Veggie Chili

Aren't vacations great? All the relaxing, eating, playing, eating, shopping, eating, spending time with friends and family, and EATING. Oh the food, oh the food! Vacationing at home in Idaho can be just as good as any resort or cruise ship too, because my mom has a never ending supply of amazing food. Not only does she keep her place very well stocked, but every night she puts together the most delicious summer dinners. From big bowls of pasta, to grilled steaks, to delicious treats and desserts. And I LOVE every minute. Unfortunately it doesn't last forever, and the inevitable day comes when you have to go home and face the music. It's time to detox. That's when I pull out recipes like these. Delicious and packed full of the veggies that I probably wasn't getting enough of while vacationing. My mom sent me this recipe and it will probably be my permanent "food detox" recipe. It's warm, filling, and chuck full of all the vitamins and fiber that you could ask for. The kids even loved it, which is another reason I'll make it over and over!

Veggie Chili
Adapted from Cooking Light, December 2003

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow pepper
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt to taste
pepper to taste
2 16 oz cans stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn (frozen, fresh or canned)
1 zucchini, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
sour cream
shredded cheddar cheese

Directions 

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion, pepper, garlic and zucchini, saute for five minutes or until tender. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. If chili is too dry, add either chicken or veggie broth, or water to loosen. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Top with cheese, sour cream and cilantro if desired.

Gorgonzola Chicken Salad

I would love to be more of an innovator in the kitchen and invent my own recipes. I have a lot of respect for those that are. Most of my creations are at least inspired by recipes that I find in books or online. It's rare that I'm able to come up with anything on my own, and when I do, it's usually out of necessity. This was one of those times. Right before we moved I was desperate to eat every morsel out of our fridge before I took a trip to the grocery store. I didn't plan to move a bunch of food, and I absolutely hate to throw food away, I honestly lose sleep over wasted food. So with some leftover chicken and Gorgonzola cheese, this lighter and tasty salad was born. Protein seekers rejoice, with all the chicken, cheese and yogurt, this salad packs a serious punch!  

Gorgonzola Chicken Salad

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
1 apple, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
 2 green onions, or one shallot, chopped
3/4 cup fat-free greek yogurt
2 tablespoons low fat mayo
1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
3 tablespoons blue or gorgonzola cheese (more or less to taste)
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

In a medium sized bowl, combine chicken, apples, celery, almonds and dried cranberries, and onion.  In a small bowl combine remaining ingredients except salt, pepper and parsley.  Mix dressing into chicken mixture and combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste and fresh parsley.  Serve either chilled or at room temperature, as sandwiches, wraps, or on a bed of lettuce.

Ratatouille Sloppy Joes

It is a GORGEOUS day here in Philly today. A perfect 70 degrees, no wind, and not a cloud in sight. What is it about weather like that that gives life an entirely new, hopeful perspective. I smile more, laugh more, there's a bounce in my step, you get something back that you don't even realize you've missed. It's pretty great.




And while I would never think of a Sloppy Joe and a summer food, it is easily transformed into one when it's packed full of garden vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini and eggplant. My kids, who were mostly resistant to all the clean eating we were doing, happy gobbled this up, which was a win for all of us.

Ratatouille Sloppy Joes
Best of Clean Eating 2

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 lb extra lean ground beef or bison (I actually used ground turkey)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
2 teaspoons chile powder
3/4 teaspoons mustard powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 sweet bell pepper, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 small eggplant, diced
1 1/2 cups preferred marinara (I choose one with low sugar content)
1 tablespoon Sucanat or raw honey (I omitted)
sea salt with fresh ground pepper to taste
8 thin whole grain sandwhich buns, toasted

Directions

Heat a large nonstick saute pan on medium-high. Add oil, beef, garlic and onion and cook for 5-8 minutes, breaking up meat with a spoon while cooking, until no liquid remains and beef is browned. Add chile powder, mustard and cayenne, stir well and continue to cook for 1 more minute. Pour beef mixture into a bowl and set aside.

Return pan to heat and add bell pepper, zucchini and eggplant, stir and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add beef mixture back to pan, stir well and reduce heat to medium. Cook for an additional 10-12 minutes, stirring often, or until all vegetables are tender adn cooked throughout.

Add marinara sauce, 2 tablespoons water and honey to pan, stirring until meat and vegetables are coated. Cook until sauce is hot an dbubbling. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, sandwich 3/4 cup beef mixture between each bun.

Per Serving: 232 cal, 5g fat, 30g carbs, 5g fiber, 10g sugar, 18g protein

Egg Food Yong

Do you ever feel like you have a personal style of food that you gravitate to? Just like I'm drawn to certain colors, or clothes on a rack, I feel like there are recipes that I'm more likely to pick. And while it's nice to have a good artillery of regulars that you can always fall back on, it's also nice to break out of your "food box."

That's what I decided to do when I found this recipe on Cathy's website Wives with Knives. I was never a big fan of Egg Foo Yong growing up, but I remember my mom always ordering it when we went out. It turns out that Egg Foo Yong is insanely delicious, especially when you make it the way Cathy does. Since I made this while doing the LiveFit trainer, I swapped half of the eggs for egg whites only, but it was still so tasty, and packed with protein. Definitely make the mushroom gravy too, it's delicious on the Egg Foo Yong as well as the rice you should serve with it. :)


Check out the original recipe here, and don't be afraid to try something new, you might discover a whole new world of food.

What I'm reading...

It's been a while since I've posted anything, but to be honest, I haven't read anything that was especially noteworthy in a while. However, I thought I'd tap into the world of HS literature and pick up To Kill A Mockingbird from the library. I know most people read this one as teenagers, but either I totally missed that one, or was way too mentally checked out to realize it (would not be surprised). Turns out, this just might make it to my top ten list alongside such favorites as The Help, Cutting For Stone, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

I really don't want to give anything away, but there is the most beautiful segment when Atticus is teaching his son Jem about doing the right thing, even when it's difficult, by making him read to his mean old neighbor lady, who, unbeknownst to Jem, was dying of a morphine addiction withdrawal...

"...She had her own views about things, a lot different from mine, maybe...son, I told you that if you hadn't lost your head I'd have made you go read to her. I wanted you to see something about her--I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do Mrs. Dubose won, all ninety-eight pounds of her. According to her views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew..."

SO touching. If you've never read this book, you MUST pick it up. And if you have, read it again :)

Salmon with Mango-Avocado Salsa

Thanks for all the nice comments about our upcoming move. We're getting excited too, and it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who thinks about lighting, haha!

One thing I learned doing the LiveFit Program was the important of healthy fats. It was a tough concept for me to accept because my whole life fat was BAD. Fat was was you wanted to avoid. All of my grocery products were low-fat, or fat-free whenever I had the option. But then Jamie Eason comes along and starts shoving healthy fats down my throat, mainly nuts, avocado, and fish. Apparently you need fat to digest fat, it actually helps to make you leaner, as long as it's in the right form.

So, thanks to the power of Pinterest, I found the healthily fattening dish that is packed with so much flavor I don't even know where to begin. The salsa really makes the salmon, it tasted like something I would have ordered from a restaurant, and it's such a snap to make. I highly recommend it, and don't fear the fat, it's good for you!


Salmon with Mango-Avocado Salsa
Adapted from Food and Paper

Ingredients (enough for two servings)

2 salmon fillets with skin, 6 oz. each, 1-1 1/2 inches thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

For salsa:
1 large, or 2 smaller Haas avocados, diced
1 large, or 2 smaller mangoes, diced
1/2 medium-sized white onion, diced
15 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 medium jalapeno, minced
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime zest
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped; a few leaves reserves for garnish, if you like
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Prepare salsa: mix all salsa ingredients in medium bowl. Allow flavors to mingle as oven heats.

2. Heat oven to 400. Brush both sides of salmon with olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper. Bake skin side down until salmon is cooked through, or medium well, about ten minutes.

3. Divide salsa between two plates and place a salmon fillet on top of the salsa. Garnish with a few cilantro leaves, and serve.

Spicy Chicken-Spinach Lettuce Wraps

To once again quote Barney from How I Met Your Mother, "If you want to make God laugh, just tell him your plans." I don't think anything could be closer to the truth for us these last few weeks.

To make a long story short, after spending the last few months expecting to either stay in Philly, or move to California, we woke up one morning and discovered that neither were going to happen for us. Not only that, but we had absolutely no clue where we were going to go after my husband graduated from dental school. After a LONG week of stress, tears and uncertainty, my husband finally landed an Oral Surgery internship in New Jersey! It was probably the last place we expected to end up, but we are so excited. New York will be close and from what I've heard, New Jersey is beautiful.

So those are our plans. And of course, being the weird food blogger that I am, the first thing I thought was "I hope I have better lighting in my new apartment for my food pictures!" Haha, you understand, right?

I found these lettuce wraps on Emily's blog at The Open Pantry. I just love visiting this blog. It's bright and fun, and not only does she post delicious recipes, but this girl can make an adorable cake!

We loved these lettuce wraps. They're low carb, low fat, but high flavor, and just delicious with either a peanut sauce or sweet chili sauce.


Spicy Chicken-Spinach Lettuce Wraps
Adapted from The Open Pantry

Ingredients

1 lb Ground Turkey (or diced chicken)
2 tsp Sesame Oil
2 tsp Canola Oil
1-2 tsp Garlic Chili Paste
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
3 tsp Ginger, minced
4 Green Onions, Chopped
2 cups Baby Spinach
1/2 cup Carrots, shredded or minced
1-2 Tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
2 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar

Directions

Heat the sesame and canola oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, garlic chili paste, carrots and green onions to the wok. Cook for 1 minute, add the ground turkey. Cook until the turkey is no longer pink. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, and spinach. Toss together, cook for 1 more minute and remove from heat. Serve turkey mixture with red lettuce leaves as wraps and top with spicy/sweet soy sauce and peanuts. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

To quote Barney from How I Met Your Mother (a show as addicting as buttery popcorn) "haaaaaave you met spaghetti squash?"

Well, sadly, for 30 years I've been living completely unaware of this fantastic gourd. Luckily, thanks to the dedicated pinners of the world, I found a delicious, slurpy canvas just waiting to be dressed up however I see fit.


This time around I took a classic route, covering it in rich marinara and tender turkey meatballs. I liked it, my husband liked it, the kids...well, kids are kids. BUT, I can guarantee that the spaghetti squash will be making repeat appearances at our home. There are so many fun ways to prepare it, I can't wait to try more.





Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs
Martha Stewart

Ingredients

For the Spaghetti Squash
2 spaghetti squashes (about 2 pounds each), halved lengthwise and seeds removed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cans (28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes with basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Meatballs
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup milk
1 pound ground turkey
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. To prepare the spaghetti, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle cut sides of squashes with oil; season with salt and pepper. Place cut sides up on a baking sheet. Bake until soft to the touch, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

2. To prepare the sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for an additional minute. Stir in the tomatoes and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Keep warm over low heat.

3. Prepare the meatballs. In a medium bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, and garlic with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the milk, and stir until incorporated. Add the turkey, egg, salt, and pepper, and mix with your hands until well combined. Form mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls.

4. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook the meatballs until evenly browned, turning often, about 6 minutes. Repeat with remaining meatballs. Transfer meatballs to the sauce, and simmer until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

5. When the squashes are cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh of each squash with a fork into strands, and place into a large bowl. Serve topped with meatballs and sauce, and sprinkled with cheese, if desired.

What I've Been Reading

Any book worms out there? I happen to be an absolute book fanatic. In fact if food and books were to compete for my love, I fear that food might take a close (CLOSE) second, gasp! I feel like a traitor for having even uttered that phrase.

Since this is the case, I thought I would start including a small book review at the end of my posts. So, if the food hasn't been striking your fancy, I hope you at least come for the books.



The Paris Wife by Paula McLain has been my most recent read. I was lucky enough to score it at the library without reserving it. I had been hearing rave reviews for quite a few months now and couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

The Paris Wife is about Hadley Richardson, the wife of Ernest Hemingway, and their years together. It was SO interesting because up until this point I honestly knew nothing about Ernest Hemingway, except that he wrote Old Man and The Sea. I assumed he was a country dude living in Montana, I could not have been more wrong. His life was actually very intriguing, bohemian and tragic, and Hadley's experience with him is nothing short of fascinating. I never want to give too much away, but I do highly recommend it.

And if you are on goodreads.com, for goodness sakes, friend me! You can find me under Teresa Green. Otherwise leave a comment and tell me what you're reading right now. I LOVE hearing about books!

Pasta Rollups

Well, this is it, the final week! After four months (okay three, I did take December off), I'm finally closing in on this program. It's been fun, it's been hard, it's been intimidating, but I'm so glad I did it. I'm also glad to almost be DONE!

So what comes next? Maintenance sounds nice and easy, but it's almost scarier then being on a strict program. At least with the program there are rules, definite do's and don'ts. I plan to continue eating good clean foods, but hey, should a slice of cheese end up on my sandwich, so be it. Should a cookie land on my plate, oh well. Now I learn the ever going art of balance, and it really is an art isn't it.



And now I introduce to use these fantastic pasta rolls. I've seen similar things like these in the blogosphere for a while now, and I always thought they looked a bit intimidating. Oh my gosh, they are the easiest thing you'll ever make. I think these puppies took me all of three minutes to throw together. Once you have the filling and sauce ready, you're set. I made these when I was not eating cheese, but cottage cheese actually makes a wonderful creamy substitute and more protein, so if that's what you're looking for, give it a try, I posted both options in the recipe.



Pasta Roll-ups
Best of Clean Eating, by Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb extra-lean ground turkey breast
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I omitted)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (I omitted)
1 28-oz jar tomatoes in juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
8 sheets dried high-protein or whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 10-oz box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (15 oz) container low-fat ricotta cheese (I used cottage cheese)
1 egg (I used three egg whites)
3/4 cups shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese, (I omitted)

Directions

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about five minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Turn heat to medium-high and add ground turkey, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook until meat show no sign of pink. Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg, then add tomatoes, their juice and salt. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, occasionally stirring and breaking up tomatoes with a wooden spoon.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse and allow to cook in a colander.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Squeeze all moisture possible from thawed spinach and place in a large bowl. Add ricotta cheese, egg, and a quarter-cup mozzarella cheese. Stir until combined.

Spread one cup of cooked tomato sauce into bottom of a 9x10 inch casserole dish. Lay a cooked lasagna noodle flat in front of you. Use your fingers to spread one-eighth of ricotta mixture across the noodle and roll it up. Place rolled pasta, seam side down, into the casserole dish. Repeat with remaining noodles. Spread remaining tomato sauce over roll-ups, then top with remaining half-cup mozzarella.

Bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes. Remove foil adn broil for five minutes or until rool-ups are browned and bubbly.

234 cal, 3g fat, 27 carb, 3g fiber, 7g sugar, 28g prot

Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potatoes

As I may have mentioned in previous posts, this program that I'm on is broken up into three phases. I completed the first two phases last October and November and took a bit of a break in December to enjoy the holidays. Oh sure, I still went to the gym, dabbled in some weights, maybe hopped on the treadmill for a nice stroll. Basically made my appearance.

Well, yesterday I started the last phase of the program, which is the part where you're really supposed to lean and tone. It's such a difficult phase that even the writer of the program has mentioned that it's only something you do occasionally, not as a lifestyle. And I sit here before you as a woman in pain. I never thought it was possible for a workout to BE so brutal. We now take active rests in between our sets, which means that after you completely destroy your quads by doing fifteen reps on the leg press machine, you get to hop off and shred any ounce of feeling you may have had in them by doing fifteen jump squats. Don't even think about sitting down though, you get to do that two more times...and yeah, that was only your first exercise. Get ready for an hour and a half of pain so bad you won't be able to utter a coherent sentence (no seriously, ask the poor lady who asked me if I was done using a bench, I think I just looked at her and drooled.)



However, despite how badly I may have hated it at the time, and despite the fact that I now need my husband's help to lower me onto the couch, it feels AWESOME! Exercise has the amazing capability of making all of your problems seem a bit less significant. Maybe it's because of those great endorphins, or maybe it's because you're only real problem is that you can't lift your fork to your mouth. Either way, it feels excellent after a workout knowing that you just did something great for your body.

And speaking of doing something good for your body, give this Shepherd's Pie a go. I topped it with sweet potatoes due to my newly discovered obsession with them. Where have sweet potatoes been all my life? They are so good, and they make an excellent creamy topper for this casserole filled with flavorful turkey and delicious veggies.


Shepherd's Pie
Best of Clean Eating, by Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients

1 lb Yukon gold potatoes (or sweet potatoes) peeled and diced into 2 inch pieces
1 clove garlic, whole, plus 1 teaspoon minced, divided
2/3 cup buttermilk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1 tablespoon chopped chives
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 lb lean ground turkey breast
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into half moons
1 celery stalk, diced
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves (I used dried)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup frozen peas (I used a frozen veggie medley)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375.

Bring potatoes and whole garlic clove to a boil in a pot of water set over high heat. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes, then drain well. Mash potatoes and garlic with a potato masher, ricer or food mill until smooth. Add buttermilk and chives and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat one teaspoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey and cook, stirring often and breaking meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until no pink remains, about eight minutes. Drain and discard fat; set turkey aside.

Heat two teaspoons oil in same skillet. Add onion carrots, celery and rosemary, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about eight minutes. Add reserved turkey, broth and tomato paste and continue to cook until most of liquid is absorbed, about five minutes. Stir in peas, transfer mixture to a shallow baking dish and cover with mashed potatoes in an even layer. Run a fork over top of potatoes in a crosshatch pattern or swirl with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Brush top with remaining teaspoon oil and bake in oven until filling is bubbling and top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let stand five minutes before serving.

160 cal, 4g fat, 10g carb, 2g fiber, 4g sugar, 20g prot.

Tilapia Couscous Salad

Holy cow, what in the heck happened? I blink my eyes and practically a month goes by without a post. I blame the holidays. I also blame an awkward month of not quite knowing how to eat. Overall I think I did pretty well making it through the majority of the month without going crazy. I even hit my lowest weight so far (122 lbs!).

But then Christmas came...as well as cheese, and sugar and things wrapped in puff pastries. Needless to say, I definitely enjoyed myself, and I have a slightly expanded waistline to testify of this fact. No fretting though. Christmas only comes once a year and I have an entire year to make up for it, which I am more than looking forward to.



So to kick off our healthy eating for the New Year, I have a delicious and clean recipe for you. I wasn't sure if I was going to post this one because I'm not a fan of the bland, colorless picture. However, sometimes you have to forgive ugly food and have faith that it's still going to be a winner. This is as easy to make as it is delicious. It's also so bright and fresh, you'll feel healthier for having eaten it.



Tilapia and Couscous Salad
From The Best of Clean Eating

Ingredients

1 cup dry whole-grain coucous
olive oil cooking spray
1/2 lb tilapia fillets (4 small or 2 large, I used a bit more for protein) skin and bones removed
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1/2 bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
zest and juice of 1 lime
zest and juice of half lemon
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoon dried parsley
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Cook couscous according to package directions.

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over high heat for one minute. Spritz with cooking spray and reduce heat to medium-high. Place tilapia in skillet and cook for two minutes per side. Remove tilapia and let cool for five minutes before flaking with fork.

In a large bowl, combine couscous, tilapia, carrots, celery, onion and bell pepper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together lime zest and juice, lemon zest and juice, Dijon mustard, oil, garlic and parsley. Season with salt and black pepper. Pour dressing over tilapia-couscous mixture and stir until well combined. Garnish with additional parsley, if desired. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator, covered, for up to one day.

Serves 6: 1 serving is 1 cup

Per Serving: 154cal, 3.5g fat, 21g carb, 4g fiber, 3g sugar, 11g protein

How was everyone's holidays? Any plans for the New Year?

Turkey Chickpea Burgers

I have officially completed two months of the Livefit program! I'll post progress pictures in a few days. I still have Phase III to complete, but my friend and I decided to put that on hold until January since we'd rather focus on enjoying the holidays. In the meantime we are going to continue eating clean as much as possible, as well as lifting daily to maintain the progress we've made.

It was kind of a hard decision to make, I think both of us felt hesitant to put the brakes on something that we've been working so hard on. However, health and fitness is a lifetime pursuit, and just like life, you have to take things as they come. The holidays only come once a year, and I'd hate to look back on the month and realize that I made myself miserable with stress and withholding when I could have started right where I stopped the very next month. I'm definitely not going to enjoy the holidays as I have in the past (MONTH LONG BINGE, WOO HOO!), but I'm not going to stay home from the holiday festivities because I can't stand the thought of only being able to eat off the veggie tray.

In the meantime, I'm going to continue enjoying awesome recipes like this one. Chickpea puree mixed with ground turkey, making a meaty burger with the great flavor of falafel. We ate them with those Roll Up Flatbreads and a side of sweet potato fries. It was a delicious dinner!


Turkey Chickpea Burgers
Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients

1 (15 oz can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup roughly chopped scallions
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 lb ground turkey breast, 99% fat free
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
olive oil cooking spray

Directions

In a food processor, combine chickpeas, scallions, cumin, pepper, salt and Worcestershire sauce. Pulse until smooth.

Transfer chickpea mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add turkey and mix by hand until combined.

Divide turkey-chickpea mixture into four equal portions, shaping each into a three-quarter-inch patty. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat skillet with cooking spray and cook patties for four to six minutes on each side.

We topped it with ketchup, mustard, lettuce, sauteed onions and pickles. YUM!

Turkey Fried Rice

I survived the day of indulgence, well, attacked is probably a better word. I definitely let myself have the day off and it was glorious. It's amazing the things you realize that you miss, like dark meat, and sour cream, and good old SUGAR. Needless to say, we had a very delicious day, but I'm happy to be back on the Livefit wagon.

This is a recipe that's come in handy quite a few times. One of the most important parts of our meals is that we're getting in the right balance of protein, complex carbs and veggies. This dish covers it all in one big skillet, and it's so delicious and filling. Brown rice with egg whites and ground turkey. It might not sound as appetizing as the real thing, but it's flavored so well that I honestly couldn't tell much of a difference. The kids loved it and it's very filling. Go ahead and use chopped up leftover turkey if you still have some in your fridge.





Turkey Fried Rice
Adapted from The Best of Clean Eating from Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients

1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon olive or safflower oil, divided
1 lb lean ground turkey
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, divided
1/2 yellow onion, sliced thinly
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces (1 cup)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
sea salt, to taste
3 minced garlic cloves
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 cups cooked brown rice
4 egg whites (or two regular eggs)
1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
fresh cilantro for garnish
chile sauce for garnish

Directions

In a very large nonstick skillet or wok, heat one teaspoon oil over medium high heat. Add turkey and break up to form a single layer in pan, season with pepper. Brown meat, stirring occasionally until cooked through, three to five minutes. Stir in two teaspoons soy sauce. Remove turkey and set aside.

Return skillet to stove and add remaining tablespoon of oil. Add onion, red pepper, carrot, broccoli and ginger and season with salt and black pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until vegetables are slightly soft, about five minutes. Add garlic and cook for two more minutes.

Stir in peas and rice, and cook until completely heated through, about five minutes.

Push rice mixture over to one side of pan and add eggs to now empty side. Allow eggs to fully cook, stirring occasionally, three to five minutes, and then stir eggs into rice mixture.

Add turkey and any accumulated juices to skillet. Stir in fish sauce, remaining two tablespoons soy sauce and green onions. Garnish with cilantro and chile sauce if desired.

Creamy, Light, Macaroni and Cheese

If there was ever a dish that could be defined as one of the most over-the-edge sinfully delicious meals of all time, Macaroni and Cheese just might be it. It's an absolute blessing from heaven to the pasta and cheese lovers, and I am always on the lookout for fun ways to make it.

This is something I made before I started the Livefit program, but the good news is that it's still light and packed with nutrients. It reminded me a lot of Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious' concept. The majority of the "cheese" was sweet, creamy butternut squash, and the kids were none the wiser. We all gobbled up our mac and cheese and were delightfully satisfied.


Creamy, Light, Macaroni and Cheese
Cooking Light September 2011

Ingredients

* 3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 [1-pound] squash)
* 1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
* 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
* 2 garlic cloves
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons fat-free Greek yogurt
* 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Gruy�re cheese
* 1 cup (4 ounces) grated pecorino Romano cheese
* 1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
* 1 pound uncooked cavatappi
* Cooking spray
* 1 teaspoon olive oil
* 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375�.

2. Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Place the hot squash mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Place blended squash mixture in a bowl; stir in Gruy�re, pecorino Romano, and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir until combined.

4. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Add pasta to squash mixture, and stir until combined. Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.

5. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add panko, and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the hot pasta mixture. Lightly coat topping with cooking spray.

6. Bake at 375� for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.

Turkey Chickpea Burgers

I have officially completed two months of the Livefit program! I'll post progress pictures in a few days. I still have Phase III to complete, but my friend and I decided to put that on hold until January since we'd rather focus on enjoying the holidays. In the meantime we are going to continue eating clean as much as possible, as well as lifting daily to maintain the progress we've made.

It was kind of a hard decision to make, I think both of us felt hesitant to put the brakes on something that we've been working so hard on. However, health and fitness is a lifetime pursuit, and just like life, you have to take things as they come. The holidays only come once a year, and I'd hate to look back on the month and realize that I made myself miserable with stress and withholding when I could have started right where I stopped the very next month. I'm definitely not going to enjoy the holidays as I have in the past (MONTH LONG BINGE, WOO HOO!), but I'm not going to stay home from the holiday festivities because I can't stand the thought of only being able to eat off the veggie tray.

In the meantime, I'm going to continue enjoying awesome recipes like this one. Chickpea puree mixed with ground turkey, making a meaty burger with the great flavor of falafel. We ate them with those Roll Up Flatbreads and a side of sweet potato fries. It was a delicious dinner!


Turkey Chickpea Burgers
Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients

1 (15 oz can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup roughly chopped scallions
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 lb ground turkey breast, 99% fat free
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
olive oil cooking spray

Directions

In a food processor, combine chickpeas, scallions, cumin, pepper, salt and Worcestershire sauce. Pulse until smooth.

Transfer chickpea mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add turkey and mix by hand until combined.

Divide turkey-chickpea mixture into four equal portions, shaping each into a three-quarter-inch patty. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat skillet with cooking spray and cook patties for four to six minutes on each side.

We topped it with ketchup, mustard, lettuce, sauteed onions and pickles. YUM!

Country-Fried Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Wow, what a week! We just started Phase II of Jamie Eason's LiveFit Program, which involves a lot of lifting, a lot of cardio, and a few less calories. Needless to say, Aubrey and I are SORE. Luckily, it's also been a lot of fun. I got to do lifts I've never done before (barbell step ups, holy cow!), and I had more energy this week then I've had in a long time.

If you're familiar with Jamie Eason, you know that she's very big on Clean Eating. It's exactly what it sounds like. We eat clean, lean and as unprocessed as possible. Lots of lean meats, veggies and whole grains. We keep sugars to a bare minimum and temporarily have said goodbye to cheese, fatty meats, and junk food in general. It was a shock to my system at first, my stomach didn't know what to do without being consistently lined with fat and sugar, but I'm learning to love it. The benefits far outweigh the candy and Cheetos that I miss on occasion. I sleep better, my skin and hair seem healthier, and I haven't been sick in a long time. I'm still a firm believer in moderation and I don't think having a cookie or slice of pizza is the end of the world, but I definitely want to keep eating as clean as possible long after I'm done with this program.

Since our day to day eating is fairly basic, my husband and I decided that Sunday we would make an extra effort for a really nice dinner. This is what we had tonight and we loved it so much that I'm skipping a bunch of stuff to share it with you now. London Broil, pounded and breaded in a flavorful whole grain breading and cooked to a medium-rare. It was delicious, but the mushroom gravy was the best part, and made such a great topping to the steak and potatoes.

I made mashed potatoes by boiling red and sweet potatoes. Drain and mash with a splash of skim milk and a spoonful of greek yogurt which is tangy and makes a great substitute for sour cream. I can't even tell a difference. I highly recommend this dish, give it a try!

Country Fried Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Adapted from The Best of Clean Eating, by Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients

10 ounces sliced white or cremini mushrooms
1 lb lean round steak, trimmed of fat and cut into 4 equal pieces
sea salt and black ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour, divided
2 large egg whites
3 slices whole-wheat toast (Ezekial bread), cut into 2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
3 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 cup low sodium beef broth
1/2 cup skim milk

Directions

Using a meat mallet, rolling pin or bottom of a heavy skillet, pound steaks to quarter-inch thickness. Season both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Place two tablespoons of flour in a shallow dish. Place egg whites in a separate shallow dish. In a food processor, combine toast, onion, oregano, thyme and garlic powder. Process until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Transfer crumbs to a third shallow dish.

Add steaks to dish with flour and turn to coat both sides. Shake off excess flour and transfer steaks to egg whites. turn to coat both sides and transfer steaks to bread crumb mixture. Again, turn to coat both sides.

Heat two teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook two to three minutes per side, until brown on the outside and pink on the inside. Remove from skillet and cover in foil.

Prepare gravy. Heat remaining oil in same skillet. Add sliced mushrooms and garlic and cook for about five minutes, or until liquid is released. Add beef broth and bring to a simmer. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk and remaining tablespoon of flour. Add milk mixture to mushrooms and simmer three to five minutes, until mixture thickens. Spoon gravy over steaks just before serving.

Serves 4: 313cal, 9g fat, 27g carb, 5g fiber, 35g prot, 302mg sod

Blue Cheese Polenta with Vegetables

Wow, you guys brought tears to my eyes with your sweet comments and words of support. We really do belong to a wonderful community don't we. Thank you so much for that, it's helped to motivate me all the more.

There is now a blog that you can go to for updates on our progress and any fitness tips and experiences we are having along the way. It's written by Aubrey, her sister Christa and I. Both of these girls really know their stuff, so I feel so lucky to be on board with them. The blog is called She Sweats and She Tells. Check them out, say hello :)


This dish is not something I'm able to eat right now, but it's still so healthy and delicious. The more I've eaten polenta, the more I like it. There's almost something romantic about it. It's creamy, smooth, practically seductive, and the perfect canvas for so many toppings. This polenta is particularly wonderful because it's full of pungent, tangy blue cheese. Top that with bright, gorgeous veggies and you have yourself a plate that you might just want to eat by candlelight.


Blue Cheese Polenta with Vegetables
Cooking Light September 2011

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 (4-ounce) packages presliced exotic mushroom blend
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced sweet onion
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
3 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup quick-cooking polenta
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add mushrooms and thyme; saut� for 4 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, onion, bell pepper, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; saut� for 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

2. Combine milk, 1/2 cup water, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in polenta; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese. Serve with vegetables. Sprinkle with parsley.

Chicken Tostadas with Avacado Dressing

For some reason, October always ends up being one of the busiest months of the year for me. And in all honesty, I can't even tell you what it is that constantly has me running all over town! I've just been happy if I get a minute to read a few chapters from my book, or a chance to check in on my blog buddies. So I might be scarce for a while, but hopefully not for long.

I made these delicious and colorful tostadas back in September. And while it's not exactly "fall food" it might be a light and fresh lunch or dinner for a day when you're in the mood for it. This was quick to assemble, and very tasty. Definitely don't leave out the avocado dressing, it was my favorite part!



Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Dressing
Cooking Light August 2011

Ingredients

2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (start with less and add gradually, I didn't think it needed this much)
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 ripe peeled avocado
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
4 (6-inch) flour tortillas
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalape�o pepper, minced
2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled queso fresco

Directions

1. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a food processor, and process until smooth.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3/4 teaspoon oil to pan. Cook 1 tortilla 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Repeat procedure with 2 1/4 teaspoons oil and remaining tortillas.

3. Add remaining oil to pan. Add garlic and jalape�o; saut� 1 1/2 minutes. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes. Place 1 tortilla on each of 4 plates; top each tortilla with 1/2 cup chicken mixture, 1/4 cup lettuce, 2 tablespoons tomato, and 1 tablespoon cheese. Top each serving with 3 tablespoons dressing

Zucchini Pasta Pancake

One of the things I miss most about having a yard of my own is my garden. How can you beat all of those homegrown summer veggies? And while the season for that is ending, I've still been hearing people ask what to do with the zucchini that continues to fill their kitchens to the brim.


To be honest, this recipe started out as something cheap and convenient. I had most of what I needed, and I really wasn't expecting much more than to be fed quickly. I was very pleasantly surprised with the outcome, these were delicious! And it wasn't just me and my husband that thought so. Our kids gobbled them down faster than we could flip more up for them. They were just delicious slathered in marinara and Parmesan. I highly recommend these veggie packed flap jacks.

Zucchini Pasta Pancake
Adapted from Cooking Light July 2011

Ingredients

3 cups shredded zucchini
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 (8-ounce) package angel hair pasta, broken into 3-inch pieces, I used Orzo
1/2 cup lower-sodium marinara sauce
1 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Place zucchini in a colander, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss well. Drain for 20 minutes, tossing occasionally. Press zucchini between paper towels until barely moist.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

3. Bring marinara to a simmer in a small saucepan; keep warm.

4. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, flour, and the next 9 ingredients in a large bowl. Add zucchini and pasta to bowl; toss well.

5. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini mixture to pan, pressing down. The recipe originally says to cook it all as one big pancake, but it worked better for us to do smaller ones one at a time. Cook for 5 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned. Carefully turn pancake over; cook 5 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned. I loved them extra crispy. Cut into 8 wedges. Serve with marinara.

Bacon-Corn Chowder with Shrimp

Like so many of us, my mind immediately turns to soup when the weather drops. It's understandable, what could be better to warm the belly and soul than warm, brothy goodness. There are so many good soups out there, but when I need extra comfort, I tend to prefer stews or chowders, they're thicker, heartier and sometimes a bit meatier.



This chowder was a total hit in our house. The thickness and sweetness of it comes primarily from the corn, but then you get bit chunks of shrimp as well as smoky bacon. It's a wonderful experience to eat, especially with a crusty hunk of bread. Mmmm, it's enough to brighten any chilly fall day.



Bacon-Corn Chowder with Shrimp
Cooking Light July 2011

Ingredients

6 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
1 cup prechopped onion
1/2 cup prechopped celery
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
3/4 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1/3 cup half-and-half (I use fat-free)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bacon to pan; saute 4 minutes or until the bacon begins to brown. Remove 2 slices bacon. Drain on paper towels. Add onion and next 3 ingredients (through minced garlic) to pan, and saute for 2 minutes. Add corn, and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth; bring to a boil, and cook for 4 minutes.

2. Place 2 cups of corn mixture in a blender. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape), and secure lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in the blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Return pureed corn mixture to pan. Stir in shrimp; cook 2 minutes or until shrimp are done. Stir in half-and-half, pepper, and salt. Crumble reserved bacon over soup.