{Quinoa} Pasta with Spinach and Shrimp

I'm writing this post trying to ward off the feeling that a perpetual rain cloud is hovering over my head. Yesterday, I was experiencing the highest of highs as I laid a big welcome-home kiss on my husband outside international customs while we tried our best not to recreate a sappy scene from any number of epic chick flicks.  We failed. It was glorious and I won't lie and say that I didn't feel like we were on our honeymoon again after being apart for longer than any two people who are head over heels for each other should be. Then this morning I kissed him again, but this time to say goodbye as he flew off (in a plane. he left his cape at home.) for a week of training. And what do I say to that as I wipe away the proverbial crocodile tear?  Let's go shopping!! Hey, it's the first of the month and we need groceries.   Just so happens that a Target trip is overdue.  They sell groceries, right?  : )  Need I say more? So those are my plans for the day.  That and to pick up my little monster who is being doggysat by some amazing friends.  Thanks, Josh and Sarah! 

As I push away my rain cloud, let me tell you about Quinoa (pronounced ke-nwa).  This superfood is amazingly good for you and is quick and easy to prepare.  Read about some of its incredible health benefits here at MindBodyGreen.  My husband and I have been eating Quinoa for years now, but only about a year ago did I discover that it came in pasta form.  What?!!!  Seriously.  

Here is a little dish I put together a few nights ago that I will definitely be adding to my menu more often: Quinoa Past with Spinach and Shrimp.  You are getting double fiber in this recipe with the quinoa and spinach together.  Bonus!  Then double up the protein with the quinoa and shrimp. Bonus again!

This recipe is for one serving so multiply accordingly.

What you'll need:

• 2 oz quinoa rotelle pasta
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 3 oz precooked shrimp
• 1 handful of raw spinach
• seasoned salt to taste (just a little)

1. Cook pasta according to instruction.  
2. While waiting for pasta to cook, boil shrimp in saucepan with 1 cup of water until the shrimp are somewhat clear.  Don't overcook or they will be tough.  Drain, pull of tails, and sprinkle with seasoning salt. 
3. Add spinach to shrimp and cook until wilted.  Set aside.
4. Drain pasta and toss with lemon juice.  
5. Add spinach and shrimp to pasta and there you have it!!

Nutritional Info

Serving Size: 1 

Calories: 322

Fat: 3.1g

Carbs: 47.1g

Fiber: 5.7g

Protein: 26.9g

Oven-Baked {Coconut Flour} Chicken Strips

I had a craving for chicken strips the other night and since I try to stay away from white flour as much as possible, out came the coconut flour.  Eureka!!  This chicken is the perfect combination of sweet and savory. I added dill because I'm in love with dill.  It's probably my favorite seasoning. But you can add pretty much anything you want to the bread crumbs. 

Here's what you'll need:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 cups plain bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons dry dill (or more if you want)
• 1 cup coconut flour

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with olive oil.
3. Cut chicken into 1 inch thick strips making sure the pieces are uniform.
4. Mix the bread crumbs together with the dill in a shallow bowl.
5. Place beaten egg in another bowl and coconut flour in another.
6. Dip chicken pieces into flour, then egg mixture, and lastly the bread crumb mixture.
7. Place chicken on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes and turn. Bake for another 7 minutes or until crispy on the outside. 

Yay for quick, easy, healthy, yummy dinners!!

{Clean} Eating Meal Plans

One of the greatest challenges with eating clean is knowing WHAT to eat.  Eating clean definitely makes it more difficult to "grab a quick bite." There is a lot of planning and preparation involved.  Many of you are probably familiar with Clean Eating Magazine, but did you know that they give access to meal plans and grocery lists for each season FOR FREE? I sure didn't! I wish I had stumbled across this website long ago.  It would have saved me hours of floundering and head scratching wondering what I was going to make for a week of meals. Below is the link that will take you to the "meal plans" page.  Each meal plan is separated into seasons. They even have in-between seasons!  I'm really loving the meals and snacks that they suggest. They are simple and VERY TASTY. Any tool that I can find to make my eating healthy an easier task is something that I appreciate. Happy eating!

Clean Eating Magazine

Chili Sauce {Substitute}

I have an amazing Spark People recipe to share that has an added twist. I didn't the have chili sauce that the recipe called for, so I Googled and found an incredible substitute.

First of all, if you haven't heard of Spark People, you have got to visit their site.  They have all the help and guidance you need to start eating healthy and exercising.  They have trackers for EVERYTHING all the way down to the number of glasses of water you drink per day.  I won't say that I track everything that I should, but I do make good use of their meal planner.  They have dozens of suggested meals and snacks that you can customize to your liking.

The recipe that I made was their 20 Min Chicken Creole recipe. It called for chili sauce, and I didn't have any.  In fact, I had never bought chili sauce before and didn't even know where it was in the grocery store and was too embarrassed to ask anyone!!  {shame}  But this dilemma led me to Google search chili sauce substitutes.  I came across this forum on Food.com.  I had all the ingredients necessary except the allspice, which was a surprise....I usually have that.  I also was able to find out what chili sauce actually was.

Chili Sauce Sub:

1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp vinegar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
dash of ground cloves
dash of ground allspice

       = 1 cup chili sauce

I served the chicken over white rice, and it was delicious.  We could taste the sweetness of the brown sugar and cinnamon.  It's definitely going to be a repeat meal.

My Lean-Green Sandwich

Okay, here's another sandwich combo.  It's one of my new favorites.

Layer:

• Organic Spinach
• Zucchini
• Brie Cheese
• Extra Lean Oven-Roasted Turkey (Please, please....from the deli!)
• and Stone-Ground Mustard 
• The mustard is maybe not the healthiest choice but it packs a tiny punch.  Just a half a tbsp is all you need.  You could also use humus. Yummy and healthy!!
• Whole Wheat Bread or Wrap

Perfect summer sandwich.

PS: Obviously, this picture is not of my sandwich.  I didn't take one but wanted one for the post.  I came across this funky crocheted sandwich.  Isn't it cute?!

In The Kitchen: Spinach, Mozzarella, Sun-Dried Tomato {Panini}

Picture by Flicker

I'm a sucker for anything with this combo: fresh mozzarella, basil, and tomato.  If anything on any menu has those ingredients, I'm ordering it.  Usually I'm not disappointed.

I was planning a menu for a dinner party the other night and wanted something light, refreshing, and VERY tasty.  My husband and I are huge sandwich fans and use our George Foreman Grill to toast our sandwiches almost weekly.  So between my love for sandwiches and the ease of using the Foreman Grill, I decided to makes paninis.  Now, what to put on the sandwiches?  Here is what I came up with.  You won't be surprised by some of the ingredients:

• Thick, soft bread (I used Italian)
• Organic spinach
• Fresh mozzarella (surprised?)
• Deli turkey (fat-free)
• Sun-dried tomatoes (surprised again!)
• Dried basil (surprise #3)
• I usually prefer fresh basil, but I wanted to use what I already had at home.

Layer everything between your bread and toast on the Foreman grill (or any other way you prefer). 

Viola!!  I served them with grapes, strawberries, pineapple, and tea.  So tasty, so refreshing, and very light.  No steak and potatoes here : )

Healthy {Snacking}

I'm not a huge snacker.  This is probably only because there aren't snacks lying around the house ready to be devoured.  Because I don't have a whole lot of self control, I just avoid even buying snacks in the first place.  But this isn't always the healthiest alternative.  Lately, I've been trying to snack HEALTHY between meals rather than not snacking at all.  Quite honestly though, I didn't know where to begin. So I acquired the help of Mayo Clinic.  They have some wonderful advice on their website that I'd like to share it with you:

Select foods that satisfy your hunger, supply your body with energy and provide important nutrients. Opt for snacks of 100 calories or less to stay within your daily calorie goal. You can eat more of foods with low energy density, such as carrots, grapes and air-popped popcorn, for your 100 calories. Choose snacks from these food groups:

• Fruits and vegetables. Eating fruits and vegetables provides a feeling of fullness with little to no fat and only a small number of calories. Fruits and vegetables also provide vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients.
• Whole grains. Whole-grain snacks are rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates, which give you energy with staying power. Look for items such as low-fat whole-grain crackers, whole-grain pretzels and whole-grain crispbreads.
• Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds provide protein, so you will feel fuller longer. They can be high in fat, but it's mostly monounsaturated, a healthy kind of fat. Nuts and seeds are high in calories, however, so don't eat them in large quantities.
• Low-fat dairy products. Cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are good sources of calcium and protein, plus many other vitamins and minerals. Choose the low-fat versions. Some yogurts have extra added sugar, so look for low-calorie or "light" varieties.

What does a 100-calorie snack look like?

Although snacks can contribute to a healthy diet, they can also be a source of excess calories if you aren't careful. For example, a small handful of almonds (about 14 nuts) contains 100 calories. But eat a cup of almonds, and the calorie count jumps to over 800 calories.

So what are some smart choices? Here are several suggestions for 100-calorie snacks:

• 1 cup sliced bananas and fresh raspberries
• 2 cups of carrots
• 3 1/2 cups air-popped popcorn
• 5 melba toast crackers, rye or pumpernickel
• 2 tablespoons of peanuts
• 2 domino-sized slices of low-fat Colby or cheddar cheese
• 1 fat-free chocolate pudding cup

When a snack fills in for a meal

With today's busy world, healthy meals often lose out to busy schedules. A grab-and-go snack could be the difference between some nourishment and none at all. You'll find it easier to choose good-for-you snacks if you stock your refrigerator and shelves with foods that are fast — not fussy. These ideas for healthy snacks minimize fat and calories and maximize whole grains, fruits and vegetables. They're all around 200 calories.

• Toast one-half of a whole-wheat English muffin. Top with one slice Canadian bacon, a tomato slice and one slice low-fat American cheese. Microwave until the cheese melts.
• Spread 1 tablespoon part-skim ricotta cheese over one-half of a small cinnamon-raisin bagel. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired and top with a thinly sliced apple.
• Top a small baked potato with 2 tablespoons fat-free plain yogurt and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning.
• Layer a 6-inch soft corn or flour tortilla with 2 tablespoons shredded low-fat cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Microwave until the cheese melts. Slice into bite-sized pie shapes. Dip into some salsa if desired.
• Mix 1/4 cup cold leftover chicken or convenience-type chunk chicken with sliced seedless grapes, 1/2 tablespoon sunflower seeds, 1 tablespoon plain low-fat yogurt or fat-free mayonnaise, and a dash of curry powder. Stuff into half of a whole-wheat pita pocket.

This was certainly a help for me and gave me a place to get started.  I need things spelt out for me step by step and this does just that.  I'm not going to say that I follow it to the "T", but I'm doing better than I did before with choosing healthy over nothing.  My tummy is happier : )

In the Kitchen: Granola

I wanted to share this granola recipe with you.  Fresh, healthy, and easy to make.  We made this recipe in one of my cooking classes in college.  Yum!

Picture from Southern Living

• 2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1 cup wheat germ
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup coconut
• 1 cup nuts (walnut, pecans, almonds)
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds (optional)
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla

Combine oatmeal, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, coconut, sesame seeds, and nuts.  Combine and boil the cooking oil, brown sugar, water, and vanilla. Pour liquid mixture over dry ingredients and mix.  Bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes on baking sheet.  Stir two or three times to keep from burning.  

Recipe by Frieda Cowling

In The Kitchen: California Chicken Wraps

When it comes to making dinner, I prefer recipes that require few ingredients, little time and preparation, and come out tasting spectacular! And it doesn't hurt if it happens to be healthy at the same time. I stumbled across one of these recipes and made it last night.  You must try it!

Picture by Taste of Home 

Recipe by Donny Munch

PREP/TOTAL TIME: 15 MIN            YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup prepared hummus
• 4 whole wheat tortillas (8 inches)
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted sweet red peppers
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Directions

• Spread hummus on tortillas; top with chicken, peppers, cheese and basil. Roll up. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 wrap equals 300 calories, 8 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 58 mg cholesterol, 408 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 27 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 starch.

Valentine Treats: Chocolate Covered Marshmallows

 I'm drawn toward snack that are easy to make, pretty, and delicious. This fits chocolate covered marshmallows to a T.  I made these for my English students and piano students this year.  

                                

Simple. Popsicle sticks as handles. 

 Put the heat on the LOWEST setting. Very important.  The second picture is how your chocolate should look when it's melted.  If it begins to clump, you've burnt it.  Throw it away because you've passed the point of no return.                       

 I had the great idea of melting white chocolate in my mini crock pot.  Don't try this! It begins well but then gets too hot. Perhaps if I had watched it a little more carefully and used it when it was at just the right temperature it might have worked, but I didn't.  Oh well. 

 Final product.  Yumminess!! Put them in adorable little bags and you've got a wonderful Valentine treat.  In the past, I've used sprinkles but all I had this time were sugar sprinkles.  They just melted when I sprinkled them on the still hot chocolate (which you must do or else the sprinkles won't stick). So note to self, use the heavy duty sprinkles next time.  Besides, they are more colorful. 

Frost a Cupcake in a Jiffy

I am a magazine article hoarder.  Really...I am.  I rip out any one that I might possibly sometime in the future be interested in looking at again.  I have several categorized binders where I store them and every so often I pull one out and go through it.  It's actually a lot of fun.  Imagine going through a magazine 3 inches thick and liking EVERY article. Fun, fun! Anyway, I said all that to lead up to the fact that I was going through my "recipe" binder looking for Valentine's Day treat ideas and came across this lovely little tip that I pulled from a Real Simple magazine: Marshmallow Frosted Cupcakes.

No need to make any frosting.  Bake the cupcakes according to the package directions. Three minutes before they are done, place a marshmallow on top of each cupcake and finish baking.  Presto! Instant yummy, delicious frosted cupcakes.  So easy!  

In The Kitchen: {Triple-Berry Cheesecake Squares}

Let's face it. Not everyone is always in the mood for a double-chocolate fudge mousse pie or some crazy, super-rich concoction like it.  If you're looking for a fresh-tasting dessert with just the right sweetness, here it is!  I served this last night and it was a big hit.  Our company liked and so did my husband and I.  It's also great for you healthy-conscience cooks.  Here's the recipe:

36

Reduced Fat NILLA Wafers, finely crushed (about 1-1/4 cups)

3 Tbsp.

margarine, melted

6 oz.

PHILADELPHIA Fat Free Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 cup

SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 cup

thawedCOOL WHIP Sugar Free Whipped Topping

2 cups

mixed freshberries (raspberries, blueberries, sliced strawberries)

3/4 cup

boilingwater

1 pkg.

(0.3 oz.)JELL-O Lemon Flavor Sugar Free Gelatin

1 cup

ice cubes

Directions

2. Mix crumbs and margarine; press into bottom of 9-inch square pan.
3. Beat cream cheese and SPLENDA® Granulated Sweetener in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Gently stir in COOL WHIP; spread over crust. Top with berries. Refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Add boiling water to gelatin mix in medium bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add ice; stir until melted. Refrigerate 10 min. or until slightly thickened; spoon over fruit. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm