Tasty Tuesday 12/2

(SKINNY!) OATMEAL COOKIE SMOOTHIE

YIELD: ABOUT 2 CUPS

PREP: 5 MINS

TOTAL: 5 MINS 

INGREDIENTS: 

1/4 cup old-fashioned oats 

1 frozen (peeled) banana 

1 cup unsweetened almond milk 

1-2 Tbsp. honey (to taste) 

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 

1/4 tsp. ground ginger 

pinch of nutmeg 

pinch of salt 

(optional: 1/4 cup raisins)

DIRECTIONS:
Add oats to blender, and pulse until finely ground. 

Add remaining ingredients and pulse until blended and smooth. 

Serve immediately.

http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/skinny-oatmeal-cookie-smoothie/#_a5y_p=2162043

              Spicy Blackened Chickpea Scramble Sandwich                                              

Serves 2

Ingredients: 

Blackening spice mix for 1 can of chickpeas: or use blackening or make your own:

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp cumin powder 

1/4 tsp onion powder 

1/2 tsp garlic powder 

1/4 tsp cayenne or to taste 

a very generous dash of black pepper

1/2 tsp thyme 

1/2 tsp paprika

Scramble: 

1 15 oz can chickpeas cooked Chickpeas 

1/2 red bell pepper 

1/4 cup red onions chopped or thinly sliced 

1/3-1/2 tsp salt (depends on if the chickpeas are already salted or not) 

blackening spice from above

hummus for serving

Directions:

Drain the chickpeas. 

Toss the chickpeas in the blackening spice and let sit while you cook the peppers and onions.

In a pan, add a tsp of high smoke point oil and heat on highest heat possible. 

Add red bell pepper and onions and cook until brown on the edges. 

Add the chickpeas and all the spice and salt. 

Use a Tbsp or so water to get the spice from the bowl and add to pan. 

Cook on high heat for 4-5 minutes. 

Stir and mash frequently to avoid burning and stir until you can smell the spices smoking. 

Remove from heat. 

Add a Tbsp of water

Tbsp or more of hummus to the scramble to add some moisture. 

Serve up in a sandwich. 

Layer hummus then greens and scramble.

Variations: Use other beans like white beans or black beans in the scramble. Use tofu or tempeh. Add roasted veggies to the sandwich or avocado.



Crock Pot Honey Ginger Chicken 

Servings: 4

Serving Size: Roughly 1 cup

Calories: 315 

Fat: 3.8 g 

Carb: 39.2 g 

Fiber: 0.6 g 

Protein: 33.2 g 

Sugar: 36.2 g 

Sodium: 493.9 mg

Ingredients: 

4 Chicken Breasts (About 4.5 Oz. Each), Cut into bite size pieces! 

1/2 C. Honey 

3 Tbsp. Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce 

1 Inch Fresh Ginger Root Grated 

2 Tbsp. Lime Juice 

2 Tsp. Sesame Oil 

1 Tsp. Rice Wine Vinegar 

4 Garlic Cloves Smashed 

1 Medium Yellow Onion Diced 

Salt & Pepper to Taste 

1 Tbsp. Cornstarch 

1 Tbsp. Water 

Optional Toppings: Sesame Seeds, Green Onions, Sriracha.

http://www.theskinnyfork.com/blog/crock-pot-honey-ginger-chicken

Tasty Tuesday 11/25

In honor of Thanksgiving I decided to post Thanksgiving themed goodies for you all today. It was NOT easy finding "healthy" Thanksgiving meals.

Fruit Turkey

How adorable is this? I thought it was so cute and while it's not a traditional meal (I am not sure if there is a such thing as a traditional breakfast with a Thanksgiving theme) it is healthy and gets us in the spirit. 

There isn't really a set recipe for this breakfast dish, its exactly what it looks like. The body of the 'turkey' is a half of a pear. The feathers are green grapes topped with blueberries and the nose and legs are matchstick carrots. 

Easy, affordable, healthy and cute. Could you ask for anything more?

Crispy Turkey Tostadas 

This is for a few days after Thanksgiving when you are just tired of the same old thing.

Makes: 4 servings, 2 tostadas each

Active Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

        1 14-ounce can petite diced tomatoes, preferably with jalapeños
        1 medium onion, thinly sliced
       3 cups shredded cooked turkey, or chicken 
       8 corn tortillas
       Canola or olive oil cooking spray
        1 avocado, pitted
       1/4 cup prepared salsa
  2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
     2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
        1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
       1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

 Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 375°F.

    Bring tomatoes and their juice to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and most of the liquid has evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes.

 Add turkey and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

      Meanwhile, coat tortillas on both sides with cooking spray. Divide the tortillas between 2 large baking sheets. Bake, turning once, until crisped and lightly brown, about 10 minutes.

       Mash avocado in a bowl. Stir in salsa, sour cream and cilantro until combined.

     To assemble tostadas, spread each crisped tortilla with some of the avocado mixture. Top with the turkey mixture, lettuce and cheese.

Open Faced Turkey Sandwich

This one seems pretty easy, average or boring but it was my grandma's FAVORITE thing to make with leftover turkey. In memory of her.......my grandma's favorite (and incredibly easy) sandwich

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb leftover turkey meat, sliced

1/2 cup or so of leftover turkey gravy

Stock or water (to thin the gravy if needed)

4 large slices of rustic bread

Directions:

1 Heat gravy in a skillet until bubbly. If the gravy is too thick, thin with a little stock or water.

2 Add pieces of sliced cooked turkey meat to the gravy. Coat with the gravy on all sides and heat until the meat is heated through.

3 Arrange a slice of bread (rustic French or Italian loaf would work great) on a plate. Top with sliced turkey and gravy.

I hope you and your family have a very Happy Thanksgiving, cook a lot of great food and get to spend time with your families. While I think it is horrible, if you are going to black friday, please be careful not to get injured and do your best not to injure those around you. Material possessions aren't worth a trip to the ER or someone's life.

Tasty Tuesday 11/18

Pumpkin Scones

To stay with the fall season, today's tasty tuesday breakfast is pumpkin scones. I have never tried these but a ton of my friends love just about pumpkin everything. Hope you like pumpkin too and will enjoy. A plus? This recipe comes with a video how to.

Makes 8 Scones

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 18 mins

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups of Flour

1/4 cup of Granulated Sugar

1/4 cup of Brown Sugar

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

8 Tbsp Cold Unsalted Butter

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

1/2 tsp of Vanilla Extract

1/3 cup of Pumpkin Puree

2 tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 Egg

Egg wash (one egg beaten with 1 tbsp of water)

Raw Sugar

Directions

1) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2) In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt, mix just to combine.

3) Add the cold butter and mix it just until the butter has broken up a bit and distributed evenly throughout the dry ingredients. 

6) In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, pumpkin puree, cream and vanilla. Add it to the dry mixture and mix until the dough comes together.

7) Dump it onto a floured board and shape into a circle or a rectangle that’s about 3/4 inch thick. Cut the scones into desired shape and place them on the parchment lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle them with the raw sugar.

8) Bake for 17 to 18 minutes or until golden brown, let them cool completely.

Tomato and Avocado salad with Creamy Garlic Cilantro Dressing

INGREDIENTS

DRESSING:

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 scallions, washed and trimmed

2 cloves garlic (use 1 if you want a milder garlic flavor)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Zest and juice of 1 lime

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

SALAD:

1 cup heirloom baby tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion (about 1/4 of a small onion)

1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 avocados

1 lime, halved

DIRECTIONS

For the dressing: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the yogurt, oil, scallions, garlic, cilantro, lime zest and juice and cumin and season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

For the salad: In a bowl, toss together the tomatoes, onion and cilantro and season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh from each half. Slice off a small amount from the bottom of each half so that they sit flat on your platter. Squeeze a little lime juice on the cut side of each avocado and season lightly with some salt. Scoop about 1/4 cup of the tomato mixture inside each half (it's good if a little extra falls around the avocado) and drizzle with some of the dressing. Serve right away!

Teriyaki Salmon

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

1/3 cup of Soy Sauce

1/3 cup of Water

1 Clove of Garlic, minced

1 Tsp of Grated Ginger

2 Tbsp of Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp of Mirin

1/4 tsp of Sesame Oil

1 Tbsp of Cornstarch

1 Tbsp of Water

4 Salmon Fillets, about 6oz each

Directions

1) In a saucepan, add the soy sauce, 1/4 cup of water, mirin, brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger and garlic, and simmer until the brown sugar dissolves.

2) In a small bowl, mix together the 1 Tbsp of water and cornstarch and add it to the simmering sauce. Allow it to thicken, turn the heat off and let it come to room temperature.

3) Place the salmon fillets in a shallow dish or a large resealable bag and pour the sauce right over, make sure to flip the salmon around a couple times to coat the salmon.

4) Cover and allow the salmon to marinate for a couple hours in the fridge.

5) When ready to cook, preheat a non stick skillet over medium high heat, get the salmon out of the marinade but make sure to shake off excess marinade (reserve the marinade) and place the salmon in the hot skillet. 

6) Allow the salmon to cook for about 1 minute on medium high, then turn the heat down to medium low, cover the skillet with a lid and allow the salmon to cook for a few minutes on each side or until the salmon is almost fully cooked.

7) At the last couple minutes of the salmon cooking, pour the reserved marinade in the skillet and let it cook for the last couple minutes.

8) Serve along side some steamed rice and veggies and pour the sauce over salmon.

This video is by the same woman that made the pumpkin scones. Do not forget it is okay to use brown rice vs white rice and it's alright to use light soy sauce so its less sodium. Hope you like today's recipes.

Tasty Tuesday

Breakfast

For today's Tasty Tuesday I am going to post two breakfast
recipes. One that is a bit filling & savory and the other is light & sweet.

Sunrise Sandwich w/ Turkey, Cheese & Guacamole 

1 tsp canola or olive oil

1 egg

salt and black pepper to taste

2 oz smoked turkey breast

1 slice American, Cheddar, or pepper Jack cheese

1 thick slice tomato

1 whole-wheat English muffin, split and toasted

1 tbsp Guacamole or Wholly Guacamole

1.Heat the oil in a small nonstick skillet or saute pan over medium heat until hot. Add the egg and gently fry until the white is set but the yolk is still runny, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

2.Place the turkey on a plate, top with the cheese, and microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, until the turkey is hot and the cheese is melted.

3.Place the tomato on the bottom half of the English muffin and season with salt and pepper. Top with the turkey and egg. Slather the guacamole on the top half of the muffin and crown the sandwich.

Recipe Notes

 This breakfast sandwich actually has roughly half of your recommended daily amount of sodium - my suggestion would be to look for reduced salt cheese, turkey etc. Or skip some altogether.

Nutritional Facts per serving

CALORIES            360.3 CAL

FAT        14.1 G

SATURATED FAT               3 G

CHOLESTEROL    234.1 MG

SODIUM              1360.5 MG

CARBOHYDRATES             34.6 G

TOTAL SUGARS  8.2 G

DIETARY FIBER   6.1 G

PROTEIN              26.3 G

Strawberry Parfait - 4 Servings

1 lb strawberries

2 cups low fat vanilla yogurt

6 tbsps muesli cereal

1.Cut 1 lb strawberries into quarters and divide half among 4 glasses.

2.Divide 1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt and 3 Tbsp muesli cereal evenly among glasses.

3.Repeat with remaining berries and additional 1 cup yogurt and 3 Tbsp muesli. Top with sliced berries.

Nutritional Facts per serving

CALORIES            169.1 CAL

FAT        2.3 G

SATURATED FAT               1.1 G

CHOLESTEROL    6.1 MG

SODIUM              92 MG

CARBOHYDRATES             31.9 G

TOTAL SUGARS 24.7 G

DIETARY FIBER   2.9 G

PROTEIN              7.4 G

Lunch

Rainbow Thai Chicken Salad

3 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 cups shredded purple cabbage 

1 cup shredded green cabbage 

1 avocado diced 

1 mango, peeled, pitted and diced

1 (large) carrot, julienned or shredded 

1 red pepper, cored and julienned (or diced) 

1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves 

1/2 cup chopped green onions 

1/4 cup chopped cashews or peanuts

Peanut Dressing Ingredients: 

1/2 cup natural peanut butter 

2-3 tablespoons hot water 

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 

2 tablespoons soy sauce (if you are gluten-free, use GF soy sauce or tamari) 

2 tablespoons honey 

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

juice of 1 lime 

pinch of red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS: 

Toss all salad ingredients together until combined. Drizzle with dressing or toss to combine, then serve immediately.

To Make The Dressing: Whisk all ingredients together until combined. If the dressing is too thick, add hot water a teaspoon at a time until it reaches the consistency you desire.

http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/rainbow-thai-chicken-salad-recipe/ 

Dinner

Avocado & Shrimp Salad

Ingredients 

1 large avocado, cut into small chunks 

1 slice of a medium size onion (you could also substitute 2 green onion stalks) 

1 small tomato, diced

⅛ C. cilantro, chopped 

1 C of salad shrimp (You can use a small can located near tuna at the grocery store. Or, you can use the frozen cooked shrimp - thawed). 

Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Cut the avocado into small chunks and place into a medium size bowl. Next dice the tomato, onion and cilantro and place in the bowl with the avocado. Add salt and pepper to taste and gently combine all ingredients mixing well.

Notes *If you have a lime, squeezing just a splash of fresh lime juice on this would be delicious!

http://www.momendeavors.com/2014/03/quick-healthy-recipe-avocado-shrimp-salad.html​