Cranberry Pecan Muesli April 29, 2009

At the start of this week I was bored with my puffed rice cereal by itself so I put together the following. It is so simple to make and will save you on both money and calories (vs. a pre-packaged  muesli). You can add many other grain cereals, dried fruits and nuts but the following is what I had on hand. 

 

2 cups puffed brown rice (I found an organic version like Rice Krispies at Whole Foods) 

2 cups amaranth flakes 

1 cup rolled oats 

1/2 cup dried cranberries 

1/4 toasted and chopped pecans 

Yields 2-3 servings

Serve with rice milk or over yogurt and Ta-Dah! You’ve got a quick and healthy breakfast!  :)

Quinoa with Butternut Squash & Cranberries April 27, 2009

The following is dish is something that I whipped up the other evening based on some of the items I had in my pantry and freezer. The flavors are more fall than spring but hey… it worked and was quite yummy. 

 

1 cup quinoa cooked according to the directions

1 cup cooked & chopped butternut squash (I had some cooked squash in my freezer so I just reheated it and chopped it up)

2 tbsp. chopped Italian parsley

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup cranberries (add the cranberries to the quinoa just before it is finished cooking and it will soften them up a tad)

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. white wine vinegar 

Salt n’ Pepper to taste 

Mix all ingredients together while the quinoa is still warm. Serve.

 

 

I know; nothing too brilliant but it was easy, healthy and yummy.

Spaghetti with Pinto Grigio & Seafood April 27, 2009

The following recipe from Giada De Laurentiis was super easy and quite yummy! All the flavors melded beautifully together (don’t skip the arugula!!). It was a perfectly light pasta for a lovely spring evening. The only revision I made (and true foodies out there please don’t shudder…) was that instead of fresh clams I used 1 can of drained chopped clams. In general cooking fresh clams makes me nervous plus it was kind of a budget decision. So put me on a food time out, I used canned clams!  

Recipe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/spaghetti-with-pinot-grigio-and-seafood-recipe/index.html

(If the link doesn’t work, just copy and paste into your browser)

Salmon Burger April 20, 2009

The following recipe is from the Fitness Ridge cookbook. It was pretty darned easy to make and quite tasty. I will definitely make this again!!! Served the burger with steamed green beans and a small side salad. It was one of those meals that leaves you satisfied but not over-full. 

 

Salmon Burger – Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. salmon

1/4 cup roasted red peppers, diced

1/8 chopped Italian parsley

1/8 cup finely diced red onion

1 tbsp. mustard (I used dijon)

2 tbsp. soy or vegan mayonnaise 

3 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. each salt n’ pepper

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup egg whites

Directions:

Bake Salmon at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes or until done. NOTE: We used the George Foreman grill to save on time. 

Place cooked salmon in a mixing bowl and shred with a fork. In a separate bowl whip egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold in all ingredients and mix well. Divide the mixture into 4 patties (about a 1/2 cup each). In a baking dish bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until hot in the middle. Note: I cooked for 20 minutes until they were a little brown on the outside. 

 

Serve on a whole wheat hamburger bun with dijon mustard, sliced tomatoes & cucumbers and field greens. 

Yummy AND Healthy!!  

Recipe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Vegan Peach Raspberry Cobbler April 17, 2009

The following recipe was found in the  Fitness Ridge cookbook. They served this one night for dessert and I really enjoyed it (I actually wanted to swipe my sister’s piece while she wasn’t looking!).  It is so simple and so easy to make. It is good all by itself but I won’t lie to you; I think it would be great topped with a little vanilla ice cream (soy or regular).

This recipe just goes to show you that you don’t have to give up dessert to live a healthy lifestyle.  

Peach Raspberry Cobbler – Serves 9

3 cups frozen peaches

1 cup fresh raspberries (I used frozen because that is what I had on hand)

1/8 cup maple syrup

1 tbsp. cinnamon 

3 tbsp. fructose 

 

Topping: 

3/4 cups instant oats divided into 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup 

1/4 cup pecans 

1 tbsp. soy butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 tbsp. fructose

 

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a 9×9 pan, spray the bottom with non-stick spray. Layer fruit on the bottom of the pan and drizzle with maple syrup. Sprinkle the cinnamon and fructose over the rest of the pan. 

 

For the Topping: 

In a food processor, add 1/4 instant oats, pecans, soy butter, cinnamon and fructose. Blend until all lumps are gone and everything is evenly chopped. Add to a mixing bowl with the remaining 1/2 cup of oats and mix together. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit and bake for an hour or until the fruit sets (I baked for 45 minutes). Cool for at least 15 minutes and serve.

My Love/ Hate Affair With Coffee… April 16, 2009

When I was a young girl my grandmother used to make me what she called  ”coffee milk”. It was a mixture of mostly milk and sugar with a splash of coffee for color and flavor. It was something special that we shared together when I would spend the night at her house. It made me feel like a grown up to share in our coffee ritual and the morning crossword puzzle (though she was the one who did the crossword while I looked at the comics). Now that I AM a grown up I am in a constant battle… Coffee or No Coffee? I can’t tell you how many times in my life I’ve given up coffee just to come running back to it like the prodigal’s son. Most recently I gave up all caffeine while I was at Fitness Ridge. I felt good, I was drinking lots of  tea and I hardly felt like I missed that bitter sweet cup of warm goodness. I remained caffeine free for 1 week after my return. What can I say though except… I fell off the wagon… AGAIN.  

 

You see… drinking coffee is not just a habit for me. Coffee is not just a brown beverage that gives me a good zing in the morning or accompanies a piece of chocolate cake better than a glass of fine wine. Coffee has been present in many of my life’s memories… coffee is like an old friend.

 

I love the taste, I love the smell. And believe it or not I don’t just drink it for the caffeine, nor do I drink it for the sole purpose of waking up. I can wake up without it… but WHY? Do I have to give it up completely? I drink my share of green tea, chai tea, herbal tea, etc. I eat a healthy diet rich in vitamins and nutrients. Do I really need to give up coffee too? I welcome any and all comments!

Boring Old Tuna Sandwich? I don’t think so! April 16, 2009

The thought of a tuna fish sandwich often elicits a certain reaction like “Oh no! Not that again!” I am here to tell you that tuna fish, that budget friendly “chicken of the sea”, can be prepared in such a way that you don’t have to simply tolerate it on your lunch menu but you can actually ENJOY it! Here are two of my favorite tuna fish fixes! 

 

Option # 1 – Sweet n’ Nutty 

1 can albacore tuna in water, drained (dolphin friendly please!)

1 handful green grapes, sliced into halves 

1 tsp. chopped walnuts

1 tsp. chopped green onion

1 stalk of celery, finely chopped 

1 tbsp. Vegan mayonnaise 

 

Mix the above ingredients. Add salt n’ pepper to taste.

Serve either in a whole wheat tortilla, whole wheat pita or whole grain bread along with a handful of field greens, thinly sliced cucumber slices and a small handful of shredded soy cheddar cheese. Yum-O! 

Option #2 – Spicy n’ Sassy 

1 can albacore tuna in water, drained (dolphin friendly please!)

1 tbsp. Shredded Carrots 

1/4 cup of your favorite pico de gallo (the chunkier the better)

 

Mix the above ingredients. Add salt n’ pepper to taste.

Serve either in a whole wheat tortilla, whole wheat pita or whole grain bread along with a handful of field greens, thinly sliced avocado and a small handful of shredded soy cheddar cheese (and maybe a dash of good o’ Tabasco). Yum-O Part Deux!  

 

Do you have any fun tuna sandwich fixes?  Let me Know!

Just Freeze it! April 9, 2009

One of the biggest tips I can offer any time crunched cook is to prepare yourself for those times that you don’t want to cook by freezing things that you did have the time to make. I freeze everything! If fruit is going to go bad before I can eat it, I freeze it (which makes for great smoothies). Same with veggies! Most of what I cook usually makes at least 4-6 servings so unless I am planning to use the leftovers for another meal during the week… You guessed it… I freeze it! Spaghetti sauce, mashed sweet potatoes, grilled fish or chicken, pad thai noodles etc. So those times when I get home from work late and I really don’t feel like cooking I go through my freezer and defrost something. It’s like having one of those lamely proportioned frozen dinners but  it is full of goodness instead of preservatives and sodium. When freezing items make sure you put them in an airtight container or a plastic baggie with the excess air pressed out. I label the bag or the container with the date and try to use it within 1 month of that date. Don’t freeze things that you don’t think you’ll eat again as they will just take up space.

 
Here’s an example of a quick lunch that I made utilizing something that I had frozen. I defrosted 2 edamame burger patties that I made last month (See my blog entry under Vegetarian Options “Edamame Veggie Burger”). I heated the patties in the microwave (at 70% power) for 1-1/2 minutes. I served the patties wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla along w/ black bean hummus, field greens, sliced cucumbers and a little sauce that I made out of nonfat Greek yogurt and Tapatio. The whole lunch took me 5 minutes to make and was so super tasty and filling! 

 

Do you have any freeze it tips? Please share!

Cranberry-Walnut Power Bars April 9, 2009

I have been holding onto the following recipe from Food & Wine for over 2 years now. I figured it was time to give them a go! These bars are nutrient packed but be mindful of the serving size ( because of calorie & fat content). They are in line calorically with most granola bars but the biggest benefit here is that you are not getting all the preservatives and processed sugars as you do in store bought brands; not to mention these bars are way more cost effective. I could not find brown rice syrup anywhere (even at Whole Foods! Ugh!) so I substituted all natural maple syrup which I’m sure changed the recipe some. Next time I plan to use brown rice syrup per the recipe ; I just need to order it online. Still they were quite tasty! Healthy, gingery and nutty goodness!  

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/cranberry-walnut-power-bars

(If the link does not work, just copy and paste into your browser)

Lessons from Fitness Ridge April 5, 2009

I just got home after a most excellent week spent at Fitness Ridge Resort & Spa in Utah (http://www.fitnessridge.com/) I learned so much in my week there but most especially I learned just how excellent a 1200 calorie diet can taste! The meals we were served followed my flexatrian way of life. The menu was mostly vegetarian with the addition of chicken and fish 1/4 of the time. It fits my lifestyle perfectly. I picked up their cookbook and plan to make a few meals this week. Stay Tuned!