Chocolate Mug Cake

Super Rich Chocolate Mug Cake. Not the best picture in the world but hey, it's hard to make these things look pretty. You put them in the microwave and they turn out like this, with chocolate on the inner sides of the cup from the batter rising a little bit, but it's okay. Here is what my mug cake looked like taken straight from the microwave and topped with some shreds of coconut and some goji berries.

This chocolate mug cake was my first mug cake ever. I had heard about the new phenomenon of making these healthy cakes in a mug but never tried it. I finally did and it was awesome. But soo soo rich, at least this recipe was...It was literally like i was eating a molten chocolate cake. So for you chocolate lovers, this is a really good healthy, easy, and fast recipe for you.

Here's the recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 small ripe Banana
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Almond Butter
• 1 Egg
• 2 Tablespoons of Cocoa Powder (for a richer taste and a superfood boost use Cacao- but if using cacao add a little sweetener of your choice because cacao is more bitter-I used a drop/2 drops of stevia)

Directions:

• Mix together in a coffee mug
• Microwave for 2 minutes of medium high until the center is set
• Add topping of your choice (I added goji berries and coconut flakes)
• Grab a spoon and enjoy (and maybe some water too because it sure is chocolatey)

#mugcake #firsttime #almondbutter #banana #glutenfree #healthy #cleaneats #chocolate #rich #yum #cake #delicious #dessert #healthydessert #leanandgreen

Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potato Halves

Hello everyone, sorry I was MIA. I finished up my classes studying abroad in Spain. The program was only six weeks so it was a lot of class, a lot of traveling, and a lot of fun. I definitely know a lot more español from living there for six weeks. So now I have time to FINALLY get around to updating my blog. Especially because I was living in a host family and haven't had time to cook all that much so this is just an update of what I've cooked in the past.

This is Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potato. It consists of one sweet potato stuffed with cheese and black bean corn salsa topped with avocado yogurt sauce. I made it in May (yeah I'm super behind...) for celebrating Cinco de Mayo, the healthy way :)

This recipe is super easy, and super healthy, and you get your protein and carbs in one dish which is nice. I just added a side of vegetables and it was a full meal! The recipe is from Averie Cooks. Here's how you do it:

Sweet Potato and Filling Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 medium/large Sweet Potato
• 1/2 cup Corn and Black Bean Salsa (you can find this in most grocery stores, otherwise find a chunkier salsa to use or fill it with a mix of corn, black beans, and salsa in 1/2 cup)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Heaping 1/4 cup shredded cheese (of your preference, for this dish I used Mexican Blend)

Directions:

• Prick Sweet Potato with a fork all over
• Place in a microwaveable dish for about 7-10 minutes on high power to cook
• Cook until tender when pierced with a fork
• While potato is in the microwave, preheat oven to Broil setting
• Remove potato from microwave and slice in half lengthwise
• Scoop out and hollow out a column in the center of the sweet potato with a spoon so that there is enough space to put your filling
• Place the halves on a greased baking sheet
• Evenly divide the corn and black bean salsa in each half and add salt and pepper to taste
• Evenly top each half with the shredded cheese
• Broil for about 3 minutes until the cheese begins to melt and is bubbly. Because you're broiling, keep a close eye on them because it is very easy to burn since it is such a high temperature setting!
• Remove and let cool. Then eat with the avocado yogurt sauce.

Avocado Yogurt Sauce Recipe:

Ingredients:

• An avocado
• Greek Yogurt
• Lime Juice
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions:

• Mix to taste.
• I didn't measure anything out when I made it but I used the whole avocado, I added greek yogurt to taste (start with a little and add more if you want more) depending on how creamy you want it to be, then add a little splash of lime juice (or a lot if you want it to taste more citrusy) 
• Mash all together
• Spread over the sweet potato and enjoy :)

Enjoy :)

#sweetpotato #southwestern #avocado #blackbean #corn #salsa #healthy #dinner #cleaneats #glutenfree #vegetarian #yum #delicious #leanandgreen

Peanut Butter-Banana-Dilla

Whoever discovered the combination of peanut butter and banana is just plain genius. It is great in this recipe, in oatmeal, in a quinoa bowl, in a sandwich, or just plain good on its own. I personally love making it in a quesadilla style because it is a little crispy on the outside and the peanut butter is nice and gooey on the inside! Yummmmmm! Such a good idea for breakfast!

Here's how you do it. It's super simple, super fast, and is a complete healthy breakfast with carbs, protein, and fruit!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• One tortilla (preferably whole wheat or gluten-free)
• Peanut butter (as much as you'd like in it)-- I used PB2 the powdered peanut butter that you mix with water
• 1 ripe banana

Directions:

• Place some oil (I prefer coconut oil for a sweeter taste over olive oil but any oil works) in a medium-large frying pan on medium to medium-high heat (depending on how crispy or soft you want it)
• While it is getting hot, spread some peanut butter onto just one half of your tortilla
• Slice the banana into small thin slices and place as many as you'd like on top of the peanut butter
• Fold the tortilla in half so it makes a half circle shape with your peanut butter and banana inside
• Place tortilla on the frying pan
• Press down with a spatula on the top of the quesadilla and allow to cook for a few minutes, keeping an eye on it so it does not get burned
• Flip your tortilla when it is crispy
• Cook the other side of the tortilla until crispy to your liking

Enjoy :)

#peanutbutter #banana #tortilla #healthy #cleaneats #vegan #glutenfree #yum #breakfast #delicious #leanandgreen

Lemon Pepper Tilapia

I made this fish dinner for a "fish friday" dinner date with my boyfriend a little while back. It was delicious, although I wouldn't say it is my most "lean and green" recipe because it does require a lot of butter...but we substituted regular butter for vegan Earth Balance butter.

We made tilapia because I wanted to start eating a lot more fish and tilapia is a very good cheap option. It turned out to be super delicious! I got the recipe from Love That Food. Here is the recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

4 tilapia fillets

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon ground paprika

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 tablespoons butter (I used vegan Earth Balance butter)

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 lemon, sliced

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
• Grease a shallow baking dish and set aside
• Whisk together the chopped parsley, paprika, and red pepper and set aside
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat
• Add the garlic and olive oil and then immediately remove from heat
• Place filets in the baking dish and lightly season with salt and pepper
• Baste the filets with half of the butter, oil, and garlic mixture
• Then sprinkle half of the parsley, paprika, and red pepper mixture over the filets
• Bake for 8 minutes
• Remove from oven and pour the rest of the butter, oil, and garlic mixture over the filets
• Sprinkle the rest of the parsley, paprika, and red pepper mixture over the filets
• Bake for another 6-8 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork
• Squeeze lemon juice on top and serve

Enjoy :)

Greek Yogurt "Cookie Dough"

I am so excited there are so many ways to make healthy things taste like chocolate chip cookie dough or cookies. It is definitely one of the greatest inventions ever. This is basically yogurt with some nut butter and flavoring, so it is super healthy and basically a protein snack that tastes like cookie dough. It is ideal for a healthy dessert. I found the recipe from Family Fresh Meals but modified it a little bit to what I had in the cabinet, here is what I did:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 serving plain greek yogurt (1 6 oz pack)
• 1 tablespoon chocolate chips (mini is better in my opinion, though either could work)
• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 2-3 drops of Stevia extract or 1 tablespoon of honey (I used stevia)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

• Mix together and enjoy!

Buffalo Cauliflower "Wings" and Healthy Blue Cheese Dip

Why didn't I make these for the superbowl???? No idea...but I am definitely going to make them for the superbowl for next year...or I guess the next "wing" occasion. These were flat out delicious. Except, I used extra spicy buffalo sauce thinking I could handle it...well I fooled myself with that one! I couldn't continuously eat them...but I loved eating them in doses haha.

These cauliflower wings taste like buffalo wings but obviously have the texture of fried cauliflower (but it is not fried, it is baked). So a.k.a. delicious. I got the recipe off of pinterest, but it was a pin so I do not have a direct source...but here is the recipe so you all can enjoy a healthier alternative to wings at home!

Recipe for the "Wings":

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water or unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup flour (any kind--I used gluten-free)
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 head of cauliflower, chopped into pieces (however big you want your "wings")
• 1 cup buffalo or hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
• Combine the water or almond milk, flour, and garlic powder in a bowl. Stir until combined. 
• Coat the cauliflower pieces with the flour mixture and place in a shallow baking dish
• Bake for 18 minutes
• While cauliflower is baking, combine your hot sauce and olive oil in a small bowl
• Pour hot sauce mixture over cauliflower when its done and bake for another 5-8 minutes
• Serve with the blue cheese dip

Recipe for the Blue Cheese Dip:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt (plain)
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons blue cheese
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together
• Add more blue cheese on top to garnish

Enjoy :)

#cauliflower #buffalo #buffalowings #notreallybuttheytastelikeit #bluecheese #healthydip #dip #yum #superbowlfood #superbowl #cleaneats #healthy #glutenfree #vegetarian #leanandgreen

Peanut Sauce Soba Noodles

Yummmm. I've always wanted to make peanut sauce noodles! I finally did and it is so easy! It contains things that I almost always have stocked in my kitchen at any time. And it is vegan! So if I need a break from the normal marinara sauce, I will definitely make this for a quick and easy healthy meal. Here is the recipe for the peanut sauce:

Recipe for Peanut Sauce:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of PB2 or 1 tablespoon of regular peanut butter 
• 2 tablespoons Sesame Oil
• 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Directions:

• Mix together in a bowl all the ingredients until well blended
• Mix in with cooked soba noodles and whatever vegetables you prefer (I used bok choy and cucumber)
• Eat cold or hot, whichever you prefer (I prefer cold)

Enjoy :))

Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Sooo now that I finally have some free time I have started updating my blog again. It was a hectic last few weeks with my final exams, my boyfriends graduation, and my getting ready to come to Madrid to study abroad for 6 weeks and do some traveling afterwards. Now I am in Spain and life is pretty good so far. I am living with a host mother, which is good for my spanish speaking skills but bad for my cooking healthy food and my own recipes. I eat what she gives me. But, I am grateful because unlike some other people in Spain she eats lots of healthy meals full of fruits and vegetables, which makes me confident I can remain healthy while living over here and not eating my normal types of food...For example, it is completely impossible to be vegetarian and gluten-free because they eat lots of bread and croissants and pastries and lots of ham and cheese, etc. Anyways, I am just getting around to updating my blog fully.

These chickpea chocolate chip cookie dough bites are called cookie "dough" bites even though they are cooked because even when cooked, they are still super soft and gooey, like cookie dough. These are absolutely delicious and I think they are the best gluten-free chocolate chip cookie I have ever made..maybe because I love "half-baked" or super soft gooey cookies. If you're looking for a healthy way to eat the most delicious cookie dough ever, this recipe is for you. I got the recipe from Texanerin Baking. Here is the recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups Canned Chickpeas, well rinsed and patted dry
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons Almond butter (at room temperature)
• 1/4 cup Honey
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• A pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips (or more if you so desire)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Combine all ingredients, except for chocolate chips, in a food processor and blend until smooth
• Pour in the chocolate chips and mix around
• With wet hands (so it won't stick to your hands) form 1 1/2 inch balls
• Place onto parchment paper or a greased baking pan
• Bake for about 10 minutes
• When you take out they will still be very soft and do not set like normal cookies, hence cookie "dough" bites

Enjoy :)

Zucchini Spears

These are like a healthier version of those breadsticks you could get at pizza hut. These are basically zucchini spears topped with parmesan cheese and baked in the oven. It's a good appetizer or party food. I definitely like the zucchini fries better than these though because these are a lot thicker and don't get as crispy, they are more squash textured instead of fries. So do not think of these as crispy like fries, unless you bake them long enough. These are more like cooked zucchini and topped with some parmesan. I think next time I will try and cut them a little thinner so they get a little more crispy. Anyways, they're good if you like zucchini and parmesan, need something quick, and they are most certainly good for you. Here's the recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• Zucchini (as many as you want)
• Parmesan cheese (as much as you want)
• Olive oil

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
• Wash zucchini and cut them in quarters- cut them in half lengthwise and cut the newly cut pieces in half lengthwise to make quarters
• Place on a greased baking sheet and drizzle olive oil on top
• Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top of the olive oil coated zucchini spears
• Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes
• Broil them for the last two minutes until the cheese is golden
• Take out and let cool before eating

And there you have it, parmesan zucchini spears!

Garlic Parmesan Avocado Cauliflower Mash

Yummmm this was delicious. It is kind of like a healthier and, well I think, tastier, mashed potatoes. I made this with my boyfriend one night and I got full quickly, in which we had lots of leftovers. Luckily, my boyfriend and his friends took care of that and devoured the rest of the mash. It was just that good. I am definitely going to make this in the future instead of a side of mashed potatoes. Maybe even instead of mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving?...or is that too far...haha I guess we shall see in November.

Here's the recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 head of Cauliflower
• 3 tablespoons of Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 Avocado, diced
• 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
• Garlic, salt, and pepper to taste (we made ours pretty garlicky, almost too much, but it was delicious anyways!)

Directions:

• Cut the florets of the whole cauliflower into small pieces
• Steam the florets by using a steam bag or a colander on the stove top
• Once you can pierce through a floret with a fork easily, drain the florets from the water and place them in a medium sized mixing bowl
• Add the greek yogurt, avocado, parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper into the mixing bowl as well
• Mash all the ingredients together with a fork

And voilaaaaa you have your delicious cauliflower mash, it's as easy as that. Enjoy :)

Banana Pancake

These pancakes are delicious and gluten-free! It is so easy and makes just enough to fill you up. And these pancakes only require two ingredients! Can it get easier than that?...Nope. I don't think I will ever go back to making normal pancakes again. Here's the recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-large Banana
• 1 egg

Directions:

• Mash banana in a bowl with a fork
• Crack an egg and beat it in a separate bowl
• Add the egg into the bowl with the mashed banana
• Mix together
• Heat a greased frying pan on medium heat (I used coconut oil because banana and coconut oil taste so good together!)
• Cook until for a few minutes and flip and cook the other side
• Cook until golden brown

I topped mine with some raspberries, coconut flakes, and a little bit of coconut oil. They tasted like paradise, I recommend it! Top them with anything of your choice. Eat and enjoy :)

Baked Fries

No joke, these tasted just like the greasiest unhealthy fries you can get at burger restaurants. But, they aren't like those fries, although they may taste just as good. They are healthy! They are not fried, they are baked. They use only a few ingredients and are super easy to make. All you have to do is throw them in the oven. Here's the recipe from Self:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 large Russet Potatoes
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

Directions:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees F
• Cut potatoes in half horizonally
• Then cut each half into 1/3 inch sticks
• Place in a bowl of cold water
• Remove from water and dry thoroughly
• Toss in a bowl with olive oil and salt
• Place fries on a baking sheet
• Bake for around 25 minutes until golden brown and cooked completely through

Chocolate Cherry Smoothie

We all have those days where we crave chocolate. This is a way to satisfy your chocolate craving without ingesting the calories. This is a healthy dark chocolate cherry shake. It was quite delicious and absolutely satisfied my chocolate craving. Here's the recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen cherries
• 1 cup Almond milk (may need to add more for desired thickness)
• 1.5 tablespoons Cacao powder
• 2 Medjool Dates, pitted and diced

Directions:

• Toss all the ingredients into a blender
• Blend until smooth
• Add more almond milk or water if it is too thick and unable to blend
• Once smooth, pour into a cup and enjoy!

Eggplant Pizza's

I loveeee making things into pizza's. I love pizza in general! But ever since I went gluten-free, I had to get creative in the crust. So far I have made mushroom pizza's, zucchini crust pizza, and now this eggplant pizza. So far, the eggplant pizza is my favorite. Maybe it reminds me of eggplant parmesan and that is why I like it so much, I don't know. But it sureeee was delicious and super easy and quick. Here's the recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized eggplant
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Pizza sauce
• Mozzarella cheese (or vegan cheese if you want to make it vegan)
• Any additional toppings you would like for your pizza (such as basil, veggies, pepperoni, etc)

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
• Slice the eggplant into about 1/2 inch thick slices
• Coat each slice with olive oil, on both sides
• Place on greased baking tray and cook for 10 minutes
• Take them out and put on desired amount of pizza sauce, cheese, and any other pizza toppings
• Bake for another 5-10 minutes
• Take them out and let them cool before eating

Enjoy :)

Stewed Okra and Tomatoes

This is one of my favorite Greek dishes. When I went to Greece a few summers ago, I completely fell in love with their cuisine. Everything there is so delicious and so healthy. I try and eat Greek food whenever I have the chance, it's just too damn good. Anyways, this was one of my favorite things to eat when I was in Greece. It is so delicious. Whenever I find an authentic Greek restaurant in the U.S., I order this. 

So one day I was craving this. I looked up a recipe and found one that was simple enough online at Choosy Beggars. I made it and it was delicious. Ate the entire recipe in one day...2 pounds of okra haha. I am certainly looking forward to making this again soon. Here's the recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. fresh Okra
• 1 Lemon
• 1/3 cup Olive Oil
• 1 medium Yellow Onion
• 1 can whole or diced tomatoes (I used diced)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 Red chili pepper flakes
• Salt to taste
• Fresh parsley to top (optional, I didn't have any but would have used some had I had some)

Directions:

• Trim the stem off of all the okra
• Place okra in a bowl 
• Squeeze full lemon over all of the okra and sprinkle some salt on top
• Set aside while you prepare the rest
• In a large pot, heat the olive oil on medium heat
• Dice the onion and cook with the olive oil until golden (approximately 6-8 minutes)
• When onions are golden, add the tomatoes into the pot
• Sprinkle in the sugar and red chili flakes
• Stir it and then cover the pot and let it simmer over medium-low heat for about 15-20 minutes
• Toss okra into the pot
• Simmer for another 15-20 minutes, until okra is tender

Let it cool and serve :)

Spicy Chili Garlic Shrimp

Oh man, oh man was this delicious. But, my boyfriend and I added double the chili pepper thinking we could handle it. Because of this, I think I drank at least 5 glasses of water and had teary eyes the whole dinner. But oddly enough, my boyfriend and I both love the burn of spicy food so we were completely satisfied.

This shrimp recipe is very easy, especially if you have thawed shrimp ready to go. And it only requires a few ingredients that many people have in their kitchen already. I got this recipe from Skinny Taste. It came out soo good. Thank goodness we made enough for leftovers; I had it for lunch the next day. Anyways, here is the recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds peeled (and thawed) Shrimp
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3-4 Dried Chilies (not 6, unless you like crying and downing water every 2 seconds)
• 5 Garlic Cloves, crushed
• Juice of 1 Lemon (or more to taste)
• 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh Parsley

Directions:

• Season shrimp with salt and pepper to taste
• Heat a fairly large pan on medium heat
• Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and half of the chopped chilies to the pan
• Cook for 1-2 minutes
• Increase heat to medium-high
• Add half the shrimp
• Cook undisturbed for around 1 1/2 minutes
• Flip shrimp over and cook for around 1 minute more, until opaque throughout
• Transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate
• Repeat the steps above for the other half of the olive oil, chilies, and shrimp. Adding olive oil and chilies to cook first and then adding the rest of the shrimp to cook.
• Place the rest of the shrimp with the already cooked shrimp in a large bowl
• Squeeze lemon juice over the shrimp and toss with the parsley
• Eat and enjoy :)

Greek Yogurt Filled Sweet Potato

I tried this idea for breakfast a few weeks ago. It was really easy and super quick. Of course, it is also super healthy! According to Men's Fitness, some nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes are:

• They contain a lot of Carotenoids- help with cell damage 
• A good source of Vitamin E- also protects against cell damage, environmental factors, and heart disease
• Contains Potassium- helps with bone health, nerve transmission, water balance, and sustaining a normal blood pressure
• A good source of Copper- helps with the production of collagen, which helps keep muscles healthy and skin tight (sooo helps with wrinkles, great!)
• Contains Quercetin- which apparently helps reduce allergies, hay fever, asthma by allowing you to breathe easier

Anyways, so I've been trying to incorporate these healthy nutrient packed potatoes into my diet more often. The easiest way I have discovered is by eating it filled with greek yogurt for breakfast. And it is so quick, so it is very easy to do on busy mornings! Here's the recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sweet potato
• Plain Greek Yogurt
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Walnuts, chopped

Directions:

• Scrub the potato clean 
• Prick the potato with a fork all over the front and back
• Place potato on microwaveable safe plate 
• Microwave for 3-5 minutes until the potato is soft
• Cut down the middle of the potato, but not all the way, just enough to make a slit in it
• Spoon in some greek yogurt and top with cinnamon, chopped walnuts, and a little bit of nutmeg to taste!

Enjoy :)

Cauliflower "Alfredo" Sauce

I used to eat fettucini alfredo all the time...back when I did not realize how fattening it was or the effects of eating it on my body. Now, I discovered after looking online, a much healthier alfredo sauce made from CAULIFLOWER! So not only was it healthier because it involved no cream but also it is made from a vegetable!

So I had to immediately put it to the test. I found the recipe from the Unlost Blog. I poured the sauce over a serving of spaghetti squash, topped it with some green onions and sprinkled some additional parmesan cheese. It was delicious! I don't think I'll go back to the original alfredo sauce now that I have a way healthier alternative...except maybe when I go out to eat in the North End or Little Italy ha. Here is the recipe:

Recipe:
Makes an entire blender full

Ingredients:

• Six cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp of butter, softened (I used vegan butter)
• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 generous pinch of pepper
• Juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Olive oil to taste

Directions:

• In a large saucepan, boil the cauliflower florets until tender and can easily prick with a fork, approximately 10 minutes
• While cauliflower is boiling, heat butter in a small saucepan and add the garlic. Sauté for a few minutes until garlic is golden but not brown
• Remove garlic and butter from heat and set aside
• Place boiled cauliflower in a blender
• Add the butter, garlic, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, and milk
• Blend the ingredients and continue to add lemon and parmesan every so often to taste
• If sauce is too thick, add milk. If sauce is too dry, add oil. Blend again until smooth and "saucy"
• Enjoy :)

Healthy Chocolate Shake

Yum, this was sooo delicious. It is such a great healthy dessert to have when craving that chocolate! Completely guilt free because it's actually good for you! Have it when you want some quick, easy, tasty healthy dessert on hot summer day or in the dead of winter!...Here's my recipe!!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 banana
• 2 medjool dates, chopped (shouldn't need sweetener because these add enough sweetness)
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder (or more if you want it more chocolatey tasting)
• 1 cup almond milk (I used plain unsweetened almond milk)
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
• Some shredded coconut flakes to taste (optional)
• 1/2 cup ice

Directions:

• Place all ingredients in a blender
• Blend til smooth 

Enjoy this healthy, chocolatey goodness :))

Sesame Ginger Salmon

My boyfriend and I started doing "Fish Fridays," in which we make fish for dinner every Friday. Well at least we've attempted to. Obviously schedules can get in the way, so I guess it's safe to say we try and make fish at least once a week, not necessarily on Friday's. We made this last Sunday. It was delicious. A nice Asian twist to our usual baked salmon. It's not exactly a quick meal, so give yourself some time to cook it. This involves marinating the salmon, baking it, and making a glaze to go on top. I found this recipe from Damn Delicious. Here is the recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients for the Salmon Marinade:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 4 salmon filets

Ingredients for the Honey Glaze:

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit 
• To make the glaze, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha, ginger and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Leave aside until the fish is fully cooked.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame seeds and green onions.
• In a large bowl, combine ginger marinade and salmon filets
• Marinate for at least 30 minutes to overnight (I only did 30 minutes and that was fine!)
• Lightly coat a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
• Place salmon filets along with the marinade onto prepared baking dish and bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes.
• Serve salmon immediately with honey ginger glaze. Enjoy :)

Golden Beet and Kale Salad

This golden beet salad was made after a golden beet salad I had at a local restaurant near where I live outside of Boston. I love golden beet salads. Whenever I see a golden beet salad on a menu when eating out, I just have to get it. And for some reason I tend to like golden beets more than red beets. I don't really think they taste different...I guess it may just be a color preference? I don't know...but they're awesome nonetheless. This beet salad is relatively quick...once you have the beets cooked. The beets take about an hour to cook so therefore I usually cook them ahead of time. Here is my recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2-3 medium sized golden beets
• 1 cup Kale
• 1 Tablespoon Basil or Kale pesto
• 1 Tablespoon Goat cheese crumbles
• A small handful of Pistachios

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Wrap each beet in aluminum foil
• Place the wrapped beets directly in the oven
• Bake for about 1 hour
• When cooled, remove the skin with a paper towel (it should come off very easily)
• Slice the beets into wedges (however big you want)
• Place the kale in a bowl or a plate and top with the goat cheese crumbles and pistachios
• Place the cooked beets on top of the kale salad
• Drizzle pesto on top for dressing

My salad above in the picture is arranged differently than I said in the directions. It is only arranged like that in the picture above for a prettier display. When I ate the salad, I mixed all the ingredients together and began munching away. Arrange it in whatever way you prefer. The ingredients all together are super delicious. I especially love the pesto with the goat cheese and the beets, it's so yummy! Enjoy this healthy salad :)

Portobello Mushroom Pizza

I loveeeee stuffed mushroom caps! This portobello mushroom pizza is so delicious and easy to make. It takes a total of 30 minutes and it's in the oven for 20-25 so you can be doing other things while letting it bake. It is also a good way to eat a pizza with minimal carbs! And of course, it's gluten free! I found the recipe on Pinterest. Here is the recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 or 2 large Portobello Mushroom Caps
• 1-2 Tablespoons of Pizza Sauce
• Cheese to top
• Veggies to top
• 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Pull the stems off of the mushroom cap
• Rinse the mushroom caps under water
• Brush 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil on the whole mushroom cap
• If you need to make more room for toppings, spoon out some of the gills before adding the pizza sauce on top
• Spoon in the pizza sauce on top of the gills in the middle of the mushroom cap. Sprinkle some cheese and veggies/meat on top.
• Place in a baking dish, sprayed with non-stick spray
• Bake for 20-25 minutes

When you take them out of the oven, the cheese should be melted and the mushroom cap should be soft enough to cut a knife through it. Let them cool for a few minutes before eating. Then, munch and enjoy :)

Quinoa and Black Beans with Avocado and Tomato Salsa

I mentioned earlier that I went to Costa Rica for my spring break. It was great. Lots of sunshine, flowers, fresh food, beach time, great company. One thing that I missed the most, besides the sun of course, was the fresh and tasty food.

Most of Costa Rica's cuisine is like that of the majority of Latin and Central America. It consists of rice and beans, salsas, avocados, guacamole, and limes. I decided to make my own spin on the typical rice and bean dish. Instead of rice, I mixed in some quinoa.

Recipe:
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup already cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup black beans, canned or already cooked fresh beans
• 1/2 avocado sliced
• 1/4 cup salsa
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Mix the ingredients together in a bowl
• Enjoy :)

It is a simple, vegan and gluten free dish one can eat for lunch or dinner. Enjoy :) 

#leanandgreen #healthy #vegan #glutenfree 

Zucchini Pizza Crust

On St. Patrick's Day weekend, I also made this recipe. It is zucchini pizza crust and it is gluten free! I didn't press the water out of the zucchini as much as I would have liked but now I know for next time. Pressing the water out of the zucchini is a huge step and using cheese cloth works best.

This is a relatively simple recipe but takes about 35-40 minutes in total. It was really delicious but I had to eat it with a fork because it was still a little bit mushy. Next time, really pressing the water out with cheese cloth should help it be a little less mushy. But it is a great alternative for those who are gluten free and cannot eat flour. And it tastes great with pesto and cheese. Anyways, I got the recipe from Tasty Kitchen. Here it is:

Recipe:
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 whole zucchini
• 1 whole large egg
• 1 cup low fat Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Pizza toppings of your choice

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees
• Wash and grate zucchini using a cheese grater
• Add to a bowl and allow to sit for 10 minutes
• Drain water from the zucchini by placing in a colander and pressing a large bowl on top or using cheese cloth and pressing the back of a spoon into the zucchini (cheese cloth works better)
• Place drained zucchini, egg, mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, and black pepper into a bowl and mix to combine

• Lay out a piece of parchment paper (I didn't have any so I just put on a glass baking dish) on a pizza stone and spread out the zucchini mixture in a circle using a spatula

• Bake for 20 minutes
• Remove from oven, add on your pizza sauce and toppings (I used the kale pesto from the recipe below and shrimp and ricotta cheese dollops)

• Return to oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes

• Let cool and then enjoy!

Bon appétit! :)

Kale Pesto

I haven't posted in weeks...I've still been cooking and taking pictures, I just haven't found the time to post anything. I was in Costa Rica for a week on my spring break (it was soo nice, wish I was still there) and then when I got back I had so much work to do. Now I'm back..but I have a handful of things to post about.

First off, a week ago in light of St. Patricks Day, I made lots of green dishes. One of them was this Kale Pesto I found from Healthy Vore. It was delicious. Now whenever I am craving pesto, I will make it like this. I eventually used it as a topping on a gluten-free pizza, it was soo yummy. Here's the recipe:

Recipe:
Serves 30, Total cook time: 6 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups torn kale, stalks removed, any kind
• 3 Tablespoons chopped walnuts
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

• Place kale, lemon juice, salt, garlic, and Parmesan cheese in food processor
• Pulse until ingredients are finely chopped. If it's too thick and doesn't blend well, add a few tablespoons of water
• Once everything is finely chopped, drizzle in the olive oil over the other ingredients
• Makes approximately one jar, you can move to a jar or put in a bowl and serve

Here's my finishing touch of carrot slices to add a little St. Patrick's day zest of orange and green! Hope you all had a happy St. Patrick's Day! 

...Enjoy this pesto on pasta, pizza, sandwiches, and fish/meats :)

Mediterranean Eggplant

I've been having an obsession with eggplant recently. It is so good and you can make it many different ways! I never knew the nutritional benefits of eggplant, so I looked it up on Livestrong.com. It's a vegetable so it obviously has plenty of good nutritional benefits for you. Here are some of them...

Some Nutritional Benefits of Eggplant:

• Chlorogenic Acid
• Antioxidant that can fight free radicals 
• Lowers LDL cholesterol- bad cholesterol
• Antimutagenic- Can protect cells from becoming cancer cells
• Antiviral
• Nasunin
• Antioxidant in the peel of the eggplant
• Antiangiogenic- prevents cancer cells from growing as quickly by preventing the increase of blood supply to the cells
• Good Source of Fiber
• Helps digestive system stay regular
• Helps prevent type 2 diabetes
• Lots of vitamin A, B, C, and Folate
• Rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous

I decided to try a recipe of Mediterranean Eggplant to incorporate eggplant into my diet. I liked the recipe overall but would have cooked it a littttleeee differently. The recipe says to sauté the eggplant and I found that it will overcook the eggplant on the outside and undercook the eggplant in the middle. So next time I may bake it a little bit first and then sauté it or maybe try sautéing it on a lower heat. Here's the recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh or dried parsley, chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients except for the eggplant in a tupperware contained and mix well
• Slice eggplant in 1/2 in. thick pieces and submerge in marinade in tupperware
• Put lid on tupperware and shake to ensure eggplant is fully covered in marinade
• Wait 30 minutes for marinade to absorb
• Heat up large skillet on medium heat on the stove and place eggplant on skillet when it is hot (no need for additional oil)
• Cook until brown on each side (3-5 minutes per side)
• Serve with extra marinade or just by itself

Enjoy this extremely healthy, mediterranean inspired eggplant dish :)

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

As I mentioned in a previous post, I recently went gluten-free. Do I miss the bread, the pasta, the cookies, the cake? Yeah absolutely. But recipes like this have made it easier on me. This recipe for the gluten-free chocolate chip cookies was soooooo simple. I had all of the ingredients in my kitchen already and it took all of five minutes to whip up. Surprisingly these cookies taste really good! They're really chewy and even after leaving them out for a few days, they remain to be soft and chewy! They're the best tasting gluten-free cookies I've ever had, so I'm very excited about this recipe that I found from Fit Sugar. Here it is:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup
• 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
• 2 cups blanched almond flour
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In a medium bowl, mix the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and almond milk. Beat to combine.
• In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir well.
• Add the liquid and the chocolate chips. Stir until combined
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil
• Scoop rounded tablespoons of batter about two inches apart. They will get bigger.
• Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until tops are lightly browned
• Allow to cool for a few minutes before eating

Eat with some ice cream, milk, melted chocolate, or just as they are :)

Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes With Avocado-Lime Sauce

I recently went mostly gluten-free, so I have been eating a ton of quinoa. I came across this recipe on Mind Body Green. It is gluten-free and vegan. It was pretty delicious. The flavors of the sweet potato and the quinoa mixed well with the avocado, lime, and cilantro. It was a relatively simple recipe. The good news is the recipe makes about 10 cakes, so you can save them for meals or snacks later in the week. Here's the recipe:

Recipe:
Makes 10 cakes- 5 servings

Sweet Potato Cakes
Ingredients:

• 2 medium baked sweet potatoes (without the skins)
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 scallions chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees 
• Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil
• Place prepared sweet potatoes in a large bowl and use a fork to mash the sweet potato against the sides of the bowl until only small chunks appear. 
• Stir in quinoa, scallions, garlic, salt, red pepper, and cumin and mix thoroughly
• Using wet hands, shape quinoa mixture into palm-sized patties
• Place patties on the prepared sheet
• Pour olive oil in a small bowl and use silicone brush to lightly coat the top of each patty with oil 
• Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown
• Top with 1 tablespoon with avocado lime sauce on top of two patties and serve

Avocado Lime Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado peeled and pitted
• 1 tablespoon of sesame tahini
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 cilantro springs, minced
• Juice of 1/2 lime

Directions:

• Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and pulse until smooth (1-2 minutes)
• Serve over quinoa cakes

Eat and enjoy :)

Coconut Berry Chia Arugula Salad

After hibernating inside my apartment for a few days, due to all the snow we've been getting in Boston this winter, I decided I needed to have a summery lunch. I was craving tropical flavors and juicy fruits. I was not feeling the usual soup or warm comfort food, that was all plain and unappetizing to me at the moment. From eating this salad, my mouth took a trip to the tropical islands while the rest of me was longing to. But I am so glad I did it because I think my creation of a salad was very delicious. The flavors all went well together.

If you're looking to eat a summery salad in this freezing cold, never-ending-snow-storm-of-a-winter, try this recipe!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• Arugula
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Avocado 
• Chia Seeds
• Coconut Flakes
• Coconut oil and Lime Juice (optional dressing)

Directions:

• Cut up the strawberries and avocado into slices
• Place a bunch of arugula on a plate
• Toss the strawberries, avocado slices, blueberries, chia seeds, and coconut flakes on top of the arugula
• I used a little bit of melted coconut oil mixed with some lime juice for dressing. Otherwise use a dressing of your choice and enjoy

Hope it takes your mind off of this freezing cold winter for a little while. Enjoy! #leangreennutrition #stayhealthy

Lime Coconut Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

I tried this new breakfast bowl this morning. Usually I eat quinoa for lunch, dinner, or in salads but never have I eaten it for breakfast as something sweet. It sort of takes a new spin on the idea of breakfast oatmeal but uses quinoa instead.

I overall enjoyed it but it will definitely take me some time to get used to quinoa as a "sweet" food and not my usually savory quinoa. For those of you who like oatmeal, try this out to for a new textured and sweetened spin off of your usual daily breakfast oatmeal.

Also, for a fast and easy breakfast, try making a bunch of quinoa on Sunday night so that it will last you the rest of the week. A little bit of quinoa can fill you up for a long while, so a serving should be between 1/2 a cup to a full cup. If you make the quinoa ahead of time, this recipe will take almost zero time besides the time that it takes for you to gobble it all down.

I found this recipe on Mind Body Green but added a few touches of my own to it. Here's the Recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut 
• Banana Slices
• Chopped pecans-- I used almonds
• Almond milk
• Maple syrup--I used Agave Nectar
• Squeeze of a lime

Directions:

• To cook the quinoa:
• Place water and quinoa in a small sauce pan
• Bring to a boil
• Turn heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes
• Quinoa is done when all the water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy
• Prepare to toast coconut flakes or shreds (I skipped this step)
• Heat in a skillet on medium low heat for five minutes
• Stir frequently
• When coconut is brown transfer to a bowl
• Get together rest of the toppings
• Place a serving of quinoa (1/2 cup-1 cup) in a bowl
• Top quinoa with coconut, banana, pecans or almonds, a splash of almond milk, maple syrup or agave nectar, and a squeeze of a lime
• Eat and enjoy

Kale Chips

Kale Chips...everyone knows kale is SOOO good for you. Its a nutritional powerhouse with tons of health benefits. However the taste, can be too bitter on its own for some people or some just plain don't like the taste of it. Well, I recommend trying it in chip form. Its crispy and cheesy and so delicious. This recipe is also very easy and takes a total of 15 minutes. Here's the recipe I based mine of of from Tastes Better From Scratch:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches of fresh kale
• 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
• Sea salt to taste
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese (I also added this to taste because I love parmesan)

Directions:

• Remove stems from kale
• Chop into chunks and rinse it in a colander and dry well
• Place into a large bowl and toss with olive oil, sea salt, and garlic
• Lay flat on a large baking sheet (don't overcrowd the baking sheet to ensure even baking)

• Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top
• Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes until edges are light brown and the leaves are crispy
• Ready to eat!

These are so much better than the store bought ones, so give them a try :)

Steamed Swiss Chard

Swiss Chard. That's it. The pretty looking leaf that everyone always wonders what it is and how you cook it. It's sooo damn colorful and really healthy.

According to WebMD, swiss chard is a "nutritional powerhouse" because it's a good source of:

• Vitamins A, K, and C
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Iron
• Dietary Fiber

And yes, you can eat the stalks, they are a super nutritious part of swiss chard!!! It's a pretty bitter tasting veggie but if you prepare it in the right way, it'll taste good.

So this is how my mom usually made swiss chard for me as a kid and now I make it for myself :)

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of swiss chard (multicolored or single color, doesn't matter)
• Balsamic vinegar (to taste)
• Walnuts (to taste)

Directions:

• Take your bunch of swiss chard and cut into about 1 inch pieces long
• Take a frying pan and add about 1/2 inch water
• Place cut up swiss chard into frying pan onto of the 1/2 inch water (as seen below)

• Heat on medium high until swiss chard is boiled and wilted 
• Take off the stove and pour out the excess water
• Serve swiss chard into a bowl
• Add balsamic vinegar, walnuts, and salt to taste

And your finished swiss chard should look like this!!..I didn't have any walnuts this time, but I usually add them for some extra crunch and flavor. 

If you don't like balsamic vinegar, try adding another vinegar or sauce that you do like to mask some of the bitterness of the swiss chard. 

So if you're sick of the usual kale or spinach, try out this beautiful and nutritious swiss chard for a change in your diet :)