full cycle
4. Pour the quick cook barley into the blending container with the milling blade. Mill for 90 seconds or until smooth. Add to an airtight container for future baby food. Wash out the blending container and set aside to dry.
5. Once the broccoli and corn are completed steaming, add each vegetable to its own blending container with the 4 prong blending blade. Add 2oz breast milk or formula to each container. Blend for about 30 seconds or until smooth. Wash out steam baskets.
6. Add blueberries and banana to their own steam basket, set to 2 and allow to run through the whole cycle.
7. Add white beans, 1/2 corn, 1/2 banana to one of the used containers with 1-2 oz of breast milk or formula. Blend until smooth. Add to storage container of your choice, I go with zip top bags, label with mix and date. Set aside.
8. Add 1/2 broccoli, cauliflower and 1/2 banana to a different container with 1-2 oz breast milk or formula. Blend until smooth. Add to a zip top bag, label with mix and date. Set aside. Wash out steam baskets.

Avocado Broccoli Strawberry 

9. Add avocado and strawberries to their own steam basket. Set to 2 and run through whole cycle. Check the water level to see if it needs to be refilled.
10. Add remaining broccoli, 1/2 avocado and 3 strawberries to a blending container, blend 30 seconds or until smooth. Transfer to  a zip top bag, label with mix and date. Set aside. Wash out steam baskets.
11. Add mango and pineapple to their own steam baskets. Set to 4. Allow to run through the entire cycle.
12. Mango and pineapple are new foods so I want Bambino to try them on their own first. Add each fruit to its own blending container with the 4 prong blending blade. Add 2oz breast milk or formula to each container. Blend for about 30 seconds or until smooth. Wash out steam baskets. Add each puree to its own individual zip top bag and label with fruit name and date. Set aside.
13. Add raisins and chopped zucchini to their own steam baskets. Set to 4. Allow to run through the entire cycle.
14. Add raisins to blending container with the milling blade and 2oz breast milk or prepared formula and blend for 60 seconds or until smooth. Add 3 tbsp baby oatmeal, 2 tbsp applesauce and 1 tsp cinnamon with an additional 2oz breast milk. Blend until smooth. Add to a zip top bag, label with mix and date. Set aside.
15. Add zucchini to a blending container with remaining avocado and strawberries + 2oz breast milk or prepared formula. Blend until smooth. Add to a zip top bag, label with mix and date. Set aside.
16. Add spinach, remaining strawberries, blueberries and 1 tbsp rice cereal to a container with 1 oz breast milk or prepared formula. Blend until smooth. Add to a zip top bag, label with mix and date. Set aside.
17. Blend remaining white beans, butternut squash and 2 tbsp applesauce.

After all of these steps you should have to following baby food purees:
Mango
Pineapple
White Bean, Butternut Squash, Applesauce,
Spinach Blueberry Strawberry Rice
Zucchini Avocado Strawberry
Apple Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal
Broccoli Avocado Strawberry
Broccoli Cauliflower Banana
White Bean Corn Banana
milled barley for hot cereal

Whew! That was a lot to whip up but it's all wholesome, balanced, homemade, pureed goodness!
If you try one of these, please let me know if your baby likes them!

Have a delicious day!

Peaches and Quinoa Baby Food Blend

The look of baby food SUCCESS!

The world of baby food has me working with a lot of unusual combinations but my little man LOVES some of them! Tonight I decided to pair one of my favorite grains (quinoa) with peaches. This recipe makes a very smooth baby food with little to no clumps. If your child can take more chunky foods, skip step 6 and just combine your quinoa and peach mixtures.

Before getting started on any baby food recipe, I stick my little dude in his high chair and give him something to play with. I think it's important for him to see mommy cooking healthy goodies for him. Tonight his toy was actually an appetizer! I placed a frozen peach into the Boon Pulp Silicone Feeder and he went to town!

Tools

Baby Bullet - milling blade, blending blade, small container (2)
Baby Bullet Turbo Steamer
spatula
bowl
baby spoon - I love the NUK Gerber Graduate Rest Easy Spoons

Ingredients
1/2 cup frozen peach slices
1/4 cup dry quinoa - I used red quinoa
3-4 oz pumped breast milk or mixed formula

1. Fill the base of the Baby Bullet Turbo steamer with 1 cup of water. Place one of the slotted steam trays onto the steamer. Drop your peach slices into the 2 steam trays and place on top of the slotted steam tray. Cover with the vent lid and set to 3. Let the steamer run for the entire 3 cycle.

 2.While the peaches steam, start on your quinoa. Add the quinoa to a one of the small Baby Bullet containers and attach the milling blade.

3. Mill the quinoa for 20 seconds, check to see if it is smooth, if not pulse for an additional 5-10 seconds

4. Take 2 tablespoons of the milled quinoa and mix with 1-2oz of breast milk or formula (more or less based on how thick you want the quinoa to be). Place in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 15 seconds. Stir until completely mixed. Set aside.

5. Take the second small container and add the steamed peaches and remaining breast milk or formula. Close tightly with blending blade. Blend for 20 seconds or until the peaches are completely smooth (see spoon photo).

 

6. Pour out the peaches into an airtight storage container leaving about 2-3 tablespoons in the blending container. Add the cooked quinoa mixture to the peaches and blend for 10 seconds.

7. Serve warm (from the blender) or chilled!

Looks like mustard, taste like peach sorbet!

It's been a while....

So, where do I begin? My last blog post was on January 19, 2015 (714 days to be exact) and since then, quite a bit has changed in my life! I am still a Registered Dietitian but I now work in pediatrics (yay!). I also became a mommy!!! My little man is amazing and is just about 7 months old at this point. My life's focus has totally changed but my roots still remain in healthy living and fitness (working on that a bit.....). My son has been eating baby food since he was about 5 months old and so far has no allergies! I make almost all of his baby food, so I decided a good way to get back into blogging is to journal what I do for him and myself; let's see where this takes us! Check out my labels for baby food to find everything I'll post until I makeover the page.

Have a delicious day!

Angel

Oatmeal Bake

Holy YUM!

This recipe is a meal prepper's dream!!! I had seen one of my absolutely amazing friends, Sarina, post photos of this over and over and finally I had to make it. Sarina is a sensational mom, Beachbody coach, Zumba instructor and a great friend. She is seriously the bees-knees and she knows her stuff!!! If you are interested in her coaching, etc check out her page: Sarina's Beachbody Page - what whaaaaat! This is not my brain child at all but I had to share given the ease of making this, the flexibility to make variations and how darn GOOD it was!!! This recipe is from Broke and Boujie, although I did modify the maple syrup a little (because you guys know how I feel about sugar).


Ingredients:

• 2 cups Old Fashioned Oats (or Steel Cut)
• 1/4 Cup Natural Maple Syrup
• 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 Cup Raspberries
• 1 Cup walnuts, chopped
• 2 Cups unsweetened Almond Milk or Coconut Milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 Banana, peeled and sliced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, syrup, cinnamon, baking powder, half of the raspberries and walnuts. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the milk, egg and vanilla. Stir until the egg and vanilla are totally beaten in.

Spray a brownie pan with cooking spray or olive oil or coconut oil. Spread the oatmeal mixture out evenly in the pan.

Pour the milk-egg mixture over top of the oat mixture. Shake the pan gently to spread the liquid evenly.

Top it with the remaining raspberries, walnut and banana slices and throw it in the oven for 35-40 minutes and enjoy the amazing smell.

Let it cool before you eat it.

 

Alternate Toppings:

-      Blueberries, banana and cashew

-      Almonds, strawberry, blackberry

-      ½ cup pumpkin puree, 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice and pecans

Kale & White Bean Quesadilla

Who doesn't LOVE cheese? I know, I know, I am a dietitian and I know what cheese is and what it can do to your body. That being said- it's still amazing and delicious. If used correctly, you don't need a lot to make a flavor impact on your dish and still eat something super yummy.

I have been feeling a little uninspired as of late for some new recipes so I turned to old faithful, Pinterest. As always, I was diving through hoards of unhealthy recipes and looking for something special. Then I found the inspiration for these quesadillas from the blog Running to the Kitchen.
The original recipe looks so delicious but packs a whopping 2 cups of cheese! Now,for the purposes of my blog I knew I had to trim that don but boost up some other flavors so I didn't feel like I was missing out. After 2 attempts, I found what I was looking for! Here is my take on Kale & White Bean Quesadillas that are a high fiber, low fat, excellent source of plant protein and PACKED with yum!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 tsp minced garlic

1 15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well

4-5 leaves tuscan kale, stems removed and ripped into small leaves

8 tbsp. low shredded cheddar cheese (or cheese alternative)

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

3 whole wheat Flat Out Wraps or whole wheat wrap of your choice

 

1. In a medium skillet, brown onions, green peppers and garlic in olive oil for about 10 minutes on low. The onions should become somewhat clear in the middle and slightly browned on the edges.

2. Add cannellini beans, black pepper, onion & garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Cook beans in onion mixture until beans are tender, on medium for about 10 minutes.

3.Take a potato smasher or a large fork/knife and mash mixture thoroughly.

4. Place 1 wrap on a griddle pan set to medium. To one half of the wrap: add 2 tbsp. of cheddar cheese and 2-3 heaping spoonfuls of bean mixture. Then add kale leaves to cover top of bean mixture. Again top with 2 tbsp. cheddar cheese.

5. Carefully fold the empty half of the wrap over the top of the filling.

6. Using a spatula, carefully flip the quesadilla over to melt the cheese you added in the final step of #4.

7. Cook until cheese is melted and enjoy!!

 

This recipe makes 3 hearty, delicious quesadillas! Enjoy!!!

 

Apple & Bulgar Stuffed Acorn Squash

I was gifted a big bag of acorn and butternut squash a few weeks back and wasn't exactly sure what  I wanted to do with them because lately I have been short on time and preparing mostly quick, healthy meals. On one of the acorn squash I noticed a sticker with instructions on how to microwave the acorn squash. I had never though of that before! With that info in mind I decided to whip up a delicious autumn meal in under 15 minutes!

Ingredients
1 acorn squash (about the size of a grapefruit)
1 cup dry bulgur wheat
1 medium apple (I used jazz)
2 medjool dates
2 tbsp craisins
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup pecans
1/4 medium onion
olive oil spray
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Slice acorn squash in half, remove the seeds and spray with olive oil spray. Place cut side up in microwave for 6 minutes.
2. In a medium sauce pan add two cups of cold water to one cup of dry bulgur wheat. Set on medium-high. Once it comes to a boil reduce to low and cook for 12-15 minutes or until tender.
3. Add coconut oil to a saute pan.
4. Chop onion and add to coconut oil.
5. When acorn squash is finished cooking, scoop out flesh with a spoon. Run a knife through the chunks and add to onion.
6. Chop apples and dates and add acorn squash mixture. Add craisins. Saute for 5-6 minutes.
7. When bulgur is cooked, add to pan with apple mixture. Add cinnamon and pecans to mixture.
8. Scoop into the shells of the acorn squash & enjoy!

Optional:
Adding a cooking sweet potato would have bee FANTASTIC but I didn't have any in my pantry!

TIPS:
Make this gluten free by using amaranth, quinoa or brown rice instead of bulgur.

Zucchini Bread Waffles

Here is the hybrid of my two favorite foods- zucchini bread and waffles! Zucchini bread is one of those wonderful foods sent from the produce gods to make our lives a little richer and sweeter. These waffles are mildly sweet, moist and fluffy! Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 medium zucchini
2 Granny Smith apples
1 tbsp + 1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp molasses
1 heaping tsp of cinnamon
1/2 cup unsweetened almond, soy or skim milk
1 egg
1 tbsp Vanilla extract


1. Preheat your waffle iron based on the manufacturer instructions.
2. Using a grater or food processor, chop the zucchini and apple into very small pieces. Place into a strainer and allow to drain for 10 minutes.
3. In a mixing bowl combine flours, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly.
4. Add brown sugar, molasses, milk, egg and vanilla extract to dry mixture. Using a stand mixer, mix on low for 2 minutes.
5. Fold in shredded apples and zucchini until completely incorporated.
6. Spray the waffle iron with non-stick spray. Pour a 1/4 cup of batter and cook to your preference.

Enjoy with sliced fruit or maple syrup. Makes 8 waffles.

Nutrition Facts (per waffle)
169 calories
32gm carbohydrates
1.8gm fat
6gm protein
5gm fiber

 

Chick Pea and Spinach Sauté

Recently I was in Atalntic City for a bachelorette party and we dined at a tapas restaurant in Revel Casino called Amada (a Jose Garces restaurant). The restaurant offered a pretty extensive menu of tapas or Spanish style appetizers, finger foods and snacks. This restaurant offered gourmet tapas and I was just in heaven! S many items were absolutely delicious but one in particular stood out, the "Espinacas con garbanzos". Let me say that my version was not anywhere as amazing as the version I had however, it is so delicious in a different way. Give it a whirl! 

Ingredients 

2 tbsp olive oil 

1 can garbanzo beans 

2 cups frozen spinach 

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp paprika

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp red pepper flakes

4 heaping tbsp tomato sauce 

Salt and pepper

1) Heat olive oil in a large saucepan until hot. 

2) Add 1/2 can chickpeas to skillet carefully (the chickpeas will cause the oil to pop so be careful). 

3) Cook chickpeas on medium-high heat for ~10 minutes until crispy. Set aside. 

4) In a different skillet, cook spinach in a small amount of water until wilted. Drain water when spinach is completed. 

5) Add tomato sauce, spinach, seasonings and garlic to the 2nd skillet. Cook on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. 

6) Add other 1/2 can of chickpeas and lemon juice to spinach mixture. Cook for 5-7 minutes. 

7) Add original crispy chickpeas and fold into the spinach mixture. 

8) Allow to rest for a few minutes. 

This can be served alone, with a hearty Italian bread or over quinoa! 

 

Nutrition Information

285 calories per serving
34 gm carbohydrates
13gm fat
0 gm saturated fat10gm protein

62mg sodium
2gm sugar
8 gm fiber

Whole Wheat Waffles

I am a kitchen gadget kind of person. I love all of the weird things that have been developed to make cooking easier (or harder, depending on the gadget). There are some that I swear by only because they do improve the quality of your products by being tried and true; one of those products is a waffle iron. I bought my waffle iron pretty recently, about 5 or 6 months ago and I use it every week! I love mixing up a batch of batter with this or that and tasting the end result. This is a basic and delicious whole wheat waffle recipe that can be used as a pancake recipe if you don't have a waffle iron.

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups milk (I used 1%)
1 cup oats (I used Bob's Red Mill 8 Grain Hot Cereal)
2 eggs
2 tbsp cinnamon applesauce
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp melted butter- optional (Will make the waffles a little more savory)
2 tbsp oil- optional (the applesauce replaces the oil, so only add it if you are not using applesauce)

1) Preheat your waffle iron.
2) Mix whole wheat flour, oats and baking powder together. Set aside.
3) In a separate bowl, mix milk, eggs, applesauce and butter/oil (if you are using it).
4) Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing the batter well. It is okay if there are some small lumps.
5) Spray the waffle iron with non-stick spray, then pour about 1/3 cup batter onto waffle iron.
6) The waffles will be on the softer side, if you prefer more crispy waffles cook for longer.

Tips:
a) Add banana, chocolate chips, cocoa powder or fruit to change the variation of the waffle.

Quick Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

I personally cannot take credit for this awesome recipe! I was watching The Chew a while back and Daphne Oz featured it on an episode dedicated to pizza. Anyway, its so easy and pretty fast to whip up and I use it pretty frequently now. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (I think Chobani works best, I tried the Trader Joe's version and it was too thin)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

1. Mix all ingredients together in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment for about 5 minutes.
2. Allow to sit for 4-5 minutes.
3. Roll out and knead for 30 seconds.
4. Roll out on a floured surface with a rolling pin.
5. On a stove-top skillet cook both sides for 3-4 minutes.
6. Top with your favorite pizza topping and cook in a 400 degree oven for 8-12 minutes depending on your toppings. Tough veggies will need longer in the oven.

Tips:
a. If cooking a plain pizza, less time is needed. Make sure cheese is melted.
b. If your dough is very sticky, add more flour and knead until it no longer sticks to your fingers. With the Trader Joe's Greek yogurt I had to add about 1/4 cup of flour.

TexMex Style Soup

Hi Everyone! So as many of you probably know, I LOVE Southern California (specifically San Diego). I dream of living there and enjoying the wonderful weather and food someday! I also LOVE soup; is that weird? Its mid-Summer here in NJ and the weather isn't too bad- about 85 degrees and clear today. Typically we get dreadfully hot and humid weather that is not appropriate for soup. I am a year-round soup eater and today I was reminiscing about SoCal and decided to make a spicy little soup.

Ingredients
1 head of cauliflower, cut up in large chunks
3.5 cups low sodium broth (i used vegetable)
1 medium onion
2/3 cup fat free Greek yogurt
1/2 cup low fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 cloves fresh garlic
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp black pepper
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dried oregano
2 large bay leaves
Sriracha-optional
Avocado- optional
Salsa- optional
Olive oil

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Place cauliflower on an non-greased baking sheet with a silpat. Back for 30 minutes.
3) While cauliflower bakes, slice onion into and caramelized with a 1-2 tsp olive oil. The edges should become slightly browned.
4) Once cauliflower and onions are done, add to a pot with low sodium broth. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes on medium/low.
5) To blend the vegetables you can either use an immersion blender (which I don't have) or pour the soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Return to pot and turn to medium heat.
6) Add black pepper, paprika, oregano, salt and bay leaves. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
7) Grate garlic cloves into soup and add Greek yogurt. Stir until smooth.
8) Add cheddar and mozzarella cheese and cook another 5-6 minutes until melted and mixed thoroughly.
9) Serve with optional toppings such as sliced avocado, sriracha for heat or your favorite salsa ( I use Trader Joe's Corn & Black Bean Salsa). Enjoy!

Pleasantly Purple Smoothie

This delightful smoothie was my breakfast on the go today! Sorry for the lousy picture!

Feel free to add your favorite vanilla protein powder to make this a nice post workout smoothie! 

Ingredients 

4 oz vanilla Greek yogurt

1 cup frozen mango 

1/2 cup frozen blueberries 

1 very ripe banana

1 cup coconut juice

2 tbsp whole flaxseeds

1 tbsp chia seeds

1 cup cold water

Add all ingredients and 1/2 cup of water to your blender (I use the Nutribullet) and blend for 30-60 seconds. 

Add remaining water as desired for your preferred consistency! Enjoy!

Have a Delicious day!!!

1 Pan Vegetable Stew

Hi Everyone!
I just began the final leg of my nutrition internships yesterday! I am still going to try to post as much as a I can but make sure you keep an eye on my Facebook and Twitter accounts for  items as I make them. This stew was inspired by my friend Marielle. We share a lot of similar food interests; she is a more strict vegetarian than I am and has made her own version of this twice recently. She always sends me pictures and I decided that I was going to tackle it today! In total, this really only took about 30 minutes from start to finish. I happened to have all of these items on hand but this would make for a beautiful post-farmer's market meal! Not pictured, I enjoyed this with a nice triangle of ciabatta! Mmmm!

Ingredients
1 can crushed tomatoes (28oz)
1 can chick peas, drained (15oz)
4 stems kale, chopped & including stems
3 large portobello mushroon caps
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
~ 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
4-5 stems scallions, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lemon
salt & pepper to taste

1) On medium heat add olive oil, onion and garlic. Allow to brown slightly.
2) Add kale and tomatoes. Cook about 5 minutes until becomes wilted.
3) Add chick peas, mushrooms, scallions and garlic. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Sauce will reduce slightly.
4) Zest the 1/2 lemon and squeeze juice into mixture. Add parsley.
5) Cook on medium low for 4-5 minutes more.
6) Rest for 2-3 minutes.
Enjoy!

It is really the easiest meal to make! The most time is spent chopping everything up!

Options:
1) If you are not a vegetarian simple add meat. Chicken or ground turkey would be fabulous.
2) If you don't have parsley, basil would be a great substitute. I would imagine dried herbs would also work well but not provide the fresh flavor.
3) If you don't have scallions they can be omitted entirely. They are a member of the onion family and mine were going to go bad if I didn't use them.

Shrimp & Grits

Hi everyone!
It's been a bit since I posted a recipe because we moved and I really haven't been cooking! :( Anyway, lst month we went to Florida to visit my brother and Joe went crazy for this Shrimp & Grits dish at this cute little seafood joint near St. Augustine. Fast forward to today, I decided to make his favorite dish for our 7 year anniversary! I looked up some recipes because Shrimp & Grits is foreign to me as far as making it. I found a Paula Deen recipe and lightened it up a lot because she is butter fiend!

This recipe clocks in at 1,170 calories, 42gm fat and 1,699mg sodium but serves 4-5. At 4 servings, its 292.5 calories, 10.5gm fat, 425mg sodium each!

Going without the ham? You save 1180mg sodium! Woohoo!

 ***I had all of the following ingredients in my kitchen. Will post even lighter options in the tips at the bottom of this post! ****

So here goes!

Ingredients:
2 small green peppers, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
24 small shrimp,thawed, peeled & deveined
1/2 cup cubed ham (try using a leftover pork chop)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 large tomato, diced
2 tsp sriracha
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup grits
1 tbsp & 2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup nonfat milk
1 tbsp butter

1) Add 1 tsp olive oil to a large skillet on medium heat and saute ham. When slightly browned, transfer ham to a bowl and set aside.
2) Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the same skillet and add onions & peppers. Saute through until peppers are wilted and onions are caramelized. Transfer to another bowl and set aside.
3) Add 1 tsp olive oil to same skillet and cook shrimp until shrimp is pink and slightly browned. Flip frequently so all of shrimp is cooked through. Should be 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
4) Add diced tomato, sriracha, white wine, 1 tsp salt to skillet. Scrape browned bits from the bottom of the skillet and allow to reduce slightly. After 4-5 minutes the mixture will thicken slightly.
5) Add onions and peppers and stir for 1-2 minutes.
6) Add shrimp and ham and mix.
7) Add milk and stir well. Reduce heat to medium and allow sauce to thicken slightly. Make take a few minutes.
8) Add 3 cups of water to a pot and bring to boil. Slowly add grits, stirring continuously.  Remove from heat and allow to thicken. Add 1 tbsp butter and mix.

Scoop 3/4 cup cooked grits into a bowl and top with shrimp and ham mixture! Enjoy!!! Mmmmm!

Tips:
a) I am a vegetarian, so the ham is a no for me. You can easily use your favorite meatless ham in this recipe.
b) You can use 99/1 turkey as a great alternative, too!
c) The original recipe called for canned, crushed tomatoes, so feel free to use that instead of a fresh tomato.

Healthy Hash Browns

Hi Everyone!
My schedule has been CRAZY lately but after getting a lot of requests, I had to post this super easy recipe for Healthy Hash Browns! It takes about an hour when everything is said and done but the result is a crispy, delicious version of a typically unhealthy breakfast option. I ended up eating almost the whole plate for dinner, so I guess it was brinner?? :)
The beauty is this recipe is how low in carbohydrates yet you get a nice serving of veggies and fiber! Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 butternut squash
1 medium sweet potato
1 whole egg
2 tbsp almond meal
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp olive oil

1) Preheat oven to 400F.
2) Slice spaghetti squash in half and place cut sides down on a baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes or until edges are browned.
3) Allow spaghetti squash to cool.
4) While squash is cooking, peel the sweet potato. Grate potato or slice potato into 6-8 sections and chop in a food processor.
5) Crack the egg into a large bowl and whip until fluffy. Set aside.
6) When squash is cooled, pull spaghetti strands with a fork. In a downward motion from the stem of the squash, scrape to pull strands.
7) When squash is "pulled", mix 1/2 into the egg bowl with sweet potato crumbles. Mix thoroughly.
8) Add almond meal and spices.
9) In a skillet, add olive oil and set to medium heat.
10) Using a spoon, drop the mixture onto the pan and smooth down. Cook until browned and flip.
11) Repeat with the rest of the mixture.

Tips:
a) Feel free to double the recipe to use the entire spaghetti squash. If not, you can saute the remaining squash with vegetables, meat, or whatever you like.
b) If you have it, you can substitute olive oil with coconut oil.
c) Try cooking the spaghetti squash the night before if you have time.
d) If you mixture seems wet, add almond meal little by little to thicken it up.

Enjoy!

Black Bean Red Pepper Salsa

This is so good! I wanted to toss something on top of my tilapia for lunch and I whipped this up in under 5 minutes!
It tastes great hot but chilled is just as good! Would pair nicely with raw veggies as a dip, whole grain pita or pretzels! Mmmm!

Ingredients
3/4 cup black beans, rinsed
1/2 red pepper
1/4 large onion
3/4 cup corn, cooked or fresh
3-4 stems cilantro
Fresh Lemon
2tsp olive oil
Sea salt
Pepper
Chili powder
DriedOregano
Dried Basil
Dried Parsley

1) Coat the base of the frying pan in olive oil. Heat on medium.
2) Chop the onion and red pepper into small chunks. Add to frying pan.
3) Allow pepper and onion to cook for 4-5 minutes or until the chunks begin to soften slightly.
4) Add corn and black beans.Cook for 4-5 more minutes stirring frequently.
5) While the beans and corn cook, chop cilantro into small pieces and add.
6) Add dry seasonings to taste. I added 2-3 "shakes" of each seasoning and ground the salt grinder twice.
7)Stir in all seasonings and remove from heat.
8) Squeeze lemon juice on top and mix in.

Enjoy!

Tips
1) Cook frozen corn in advance and drain before using in this recipe. Fresh corn would work perfectly.
2) If you dislike cilantro, you can omit it. The flavor will vary slightly but still will be delicious!

No-Bake Energy Bites

I have been seeing lots of energy bites on Pinterest and decided to give them a try. I felt guilty about making cookies, so I made these as a way to gets sweet fix without interfering with my lifestyle.

These can be made many different ways, so find what you like and run with it!

Ingredients
1 cup dry oats (I used a mutli-oat mix that can be purchased at Trader Joes.
3/4 creamy peanut butter or nut butter
1/3 cup raw honey
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup sliced almonds, crushed
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon

1)In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Using a spatula, continuously fold ingredients until completely mixed. The mixture will not be completely stick together.
2) Scoop out tablespoon sized mounds and roll into a ball. You may need to use your hands and pack the balls tightly so they won't fall apart.
3) Store in an airtight container, makes about 20-25 bites.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hey everyone! Occasionally I will post a recipe for something unhealthy..... I know it isn't the theme of my blog but I enjoy baking with old school recipes that sometimes call for ingredients that aren't favorable to a nutritious diet. That being said, I bake like this once in a blue moon! I spotted a bag of mint chocolate chip morsels right after the holidays and knew immediately that I'd make cookies for my fiancé because he LOVES mint chocolate combinations (which I do not- so these are just for him! <3)

I am not sure if these chocolate morsels are always available and if not you can use regular chocolate chips. This recipes makes a tasty cookie.

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vegetable oil
4 tbsp melted butter
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup mint chocolate chips

1) Preheat oven to 350F.
2) In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Stir so it mixes well.
3) In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream sugar, butter, egg and vanilla until fluffy.
4) While mixer is on, slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until well combined.
5) Fold in chocolate chips.
6) Scoop out desired amounts of batter onto a greased cookie sheet.
7) Bake for about 13 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned.
8) Let cool on a rack.
9) Enjoy!

Tips
- Ways to make these lighter: use wheat flour instead of white flour, use egg beaters instead of eggs, substitute apple sauce for oil.
- You can also use a silpat instead of greasing a pan.

Enjoy!

Paleo Pancakes!

So, one of my best friends asked me about the Paleo Diet recently. She was interested in the "clean eating" aspect and I started to look into it. The diet is basically a caveman diet, with foods consumed that are not processed, treated or filled with chemicals. It is mostly organic and low carbohydrate from the lack of breads allowed.

These pancakes are light and you won't think you will get full but all the protein makes this satisfying and so easy to make!

I started researching recipes, etc. and found an Instagram profile of a girl who follows it but also plates the food beautifully. I started following her profile and she is pretty awesome. So I took one of her pancake recipes and altered it slightly. She is pretty fantastic though and I suggest you check out her blog: www.liverightbehealthy.blogspot.com


Okay, here is my rendition of the pancakes:

Ingredients
1 banana
2 tbsp organic peanut butter
1 tbsp organic cashew butter
2 tbsp almond meal
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp honey
Crushed walnut optional
Maple syrup optional

In a food processor, purée banana, nut butters, almond meal, cinnamon and honey until well mixed (about 20 seconds).
Preheat a skillet and pour small saucer size amounts on to skillet.
When edges begin to bubble, carefully flip.

Cooks about 6-7 pancakes. 3= a serving

Sprinkle with walnuts and drizzle syrup if desired (not necessary though!).

So good and surprisingly filling!

Tips:
Make sure the pancakes are small because they are kind of hard to flip.
I cooked mine in an Orgreenic pan which allowed me to avoid using butter!
Next time ill cook up some apples and use that instead of syrup!

Enjoy & let me know if you make them!

Have a delicious day!

Heavenly Chocolate Bites

Last night I prepared a little dinner for my closest friends! A dinner party at my house is a big deal to me no matter what the occasion. I decided to make a lovely chicken cacciatore, Italian bread, salad and dessert. I decided to turn to Pinterest to get inspired and it worked!

This little bites of chocolate heaven are delicious and part of a clean eating diet. The only ingredient that wasn't clean in the actual bites I made was the chocolate because I didn't have any raw cocoa nibs. So here goes! Enjoy!

Ingredients
2/3 cup cooked steel oats, hot
1.5 cup sliced almonds
2tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
6 tbsp raw honey
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup chocolate chips

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2) Combine hot oats, almonds, vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt, honey and flour in a stand mixer bowl.
3) When all ingredients are thoroughly mixed, slowly add chocolate chips on medium speed.
4) The heat from the oats will cause some of the chocolate to melt. Mix for about 15-20 seconds until mixture is dark brown and mixed well.
5) Form small mounds about 1tbsp each onto a cookie sheet lined with a baking mat, parchment paper or greased.
6) Bake for 20 minutes. The cookies will not look much different than prior to baking.
7) Allow cookies to cool completely before serving.

Tips:
1) If you don't have a stand mixer, prepare all ingredients in advance and combine quickly to ensure chocolate melts. Stir by hand for about a minute to ensure the batter is mixed properly.
2) Chocolate chips and regular honey will also work for this recipe.

Have a delicious day!