A quick clean eating lunch idea, full of iron and flavor.

Sometimes it can be hard to plan your meals for the week, especially lunch ideas. One of my favorite recipes that is also easy involves black beans, salsa and my favorite herb cilantro.
If you're looking for a great substitute for a vegetarian protein the black bean is a great choice. It is also high in fiber and iron (which is especially great for women).

Once you spread the bean mixture on a whole-wheat tortilla you can top it with fat-free Greek yogurt, low-fat cheddar or more salsa. It's entirely up to you. I do sometimes opt to eat this meal alongside a grilled chicken breast or sometimes I have a small salad to go with a black bean wrap (or two). Great flavor and this is a recipe that you can throw together quickly.

Bean & Cheese Burrito Pinwheels

Ingredients:

• 4 whole-wheat tortillas
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp freshly squeeze lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp salsa
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 oz low-fat cheddar, shredded
• Additional salsa and Greek yogurt to taste

Instructions:

ONE: Warm tortillas according to package directions; set aside and keep warm.
TWO: In a food processor, blend together the black beans, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. Remove bean spread into a medium mixing bowl and stir in salsa and cilantro.
THREE: Evenly portion bean spread between tortillas. Roll up tightly and slice evenly into one-inch thick pieces. Serve with salsa and Greek yogurt, as desired.

**Nutrients per serving: Calories-343; Fat-8g; Sodium-364mg; Carbohydrates-53g; Fiber-6g; Sugars-1g; Protein-17g; Iron-5mg

Bison. Better than your average 'beef' burger.

Bison is a healthier alternative to beef if you're in the mood for a burger. It's much leaner and higher in iron which makes it a great grilling choice.
I'm always up for trying something new and challenging myself so tonight's dinner consisted of ground bison burgers and party quinoa salad.

I did stray slightly from the Clean Eating version of the recipe for the bison burgers, however, it was in the interest of adding more flavor while allowing the delicious ingredients to shine. I cooked these burgers on the stove top, but as the directions suggest you can absolutely grill them up on your barbecue outdoors.

The quinoa salad is slightly similar to my fiesta quinoa recipe with the addition of a few spicy ingredients to kick it up a notch. Dinner worthy, indeed!!

Yee-haw. Bon appetit.

Bison Burger Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml olive or safflower oil
• ¾ cup / 180 ml finely chopped onion
• 2 egg whites
• ¼ cup / 60 ml oat bran or oatmeal ground in a coffee grinder
• ¼ cup / 60 ml cooked, mashed sweet potato
• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml molasses
• 1 tsp / 5 ml crumbled, dried oregano
• ½ tsp / 2.5 ml sea salt
• ½ tsp / 2.5 ml freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb / 454 g ground bison

Instructions

• Heat oil over medium heat in a skillet. Cook the onion until soft and golden. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together egg whites, oat bran or oatmeal, sweet potato, molasses, oregano, sea salt and pepper.
• Stir in onions and bison. Mix the ingredients together with clean hands until just combined. Take a handful of the meat and create a flat patty. You can get your family involved here too, so they can make patties that fit them. Just make sure they use clean hands.
• Grill the patties for 7-10 minutes on each side or until the burgers reach desired doneness.
• If you would like to store the patties in the freezer to use later, wrap the patties individually in parchment paper. They can be stored for up to one month in the freezer.

**Nutrients (per patty): Calories-143; Fat-2g; Protein-22g; Carbs-6g

Quinoa Party Salad Ingredients
2 cups quinoa
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice 1 lime
1 tbsp ground cumin
Pinch red pepper flakes
3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium orange bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste


Instructions

ONE: In a fine-mesh strainer, rinse quinoa thoroughly; drain well. In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add quinoa, cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Let cool.
TWO: Meanwhile, prepare dressing: In a small bowl, whisk oil, lime juice, cumin and pepper flakes until combined. Set aside.
THREE: In a large bowl, combine corn, beans, bell peppers, jalapeno and cilantro. Add quinoa and stir to combine. Top with dressing, season with salt and black pepper and mix well. Serve cold or at room temperature.


**Nutrients per serving: Calories-364; Total Fat-10.5g; Carbs-56g; Fiber-10g; Sugars-3g; Protein-14g

Lasagna Without The Noodles

When you think lasagna you usually picture a heavy entree with noodles, cheese and sauce. Scratch that thought!!

For dinner tonight I made eggplant lasagna with tomatoes, spices, skim mozzarella & of course eggplant.

The is the 1st time making the dish but it immediately became a new favorite as it is full of flavor and very filling. I'm honestly not a huge pasta fan but on rare occasion when I'm looking to indulge I'm all for a tomato-y dish and this one that incorporates ground turkey & ricotta cheese (who would complain about the extra protein?!?).

Serve this delicious and healthy casserole with a salad of mixed greens or fennel & apple salad and you've got a well-balanced meal.

Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

·         1 lb ground turkey or chicken

·         2 minced garlic cloves

·         1 (8oz) can of tomato sauce

·         1 (32oz) can of chopped tomatoes (or Italian herbs added canned tomatoes)

·         ½ tsp of salt

·         ½ tsp of pepper

·         ¼ tsp oregano

·         ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

·         1 Eggplant (peeled and sliced)

·         1 small container of fat free cottage cheese

·         8 oz sliced fat free mozzarella cheese

·         Pam cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown the ground turkey with the garlic in a saucepan coated with Pam cooking spray. Add the tomato sauce and canned tomatoes, stirring and chopping tomatoes with the spoon. Add the salt, pepper, and oregano; stir, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Layer eggplant, cottage cheese, turkey sauce and mozzarella in a baking dish. Add second layer of eggplant and then sauce and mozzarella. (repeat til no more ingredients with last layer of mozzarella) Bake in oven for 30 minutes.

**Nutrients per serving: Calories-304; Fat-4g; Carbs-23g; Protein-53g

A Happy Clean Eating New Year!!

Happy New Year to everyone!! I don't know about you but I certainly have a lot of goals and hopes for 2012. Clean Eating is on the top of that list. Trying new recipes but also sticking with the tried & true ones too.
A recipe that I've made a few times but I absolutely love is fiesta quinoa pilaf.

You can eat it by itself as it has all 9 essential amino acids making it a complete protein. Serve it with a chicken breast or grilled fish for extra protein or even stir it in your vegetarian chili for added health benefits and texture. Quinoa is a nutritional powerhouse and it is naturally gluten-free!!

The great thing about quinoa is that it is so versatile. I've found some recipes that change up this commonly considered cereal-like grain (actually related to leafy greens) and have made it into a breakfast option incorporating raisins, cinnamon and skim milk. Don't feel intimated by something that you've never used before, you might surprise yourself with the possibilities.

Happy experimenting!!

Ingredients:

-1 tsp olive oil
-1/2 yellow onion, diced
-1/2 yellow or orange pepper, seeded and diced
-1 tsp sea salt
-1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 tsp ground cumin
-1/2 tsp chili powder
-1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
-1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
-2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
-Juice of ½ lime (about 1 to 2 tbsp)
-1/4 cup chopped scallions
-1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, more for garnish

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, yellow/orange pepper, salt and black pepper and sauté until soft, three minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, chili powder and cayenne and cook for one more minute. Stir in quinoa and broth.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until all liquid is absorbed and quinoa is plumped up. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and let sit for five minutes, covered.

Stir in lime juice, scallion and cilantro; serve.