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

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 - 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

Recipe Thursday - Mexican Taco Stew

This post could be titled, Thank Goodness for the Whole Foods App. That's how I feel about the wonderful app on my phone that allows me to enter what ingredients I have on-hand and gives me suggested recipes. The recipe app has come in handy many times and I definitely suggest adding it to your phone. Immediately I found this recipe and thought it sounded delicious and I had all but one ingredient on hand. No big deal, I knew I could just improvise. I was excited.

Then enter my husband who asks what we are having for dinner. I smile and announce that we are having Mexican Taco Stew. He immediately gives me the "I'm not too sure about that" look and says, "So it's soup". The hubby doesn't really care for soup. I smile again, ensure him it will be great and go back into the kitchen hoping that my meal lives up to my words! I got the same distrusting look from my daughter as she was setting the table because she too doesn't like "soup".

As I do experiment A LOT with new recipes and foods, I always ask for honest feedback from my family. I want to know what they like, don't like, suggestions for what to do different, and most importantly if this is a meal they would want to eat again. Well the Mexican Taco Stew has won them over and will be served again in the Weir home. My husband really enjoyed it and we both agreed that it would be great if we added some more vegetables, probably more squash and possibly some bell peppers. The corn was the one ingredient that I didn't have on hand but we will add that next time. Topped with fresh avocado - oh so yummy. Overall a great, quick recipe that is perfect for a family dinner during the week or for a group.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

1/2 pound ground turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons taco seasoning (gluten-free)

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth*

1 large zucchini or summer squash, cut into small cubes

1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans*

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes*

1 cup frozen corn kernels*

1 cup medium salsa*

Amy Style (alterations to the above ingredients)

• I used 1 pound of very lean ground turkey
• I used a package of taco seasoning but will try to use cumin and chili powder next time instead to reduce the sodium
• Topped with fresh avocado instead of sour cream
• Add more squash and corn, as well as bell peppers
• Use fresh tomatoes instead of canned

See the full recipe on the Whole Foods Website

Recipe Thursday - Greens with Carrots, Feta Cheese and Quinoa

After the success of my first kale recipe a couple of weeks ago, I felt confident to use the kale in another recipe that I had again found on the Whole Foods website last night. Much to my delight, the hubby liked it, had seconds, and didn't need to put additional hot sauce or garlic salt on it! (He puts hot sauce and garlic salt on everything!) Although she enjoyed the Kenyan kale recipe, my sweet daughter didn't enjoy this recipe as much but I think it had more to do with the quinoa than the kale. She is still getting used to eating quinoa. However, being the good eater that she has become, she still ate her three bites with only a little compliant. This was sufficient for me, as she had already eaten her turkey, roasted asparagus, and mixed greens/spinach salad. Yep my 10 year old loves her greens now!

I did make quite a few modifications to the recipe based on food preference, amount needed, and what I had on hand. I have listed the ingredients below as they are in the original recipe and then added comments regarding my modifications. If you are new to cooking, don't be afraid to change the recipe and make it your own. This was a great lesson that my husband really helped me understand. I still consider myself a "new cook" but I know the more I cook and experiment, the better I become. Remember it's not about perfection in the kitchen - its about enjoying the experience.

Ingredients

2 carrots, shredded (I used three carrots)
2 bunches dark leafy greens (kale, collard greens or Swiss chard), tough stems removed, leaves very thinly sliced (I used only 1 bunch of kale)
1/2 red onion, finely chopped (I used a yellow onion)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled (I didn't measure the amount of feta used but I definitely didn't use 1/4 lb)
1 (20-ounce) package 365 Everyday Value frozen Organic Whole Grain Brown Rice, prepared according to package directions (I used 6 oz of Quinoa instead of brown rice, cooked with organic chicken broth)

I also added 3 cloves of minced garlic and a little olive oil

See the full recipe on the Whole Foods website

Recipe Thursday - Kenyan Style Kale and Tomatoes

I still find it odd that I am posting a recipe using kale. A couple of years ago, this never would have happened. I thought Kale was just a decoration on your plate, something you set aside in order to eat your other "good" food. But my eyes have been opened and I am starting to embrace foods like kale for their wonderful health benefits. Kale is one of the most nutrient rich foods you can find and is an excellent source of  Manganese, Iron, Copper, Calcium, Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, B2, and B6, and Vitamin E.

Accepting foods like kale - easy. Cooking them in a way that your family will eat - not always so easy. But in my weekly quest to try new recipes and add new foods to my family's diet, I found a recipe for kale on the Whole Foods website that I thought would appeal to everyone and tried it last night. I am happy to say that my first attempt at cooking kale was a success! My husband, our 10 year old daughter, and 2 friends that were last-minute dinner guests all gave it a thumbs-up for taste. The verdict on the look was another story! It is MUCH tastier than it looks so just give it a try.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
3 ripe but firm tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 bunches kale or collard greens (about 1 pound total), ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

See the full recipe on the Whole Foods website

Smoothie Love

For all the friends and family members that have asked about the smoothies that I make, this post is for you. I have been drinking these smoothies almost every day since introduced to them over 5 months ago and LOVE them. I crave them in the mornings, I love the taste, but what I love the most is that the ingredients of the smoothie, along with eating healthy foods, have played a huge role in helping me manage my IBS symptoms. I use the word "manage" because the symptoms still pop up here and there but have decreased significantly. What used to be a daily battle has become something that I deal with only occasionally, drastically improving my quality of life.


Green Superfood Berry Smoothie
(This is the way that I make mine but know others that add ingredients or leave out some ingredients based on taste and desired effects.)

1 Banana
1 Scoop Vanilla Egg White Protein (I use the Jay Robb brand)
1 Scoop Green Superfood (I use Garden of Life Raw, Organic Superfood)
4 Large, Frozen, Organic Strawberries
5-6 Frozen, Organic Raspberries
A handful of Frozen, Organic Blueberries
1/2 Cup of Vanilla Almond Milk
Cinnamon to taste
Raw, local honey to taste

A couple of notes
1) I recommend using only a half scoop of the green superfood for the first couple of weeks until you get used to the flavor and then slowly adding more. Once you start to love it, you will want to add more and more!
2) It is best to use organic berries because berries hold a lot of pesticides and you want to eliminate your exposure.
3) My preference is the vanilla almond milk but you can use plain or even use Coconut Milk.
4) I highly recommend adding the Cinnamon. It has great health benefits - Studies have shown that it is Anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial, it has a regulatory effect on blood sugar and can possibly lower cholesterol.
3) If you are going to reap the benefits of drinking green smoothies on a regular basis, I suggest investing in a good blender. You want something that will last. We currently have the Kitchen Aid 5-speed Model: KSB755CA

Happy Blending!

Do you have a healthy smoothie recipe to share?