Cheddar Broccoli Side

Cheddar and broccoli go together too well to put into words! I love creamy soups and gratins with this dynamic duo, but most of the tasty recipes for them are high in fat and calories. So, today when I got a cheese craving, I also got a great idea:

Skip the cream and just put cheese, spices, and a little butter on a nice bown of steamed broccoli and enjoy it in much fewer calories. I cheated and used steam-in-the-bag broccoli, then put on equal parts salt, pepper, and chili powder, which adds a light but flavorful kick, with a little butter and cheese. 

Quick, easy, and delicious!

Vanilla-Cinnamon Almond Milk Latte

Five ingredients, 30 calories, one cup of warm, flavorful goodness!

Warm half a mug full of unsweetened almond milk either on the stove or in the microwave, fill up the other half with your favorite hot coffee, and add half a teaspoon of stevia, a dash of cinnamon, and just a drop or two of pue vanilla extract. Stir, sip, and savor.

If your mug happens to be pink with little white polka dots, too, then all the better!

Spinach egg white omlette

Even though I'm unable to digest whole eggs, I recently learned that egg whites do alright in my belly!

So, I'd like to share my new favorite omlette, pictured here on one of my favorite little plates!

I used a heaping teaspoon of coconut oil in a small fry pan to sautee a handful if spinach with a little minced garlic. After about a minute, when the edges of the leaves all curled, I added three egg whites and some salt and pepper. After it fried up on one side and all the edges were lightly toasted, I flipped it over, sprinkled on a little shredded cheddar, and then served it folded in half on a pretty plate.

Even though the cheese is completely optional and technically not a healthy food, this simple recipe still offers a lot of nutrition with the cholesterol-increasing elements of egg yolks and butter that are standard ingredients in a traditional element. Spinach offers lots of vitamins and fiber, egg whites bring lean protein to the table, and coconut oil and garlic are both tasty and beneficial to overall health. For added immune support, feel free to add in some chopped onion, too!

Any way you make it, egg white omlettes are a delicious and nutritious at any meal!

Yummy no-bake fruit dip and snack bites!

Lately I've been cutting up apples into wedges and dipping them in this easy, 4 ingredient concoction, inspired by no-bake cookies. 

All you need is a big, messy spoonful of peanut butter, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkling of instant oats and raw cocoa powder. No need for cooking and cooling or two sticks of butter here! It's great as a breakfast option, too. :-)

Just mix this...

                                ....And get this!

Another awesome option? Make a big batch, with either cinnamon or cocoa, and add a scoop of chocolate or vanilla protein powder and/or milled flax seeds with a splash of coconut milk and roll into balls to snack on any time! Use more oats for this than the dip, which creates a dough-y texture. Refrigerate the mix for an hour or more before rolling, or it'll be too messy to control. (I cheat and chill it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.) Store in the fridge and enjoy!

The batter should be sticky enough to stay on a spoon without falling off, like this:

I rolled my cinnamon ones in powdered sugar, which is optional. Here's what they look like, along with the chocolate balls:

As you can see, I use Garden of Life Raw Meal protein powder in vanilla, which is bland by itself, but that makes it super easy to blend into all kinds of other flavors, like mint, chocolate, berries, and of course: peanut butter! I get mine from The Vitamin Shoppe, which is also where I get my milled flax seeds.

Whether you use the dip or the snack bites, with or without additives, you'll love the rich flavors that will fill you up without weighing you down! When I get a sweet tooth craving, I can make these and satisfy it without needing butter or sugar.

Yummy!

Turkey Chili and Stock, Served Seperately

I found a few frozen turkey necks in my freezer this morning that a roommate left behind after moving out recently, so I decided to do something with them. I'll be up-front: My process is time consuming.

First, I unthawed them and then plopped them into a pot with enough water to just cover them and simmered for about 2 hours on medium-low heat with the cover on. I added water periodically to keep the necks covered, but if you want to avoid that, just add extra from the start to be safe. You can also do this in a crock pot, if you want to save kitchen time and leave it alone all day.

Once the meat starts falling off the bone, it's done. Put a big bowl in the sink with a colander on top, then slowly pour the contents of the pot into it. The bowl will be full of stock, which you can freeze in baggies or keep in a pitcher or bowl to use for cooking in the near future. 

Now, the meat should look like this.

Now is the part that's kind of annoying: removing the fat, ligaments, and bones. My method is pretty simple. I put the colander in the sink for cleanliness, then I just use my fingers to pick off some meat and rinse it off with cool running water until the fat slides off and then set aside the yummy dark meat. This way, all the mess is contained in the colander and easy to dispose.

Now dispose of the mess and put the meat in a pot. I rinsed out the same pit used for simmering before. Next, I put a big bag of frozen veggies and a couple cans of beans into the colander and rinsed them out before adding them, too.

Now add in two cans of tomato sauce, some minced garlic, chili powder, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, paprika, and crushed red pepper, simmer, adjust spices to taste. Afterwards, serve up and enjoy!

I love it on brown rice with a dallop of sour cream and shredded cheddar on top, on a bed of spinach, or all on its own!

Pinot Grigio Tilapia

This is super yummy and only takes 25 minutes to make in a skillet!

Chop up half of a large onion or one small one. I used a vidalia for its sweet, mild flavor. Melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter or oil with enough pinot grigio to puddle the bottom of a large skillet by about 1/4 inch on high heat and let the onions cook just enough to make the edges clear, then set to simmer on medium-low. Place 2 or 3 fish pieces on top and season with a lemon pepper mixture and as much minced garlic as you please. Once the sides of the fish are bright white, flip it over with a spatula large enough to keep it from breaking up, then layer broccoli on top of everything and let it steam with the flavors already mingling in the pan.

For the next ten minutes, feel free to enjoy a glass of the wine while everything cooks! Then, the easiest way to serve it up is to spoon the broccoli onto the plate first, then use your big spatula to place the tilapia next to it with onions. 

Pour another glass and enjoy!

Coconut flour sweet potato bread

Coconut products are awesome. Even though there are plenty of gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free options out there, coconut ones are my favorite. Coconut oil, milk, and flour are all used in this yummy recipe!

Coconut oil, enough to coat pan

1 1/4 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato

1/2 cup coconut flour

4 tbsp. applesauce (in lieu of eggs*)

3 tbsp. coconut milk

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 lemon, for juice

Pinch of salt

2 tbsp. honey

1tbsp. Cinnamon

1tsp. Nutmeg

*If you aren't sensitive or allergic to eggs, feel free to use 3 instead of applesauce and then halve the amount of soda used.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Be sure to fluff the coconut flour with a fork and loosely fill up your measuring cup with it, as it's important not to pack it in too densely. The bread is already heavy without doing so. The dough should be moist and thick.

Coat your bread pan with oiland then use a spatula to spread the dough into the pan evenly.

Bake for an hour at 325 degrees, cool, slice, and enjoy! 

Turkey time!

Turkey is the undeniable king of all poultry. It's the first choice main course for major holidays because of its savory awesomeness. That is why I decided to go out and buy a breast to have with lots of of veggies and both bread and non-bread stuffing options to enjoy for several days. 

After I got the frozen bird, I let it thaw in the fridge for two days, rinsed it out with cold water, then made and stuffed several slits all over with onion and garlic. I coveredthe base of a large pan with veggies, sat the bird on top, and drizzled olive oil over everything. Next I rubbed thyme, salt, and pepper into the skin and popped it into the oven for a few hours.

The stuffing inside is just bread, onion, poultry seasoning, eggs, and a little water. As a gluten-free side option, I also prepared stuffed sqash.

I used dried cranberries and walnuts, pre-soaked in water for a couple hours, with slices of apple and mushroom for the stuffing. I poured all of them into a skillet, including the soaking water, and simnered them with thyme. All 4 ingredients were used in equal parts and I only used enough water to just cover the cran-nut mix in a bowl. It took about 20 minutes for the mixture to become soft and the water to mostly absorb or evaporate. 

Any kind of squash is fine, but I chose summer squash since it's in season. I cut off the ends, sliced each in half, then used a spoon to scoop out the seeds. 

Then I scooped my stuffing mixture into the squash and baked them for 20 minutes next to the turkey.

I boiled giblets and added flour, garlic, bacon grease, salt, and pepper to the strained broth to use as gravy, poured over the meat alongside sides.

For the low-carb, gluten-free option, I excluded the gravy and served extra veggies and stuffed squash in leui of bread stuffing and potatoes, which were simply boiled in chunks and served with basil and butter.

Although it was all very tasty, my roommates actually preferred the healthy stuffing to the bread option! Every way we filled our plates, we all enjoyed this fabulous meal, as always, on pink plates!

Cran-Apple Chicken Salad

Salad is a staple in a healthy diet for a goid reason: They're quick, easy, and flavorful!

Start with a bed of spinach, cut up half a cucumber and half an apple, and tossthem together with chicken, dried cranberries, and honey-balsamic dressing. If you want to prepare more in advance, just coat the apple pieces thoroughly in lemon juice to prevent browning.

I used leftover chicken that I oven baked whole a few days ago, which I'll post about soon!

Peach-Mango Iced Tea

I recently discovered my new favorite tea! It's Lipton's peach-mango white tea, and it's even more amazing when sweetened with stevia and served iced.

It looks extra pretty when garnished with a frozen peach!

Pasta-free Chicken Pesto

Who doesn't love pesto? All that basil and garlic taste incredible, and it can be served on lots of yummy meat and veggies, not just pasta!

So, I decided to make this yummy pesto and saute it with chicken, green beans, and mushrooms. Since the olive oil is already in the mix, there's no need to use any additional cooking oil.

Just put a big handful of fresh basil, small gandful of pine nuts, and as much garlic as you please into a food processor or blender with enough olive oil to cover most of the bulk and pulse until well blended. Throw it in a skillet with chopped chicken and veggies on medium high heat and stir fry until the meat is cooked an tender, about 15-20 minutes.

 

If you prefer a spaghetti-like texture but, you can always use zucchini, squash, or carrots and use a spiralizer! I don't have one just yet, but I will definitely post about it when I do! 

My Cup of Tea

As a former caffeine junkie, I am happy with my decision to stop allowing coffee to reign over my ability to function in day to day life. Instead of 3 cups a day, I now drink 2 or 3 cups of herbal tea with probiotics, and the difference is incredible!

Initially, I went through caffeine withdrawal and had a migraine for 3 days. I was grouchy and had less energy, but after the first few days, I got better sleep, the headaches stopped, I gained more natural energy, and my body began to function better than before.

So now, I'll take my lemon-ginger with a pinch of stevia and fresh-squeezed lemon juice in a pink polka-dot mug. 

Going green

Until recently, I reserved greens for salads or accents to a meal and definitely not part of breakfast! Fortunately, I learned how easy it is to just toss a big fistful of spinach into an otherwise fruity shake. 

Today, I made a sweet, tropical fruit shake with these ingredients:

Frozen mix of peaches, pineapple, grapes, and strawberries

Spinach

Ground flax seed (2 tbsp=3 g protein!)

Water with a splash of cranberry juice

Sprinkle of stevia

And voila! A green smoothie with natural protein, no sugar, and tons of flavor! Honestly, the next time I make it, I'm not even going to add stevia because the fruit is so sweet.

Soup's on!

I got very sick earlier this week and this soup got me through it! It's actually the first soup I've ever made that wasn't cream-based, as I came from new England, where chowder was the only kind of soup worth making. 

This was fairly easy, but it did take about an hour and a half to make. Here's the ingredients list:

Chicken (I used 3 tenderloins, which are cheaper than breasts but still great white meat)

Spices (salt, pepper, paprika, crushed red pepper, lots of minced garlic and fresh basil)

Olive oil

Chicken stock

Tons of veggies! (Onion, pepper, carrots, spinach, baby kale, tomato)

I heated garlic and olive oil in a skillet and added the chicken, which I shredded with a fork once tender. I cooked the onions and peppers with it, too, and added all other spices except for the fresh basil. While that was cooking, I poured my chicken stock into a large pot and chopped my carrots and tomato. I tore up the spinach and kale by hand, then added it with the carrots to the pot and let them boil for 10 minutes. Next I used a spatula to add all the oil, spices, and other contents of the skillet to the pot and turned the burner down to low. At this point, I just needed to let it simmer for about an hour, adding fresh crushed basil for the last 5 minutes only, which kept its flavor potent.

All the veggies are loaded with vitamins, plus garlic and onions provide immune system support naturally! The other spices pack in lots of flavor and chicken is an excellent source of lean protein. If desired, you can add rice or another grain, but it's not necessary. I chose to keep this soup grain-free to keep the calories low, which also means that it's naturally gluten-free!

Even if you're not sick, this hearty soup is still a great meal option, so laddle up a bowl and enjoy! 

Quick shake

Sometimes I want a quick meal, but I want it to be goid for me AND to taste good. In times like these, a shake is a fantastic quick fix!

Today, I put a handful of spinach and baby kale with half a chopped apple, frozen raspberries, milled flax seeds, and water and cranberry juice together in my mini-blender! If you don't have one yet, I highly recommend it. Mine is from Bella, and it was $25 at Target.

For a creamier texture, you can use banana instead of apple. You can also add stevia if desired, as the kale has a slightly bitter taste.

Enjoy!

Pan-seared fish and garlic brussels sprouts

Sprouts, garlic, and fish all offer an abundance of nutrients to the body, and when cooked with the right amount of complimentary seasonings, can be quite tasty.

As a lover of Italian food, I decided to cook the way that I learned during my time spent in Sicily. Garlic, oil, tomatoes, lemon juice, and basil are frequently used in Sicilian cooking, so I tossed in generous portions of each with today's main infredients. I also rubbed paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder onto the fish for extra flavor, threw in a few extra veggies for variation in texture, a splash of cider vinegar to cut the oil, and the result is wonderful. This could be served after a small pasta course, as Sicilians would do, or on its own or with rice.

Buon appetito!

Dijon stir-fry

Dijon is a fantastic way to pack in loads of flavor to a dish with very few calories! It's great on any kind of poultry, so today I put it in with my chicken and veggies along with coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, and fresh lemon juice, then served it with couscous.

In order for the coconut oil to liquify, as it is solid below 76 degrees Farnheit, I just plopped a heaping tablespoon of it into the skillet as it warmed up over medium-high heat. I poured in my veggies and then placed chicken tenderloins in the pan next to them. I used salt, pepper, crushed red peppers, minced garlic, and paprika as seasoning. After about two minutes, I smothered the chicken with dijon mustard and poured a little apple cider vinegar and lemon juice over everything. Once that was started, I boiled water and seasoning for couscous and prepared it as directed on the box. (I use Near East brand, pictured below.)

Within 15 minutes from start to finish, I served it all up on a pink plate to enjoy!

Blackberry Chocolate Shake

The middle of the day in between lunch and dinner always renders me hungry and in need of an energy boost. My new favorite midday pick-me-up: This rich, sweet shake is packed with protein, antioxidents, and healthy fat, which makes it extremely satisfying!

All you need is some unsweetened coconut milk, chocolate protein powder, frozen blackberries, and a blender. I love my single-serving blender because I can unscrew the blade, pop on a drinking lid, and enjoy it right away. 

Time for lunch!

Today I cooked with coconut oil for the first time and fell in love with it! I used a heaping tablespoon in a skillet to fry up a mixture of veggies and fish with lots of spicy seasonings and the result was very tasty. Here are the ingredients:

• Frozen cauliflower 
• Frozen mixed veggies (green beans, limas, corn, and carrots) 
• Frozen whiting fish
• Coconut oil
• Spices including a generous amount of chili powder, some crushed red peppers, black pepper, and paprika, and a pinch of thyme

All I had to do was defrost the frozen items in a bowl of water and then stir fry everything together for 15 minutes. As a drink, I made some chamomile tea with honey and lemon, served iced.

Pretty in Pink

A pale pink and black bakery in Paris inspired me to use shades of my favorite color in my kitchen. My mother told me that I'd never find a man who'd tolerate it, but that didn't stop her from scouring stores for items in the perfect shade to give to me as gifts.

It has now been six years since I first entered that bakery and I have mostly pink items everywhere in my kitchen, which my long-term boyfriend finds charming. Even though I adore the look of my favorite room in the house, what comes out of it is more important than that. I struggle and strive to create yummy and nourishing food. Since people need to eat in order to survive, there's no reason not to enjoy it!