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 :)

Chia Seed Pudding

Chia Seeds...these little tiny things have sooo many benefits for your health. According to the Huffington Post article on Chia Seed Benefits, Chia Seeds:

• Prevents Diabetes via its ability to slow digestion
• Contains a lot of fiber- contains about 1/3 of the daily recommended fiber intake in just one ounce of chia seeds
• Full of Omega-3 Fatty Acids- about 5 g per one ounce serving
• Promotes strong teeth and bones- contains 18% of the recommended daily intake of calcium
• Contains a lot of manganese- 28 g per serving
• Has a good portion of phosphorus- helps body to synthesize protein for cell/tissue growth and repair
• Full of protein- great way for vegetarians to add some protein to their diet
• Fights belly fat- due to its ability to stabilize blood sugar and also fights insulin resistance
• Contains tryptophan- which helps regulate appetite and helps you get fuller faster
• Promotes heart health- improves blood pressure in diabetics and helps lower bad cholesterol, while increasing healthy cholesterol

So as you can see, Chia Seeds have plenty of nutritional benefits. A good way you can incorporate them in your diet is through this chia seed pudding. I found this recipe in the cookbook, "Giada's Feel Good Food" by Giada de Laurentiis. Since it's developed by this food network star, you can bet that it is very delicious. Here's the recipe:

Recipe:

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vanilla-flavored unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup plain low-fat (2%) Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (grade B), plus 4 teaspoons for serving
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 pint strawberries (I substituted raspberries instead)
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds (I used whole almonds instead)

Directions:

• In a medium bowl, whisk the almond milk, yogurt, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, vanilla, and salt until just blended
• Whisk in chia seeds
• Let stand for 30 minutes
• Stir to distribute the seeds in they have settled
• Cover and refrigerate overnight 
• I did not wait overnight. It can settle within 30 minutes and is fine to eat then, if you prefer not to wait. 
• The next day, toss berries with the remaining 4 teaspoons maple syrup
• Mix in the almonds
• Spoon pudding into 4 bowls and mound the berry mixture on top and serve

This pudding can be a great healthy choice for breakfast or a healthy desert. Enjoy :)

Homemade Nigiri Sushi

I am a sushi addict! I love it so much, I would eat it anytime, anywhere. I am alwaaaaays craving it. Anytime someone suggests going out to eat, I immediately suggest alright...sushi? Yup, addicted.

However, the downside about being a sushi addict is the amount of money that is spent on going out to eat for sushi.

So my boyfriend, who is also a sushi addict, surprised me last night by bringing over supplies to make a sushi dinner. We decided to make nigiri because it is significantly easier and requires less work. We didn't have to use the mat to roll anything. All we did was prepare the rice, molded rice with our hands, cut the fish, and placed a piece of fish on top and voila it was done!

Also, salmon and tuna are heart healthy choices because of they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids!

This was our final finished product of our first ever experience of making homemade sushi. OMG it was so delicious, I'm craving it right now just by looking at it. And it was not hard at all. Here's how we did it:

Preparing the Sushi Rice:

Makes 3 cups of Sushi Rice- which makes almost 50+ pieces of sushi

Ingredients:

• 3 cup sushi rice (or shari)- can also find brown sushi rice to make it healthier
• 1/2 cup of rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

1. Wash 3 cup of rice with running water for 1-2 minutes until there is no more starch coming out of it
2. After you are done, place rice in a pot and add a little bit more water than rice. Do not put too much water. It should be just a little bit more than the rice in a 1:15:1 ration in favor of the water
3. Cook rice on high heat at first, stirring every minute or two until the water boils
4. Lower the heat to minimum and cover the pot and leave it alone for 6-8 minutes
5. After 6-8 minutes, check water level and check out the rice. If there is no more water and the rice is soft, then the rice is ready. If there is too much water, it needs to cook a little more.
6. Only use a wooden spoon to stir out the rice
7. Place rice in a bowl to chill

To Season the Rice: (because it needs to taste like sushi rice, not just regular rice)

1. Mix the rice vinegar, the sugar, and salt in a small pot
2. Heat on medium heat until all solids are mixed in
3. Pour mixture on rice and stir well
4. Let rice cool down for a few minutes until room temperature 

For the Fish:

My boyfriend got the sushi fish from a fish market

It is specifically cut to make sushi so all you have to do is cut it as desired and put it on top of the rice. We got salmon and tuna filets. 

• We took each filet and cut it into small thin pieces about 1.5 inches long
• Then we took the sushi rice and packed it together in 1.5 inches long patties
• We took the piece of fish and packed it on top of the rice patty and voilaaaa you have your nigiri sushi
• For the avocado pieces, we took slices of avocado and packed it on top of the rice patty, delicious!

And of course, a glass of wine was needed to complete the meal. It was the most delicious meal we have ever made. For those of you who love nigiri, this is an easy meal that doesn't take long and is soooooo tasty! Now my sushi addiction can cost me less :)

Sushi Rice Recipe: http://makemysushi.com/index.php/Sushi-Preparations/how-to-make-perfect-sushi-rice.html

Grilled Herbed Tofu with Avocado Cream

This Christmas, I got a cookbook from a family friend. The cookbook is called "Giada's Feel Good Food" by Giada de Laurentiis. For those of you who do not know Giada de Laurentiis, she is a chef and stars in a show on the Food Network called "Giada at Home." She is absolutely gorgeous and has an amazing figure. Apparently, she wrote this cookbook because everyone kept asking her how she keeps looking so good while dealing with food all the time. So she compiled a collection of healthy eating recipes into this cookbook that she and her family eat on the regular. Needless to say, I was basically drooling when I flipped through all the recipes in the book. They all look so good. I look forward to posting a bunch of her recipes in the near future.

Anyways, I experimented with one of her recipes, the tofu with avocado cream. It's a great recipe for those who are vegetarian AND for those who are not because it tastes so delicious, the meatlover's won't miss the meat in this meal. Here is the recipe:

Recipe:

• Ingredients for Tofu
• 1 (12-ounce) container extra-firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (evoo)
• 1 tablespoon dried herbes de Provence (I substituted some other dried herbs I had at home, a concoction of sage, parsley, basil)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• Directions for the Tofu
• Place a nonstick grilling pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill (I used a grilling pan)
• Cut tofu in half diagonally to make 2 triangles and then in half again to make 4 smaller triangles and cut again in half diagonally to make 8 triangles
• Brush on each side of each triangle with the olive oil
• Season with the herbs de Provence, salt, and pepper
• Grill the tofu until light golden, about 2 minutes per side
• Transfer to plates and get ready to eat them!

• Ingredients for Avocado Cream
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/3 cup evoo
• Grated zest of 1 large lime (I skipped this because I didn't have any)
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (I used dry parsley, which is why my sauce didn't come out as vibrant green but it still tasted delicious)
• 1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Directions for the Avocado Cream
• In a food processor, blend the avocado, olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, broth, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth
• Spoon over the tofu and eat!

Enjoy this healthy vegetarian dinner! :)

Green Smoothie

 Usually Green Smoothies are not that appetizing...right? They usually taste like celery and kale and spinach and well..the earth...and are sometimes unbearable to drink.

But, green smoothies are such a good way to get a good amount of raw veggies! In one smoothie, you can mix 4 handfuls of greens, stalks of celery, apple slices, avocado, etc. You can get a lot from it and make it taste good too.

I started trying to make one about 4 times a week for breakfast or lunch. Often times I would drink one within a few hours of working out. It wouldn't make me feel as sick during my workout as  eating eggs, dairy, or meat beforehand would. It seemed like a good solution for me and has worked out very well so far. I just had to figure out different ways to make it taste better and mask the taste of "green." So I finally came across a way to make it taste better! However, my smoothie recipe usually changes depending on what I have in my kitchen at the moment but here is roughly what I do majority of the time.

Recipe:

• 4 Handfuls of Baby Spinach or Baby Kale
• 1 cup almond milk- may need to add more depending on blender
• 2 tbsp of almond butter
• 1 Banana 
• 2 tbsp of Chia Seeds

Place all ingredients in blender and pulse until smooth and liquid enough to drink.

If you are finding there is not enough liquid in your blender to blend fully, add more almond milk or water.

If it is too liquidy, add more greens or add other ingredients if you want a more nutritious smoothie such as celery or avocado or apples or anything of your choice. 

In this recipe, you can add a lot of vegetables and fruits and use the almond butter as a way to mask the "green" flavor of the ingredients. You won't even taste the vegetables, just the almond butter.

I followed this recipe exactly above but added my own touches to the smoothie such as a tablespoon of bee pollen and a spoonful of coconut oil. These are optional to add. Or add your own preferred ingredients in addition to the ones above. 

I have made this for a few people who usually do not like the taste of green smoothies and it was mostlyyyy a hit. Though, my boyfriend still wasn't phased because "green smoothies aren't his thing"...maybe I'll be able to develop another recipe that will suit his appetite...but I guess for now he'll stick to the no-green-smoothie diet. 

I hope you all enjoy the taste of this one better than a typical green vegetable smoothie!

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!