Coconut....summer fun!

There's just something about coconut that makes me happy...reminds me of the beach and the tropical islands...

Cut up fruit over oatmeal, 1 tbsp almond butter and a sprinkle of shredded coconut (unsweetened)-yum!

Stewed Zucchini...my mom's recipe!

I love this zucchini dish-it reminds me of when I was at home growing up and in the summer my mom would make this dish with her fresh zucchini and tomatoes from our garden...the house smelled wonderful.

2 medium sized zucchini, chopped in quarters

1/2 onion chopped

2 celery stalks chopped

1 jar or can tomato sauce

1 pepper chopped (mix green and red)

3 tbsps olive oil

minced garlic, herbamare, black pepper, oregano

Fresh parsley

In a medium pot, add oil onions, celery and garlic, on low and let cook 1 minute. Add tomatoe sauce peppers and zucchini. Add the herbs and let simmer 20 minutes or until zucchini is tender-not mushy. I served it with Tilapia w/ pesto and a baked sweet potatoe (I microwave it for 6 minutes).

My spinach eggwhite omelette

This might look bland and it really is ...lol..but when you add brie, goat cheese or ricotta it makes a huge difference. Lately I spread almond butter over it, but no cheese...did I mention I'm addicted to almond butter :)) Believe it or not Lauren loves this too, I'm always having to share my breakfast..."mommy can I try??"

4 egg whites or 1 whole egg and 3 egg whites

handful of spinach (use parsley, broccoli etc)

1 tbsp any cheese you like (parmesan, goat, cheddar, brie, ricotta, cottage cheese etc)

Herbamare, black pepper

Coat pan with Pam and stir fry spinach until a little wilted and eggwhites and spices, add cheese and fold over or just scramble it over.

Yummy snack

This is such a treat for me...I love this combo...Toated english muffin, almond butter and chopped banana..c'mon so yummy...I would love to add vanilla ice-cream...hehe!!

Mushroom salad

We love mushrooms, raw or roasted slightly in oven. This dressing is a balsamic olive oil with fresh parsley and garlic....I prefer them raw because they soak up the dressing so well!

Eggplant Parmigiana..I'm Calabrese afterall!

This is a very light version of my mom's Eggplant Parmigiana ...so good!
Slice eggplants into rounds and place on greased cookie sheet.
Spread tomato sauce over (season with garlic, herbs-basil, oregano, herbamare)
Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes until you see egggplant start to shrink.
Spread parmesan and shredded mozzarella (part skim ), use as much or little as you wish! (goat cheese and ricotta mixed in too is delish)
Put back into oven and let melt..4-5minutes only!

White bean and rice minestrone

Ingredients:

1 can of crushed tomatoes

1 cup rice ( or barley, pasta shells etc))

1 can white navy or cannelini beans rinsed

2 carrots chopped

1/2 chopped onion

2 ribs celery chopped

herbamare

1 cube of chicken or vegetable concentrate

4 cups water or chickenor veg stock

In a large stock pot add 2 tbsps olive oil and just let onions and celery cook, add tomatoes and water or chicken broth and herbamare. Add all veggies except beans and bring to a boil, add rice and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is done. Add beans and heat up, garnish with fresh parsley.

Fake out when craving waffles...

This is a good fake out version to a waffle craving, well almost but give it a try you might just love it!

Toast whole wheat English muffin halves, top with plain low fat yogurt and fresh fruit and just a little bit of maple syrup...a little goes a long way!! use variations like almond butter and banana with toasted nuts...yum..hope you enjoy it!

Anita's Marinated Shrimp

So succulent and an easy marinade. Never marinate fish more than 2 hours because the acid in the lemon juice or wine will cook the fish..unless you are making Ceviche!

1lb fresh or thawed from frozen shrimp with or without shell (remove vein).

Marinade:

1/4 cup lemon juice or white wine

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tbsp chicken cube or powder

2 garlic cloves minced

1 tsp herbamare or salt and pepper

bunch of chopped parsley

Place in pan in oven, cook 10 minutes or until no longer pink. Don't over cook shrimp will turn out rubbery.

Filet Mignon

My son Michael loves beef tenderloin, I don't make it often but once a month I also crave it! I just grill it and season with steak spice..medium to rare is the way we enjoy it. It's a great source of iron and have greens with it to easily digest it-avoid pasta or potatoes with red meat.

Fennel, dill and pine nut salad

So fresh, serve with Fish or Pork!

1 fennel bulb cut into slivers

1/2 white onion sliced into slivers

toasted pine nuts (in frying pan spray Pam)

bunch of fresh dill

2 tbsp olive or grapeseed oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar

1 tsp herbamare and garlic powder

Turkey Meatloaf and Coleslaw salad

This is a standard dish in our home, the kids reallllly love it! I always make either mashed potatoes and coleslaw or peas as sides ...a real classic!

1 lbGround Turkey

1 whole egg (organic free range)

2 tbsp ground flaxseeds

1 tsp herbamare

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp yellow mustard

1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (optional)..just gives it a darker color- I didn't use any this time. Also you can cut up onion and parsley really thin and mix it in!

In a bowl mix everything until one big mass of meat, put in oven dish or pan sprayed with cooking spray. I use my bread pan for baking-comes wonderful! Cook for about 50 min-1 hr at 350.

Coleslaw salad:

1/4 cabbage ...cut into slivers or shredded as finely as possible

2 tbsp low fat mayo with 2 tbsp white vinegar, herbamare and a little pepper.

I use olive oil and red wine vinegar and add parsley for my portion instead of mayo!

Thai Coconut Curry Chicken...dinner in a cinch!

Such a fabulous and tasty dish..only 5 ingredients:

2 Chicken breasts cut into slivers or chunks

2 cups frozen veggies (Thai or Asian mix)

1/2 cup Coconut milk (can use low fat too , if not just add skim milk for more volume)

1 tbsps Green curry paste (or red).. start with less curry, add more for more heat(I use 3!!)

2 tbsps Lime juice

In a large deep frying pan spray some Pam or cooking oil. Add chicken and saute until almost cooked. In a seperate bowl mix coconut milk, curry and lime juice, and pour into pan, add vegetables and let simmer low boil for 20 min. I sometimes add steamed fresh veggies string beans or broccoli...I can't get enough veggies..yum!

Chicken stew with chili seasoning

So spicy and rich, a great comfort food-dip your bread or pita in the sauce.

3 Chicken breasts cut into cubes

2 potatoes peeled and cubed

2 celery ribs chopped

1/2 white onion

1 cup small red or kidney beans

1 tbsp Chili seasoning ( I use the Chile or taco mix- or cumin, garlic, chile flakes, salt and pepper)

2 cups tomato sauce (I use my mom's homemade sauce- can use 1 can crushed tomatoes)

In a large pot, pour a little bit of cooking oil, add the chicken and stir fry until opaque. Add the celery, onion , potatoes and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes, add beans and seasonings, simmer 10 minutes!

Bean Salad...so easy!

This is as easy and simple as it gets...my niece loved this salad and brought some for lunch the next day!

1 can chick peas and red kidney beans, rinsed and strained

Some red, yellow and orange peppers chopped

1 rib of Celery chopped

(I usually add green onions but the kids didn't want them it!)

Olive oil, balsamic vinegraitte, oregano, garlic powder and herbamare!

Chicken Curry soup

Another favorite soup...the curry and tumeric give it that yellow/orange color...

I bake chicken breasts cut into strips and then cut into cubes, seasoned with thyme, herbamare and garlic powder. I add the cooked chicken to the soup.

In a large pot filled with 2/3 cups of water add :

1/2 onion chopped

1/2 head cabbage into small florets

1 sweet potato cut into cubes

3-4 cups baby spinach

1/2 Knorr chicken cube

1 tsp curry, tumeric

1 tsp herbamare

Zucchini, Sun dried tomatoe and Fava bean salad

Eating fresh and clean is a real treat-I always feel great and full of energy when I eat nutrient dense high quality food! I like my zucchini raw in this salad,you can add mushrooms and celery!

Ingredients:

2 med sized zucchini sliced in quarters

1/2 cup steamed fresh fava beans remove from pods

1/4 cup chopped sun dried or fresh tomatoes

2 green onions chopped

parsley, herbamare,garlic powder, oregano, balsamic vinegar (fresh basil if you have)

My salmon ig grilled with a tsp of pesto over..yum!

Eat this...not that!

Sometimes I have a hard time figuring out what to snack on and especially now that I am not eating sugar for my 6 week challenge- 34 days left, so I made a list of some better food choices which I enjoy!



EAT THIS 14 almonds, small apple or any fruit

NOT: Granola Bar/Fruit and Nut Bar (full of additives, sugars etc)



EAT THIS 1 fruit , serving of string cheese

NOT:canned fruit and pudding snacks (too much sugar at once)




EAT THIS:Lowfat Plain Yogurt with fruit or 1/2 scoop of Protein

NOT:Fruit yogurt/Raisins , dried fruit (a lot of yogurts have added sugars with jellied fruit)



EAT THIS:Plain yogurt, 1/2 scoop protein powder, 1 tsp almond butter.....yummy

NOT:Power Bar/Protein Bar (loaded with maldoxtrin and other sugar molecules)




EAT THIS:Whole grain tortilla w/ Peanut butter or hummus (add sliced bananas)

NOT:cheese crackers or 100 calorie snacks (too much sodium, fat & sugars etc)




EAT THIS:Brown Rice cake with hummus or nat. pbutter/ almond butter

NOT: Sunchips, Breton or soda crackers



EAT THIS SNACK: Fresh or Frozen Strawberries/Blueberries

NOT THIS SNACK:Dried fruit of anykind (very high in sugars)




EAT THIS SNACK:Protein Shake : add skim milk or yogurt, fruit (fresh or frozen)

NOT THIS:Smoothie with fruit juice or chocolate or flavored syrups (all sugar and extract)



EAT THIS:Oatmeal, high fibre low fat cereal (sugar content less than 6g per 30 grams)

NOT:Cereal (corn flakes, rice puffs etc)



EAT THIS:Lowfat Cottage cheese with berries

NOT:Lowfat icecream, sorbet, frozen yogurt (a lot of fillers and artificial sweetners, sugars)



Try to eat REAL whole foods, stay away from packaged stuff!! Try this for a few weeks and I BET you see a difference in your physique :)

Couscous ...warm or cold!

Sauteed diced red, yellow and orange peppers and green onion in olive oil and garlic and just add cooked whole wheat couscous. My kids don't like to see green parsley but I love to add it in.

Millet, Broccoli & Slaw salad

I sometimes add tuna or chicken pieces in this salad and bring it for Lunch. It is a well balanced filling meal!

1/2 cup uncooked millet or quinoa or barley
1/2 head cabbage, sliced into ribbons (purple too is nice)
1 medium zucchini, cut into bite size pieces
8 oz package cremini mushrooms
1 head broccoli, cut into pieces (about 2.5 cups)
1/3 green pepper, cut into bite size pieces
1 corn on the cob, corn cut off (or 1/2 cup frozen corn)
1/2 poblano pepper, diced (or any sweet pepper)
1/2 a jicama, cut into bite sized pieces
Clove garlic minced
2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds

Cook millet as directed on package. Sautee veggies in garlic, ginger and cooking spray or olive oil until tender.
Dressing
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice (half a lemon)
1/2 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp honey
Herbamare
Shake or whisk together dressing and pour over millet. Combine millet and veggies. Toss with toasted sunflower seeds.

Filet of Sole

Filet of Sole or Tilapia work very well with this toasty and nutty coating.

4 filets

Breadcrumb Mixture: whole wheat breadcrumbs from day old bread, toss in food processor, add almonds or ant nut you like (pecan, pine, etc), and ground flaxseeds. (lay on plate)

Egg mixture: 1 whole egg scrambled with 1 tbsp milk and garlic powder.(in shallow bowl)

Pat dry the filet and dunk in egg mixture and then in breadcrumbs. Place on cookie sheet sprayed with pam, cook 20 min. I love serving fish with wholegrain couscous 3 peppers...recipe will be posted tomorrow....stay tuned.

Kale, lentil and chicken sausage stew

This is another favorite stew where I know I can get all the superfoods and nutrients in one pot!

Ingredients:

Kale washed and chopped

1 sweet potato cut into cubes

1 cup cooked lentils

1/2 chopped onions

2 minced galic cloves

water and 1 Knorr chicken concentrate cube

Chicken sausage roasted and cut into pieces

herbamare

ground flaxseeds

cayenne hot sauce

In a large stock pot add water and bring to boil, add veggies and chicken cube. Cook for 15 minutes, don't over cook the sweet potatoes. Add chicken and ground flax and just simmer another 10 minutes. Add cayenne and enjoy! Variations: navy beans, celery, peppers.

Chick Pea Masala....Fragrant and spicy

This is so savory and spicy! I love Indian spices and am always trying to cook with them-my kids well not so much! They'll eat the nNaan bread and basmati rice only! This takes 25 min to make!!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 minced galic cloves

2 tbsps garam masala

1/4 cup water

1 tsp cumin

1 ground coriander or fresh cilantro (same herb) 1 can 28 oztomatoes (crush them)

2 cans Chick peas

red pepper flakes (make it as hot as you'd like)

In a large sauce pan with olive oil on low heat cook onions until soft and caramalized (10min). Add garlic, all spices, water, cook 2 min. Add crushed tomatoes and juices and simmer fo 1o min. Add the chickpeas and let all the flavors simmer for another 10 minutes. The flavor intensifies the day later. Serve with warmed up Naan bread, whole wheat steamed basmati rice and mango chutney!

Let me know what you think!

you've never had Chicken stir fry like this before..yum!

This is a real treat! Looks rich but only on the lips not on the hips!!!

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts sliced into thin strips and cut in half depending on the length you desire.

Peppers, green, yellow, red cut into long strips

1/2 onion sliced longwise

2 tbsp mustard

1 tbsp low fat sour cream

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp herbamare

Use any other veggie (zucchini, string beans, asparagus etc)

In a pan, spray Pam, saute the chicken on med. heat until opaque add all veggies and herbs. Stir to cook on lmed-low, don't over cook the veggies so to keep there shape. Ina sepertae bowl mix the mustard and sour cream together. Once chicken is done, stir in mustard/sourcream and mix and just to heat up. Serve with soba noodles or brown rice.