Sugar free? Fat Free? No Way!

Some of you may be saying "yuk" or "boring" when you read Fat free and Sugar free recipes - however, there are some with medical or non-medical reasons that require them to cut sugar and lower their fat intake.

Say "YES" and try these recipes!

To kick off a series of Fat Free, Sugar Free, Low Carb recipes, I present to you:


Baked Kale Chips = 50 calories per cup
1 bunch (about 6 ounces) kale
1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
Sea salt, to taste


Preheat oven to 300°F. Rinse and dry the kale, then remove the stems and tough center ribs. Cut into large pieces, toss with olive oil in a bowl then sprinkle with salt. Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet (I needed two because mine are tiny; I also lined mine with parchment for easy clean-up but there’s no reason that you must). Bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp. Place baking sheet on a rack to cool.

I sprinkle this on my sons rice (sort of like seaweed) on salads or accompanied with eggs. Of course you could simply chow down on these alone. 1 cup is less than 50 calories so there is little guilt associated with these. Enjoy!





Quinoa Egg Stuffed Pepper
Makes 1 serving = 260 calories

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1/2 cups water or chicken broth
• 1 large green peppers
• 1/4 can chicken or vegetable broth
• Pam spray
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• green pepper tops, finely chopped
• 1 oz fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 1 oz chopped asparagus 
• 1 oz chopped zucchini
• Clove of garlic, minced
• Tsp of salsa (no sugar added)
• 1/2 cup of egg whites

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Get out a deep pan or casserole dish.

Bring quinoa and water to a boil in medium saucepan, turn down to low, put the lid on and let simmer for 8 to 10 minutes; then lightly fluff with a fork. The quinoa should be a bit under-cooked, it will finish cooking in the peppers.

Meanwhile, clean peppers, cutting off tops and chopping tops into fine pieces. Arrange the green peppers in deep casserole dish and pour the vegetable broth into the bottom of the casserole. Cover and put in oven to steam peppers slightly before filling, about 5-10 minutes. Do this while preparing the filling.

In large skillet over medium-high heat, spray skillet with pam, saute onion, chopped green pepper tops, asparagus, zucchini and mushrooms and cook until green peppers are soft and onions are transparent. Add garlic and stir. Heat through, then add salsa and turn heat down to simmer, and let cook, uncovered, for a few minutes.

Remove from heat and fold the quinoa into the veggie mixture in skillet. Be careful not to stir too much; that will break the quinoa down.

Remove peppers from oven and stuff with the filling. Top each pepper with egg whites and return to the oven, uncovered, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until peppers are soft, and the egg whites have set and starting to brown.

Let peppers sit for 3 to 5 minutes before serving. Lift gently out of casserole and serve whole.






Easy Quinoa Pancakes

Ingredients: Quinoa flakes or flour, 2 eggs

Optional: Coconut oil, cinnamon, stevia or Xylitol

Cooking Directions: Mix 1/3 cup of quinoa flakes or flour with 2 organic eggs in a bowl, add 1 tsp of coconut oil. Add more quinoa flakes or flour if runny or until desired consistency is achieved. Stir until everything is completely blended then add to a pan set at medium heat. Sprinkle cinnamon, stevia or Xylitol if desired.


Dry Ingredients:

•  2 cups Quinoa Flour
• 2/3 cup Coconut Flour
• 2-3 Tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1 teaspoon Stevia or Xylitol
• 2 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups rice or almond milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the liquid ingredients.  (A shaker cup intended for protein shakes works great).
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Drop batter by 1/4 cup onto a lightly oiled non-stick pan warmed over medium-high heat.
5. When bubbles form on the pancake, flip and continue cooking and 30sec - 1 minute.
6. Enjoy the deliciousness!

Indian Chicken Coconut Curry

Indian Chicken Coconut Curry

Add some pep to your chicken with a flavorful blend of aromatic spices and coconut milk.

(SERVES 4)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped fine
2 Tbsp. finely chopped ginger
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. chili flakes
7 tsp. turmeric
3 tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 cup light sour cream
Kosher salt
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
1 lime
Small bunch cilantro leaves

1/ Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until light golden brown. Add ginger, cumin, fennel, mustard, chili and turmeric. Cook spices until they begin to pop.

2/ Add tomatoes, coconut milk and sour cream, and bring to a simmer. If sauce is too thick, add a little water. Season with salt.

3/ Add chicken and cook until it's no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes.

4/ Serve over brown rice or flat bread, or alone. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 272 calories, 28 g protein, 5 g carbs, 15 g fat, 1 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 90 mg sodium

>> Research shows that ginger enhances muscle recovery and can even promote fat loss.

If one of your new years resolutions is to eat healthier here is a website that has a bunch of weight watcher approved recipes is skinnytaste.com - all kinds of delicious recipes and beautiful photos too!





Using a crock pot is an excellent way to cut back on time in the kitchen while adding layers of delicious flavor that comes from long, low cooking In a pot.
Here's the link:  skinnytaste

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili
Servings: 10

1 onion, chopped
1 16-oz can black beans
1 16-oz can kidney beans
1 8-oz can tomato sauce (used a 16 oz can)
10 oz package frozen corn kernels (used 2 small cans of corn kernels)
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies (used a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes)
1 packet taco seasoning
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder (used a bit more as I didn't have any chilies in my tomatoes)
24 0z. (3) boneless skinless chicken breasts
chili peppers, chopped (optional)
chopped fresh cilantro
 
Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro. Also try it with low fat cheese and sour cream (extra points). 



10 • Size: 10 oz • Prep Time: 5 minutes • Calories: 202 • Points: 4 ww points

Slow Cooker Mole Chicken Chili

For about the past month, I've been working diligently to plan our meals ahead of time every week rather than trying to come up with a plan at 5 pm everyday. I won't lie - I still find it to be a tedious task and I have to set aside a few hours each weekend to get it done. But you know what guys? It's really paying dividends so I'm going to try to keep it up. When I don't have a plan I buy haphazardly at the grocery store and we wind up throwing out a ton of food. So not only are we saving money now, but our fridge and freezer are SO clean, I love it. Gone are the days of finding science experiments from who knows how long ago hiding in the back corner of the fridge :) It also makes weekdays a lot easier since it removes the stress of trying to piece together whatever happens to be in the house to make a meal. 



When I'm working on the meal plan for the week, I try to include a few dishes that are repeats - tried and true favorites, as well as a couple of new recipes. You've probably noticed by now that I'm all about easy dinner recipes. Very rarely do I want to spend hours cooking dinner on a weeknight, and frankly, it's a pretty rare occasion that I have that desire on the weekend either. That said, I have no problem with a meal that has a long cooking time so long as 90% of it is hands off, which makes my slow cooker a pretty useful appliance. A few of our meals in the past few weeks, including this mole chicken chili, have utilized it, and I know there'll be more to come this winter. 



Let me say off the bat that I've never had authentic mole sauce. I understand it's generally made using lots of dried chiles, chocolate, and nuts, and is really fantastic - one of these days I will actually give it a go. This recipe, though, takes some shortcuts and turns to substitutes you probably have in your pantry, like cocoa powder and spices such as chili powder, cinnamon and cloves. It'll probably take you less than 15 minutes to get everything in the slow cooker and then you set it to low and go about your day. The recipe says 4-6 hours, but my chicken was fall apart tender at just shy of 4 hours. The chicken is shredded and stirred back into the sauce then it's all served over white rice. I wasn't sure how this one would go over, but Shane and I both enjoyed it quite a bit. The sauce was quite rich and flavorful, unlike anything I've ever had in terms of flavor with the combination of ingredients at work here. There were a ton of leftovers too. I made the full recipe and we were fed for dinner one night as well as lunch for another 2 or 3 days. I confess I was sort of sick of chili by the end, but it definitely made my meal planning task easier that week! 

Slow Cooker Mole Chicken Chili
from Slow Cooker Revolution

2 onions, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cocoa powder 
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons Minute tapioca
2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chilis
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted (I omitted)

Combine the onions, vegetable oil, chili powder, cocoa powder, garlic, cinnamon and cloves in a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave until the onions are softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to the slow cooker.  Add the broth, tomatoes (and their juice), raisins, peanut butter, tapioca and chipotle chilis and stir to combine.  Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper then nestle into the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or until the chicken is fall-apart tender. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and, using 2 forks, shred the meat into bite-size pieces. Let the chili settle for a few minutes then skim any fat from the surface with a spoon. Add the chicken back to the slow cooker and heat for just a few minutes to warm through. Mix in the scallions and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over white rice and garnish with the sesame seeds. 

White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale

Once we start having chilly fall evenings, I tend to pull out my slow cooker, and I find myself adding kale to soups and 

sauces pretty frequently. Occasionally, I'll make this with sausage for my hubby and kids but I prefer to use a Turkey sausage for myself.

Here are a few other meals you can use with your slow cooker 

White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale(Serves 6-8)

• 1 pound hot Italian sausage (casings removed)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 pound dry white beans (canellini or great northern), rinsed
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 large bunch kale, thick stems removed and chopped
• Parmigino-reggiano cheese (optional)

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spatula as it browns.  Once the sausage is cooked through, add the red wine vinegar to deglaze the pan and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Transfer the meat and drippings to your slow cooker.

Add the beans, onion, celery, carrot, and garlic to the meat in the slow cooker, and stir to combine.  Add the chicken broth and the sprigs of fresh thyme.  Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours.

Approximately 30 minutes before serving, stir in the tomato and the kale. Once the tomato is warmed through and the kale has wilted into the soup, serve topped with flakes of parmigiano-reggiano cheese, if desired.

Breakfast that keeps you FULL

Vegetarian Egg Bake
Ingredients

• 10 egg whites, beaten
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat (2%) organic milk
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cups tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup salsa

Preparation
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Combine egg whites, milk, and pepper in a large bowl and set aside.
Spray a large, heavy skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and spinach and sauté another 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Transfer vegetables to egg mixture and combine thoroughly. Pour into a lightly oiled glass pie plate and bake 15 minutes or until eggs are set. Do not overcook.
Cut into wedges and serve at room temperature with salsa.
Makes 4 servings.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Nutrition Facts
Number of Servings: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 96
Total Fat: 1 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 1 mg
Sodium: 315 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 11 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 11 g

Low Fat Passover Breakfast

Skillet Matzah Brei

• Cooking spray
• 2 tsp. oil
• 4 matzahs
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper

Coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray and add 1/2 tsp. of the oil . Heat the skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Meanwhile, moisten the matzah with cold water and crumble into a bowl. Add the egg whites and seasonings. Spoon half the mixture into the hot skillet or griddle as one large pancake and brown. With a wide spatula, lift the matzah an add another 1/2 tsp of oil. Turn to brown the other side. Repeat with remaining mixture and oil. Serves 4.

Calories - 157; Saturated fat - 0 g.; Total fat - 2 g.; Carbohydrates - 27 g.;
Cholesterol - 0 mg.; Sodium - 202 mg.

Chocolate Protein Muffins

Chocolate Protein Muffins

 

These muffins are a great pre or post workout snack and taste great!!!

 

Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup whole grain oats
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1tbsp cinnamon (or spice of your choice)
• 2 tbsp chocolate whey protein powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Wet Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• ½ unsweetened almond milk or non-fat/skim milk
• 3 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin pan with oil and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.

5. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients all at once, stirring just until all dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in cranberries.

6. Portion batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups. Bake 20 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool on a wire rack.

Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 182, Total Fats: 4 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 20 mg, Sodium: 122 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 30 g, Dietary Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 9 g, Protein:  8 g, Iron 2 mg

 OPTIONS: Instead of cranberries you can add raisins, dark chocolate chips, or almonds etc.  Get creative with them!

Spinach & Artichoke Tofu Dip - Entertain Guests

Based on a hot spinach artichoke dip but with much fewer calories and fat!

Spinach & Artichoke Tofu Dip
Ingredients
1 can (13-3/4 oz) artichoke hearts, chopped
2 C fresh spinach, steamed, drained well & chopped
OR
1 10 oz. pkg frozen chopped spinach, cooked & drained well
1 pkg firm tofu, drained well & cubed into 1" pieces
1/2 C parmesan cheese
1/2 C cream cheese
1 T garlic powder
freshly ground salt & pepper

Directions Melt cream cheese over med-low heat in saucepan - keep an eye on it & stir as needed. Blend tofu in food processor to the consistency of peanutbutter. Add tofu, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt & pepper to saucepan. Stir until well blended. Add chopped artichoke hearts & chopped spinach; stir. Serve with torilla chips, crackers, pretzels or vegetables of choice.
Easy to make ahead. Simply turn the dip into a glass dish and keep refrigerated. When ready to serve, warm in the oven at 325 degrees F for 20-30 mins.

Tip: Drain spinach well to minimize water content. I often press the spinach with the backside of spoon while it's in a strainer.

Yields 8 generous 1/2 C servings

Per serving: 130 cals, 6 g fat, 8 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 10 g protein

SAVE TIME: Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos In The Slow Cooker

Ingredients

---

• 2 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 cups salsa (Fresh is Best)
• 2 limes 
• 2 T chili powder 
• 1/2 t cumin 
• 1/2-1 cayenne pepper 
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• about 12 full sprigs fresh cilantro 
• 2 cups pepperjack or monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 3 green onions, chopped 
• plain Greek yogurt
• flour tortillas 
• Optional: 1/2 tsp cinnamon or clove if you are feeling adventurous

How to make it

---

• Place rinsed chicken in crock pot and add juice from both limes, chili powder and salsa.
• Tie or band cilantro together and drop on top of chicken along with lime halves (don't worry, these will all be fished out, later :)
• Cook on low about 8 hours or so.
• When tender enough to shred, remove lime halves and cilantro, and shred in pot using two forks. Stir well and add remaining seasoning.
• Set your slow cooker to lowest setting(I use warm) and continue to simmer about 30 minutes. (I use this time to prepare risotto or quinoa)
• To serve, warm tortilla in dry skillet until just beginning to toast but are still flexible.
• Add a spoonful of chicken mixture to tortilla and add cheese, yogurt, green onions, and more cilantro, as desired.

Gluten-Free Trail Bars

Oat-Free, Grain-Free Trail Bars
Ingredients12 oz almonds
8 oz pecans
6 oz sunflower seeds (unsalted)
6 oz pumpkin seeds (unsalted)
8 - 10oz shredded coconut (preferably unsweetened)
4 T grape seed oil
4 - 6 T honey

DirectionsPreheat oven to 325.

Pulse almonds & pecans in food processor until you produce a flour. Pieces of nut are okay. Should take about 4-5 pulses over about 30 seconds. Don't get carried away or else you'll have a butter on your hands.

In large bowl, mix together seeds & coconut. Add nut flour and stir. Add grape seed oil and honey to dry mixture. Stir until everything is lightly coated. It will not be a solid mass; it will fall apart.

Pour mixture into jellyroll pan (ours is 12" x 19") or other rectangular baking dish (if using glass, coat with cooking spray). Press and pack down hard - if you don't do this well, you'll end up with crumbles not bars. Should be no more than ¾-inch thick. If it's thicker, set some of the mixture aside or bake it in a 2nd dish when the 1st one is done.

Bake at 325. Check at 20 minutes, press & pack again with back of spatula. Let cook another 10 mins...keep checking at this point. The edges will get brown, but the middle might still be gooey. Remove at lightly brown for “chewy granola” consistency (the honey might still be runny and it all just falls apart). Let cook past “golden brown” for crunchier consistency. Let pan cool on wire rack, allowing the cooked bar to set-up. When almost room temp, cut into squares with sharp knife (it’s not always pretty, things fall apart).

Ingredients

• 8 ounces whole wheat sourdough or Tuscan-style bread, cut into 8 slices
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fat-free Italian salad dressing
• 4 1-ounce slices reduced-fat provolone cheese
• 4 medium plum tomatoes, sliced (2 cups)
• 16 fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup (2 ounces) packed baby spinach or regular spinach, chopped coarse
• 16 pitted kalamata olives, chopped

Instructions

1. Lightly spray one side of each of the bread slices with cooking spray. Turn the slices over and spoon 1 teaspoon of the salad dressing on each. Top four bread slices with a cheese slice and equal amounts of the tomato, basil, spinach, and olives. Top with the other four bread slices, salad dressing side down.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot, and coat the skillet with cooking spray. Add the sandwiches and cook 1½ to 2 minutes or until lightly golden, turn, and reduce heat to medium low. (Add weight to the sandwiches by covering them with a sheet of foil and topping with a dinner plate and a couple of cans of soup or vegetables.) Cook 2 minutes or until browned on the bottom. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 2 minutes.

Author’s Note: Serve with:

1. 2 medium red bell peppers cut into strips (1/2 cup serving) for an additional 20 Calories, 0g Fat, 2g Fiber, 0mg Sodium
2. 4 medium star fruit sliced (1 cup serving) for an additional 40 Calories, 0g Fat, 3g Fiber, 0mg Sodium
3. 8 sugar-free frozen fruit pops (2 per serving), dessert for an additional 35 Calories, 0g Fat, 0g Fiber and 5mg Sodium

Source: 1500 Calorie a Day Cookbook

270 Calories, 9g Fat, 11g Protein, 35g Carbohydrates, 3g Fiber, 10mg Cholesterol, 880mg Sodium; 25% Vitamin A, 15% Vitamin C, 20% Calcium, 10% Iron

Greens, Mushroom and White Bean Ragoût

Greens, Mushroom and White Bean Ragoût

Greens, Mushroom and White Bean Ragoût

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Greens, Mushroom and White Bean Ragoût

Serves 6

Serve this hearty and saucy combination of leafy greens, mushrooms and beans over whole grain brown rice or whole wheat pasta. Use 1 (16-ounce) package of frozen dark leafy greens instead of fresh greens for a quick shortcut.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
1 large white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup Marsala or red wine
4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
12 ounces fresh mushrooms, button or wild or a mixture of both, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium tamari
2 tablespoons whole spelt or whole wheat flour
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added Great Northern or other white beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans
1 pound (1 to 2 bunches) dark leafy greens, such as collards, kale or mustard greens, tough stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method

Bring 3/4 cup broth to a simmer in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook 7 to 8 minutes or until tender. Stir in wine, rosemary and thyme and cook about 2 minutes or until wine evaporates. Add mushrooms and reduce heat to medium, cover and cook 5 minutes or until mushrooms release their liquid and begin to become tender, stirring once. Stir in remaining 1 3/4 cups broth and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together tamari, flour, nutritional yeast and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the hot broth to make a thick paste. Whisk paste into the simmering broth mixture, stirring constantly. Bring back to a simmer and cook 1 minute, whisking constantly. Stir in beans and greens, in batches if needed, cover and cook 5 minutes or until greens are wilted and heated through, stirring once. Stir in black pepper and serve.

Nutrition

Per serving: 310 calories (10 from fat), 1.5g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 170mg sodium, 54g total carbohydrate (17g dietary fiber, 6g sugar), 17g protein

DATE NIGHT: Salmon with Allégro Ricotta & Coriander

Salmon with Ricotta & Coriander

Serves: 4

This protein-rich recipe is sure to tide you over until your next meal. It also delivers a good dose of omega-3, fatty acids that are essential for a healthy heart and may even help boost your morale! And as for coriander, it provides antioxidants and is a source of vitamin K. This is a nice meal to prepare for a special someone -- Valentine's Day isn't too far away!

By Chef Giovanni Apollo.

Ingredients
250 ml (1 cup) of  4% low sodium ricotta
24 coriander leaves, finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp olive oil
4 salmon fillets (150 g each)

Directions

In a bowl, using a whisk vigorously mix the ricotta, 3/4 of the coriander and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Let rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F, then heat a large oven-proof skillet on the stovetop on medium high heat. Coat skillet with olive oil. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and sprinkle them with the remaining coriander. Place fillets, skin down, in the hot pan and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer to oven and cook another 5–10 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork. Garnish with coriander-flavoured ricotta. Serve immediately.


Nutrition Facts (per 1 portion): Calories 320; Fat 18 g, 28%; Sodium 160 mg, 7%; Carbohydrate 3 g,1%; Fibres 0 g, 0%; Protein 37 g
 

Quinoa Chocolate Cake

Have your cake and eat it too! This was passed on by a friend who HIGHLY recommends this cake!

Here is a cake you can bake for special occasions (Valentines Day is coming up!) without feeling too guilty -- don't go nuts and eat the whole thing thou!

*Wondering where to get Quinoa? Try Whole foods, Choices,  or Galloways. Most big grocery chains are jumping on the band wagon so you may get lucky and find it there!

Quinoa chocolate cake
 

Ingredients:
2/3 cup white or golden quinoa
1 1/3 cups water
1/3 cup milk
4 large eggs
1tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Combine the water and the quinoa in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cool.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two- 8" round cake pans. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.

3. Combine milk, eggs and vanilla in a blender, add the 2 cups of cooked quinoa and the butter. Blend until smooth.

4. Whisk together sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda in a medium bowl. Add the contents of the blender and mix well. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake on center rack of oven for 40-45 minutes (until a knife inserted comes out clean). Remove cakes from oven and cool completely in the pans before serving. You could make a two layer cake and frost it at this point. Or just serve each cake as is (my preference).

5. White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces white chocolate (such as Lindt—do not use a baking chocolate like Callebaut), melted and cooled to lukewarm temperature (see Note)

To make the icing: In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat well. Add the melted chocolate and beat well. Use immediately or store, covered, at room temperature for up to 4 hours.

Satisfy your Sweet Tooth with a Protein Boost

Choose this protein-rich salad the next time you want to snack

ingredients

½ cup	(125 mL) cottage cheese
⅓ cup	(75 mL) fruit salad
	Walnuts or almonds
	Honey
	Agave syrup (available in health food stores)

directions

1.	Mix cottage cheese with fruit salad. Top with chopped nuts, and drizzle with honey or syrup .

Black Bean Burgers

Black Bean Burgers
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup carrots, diced
1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1 cup dried bread crumbs
1 tablespoon canola oil
4-5 slices of provolone or pepper jack cheese

Add the olive oil and veggies to a frying pan, and cook at medium-high heat until veggies begin to soften.  While the veggies are sauteing, add  the beans into a medium-sized mixing bowl.  Mash them up a bit with a potato masher, leaving about 1/4 of the beans whole.

Add the sauteed veggies to the bean mixture and stir to combine.  Add the remaining ingredients (reserving the canola oil for frying the patties in) and mix together.  (It's best to use your hands to mix everything together at this point).

Divide mixture into 4 or 5 patties, depending on your preference of patty size.  After forming the patties, fry them in the canola oil until golden, about three minutes per side, over medium-high heat.

Top with the cheese of your choice, once bean burgers are flipped.

Serve on hamburger buns, with mayonnaise, greens of your choice, and tomatoes.

Tip:
Start your patties in a cold pan to give the patties a nice crunch on the outside.
For delicious go-to lunches at home, wrap patties individually and freeze.  When you need lunch in a hurry, just grab a patty, microwave until hot, and assemble as usual.

Calories: 198 | Total Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 53mg

Veggie Frittata

This is my all time favorite breakfast, brunch and lunch food!

 

Basically you can use whatever veg you fancy - 

let your imagination run riot and see what variations you come up with! 

Can also be used cold as picnic or packed lunch food. 

Serves 2
 
Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 60 grams Ricotta cheese or quark
• 2 teaspoons ghee or 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 red pepper or mushrooms, chopped
• 1 teaspoon basil
• sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon water

How to make it:

1. Saute the veg in the ghee or olive oil.
2. Mash the ricotta/quark and beat in the eggs, basil, sea salt and water.
3. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook until the bottom is done but the top is still runny.
4. Place the pan under the grill until the top puffs up and starts to brown - don't let it burn.

Gluten-Free Buckwheat "Oatmeal"

This gluten-free grain is often overlooked when compared with its massively produced cousin, Oatmeal, but it’s now readily available in health food stores large and small.  It’s not actually a grain, but a seed somewhat related to rhubarb.  It cooks very similarly to oatmeal, though, is as deliciously versatile and is wonderfully filling on mornings when there’s a lot of day to face.  It’s completely gluten-free and a very healthy-happy food.

Healthy-Happy Buckwheat!

• Completely gluten-free as it’s a seed, so it’s digestible for those with celiac and gluten sensitivities
• Contains a very high level of magnesium, which relaxes blood vessels and therefore contributes to healthy blood flow and is good for the heart
• Lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL cholesterol (that’s a good thing…)
• Helps lower and regulate blood-sugar levels by containing chiro-inositol.  Researchers are not sure why this does what it does quite yet, but in humans and animals alike, whole grains containing this compound lowered blood-sugar levels by 12-19% when compared with those given a placebo (check it out at WHFoods)
• Generally high in antioxidants, so is generally an on-your-side superfood

Let’s Cook It!

Some cook buckwheat as an alternative to rice.  I prefer it as a porridge, all gooey and slightly sweet.  Below is my recipe for a coconut-buckwheat cereal.  Alternatives would be to cook with water or an animal milk, then add any variety of vanilla extract, cinnamon, dried or fresh fruits, carob powder, fresh nutmeg, chai… the list goes on.  I prefer coconut milk on some mornings because it makes the porridge thicker and naturally sweet and creamy.  I pressure cook my morning grains normally, as it adds to the digestion ease and also makes the grains that much more moist and fluffy.  Toasting them for a few minutes on dry heat before adding the liquid increases their digestibility.  Directions for pressure-cooking and stove top cooking are below.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of buckwheat
• 2 cups of liquid – I used rice milk however soy or a can of light coconut milk, topped off with water
• 1 tsp light agave syrup (per serving)
• dried cranberries, golden raisins or blueberries (preferably sugar and nitrate-free)
• raw nuts (I used pecans, but hazelnuts or almonds would also be delightful)

Directions:

1. Pressure Cooking Grains: Add grains and liquid into a pressure cooker, bring up to full heat (you’ll know because it’ll be sizzling away, making lots of noise and releasing some steam), cook for 12 minutes, then turn off the heat and let pressure release naturally.
2. Stove-top Cooking Grains:  Toast the grains in a dry pot on medium heat, stirring continually, until they become nutty and fragrant.  Add the liquid, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer.   Cook about 15-20 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.
3. Serve with 1 tsp of light agave syrup per serving, and a small handful of raw nuts and dried fruit.

Note: Adding a non-animal protein such as nut-butter or eggs is a great way to make this breakfast a perfect protein and aid digestion.  I actually rarely do such heavy grains first thing in the morning as I can’t digest nuts well in the early day, but as a sweet-treat and with some extra digestive boosting supplements, it’s a great way to face the rain.

How to make this a dessert? Simmer about 2 1/2 cups coconut milk on the stove, adding 4 tablespoons agave syrup, 2+ teaspoons each of vanilla extract and cinnamon and, if you want to live dangerously, a little dark rum.  Add grains and cook on low until thick and sweet.  Whip a whole egg and add in just before the grains are fully cooked, stirring thoroughly.  Taste and add seasonings to your preference.  Remove to a wide pan and refrigerate until cold.  Sprinkle with cinnamon, raisins and (if desired) a little more agave.

Full of Folate Salad

ingredients

½	clove garlic, minced
¼tsp	(1 mL) salt
¼tsp	(1 mL) prepared Dijon mustard
1tbsp	(15 mL) rice vinegar
1tbsp	(15 mL) orange juice
4tsp	(20 mL) olive oil
1tbsp	(15 mL) finely chopped coriander
	freshly ground pepper
4cups	(1 L) romaine lettuce, torn
2cups	(500 mL) baby spinach
1	navel orange, peeled, sliced into pinwheels
1	ripe avocado, sliced
¼ cup	(50 mL) toasted sunflower seeds

directions

1.	In a small bowl, mash garlic and salt together. Add mustard, vinegar, orange juice and olive oil. Whisk until fully blended. Add coriander and whisk to blend.
2.	In a large salad bowl, combine lettuce, spinach, orange and avocado slices. Drizzle on dressing and toss lightly. Garnish with toasted sunflower seeds.
3.	Tips: To toast raw, unsalted sunflower seeds, heat a small, dry frying pan on medium-high. Add seeds and toast, stirring until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
4.	To slice a ripe avocado, slice in half, lengthwise, nudge out the seed with the tip of a knife then slice avocado while in the "shell," prying pieces out by sliding knife between the peel and the avocado. Avocado will brown easily, so do this step just before dressing the salad.