New Eating Adventures

Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:44:32 -0500

Does anyone know when I can find a fully functioning brain? Because mine has just vanished. Seriously. It seems as though after my capstone presentation day, I have not been able to function normally. I can’t form sentences when speaking, I keep tripping and falling, I feel it is unsafe for me to drive, and all I want to do is nap and be extremely sedentary.. and I’m NOT EVEN DRUNK! Ugh so frustrating. It needs to turn back on and QUICK because I start my residency in about two weeks and I am going to need it to be sharp and smart!!

While I search, please enjoy this savory quinoa recipe. Yum!

Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad

(Revised from Ambitious Kitchen)

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups shredded red cabbage (1/2 head)
1 bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup green onion, diced
1/2 cup cashews
1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Dressing:

1/4 cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon agave
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 the juice of 1 lime

Method:

Cook the quinoa as directed on the package. When it is done, let it cool for about 10 minutes. While it is cooking, chop your veggies.

Add peanut butter and agave in a small microwave safe bowl and heat in microwave for 20 seconds. Add in ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, juice of a half lime and both oils. Stir until mixture is smooth and creamy. Thin with the lime juice.

Add all of the dressing to the cooked quinoa. The more the merrier.

Next fold in the red pepper, onion, cabbage, carrots, and chickpeas into the dressed quinoa. Garnish with cashews and green onions. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

The longer this sits, the better it gets. All the flavors dance in the fridge as it waits for you to eat more. This is a GREAT meal to take for lunch! If you are going to pack it for lunch wait to add the cashews or they will get a little soggy.

If you happen to locate my wandering brain, please email me!

3-Day Cleanse (No Juicer Needed)

Thu, 16 May 2013 18:51:06 -0500

Yeah. Jacki and I are did a three day cleanse. The beginning of May was a wee bit stressful which means I make poor food/nutrition choices (why I do this, I don’t know. But I wish I didn’t). SO now that I have completed my last ~~suggested eight page~~ paper, I attempted to flush all of my toxins and bad grad school memories from my system.

The cleanse comes from Dr. Oz. Yes, I think he is weird and actually don’t care for him much. But this cleanse looked ~~the easiest~~ least difficult and painful. I can’t afford a juicer and all you need is a blender for this; another reason I chose this one.

3-Day Cleanse

Step 1: Right when you wake up in the morning. (7am-9am)

Start the morning off with some detoxifying green tea with lemon.

Step 2: After you have finished your tea (7:30am-11am)

Red Beauty (Breakfast Drink)

8 oz water
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup spinach
1 banana, chunked
1/2 lemon, juiced

Step 3:After you have finished the breakfast drink. **Many people I know, including myself get very upset stomach/nausea if you do not eat before talking certain supplements.**

One probiotic supplement and half of a multivitamin

Step 4:Take this around your natural lunch time (12pm-2pm)

The Green Monster (Lunch Drink)

4-oz almond milk (unsweetened)
1/2 lime, juiced
1 cucumber, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 cup kale leaves, packed
1/2 green apple, chopped
1 cup pineapple, cubed
1 tablespoon coconut oil

Step 5: Again, take these after you have finished your lunch drink.

One omega-3 supplement and half of a multivitamin

Step 6: No blender needed! Drink during your afternoon snack time. (2pm-5pm)

Spicy Lemonade (Master Cleanse)

1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons pure natural maple syrup (grade A or B)
pinch of cayenne pepper
10 oz cold filtered water

Step 7: Dinner time! Obviously, drink for your dinner! (5pm-7pm) Try to finish this drink at least 2-3 hours before you go to bed so it has time to digest.

Purple Spice (Dinner Drink)

12-oz coconut water, natural no sugar added
1/2 cup frozen mango
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 cup kale leaves
1/4 avocado, cubed
1/2 lemon, juiced

Step 8: This was more challenging for us because we do not really fit in our bathtubs. Small tub + large human = cold knees or cold chest (lose-lose situation). But we figured this was an important step so we attempted it anyway. (Before bed)

Detox Bath

2 1/2 cups Epsom Salt (lavender scented)
Tub of hot water

In conclusion, things I have learned:

On a 3-day cleanse, I think I looked bloated and only my fingers lost weight
I need to take more baths
A detox cleanse makes you super tired (or it was me releasing all the stress from grad school)
I am a much happier person when I am able to chew and eat food
I will probably not do this ever again

Dark Chocolate Trail Mix Buttons

Wed, 08 May 2013 13:55:58 -0500

Unfortunately I cannot take credit for these amazing little gems, but I wish I could because they are so smart and lovely. I love dark chocolate. A lot. Want to know the best combo out there? Ghirardelli Dark Sea Salt & Caramel Squares. Not a joking matter, they are life changing. Not that I actually need to justify eating dark chocolate, but adding some healthy nuts and fruits to it will make me think I am doing the body good… Whatever.

Jacki and I are both done with our clinical placements for grad school this year! We only have a couple large things to complete and we will be FREE!! We are great students so we decided to mass produce these buttons and give them to our supervisors and classmates. Damn we are nice and thoughtful. ~~And of course save ourselves some.~~ These couldn’t be simpler.

Dark Chocolate Trail Mix Buttons

(Revised from Undressed Skeleton)

Makes about 50 buttons

Ingredients:

1 10-oz bag dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate chips (about 60% cacao)
Lots of Toppings (about 1 to 2 cups): pre-made trail mix, pre-mixed nuts, dried fruits (cherries, cranberries, blueberries, apricots, pineapple, mango, raisins), nuts and seeds (peanuts, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, pecans, pepitas, sunflower, chia), other gems (toffee bits, caramel, sea salt, bacon), seriously, almost everything taste better with chocolate

Method:

Place a large piece of parchment paper on a flat surface to make your buttons. Get all your toppings prepared!

Melt dark chocolate in a double-boiler. Stirring every few minutes. Once the chocolate has completely melted, add quarter to half dollar sized circles of chocolate on the parchment paper. Add on your desired toppings. Let set and keep in a cool dry place (or the refrigerator).

Enjoy!

Parmesan Garlic Focaccia

Sat, 04 May 2013 16:00:13 -0500

My favorite bread sticks are the ones from Pizza Hut. I do not like their pizza but the bread sticks from there are BOMB! Buttery, salty, Parmesan-y. Just mind-blowing. Surprisingly, this focaccia tastes similar, which in my mind is awesome!

~~Sundried Tomato and~~ Parmesan Garlic Focaccia

Ingredients:

(Bread Base from Tyler Florence)

Bread

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) dry active yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
3 to 4 cups flour
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1/4 cup olive oil
cornmeal, for dusting

Toppings!

2 tablespoons olive oil
~~1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped~~
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon rosemary (you can add more, but it’s not my fave)

Method:

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in the water. Add the yeast and gently stir. Let stand for 5-10 minutes until foam appears.

Add in the salt and begin to add the flour stirring as you add. Pour in 1/4 cup of olive oil and stir until it starts to come together.

Dump out onto a floured surface and begin kneading the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a round and place in an oiled bowl, turn to coat the entire ball so it does not form a skin. Cover with plastic wrap and left rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Coat a sheet pan with a little olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal. Once the dough has doubled, turn it onto the counter. Roll and stretch the dough out on the sheet pan. Cover again with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Uncover the dough and use your fingertips to make little dimples in the dough. Brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle evenly with all of your toppings! Bake on the bottom rack for 15-20 minutes until light golden brown.

And when you burn all of the sundried tomatoes…

just pick them off and call it Parmesan focaccia instead. Whatever, roll with the punches, and burns. This is still super good. Bread is so simple and chewy and perfect for sandwiches or as a dipper. I brought this to a wine, cheese and bread party that I had with my classmates. School sucks so we drink wine and eat cheese and bread to make things better.

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:30:12 -0500

This recipe had a hiccup or two, as I expected it would.

My class had a wine, bread and cheese party so I decided that I was going to MAKE my cheese and BAKE my bread. Stupid me trying to overachieve at unimportant things. It DID end up working, but my impatiences usually takes over. I will make this again!

Homemade Ricotta Cheese
Ingredients:

(Slightly modified from The Italian Dish)

2 quarts whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
cheesecloth or paper towels
patience

Method:

Line a large strainer with the cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl.

Slowly bring the milk, cream and salt to a rolling boil in a large heavy pot over moderate heat. Be sure to stir it occasionally to prevent scorching.

Add lemon juice and reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly until the mixture curdles, about 2 minutes. **Caveat: I brought to a rolling boil, added in the lemon and reduced to a simmer… nothing happened. So I stared at the milk mixture for a while, wondered that the eff to do. Brought it back up to a rolling boil, reduced to a simmer and voila! It worked. Yeah, probably totally against chef-code of cheese making but I am not a chef and I wasn’t about to throw my hard work down the drain.**

Pour the mixture into the lined strainer for 1 hour. Make sure there is room for the liquid to drain. Discard the liquid and chill in the fridge, covered.

It will keep for 2 days.

At the wine, bread and cheese party, I spread the ricotta on a plate and drizzled a thick balsamic vinegar over the top. Oh goodness…

The ricotta is silky and creamy, the balsamic really adds a great kick of sweet acidic flavor. Luckily my friends really liked it. It was worth the wishful thinking and staring into the pot of milk.

I would continually change out the paper towels to try and get all of the moisture out. But eventually, you just have to slather it on a piece of toasted baguette and eat it.

Vegetable Pot Stickers

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:30:30 -0500

Eat. These. Pot. Stickers. They are soooooooo gooooood!!! The bottom is crispy and dough is soft and the vegetables are still slightly crunchy and salty.

Vegetable Pot Stickers

Ingredients

Makes 20-24 dumplings

(Revised from Ming Tsai)

1 + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
1 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, grated
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 cup white cabbage, shredded
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 pinch salt and pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 package wonton wrappers (in the produce section)

Method:

In a large saute pan over medium to medium-high, add 1 tablespoon oil and saute the onion, ginger and garlic for 2 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and cook for 3 more minutes. And in the cabbage, carrots, salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Place in a colander to let drain. When the mixture has cooled, add sesame oil.

Lay a wonton wrapper on a clean work surface and add a large tablespoon of the filling in the middle. Wet the edges with water. Now attempt to fold the edges to make a purse/pouch/dumpling that has a flat bottom to stick to the pot.

In a flat bottom skillet that has a lid, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium to medium-high. Add dumplings to the pan to sear the bottom of each dumpling, about 3 minutes. You might have to work in batches because you do not want to overcrowd the pan. After 3 minutes, add in 1/4 cup of water and cover immediately. The dumplings will steam as the water evaporates. When all of the water evaporates the bottoms will get crispy again and stick to the pot, about 5 minutes. They are now ready to enjoy.

For a dipping sauce use soy sauce or add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and some scallions together.

Chocolate Almond Protein Bars

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:08:28 -0500

Do you ever get hangry? You know, when you are angry for no reason and ~~people~~ things really erk you, then you realize “Oh, I’m just hungry!” Hangry. I would like to thank my friend Jenna for introducing me to this word, because it describes me very well. I need food every 3 hours or else I act like a mama bear defending it’s cubs.

To prevent the hangry mama bear in me, I like to have snack like apples and almond butter or protein bars around to keep me going. I think I have eaten too many protein bars because a few weeks ago I tried to eat one to calm my hanger, I took one bite and gagged because I couldn’t stand the taste of the protein-iness and ugh… I threw it away immediately. I have been on a hiatus. I have wanted to make my own protein bars and FINALLY did it. These taste SO MUCH BETTER than the craptastic store bought ones, and super easy to make friendos!

Obviously, I made chocolate ones, but you can make whatever flavor cures your hangry attitude. I added some simple substitutions at the end.

Chocolate Almond Protein Bars

(Revised from MissFitnessLife.com)

Ingredients:

2 cups quick cooking oats
5 scoops chocolate whey protein powder
1/2 cup chopped almonds
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 tablespoons almond butter
1/2 cup almond milk (chocolate & unsweetened)
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Method:

Line an 8x8 pan with wax paper and set aside. In a large bowl combine oats, protein powder, chopped almonds and chia seeds. *I forgot to put the chia seeds in, so mine are “chia encrusted”, but I strongly suggest just to put them in with the other dry ingredients.*

Pop the almond butter (AB) in the microwave for about 30 seconds so that it is easier to work with. Add the AB and stir until the AB is covered. It will look clumpy and not very mixed in.

Slowly add 1/2 cup of almond milk and vanilla, stirring throughout until it forms a batter-like consistency. I ended up using my hands to mix because it is a thick batter/dough. Add the chocolate chips.

Add mixture to the pan. Using an extra piece of wax paper or wet hands, press the mixture down so it is flat. The dough is SUUUPER sticky so do your best to mold it into the pan.

Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes and cut into bars. Wrap the bars in wax and store in the fridge.

These are soooo delicious people. Chocolately, sticky, sweet, and you can’t even taste the “protein flavor” like the store bought bars. The almonds have a soft crunch and the chocolate chips have a bigger crunch! The bars keep me full for a long time too! Great between meals and before or after a workout. I am so proud of these little bars! Now go make your own!!

Super Simple Substitutes:

peanut butter or any other nut butter instead of almond butter
any other nut or seed for the almonds or chia
vanilla protein powder or your favorite flavor
original almond/soy/cows milk
dried fruits instead of chocolate chips
cut into 16 smaller squares
endless possibilities

You now have your own personalize, and better tasting ~~Luna~~ ~~Clif~~ ~~Met-Rx~~ ~~EAS~~ protein bars! Each bar has 215 calories, 18 grams of protein, 6 grams of fat (lots of healthy fat!), added fiber from the chia, and full cure to your hanger.

Smiles Go Miles :)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:44:27 -0500

As I am writing this post tonight, I have a mean little gremlin inside of me. (Hell no I’m not pregnant! Just to clear that up.) He has made me so mean and crabby today it is ridiculous. I realize I am being an irrational-crazy person but for some reason he cannot be tamed. So in hopes of not doing bad things against the world, I decided to bake, cook, breathe, blog and have a nice big ~~glass~~ bottle of Pinot Noir.

These cookies were originally just chocolate… cool, but I am going to add peanut butter chips because I can and it makes them taste so much better. Deal with it. <— sorry that was the gremlin. But seriously, the PB chips make them better. I will be bringing these to work tomorrow so that Jacki and I do not eat all of them; trust me, we can. You should have seen what we did to a large bag of skittles… not proud.

Anyway, here are the cookies.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

(Revised from MyRecipes.com)

Makes 20-ish cookies

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
non-stick cooking spray

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, use a spatula (not a whisk) to mix together the melted butter, cocoa, and white and brown sugar.

Add in the yogurt and vanilla.

Add the flour, baking soda and salt and stir until moist. Fold in the PB chips.

Drop tablespoon size balls on your sprayed cookie sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until almost set. Cool pans for 5 minutes until the cookies are firm and place on a wire rack to cool.

Devour.

(Low Carb) Spinach Cheese "Bread"

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:45:21 -0500

So I am a girl (obviously…?) and I have my own way of determining if and what is healthy. I worked out today? Great I can have three chocolate cookies. I saw a skinny person eat it? Okay, so can I. I added spinach to it (pasta, pizza, sandwich), it is instantly healthy. Duh.

Don’t judge me.

(Low Carb Spinach Cheese “Bread”

(Revised from Food.com)

Ingredients:

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasonings
pinch cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper or non-stick cooking spray liberally.

Thaw spinach and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. You can either use a clean kitchen towel or use your hands. Pull apart/cut into small pieces. In a medium bowl add all the ingredients and stir to break up the spinach.

Put into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes until it is golden brown on the top (not just around the sides).

Remove from the oven and let cool. Cut into desired sizes and devour.

The original recipe says that you can use this for a pizza crust or “bread like necessities” but hell, this tastes good enough just to eat. It isn’t so much bread as it is just delicious spinach-cheesy-piece-of-yumminess. A thin frittata if you will. Eat it. Love it. Enjoy it.

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 10:39:52 -0500

My name is Erin and I date a guy named Nate. It is St. Patrick’s Day AND it is Nate’s birthday. We have Irish running through our blood, and with all this Irish love, we have more than enough to celebrate on this lovely Irish celebration for the Feast of Patrick the Saint.

Speaking of feast, I made Irish Car Bomb Birthday Cupcakes for Nate. What is an Irish Care Bomb? A shot that I would not be caught dead drinking. Add 8 oz of Guinness to a pint glass and let it settle. In a shot glass add 1/2 oz Bailey Irish Cream and top with 1/2 oz Jameson Irish Whiskey. Drop the shot glass into the pint glass of Guinness and drink as fast as you can… other wise it will curdle. No thanks. But whoever decided to dissect it and make it into a cupcake is my kind of woman! (Obviously it was a woman who invented this.)

Irish Car Bomb Cupakes

(Revised from Smitten Kitchen)

Makes about 20-24

Ingredients:

Guinness Cake

1 cup Guinness
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

Jameson Ganache

1 bag Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chips or dark chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons Jameson Irish Whiskey
1 teaspoon vanilla

Baileys Frosting

3 to 4 cups confections sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 to 6 tablespoons Baileys (~2 small nips)

Method:

Guinness Cake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with festive cupcake liner cups. Bring 1 cup beer and 1 cup butter to a simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on a slow speed. Using a rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined

Divide batter evenly between cupcake liners. Bake until the a tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes. Cool the cakes completely on a rack… or the out on the deck the Minnesotan way.

Jameson Ganache. Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and stir until smooth. If it isn’t quite melted, microwave in 20 second intervals until melted completely. Add the butter and whiskey and stir to combine.

Let the filling cool slightly but make sure you are still able to spread it. Using a small spoon, apple corer, or melon baller, scoop out the middle to the cupcakes to make a large well. Fill the wells with the ganache to the top. You can either use a spoon or piping bag to fill the holes.

Baileys Frosting. Whip the butter in a bowl with an electric mixer for a few minutes, until it is very light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time. When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, add in the Baileys and whip until combined.

Frost the cupcakes and add shaved chocolate or festive sprinkle to the top to decorate!

The cake of these cupcakes are moist, and sweet and flavorful, seriously one of the best cakes I have ever eaten!!!! The frosting is so boozy with the Bailey’s and the Jameson chocolate ganache is just the ~~icing on the cake~~ filling of the cake!

I hope you all have a fun St. Patrick’s Day and celebrate responsibly!

Banana Mocha Post-Workout Protein Shake

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:12:00 -0500

I attempted to run today… this was me. I need a drink… a protein drink :)

I have found the most amazing protein shake. It is a product called Click. It is a protein powder that has two shots of espresso in each serving. The company’s story is pretty cool. Long story short the creators of Click owned a women’s fitness center, saw women skip breakfast and turn to coffee-house beverages for their lack of energy. So they combined the protein that you need after a workout with the gourmet coffee flavor that people crave and made Click.

It is just delicious. It comes in mocha, vanilla latte and decaf mocha. I love both flavors. AND the cool thing is you can drink them cold OR HOT! I love Click because after I workout in the morning, I am able to have something healthy to supplement my workout AND caffeinate me for class.

Click only has 120 calories, 15 grams of protein, 1.5 grams of fat, and 6 grams of sugar, plus 23 vitamins and minerals. I decided to combine more awesomeness together to make this kick@$$ post-workout shake.

Banana Mocha Protein Shake

(Makes 1 24-oz Shake)

Ingredients

1 cup ice cubes
8-oz unsweetened chocolate almond milk
1 banana (fresh or frozen)
2 scoops (1 serving) of Click Mocha
4 to 8-oz water

Method:

Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes. Drink!

PS: If you do not watch Happy Endings on ABC, your life is missing happiness. It is THE best show on TV. I laugh so hard I cry. I dare you to watch it, you will not regret it. It will be back March 29th @ 8PM.

Spaghetti & Mini Turkey Meatballs

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 20:13:50 -0600

My roommate was watching TV and saw this recipe. It is meatballs, made healthier with eggplant and ground turkey. So naturally as girls trying to look good for Vegas in a few months, we will try anything that tells us it is relatively healthy/lower calories and fat. Funny thing, I had the recipe the whole time in a cookbook on my shelf. I did some fiddling with the proportions to make my life easier (because Jennie-O ground turkey comes in packages of 20-oz, not 12-oz… Duh Rocco DiSpirito).

Mini Turkey Meatballs

(Revised from Rocco DiSpirito Now Eat This! Diet)

Makes 24 Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 small eggplant (you will need 1/3 C of flesh)
3 tablespoons low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 large egg whites
20-oz lean ground turkey (1 package)
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup low-fat marinara sauce + more for pasta
1/2 lb of whole wheat spaghetti

Method:

Turn your broiler on. Place the eggplant on a sheet pan under the broiler to char the skin until it is blackened and the flesh is cooked through, about 10 minutes depending on the size of your eggplant.

Allow the eggplant to cool slightly then cut in half, Scrape out the flesh being careful not to incorporate the skin. Measure out 1/3 cup of the flesh.

Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a mini-muffin plan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a blender, combine the cooked eggplant, chicken broth, onion, garlic and egg whites. Puree until it is a smooth consistency.

In a large bowl, combine the mixture with the ground turkey, parsley, 3 tablespoons cheese, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

In each muffin cup, add 1 teaspoon of marinara sauce in the bottom.

Drop a rounded tablespoon of meat mixture into the cups. Top with another teaspoon of marinara sauce. The cups will look overfilled, but the meat will shrink down a bit when they are cooked.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until they are done. While the meatballs are cooking make some pasta to go with it!

The sauce will run off the sides of the muffin pan so have some aluminum foil underneath the pan to save time on cleaning it!

Time to eat: pasta + meatballs + more sauce + more cheese = in your mouth. YUM!

I thought that these were super delicious. You get to eat a traditional comfort food and I felt way less guilty. The meatballs are super savory and juicy from being cooked with the sauce. Thrown on top of some spaghetti and I was in heaven! You couldn’t taste the eggplant so if that scared you no worries, it is just a secret skinny ingredient.

Happy Cooking!

As a normal human being, I LOVE PIZZA. I would eat pizza every. single. day. if I knew it...

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 16:45:23 -0600

As a normal human being, I LOVE PIZZA. I would eat pizza every. single. day. if I knew it wouldn’t land me a spot on The Biggest Loser. I make tortilla pizzas at least once a week helping to curb my pizza craving, which usually works. I tried to add veggies to my pizzas but often just resort to a handful of spinach.

When I saw these cauliflower pizza bites my search was over. The majority of the “bite” is cauliflower that is flavored with pizza-like herbs and spices AND I get to eat pepperonis?!? I bow down to thee.

Cauliflower Pizza Bites

Revised from Dashing Dish

Makes 14-16 bites

Ingredients:

2 cups cauliflower (about 1/2 head)
1 large egg white, lightly beat
2 tablespoons low-fat Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon pizza/Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup mini turkey pepperonis, chopped
pinch of salt and pepper
1/4 cup pizza sauce for dipping

Method:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray your mini muffin pan liberally with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Wash cauliflower, and cut in half. Break cauliflower into segments, and place in food processor. Pulse until it reaches a rice-like texture. You could also use a cheese grater.

Place cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 8 minutes, uncovered with no water.

Remove cauliflower from microwave and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir to combine. Place back in the microwave for 2 minutes and mix again.

Use a heaping tablespoon to scoop cauliflower mixture into muffin tins. Fill to the top and press down to compact the cup. I added a single mini pepperoni on the top of each.

Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the tops become golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool completely. Serve with warm pizza sauce.

I was wary that these would taste too vegetable-y. Nope. The garlic, pizza seasoning and red pepper flakes really transform (mask) the cauliflower, and of course the pepperonis make me think I am eating a real pizza. The edges are crunchy just like the crust. They are like pizza bagel bites without the guilt! If I would have only known about this in high school. These would be fun to bring to a party or for a kid’s snack after school.

And as if I didn’t love these ANY MORE… this entire recipe, all 14-16 bites with the pizza sauce is LESS THAN 350 CALORIES (13g fat, 36g protein, 7g fiber). As if it was even a question. YES. I ate all 15 of them. I suppose you could share if your roommate or hubby was home, but then I suggest doubling or tripling the recipe.

Bye.

BLAT Chicken Salad Wraps

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 11:34:26 -0600

I have never been a big fan of chicken salad because mayo/miracle whip/etc grosses me out. I have wanted to try it with Greek yogurt and came across this beauty (I am also big into wraps right now for lunch/snack time). I decided use half G.yo and half avocado for a little extra flavor. I have brought this for lunch and it is a great travel buddy!

BLAT Chicken Salad Wrap

(Revised from Dashing Dish)

Makes One Wrap

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shredded chicken breast
1 tablespoons fat-free Greek yogurt
1 tablespoons mashed avocado
1/4 cup tomatoes, diced
1/2-1 tablespoons bacon bits (or take your time to cook and crumble 1 pieces of bacon)
1/2 cup shredded lettuce
a pinch of salt and pepper
1 low carb wraps/tortillas or wheat roll or lettuce leaf

Method:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.

Place on the lower half of the wrap and roll like a tight delicious burrito/wrap. (If you need a burrito/wrap wrapping tutorial… look at the breakfast burrito post or better yet, Google it!)

Yum!! Happy Wrapping :)

Dark Chocolate Chip Quinoa Breakfast Bake

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 05:30:03 -0600

Yes, we all know quinoa is a good-for-you grain. I eat it both sweet and savory. Anything flavors you use with oatmeal can be used with quinoa. Bananas and cinnamon is awesome (no surprise because bananas and cinnamon are the S#!T).

This quinoa breakfast bake is another quick grab in the morning as I am running out the door. It didn’t originally have chocolate so I added it. Duh. To make it better.

Dark Chocolate Chip Quinoa Breakfast Bake

Revised from Gabby’s Gluten Free

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups packed cooked and cooled quinoa (about 1 cup dry)
4 eggs (2 whole and 2 whites), beaten
1/3 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 cup agave syrup
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and place quinoa in a large mixing bowl. Line an 8x8 baking dish with lightly grease parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, agave and cinnamon. Add egg mixture to cooked quinoa. Stir to combine then add chocolate chips. The batter/mixture is very runny and the chocolate chips sink to the bottom. Oh well, deal with it for now… I’ll work on it. Pour into a baking dish and spread to even.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until set and golden. (Side Note: I didn’t really change much in this recipe but I had to cook mine for double what the original said. Not sure if it was the agave or what. But just cook it until it is set in the middle.)

Using the parchment paper, remove the bake from the pan as soon as possible. I added a chip of chocolate to each piece because its cute. Cool completely on a wire rack and cut into squares.

Oh yes! Chocolate in the morning. Makes my class just a bit better.

And Happy Valentine’s Day. XOXO to all my Loves! And my hottie.

Homemade Frozen Breakfast Burritos

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 12:30:20 -0600

There are days when I wake up thinking I have plenty of time to get ready before leaving, then actually realizing I have about 7 minutes to get to my next destination… or the days when I fight the age old battle of bed vs. alarm clock. So when these days happen, I need something to sustain my panic and frantic movements out the door. When I came across a recipe for frozen breakfast burritos I thought, “Why haven’t I ever thought of this before!?” Now my hysterical travels to school and clinic can be spent shoving my face with a homemade breakfast burrito.

Homemade Frozen Breakfast Burritos

(Idea taken from Amanda’s Cookin’)

Ingredients:

6 large flour tortillas, warmed and pliable
12 eggs (6 whole eggs and 6 egg whites)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 can fat-free refried beans
1/2 cup corn, frozen or fresh
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
about 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
pinch cayenne pepper
pinch chipotle powder
salt and pepper to taste
waxed paper

Method:

Preheat a skillet over medium to medium-high heat with the olive oil. Saute your onion and bell pepper until just translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add in the garlic and corn and saute for another 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the veggies cool.

In a medium bowl, add the eggs. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, cumin, cayenne and chipotle powder. Whisk to break up all the eggs. In the same skillet over medium heat spray with nonstick cooking spray and add the eggs, and cook until fluffy and tender scrambled eggs. Remove from heat.

Assembly!

Lay a tortilla in the middle of a 12x12-inch piece of wax paper. Spread about 1/4 cup of refried beans on the tortilla and sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons of cheese.

Place 1/6th of the veggies on the lower-center part of the tortilla, followed by 1/6th of the scrambled eggs.

Fold in the 2 sides, take the bottom up over the center and pull the filling back so fit snug in the wrap, then continue to roll until it looks like a fat tight burrito. (*Note: this will make so much sense if you have ever seen someone fold a burrito or wrap. If you haven’t… best of luck with my pictures.)

Wrap with the burrito tightly in the wax paper and place seem side down in a plastic zipper bag or on a plate with its burrito buddies. When you have completed all of them, place them in the freezer.

Running late and need a breakfast burrito? Unwrap the burrito from the paper, place on a paper towel lined plate, microwave for 2-3 minutes turning once during the cook time. Smile and enjoy your breakfast on the go.

Happy Cooking!

Greek Yogurt with Chia-Blueberries

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 06:30:16 -0600

My favorite brand of Greek yogurt is hands down Fage Total 0%. I personally think it tastes the best out of all the other brands (others may kindly disagree with me). I LOVE the individual containers that have the flavor pack on the side because they are so easy to grab and go for a lunch, and the blueberry acai is where it is at! But financially, I buy the bulk containers and flavor it myself, so I miss out on my flavor pack, UNTIL I discovered I could do this is CHIA SEEDS.

Chia seeds seem to be a craze I have welcomed. They are a “superfood” that is packed with lots of nutrition. One little tablespoon has 65 calories, 21% of your daily value of fiber (5.5 grams), 2.5 grams of protein (!) and those heart healthy omega-3s. It also gives you a boost of calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, antioxidants and lots of other good stuff our body wants. It is like a natural multi-vitamin! Enough lecturing. Regardless of chia being a great addition to your daily diet, it has an amazing power that allows me to eat my beloved Fage Total 0% with (homemade) blueberry flavor pack at home.

(*Thank you for listening to my rambling personal PSA, now on to your scheduled recipe*)

Greek Yogurt with Chia-Blueberries

Ingredients:

1/2 cup frozen blueberries, unsweetened and thawed
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/2 cup Fage Total 0% (or your favorite non-fat plain yogurt)
2 teaspoons agave nectar (or honey)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

The reason I use frozen blueberries for this recipe is because when the blueberries thaw, they release some of their natural juice. I try to put the blueberries in a small bowl the fridge over night or let them thaw while I get ready in the morning (more often than not I just defrost them in the microwave). You want that natural juice!

When you have the thawed blueberries, add in the chia seeds, stir and let them sit for 10-15 minutes. The chia seeds will begin to work their magic and use the natural juices of the blueberries to create a thick mixture… like the flavor pack I get with the individual Fage!

While the chia and blueberries are getting to know each other, I mix the yogurt, agave, cinnamon and vanilla together.

When the chia-blueberries are thick, I dump the mixture in the middle of my yogurt bowl and enjoy! Magic in a bowl :) You could use this method with any other frozen fruit that you want. It would even work with fruit juice!

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 10:55:29 -0600

I believe that these are some of the best enchiladas I have ever tasted! No joke. And I think it is because of the homemade enchilada sauce. I typically just buy a jar or can of pre-made enchilada sauce to make things easy, but this is superior and it really isn’t that difficult. Even if you aren’t going to make the black bean and sweet potato filling (although you should), you need to make this sauce!

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas

(Revised from The Veg Mom)
Ingredients:
Enchilada Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small red onion, diced
3 jalapenos, seeded and diced (3 if you like it spicy, 2 if you prefer subtle heat)
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes in juice
1 teaspoon agave syrup
2 teaspoons salt

Filling

2 large sweet potatoes
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons Taco seasoning
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt

Other

8-10 medium sized tortillas
1/2 cup shredded colby jack or cheddar (optional if you fly vegan)
guacamole (homemade or store bought)

Method:

Enchilada Sauce

In a large sauce pan over medium heat, saute the garlic. onion and chilies in the olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer and remove from heat.

When the mixture has cooled (important for taste and the blender), taste to adjust the salt if necessary. Puree in a blender until the mixture is smooth, and place back into the pot.

Filling

Peel and cube the sweet potatoes. Bring a pot of water to a boil and boil sweet potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes.

Drain sweet potatoes and place back in pot.

Over medium heat, add the black beans and garlic and about 1/4 cup of veggie broth. Cook until the veggie broth is absorbed, mashing the sweet potatoes and black beans.

Keep adding veggie broth 2 tablespoons at a time and mashing the sweet potato and black bean mixture until there are not more large chunks of sweet potato, and all the broth has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Assembly

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a 9x13” baking dish, spread about 1/4 of the enchilada sauce all over the bottom.

For each tortilla, fill with the potato and bean mixture. Don’t be shy to pile a lot on each one, the roll it up.

Place seam side down in the baking dish. Once you are done filling the tortillas, spread the enchilada sauce over the top… ALL of it. Top with cheese if you please.

Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

Serve with lots of guacamole and enjoy!

The warm and spiciness of the sauce and the cool creaminess of the guacamole is just mouthwatering. #WINNER

Meat-y Wheat-y Dog Treats

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:11:46 -0600

For a really long time, my sister and I have wanted to make our own homemade dog treats for our pooch Toby. We decided to package up the several treats and give them to our other dog friends.

Meat-y Wheat-y Dog Treats

(Revised from Bullwrinkle.com)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted chicken broth, heated
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered (dry) milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder (1 tablespoon fresh)
1 teaspoon dried parsley (1 tablespoon fresh)
1 egg, beaten
3 cup whole wheat flour

Methods:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the warm broth with the butter to melt it.

Add powdered milk, garlic, parsley and egg.

Stir in 1/2 cup increments mixing well after each addition.

Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes,

And roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. The dough was trying to pull back when I was it rolling out. I just kept forcing it, but it might work better if the dough rests for several minutes. You can choose. As if you didn’t already know, I have little patience.

Cut into desired shapes, place on a greased cookies sheet.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until light golden and hard like a dog treat (duh…) Remove and let cool.

Toby tested & approved!

Action Shot…

Vegetable Pot Pie

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 10:03:28 -0600

During finals week, naturally the weather is cold, Jacki and I both had an indescribable sickness/cold, and we haven’t had a real meal in weeks. This is what I decided to make to brighten our spirits… or at least feed us for one more day so we can continue with finals and papers.

Vegetable Pot Pie

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Filling

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small sweet potato, cubed
2 celery stocks, cubed
1 carrots, cubed
1 shallot, sliced thin
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 - 1 cup milk
salt and pepper

Topping

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup milk
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium to medium high heat. Add in the sweet potato, season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover and let cook for until it is cooked half way through, about 8 minutes.

Add in celery, carrots, shallots, and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and the sage, thyme and paprika. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.

Stir in the corn, peas and spinach. Add the cream of mushroom and enough milk to thin the mixture but still keeping it thick. Turn off the heat and cover while you make the topping.

For the topping, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, garlic, and parsley (and cheese if you please).

Stir in the butter and milk until it is just moistened.

Put the veggie mixture in either an 8x8 baking dish or in 4 individual bowls/ramekins if you want a personal portion.

Drop the batter on top of the filling.

Bake in the oven until golden about 10-15 minutes.

If you can wait, let cool for about 10 minutes, and enjoy!