Recipe Friday - Reboot Doubles

Today I have not one but two recipes to share for Recipe Friday. My cute husband is currently on Day 5 of the Standard Reboot Program. This program consists of 5 days of eating, blending and juicing only whole fruits and vegetables; followed by 5 days of just juicing; followed by 5 days of eating, blending, and juicing whole fruits and vegetables. We decided to try this program because I have heard so many great things about it and people are seeing great results - improved health and weight loss being just a few of the benefits but the ones that applied to Mark. We thought it would be the perfect plan to jump start his weight loss and help with motivation and energy to get back into working out. In the past 11 months, he has had a dislocated shoulder and 2 back-to-back shoulder surgeries all on the same shoulder. This was enough to put the exercise on the back burner for many months. So he is "rebooting" his health and fitness.

One thing we really like about this program is that it gives you all the recipes that you need for all 15 days. I made a very long shopping list and headed out last Sunday to buy all the fruits and veggies for the first 5 days. Wow - our fridge looked like a garden exploded. We love veggies in our house and you will always find them in our fridge but this looked like we were feeding an army of vegetarians! Each day we prep the things he needs for the following day. To be honest, some of the recipes didn't sound very appealing but we have been very pleasantly surprised at how good a lot of them really taste. We both agreed that we would add many of them into our recipe list for dinners. I am going to share 2 of our favorites with you all today. I have listed the recipes below but you can also find these and many more on the Reboot website.

Apple, Parsnips and Sweet Potatoes
We omitted the parsnips because we didn't have them on hand. Therefore our opinion of this recipe is based on cooking it without the parsnips. This was a really great dish! I would have never thought to pair apples with onion and garlic but it was a delicious blended flavor.

Vegetable Soup
This is a great hearty soup packed with vitamins and nutrients. It would be great to serve anytime but if you are ever feeling under the weather, a big bowl of this soup would be sure to perk you right up.

Cooking and making healthy life-style changes are all about taking chances sometimes. Take a chance and try that new fruit or vegetable. Never heard of leeks? - pick some up next time you are at the store and use them in a recipe. Don't let your mind and preconceived notions about food hinder you from making those needed health changes!

Apple, Parsnips and Sweet Potatoes

4 Parsnips, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
2 medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1 small Onion, sliced
2 Apples (try fuji or gala) cored and diced
2 cloves Garlic
Black Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Place sweet potatoes, parsnips and apples with garlic and onions in a covered baking
dish and spray with olive oil, add pepper to taste.
Roast for 40-50 minutes until tender.
Makes 4 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 219
Protein: 3.5 g
Fiber: 1.5 g

 

Vegetable Soup

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 large Onion, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, minced
3 medium Carrots, chopped
3 Celery Stalks, chopped
3 Tomatoes, chopped with juice reserved
1 medium Zucchini, cut into half moons
1 cup Green Beans, trimmed to 1 inch pieces
3-4 handfuls Kale or other leafy green such as Chard or Bok Choy, chopped into small
pieces
6 cups Water
3/4 Tbsp. fresh Thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh Oregano, chopped (or 1/2 Tbsp. dried)
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground Black Pepper
In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion,
garlic, carrots and celery and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, zucchini, green
beans, water, salt, pepper, thyme and oregano; stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the
heat to a simmer and cook the soup for 10 minutes. Add the chopped kale or other
leafy greens and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Season to taste with the salt and
pepper.
Makes 4 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 185
Protein: 4 g
Fiber: 5.5 g

Recipe Friday - Summer Veggies with Quinoa & Cilantro-Pistachio Pesto

Whatever the reason may be, there are so many people who truly believe eating healthy is too expensive. They feel that just because their budget is tight, the only options are fast food or meals that come packaged in the freezer. But friends I have to tell ya - it doesn't have to be that way! You CAN eat great, fresh, real food on a budget.

One of my favorite food blogs is Poor Girl Eats Well.  Kimberly Morales, a single woman living in Sacramento, started this blog several years ago. She describes herself as having "champagne taste on a 2-buck chuck budget." She loves to eat well and refuses to settle for poor-quality food, even when she only has a few dollars to last. What I love about reading her blog is that 1) she is very creative 2) she always provides you with the per serving cost of each meal and 3) whether you are counting pennies or counting benjamins, you will love the fabulous, original recipes on her blog.

I have been anxious to try out one of her recipes and decided that my girls' night dinner last weekend was the perfect opportunity. I decided on a dish that sounds so perfect for summer - Summer Veggies with Quinoa & Cilantro-Pistachio Pesto. Those of you who have been reading my blog know that I really have a love affair with quinoa. It just delights me to use it in a meal. I also love to cook it for friends who have never tried it before, such was the case at our girls' dinner.

The whole meal turned out great and each friend agreed that the recipe was blog-worthy. The cilantro-pistachio pesto was so delicious and mixed great with the quinoa. I know that it seems that most people either love or hate cilantro and when I arrived at my friend, Anne's house, she actually informed me that she did not really like cilantro. I was worried at first because there was no way to omit the cilantro for one plate but we agreed that I would just add a conservative amount to the quinoa and then let everyone add more if they desired. Turns out that Anne loved the pesto and added more to her meal. I was also so thrilled a couple of days later when Anne, who is a single woman and a self-described non-cook, texted me to say that she was cooking and cooking quinoa! I was inspired by Poor Girl Eats Well and Anne was inspired by my meal - it always makes me happy to see people making positive changes in their life.

It doesn't matter if you are single or married with a family, poor or rich - anyone can learn to cook good, healthy meals and enjoy the process.

Photo from Poor Girl Eats Well blog

Ingredients
1 ½ c cooked quinoa
1 large carrot
1 medium zucchini
1 medium summer squash
1 c shelled fava beans
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
2 t olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 t thyme
Salt & pepper to taste

Cilantro-Pistachio Pesto:
2 ½ c (packed) cilantro, both leaves & stems
1 c pistachios
2 cloves of garlic
1 c olive oil
3 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 t salt

Amy's Changes

* I didn't add the fava beans
* I used a yellow onion instead of a red onion (personal preference)
* I started cooking the onion at the beginning instead of the end because I like my onions cooked well

See the full recipe and cooking instructions here at Poor Girl Eats Well

Vitamin "F"

This past weekend, I had the great pleasure of having a girls' night with some of my dearest friends. These are friends who grew up with me, who have been beside me over the years and who have seen the really good and the really bad in my life. They are also friends who I don't see that often because of distance and just the overall responsibilities of life and so it was a huge treat to share such a fabulous night with them. They helped provide me with a big dose of Vitamin "F"! I'm not talking about fatty acids here - I'm talking about the health benefits of friendship.

Health and wellness is not all about the foods you eat or the amount of hours you exercise. Although these things are very important, it's also those friendships in your life that make a difference in your overall wellness. The emotional health benefits of friendships include a longer, happier life. It's still unknown as to why but friends boost your immune system. Friends provide comfort, laughter, honesty, and the connection you have with them can help boost feelings of hope and faith. You can be yourself and walk away knowing that everything really will be okay.

As Southern women, most of us have heard the advice from older women, "Get yourself some good girlfriends - you're gonna need em." This is so true and I am grateful for those special girlfriends in my life. This week, I encourage you all to find ways to give and receive a big dose of Vitamin "F" - you'll be happy that you did!

Recipe Friday - Summer Vegetable Ragout with Zucchini, Green Beans & Corn

Hello all,

I know it has been awhile since my last post and I apologize for my lack of posting. Life is crazy sometimes! But the good news is that I am back on track and excited to share so many great ideas for health and wellness, as well as many great recipes! To incorporate a new posting schedule, Recipe Thursdays are now becoming Recipe Fridays and today I have a fabulous new recipe for you all.

I recently stumbled upon a new cookbook, Fast, Fresh & Green by Susie Middleton (Chronicle Books, 2010). The tag line of "More than 90 Delicious Recipes for Veggie Lovers" caught my attention because I am definitely a veggie lover and always looking for new, creative ways to cook up some yummy greens. I know that some of you are thinking "well I like some veggies but I wouldn't call myself a veggie lover!" I was that exact same person at one time. I am a prime example that we can retrain ourselves and our taste buds to love foods that are good for us. But that's another post for later!

Back to the cookbook - I was so pleasantly surprised by this cookbook because not only does the author provide lots of wonderful recipes but she also gives great information on all things veggies: shopping, storing, and preparing. I think it is a great book to have on hand in the kitchen.

One of our favorite recipes has been the Summer Vegetable Ragout with Zucchini, Green Beans, and Corn. (although I substituted asparagus for green beans) It is a great side dish with lots of great flavor. My husband really liked it the first time I made it! This is always a bonus because we are always tweaking recipes to make them better after the first attempt. In the cookbook, the author provides an option to change up some of the ingredients to give the dish more of a Thai flavor. This is how we prepared ours.

As always, I will list out the ingredients from the original recipe and then provide below any substitutions that I made. Usually I provide a link to the full recipe but this recipe is not online and therefore I will include the cooking instructions, as stated in the book, below. The recipe is for 4 servings. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 tsp Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 tsp finely Grated Lime Zest
1/4 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 Cup low-sodium Chicken Broth
2 tbsp Coconut Milk
1 tbsp Canola Oil
1 Cup Fresh Corn Kernels
3/4 Cup Sliced Baby Zucchini
3/4 Cup Sliced Green Beans
1 Cup Medium-Diced Yellow Onion
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp Finely Chopped Fresh Garlic
1 tbsp Chopped Fresh Herbs (Cilantro/Mint)
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Amy's Changes

* I used Vegetable Broth instead of Chicken Broth to keep it vegan
* I used asparagus instead of green beans because that's what I had on hand
* I used grape seed oil instead of canola oil - just my preference
* I only used cilantro but will definitely add the mint next time

Cooking Instructions (from the cookbook)

1) Combine the lime juice, lime zest, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. In a liquid measure, combine the broth and coconut milk. Set these aside.
2) In a 10 in saute pan with a lid, heat the oil over med-high heat. Add the corn, zucchini, green beans, onion and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the bottom of the pan is browned (this is from the starch in the corn) and some of the vegetables are just beginning to brown, 4-6 mins. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, just until well combined. Turn the heat to low, add the broth-milk mixture, stir well to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan and cover. Simmer, stirring once, until the liquids have reduced to 1-2 Tbsp, 3-4 mins.
3) Remove the pan from the heat, uncover, and stir in the lime juice mixture and most of the fresh herbs. Season with pepper and stir again. Transfer to a serving dish or individual bowls and garnish with the remaining herbs.

Recipe Thursday - Antioxidant Trail Mix

This past Monday, I was blessed to have a day off work, along with my best friend, Tamara. The weather here in Houston has been wonderful lately and we decided to make the best of the day. I packed a big blanket, some healthy snacks and lunch and we headed to Hermann Park to relax, study, read and just have some great fellowship. I wish I could have a day like that at least once a week! Tamara also brought along a snack that I absolutely loved and will now become a weekly staple in our home: the antioxidant trail mix. The antioxidant trail mix satisfies that sweet and salty craving with natural, healthy ingredients that offer great benefits for your body. This is also a great option for kids' snacks or an addition to their lunchbox. The recipe came from our The Real Food Diet Cookbook by Dr. Josh Axe. I highly recommend this cookbook. Dr. Axe has easy to make recipes using natural, real foods. Our family has been introduced to foods we normally wouldn't have eaten before from experimenting with this cookbook.

As the weather is warming up all over and you are planning road trips and picnics, be sure and pack snacks that are good for you and your family and that taste great too. This snack definitely gets an A+ in my book.

See the recipe and a video of Dr. Axe talking about the health benefits on his website

Antioxidant Trail Mix

1 c. pecans
1 c. almonds
1/2 c. raisins
1/2 c. dark chocolate chips (unsweetened)
1 c. dried apple slices
sea salt, sprinkled
cinnamon, sprinkled
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Recipe Thursday - Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro

It's Recipe Thursday and again I have for you a very yummy recipe using quinoa. My good friend Katie over at The Hills Country hosted a fabulous Seder dinner a couple of weeks ago and served this tasty dish along with brisket, asparagus, and broccoli. Katie is an amazing hostess and the meal was delicious. What's a Seder dinner you may ask? Check out Katie's post about the dinner - complete with pictures!

Again I found a dish I loved and had to try it out on the family, or as they lovingly call themselves "mom's guinea pigs!" :-) The first night I cooked this dish as a side dish to go along with our grilled chicken, asparagus and salad. My hubby loved it and said it was the best quinoa dish ever! That made me smile! Once again, sweet daughter isn't falling in love with the quinoa as quickly as we are but she's still eating her three bites.

The second time I cooked this dish was this past Monday and we decided to serve it as the main dish with just a side of peas and salad. I'm really trying to implement Meatless Mondays but am definitely getting push back from the family. However, this time it was my husband's idea to serve it as a main dish because it has so much protein from the beans and quinoa that additional meat is not necessary. Finally a little sliver of hope in my quest for Meatless Mondays.

Overall, served as a side dish or as a main dish, this is a great recipe to add to your meal planning. What is fun about this dish too is that you can really play around with the ingredients and spice it up with fresh jalapenos, diced tomatoes, and extra spices. Remember it's not about perfection in the kitchen, it's about the experience. Enjoy!


Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cups chopped white onions
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup quinoa,* rinsed, drained
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 11/2 cups water
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• Crumbled Cotija cheese or feta cheese (optional)

See the full recipe here

Water Wisdom

Every time I finish a new lecture for school, I get more excited about this new path in my life and look forward to the opportunity to help others understand how together we can cure ourselves from many common ailments with proper nutrition and overall wellness! Most recently we discussed the topic of water and referenced a book written by Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, M.D. titled "Your Body's Many Cries for Water/ You are not sick, you are thirsty! Don't treat thirst with medications."

According to Dr. Batmanghelidj, "The human body is composed of 25 percent solid matter and 75 percent water. Brian tissue is 85 percent water. When we starve body cells of water, they start to complain - and set up many adverse reactions."

Water Cure.com lists some effects of mild dehydration as the following: decreased coordination, fatigue, dry skin, decreased urine output, dry mucous membranes in the mouth and nose, blood pressure changes and impairment of judgment. Stress, headache, back pain, allergies, asthma, high blood pressure and many degenerative health problems are the result of UCD (Unintentional Chronic Dehydration).

Let's keep our bodies hydrated and happy by following these simple steps:

* Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning - we are most dehydrated when we wake up and the water will get your blood flowing.

* Do not wait till you are thirsty to drink water. If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Continually drink water throughout your day. I personally keep a water bottle with me at all times.

* Limit your intake of soda, tea and coffee. These drinks dehydrate your body.

* Drink water before and after you eat to help the digestive process. (Also a tip for those who are trying to lose weight - Drinking 2 glasses of water before you eat will help you to eat less)

* Increase water intake before, during, and after exercise. Also, increase water in warmer climates.

Water is essential to our health and should be a priority in our quest to be as healthy as we can be. I encourage everyone to make it a goal this week to increase your water intake. Start slow by replacing your current beverage of choice with water for just one meal a day. You can do this!