Chocolate Chip and Fruit Oatmeal Cookies

Hello! Hope everyone had a very happy holidays.

This week I wanted to pass along one of the new gluten-free dessert recipes that I tried out to take to one of the Christmas parties I attended. I had originally written down a similar recipe that I found on Pinterest a while back. While I, unfortunately, didn't pin the source at the time I cannot take full credit for this creation. The following recipe is my modification to the idea I found online. Btw, they turned out delicious :-)


1 c Rolled Oats
(be sure they are marked gluten -free)

1 c all natural apple sauce
(I actually used a strawberry flavored sauce that worked wonderful. The original recipe also noted that mashed bananas could be substituted as well)

1/4 c almond (or cashew) butter, unsalted

1/4 c peanut butter
(I used my favorite Better n Butter that I always buy at Trader Joe's, but I'm sure regular natural peanut butter would work just as well)

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/8 tsp sea salt

5-6 tsp semi-sweet chocolate chips
(I was extra generous with these:)

5 tsp. mixed dried fruit
I used a blend of cranberries, blueberries and strawberries... The original recipe called for raspberries so I may try that next time)

Splenda, to taste (optional)
(I just added about a tbsp for a bit of extra sweetness since I had modified everything else to be super natural and as healthy as possible, but I still wanted the cookies to taste like a dessert and be enjoyed by my friends who are not gluten-free)

Directions-

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the applesauce and nut butters, then add all other ingredients and mix until well combined. Spoon onto greased baking sheet and bake around 15 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the sheet.

Makes around 1 1/2 to 2 dozen cookies.

Hope you enjoy these, easy to make cookies as much as I did.




(And please, if you know the author of the recipe that inspired this creation please credit in the comments below)

Lemon Peppercorn Salmon

Lemon Peppercorn Salmon

You will need:

Single frozen salmon filet
1/2 fresh lemon
Cracked Black Peppercorn (in grinder)

Spinach
Shredded carrots and cabbage (optional)
Sweet balsamic dressing



Directions -
You can follow the standard directions listed on the package (Pan cooking for about 12-14 mins in 1/4 inch water) or what I like to do is start the
Salmon in the flying pan (with just a tiny amount of water) until the skin can be removed, then season both sides of filet with juice from 1/4-1/2 lemon and freshly ground peppercorn. Place in foil-covered baking tin and finish in 450 degree oven for 15-20 mins, occasionally turn filet over and squeeze on more lemon juice throughout.

Plate a couple handfuls of fresh spinach along with the carrots and cabbage if desired, and top with cooked salmon. Squeeze a little more lemon juice over the entire dish and drizzle with sweet balsamic dressing.

I am thankful for... Pt 2

Happy Black Friday everyone,

Hope everyone got the deals that you were looking for. I on the other hand avoided the crowds and am spending at least one more day sharing what I am thankful for before jumping right into the holiday hustle and bustle. As I mentioned last week, even though my restrictive diet can seem difficult to deal with I am very thankful that it continues to get easier with time. I am thankful for the number of things that I can eat, and that my allergies are not worse. I am so grateful that I don't have a severe or life-threatening reaction and that, even though they can be aggravating, they do not cause more permanent damage to my health. I briefly mentioned how much it means for someone to take the time to answer questions, double check ingredients and make exceptions for me. But when friends, and coworkers go out of their way to try to understand and accommodate and include me instead of disregarding my allergy it doesn't go unnoticed.

I am also thankful for this experience of blogging and being able to document and share my journey. The recipes I have created are dishes I have prepared for myself and it keeps me creative and I hope maybe someday I can help make someone else's journey a little easier too. It can hard enough to be inspired to cook a single meal, or find heathy recipes, while staying on a budget but throw in a even shorter list of ingredients that you can use and the task can seem downright daunting. However, I am living proof it is not impossible! Sometimes it can even be fun, and turn out pretty tasty.
Overall I am thankful that I feel healthier and more in control of my body than I have in the past. For me, not knowing what foods were affecting me (or even if it was food related) or how each ingredient played a role was much more frustrating than making an effort to avoid a few items now.

I hope you'll continue to join me as kept learning and moving forward on this journey.

I am thankful for... Pt 1

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I have decided to spend a couple posts sharing a few things I am thankful for.

I am thankful that I have been able to discover how food affects me and am continually learning new way to avoid the adverse affects. I am grateful that I live in a time when food allergies are beginning to be taken more seriously and are becoming increasingly recognized. Even a few years ago it would have been much more difficult to maintain a gluten free diet. Now because of a greater awareness and more proficient labeling on most food products it is manageable. I am also thankful that I live in an area of the country that keeps up with food trends and offers options to people with restrictive diets. Having worked in food service, I understand how annoying modifications can be sometimes, but for those who do take the time to double check ingredient lists for me or allow substitutions I really do appreciate it. I also am glad to have access to a growing number of resources for tips and recipes. Speaking of which, I just purchased a gluten-free cook book which I am looking forward to trying out and sharing the results with you in future posts.

Next week I will be posting part 2 of this article. Until then please feel free to share any shout outs or bits of thankfulness that you have relating to your own journey with healthier eating, solo dining or cooking for people with allergies.

On being Gluten Free

As I was thinking about this week's post I realized it has already been just over a year since I committed to a fully gluten free diet. I have learned so much and dramatically altered my eating habits to avoid the grains wheat, rye, barley and spelt. While it hasn't been an easy process, it is worth noting that it has been significantly easier than I than anticipated, or than most people would expect.

I've found that cutting out an entire food group altogether (whether due to allergies or just as a choice) provides much less temptation then simply trying to cut back. It's also amazing how much I don't really miss gluten filled items in my diet. And while it does take some careful planning, and at times a little research, to find substitutes or naturally gluten free options I can say, that at least for me, it has been well worth it. The discovery process has not been without its hiccups, and therefore set backs (my latest slip up being Red Vines... Who would have thought that wheat would be a main ingredient?!?) but each lesson learned pushes me forward and reminds me to be diligent in reading labels and carefully inspecting ingredient lists instead of assuming what may or may not be a "safe" food.

If you have any questions about starting a gluten free diet please feel free to leave them in the comments below. I hope everyone continues to enjoy my recipes and tips... Here's to starting another year gluten free!

"I'm Stuffed" Peppers

Here's what you will need-

1 green bell pepper (helpful if you can find on that is even on the bottom, so it will sit flat in the oven)

Non-fat refried beans

White or Crimini mushrooms

Brown rice (cooked)

Salt and pepper

Tamari (gluten free soy sauce)

Margarine or butter


Let's get started- thoroughly rinse the green, pepper. Cut off the top, remove the seeds, and rinse again. Sit pepper on baking sheet or pie tin (covering the pan with aluminum foil makes clean up a breeze) and bake in 350 degree oven (about 10 mins) while prepping the remaining ingredients and any desired side items.
Rinse and chop mushrooms, lightly sauté in small amount of butter.
Remove pepper from oven and drizzle a little Tamari inside. Carefully layer the rice, beans, and mushrooms alternating ingredients and seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. The top layer should be brown rice, over which you can pour a little more tamari if desired.
Allow to finish baking (about 20-25 mins) and cool briefly... Enjoy!

Scallop and Seaweed Snackers

This week's recipe is for a tasty little treat called Scallop and Seaweed Snackers made with a honey mustard glaze. Ready in under 8 minutes, they make a great appetizer or snack.

To get started you will need:

6-7 Roasted Seaweed strips
4oz package of frozen scallops
About 1 1/2 Tbsp honey
About 1 Tbsp mustard
Sea salt
Black pepper
Olive oil

Directions-

Pre-heat skillet to medium heat, lightly greased with olive oil

Cook (frozen) scallops for 4-5 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper

Set aside seaweed snacks

Combine the mustard and honey (to taste) to make glaze

Once scallops have finished cooking (to a light golden brown) divide equally and spoon onto seaweed strips, drizzling with honey-mustard glaze

Enjoy!

Note: this recipe make about 6 Snackers (one serving), but is easily multiplied if you are serving guests.

Fiesta Shrimp

Happy Friday everyone!

This week's recipe is a great way to use some left overs in combination to create a whole new dish.

Left me briefly explain what I mean.

This past week I had the pleasure to attend a small birthday celebration (a picnic on the beach) where I provided chips and salsa. Instead of buying salsa I decided to make my own by chopping tomato, onions, bell peppers, jalapeños with juice and seasoning with a bit of salt and pepper (typically I add cilantro as well, but the store was out on this particular day, so I omitted it and tossed in a few parsley flakes instead). I ended up making more than we needed, and while the chips were gone, I had a bit of leftover salsa. Since I didn't want to buy a whole new bag of chips I decided to find another way to use the salsa.

Also I should explain, that while rice is simple enough to make I find it to be more time consuming than the rest of the prep for most dishes. Since I don't have a rice maker, I typically find myself making at least double amount of rice each time I do cook it just to avoid having to repeat the process more often.

Okay, enough with the explanations and back story and on with this week's recipe...

Fiesta Shrimp:

You will need-

Frozen salad shrimp (rinse under cold running water for about 3 mins)

One serving brown or golden basmati rice

2-3 generous spoonfuls of salsa

Lime juice

Salt and pepper

Dash of hot sauce

Directions-

Cook or re-heat rice and set aside
In small pan heat salad shrimp, adding a couple squeezes of lime juice, the hot sauce and salt and pepper.
Plate rice and shrimp together. Top with salsa and enjoy!

Please feel free to leave comments below and share your favorite leftover favs.

Pas ta Deux

In today's post I am including, yet again, not just one recipe but two! Or, perhaps more accurately, two variations on the same recipe.

Let's begin with the ingredients that both recipes have in common...

Gluten free pasta

Spicy marinara sauce
(I used Wolf Gang Puck's
Arrabbiata sauce with red
peppers)

2-3 cloves, minced garlic

Handful of coarsely chopped white
onion

Salt and pepper


Recipe 1: Pasta with Tofu and Squash

(in addition to the above ingredients you will need)

1 small Italian squash (sliced)
Equal parts yellow squash (sliced)
6 oz. silken tofu (crumbled)
Italian seasonings
Olive oil blend

Directions -

Cook about 2 servings of gluten free pasta of choice (according to directions on package, about 8-9 minutes). In separate skillet, lightly coated with olive oil, sauté the squash, onions, garlic and spices. When about half way cooked add crumbled tofu and finish cooking. Lower temp and add about 6-8 oz of marinara sauce until heated, stirring occasional. Pour over drained pasta. Divide into two servings (saving the second portion in a microwaveable storage container, for a future meal).

Recipe 2: Twice Baked Pasta

This is a great dish for sharing a group of friends.

(in addition to the above ingredients you will need)

6-8 whole mushrooms (or equivalent amount of mushrooms pieces) - sliced
1/4 yellow bell pepper - chopped
Mozzarella cheese - shredded
Parsley
Margarine

Directions - cook about 4 servings of gluten free pasta of choice (following package directions), drain and set aside. In same sauce pan, over low heat, combine about 1 tbsp margarine, garlic, onions, and peppers. Allow to cook for a few minutes then add the mushrooms until all ingredients are fully cooked. In medium glass baking pan layer cooked pasta, then evenly distribute veggies, topping with 1 can marinara sauce (about 12 oz). There is no need to preheat the sauce at this point. Sprinkle entire dish with parsley flakes. Cover and aside/refrigerate until about half hour before ready to serve. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and allow to bake in 350 degree oven for 20-30 mins until thoroughly heated and cheese is completely melted. Serve with choice of veggies (I used California mixed veggies when I made this dish)

What are some of your favorite gluten- free or vegetarian pasta dishes? Feel free to leave comments or suggestions :)



- Pictured below: Recipe 1 -

Tequila Lime Chicken- 3 Ways

Happy Friday everyone,

Since I missed posting a recipe for you last week, I thought I would attempt to make up for it by sharing three variations with just one main preparation.

Dish 1 - Tequila Lime Chicken with garlic baked potatoes.

Note: for all three dishes I used organic chicken thighs, skinned. I cooked up one package (4 thighs) at once and used the left overs from the first meal to create the other two.

Ingredients-
Chicken
Tequila
1 fresh lime
Salt and pepper

2-3 small potatoes
Garlic powder
Butter or margarine


In frying pan, slowly cook chicken over low to medium heat until very thoroughly cooked (no pink remaining). While cooking, pour about 1 to 1 1/2 oz of tequila (silver or gold) directly over chicken. Throughout cooking keep moistened by squeezing fresh lime juice on to each of the pieces of chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Routinely flip the thighs to ensure they are cooking evenly.

While chicken is cooking heat potatoes in microwave (about 8 mins). If not using a steamer bag, poke holes in potato with fork and wrap in moistened paper towel, "bake" until tender when stuck with a fork. After potatoes have cooled for a couple minutes, slice the tops into quarters and lightly smash with fork. Add butter, allowing to melt slightly, then sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with salad or choice of cooked veggies.

Dish 2- the Chicken Sandwich Roll

To most people a sandwich is a common food, but since being gluten-free having bread of any kind is much more rare. For this meal I simply used cold, leftover chicken, cut into strips, on a gluten-free bun. A little lite Miracle Whip, romain lettuce and sliced tomato provided the garnish to this quick and tasty lunch.
Serve with a side of plantain chips or snap pea crisps and a glass of iced tea.

Dish 3 - Chicken and Black Bean Tacos

Ingredients:

Shredded chicken (meat from about 1 thigh)
Black beans (drained)
3 Corn tortillas
Tapatio or hot sauce of choice
Sliced jalapeños
Halved tomato slices
Shredded romain lettuce

Directions:
Separately heat black beans and left over chicken. Lightly toast several corn tortillas (I heat them directly over the flame on my gas stove, be sure to lower flame when flipping the tortilla to avoid burning your fingers - if you are accident prone you may not wish to attempt this method) Fill each tortilla with about 2 spoonfuls of beans, a little chicken (equally divided), one slice of tomato and jalapeño slices, top with hot sauce and enjoy.
Note: I generally assemble each taco as I eat them (this way the tortillas do not get soggy, and I can keep the rest of ingredients warm while I eat each taco)

The Philly

Hey guys!

This week I'm going to share a great meal suggestion for using left over grilled or BBQ chicken.

You will need:
Left over chicken breast meat
Bell peppers
Onion
Mozzarella cheese
Gluten free bun (I used hot dog buns)
Oil
Salt and pepper
Mustard and mayonnaise (optional)
Side item(s) of choice

Take grilled chicken and cut into thin slices, dice up red and green bell pepper and white onion. Begin cooking veggies with a small amount of olive oil, season with salt and pepper. When veggies are mostly cooked, toss in chicken strips and heat thoroughly (being careful not to cook too long where the chicken gets dry) top with grated or thinly sliced mozzarella cheese, cover and continue heating until cheese is melted.
While the veggies are cooking, lightly toast the gluten free bread.
When ready to serve, prepare bread with desired condiments and fill with mixture of chicken, veggies and cheese.

(helpful note: after making this dish the first time, when the photo was taken, I realized that simply slicing the veggies was less time consuming during prep but created slightly increased cooking time and made the sandwich harder to eat... Round two with diced veggies worked much better)

Serving suggestion (as pictured)-
Sweet potato fries with ketchup and homemade honey-mustard dipping sauce.

Black bean salad

A few days ago, a co-worker mentioned eating a delicious black bean salad and it got me thinking... Why not try my hand at making my own? I was presently surprised at how simple, yet tasty this recipe turned out. I will certainly be making this one again.

Ingredients-

1 can black beans, strained and rinsed

1/4 cup canned sweet corn (drained and rinsed)

1/8 of a green bell pepper, diced

Finely diced white onion (about equal parts with pepper)

1 medium Roma tomato, chopped

1 jalapeño, diced (I also like to use a splash of the juice as well)

Juice of about 1 lime (or 2-3 squeezes of lime juice)

Season with salt, pepper, and parsley

Directions-
Mix all ingredients in medium bowl, stir, and chill for about 20 mins

Serving suggestion-
Pair with tortilla chips or serve as side dish with your favorite summer dinner.

Tip: if you double or triple this recipe it would make a great passing dish for your next gathering or potluck.

Meatless Sloppy Joes

I was reminded the other day of a childhood favorite, sloppy joes. As that familiar smell came wafting back to me, I had I new thought... Why not make sloppy joes with tofu? It suddenly seemed so simple that I just had to give it a try for this week's recipe.
While I have to say this variation is a little more grown-up and less "sloppy" than the traditional, meat-filled, canned version of our childhoods I was pretty pleased with the taste of the final product.
Since I was looking to replicate a familiar flavor I didn't want to stray too far into experimenting with other spices, at least not this time around. Who knows what additions I might throw in next time (BBQ sauce, chili powder, or more chopped veggies are potential additions and substitutes that I might want to try out).

For those of you not that familiar with using vegetarian substitutes in your favorite recipes this is a good one to get you started.


Ingredients-

1 package (12-14oz) medium/firm organic Tofu

1 Roma tomato (diced)

1/8 c white onion (finely diced)

1/4 c green bell pepper (diced)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

3/4 c ketchup

1 1/2 tsp yellow mustard

4 tsp brown sugar

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions-
Lightly coat medium skillet with olive oil blend, begin pre-heating over medium heat
Drain tofu and cut into cubes, using fingers crumble tofu directly into skillet
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tofu begins to turn a slight golden/brown (about 10-12 mins) Add chopped veggies and stir. Thoroughly mix in ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for another 15-20 mins. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper.

Total prep and cooking time: about 30-40 mins

Serve on gluten free bun with your choice of sides.

Last night's dinner

Sometimes it's not always trying out a new recipe that can spice up the ordinary dinner routine, but rather trying out new combinations or adding a twist to an old favorite. Last night I didn't really know what I felt like having for dinner so thought I would simply see what I could make using all ingredients I already had. I opened the freezer and discovered some fillets of Pollack and some frozen snow peas. That seemed like a good start... I first defrosted the fish, and made a light breading (using coconut flour, lime juice, and various spices). I preheated a skillet, greased it with a small amount of olive oil, and cooked the breaded fish for about 3 mins on each side. Meanwhile I "baked" a potato in the microwave and started boiling a small pan of salted water for the snow peas. Once everything had finished cooking I realized that the fish might also be good in a salad, so I chopped up about half of the fish and tossed it with romaine salad mix, tomatoes, and italian dressing. All in under 15 mins start to finish I had made a very filling, yet simple meal.

Pictured below:
fish, salad, and snow peas with a garlic baked potato
(topped with margarine, salt and pepper and a bit of garlic powder)

What did you make for dinner last night? Feel free to share your creations in the comments below!

Vegetarian Chili

Happy Friday everyone!

This week I give to you my brand new chili recipe.... let me know what you think by leaving a  comment, or feel free to share one of your favorite veggie recipes below.

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients-

1 cankidney beans (drained)

1 canwhite beans (drained)

2medium sized tomatoes, cut into chunks

2 wholegreen chilies, diced

2jalapeno peppers, diced

3cloves garlic, finely chopped

¼green bell pepper, diced

1 cuptomato sauce

½package firm tofu, cubed

drizzleof olive oil blend

Tapatioor similar hot sauce

Driedonion flakes

Spicesto taste:

oregano

parsley

extraspicy seasoning blend (ie. Mrs. Dash)

salt

blackpepper

paprika

cayennepepper

garlicpowder

Directions-

Pourkidney beans, white beans, tomato sauce and tomato chunks intomedium-large sauce pan. Heat over low flame while preparing otheringredients. Individually add garlic, peppers, and chilies as eachitem is prepped. Add remaining ingredients: drizzle of oil (toprevent sticking as the chili slow cooks), onion flakes, hot sauceand spices (stir and taste testing as you go). Once chili hasreached the desired level of spice, toss in cubed tofu. Cover andlet simmer for at least another 40 mins over very low heat, stirringoccasionally.

Preptime: about 30 mins

Servingsuggestions: 

- pair with corn tortilla chips or corn-bread

-top with shredded cheese and/or sour cream

Great Gluten-Free Finds

Hope everyone had a great week. I, personally, can't believe it's Friday again already!

Today's topic is a follow up post to last week's article, Snack Attack! I realized that I had forgotten a couple of my regular snack items, such as peanuts and raisins (both plain and yogurt covered), and that I wanted to continue to share a few more great gluten-free finds with you. In my search for gluten-free and healthier alternatives to the foods I was used to eating I have actually discovered quite a few new products that are now regulars in my weekly shopping basket. Pictured below are

- Roasted seaweed snacks (which I have mentioned before)

- Single serving bags of trail mix (great for mid-morning pick me ups at work or on the go... You could also make your own portions in snack baggies)

- Crispbread (see recipe later in post)

- Kind plus protein bar (these are delicious alternatives to a granola or candy bar, but are a bit higher in fat and calories that I normally choose for a snack. Alternatively can be used as meal supplement when on the go)

- Lara bars (these are some of my new favs, especially since I can't enjoy cliff bars anymore...)

- Better'n peanut butter (see last week's post for serving suggestions)

- Edamame crackers (only 120 cal and 2g fat for 38 crackers! Great plain or dipped in hummus)

So as you can see, there are plenty of alternatives available if you are willing to do a little searching and spend some time reading labels. A lot of markets are making it even easier by carrying more and more gluten-free items, marking the shelves with easy to spot signage, and sometimes even having a dedicated gluten-free section of an aisle. Many manufacturers are catching on as well and are not just including wheat in the allergy statement, but specifically marking their gluten-free products. I have to imagine with time, shopping gluten-free will only become easier.

Here is a super simple lunch suggestion that is perfect for packing as a lunch for work...

Ingredients:

3-4 slices of Crispbread (made primarily with rice and corn flours, these are more like light, airy crackers than bread)

1 serving, about 2-3 oz, of tuna fish (drained)
[salmon can also be used]

1 small tomato, diced

Diced cucumber (equal parts with tomato)

Lime juice

Ground black pepper


Directions:

Prep the tomato and cucumber and place in small portable storage container, squeeze in lime and add dash of black pepper - shake to mix. In separate container (you can also use single serving pouches) portion out the plain tuna or salmon. Place crispbread slices in ziplock baggie, and pack all together with a spoon and simple as that lunch is ready. All assembly (combining the veggies and fish and using to top crispbread) is finished as you are ready to eat lunch.

Snack Attack!

It seems that a lot of people think that maintaining a gluten-free diet means that I can eat almost nothing. While selecting items to fit a specific diet plan can seem limiting, a little planning and creativity can go a long way towards realizing there are so many options that are available. So, this week I thought I would list several of my favorite snack items – all of which happen to be naturally gluten-free.

• Hummus and Veggies (carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, cauliflower, cucumbers, and snow peas are usually my picks)
• Tomato Slices w/dash of sea salt
• Fresh Fruit (I especially enjoy strawberries, peaches, grapes, and apples)
• Natural Applesauce (regular, or cinnamon)
• Yogurt (side-note: Yoplait now makes a lactose free yogurt that I find tastes much better than the soy yogurts I have tried)
• Trail Mix (mixed nuts, dried cranberries or other fruit, sunflower seeds)
• Banana Chips
• Seaweed snackers
• Snap Pea Crisps
• Popcorn

Before we continue, let me introduce you to a great product that I have discovered called Better'n Peanut Butter. Made by Wonder Natural Foods Corp. and available at Trader Joe's, it is an all natural, reduced fat, low calorie peanut butter that makes a great dip or spread. Besides being gluten and dairy free, this product also has zero trans or saturated fats and contains no cholesterol. While the texture is not as light and fluffy as traditional peanut butter, the mere 100 calories and 2g of fat per serving more than make up for this in most cases. I find it to be most similar to the texture of a caramel fruit dip. This is what first led me to try the spread with apples. More recently I have expanded its use in many of my daily snacks and meals. Here are just a few examples of snacks I have paired with Better'n Peanut Butter.

• Apple Slices
• Rice cakes with sliced bananas
• Carrots
• Bananas

I have also used a spoonful of Better'n PB in a smoothie, combining chocolate almond milk, vanilla protein powder, sliced bananas and/or frozen strawberries for a delicious treat.

What are some of your favorite gluten-free snacks? Feel free to leave comments and questions in the forum below.

Quinoa

Today I wanted to share with you a little about one of my favorite gluten-free grains - quinoa!  According to Wikipedia quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah") "... is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds."  Since it is not a member of the grass family it is technically not a true grain or cereal but it is often considered such for it's similar texture and taste.  Called the "mother-grain" by the Incas, this increasingly popular 'super food' is a healthier alternative to white rice or pastas.  Not only is this a great gluten- free substitute, these seeds are packed full of nutrients, protein, and fiber.  Other benefits of quinoa include versatility and reduced cooking time from most grains.

So far I've used quinoa in several of my recipes (including the stuffed Portabella mushrooms I talked about a few weeks ago) but it works equally well as side dish for many more meals - replacing potatoes, rice, pasta, or stuffing.  It is also great in salads, as detailed for you below...

Quinoa Salad:

Ingredients - ¼ cup rice vinegar

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. Sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

½ tsp. Dried oregano

½ tsp. Dried basil

1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 15oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

½ cup fresh corn kernels

1 cup cooked quinoa (rinse before cooking)

1 cup bell pepper, finely chopped (I like to use orange, red and green for color)

½ small red onion, finely chopped (½ cup)

1 2oz can green chili peppers or jalapenos, diced (with liquid)

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Directions – Whisk together vinegar, oil, sugar, garlic, oregano and basil in large bowl. Stir in

black and pinto beans, corn, bell peppers, onion, jalapenos, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Source – Vegetarian Times (I found this recipe re-posted on Face Book and made it for a potluck I attended last Thanksgiving... it was a huge hit!)

Please feel free to share your favorite ways to use quinoa in the comments!

Seven Simple Salads

Hi everyone!

This week I wanted to share some super easy ideas for giving your basic salad a new twist. With Summer upon us, I figured there could be no better time than this to talk about a light and refreshing dinner option, like salad. No one wants to turn on a oven or stand over the heat of a stove on a hot Summer day and salads are a quick, cool solution. In this post I've included one suggestion for each day of the week. Be creative with your ingredients and don't be afraid to try out new combinations. It's easy to get stuck in a routine and make the same thing over and over, but by altering just a few items you can add so much variety to a old classic. For those of you who are a little more adventurous, start experimenting with making your own salad dressings! Also you will notice that a couple of my salads use alternates to dressing altogether (ie. BBQ sauce or salsa). Feel free to share some of your simple Summer salad favorites in the comments below. Enjoy!

1.) Sweet & Spicy Jubilee

Lettuce (of choice)
Purple cabbage
Shredded carrots
Grape tomatoes
Fruit salsa of choice (a favorite of mine is a fire roasted papaya/mango salsa...)

2.) Spinach and Cranberry Salad

Fresh spinach
Romaine lettuce (optional)
Dried cranberries
Shelled sunflower seeds
Thinly sliced apples (optional)
Raspberry vinaigrette dressing


3.) Seafood and Crisp Veggie Salad

Romaine hearts
(or mixed greens of choice)
Spinach
Chopped veggies (tomato, carrots, peppers, mushrooms, cucumbers...)
Canned/packaged chunk light tuna or Pink salmon (if in water, drained... The single serving 2.5 ounce pouches work great)
Ground black pepper
Sweet balsamic dressing

4.) Southwestern Flair

Mixed greens (iceberg or romaine salad mix works well)
Garbanzo beans (drained)
Diced bell peppers
Roasted corn (toss in frying pan with salt, pepper and a splash of Tapatio)
Pico de gallo
Squeeze fresh lime juice

5.) Egg Salad

Simply put a few spoonfuls of egg salad over bed of fresh spinach and sprinkle with dash of black pepper

(if you don't want to spend time making your own or don't have a favorite recipe, Trader Joe's sells a couple varieties of mayo-free, egg white salad that are pretty tasty)

6.) BBQ Chicken or Shrimp Salad

Grilled chicken strips
or pre-cooked salad shrimp
1/2 Spring Mix
1/2 romaine lettuce blend
Sliced Avocado
Diced tomato
Tortilla strips (or crushed corn chips)
BBQ sauce (many varieties are gluten free, but make sure to check the label)

7.) Fruit and Nut Salad

Spring mix
Sliced red grapes
Coarsely chopped walnuts
Homemade tangy vinaigrette dressing

Dressing -
2 parts white wine vinegar
1 part extra virgin olive/canola oil blend
Blue agave nectar (I use equal or a little more than the amount of the vinegar)
Couple splashes of lime juice
Black pepper




Pictured:

- Seafood and Crisp Veggie Salad
(shown with tuna)

- Sweet & Spicy Jubilee

- Spicy Ranchero Egg White Salad
with Spinach

- Spinach and Cranberry Salad

- Tangy homemade dressing w/grape garnish

All in good taste

I admit, I've become a picky eater. If you were to name off all the foods I can't and won't eat it seems like an extensive list. Seeking a diet of primarily nutritious and healthful foods is often difficult enough without adding more restrictions on top of it. Yet, here I am, committed to eating no red-meat or gluten and have cut out the majority of dairy from my everyday diet AND... am happier for it. That being said, I am not satisfied to simply eat something because it's good for me. I want it to taste great! I will not accept mediocre replacements, but instead seek to find something that tastes just as good or better than what I was used to. For example, going gluten free doesn't mean having to give up all your favorites. It simply means having to find substitutes. While this can prove to be a challenge at times, cooking for yourself is the perfect way to try out various dishes while having 100% control over the ingredients. The more I cook for myself at home, the less I like eating out. I enjoy the freedom of being able to make food specifically designed for my needs and my taste buds. I can be as picky as I want without worrying about requesting multiple modifications to a pre-existing dish. Especially with a restrictive diet or when working around food allergies, selecting what you can and cannot eat can be a real hassle and often excludes the majority of items on any given menu. Like I mentioned before, cooking for yourself provides the opportunity to know exactly what ingredients are being used (gluten free, organic, vegetarian, vegan, you name it...), the freshness of individual products, and the amount of each item used. If I am in the mood for something with a kick I can add a little more spice, or try out new flavor combinations and experiment with various substitutions until I find what works best for me. I've also found that by making my own food I'm saving money while cutting calories and avoiding allergens. Yes, it takes a little extra effort and is more time- consuming but so far it's proving to be well worth it on most occasions. I've been amazed at my new-found confidence in the kitchen. I realize that it's become increasingly easier with each successful dish I make. Even those that turn out below average still provide a good learning curve for me and allow me to gain information I can use to improve. More often than not I am pleasantly surprised with the finished product.
Before beginning my quest for healthier eating I was all about convenience. Now my mind set has shifted as I attempt to avoid the majority of pre-packed and overly processed foods. I am now finding myself thinking things like, yes, it might be quicker to buy salsa that is already made but why, when I can make my own? I didn't even know I knew how to do that until I just made some one night. The other benefit to making everything from scratch is that you can control the portion size and can make only the amount you need, so when dining solo you don't have to worry about excessive left overs or being wasteful. Before I get into this week's recipe, one quick tip about maintaining this type of lifestyle/dietary plan. Try not to focus on what is "forbidden" and instead have fun being as creative as possible within the framework of what foods you can have. Don't punish yourself if you stray, you could literally drive yourself crazy with restrictions and regulating each thing, but that's no way to live. Remember moderation and consistency are key components to a healthier lifestyle. Long term commitment with a few occasional blips will still get you much better results than any crash diet ever will!

Alright, as promised, here is a super simple (gluten-free, vegetarian) dish that is so delicious you will never miss the wheat or the meat.

Brown rice pasta with marinara sauce -

Cook one serving of brown rice pasta of choice (use caution to not over cook)
While the pasta simmers away, chop up one medium sized roma tomato and about 3 whole mushrooms and set aside.
Use one small can tomato sauce as base for homemade marinara. (alternately, if you don't wish to attempt making your own sauce, Prego makes small bottles of gluten-free pasta sauce in Traditional and Fresh Mushroom flavors) Add small amount of vegetable oil to slightly thin the sauce. Stir in spices (oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, and any other Italian seasonings you desire) and a few pinches of sugar to taste. Finely dice fresh garlic and mix in with sauce. (note: this is not an exact science, taste the sauce as you go and add ingredients a little at a time until it you feel it is just right)
When pasta has finished cooking, strain and set aside. (Tip: to save on dishes, I rinse and use the same pan the pasta cooked in to heat my marinara sauce as this is done while the pasta drains.)
I like to cook the mushrooms and tomatoes slightly before adding the sauce. Once sauce has reached desired temperature, plate pasta and pour sauce over top. Sprinkle with parsley flakes, allow to cool briefly, and enjoy!

The Benefits of Smaller Meals

Small meals-

This week's topic doesn't have to do with a specific dish or preparation, but I hope some of you will find the concept of small meals helpful.  While there is no one "right" plan for everyone, eating smaller and more frequent meals can have some impressive health benefits.

First off, what do I mean by small meals? The general concept is just that - eat smaller meals. However, it extends far beyond basic portion control. Instead of the common practice of eating 2-3 big meals in the day I am an advocate of having closer to 5 mini meals throughout the day. It surprises most people to know that I encourage snacking.  I should mention at this point, though, that it is by far the quality of the food over the quantity you intake that provides the greatest results.  Eating when not hungry, or snacking on nutrient poor and sugar-laden foods will not have the desired effect.  One of the main benefits of eating small meals throughout the day is to help facilitate the making of better choices and maintaining consistency within the daily diet.

I began to realize the importance of consistency in meal schedules when I did my first cleanse.  I quickly discovered the difference between want and need.  By gauging my body's reactions if I missed a serving of juice/lemonade (or waited too long in between) I was able to see first hand the benefits of keeping my metabolism up, staying hydrated, and not letting my sugar levels drop too low. With consistency, I  had much more energy overall, didn't experience mid- morning dips or afternoon crashes, and was less moody and anxious overall. While transitioning back to solid foods I was able to channel this heightended awareness and better distinguish between cravings and necessity. I learned that often times dehydration masquerades as hunger and that one "craving" can actually mean the body is lacking something else.  When properly fueled the body does not react as abruptly and leave us searching for a quick-fix.  Eating small meals throughout the day actually helps discourage overeating by eliminating that feeling of being so hungry that we want to inhale the first food we come across or, alternately, simply eating because it is "meal time".

Busy schedules can make eating small, evenly spaced out meals a challenge.  A more typical scenario  usually involves long periods of the day without food, then scarfing beyond the point of full to make up for missed meals.  I cannot even begin to stress how counter-productive this habit is to a healthful and clean diet plan. Not only, are these crash meals more often than not eaten at late hours, but the anticipation of satisfying a "starvation" doesn't allow even the most self-controlled individual an opportunity to make the smartest choices when it comes to the portion or ingredients of the meal.  At this point our bodies may have already started to present us with symptoms (such as head-aches, drowsiness, cravings, crankiness or anger- or as I like to call it "hanger").  We, at this point, hardly take a moment to diagnose the cause of these cravings and attribute the symptoms to what could be low blood sugar or dehydration, but instead become satisfied to fill our bodies with any food that is most convenient. 

Evenly spacing our food intake throughout the course of the day also provides our stomach time to digest more efficiently.  Larger amounts of food take much longer to digest and leave our bodies feeling tired and often uncomfortable as the digestive system expends a significant amount of energy to break down those meals.  In addition to increased metabolism, a curb in hunger attacks, a boost in energy levels, and insulin regulation more frequent meals also provide a steady flow of amino acids to the muscle cells resulting in muscle growth. Introducing small meals into an already healthy diet plan is just one more way to encourage consistency and stay on track with smart meal planning.  Feel free to leave your thoughts on this concept or leave suggestions for healthful snack options. 

The Great Cake Experiment!

An Utterly Fantastic Birthday Cake

Sample Cakes

One of my first test batches

Close-up on Farm and lettering

The "ironic cow" birthday cake - finished product

As I mentioned in my last post, my kitchen has been transformed into a gluten-free lab for the past week and a half. I decided the time had come to try my hand at gluten-free baking. And I would not be satisfied until I had found a flour blend that as closely as possible resembled traditional all-purpose bleached flour. I did not want a lumpy or gooey substitute and I was not willing to sacrifice either flavor or texture. I was seeking a cake recipe that was simply delicious and original, not merely a passable replacement, and so began the experimentation process. When it came to duplicating the properties and habits of white flour I knew there would not be a simple one-for-one switch that I could make. I began researching what types of alternate flours I might be able to use. I also knew I would need to replicate the effect of gluten as a thickening and emulsifying agent within the batter. Most gluten-free recipes called for a product named Xanthan gum or Guar gum (which I have since discovered have similar properties and the same general effect as a binding agent to keep other ingredients from separating. But since it seemed Xanthan is usually preferred for baking I opted for this additive even though it is more expensive than Guar gum). I quickly realized this was not going to be as easy of an undertaking as I imagined. I would not only be trying to re-create the familiar texture, moisture, and fluffiness that is expected from a cake, but also would discover that each type of gluten-free flour presents a new subtle flavor. I started by checking out several cake recipes and re-creating the ingredient ratios on a much smaller scale (ie. 2 cups flour to 1 cup sugar became 2 tbsp flour, 1 tbsp sugar). This way I didn't have to make entire cakes, but could accurately assess the results by making test batches (aka. cupcake size samples...)

My first few batches I was just learning how different flours reacted both alone and in various combinations. I tested both brown and sweet rice flours as well as tapioca flour in every combination I could think of. I was getting some fairly okay results, all of which were edible, but I wasn't that happy either. I could still tell these cakes were imposters. I had every texture from lumpy, to mochi, to gummy and gooey. Even the mixes that came out tasting great still didn't have the look and feel of gluten-filled cake. It was time to re-evalute and do some more shopping. This time I came home with an all-purpose gluten-free flour (made from garbanzo and flava beans, tapioca, white sorghum and potato starch) and coconut flour (of which I was highly skeptical, as I am not a fan of coconut in any form). It was back to the mixing bowl! Several new combinations later I felt like I was beginning to get the hang of this. By process of elimination I began to see the effects of the slightest variations in my recipe's ingredients. In true scientific fashion I was swapping out one variable at a time (ie. One flour for another, whole eggs for egg whites, soy milk for almond milk, double the baking soda, applesauce for oil, and so on...) I had to set-aside my pre-concieved notions that gluten-free batter should have the same consistency as other batter. I had to rely on my previous results and draw entirely new conclusions. If I was going to accomplish the mission I had set out on, I had to stop pretending that these flours would re-act the same as wheat flours. By Monday morning I had a fairly good idea of what flour blends I would be using. It was time for a final test batch of each flavor profile and then I would need to transform my sample-sized batches back into a full sized recipe. For someone who traditionally used boxed cake mix, within a few days I had done a complete 180 and re-defined my idea of baking from scratch. I am happy to announce this mission was a success! With a blend of 3 parts all-purpose gluten-free flour, 2 parts coconut flour, and 1 part sweet rice flour I created a cake recipe that I am very proud of.

I suppose I should also mention the inspiration for the timing of this experimentation. I had an opportunity to enter a baking contest, sponsored by the Today show, called Quest for the Best: Homemade Birthday Cake. Basically, I had to submit an original cake recipe and a photo of my hand-decoration of that cake. While I have no training in this field, cake decorating has become somewhat of a hobby of mine the past few years. Self-taught, and inspired by my mom's custom decorated birthday cakes throughout my childhood, I have taken to making personalized cakes for many of my friends. Since this year I resolved to take on new challenges I decided, why not enter? This also seemed like the perfect opportunity to try out gluten-free baking. I mean, if I was going to have to come up with my own recipe anyway, why not at least make it something that I can eat? And more than that – enjoy! And now that I have sampled and eaten more cake this past week than the entire year prior, I am pleased to be able to share my results with you. Included in this week's post you will see, not only the completed recipe but also several photos of my process as well as the contest submission picture of what I have titled the “ironic cow" birthday cake (for it's lack of any dairy products in a cake with a dairy-farm inspired theme). Hopefully you'll enjoy the results as much as I have the discovery.

Laura's Gluten-free Vanilla Cake

Ingredients:

2 c Gluten-free flour blend

1 tsp Xanthan Gum

3 tsp Baking Soda

1 ½ tsp Corn Starch

1 ½ c Sugar

1 c Vanilla Almond Milk

1 tsp White Wine Vinegar

2 eggs (whites only)

¼ c Applesauce (opt. Cinnamon flavor)

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Sift flour into medium bowl, add Xanthan Gum, baking soda, corn starch, and sugar. Re-sift all dry ingredients, whisk until thoroughly blended, and set aside. Measure out one cup vanilla almond milk and sour with vinegar. Separate 2 eggs and whisk the whites, discarding yolks. In another medium mixing bowl combine the soured milk, egg whites, applesauce, and vanilla. Stir. Slowly add dry ingredients into the liquid, stirring continuously until fully blended. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking pan with non-stick olive oil spray, and flour with gluten-free flour. Pour batter into pans and smooth to edges. Tap pan lightly on counter to remove air pockets. Bake for 25-30 minutes until tooth pick comes out clean. Allow to cool thoroughly before removing from pans.

Additional Flavor Modifications -

Chocolate:

Hot Cocoa/Mocha Powder Mix

Splash Vanilla Almond Milk

Stir about ¼ c hot cocoa mix with just enough milk to create a liquid paste. Add to Vanilla cake batter and blend. Continue to slowly add in more cocoa powder to achieve desired color and flavor (aprox. 1/8 c)

Spice:

1-2 tsp each (to taste) -

Cinnamon

All-spice

Add to completed vanilla cake batter.

Note:  I used all 3 flavors as the various layers when creating the cake for the contest.

Portabellas with a side of Bill Nye the Science Guy...

This week my kitchen has been transformed in to a gluten-free baking laboratory. I have been testing mini batches of cake-mix,experimenting with various flour/starch blends, and playing with a variety of ingredients trial and error style. The mission is to create a delicious cake recipe that could fool even the most die-hard gluten lover. While I don't mind many of the gluten-free substitutes available, even I can admit they often don't have the same consistency and texture as their counter-parts. Since this project is still a work in progress I will save my discoveries and conclusions for future blogs, and in the mean time will share a recipe for a vegetarian favorite that I have recently re-created. Hope you all enjoy!

Stuffed Portabella Mushroom Caps

Ingredients-

 Medium to large portabella mushrooms

Tamari

Spices(such as garlic salt, Italian seasoning blend, parsley, a dash of cayenne...)

Salt

Black pepper

Olive oil

Quinoa

Fresh spinach

Mixed vegetables (bell peppers, onions, zucchini, yellow squash...)

Lime juice

Lite Butter or margarine

“I Can't Believe it's not Butter” spray

Directions- 

Clean and rinse large portabella caps, removing stems and scraping the insides of the caps. Brush top of caps lightly with olive or vegetable oil, and marinate in gluten-free soy sauce (Tamari) and spices of choice, for at least 20-30 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 350degrees. Line a small baking pan with aluminum foil and transfer mushroom caps from their marinade to pan (save remaining marinade to be used later). Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until mushrooms are tender (flipping once half way thru time, and re-coating with some of the extra marinade) Rinse and strain quinoa in cold water. Place in medium sauce pan, with just over twice as much water as uncooked quinoa. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and cover, simmering for approximately 20 minutes, until all water has cooked off and quinoa is fully cooked (edge of grain begins to separate). While the quinoa is cooking, begin to steam a generous handful of fresh spinach with a pinch of salt. Once spinach is done, set aside in a small bowl and melt a small amount of butter over the top. Next, spray medium skillet with butter spray and begin to saute the zucchini and squash over medium-high heat. Toss with ground black pepper and a splash of lime juice. Slightly reduce heat and continue stirring until fully cooked, adding the rest of the veggies half way through (feel free to also add more pepper and lime juice to taste at this point). After everything has finished cooking separately, remove mushrooms from oven and spoon quinoa into the caps, top with layer of cooked spinach and more quinoa, drizzle with remaining marinade and return to oven for another 5-10 mins.

Egg white scramble

Okay, okay... So this one is pretty simple, and self-explanatory but I couldn't leave it out. This week's recipe is just as nutritious and delicious as it is quick and easy! This breakfast favorite also makes a great anytime meal.

Ingredients:

2-3 eggs (whites only, discard yolk)

Veggies of choice
(suggestions: handful of fresh spinach, 1 small roma tomato - chopped, diced green bell pepper, fresh mushroom slices, chopped onion, or broccoli florets...)

Hot Sauce (optional)

Sea salt

Ground black pepper

Prep time:
fridge to plate in under 9 minutes

Directions:
Use a non-stick frying pan or lightly coat pan with non-stick spray (do NOT grease with oil or butter!) Toss in veggies (if using spinach hold off on this one for now...) Let veggies sauté for a few moments before adding egg whites. Add hot sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Scramble until eggs are partially cooked (this is where you would add the spinach...) Finish scrambling eggs until fully, but not over-cooked (no one likes rubbery eggs! And even though it's only you eating this meal you should not have to sacrifice quality.) Transfer finished product to plate and enjoy with 2-3 of the optional sides listed below.

Suggested pairings:

2 slices of turkey bacon or a veggie sausage party

Glass of fresh fruit juice (100% juice, not from concentrate)

Melon slices

Fresh berries

Corn Tortillas, lightly warmed or toasted



Pictured with -
Toasted tortilla, fresh black berries, and hand-squeezed orange juice.

Fresh peach-n-berry summer salad

Today's recipe is a first-time creation inspired by a bit of an adventurous steak at the grocery store. The success of this mission has me thinking I may need to make this a semi-regular shopping habit when developing new recipes. In search of something new for dinner, and armed with a general idea of an asian or fruit infused salad, the plan was to create a fresh twist on a light summer favorite. While walking the aisles, the concept slowly came together one ingredient at a time. Peaches, in salad, why not? There are salads with pears and strawberries right? Which, of course, led to adding strawberries to the shopping basket. Next, while walking past more bins of vegetables it hit me, caramelized onions could work! This was either going to be amazing or disastrous but I was gaining excitement with each item selected. Before long the decision to make salad dressing instead of buying a bottle of the pre-bottled variety was made. After adding chicken and salad mix to the list I realized that maybe some nuts or a bit of crunch would be good (in the end I came away with the sunflower seeds and think it worked quite well). In order to re-create this delightful salad follow the simple directions below. With Memorial Day weekend and the dawn of summer upon us this recipe is also easily adapted to share with friends and family.

Let's get started...

First prep the home-made balsamic vinaigrette dressing, using

3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Dash of salt and pepper
Fresh squeezed lemon juice
Sugar to taste (optional - depending on the bitterness of the vinegar used)
2 strawberries (cut up and mashed with fork)

Wisk ingredients together in small bowl and set aside.

Next, prepare the peppered chicken strips:

4 tenderloins, sliced into thin strips
2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. black pepper

Cook in small amount (aprox. 1/2 tsp) vegetable oil for about 5-7 minutes over medium-high heat.
As chicken finishes cooking and begins to cool continue preparing other ingredients.

You will need:
3-4 strawberries, diced
3/4 of a small peach, thinly sliced
Handful of shelled sunflower seeds
1/2 small white onion (sautéed in 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar for about 2-3 mins)
1/2 bag of Spring mix (or other assorted greens)

Total prep time: 20-30 minutes

Toss all ingredients with a little dressing in medium bowl, plate and enjoy.

Note: if making for picnic or family gathering consider leaving the dressing on side or mixing at last minute.

Easy Enchilada Dinner

Happy Friday, diners!

Today's recipe is designed to share; so invite a friend or two over and make the preparation part of the fun...

I'll break down the ingredients by dish, but make sure to consolidate when shopping to avoid duplicate ingredients.

Let's get started with the main dish- enchiladas

You will need:
Corn tortillas
Enchilada sauce (or you can make your own if you want to take the few extra minutes)
Pre-cooked rotisserie chicken (or other meat or tofu of choice)
Shredded cheese
Vegetable oil

Prep:
Have one person shred the chicken into little pieces (you can use a fork to pick the chicken off the bones, but your fingers work best for breaking down the bigger pieces)
Open can of enchilada sauce into a small, shallow bowl. Shred cheese into another small bowl.
A second person should lightly fry the tortillas in a small amount of vegetable oil and place aside for later assembly.

Meanwhile let's get some Spanish rice going...

You will need:
Vegetable oil
Brown or white rice
Garlic and onions
Chicken broth
Tomato paste
Ground black and cayenne pepper (to taste)

Note- amounts are purposefully left vague for you to adjust depending on your number of guests or if you are dining solo. Basic measurements for Spanish rice would be 1 part rice to 2 parts broth and 1 part tomato paste.

Directions:
Heat oil and onions over medium heat for about 2 mins, add rice and brown for about 5 mins. Once the rice is golden in color add a pinch of garlic (optional) and cook about 1 additional min. Add in broth, paste and spices and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for about 20 mins. Fluff rice with fork.

Enchilada directions:
In a lightly greased glass or metal pan assemble individual enchiladas as follows: dip the tortillas "French toast style" into the enchilada sauce and fill with chicken and shredded cheese. Roll tightly and repeat until pan is full. Coat the entire pan with more enchilada sauce and top with a sprinkling of cheese. Bake at 350 for about 10 mins (covered with aluminum foil) until cheese is melted. If desired you can add additional layer of sauce and cheese and continue baking, uncovered, for a few more minutes.


While everything is baking and cooking grill up some bell peppers and make any other sides you would like to include.
(note: also pictured but not listed in directions are beans.)

Once everything is finished cooking plate and enjoy!

Fajita salad

This week's recipe is a delicious fajita salad. Here's what you need to get started.

Ingredients -

Fajita veggies (can be purchased ready to go, or slice up your own assorted bell peppers and onions. Good optional additions are tomatoes and cubed zucchini.)

Various spices (have fun with whatever sounds good to you - cayenne pepper, garlic, ground black pepper...)

3-4 generous squeezes of fresh lime or lemon juice

Chopped Romaine lettuce or salad mix

Salsa


Prep time -
This varies, but if using all pre-sliced veggies and salad mix, about 7 minutes.

Directions -
Heat frying pan to medium heat and add fajita veggies, stirring occasionally. Add citrus juice and spices to taste. Finish cooking veggies to desired tenderness. Place 3-4 handfuls of salad mix into bowl and top with about 1/2 cup cooked fajita veggies. Instead of using salad dressing just add in a little salsa as you enjoy.

Hint: this recipe is really a two-for-one because if you save the left over veggies in a microwaveable storage container, and pair with a cup of Ready to Eat Minute brown rice - lunch for work tomorrow is already done!

Hope you enjoy this simple and tasty twist on a salad. Let me know how yours turns out!

Cleansing

This week marks the one year anniversary since I began my quest to a healthier lifestyle. I jumpstarted this whole endeavor by doing a 10 day master cleanse (also commonly referred to as the lemonade diet). It was certainly a challenge for me but through that experience I was able to launch the positive change I have experienced this past year. The long term benefits I have reaped include eating more nutritious foods, working out on a consistent basis, and discovering my food intolerances. I wasn't sure at first if I would be able to keep the momentum going, but so far I'm very happy with the progress I have made. In order to commemorate this full year of positive change and renew my commitments I decided to start off this May with a juice cleanse. While nowhere near as intense as the detox and much shorter (only 3 days) it proved to be a good little boost for me. Instead of sharing a recipe this week I thought I would spend a little time briefly explaining my reasoning for cleansing and some of the benefits.

I know a lot of people criticize detoxing and any sort of fasting, but my response is simply that it is not for everyone but, if done correctly, can be very beneficial for those who are interested and committed.

Let me begin by explaining what a cleanse is not. It is not a weight loss program or a diet in the traditional sense. Yes, most people will experience moderate to significant weight loss for the duration of the cleanse, however this was not MY motivation and most of the weight will come right back once the program course is complete. Secondly, it is not a long term solution. While there are studies showing it is possible to continue cleansing for much longer periods of time, once the toxins are expelled from your body there is no need to remain on this regimen. What instead must take place if you wish to carry on with this new outlook is a lifestyle change. Simply put, you cannot go back to eating exactly how you did before and expect the detox to have any long term affect. Finally, the detox (at least for me) was not as physically exhausting and difficult as I would have imagined. The challenge was primarily mental. I wanted to eat, even if I wasn't hungry.
I was programmed to eat at either a certain hour, or in specific social situations and this made it difficult at times. I would crave a certain food, see someone else eating, or smell food and this would create the desire to eat. There were points of boredom where I realized in everyday life I would have grabbed a snack. Sometimes I was simply tired of drinking liquids and felt almost a need to just chew something. But as time passed I discovered that my cravings changed. No longer did I want chicken or pizza or sandwiches. I was longing for a slice of tomato or some cucumber.
I quickly was able to distinguish wants from need. As long as I was consistent and drank the appropriate amount of lemonade every couple hours I was fine. Amazingly it actually made me feel full. My energy was normal, sometimes even higher. After I finished the detox it was as if, not only had my stomach shrank (decreasing struggle with portion control because I was full much sooner) but it was like my senses were heightened. I could honestly taste individual ingredients in food. If something was too salty or too sweet it didn't even appeal to me. The first few days after transitioning myself back to solid foods the simplest things would taste amazing. It was a whole new discovery of flavors and textures. Most of all I came out realizing I was stronger than I thought. I had given myself a goal and I met it! I never gave up (I always knew my stubborn side would become useful) and if I could achieve success through these 10 days I felt like I could do anything.

So here I am, one year later, and have just finished my second cleanse. This time I choose an all liquid cleanse (100% fruit and veggie juices and herbal teas) for a duration of 3 days.
It again has been a test of my wills, realizing how large a part of everyday life food is. This cleanse has been a significantly smaller undertaking than a full detox but I am hoping to reap some of the same benefits. My main goal in this year's cleanse was to remind myself what I am capable of and kick off another year of commitment to a healthier life. Other benefits of cleansing include: increased energy and creativity (the body typically expends up to 30% of its energy just to digest food) and a much needed break for the ever active digestive system. We consume so much food on a daily basis that the body is constantly working to break it down, taking sometimes up to 18 hours to process a single meal. A juice cleanse allows the entire system to flush and helps eliminate toxins from our body. It is very important to remember when liquid cleansing to include a laxative portion to your daily routine. I have found that smooth move herbal tea works quite effectively and is a fully natural, caffeine free supplement. Without this ingredient, since the body is not receiving enough fiber, the toxins you hope to expel from the body are actually being released internally and can cause a counter productive and often uncomfortable reaction. Ideally for optimum results you would fresh squeeze the fruit and vegetable juices right before you drink them throughout the day, and while I did use a hand-juicer to make some fresh orange juice a couple of times, I knew for me this would not be practical for the entire cleanse. I opted instead to purchase 100% juice (no cocktails, no sugar added, no preservatives) and have a ready supply on hand. In addition to the juice and twice daily laxative tea, I drank water and other herbal (caffeine-free) teas throughout the day. After the three days of juice cleansing I spent one day transitioning, instead of jumping immediately back into eating solid foods. On this day I had 2 protein shakes (breakfast and evening snack) an all fruit smoothie (lunch) a bowl of squash soup with seaweed crisps (dinner) and a few raisins that night. Now, by day five, I'm back to "regular" food.
My goal, besides continuing with the commitments from last year, is to try to eat smaller meals throughout the day instead of 3 large traditional meals.

So upon successful completion of cleanse number two, here's to another year of progress. I can't wait to share more of this journey with you!