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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Brown Rice, Zucchini & Kale Bites

Kale is the way to my heart! <3 

Hey everyone!
I put a picture of this on my Instagram and Facebook (follow me!!!) and I got so many requests for the recipe, so here goes!!!

The recipes has several steps but overall is pretty simple. It happened to come together for me rather quickly because I already had brown rice made.

Ingredients
1.5 cups cooked brown rice
5 bushy stalks of kale
1 cup shredded zucchini
2 eggs
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
olive oil
parmesan cheese

A) In a large pot, steam kale with about 1 inch of water. Kale will be done when leaves are bright green and slightly soft.
B) Allow kale to cool on paper towels. On a cutting board, remove leaves from stem.
C) Chop leaves into fine pieces and place in a bowl.
D) In a separate bowl whisk eggs together with spices, flours and cheese.
E) Slowly add brown rice, kale and zucchini. Keep mixing gently to incorporate all ingredients.
*Be careful not to beat the mixture too much. If your kale is still very hot it could cook your eggs!
**If your mixture still looks very wet, add a tbsp of whole grain flour to thicken it up.
F) Heat about 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan on medium until oil begins to bubble slightly.
G) Using a spoon or spatula, scoop a golf ball sized amount of the mixture and lay it into the pan. Using the backside of your spoon or spatula, press it down to make a patty.
H) Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes before flipping. The cooked side should be a golden brown color. Repeat for other side and remove from heat.
I) Optional- Sprinkle a small amount of parmeasan cheese on top & enjoy!!!

Tips:
- Depending on your pan you can cook several patties at one time. I cooked three at a time in my 9 inch pan.
- This is a great leftover meal. If you don't have precooked brown rice, make sure your rice is fully cooled before mixing with eggs. Both hot rice and kale will definitely give you scrambled eggs before you cook!
- Quinoa, white rice and barley would also work in this recipe!
- I initially tried this with egg beaters but there was not enough binding by the eggs. You can try 1/4 egg beaters with 1 whole egg.

Veggie & Bean Soup

Veggie & Bean Soup!

Hey Everyone! I hope you are all doing well and being safe after the Hurricane Sandy craziness we have all experienced over the last 48 hours! As most of you probably know by now, cooking relaxes me, so I decided to make a hearty soup to ease the nerves from the recent events. I was also away for 3 days before the hurricane so when I returned home, I had some veggies that needed to be cooked or they'd go bad. I also had a slight case of cabin fever where I was eating pretty much everything in sight! :) Most of it was pretty healthy but this soup will fix me up! I loved using the Spaghetti Squash as noodles in this dish! Delicious and low in carbs!

Ingredients:
32oz low-sodium vegetable broth
2.5 cups chopped kale
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 box frozen lima beans (10oz)
4 carrots
1 spaghetti squash
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1 medium onion
olive oil
3 cloves garlic
3 bay leaves
Italian Seasoning
Black pepper

1) Preheat oven to 425F. Slice spaghetti squash in 2 and place face-down on a roasting sheet. Place in oven for 30 minutes.
2) In a large pot, pour in 4Tbsp olive oil and heat on medium high.
3) Chop onion and add to pot.
4) Mince garlic and add to pot.
5) Allow onion and garlic to sweat (about 4-5 minutes). Stirring every minute or so.
6) Add vegetable stock, bouillon and 2 cups of warm water. Allow to boil.
7) Slice carrots.
8) When liquid is boiling, add kale, carrots, spinach, frozen lima beans, rinsed kidney beans, 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning and 3 bay leaves.
9) Cook soup on high for 15 minutes, then turn down to medium-low.
10) When spaghetti squash is finished roasting, remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before handling.
11) Using a fork or pasta spoon (or my pastasaurus :), scrape inside of spaghetti squash. The insides will pull like spaghetti noodles. Add the noodles from 1 half of a squash to the soup.
12) Allow to cook for 10 more minutes on medium-low.

When "noodles" are al dente, turn off heat and enjoy!!!

Rawr!!!!!
My Pastasaurus! My brother's lovely girlfriend, Allie gave it to me for Christmas last year!!! Love it! 

Tips:
a) Remove the seeds from the squash before roasting, makes for easier removal of "noodles".
b) You can make this simple soup with anything you have around your kitchen. Feel free to add potatoes, celery or broccoli.
c) If you are not a "salty" person, you can also sub the stock for low-sodium stock or remove the bouillon cube.
d) If you want a Pastasaurus, here is the Amazon link.

Sesame Peanut Tofu over a Simple Kale Salad

Mmm mmm good!

So, last night I was perusing Facebook and stumbled across a delicious looking photo of some kind of sesame tofu that my FB friend Jeffery had posted. The tofu was skewered and sprinkled with sesame seeds. The picture look fabulous and got me in the mood to try something different.
This recipe was a spontaneous try in my kitchen to see how it turned out. I was hoping it wouldn't be horrible and it wasn't! It was very tasty and I will absolutely be making this again! The instructions are long but in total it took me about 20 minutes to put this lovely lunch together! It served as one big lunch for me, so if you are making this for more people just double the recipe.

By the way, Jeffery has a really fabulous food/healthy blog, too! Check it out "The Matters of Mitter".

Ingredients
For the sauce:
1 Tbsp organic peanut butter (regular peanut butter would also be fine)
2 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Paprika
Chili Powder
Black pepper
Salt
Vegetable Seasoning (I used a locally made one but you can make your own in a flash. See the tips below).

For the Salad:
5-6 stems of kale, washed and dried
1/2 block of extra firm tofu, water removed
1 tomato
1-2 slices of vidalia onion
1/2 lemon
sesame seeds

1) In a saucepan, combine oil, peanut butter and soy sauce. Mix.
2)Heat mixture on medium-low until peanut butter begins to melt. Stirring continuously.
3) I used very limited amount of paprika and chili powder. I'd say about 1/4 teaspoon of both. If you prefer more heat, add extra. Add in the vegetable seasoning and stir. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste.
4) Reduce heat to low and let simmer.
5) While sauce is simmering, cut your 1/2 block of tofu into 3 slices. Then cut slices into triangles or whatever shape you like.
6) Using a misto sprayer, spray a frying pan with olive oil and place slices into the pan.
7) Saute on medium heat until the edges of the tofu begin to brown slightly. Flip. This may take 3-5 minutes for each side.
8) While tofu and sauce are cooking, cut the kale. I included the stems for a little extra crunch.
9) Cube the tomato.
10) Mix the kale, tomato and sliced onion in a bowl or add to a plate.
11) When both sides of tofu are browned add the peanut sauce mixture. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes flipping and turning the tofu continuously.
12)  Squeeze the lemon juice onto the salad to brighten up the flavors.
13) Gently add tofu to the top of the salad.
14) Sprinkle with sesame seeds and some of the remaining sauce if you like.

Enjoy!

Tips:
a) If you don't have a vegetable seasoning that you like, you can simple make your own by mixing your favorite seasonings together and keeping a bottle in your spice cabinet. The seasoning I used is a mixture of flax, mustard seeds, onion, parsley, oregano, garlic, dill, fennel, turmeric, sesame, and paprika. Big flavor!

b) If you have time, I'd try to marinate the tofu in the sauce. It would give a nice flavor boost!

Thanks & Have a Delicious Day!

Kale Chips!

I didn't have time to take a picture of my finished product because I was Skyping with a friend and munching away. This is what they look like when done!
Photo Credit:  Kalyn's Kitchen

So I posted a photo of kale chips on my Facebook page a while back and I have gotten a lot of requests for the recipe. Kale is one of the world's superfoods and is very high in Vitamins K, C & A! It is high in fiber and pretty darn delicious, too!

I am a potato chip kind of person. I love the crunchy, salty, greasy aspect of it. But guess what? Crunchy, salty, greasy isn't great for your outsides or insides. Kale chips are a perfect way to get the craving for the crunchy, salty, greasy without all the negative side effects.

Ingredients
1 bunch kale
Olive oil in a misto (or olive oil spray)
Sea Salt Grinder
Black Peppercorn Grinder
Baking sheet pan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
1) Thoroughly wash and dry kale.
2) Using a knife, slice the leafy portion off of the center stem of all of the kale.
3) Cut the kale leaves into "chip sized" portions. I like tortilla sized kale chips, about 1 inch x 2 inch.
4) Spray olive oil on the sheet pan.
5) Spread kale out on the sheet pan. Try not to let leaves overlap. You may need to make two batch or use 2 sheet pans.
6) Lightly spray the kale with the olive oil. The idea is to provide a light coating and not soak the kale. Soaking it will cause the kale to get soggy and not achieve the crispy, chippy effect.
7) Using the sea salt and peppercorn grinders season to taste.
** Kale doesn't need much seasoning so I wouldn't advise going overboard with the salt. The natural flavor is delightful. Enjoy it!
8) Bake for 7-10 minutes. Keep an eye on your kale. If the edges begin to darken, it's done.

Tips
a) Save the stems of the kale in a freezer bag to make your own vegetable stock! Mmmm!
b) Kale smells absolutely putrid as it bakes. PUTRID! Don't let it discourage you from trying this tasty, healthy snack!

Kale me, baby!

Have a delicious day!!!! xoxox

Chili: Part 2!

Out of chaos comes clarity! My life has been crazy, crazy, crazy lately! I was inspired to revamp my chili recipe after meeting with a nutrition client last night. It is a combination of my own recipe and some inspiration from a fabulous site called: cookingcomically.com. The writer of that blog is a creative and hilarious cook and his recipes kill! Enjoy!!!!!!

Ingredients:

3 T olive oil
1 package soy crumbles
1 cup water
1 chopped green pepper
½ chopped red pepper
½ chopped yellow pepper
½ white onion chopped
½ red onion chopped
6 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups pasta sauce
1 can no added salt kidney beans, drained
1 can butter beans, drained
1 T red crushed red pepper flakes
1 T onion powder
1 T garlic powder
1 T paprika
1 T cumin
1 T sugar
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Get up close and personal with your food!

In a large pot, add 3 T olive oil at medium heat.
Add both varieties of chopped onion and allow to simmer until edges start to become somewhat golden.
Add soy crumbles and water to pot. Stir so crumbles break apart.
The contents of your pot will begin to sizzle. Add water, celery & chopped peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
Drain and add kidney & butter beans to chili mixture. Stir well.
Add 2 cups of pasta sauce to mixture. Stir well.
In a sealable container such as a zip baggie or plastic container, mix all dry seasonings together in this container. Seal and shake it up!
Add seasoning to the chili mixture and stir well.
Reduce heat and stir occasionally. Cook for about 30-45 minutes.
Serve hot & enjoy!

Tips/Tricks:
1)The sauce used in the images above is homemade. If you do not have access/time to homemade sauce, try to find one that contains little sugar and preservatives. The less junk in your chili, the better!

2) If you are NOT vegetarian and would like to add ground meat to this recipe, I would suggest first cooking the meat and draining it before adding to mixture. My recommendations would be ground turkey/ chicken.

3) I love to enjoy my chili with a corn muffin. Until I perfect a recipe, I swear by Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix. It take 15 minutes to prepare and it really delicious! No high fructose corn syrup, too!

4)  Try topping this fabu dessert with fat free cheese, sour cream or enjoy with whole grain crackers.

5) Chili is wonderful to freeze! Make this whole recipe and freeze for a great go-to lunch or dinner!

Quinoa Patties with sauteed greens

This recipe was adapted from one I found on Pinterest (my newer obsession). It came from wholeliving.com and I did adapt it a bit to offer less cholesterol and a bit more flavor. My mind was going crazy thinking about all of the vegetable variations I could mix into this recipe; it's endless!  So here goes!

Ingredients for patties:
2.5 cups cooked/room temp quinoa
3 cloves of garlic
2 whole eggs
1/2 cup egg beaters
6 stalks scallions
1/2 large white onion
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
3/4 cup whole grain seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup almond meal
1 tbsp dried rosemary
1 tbsp dried thyme
olive oil sprayer/spray
1/2 tsp salt

Ingredients for greens:
3 stalks kale
3 stalks swiss chard
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper
rosemary

Quinoa Patties:
1)Cook quinoa as instructed on the package. To get about 2.5 cups quinoa I used 1 cup of dry quinoa. Let cool to room temperature.
2) Using a food processor chop and combine the onion, scallions, cheese, rosemary and thyme. Chop into small, coarse pieces. If the mixture gathers some liquid at the bottom of the processor bin, drain slightly.
3) Combine quinoa, eggs, egg beaters and salt in a bowl. Add processed mix into bowl until well combined.
4) In a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs and almond meal. Add to quinoa mixture. It should be mixed well and not overly dry/wet.
5) Spray a pan with olive oil and heat at medium/low.
6) Using a spoon (or in my case a 1/3 cup silicon measuring cup), scoop the mixture onto the pan and push down to flatten into patties.
7) Let cook until you can see the edges of the patty begins to brown. Flip. Continue this way for about 7-10 minutes or until evenly browned on both sides.

Greens:
1) Pour olive oil into a large saucepan with garlic cloves. Allow garlic to heat up at medium.
2) Add kale and chard to pan and gently mix with olive.
3) Cook until the leaves begin to slightly wilt and become bright in color.
4) Add seasonings to taste and serve.

This recipe was so good and filled a craving I was having for a hearty meal. Add grated vegetables to the patties for a variety of flavor combinations!

Vegetable Medley over Bulgar Wheat

This was a delicious meal I prepared pretty quickly for my lunch!
Loaded with fiber, iron and protein this is a nutrient rich meal with lots of flavor!

This recipe was essentially a "leftover" food item recipe that turned out to be delightful! I had some fresh spinach that I feared would go bad if I didn't do something with it within the next day or so. Here is what I ended up with!

Like my fancy "takeout" container?
I didn't have time to plate it nicely, ha!

Ingredients
1 Cup fresh spinach (frozen would also work, make sure it is thawed first)
1 medium sized white potato peeled, sliced into very thin slices
1 carrot
2 cloves of garlic
olive oil spray (I use a mister)
1/2 cup Gimme Lean Meat Substitute (if you eat meat, feel free to use ground turkey, very lean beef or ground chicken)
1/2 cup dry bulgar wheat
Black pepper
Salt
Onion powder
Rosemary

1) Spray a sautee pan with mister to coat with olive oil mist.
2) Add 1 clove garlic and turn heat to medium. Allow garlic to simmer slightly.
3) Spray pan again with mister and add potato slices.
4) Allow slices to brown. Stir and flip frequently so the potatoes don't stick to the pan. (About 4-5 minutes).
5) In a small saucepan bring 1.5 cups of water to a boil. Add spinach and cook until spinach wilts and become a very bright green. Reduce heat and add 1 garlic clove. Simmer for 2 minutes.
6) Using a pasta spoon or any spoon with holes to drain water, transfer drained spinach from saucepan to sautee pan, leaving the excess water in the saucepan. Allow spinach to cook with potatoes.
7) Using the leftover water from the spinach, prepare your bulgar wheat. Add bulgar wheat and bring back to a boil. Once boiling, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the wheat absorbs the water.
8) Using a peeler, peel off the top layer of the carrot and discard. Then peel slivers of carrot until the carrot is mostly peeled. Add slivers to sautee pan.
9) Mist with olive oil spray.
10) Add seasonings to taste.
11) If using, Gimme Lean meat sub or another kind of meat substitute, add to vegetable medley. Break up pieces until it resembles ground beef. If you chose to use a meat, follow the instructions below.
12) Continue to cook for a few more minutes or until the medley and "meat" are browned slightly.
13) Spray bulgar wheat with mister and spinkle a small amount of onion powder. Top with vegetables and enjoy!!


Using Meat:
In a separate pan, brown thawed meat before starting to cook the vegetables. This process takes much longer than substitutes because they are essentially ready to eat. After the meat of your choice is browned, drain excess liquid and add to vegetables at step 11.

** I used the excess water from the spinach because I like to utilize all of the vitamins and minerals present in a food. When a vegetable is boiled, the colored water leftover contains many minerals and vitamins that were leached from the food during boiling. Using that same water to boil a grain that absorbs water allows you to still enjoy the benefits of all of the nutrients in the food.

Nutella Oat Pancakes with peanut butter, banana and Nutella drizzle

Happy Sunday everyone! This recipe was inspired by my friend Matt! He went to a diner in Philadelphia that had a similar style pancake recipe on the menu. In the photo he posted on facebook there was more nutella and PB on the pancakes. I personally love the bready taste of pancakes so I didn't try to overwhelm them with the toppings, but add as much as you prefer based on your preferences. Here we go!

There are 2 ways to make these pancakes, the short-cut route or the from scratch way. I went a little half and half. I really like the pancake mixes from the New Hope Mills and I used the Oat Bran mix for this recipe.

Ingredients
2 cups Oat Bran pancake mix
1 3/4 cups cold water
1/4 cup egg beaters (or 1 egg)
4 tbsp Nutella
1 1/2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp skim milk
1/2 banana

Add pancake mix, water and egg in a large bowl. Mix in 2 tbsp nutella and mix until batter turns a light brown.

Cook pancakes on medium heat until both sides are browned.

In a small saucepan add the remaining nutella with 1 tbsp milk. Warm on very low heat and stir continuously to remove lumps and prevent from burning.

Cut the banana into slices and layer on top of pancakes.

Using a large spoon, drizzle the warmed nutella over the pancakes.

Top with peanut butter and enjoy!


Tips
- When making pancakes, cover cooked pancakes with a pot lid to keep pancakes moist and warm.
- You can top this recipe with maple syrup, but taste it first because it is already deliciously sweet!
- If you want to make your pancakes from scratch, here is a good recipe . Just add in the Nutella.

- You can use any pancake mix and add in the additional ingredients.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are so good and were easy to make (since I had all the ingredients in my pea-sized kitchen!). I adapted this recipe from SkinnyTaste.com to add a little bit more fiber and protein.

Ingredients:
Dry Ingredients
-1 cup whole wheat flour
-1 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1 tbsp ground cinnamon
-2 cups quick oats

Wet Ingredients
-1 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 packets monk fruit/ stevia
-2 tbsp unpacked brown sugar
-1/4 cup egg beaters/ egg substitute
-1/4 cup apple sauce
-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
-3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°; line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking sheets.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and quick oats.
In a large bowl, with a mixer, cream together the butter and the sweetener, sugars on medium speed.
Add the egg, followed by the applesauce and vanilla extract.

Add the chocolate chips.

Drop heaping tablespoonfuls (approx 1 tbsp each) of the dough onto prepared baking sheets, flattening each cookie slightly.
Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until cookies become light brown at the edges.

Let cool on baking sheet for 3 or 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Little bundles of fibery goodness!

Yummmmmm!