Healthy-ish Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars...

Did you know that if you bake with sunflower seed butter your baked goods will turn green? Why you ask...Sunflower seeds contain chlorophyll, also known as chlorogenic acid. The acid reacts with the baking powder/soda in a recipe when heated and when it cools it turns green! It still tastes delicious so have no fear. This recipe is quick, healthy-ish and delicious!



Ingredients:
1 can (1 & 1/2 cup drained and rinsed garbanzo beans)
1/4 cup Sunflower seed butter
1/4 cup almond or oat flour
1/3 cup coconut sugar or (unpacked brown sugar)
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
1/8 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Set Aside:
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 crushed walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and oil an 8x8 baking sheet or use parchment paper.

2 Mix all in ingredients together in the food process until throughly mixed (except the chocolate chips and walnuts).

2. Stir in ingredients from the "set aside list."

4. Spread batter in the 8x8 pan and bake for 30 minutes (it should still look moist when removed from the and oven).

5. Set on cooling rack until cooled (at which time they will turn green). Enjoy!

Thoughts on Meal Plans...

Some of my clients are beginning the Fitness Challenge at the West Sac Rec tonight and others are not. I thought I'd share this because even if you're not doing the Fitness Challenge YOU CAN do this with me (you don't have to be client either). This morning I started eating a meal plan that I made just for me and my current lifestyle. I have some hesitation in doing this because I LOVE FOOD. I always have and always will, but I also know that for me personally meal plans work well in the short term. When I eat nearly the same thing, at nearly same time, everyday my body likes it and responds well. Getting myself on a eating schedule and meal plan is how I arrived at the leanest I have ever been (circa 2012). This time it isn't about being the leanest, it just about feeling better in my clothes and making some Yoga poses more comfortable. As one of my former clients so eloquently stated, "It's all about being a size "M."

That said, sometimes wearing a smaller size or getting leaner isn't a big priority because life delivers us bigger "fish-to-fry" (pun intended).  As I'm sure we've all experienced, I haven't had the desire to be really strict, partially because of my schedule, but also because sometimes worrying about how many calories, or grams of protein I've eaten in a day seems far less than important than everything else in my life for the last 4 years. BUT paying attention each day to how much I'm eating is doable right now. This strategy focuses on my daily actions rather than trying to see the big picture. Long term goals are far less tangible and though they may be important in some cases they do not get us through our day-to-day choices. Instead, focusing on one day at a time is how I have experienced and seen the best outcomes. My current objective is not aligned with any specific weight or body fat; it's just focusing each day on the parts of my lifestyle that I can improve upon.

Here's how you can join me:

1. Find a picture of yourself at the weight/body fat/etc. you desire to be. Let this be the picture you glance at when your motivation finds a slump.

2. Set a goal for how much water you will drink each day and perhaps design a meal plan to fit your needs (if you need help here let me know). Aim for high quality and nutrient dense whole foods.

3. Each day do not think, "Oh, when I was____I only weighed ____." Instead focus on the positive and present moment rather than the past. Try this... "I'm eating this food and I'm drinking this water to move the needle a tiny bit closer to where I want to be physically."

4. Eat your meals and plan your exercise with intention and awareness.

5. Grab your calendar and put a little heart of the days that pass to show yourself a little love :-) and to recognize your accomplishment.

My Personal Strategies:

• When I eat on a meal plan I prep my food in advance and put my days worth of food my lunch bag (sometimes even my dinner), if it's not in the bag then it doesn't go in my tummy.
• I do not log on myfitnesspal once I've settled into my meal plan because I already know exactly what I'm eating.
• I start each day with a big glass of water and always drink water before I eat.
• I drink lots of tea (hot and iced).
• I carry gum and mints for munchy moments. (I'm always hungry ;-)
• Lastly, I will not eat when I'm watching TV or on the computer because this is when mindless eating occurs for me.

Side Notes & Disclaimers:

• Eating on a meal plan does not teach you how to eat healthfully and if your meal plan is not appropriate for YOUR needs when you stop eating the meal plan and go back to your previous dietary patterns it's likely that you will gain weight (probably more than you lost).
• Meal plans can be tremendously helpful when they're used appropriately for short periods of time and customized to the individual's needs (they are not necessary, but very helpful for busy people). 
• Weight lost while using a meal plan can be sustained, but education must be provided to the person on the meal plan because eating less calories than needed will slow their metabolism thus decreasing the amount of food an individual can tolerate without weight gain.
• Final Tip...honor your body, be smart, use logic, do your homework & ask questions!!!

A Healthier Snack Solution...

I don't know about you, but I love to snack and because of my odd schedule it's important to have some options on hand. It can be hard to find snacks that are healthy, void of added chemicals, and that are also convenient and affordable. As a kid, my mom made homemade popcorn for my sister's and I all the time, but it was normally covered in butter and salt which tasted great, but as I got older I stopped eating it because I knew it was unhealthy. My friend Staci inspired me to make a healthier version that packs some healthy fats, lots of fiber and B vitamins. I hope you enjoy it as much as my hubby and I do!


Spiced Popcorn

Ingredients:
1/3 cup Popcorn Kernels (unpopped)
4 Tbsp Avocado Oil (Coconut or other high temp oils work well too)
1/3 cup Nutritional Yeast
1.5 Tsp Garlic Powder
1.5 Tsp Chili Powder
1.5 Tsp Turmeric
1.5 Tsp Sea Salt

Directions:

1. Mix the spices and nutritional yeast together and set aside.

2. Pour 2 Tbsp of the oil in a large stock pot. Add the kernels and mix the kernels with the oil until coated with oil.

3. Place on high heat and cover. Shake the pot every 30 second or so and wait to hear the popping noise. When 3 seconds passes between popping sounds remove the pan from heat and uncover.

4. Drizzle the remaining oil on top and gently stir or shake in the spices. The turmeric gives it the yellow color so it looks buttery. The measurements above will make your popcorn mildly spiced, but if you like more of a punch add more of your favorite spices.

5. Enjoy and if you want to read about the "Is popcorn bad for you?" question check out this blog post.

Healthy-ish Carrot Cake Muffins....

Today is Easter and I'm trying to wrap my head around the fact that March is nearly over. Normally our family has big holiday celebrations, but this year Easter just snuck up on  us so rather than doing a big family dinner some of the family came to our house for brunch. I made these healthy-ish carrot cake muffins and pineapple cream cheese frosting. I looked at a couple different recipes and ended up using this one with a couple modifications. I was worried they wouldn't have the right texture because there's no flour and a lot of wet ingredients, I was pleasantly surprised by both the taste and texture. Check it out!

Ingredients:

2 cups Almond Meal
1 cup ground rolled oats
1 tsp sea salt1 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
4 eggs
⅓ cup Sugar free maple syrup (pure maple or honey if desired)
¼ cup avocado oil
3 cups carrots, finely shredded (use food processor or cheese grater)
½ cup raisins
3/4 cup crushed pineapple with juice

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl (Flours, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg) and set aside
3. Beat eggs, olive oil and maple syrup together with a whisk.
4. Add in carrots, raisins and pineapple
5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until fully 6. incorporated.
7. Place into lined muffin cups- makes about 15 muffins when cups are filled
8. Bake for 25 minutes

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients: 
8 oz softened cream cheese
2/3 stick of softened butter 
1/3 cup crushed pineapple + 3 Tbsp Juice
3 to 4 cups of powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Beat softened butter and cream cheese until thoroughly mixed.
2. Add 3 Tbsp of pineapple juice and mix thoroughly.

3.  Slowly add powered sugar until you reached your desired consistency.
4. Fold in crushed pineapple.


Let muffins completely cool prior to frosting. I recommend refrigerating the frosting prior to use to make it easier to spread. Enjoy!!!

Meat Free Monday Spaghetti Casserole

Seth loves pasta. Any kind really, but his favorite is lasagna. I love making it for him, but in it's traditional form it's not so healthy as an everyday meal. I've been experimenting with different ways make both of us happy at dinner time and here's what I've been cooking.

In exploring creative ways to consume generous amounts of protein without being too hard on our bodies I've been cooking with vegetarian proteins every now and then. High protein diets are touted for weight loss, but they can be hard on our liver and kidneys over time. Click here to learn more. To add variety to our diet and keep our bodies functioning optimally I believe that using vegetarian sources of protein sporadically can be beneficial. Meaning that I don't think meat is bad, but sometimes I think it's appropriate to less meat and more veggies and legumes (don't get crazy my meat loving friends.)! But if you really want some "vegucation" check out this video. Without further ado...

Ingredients:
8 oz Spaghetti or noodle shape of choice
1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce (no corn syrup or weird stuff and homemade is even better!)
1 carton sliced baby bella mushrooms (or about 15 sliced mushrooms)
20 cherry tomatoes
1 sliced white onion
1 head of  chopped broccoli
1 sliced zucchini
1 can garbanzo beans
2 Tbsp Oil ( I used MCT, you'll want one that can sustain high heat)
Salt
Pepper

Optional:
2+ oz of Mozzarella Cheese and or parmesan
Red Pepper flakes
Crushed Garlic


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Cook spaghetti, drain, place back in pot and pour sauce on top. Mix together and set aside. (while pasta is cooking it's a good time to chop veggies.)

3. Once your veggies are chopped place them on baking sheet and season with sea salt, pepper and toss with oil. Place in oven for 10 minutes at 450 degrees.

 4. While the veggies are cooking spread the spaghetti in bottom of a large glass baking dish as pictured below.

                                     

5. Place the drained and rinsed garbanzo beans on top in an even fashion.

6. If using cheese place a light layer of cheese top of the garbanzo beans and spaghetti.

7. When the veggies are done place them on top of the spaghetti, garbanzos and cheese.

8. Add more cheese if desired and place place oven at 450 degrees or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

9. Remove from oven and let rest before serving. Enjoy!

Before it goes in the oven for it's final melt.

Quinoa Pasta Salad

Hi All-

Since grad school started I've done very little blogging and posting of recipes, but I tried to take as many pictures as possible and keep creating new tasty things so that I'd have many recipes to share when grad school ends. And guess what?! I graduate in 5 weeks! Right now instead of doing homework (as I should be) I'm writing and sharing this yummy meal. It's a just a little taste of what I hope to spend my free time doing after graduation.

This has been a go-to meal for my hubby and I because I can prep it ahead of time and it keeps for several days (in fact I think it tastes better after a day in the fridge). This recipe has a lot of room to be creative and add vegetables of your choosing, these are just some of my favorites!



Quinoa Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 box quinoa pasta (8oz) (I use ancient harvest brand) Cooked and drained
2 small cucumbers diced
2 bell peppers diced
3 cups chopped raw broccoli
1/3 cup crumbled Feta Cheese (seasoned, fat free or your choice)
1 cup shredded carrot
1 can garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained)
1 can smoked sockeye salmon in EVOO (remove skin and drain oil)

Dressing: 1 tsp ground sea salt, 1 Tbsp minced tried onion, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/8 cup EVOO

Method:
Mix all ingredients together with dressing & enjoy! It keeps in the fridge 4-5 days and is great served on a bed of lettuce and topped with cherry tomatoes like in the picture below!

Lunches packed and full of good nutrition!

Fiber One Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispy Bars

I made these for Gertrude's 15th Birthday at Fitness Rehab. If you've been to FR then you know Gertrude...she's kinda famous!  This recipe is quick, easy and high in fiber. It's still sweet, just a little less sinful!

Ingredients: 

Layer 1: (From the bottom up)
1.5 cup Fiber One, 3/4 c Coco cripsies, 1.5 c rice crispies, 1/3 c all natural peanut butter, & 3 c mini marshmallows
Layer 2:
1/2 cup Semi sweet chocolate chips, 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, 1/4 cup all natural peanut butter
Layer 3: 
1.5 c Fiber One, 3/4 c Coco cripsies, 1.5 c rice crispies, & 3 c mini marshmallows, 2 T butter

I don't typically measure things exactly and this time of year my house is freezing so when I made this I had to move even more quickly because everything was setting up before I could mix it all together! That said, these measurements are not exact, but the nice thing about these kid of treats is that you can always add more cereal if the ratio's don't seem quite right when you mixing the wet and dry ingredients.

Directions:

1. Prepare large baking dish with butter or coconut oil.
2. In a medium sauce pan, melt marshmallows and peanut butter for layer 1, stirring constantly on medium heat, when well combined mix with dry ingredients for layer 1 and press in to the prepared pan.
3. Wash your pan in warm water while the marshmallow is still easy to get wipe off. Put 1/2 inch water in sauce pan and place it back on the stove on low-medium heat (or if have a double boiler use it). Place a glass bowl inside the sauce pan and melt/stir layer 2 ingredients together.
4. Evenly pour layer 2 ingredients over the top of  layer 1, spread with spatula.
5. Empty out sauce pan and dry thoroughly. Replace sauce pan on stove and melt butter for layer 3 on medium heat, stir in marshmallows until well mixed and melted, combine with remaining cereal and spread on top of layer 2.
6. Use a buttered spatula or hands to press layers together. Let cool, cut and enjoy. This a huge recipe and could probably serve 20ish people.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Bell Peppers...

Ingredients:

1/1/2 cups cooked grain (brown rice, quinoa, millet)

1/3 cup crushed almonds or walnuts

1 lbs cooked ground turkey, beef or pork

1 onion, finely chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced

4 celery stalks, finely chopped

4 bell peppers (green, red, or yellow)

2 teaspoons olive oil or ghee

salt to taste

Directions:

       1.  Sauté onion and garlic with oil for 1 minute.

       2.  Add celery and sauté for 3 minutes.

       3.  Mix with remaining ingredients, except peppers and crushed nuts.

       4.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

       5.  Cut off tops of peppers and scoop out insides.

       6.  Steam peppers until slightly tender.

       7.  Fill each with stuffing and top with crushed nuts.

       8.  Place in casserole dish with 1/8 inch water, bake in oven for 30 minutes and serve.

Adapted from Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Tradition and Modern Nutrition, by Paul Pitchford.

Meal Prep

Do you meal prep for the week? Or a couple days at a time? I try to every week because it saves us money and time. It also saves us from over eating or eating food that's less than good for us. My clients often ask what's the easiest way to eat well so I'm going to share what works best at our house.

Butternut Squash sauteed with zucchini, Broccoli, and Tuna

Every weekend I cook a protein source (chicken, turkey, beef or pork mostly) steam veggies and cut up tons of veggies and fruit. Honestly it takes me no more than an hour to do everything. I package up 8 lunches and put all the other stuff (extra protein, veggies, and fruit) in big containers. We use the leftover meat and veggies through out the week to make dinners and the cut up fruit for snacks smoothies.

Our lunches normally look something like this:

Salsa Verde chicken with Quinoa, Broccoli and Pineapple

Salad Toppin's

Throughout the week our dinners consist of quick things like salads topped with protein and veggies with homemade dressing, quesadillas or healthy nachos, Tilapia with veggies with rice, green protein shake smoothies and omelettes. We both work late so our dinners are always quick and easy, but if I didn't meal prep we'd be eating take out (spending lots of $) or oatmeal (boring!) every night!

In my fridge you'll always find a big tub of chopped veggies, cooked and drained beans for salad and more. The best part about prepping is that if you have everything prepared in the fridge there's no reason that you can't eat well and when you're too exhausted to cook there's always something to eat, just throw everything in a bowl and you can create healthy meal like the ones below!

"Pork Fried Rice"

Roasted Veggies with Balsamic and Parm

Too Tired to cook, throw everything in a bowl and top with Siracha


Happy 4th of July! It's a 3 day weekend for most of you so make a little time for meal prep and let me know how it goes!

3 More Ways to Use Your Shaker Cups...

Do you have a shaker cup or blender bottle? You know those ones that have a little ball shaped whisk that floats around at the bottom? They look remarkably like the Tupperware quick shake my mom had when I was kid, but now they're fancy, colorful and most of all trendy. Even if you're not a protein shake slugging "gym rat" they're a great tool to have on hand. I use mine for slugging protein shakes, but also for a lot of other stuff too..

1. Salad Dressing... Homemade vinaigrette keeps well in the shaker bottle because of the air tight seal and it doesn't need to be to refrigerated so it can just stay in the cabinet until you're ready to shake and serve again, again and again.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 c Olive Oil
1/2 c Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 c Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 c Vanilla Balsamic Vinegar (flavor of your choice)
3 Heaping Tbsp Minced dehydrated Garlic
2 Tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
1/8 cup Braggs Amino Sauce
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 Heaping Tbsp Savory Blend Dehydrated Herbs

Directions:
Combine everything in a large shaker cup and shake before serving. It taste better the longer the seasonings is soaking in the vinegar and oil.


2. Iced Coffee... After we're done with our brewed coffee in the morning I pour the leftovers into a shaker bottle and put it in the fridge for the next day. The next morning all you have to do is throw in a scoop of your favorite protein powder an you have a flavored, protein filled iced coffee. Chocolate is my favorite way to create a mocha flavor.

3. Fluffy Eggs... When I make eggs I really like them fluffy and the shaker cup is a great way to make your eggs or egg whites fluffy. Rather than whisking your scrambled eggs toss them in to your shaker cup and shake away. You can add your milk, salt and/or pepper to the shaker too!

What's for Breakfast?!

If I'm home Sunday's I normally sleep in til 7am, yahoo! Seth likes it when I make him breakfast so I try to make him something a little special when I can. This week I made him one of my favorite things with some extra toppings.

Banana and egg pancakes are super simple and delicious if you like bananas! Here's how to make them:

Ingredients:

Seth's Pancake topped w/strawberries, bananas, granola, PB and cinnamon.

2 whole eggs
3/4 cup egg whites
1 ripe banana
Cinnamon to taste
1 Tbsp Vanilla extract

Direction (Makes 2 Giant Pancakes):

1. Smash banana with fork in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Crack eggs and pour egg whites in bowl with smashed banana.
3. Whisk in vanilla and cinnamon until bubbly and well mixed.
4. Pour batter in prepared skillet heated to medium/high and cover for 2 minutes.
5. Remove lid and flip pancake, cook uncovered for another 2 minutes
6. Serve and top with anything you like, enjoy!

Can you see mine in the back? I put spinach in it...weird, I know.

Not Your Typical Nachos...

Before we get started I want to make it clear I'm not encouraging tortilla chips as an everyday snack, but we make homemade nachos as a special treat about twice a month. Our homemade nachos are not your average nachos though. Give them a try and see whatcha think, we like them better than any restaurant variety.

Ingredients:
2 Servings (12-18 chips) Store Bought (no more than 4 ingredients: Oil, Corn, Salt & Lime) or homemade
1 lb ground Grass fed Bison
5 oz Shredded Raw White Cheddar Cheese
1 white or yellow onion
1 12oz bag of spinach
1 cup Mississippi Caviar
1 Avocado
1 Bunch Cilantro
Fajita seasonings for ground bison
Optional:
Jalapenos
Extra Salsa
Greek whole milk plain yogurt or sour cream
Finely Shredded Red Cabbage (look for a future post on my purple nachos)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place chips on an oven safe dish and top with cheese, set aside.
3. Brown the ground bison and seasonings in a skillet on the stove top, drain grease. Add diced onions and spinach, continue to cook spinach until wilted. Turn off heat and cover.
4. Put chips and cheese in oven, and set timer for 5-8 minutes (keep an eye on the cheese until it's golden brown).
5. Remove cheesy chips from oven and top with ground bison/spinach, Mississippi caviar and toppings of your choice.
6. Enjoy!

Green Bean Casserole

I have something to admit, I love Women's Day Magazine. I think it's a guilty pleasure kind of thing because I only buy one or read it on vacation. When I was in Boston visiting my sister and her husband I bought a copy of Women's Day at the airport because of this recipe for Green Bean Casserole. I wanted to recreate a more healthy version, here's is what came up with:

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

3 tablespoon(s) olive oil, plus more for the dish

Kosher salt

Pepper

2 pound(s) green beans, trimmed and halved

(about 1-2 links) Italian chicken sausage, casings removed

1lb extra lean ground chicken

3/4 cup almond meal

1/4 cup ground flax seed

1/4 cup(s) grated Parmesan

2 tablespoon(s) grated Parmesan

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove(s) garlic, finely chopped

3/4 cup(s) milk

4 ounce(s) neufchatel cheese 

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch cayenne pepper

2 teaspoon(s) fresh lemon zest

12oz of fresh spinach or 1-10oz box frozen spinach chopped spinach 

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. grease a 2-quart baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the beans and cook until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to cool. 

2. Meanwhile, cook the sausage and ground chicken cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, about 5-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the almond meal, ground flax and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. 

3. Wipe out the skillet and heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the onion, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. 

4. Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the neufchatel cheese, nutmeg, cayenne, and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes; stir in the lemon zest and toss with the green beans.

5. Fold in the spinach and transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the sausage mixture and bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Read more: Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Sausage Recipe - Woman's Day 

Kangaroo Meatballs

This week has been a bit hectic at our house, but today I made sure I found the time to cook up the Kangaroo meat I bought last week. The grocery store was out of Bison so I figured it would be fun to try. I’ve never cooked with Kangaroo before so I did some research on cooking methods and nutrition. 

Kangaroo is a very lean red meat and in flavor it’s similar to Venison. It's best served medium rare or rare. If using ground Kangaroo meat as I did make sure to combine it with something that has fat (bacon, egg, pancetta etc). I made Tabbouleh Kangaroo meatballs served with mixed greens, tomatoes, Ricotta Salata, Tzatzki, hummus and Pita bread. 

The tabbouleh salad adds a lot of flavor and texture to the meatballs. This recipe would be great with beef or bison as well.

Ingredients:

1lb Ground Kangaroo (I bought mine at Sprouts Market)

1 Yellow onion (diced)

2 Tbsp Crushed Garlic

1/3 Cup Tabbouleh Salad (premade available at Sprouts Market & other specialty markets)

1/3 cup Almond meal

1 beaten egg

Salt, lemon pepper

1 Tbsp bacon grease or coconut oil (bacon grease adds a little flavor)

Directions:

1. Combine meat, diced onion, crushed garlic, Tabouli salad, Almond meal and egg in a large mixing bowl by hand. Add desired about of Salt and lemon pepper and mix thoroughly.

2. Roll meat in to balls with 2 inch diameter. This should give you 10-12 balls.

3. Heat bacon grease or coconut oil in skillet big enough to accommodate all balls without touching each other. 

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

5. Brown the meatballs on medium to high heat. 

6. Place meatballs in glass dish and cover with foil, place in oven. 

7  After 10 minutes pull the glass dish out and remove foil. Put back in oven for 5 minutes. (Keep an eye on them if you prefer your meat rare. I prefer my ground meat cook all the way through (no pink) and that took 15 minutes).

8.  Enjoy!

Nutrition for 1 Ball:

Calories: 84  

Fat: 2.7 

Carbs: 4.5 

Protein: 10.8 

Pumpkin Sweet Potato Soup Adapted from Wellness Mama

This Halloween I bought two massive pumpkin thinking that we would carve them as we have in years past. Well, Halloween came and went and we never carved them, I HATE to waste anything that we've purchased so I was determined to make something with these giant pumpkins.

Seth doesn't love the flavor of pumpkin so I was struggling to put something together that I wouldn't be eating alone. I came across this recipe for Loaded Sweet Potato Soup on Wellness Mama's site (btw, she has some great stuff going on over there). Of course a loaded sweet potato soup could potentially have bacon, cheese, scallions and sour cream...all things Seth willing eats so that's where the inspiration for this new fall favorite came from. I like my soup to have lots of texture, not runny like a broth or traditional cream soup. This recipe gives you the flexibility to decide what consistency you'd like.

This soup is very flexible, you can use as much pumpkin or sweet potato as you'd like, I've made this 3 times now and each time I play with the ratios of pumpkin to sweet potato. Most recently I used 4 cups of pumpkin and 1 Camote Yam. The texture was slightly changed but the flavor remained close to the same, so have fun with this one and get creative with your toppings.

Ingredients:
2-3 cups Pumpkin Puree (canned or homemade)
2-3 Large Sweet potatoes or Yams ( I use Camote or Garnet)
1.5 cup Cooked and diced Bacon, Canadian Bacon or Pancetta (nitrate free)
1 Large diced Yellow Onion
3 cloves minced  Garlic (about 2-3 heaping Tbsp)
1 Quart Chicken Broth
1/3 cup Full Fat Coconut Milk or Dairy Cream
1 Tbsp Coconut Butter or Dairy Butter
2 Tsp to 1 Tbsp Ground Ginger
1 Tbsp Dried Tarragon
Fresh Ground Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Optional Toppings:
Plain Greek Yogurt
Shredded Cheese (Seth likes Sharp Cheddar & Jack)
Sauteed Garlic Mushrooms
Scallions
Diced Apples and Honey
Fried Onions
More Bacon or meat of choice

Directions:

1. Peel, diced and boil sweet potatoes in a large stock pot. I prefer to leave the skin on because I like the texture and added nutrient value.

2. While the potatoes are cooking, brown diced onion, garlic, and meat of choice (if using bacon or pancetta wait until onions become nearly translucent to add meat). After browned removed from heat and set aside for later.

3. When the potatoes are soft enough to mash with a fork, turn off the burner and drain water. Return the stock pot to stove (no heat yet) add chicken broth and mash potatoes by hand or with a Braun Mixer.

4. Add pumpkin and coconut milk and turn stove on low. Mix together until coloring is even.

5. Add browned onions, garlic and meat. Season with Tarragon, Ginger, Salt and Pepper. Keep heat on low for 20-30 minutes and stir regularly until heated thoroughly.

6. Top, serve and enjoy!

Notes: This soup taste even better the next day. I've made it with Coconut products and Dairy, I prefer to use butter and cream. but also enjoyed the coconut version (using coconut products doesn't make it taste like coconut). Of all the meat options I liked the Canadian Bacon the best, it browns well with the onion and adds a great texture to the soup.

Bison "Tutto"

"Tutto" means everything in Italian. That was Seth's creative name for this meal...it has a little bit of everything! His came with a BIG grilled cheese, but the main dish is a healthy dose of veggies and Bison. This Bison Tutto makes for a quick weekday dinner and LOTS of leftovers when you're feeding two. Plus, it's a very affordable and filling dish!

Bison Tutto Served with Baked Mozzarella "grilled cheese."

Ingredients:
1 lb ground Bison (ground beef or pork if you prefer)
1 large diced yellow onion
2 Garlic Cloves
1 cups sliced mushrooms (baby bellas or white button)
1 head of cabbage thinly sliced (thinly sliced zucchini)
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1 can Arrabiata or Marinara (no canola oil or added sugar is preferred)
Salt, pepper and oregano (to liking)

Optional:
Parmesan or Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:

1. Partially brown meat in pan, add diced onion and garlic. Add mushroom and cook down. (if not using bison drain grease after browning, grass fed bison is very lean so there's little to no fat to drain)

2. Add thinly sliced cabbage or zucchini, cover, stir frequently under medium heat until tender. Drain excess liquid if needed.

3. Add fire roasted tomatoes and marinara sauce, mix and heat thoroughly.

4. Remove from heat and serve. Top with cheese if you'd like and enjoy! Maybe even have it with a glass of Malbec!

Serves 6
*Made with grass fed Bison, Cabbage and Arrabiata sauce
Cals: 265
Fat: 7
Carb: 27
Pro: 24
Fiber: 8
Sugar: 9

Porky Balls!

I hope you have a sense of humor and can get past the title because this recipe is amazing.

Do you struggle to get your loved ones to eat veggies?

Are you looking for a healthy high protein snack?

Are you sick of eating the same thing all the time?

If you answered yes to any of those questions you must keep reading!

This recipe was inspired by my lovely cousin Melanie. She recently made one of her childhood favorites, Porcupine Meatballs and posted about how good they were on Facebook. When I saw that recipe I knew Seth would love them, they're simple and have all of his favorite things (meat, rice and marinara sauce).  But, I also wanted something I could eat on the go in between appointments and something with veggies! I played with the recipe, made some tweaks and came up with a little ball of hearty goodness that Seth willing eats not knowing how healthy it is! Thanks for the inspiration Mel, I'll have to bring some over to have you taste test!

Ingredients:

Balls:
1.25 lbs 95% Lean Ground Pork (You could use beef or poultry)
1/2 cup Shredded Mozzarella
1/2 cup Uncooked Brown Rice
2 Tbsp crushed Garlic (2 large cloves)
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cups Shredded Carrots
2 cups raw spinach

Ready to be browned  in skillet

1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Egg
Salt and Pepper to liking

Sauce:
1 16 oz Jar Tomato or Marinara Sauce (look for one with very few ingredients, avoiding canola oil and added sugars)
1 cup water

Directions:

1. Mix all ball ingredients by hand in a large bowl, you will need to mix and squeeze to bruise the spinach well enough to stick to meat mixture.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Scoop and roll 14-16 meatballs to the size of your liking and place in skillet (med-high heat) to brown. Roll or flip the balls around to brown all sides. This should take 12-15 minutes.

Browned and ready for sauce.

4. Use a slotted spoon (to drain any grease) and and place balls in a large baking dish (glass 8x12 is my preference).

5. Mix Water and Sauce together and then pour evenly over the balls.

6. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes, remove from oven and take foil off. Put in the oven uncovered and bake another 10-15 minutes (watch to make sure all the sauce doesn't evaporate).

7. Let cool and serve!

Ready to be put back in the oven for 15 minutes uncovered,

Serving Size 2 Balls:
Cals: 198
Fat: 6
Carb: 12
Sugar: 2
Fiber: 2
Protein: 24

Four Tips for Continued Wellness...

I think a lot about how to best serve people in what I do. Part of the reason I haven't posted in some time is that there is so much I want to say. This post is not for mirror muscle folks, but for the ones who are truly in search of something more.

Many people come to me to me with the goal of  weight-loss (weight-loss is important in many cases), but generally after getting to know them, together we discover that they're actually in search of WELLNESS: I define wellness as a state of being that eases your mind and body, you feel strong, healthy and nurtured; you have little to no anxiety about lifestyle and nutrition choices, and you feel confident that you're treating your body with the respect it deserves. Nutrition and exercise are just part of the larger goal of wellness, which includes mind, body and spirit.

For as long as I can remember I've been obsessed with exercise, nutrition and what the combination of the two can do to our bodies. I'll be the first to admit that at times my obsession has manifested in healthy patterns and at other times my obsession has reared it's head in ugly and unhealthy ways. Although not healthy or ideal it was always during more challenging times that I was reminded that exercise and nutrition are not enough to be well. I've identified a couple tips that I've found helpful and helpful to others in achieving a long term wellness. I offer these because often even when nutrition and exercise have fallen in to place and weight loss or fitness goals are being met for many people feelings accomplishment or overall wellness are short lived. It's so important to address your goals from a psychological and long term perspective.

1.  Take the time every couple of months to sit down and write out what you want accomplish in your wellness journey. The disconnect between what we want and our strategy for getting "there" often comes from a lack of consciousness. Our lives move at such a fast pace that people (often myself included) don't take the time to ask, "How does my behavior serve me and/or my long term goals?"


2. Understand that your parents were right when they told you were special. Every single person is different, you CAN NOT compare yourself to others. As Theodore Roosevelt said, "Comparison is the thief of joy." If you ever plan on being happy, you have to embrace who you are, be happy for others and make the most of your strengths!

3. Be well rounded and diversify your passions. Imagine what your life would be like if something you're passionate about vanished? How would you cope or manage to move forward? For me I try to imagine what my life would be like if I could no longer teach my classes and be active doing the activities I'm most passionate about. I ask myself, have I spent enough time diversifying my interest so that I could find enjoyment from doing something else? Have a invested enough time in my relationships with loved ones? Try to create balance in your life and don't let your short term goals consume you. Remember that if your ultimate goal is wellness that too much of anything will throw you off course.

4. Communicate with others. Think of the people in your life as your team, if you've played sports you may remember your coach telling you the #1 key to success is communication. Your friends and family can not read your mind so if you want/need support you have to ask. If you fear confrontation then seek help from someone you trust and can talk to.

Step back from your life and check in with your progress. Wellness is a lifelong journey, but it should also be a fulfilling one.

In Health,
-B

Banana Bread & Egg No McMuffin Top

Last year I posted a recipe called "Egg No McMuffin Needed," it was basically a mini crust-less quiche. It was savory and just what low carb folk like to eat for breakfast. This "No McMuffin Top" is sweet, not low carb but lower in sugar than the average banana bread plus it's packed full of protein and fiber.

Ingredients:
4 Ripe Bananas Smashed
2/3 cup Coconut Butter
1 Whole Egg
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 cup Liquid Egg Whites
1 2/3 cup Whole Wheat or Gluten Free Flour
1/3 cup Ground Flaxseed
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
Optional: 1 cup Raisins or Sliced Almonds



1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins or line muffin tin with baking cups.

2. Mix the first 5 listed ingredients plus 1/4 cup of liquid egg whites until well blended.

3. Slowly add and mix the rest of ingredients in until thoroughly mixed.

4. Fill muffin cups 1/2 up then fill 1/4 way up with liquid egg whites.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Enjoy!

 

 Makes 8-10 large muffins or 12-16 normal muffins.

 

 

New Recipe Alert!

SERVED!

I finally whipped out the crockpot, I wanted to make something similar to an amazing Cuban dish that Seth's brother made this weekend. It's basically chicken with rice and black beans, but what makes it special is the seasoning. He's had lots of garlic and an amazing vinegar and spice sauce that you put on top. His was authentic and well spiced, what I made today is also very spicy, vinegary and hearty. If you have a crockpot this is super easy! The other bonus is that this can be pretty darn healthy especially withe extra veggies and brown rice!


Ingredients:

2.5- 5lb Pork loin 

1.5-2 cup white vinegar

1 can Mexican spiced stewed tomatoes

1 small can Spicing tomatoes paste

Optional: 

Small can of slivered jalapeño/carrot mix

More sliced carrot or other veggies

To taste:

Onion powder

Crush garlic 

Fajita seasoning 

Cayenne pepper

Directions:

Put everything in the crockpot and cook on low for 7-9 hours, then turn off crockpot and shred with fork.

Serve with: 

Brown or white rice

Black beans

Enjoy!