Vegan Holiday Eggnog (aka Almondnog)

Well, it is a little late to be posting this...given that it is after Christmas already. But hey, who says you can only drink eggnog on christmas? Especially if it's good for you! This recipe is full on vegan so pretty much anyone can drink it without getting the unhealthy side effects of actual eggnog. My mom and I blended a batch of this Christmas evening because what is a Christmas without eggnog? It didn't taste like the eggnog we are used to...but it did taste eggnog-like with a slightly less creamy texture...but it doesn't have cream so what do you expect. Nonetheless we added a little rum and it was great! It definitely fulfilled our eggnog craving and did not make us feel guilty because of how healthy it is for you.

Here's the recipe from step into my green world website:

Recipe
Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond milk
• 4 ice cubes
• 1 banana
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp vanilla bean or extract
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1 tsp raw almond butter
• Rum to taste (optional, but we did and it was delicious)
• 2 cinnamon sticks (for garnish)

Directions:

• Blend all ingredients into a blender
• Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg on top
• Top with a cinnamon stick per cup

Drink and Enjoy :) And have a very merry christmas or whatever the occasion! 

Quinoa Crusted Chicken Parmesan

Who doesn't love chicken parmesan? Doesn't everyone? Well now you can eat it, and substitute the bread crumbs for quinoa, which makes it gluten free!  I found this wonderful recipe for Quinoa Crusted Chicken Parm on Closet Cooking. I tried this out the other night and it was delicious. I made the chicken parm and placed it on top of marinara sauce and ate it with some more quinoa and of course a side of vegetables. You could always eat it with some quinoa pasta if you prefer to have pasta but want to keep it gluten free or plain pasta. I liked this so much that I am going to continue to make it when I want my fill of chicken parm but now I can get it in a healthier, more nutritious way!

Recipe:
Makes 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

4 (4-6 ounce) boneless, and skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup flour

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (~1/2 cup dry cooked with 1 cup liquid)

1 teaspoon italian seasoning blend

1 cup mozzarella, shredded (didn't have so I took it out when I made it)

1/4 cup parmigiano regginao (parmesan), grated

2 cups marinara sauce, hot

2 tablespoons basil, torn (didn't have any so I used parsley)

Directions:

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, dredge in flour, dip in egg and coat in the mixture of the quinoa and italian seasoning.
2. Place the chicken on a rack on a baking pan and bake in a preheated 400F oven until cooked and lightly golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.
3. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish, top with the cheese and broil until it has melted, about 2-4 minutes.
4. Place over top of hot marinara sauce and sprinkle with torn basil and enjoy! (Optional to add more quinoa or pasta to eat with it)

It was very tasty and definitely going to be a meal I will continue to make on a regular basis.

Zucchini Fries

At one point during my childhood, I overate zucchini to the point that I wouldn't touch it for years. Now, I am starting to get back into eating it by using it as a substitute. You can substitute zucchini for pasta or, as shown in this recipe, for fries.This recipe is sooo simple yet so good. If you're in a rush to make dinner and are really craving fries, this takes a total of 15 minutes. In other words, it's healthy fast food.

Recipe: (taken from Key Ingredient)

Ingredients:

• 3 Zucchini (1 lb)
• 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 packet Shake & Bake Coating Mix (I used whole wheat bread crumbs instead for a healthier touch)
• 1 small egg

Directions:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees

• Trim zucchini and cut in half, then cut each piece into 1/4 in. sticks

• Add cheese to coating mix in shaker bag; shake gently to combine

• Whisk egg in medium sized bowl. Add zucchini to coat.

• Use tongs (or just dump them in) to place 1/4 zucchini into shaker bag. Close bag and shake to evenly coat zucchini fries with coating mix. 

• Spread onto baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Then repeat with the rest of the zucchini.

• Bake for 13-14 minutes or until golden brown. Turning the tray 180 degrees after 7 minutes to evenly bake the fries.

...I put them on a plate, squeezed out some ketchup and devoured them :)

Spinach and Avocado Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

This was such an quick and easy recipe. It took a total of 20-30 minutes to make. It is a delicious way to get some vegetables from the spinach and some protein from the mushroom caps! Found this recipe on Vegan Yumminess! I made a few adjustments because I didn't have all of the ingredients, so I used some substitutes or didn't include some at all. However, I'm sure following the recipe exactly would be even more tasty than the ones I made. 

Recipe:

Ingredients

• 2 portobello mushroom caps
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cup fresh baby spinach (well packed)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/4 cup walnuts (didn't have any so I left this out of the recipe)
• 1 teaspoon Nutritional Yeast Flakes (also didn't have any...still need to go grocery shopping)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt to taste
• handful of sliced almonds for garnish (I used pine nuts instead because I didn't have almonds)

Directions

• Step 1
• Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Step 2
• Gently wash mushrooms in cool water, then remove stems by getting a firm hold at the base of the stem and pulling right out
• Step 3
• Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a cup. Use brush to paint the caps and edges with a little bit of oil.
• Step 4
• Place mushrooms cap side down on baking sheet. Sprinkle gills with some salt.
• Step 5
• Bake mushrooms in oven for 11-12 minutes
• Step 6
• While they are cooking, prepare your filling. Combine spinach, walnut, garlic, and seasonings in a blender or food processor. Blend until chunky but smooth.
• Step 7
• Peel avocado and remove the pit. Mash in a bowl with a fork until it is also, chunky but smooth. 
• Pour spinach blender contents over mashed avocado and mix together.
• Add salt to taste
• Step 8
• Spoon fillings into your mushrooms and sprinkle with almonds (or pine nuts) on top
• Step 9
• You can either eat them the way they are now or bake the mushrooms with the filling in the oven for another 3-5 minutes at 450 degrees. (I decided to bake in the oven for another 3-5 minutes because I like it better hot)

Try them out and eat 'em up! :)

Eggocado: Baked Egg in an Avocado

 I've been wanting to try this out for breakfast for a while and a few days ago I finally did. It was delicious!!! Except, I overcooked the yoke a little too much...I would have liked it to be more runny. Oh well, now I know for next time!

First off, what makes this a completely nutritious breakfast is the avocado. It is quite the superfood.
Here are some nutritional benefits of the Avocado:

• More potassium than a banana (single avocado has 975 milligrams of potassium)
• It is one of only a few high protein fruits (about 4 g of protein per avocado)
• Promotes heart health
• Contains anti-inflammatory benefits (omega 3's, phytosterols, antioxidants)
• Supports cardiovascular health and promotes blood sugar regulation
• Promotes skin health

So this is a great breakfast for those health freaks and it is good for those paleo dieters because it has no gluten! The recipe is also so simple! I prepared it in less than 5 minutes, popped it into the oven, and made some coffee and started watching some TV while it was cooking..although maybe I got a little too distracted because my yoke was overcooked :(

Anyways, here's what you do to make an eggocado

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 eggs
• Salt and pepper
• Chives (optional topping)

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
• Slice avocado in half and take out the pit
• Scoop out around 2 tablespoons of avocado so the egg will fit (I just estimated)
• Place avocados in a small tight baking dish so they don't tilt over
• Crack the egg into the avocado
• Bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on how much you want the yolk to cook)
• Take out of the oven and allow to sit for a minute or two and then it is ready to eat!

Enjoy this nutritious gluten free breakfast :)

Shrimp with Homemade Cocktail Sauce

Omgomgomgomgomg, wow do I love shrimp. My parents say I used to eat it all the time when I was a toddler. I love it anyway it is prepared- sooo good!

My mom brought home some steamed already cooked shrimp over the weekend. So obviously I wanted to make shrimp cocktail. The problem: we had absolutely NO cocktail sauce. Cocktail sauce usually consists of ketchup and horseradish. We had the ketchup but of course, we did not have any horseradish. So, building off of that, we decided to put a spin on the regular cocktail sauce and come up with our own. 

Our own cocktail sauce creation:

• Ketchup
• Sriracha Hot Sauce
• Minced garlic

We didn't put an exact amount of either of the ingredients. We just added them to taste. I am positive that I put almost double the amount of Sriracha compared to the ketchup and garlic, but only because I absolutely LOVE sriracha. 

Anytime you find yourself needing some cocktail sauce but don't have horseradish OR you are just tired of the original cocktail sauce, I highly recommend trying out this combination shown above. It was great and totally hit the spot!

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Beans and Greens

Sweet potatoes are soooo yummy and soooo good for you. I am trying to incorporate them into my diet more often and found this delicious recipe to get me going. First off, here are some reasons why sweet potatoes are a great addition to your diet. 

Sweet Potato Nutritional Benefits:

• Contains lots of fiber
• Heart healthy- contains vitamin B6 which helps blood flow freely
• Rich in beta-carotene (antioxidant great for skin and eye health)
• High in Vitamin C and E- help protect your skin from free-radicals and sun damage
• Rich in magnesium and iron

In other words, sweet potatoes are a "beauty" food. For all you ladies out there looking to have great skin, the sweet potato is a great source of nutrients that will help protect your skin cells from damage and keep you looking fabulous!

Recipe: 

This recipe said the sweet potatoes would take an hour to cook in the oven. I was at home, cooking with my mom, and we were both starving and too impatient to wait for a whole hour. My mom proposed the idea of cooking them in the microwave. I didn't know you could cook sweet potatoes so fast in the microwave but we did and they came out great! So if you're on the go and need to cook a healthy meal fast, try popping these sweet potatoes in the microwave for about 10 minutes (3-5 on each side) until soft. While they're cooking, start preparing the greens and use already cooked white beans. If you're not in a rush, follow the recipe below exactly as written. 

Here is the Recipe from The Kitchn:

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (4-inch) sprig fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups (or 1 can) cooked and drained white beans
6 cups kale, trimmed and sliced into ribbons
Juice of 1/4 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Scrub the sweet potatoes and prick them in a few places with a fork. Place them on a baking sheet and bake until soft all the way through, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Start the beans and greens about 15 to 20 minutes before the sweet potatoes are done.

In a wide, deep saucepan with a cover, heat the olive oil over low-moderate heat. Add the shallots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary sprig, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the beans and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the kale, cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the kale is soft. Remove the rosemary sprig, stir in the lemon juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, slice each sweet potato lengthwise and push on the ends to open up the middle. Spoon the beans and greens into the center.

Then it is ready to eat!!!! If you need more of a kick, I recommend drizzling some Sriracha (only the best hot sauce ever) on there. I did and it was delicious. Can't wait to make it again!

Vegan Cinnamon Bun Smoothie

Craving cinnamon buns this season? I know I am. Every single year my mom makes fresh homemade cinnamon buns for christmas morning breakfast. They are sooo good. I usually eat like 5 of them, because let's face it, Christmas only comes once a year. Now that it is officially Christmas season, I began craving cinnamon in everything, especially cinnamon buns. But, I discovered a healthy way to deal with my craving through this smoothie recipe. Oh yeah, and its VEGAN. Now I get to satisfy my craving of cinnamon in a much more figure friendly way...until Christmas morning when I am all out splurging on those cinnamon buns :)

I found this recipe on Pop Sugar Fitness. I thought it tasted too much like banana at first but the after taste is very cinnamony and definitely fulfilled my sweet tooth craving for cinnamon buns.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana, cut into four pieces (I didn't use a frozen one, regular works fine)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure maple syrup (I didn't have maple syrup so substituted agave nectar instead)
Cinnamon stick, for garnish

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients into a blender. Pour into a tall glass. Finish with a cinnamon stick for a garnish (if you want some extra pizazz)

Definitely a nice health desert to have during holiday season. Give it a try and enjoy :)

Pop Sugar Cinnamon Bun Smoothie Recipe

Salmon with Wasabi Sauce, Baby Bok Choy, and Brown Rice

Tried out a new recipe last night!! Found it on Martha Stewart's website. It definitely came out well, and it was super delicious. I put a lot more wasabi in the sauce then the recipe called for, but I love the burn of wasabi so I didn't mind at all, it was great :)

Heres the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise (I used Follow Your Heart Vegenaise instead)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (I couldn't find any at my local store so I bailed on this sadly)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
• 2 to 3 teaspoons wasabi paste
• 1 piece (1 1/2 inches long) fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 skinless salmon fillets, (6 to 8 ounces each)
• 1/2 cup mirin
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 4 heads baby bok choy (1 1/4 pounds total), halved lengthwise

Directions:

STEP 1

In a blender, combine mayonnaise, cilantro, lime juice, wasabi, ginger, and 1 tablespoon water. Blend until smooth, adding up to 2 tablespoons more water to thin sauce, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

 

STEP 2

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season salmon with salt and pepper; place in skillet, flat side up. Cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

 

STEP 3

Wipe out skillet with a paper towel. Add mirin and soy sauce, and bring to a boil over medium-high. Add bok choy; season with salt and pepper. Cover, and cook until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 3 to 5 minutes; discard liquid. Drizzle salmon with wasabi sauce, and serve with bok choy.

 

The recipe was taken directly from Martha Stewart's website and can be found at this link:

Salmon with Wasabi Sauce and Baby Bok Choy Recipe

And I added some brown rice for some healthy carbohydrates!

For those of you who like seafood and the taste of wasabi, this is a great recipe for you to try! Enjoy :)

 

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Ruby Red Grapefruit

One of my all time favorite fruits. They are in season now and taste delicious. I have one everyday for breakfast. They have some pretty amazing health benefits too!

Some Health Benefits of Grapefruit:

• Helps you lose weight- high in enzymes that help burn fat and boosts metabolism
• Prevents cancer-contains lycopene, which fights cancer
• Lowers cholesterol levels-contains many antioxidants that help lower cholesterol levels
• Firms skin-contains a lot of vitamin C which produces collagen leading to firmer skin

Vegan Avocado Soba Noodles

I absolutely LOVE avocado. Hands down one of my favorite foods that you can eat with pretty much anything (salads, pasta, pizza, sandwhiches, etc). Avocado is also super healthy for you because it contians vitamins A, B, C, E, & K. It contains both fiber AND protein, and phytochemicals (which help prevent disease and illnesses). It's also great for heart health, improves skin and eye sight, and protects against cancer. In other words, it's quite the super food.

I absolutely LOVE cheese as well. Except for I realized that cheese is very high and fat and I basically ate tons of it in every meal. One day over the summer, my boyfriend and I were eating lunch with my dad and I asked for cheese. He brought out a cheese "substitute" called Bragg's Nutritional Yeast Seasoning.

At first I was like what the hell? This is NOT cheese...but i tried it and it was decent. It definitely has a cheesy flavor, almost like that of Cheez-Its. It has 0g of fat and 1g of Dietary Fiber and 3g of protein per serving. After my realization of my eating too much cheese, the nutritional facts of the yeast seasoning sounded a lot better than my usual overload of real cheese. So I started incorporating it into pasta in place of parmesan cheese. So far it has tasted pretty good while getting the benefits of it being super healthy! I particularly like the recipe shown above. It consists of:

• Buckwheat Soba Noodles
• Half an Avocado, sliced
• Olive Oil
• Bragg's Nutritional Yeast Seasoning
• A dash of salt

Cook the buckwheat noodles in boiling water as you would any pasta (follow directions on package). Then drizzle some olive oil, sliced half of an avocado, and Bragg's Nutritional Yeast Seasoning. Add some salt to taste and voila, you have a super healthy, fiber rich, low fat pasta meal :)

Asian Kale Salad with Chia Seeds and Pine Nuts

Hello everyone, welcome to my blog! My first post is about the goodness of kale and one way you could eat it. First off everyone should try and incorporate kale into their diet, it is SO good for you. According to Shape magazine, Kale:

• Contains more Vitamin C than an orange
• Consists of Alpha-Linoleic Acid (ALA), which is an omega-3 fatty acid that supports brain and heart health
• Contains lots of Vitamin A
• Has a lot of Calcium, more than milk!
• Has plenty of Phytonutrients, like quercetin, which helps fight against cancer

Anyways, kale is definitely a good addition to a healthy diet and everyone should start eating it, if you don't already. A delicious salad that I made (shown above) took all of 5 minutes to make and was really tasty.

The recipe consists of:

• Organic Tuscan Kale from Trader Joes (you can use any type of kale)
• Minced Garlic (to taste)
• Chia Seeds
• Pine Nuts
• Equal parts: olive oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar

To start off I took a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and sauteed the kale with the garlic. Then once completely wilted, I put in a bowl and sprinkled some Chia seeds and Pine Nuts on top. Next, I made a homemade dressing made up of equal parts of olive oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. I did about a spoonful of each and mixed it up and drizzled over my kale. It was delicious :)