Baked Balsamic Vinegar Chicken

Well it sure has been awhile since my last post! Don't worry, that doesn't mean I haven't been cooking and creating new good eats- I have just been distracted with school, especially with finals coming up.

This recipe is a great quick and easy meal without sacrificing taste or nutrition. I was able to throw it together in between studying, and it was a nice study break as well.

With that said, here are the few ingredients it takes to put it together. This recipe also just makes 1, so if you're planning on feeding more than that, I would suggest doubling, tripling, or whatever-ing your ingredient amounts.

Ingredients:
- 1 boneless, skinless, chicken breast
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 scallion stalk
- 1/8 sweet onion
- Garlic powder
- Rosemary
- Lemon pepper
- Balsamic Vinegar

Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Place the defrosted chicken breast in a medium mixing bowl
- Lightly cover both sides of the chicken with garlic powder, rosemary, and lemon pepper all to your own taste
- Once the chicken breast is coated, place on a baking sheet (place foil down first and lightly spray with cooking spray)
- Chop the garlic clove and scallion and sprinkle over the chicken
- Thinly slice the sweet onion and also sprinkle over the chicken
- Lastly, drizzle balsamic vinegar over the chicken
- Place in the oven for 30 minutes, or until fully cooked

I paired the chicken with a baked sweet potato (with cinnamon sprinkled on top) and steamed vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, and brussel sprouts)

Chicken breast in a medium mixing bowl coated with garlic powder, lemon pepper, and rosemary

Chicken placed a baking sheet with chopped garlic, scallions, thinly sliced onion, and balsamic vinegar drizzled on top

Final product!

Cheers!

Blueberry Peach Pizza

I finally have a kitchen at school! My best friend and I got an apartment together and the most exciting part about it is that I finally have a kitchen of my own to use every. single. day. I have been trying to find time however to actually experiment with new recipe ideas, which is hard to do between school, working, and also having a social life.

Tonight, however, I finally had time to make a nice meal for my Little (I'm in the sorority Pi Beta Phi, and we have "little sisters") and I. I haven't had time to see her since school started again, so we had much to catch up on! Plus I thought it would be the perfect time to attempt a recipe I've been holding onto for awhile.

My Little is like me in that she loves to eat good, healthy food. Therefore, I thought this was the perfect meal! It was filling, and had the perfect amount of sweetness that we also both love. Another great thing about it is that it was easy to put together and cooked quickly.

Ingredients: (this makes two)
- Whole wheat pita bread
- Grilled chicken
- Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- Fresh basil leaves (about 10)
- Half of a sweet onion
- 2 garlic chives
- About 10 blueberries
- Half a peach
- Olive oil (enough to brush each pita bread)
- Cinnamon

Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
- Thinly slice the onion and heat over a skillet sprayed with cooking spray so as to caramelize them
- Sprinkle cinnamon on top of the onions (instead of using brown sugar)
- Thinly slice the chicken and add to the onion pan
- At the same time, brush each pita bread with olive oil and sprinkle cheese on top
- Once the onions and chicken are done, evenly add on top of the cheese
- Each pita pizza gets about 5 blackberries, so cut each blackberry in half and evenly spread on top
- Thinly slice the peach half and add the peach slices next
- Chop the fresh basil and evenly sprinkle on top next
- Lastyly, add more cheese and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until it is as cooked as you desire

Cheers!

Quinoa Chicken Salad... With mint!

Quinoa is one of the most versitile grains out there. It can be mixed and matched with any and all food, making it extremely easy to use when cooking.

For this dish, I wanted to play around with fresh mint. I've never used it before so I wanted to keep all the ingredients simple so as to not have too many different flavors going on. The ending result was delicious, fresh, filling, oh yeah- and healthy!

I made it at night so that I wouldn't have to worry about making lunch before heading to work. With that being the case, I ate it cold. It was good cold, and I'm sure it will taste just as good hot, it's up to you!

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup quinoa cooked (directions on cooking are on the box)
- Chicken (I used precooked chicken from Trader Joes)
- 1/2 cup arugula
- 1/4 sweet onion
- 5 mini tomatoes
- 1/4 cup finely chopped mint
- 1 garlic clove
- Garlic powder to taste
- Cooking spray

Directions:
- Finely chop the garlic clove and place on a pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray (this saves calories instead of using olive oil)
- Chop the onion and place in the foil as well and let brown with the cloves for about 5 minutes
- Add the tomatoes and chicken to the pan, as well as the mint
- Sprinkle garlic powder on top and cook all the ingredients together until you see fit
- Have the quinoa cooking at the same time
- Mix the arugula in after both are done cooking
- When both are done you can either enjoy it then or save it for lunch the next day at work like I did :)

Cheers!

Mean Green Smoothie

Ever had that feeling that you've been eating too much junk food and are feeling rather sluggish? That's been me ever since coming to Chicago... Therefore, now that I have two weeks left before going back to school for my SENIOR year, I've decided that I need to buckle down- NO MORE DEEP DISH PIZZA! 

All day at work today I was craving something cold and light to eat for dinner, and after searching through Pinterest, I adapted a way to make my own "mean green smoothie!"

The ingredients may come off a little crazy and odd, but they all worked well together, and kept me full and satisfied, as well as gave me a lot of energy for my workout.

Ingredients:

- Cup of green tea at room temp (this is the liquid I chose to use because of it's health benefits, however water or skim/soy milk would also work)

- Handful of kale

- Cup of yogurt (Greek or Iclandic are your best bets)

- Cinnamon 

- Large scoop of peanut or almond butter

- Banana

- Ice

Directions: 

- Blend all ingredients together! It's as simple as that

Cheers!

Quinoa Salad in a Jar

I've been bringing my lunch and or dinner to work lately in order to save money and also so that I am not tempted to eat the food at work (which is mostly fried and greasy food). However, the usual sadal with veggies and a protein is getting a little too mundane for me. It wasn't until I was in Peoria, IL that I discovered a little something called a quinoa salad in a jar! It was tasty, healthy, easy to transport, and oh so filling. I've been coming up with my own variations since, and enjoy the extra protein kick that quinoa offers!

Listed below is one of MANY different variations that are possible. Basically, I suggest sticking to the good carbs/protein from the quinoa, veggies, healthy fat either from avocado and or olive oil as a dressing, and a little more protein either from beans and or meats like chicken!

Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup cooked quinoa
- spinach
- beets (I used red and yellow)
- 1/2 cup garbonzo beans
- 1/2 cut cucumber
- shaved carrott
- side of dressing (I used balsamic and olive oil)

Directions:
- Layer each ingredient in a large, tall glass jar and that's it
- When you're ready to eat it, pour the dressing on top, close the lid, shake, and enjoy!

Some Other Combination Ideas:
- "Greek Salad" with quinoa, feta, garbonzo beans, spinach, red pepper and olives with a balsamic and olive oil dressing
- "Protein Salad" with qunioa, kidney beans, red beans, garbonzo beans, peas, corn, cucumber, and any dressing (can also add a meat or egg)
- "Southwest Salad" with quinoa, black beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, onion

Cheers!

Overnight Oats

As many of you might have figured out, I LOVE oats. Not only are they a power food (they are packed with protein and fiber, as well as fight fat) but they are filling and also easy to add to any recipe.

However, due to the Chicago summer heat, eating a hot bowl of oatmeal with a hot cup of coffee has been getting harder and harder to enjoy. Therefore, I gave overnight oats a try and don't see myself going back to "regular" oats until winter!

Listed below is the basic recipe for getting started with overnight oats. I ate it at this "level," however, you could add peanut butter, dried or fresh fruit, nuts, honey, etc. to them the next morning. I just added a dash of cinnamon the night beore and again the next morning when I took them out and ate it like that!

Ingredients for Overnight Oats:
- 1/2 cup of rolled oats NOT quick oats though
- 2/3 cup of skim or soy milk
- 1/2 cup of plain (or flavored) Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon of Chia seeds - these little things are AMAZING. In just 1 serving (1 tablespoon) they have 6g of fiber, and 3g of protein, as well as the right amount of healthy Omega-3 fats your body craves.
*Dash of cinnamon is optional. I always say you can never have too much though

Directions:
- Mix all of the ingredients together in a jar or plastic container. Just make sure that there is a lid because this baby has to be covered.
- Store in the fridge overnight and take out the next morning when you're ready for breakfast! It's as simple as that

As stated before, this is the BASIC or FOUNDATION for overnight oats. You can get as creative as you want, or be somewhat bland like me.

The AMAZING Chia seeds. I found mine at Trader Joes, along with the Rolled Oats NOT quick oats

Finished Product!

Cheers!

Citrus Salmon with Grilled Peaches

Hi there! Sorry it's been ages since my last post... I've been living and interning in Chicago the past two months and have been busy getting familiar with the area (not to mention the delicious foods here). I've been a bad girl and indulging a little too much lately. With that said, this meal was the perfect way to get back on the right and healthy track.

As we all know, I am a huge salmon lover. I've been making the pistachio crusted salmon a little too much, and felt like I needed to branch out and try something new however. This new marinade is easy to make, very refreshing (so perfect for the summer) and healthy! I paired it with grilled peaches, and all in all, it was one VERY filling meal.

For the Citrus Salmon:

- Salmon

- 1 orange

- 1/2 Lemon

- 1 teaspoon oil

- 2 teaspoon agave nectar

- 2 pinches both pepper and crushed red pepper

- 2 stalks scallions 

Direcions:

- In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients together (minus the salmon) and taste to make sure it has the right flavor. Also, make sure to finely chop the scallions!

- Place the salmon in a bowl or container and marinade for 20 minutes

- Move the salmon to a sprayed pan and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until it's cooked to your liking

*You could also grill the salmon, which is what I did

For the Grilled Peaches:

- 1 peach

- Cinnamon

- Cooking spray

Direction:

-Cut the peach in half

- Take the middle seed out and spray both insides with cooking spray very lightly

- Sprinkle as much or as little cinnamon on top

- Grill till it's cooked to your liking

*Can also drizzle honey or agave nectar on top

Cheers!

Healthy Chocolate Fudge Pie

8pm hit and the sweet tooth was at it again! Thankfully, this delicious chocolatey pie was able to do the trick. It was easy to make, and is also healthy because it's made of tofu! Yes, you read that right- T O F U.

Ingredients:
- Package of firm tofu
- 1 1/3 cup dark chocolate pieces
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon skim milk
- pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
- pie crust (optional)

Directions:
- Melt the chocolate
- Combine everything (minus the crust) into a food processor or blender and blend until very smooth
- Pour into the pie crust or if you don't want a crust, then any foil like container
- Place in fridge and let sit for a couple hours. The longer it is in there, the firmer it will get

Enjoy plain, or with a scoop of Greek yogurt and berries on top!

Cheers!

Chocolate Walnut Muffins made from Oats and Greek Yogurt

As you might assume, I love oats. They are a healthy and easy substitute for almost any recipe. In this certain recipe, I used them to make chocolate walnut muffins! They were delicious- you wouldn't have guessed they were healthy!

Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cup oats
- 3 egg whites
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 cup sugar substitute OR 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons stevia
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup walnuts

Directions:
- preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with either spray or muffin cups
- In a blender or food processor, blend all the ingredients together except the chocolate and walnuts. Blend until the mixture is smooth
- Place mixture in a bowl and stir in the chocolate chips
- Chop the walnuts
- Place the muffin mix in the pans and sprinkle the chopped up walnuts on top
- Place in oven and cook for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

Cheers!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Hey y'all! If you're like me, you enjoy a nice pizza topped with veggies and a simple salad on the side. However, until now, I couldn't find a way to justify eating half a pizza- until now. This recipe is a delicious and crispy pizza crust made from cauliflower! Topped with the right veggies and paired with the right salad, this is a great healthy meal.

Ingredients for the crust:
- 2 cups cauliflower crumbles
- 1/4 sweet onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 1/3 cup almond meal
- 2 eggs
- salt and pepper

Ingredients for the topings (optional, can add or take away any of the toppings):
- 1/4 sweet onion
- Red pepper
- kale
- grilled chicken
- mozzarella cheese
- basil


Directions:
- preheat oven to 450 degrees
- chop the onion and garlic cloves thin
- combine the cauliflower with onion and garlic in a blender or food processor. It's easier to do it in batches with 1 cup of cauliflower at a time. Pulse or chop until crumbly, but stop before it becomes a paste
- Stir this mixture together with the almond meal, eggs, and the salt and pepper. If it seems too dry, you can add a little water, or if it seems too wet you can add more almond meal.
- Form into a pizza crust on a cooking sheet that has foil and cooking spray on it
- Bake alone for 20 minutes

Top and bake again:
- While the crust bakes, sautee any veggies you want to top your pizza with
- Remove crust and spread marinara sauce on first, then veggies, and lastly the mozzarella cheese and basil
- Place in the oven again and bake for another 10 minutes

Cheers!

Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

My older brother studied abroad in Argentina, and while abroad, he raved about this amazing chimichurri sauce. It is similar to a pesto, and is used as a marinade as well as a sauce for grilled steak, chicken, and other sources of protein. To be honest, I put it atop most of my food when I make it.

It is easy to make, and can be whipped together quickly.

Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, OR 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 cup olive oil (I used Trader Joes Garlic Olive Oil and the extra garlic it added only heightened the flavor even more)
- 2 tablespoons red or white vinegar (I used red)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Direction:
- Finely chop the parsley, oregano, and garlic. Place in a small bowl
- Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes

Serve immediately or refrigerate. If refrigerated, return to room temperature before serving. This particular method serves 4.

*I put this atop steak, scallops, and shrimp. I cubed the steak, and mixed in salt, pepper, rosemary, and chopped scallions. I cooked via stovetop, keeping the spices minimal so that it wouldn't take away from the chimichurri sauce. I also cooked the scallops and shrimp the same way.

Cheers!

Strawberry Muffins

I have the biggest sweet tooth ever and these are the perfect fix! I can't decide if they are muffins or cupcakes (what's really the difference anyway).

Whatever they are, they are delicious and so healthy! There is no flour or added sugar, just plain ol' oatmeal and Greek yogurt. The following recipe makes about 12, and I recommend baking in FOIL cups because they will stick to paper.

Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups oatmeal (not quick oats)
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cups unsweetened applesauce
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 cup strawberries (1 will be used in the mix and the 1/2 will be sprinkled on top)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor (except for the 1/2 cup of strawberries that are to be on top of the muffins/cupcakes) and blend until smooth
- Divide and pour into the foil cupcake liners and sprinkle the diced up strawberry pieces on top
- Bake for 20-25 minutes

*Can also enjoy with Greek yogurt scooped on top for "frosting"

Cheers!

Veggie Wraps with Grilled Shrimp

Raw vegetables are a great way to get the full nutrient value that vegetables have to offer. This is because cooking strips vegetables of some of their nutrients.

These delicious veggie wraps are a great way to incorporate raw vegetables into your daily life! I topped with grilled shrimp to add a little more protein.

Ingredients:
- Romaine lettuce for the wraps
- carrots
- cucumbers
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- radish
- corn
- black beans
- avocado
- mushrooms
- tomatoes (I used roasted tomato)
- shrimp
- balsamic vin

Directions:
- chop all of the vegetables into finely chopped bite size pieces
- sprinkle the vegetables into each wrap evenly
- top with grilled shrimp (I grilled it on the oven in a pan with cooking spray, pepper, garlic powder, and rosemary)
- drizzle balsamic vin or any other salad dressing on top (can even add hummus)

It was hard to pick up and eat, but I found it easy to eat cut with a knife and fork.

Cheers!

Teriyaki Turkey Burgers

Burgers are an all American feast, however after adding all the toppings and bun, let alone the beef itself, they can be really high in calories and fat. I on the other hand LOVE turkey burgers. I feel satisfied and not weighed down. This turkey burger recipe is simple, fast, and the teriyaki gives it a nice flavor.

I paired this dish with a nice caprese salad, roasted vegetables, and caramelized onions and mushrooms. The recipe for the roasted vegetables is also included!

Ingredients for the Teriyaki Turkey Burgers:
- package of ground turkey
- 1 cup oats (instead of bread crumbs)
- 2/3 cups teriyaki sauce
- pepper to taste

Directions for the Teriyaki Turkey Burgers:
- in a large mixing bowl, mash up the ground turkey. Add the teriyaki sauce as well as the oats. Mix well. Add in as much or little pepper as you want.
- Form the meat with all of the mixings into patties (About 5 can be made from a pound)
- Cook in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes

Ingredients for the Roasted Vegetables:
- any and all vegetables you desire! I made this with red peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, zucchini, and kale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- rosemary to taste
- garlic powder

Directions for the Roasted Vegetables:
- chop all vegetables and mix in a large mixing bowl.
- add the olive oil and rosemary and garlic powder and mix more
- on a large baking sheet, spread foil and spray with cooking spray
- spread the vegetables out evenly and place in the oven at 400 for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes

The ground turkey mixed with the teriyaki sauce as well as the oats

Turkey formed into patties (my toasted is also a convection oven)

Final product! Turkey burgers topped with caramelized onions and mushrooms with roasted vegetables on the side, as well as a caprese salad

Cheers!

Shrimp Fajitas

In honor of it being Cinco De Mayo, I wanted to make something a little spicy and fun. I have also been having the weirdest craving for shrimp, thus I decided to combine the two. What I came up with was perfect and hit the spot!

This recipe only serves one! If you're cooking for more, I wouldn't follow the serving sizes listed below

Ingredients:
- shrimp (I bought the frozen shrimp from Trader Joes. It defrosts in minutes!)
- rice
- avocado
- small tomato
- 1/4 sweet onion
- 1/4 cup black beans
- 1/4 cup corn
- 1/4 red pepper
- mushrooms
- handful of corn
- crushed pepper to taste
- chili powder to taste

Directions:
- Cut the onion in slices and brown on the stove top with a cooking spray on a low to medium heat.
- After they have  been browning for about 7 minutes, add the rest of the vegetables (sliced mushrooms, red pepper sliced in slivers, and the kale)
- Add the crushed red pepper and chili powder
- At the same time, heat the corn and beans together and mix with the corn
- Place the shrimp in the stovetop mix very last, and heat for 2 mintues (adding a little more chili powder)
- Once done, add the corn, beans, and rice in a bowl and top with the stove mix and avocado and tomato last
- Enjoy!

Seared Scallops in an Apple Cider - Balsamic Glaze

Scallops are a high protein, low fat meal. Plus they are so tasty! This meal was light but full of flavor.

Ingredients:

- Scallops - I of course went to Trader Joes and bought the package of plain scallops. About 16 comes in a pack.

- Bag of frozen spinach

- Sweet white onion

- Sliced mushrooms

- Quinoa 

- 3/4 cups apple cider

- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

- 1 tablespoon agave nectar

- Garlic powder

Directions: 

- First, cook the quinoa accordingly and set a side

- In a medium pan, caramelize the onion, and add the mushrooms to it. Once browned, add half of the bag of frozen spinach (thawed of course) slowly while mixing it all together. Cook on low for a few more minutes until the onions, mushrooms, and spinach are all mixed together. 

- Take off heat and set aside

- To make the glaze, mix the apple cider, balsamic vinegar, and agave nectar together in a small mixing bowl and set aside to heat later

- Spray a large sauce pan with nonstick cooking spray and place the defrosted scallop pieces on pan on high heat

- Cook the scallops on each side for about 4 minutes (or until fully cooked through)

- At the same time but in another small sauce pan, add the glaze mixture and cook on medium heat. Once it starts to boil, stir and reduce heat. Keep on heat until the scallops are done.

- When scallops are done cooking, place in a shallow bowl and pour the glaze on top.

- Reheat the quinoa and onion, mushroom, spinach mixture if needed

- I recommend serving the scallops and glaze on top of the quinoa so the quinoa soaks up the sweet goodness!

Cheers!

Crunchy Peanut Butter Granola

Hi blog world! As summer is quickly approaching and the temperature is surely rising here in Arizona, I find myself spending more time inside escaping the heat. Thus, I have more time on my hands to experiment in the kitchen! It's a win win for all of us.

Today, I tried making a different kind of granola than I'm used to (my other granola recipe can be found on this blog as well- I highly recommend trying.) I wanted to make a granola for sprinkling on top of yogurt, and one that had a crunch to it.

The granola that I came up with has just the right amount of crunch and added sweetness- without adding any sugar!

Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup milk (can also use almond milk)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup peanut butter (can also use almond butter but I like to bake with peanut)
- Cinnamon (as much or as little as you want)
- 2.5 cups rolled oats

Directions:
- Combine milk, applesauce, and peanut butter in a pan and heat on medium heat until it is smooth. Take off heat and slowly add, as well as stir at the same time, the oats and cinnamon in. Place foil on a baking sheet and spread out the granola. You can make chunks or lay it flat; it all depends how you like your granola! Place in the oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes (depending how crunchy you want it). Let cool for 10 minutes, and enjoy on top of some yogurt, oatmeal, etc.

Milk, peanut butter, and unsweetened applesauce mixed together 

Granola laid out- I created some chunks and also laid it flat

Cheers!

Crock Pot: Tomato and White Kidney Bean Chicken

Hello blog world! I've thrown together yet another delicious, healthy, and easy crock pot meal. My roommate told me that this is one of the best ones yet, and it left her feeling full for the rest of the night (and she ate it at 4:30)

I hope you all enjoy it just as much as we did!

Ingredients:
- Chicken breasts (I used 3)
- Can of fire roasted tomatoes
- Can of white kidney beans
- Onion
- Basil and garlic powder to taste
- Rice (optional)

Directions:
- Slice the onion. Place the chicken pieces (defrosted) onto the bottom of the crock pot and pour the cans of tomatoes and beans on top. Add the sliced onion and the spices. Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours and enjoy! Be sure to stir as often as you can (I did in between my classes).

You can serve it over rice (like I did) or alone.

Cheers!

Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce

If there is one thing I love more than Mexican food, it is Italian food- specifically pasta with a hearty meat sauce. However, as we all know, it is not the lightest most healthiest meal for you. Therefore, I thought of a way where I could have my cake and eat it too (so to speak).

I decided to make spaghetti squash. One cup of it adds up to only 42 calories and only 10 grams of carbs! So much better than pasta because you save about 33 grams of carbs and 179 calories. I topped it off with my dad's "secret" meat sauce (don't worry, I'll share the recipe with his permission) and added roasted vegetables on the side. Oh, and a nice glass of red wine!

Ingredients for the Meat Sauce:
- Jar of marinara sauce (I used Organic Tomato Basil Marinara sauce. It is low in both sugar and calories and added a nice flavor)
- Ground Turkey, defrosted
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Oregano and Basil to taste
- CINNAMON (it adds the perfect sweetness. I don't measure it exactly, I just add it throughout the cooking process)
- 1tsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup water

Directions:
- Pour the oil in a large pan on medium heat, and then add the ground turkey. Brown the turkey, and the salt, pepper, and cinnamon. On another burner, empty the jar of marinara sauce and cook on a low heat. Add the water. Once the turkey is browned, add the turkey to the sauce, as well as the oregano and basil. Continue to stir the sauce (keeping it on a low heat). Do this for 3 hours so that the turkey can soak up the sauce.

Ingredients for the Spaghetti Squash:
- 2 spaghetti squashes
- Cooking Spray
- Pepper
- Oregano

Directions:
- Cut the squashes in half and take out the seeds (this is easily done using a fork). Lightly spray the halves with cooking spray and sprinkle pepper. Place in the oven at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Take out and let cool for 10 minutes. Then, using a fork, scrape out the insides. You'll notice that what you'll get resembles a thin pasta! Do this to all for halves, and voila, you have your healthy and delicious spaghetti. Put all the scrapings into a serving bowl and mix in pepper and oregano.

I paired this dish with a melody of roasted vegetables (green and red peppers, sweet onion, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, and kale). Add the meat sauce on top of the squash and you've got yourself a healthy, filling, and nutritious dinner!

Squash before the oven. The seeds are removed and each piece has been sprayed with canola oil and pepper has been added to them

Squash after the oven. I have scraped each half with a fork

End product! The meat sauce has been added on top, and veggies on the side 

Cheers!

Tostadas With Ground Turkey

Mexican food is a great and filling meal, but sometimes it is loaded with oils and cheese, not to mention the extra fats and calories from the toppings that go with it. Therefore, I found a way to both indulge in my favorite mexican cuisines while also making healthy choices. Any of the ingredients can easily be added to or taken away as well.

Ingredients for the Turkey Portion:

- Ground turkey

- 2 tsp cinnamon (there's that cinnamon again!)

- 2 tsp chili powder

- 2 tsp pepper and salt

- 3 Garlic cloves (chopped)

- Oil

Directions:

- Pour oil in a large pan and brown the turkey with the chopped up garlic on medium heat. Add the spices (chili powder, cinnamon, salt, and pepper) Set aside once the meat is done cooking.

Ingredients/Toppings for the Tostadas:

- Chopped spinach lettuce (I used spinach instead of iceberg because iceberg has no nutritional value)

- Chopped tomatoes

- Black beans, they are SO good for you and are packed with fiber and protein 

- Cottage cheese (instead of sour cream)

- Salsa (I use a great "Fire Roasted" salsa from Trader Joes. It's low in sodium, and has just the right spice)

- Guacamole (my grandma brought some of her homemade guac. She makes it with avocados, tomatoes, red onion, and pomegranate seeds and some other secret ingredients... It's delicious!)

- *Could also add corn and cheese

- Grilled onion, red, and green peppers (I thinly sliced them and grilled the onions first in a medium pan with a little oil on medium heat. I then added the peppers as well as garlic powder, pepper, thyme, and the "21 Seasoning" spice from Trader Joes)

- Tortillas, toasted until they aren't flimsy

Directions:

- Layer the meat and beans on the tortilla first then add the rest of the toppings. I had a side of carrots for extra veggies :)

The toppings! In order from the back left and going right:  chopped spinach, cottage cheese, guacamole, chopped tomatoes, salsa, black beans, grilled vegetables, and then last but not least- the ground turkey.

Finished product! I layered it high with all the goodies and ate every. last. bite.

Cheers!

Pudding Cake aka "Icebox Cake"

I. Love. Dessert. I'm not even halfway through with my dinner before I start planning what I'll have for dessert. My sweet tooth is a serious problem, and my usual "fix" is froyo (frozen yogurt) However, seeing as how I have been there every night this spring break (and once even during the day) I decided that I should branch out and try something new.

My goal was to make something that is just as good and just as healthy as frozen yogurt because I ALWAYS over indulge, but I don't feel bad if the dessert is "healthy."

I decided on an "icebox cake." It is so simple to make, and is not too filling.

Ingredients:
- Box of graham crackers (you could get two boxes, it just depends how many layers/big you want to make the cake) The average layer is 8 pieces
- Pudding (again, the amount depends on how many layers and how big your cake is) The average layer takes 2 pudding cups
- Optional: small fruit slices

Directions:
- In a baking pan, layer the bottom so that it is covered with graham cracker pieces (you may have to break a piece in half so that it all fits. Then start slowly pouring the pudding on top so that the whole layer of crackers are evenly covered with pudding. Once the crackers are all covered, place the second layer on top (make sure to place in the same patter as the first. It makes it easier to cut the pieces this way.) Again, cover again with pudding (I mixed chocolate and vanilla for this layer) and again, cover with another layer of crackers. I only did two layers, however, you can keep going, and also adding thinly sliced fruit with the pudding as well. Place in the fridge until the cake is soft (usually 5 hours).

Pudding Cups

Graham Cracker (I obviously got them from Trader Joes)

Step 1: Layer the pan with graham crackers 

Pudding evenly spread

Finished product!

Cheers!

Mashed Cauliflower (and a great chicken recipe to pair with it)

Mashed cauliflowers are a great substitute to mashed potatoes. They are more nutritious, and in my opinion, delicious. But I am a huge cauliflower fan so that could explain it... Anyway, they are made with simple ingredients, and are ready in twenty minutes or less.

Ingredients:

- Head of cauliflower (Trader Joes sells the perfect size and amount)

- 1/4-1/3 cup of plain Greek yogurt

- Tablespoon of garlic olive oil (found at Trader Joes)

- Cup of chicken broth (I used Trader Joes low sodium)

- Cup of water

- Salt and pepper to taste

- Rosemary or thyme (I used rosemary)

- Optional: 1/4 cup cream cheese

Directions:

- Cut the cauliflower florets and boil in a pot with the cup of chicken broth and cup of water. Boil until the cauliflower is VERY soft, and drain the liquid out. Pour the cauliflower back into the pan and mash until you reach how smooth or thick you want them, while also adding the yogurt, salt, pepper, and either rosemary or thyme. You can also add the cream cheese at this time.

I paired the "potatoes" with chicken and boiled asparagus.

Chicken Recipe:

Ingredients:

- 3 chicken breasts

- Cup of white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)

- Tablespoon of garlic olive oil

- sliced mushrooms

- "21 Seasoning Salute" (It's this AWESOME new spice that I found at Trader Joes. It adds so much flavor and mixes well with anything)

- 1/4 cup fresh parsley 

Directions: 

- Slice chicken pieces in half and then again to make them less thick. (At least I had to because the chicken breasts I had were huge and fat) Plus, it's recommended to have your chicken pieces be the size of a deck of cards... Anyway, brown the chicken in a pan using the tablespoon of garlic olive oil on medium heat. Then, add the cup of wine and mushrooms, as well as the "21" spice (I added a generous amount to each chicken piece. Place a lid on the pan and let the chicken marinate in the spice and wine, then flip the chicken pieces and again, add a generous amount of the "21" spice to this side of the chicken. Add the parsley and cover the pan again to allow the chicken to cook and marinate more.

I also paired this meal with steamed asparagus and peas. It was all in all a filling and oh so healthy meal.

Cheers!

Cauliflower boiling 

Cut chicken pieces browning with the garlic olive oil

Chicken pieces cooking with the added wine, mushrooms, "21" spice, and parsley

Finished product! Mashed cauliflower, chicken with mushrooms, and steamed asparagus and peas

Crock Pot: Southwest Chicken

Here's another easy and healthy crock pot recipe! It took me all of 30 minutes to put it together, so it's a great recipe to do if you're busy and on the run.

Ingredients:
- Chicken breasts (I used three)
- Sweet onion
- Peppers (I used a bagful of the mini red, yellow, and orange peppers)
- Can of black beans
- Can of corn
- Salsa (as much or as little as you want)
- Garlic powder

Directions:
- Cut the onion and peppers into bite size pieces. Place all ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Cheers!

Crock Pot: Chicken and Spinach

Hello everyone! I'm sorry that it has been a couple weeks since I have posted, I promise I haven't forgotten about you :) While in hibernation, I discovered a new love and obsession: the crock pot! It's so easy, handy, and offers a wide variety of meal possibilities. It's also convenient to use when you have a very busy schedule like I do.

This week, I put together a crock pot meal with 6 simple ingredients, yet it had so much flavor (and was oh so filling).

Ingredients:
- chicken breasts (I used 3 because I was just cooking for my roommate and I. Plus, our crock pot is small so 3 fit comfortably)
- jar of marinara sauce (I used the whole jar, but I would recommend eyeing it because we have A LOT of left overs now)
- can of diced tomatoes
- bag of frozen spinach
- 2 chopped zucchinis
- garlic powder

Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. I stirred everything in between my classes as well.

Cheers! Hope you enjoy

The BEST Homemade Granola

Granola is such a tasty and easy way to incorporate more nuts and grains into your everyday meals, not to mention it goes well with just about anything- yogurt, ice cream, oatmeal, frozen yogurt... The list goes on and on. However, if you look at some of the nutrition facts for the granola at the store you might see that a lot are packed with lots of sugar, fat, and extra preservatives. This granola recipe is straight to the point without anything extra added to it- making it oh so healthy!

I've also included a great morning oatmeal recipe that you can incorporate the granola into- which is what I eat almost every morning and it leaves me full and satisfied until lunch time.

Granola Recipe:

- 4 cups of oatmeal (I use the multi grain with rye, barley, oats, and wheat from Trader Joes. It's loaded with lots of fiber, grain, and protein)

- 1 cup each of chopped walnuts, pecans and almonds (or used slivered)

- about 1/4 to 1/3 cup each of sunflower seeds and flax seed (Trader Joes has great flax seed)

- 2 tablespoons each of cinnamon, canola oil and vanilla (more cinnamon is ALWAYS okay)

- zest of one orange

- 1/2 to 3/4 cup of honey

*Optional - You could add fruit and or dark chocolate chips if you want more sweets

- Directions: Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and mix all together. Spray a baking pan, spread the granola evenly in the pan and bake at 350 for a half hour, taking the pan out and mixing every 10 minutes. After done. mix again, let cool and mix at least once or twice again every 15 minutes.

*Storage- Place in a large ziploc bag and keep in the freezer.

All the ingredients in a large mixing bowl

The plethora of nuts!

Cheers!

I incorporate granola into my breakfast every morning in either my oatmeal or yogurt. Here's how I add it to my oatmeal...

Oatmeal Recipe:

- 1/4 cup oatmeal (again, I use the multi grain with rye, barley, and wheat from Trader Joes)

- 1/4 cup of the yummy yummy granola

- 1/4 cup blueberries

- 1/4 strawberries cut into small pieces

- 1/2 a banana also cut into small pieces

- Cinnamon (as much as you want)

- Directions: combine the oatmeal and granola into a bowl and add 3/4 cup of water and heat for a minute and a half. Once done heating, place fruit on top and dash cinnamon on top as well. Mix and, ta-da! Breakfast. you could also add a scoop of plain Greek yogurt for extra flavor.

The oatmeal I rave about

1/4 cup Granola, 1/4 cup Oatmeal

Fruit

Finished product!

Cheers!

Tofu and Vegetable Yellow Curry

I LOVE THAI FOOD. It is so good, from pad Thai, to the eggplant dish, not to mention the yellow curry- I could eat it all day every day. Last night was my last night at home before going back to school and instead of going out to dinner, I decided to make my own Thai food. It came out delicious if I do say so myself, and there are plenty of leftovers to reheat and enjoy again! (If you didn't know, the next best thing I love is leftovers).

The ingredients are so simple and healthy, and the prep and cook time in very minimal, making it a perfect dish to throw together. It's also a nice meal to make if you are having a big group of people over because it makes a lot, is easy to serve, AND is very filling.

Tofu and Vegetable Yellow Curry:
- Broccoli cut in bite size pieces
- Cauliflower cut in bite size pieces
- Carrots cut in bite size pieces
- Green beans cut in bite size pieces
- Yellow onion sliced NOT chopped
- Lentils (a GREAT source of grains, fiber, and protein. My nutritionist really suggests adding these whenever possible. That and quinoa) You'll be using the whole package for this meal
- Tofu cut in bite size pieces (Trader Joes has great tofu) If you don't like tofu you could always do chicken, or no meat
- Can of LIGHT coconut milk (the regular has a lot more fat) I got the light at Trader Joes
- Bottle of Yellow Curry, you will use the whole bottle too (I also got this at Trader Joes)
* Pineapple, this is the side I paired with it and it was very refreshing (Pineapples are also known to help if you feel bloated, just an FYI)
- Directions: Cut all the vegetables into bite size pieces. There is no measurement as to how much you should have, just as much as you want to eat! In a large pot (a soup pot) pour in the milk and curry, and then add the vegetables and tofu. Mix well so that the vegetables and tofu are covered in the sauce. Cook on HIGH for about 5 minutes (it will start boiling) and then reduce to a MEDIUM temperature- add the lentils. Stir. Cook on medium for another 10-15 minutes. You can eyeball it really. After that, keep on LOW until you want to serve it. Remember to keep stirring it through the process.

A serving size is about 1 cup (it's so filling) with pineapple on the side.

The mix of vegetables, all bite size

Delicious tofu!

Lentils - high in fiber and protein

De-Licious!

Cheers!