Zucchini is no longer boring when you add some spice

Zucchini should definitely never be considered a boring ingredient. When you think about it, you can steam, boil, grill stuff and bake this vegetable. It's used as a side dish and also a great fruit in a zucchini loaf to keep it nice and moist.
The zucchini is very low in calories but a great source of Vitamin A and potassium.They are also high in antioxidants.
Adding spice to zucchini is a great way to add flavor but did you know that adding spice to your dishes can speed your metabolism up 50%?!? Spices also help eliminate unhealthy food additives because they pack such a tasty punch. The next time you reach for a creamy dressing consider adding spice to kick things up a notch!!

Ingredients:

• 5 small zucchini
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:

ONE: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking (cookie) sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
TWO: Cut the zucchini in half down the center, then again into 4-6 wedges to create sticks.
THREE: Toss the zucchini wedges with the oil and spices until evenly coated. Place on a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
FOUR: Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.

ENJOY!!

Protein-packed and high in iron? A perfect lunch idea or for a weeknight dinner!!

These days I have been keeping myself quite busy, between my 5-day training schedule at the gym, 2 nights of culinary school per week and a full-time job I do sometimes have an issue finding time to make tasty & healthy meals.
I was searching through my collection of Clean Eating magazines/recipes and came across a great one-pot meal which not only saves time but also doing multiple dishes. Easy!!

Chicken is a staple when I'm cooking, it's an ingredient I use on pretty much a daily basis, along with egg whites and oatmeal. Since I'm very much a self-proclaimed foodie but on a journey as of now to better myself physically, it's simple for me to get bored with what I'm eating. Lately, I have been using lots of spices and Frank's Hot Sauce to spice things up and put the monotony in it's place.

Lentils which are also a large part of this dish, are great to help you lose belly fat. They are a great vegetarian protein and so versatile. As well, lentils help to improve liver function. I have used them in side dishes, main dishes and even used them in a breakfast preparations to help up the nutrition content.

You can certainly make this dish spicier or as you can see, I served my meal with a spoonful of Greek yogurt to play along with the varying textures and it helps give some richness to your food.

INGREDIENTS:

5 INGREDIENTS:

• 2 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1-oz pieces
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 1/2 cups dry green lentils, rinsed
• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

PANTRY STAPLES:

• Pinch each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil on medium-high. Add chicken and cook, turning occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add curry powder and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add lentils to saucepan and stir to coat. Stir in broth and 3 cups cold water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and most liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Divide evenly among serving bowls, season to taste with salt and pepper, and garnish each with yogurt and 2 tbsp cilantro. (NOTE: if lentils are still hard after 30 minutes, add 1/2 cup more water and continue to cook until softened.)

Nutrients per serving (3 oz chicken and 1 cup lentils): Calories: 389, Total Fat: 5 g, Sat. Fat: 1 g, Carbs: 45 g, Fiber: 11 g, Sugars: 4 g, Protein: 42 g, Sodium: 139 mg, Cholesterol: 49 mg

Are you feeling snack-y? Why not try reach for something healthy & satisfying?!?

I have decided to do something different with my blog, well, nothing too crazy.
Instead of featuring one Clean Eating recipe I am including 2 recipes for delicious and healthy snacks when you just need to satisfy your urge for a treat.

The first recipe features oats, whole flax seed, honey and cranberries. The second recipe is simply baked pita chips brushed with safflower oil, cinnamon and sucanat.

Granola that you buy in the grocery store is very high in sugar and not always the best choice when you want to make a healthy breakfast decision. This recipe is great to sprinkle on yogurt and packed full of vitamins and nutrients that your body craves. The addition of whole flax seeds provides a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids as well they are high in fiber to keep your digestive system moving along smoothly.

Pita chips are a great alternative to the high-fat deep-fried snack that you see cramming the grocery store shelves. They are light, flavorful and can be topped with many spices to suit your sweet or savory tooth. A great way to satisfy your cravings for something crunchy.

Ingredients for Honey Quinoa Flax Granola:

• 1 3/4 cup oats
• 3/4 cup brown rice cereal
• 3/4 cup cooked quina
• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp flax seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or other nut (optional)
• 1 cup dried, unsweetened cranberries

Instructions:

ONE: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat.

TWO: Mix the applesauce, honey, vanilla, salt and cinnamon in a bowl.

THREE: Mix the oats, quinoa, rice cereal and flax seeds in a separate bowl. 
FOUR: Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix until the dry ingredients are well coated.
FIVE: Spread the mixture evenly onto the lined baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, then sprinkle the chopped walnuts on top of the granola. Bake for another 20-30 minutes until edges are golden brown. You can bake longer if you like your granola crunchier.
SIX: Add the cranberries to the granola once it is out of the oven and has cooled a bit.
SEVEN: Store in an airtight container for up to 2-weeks. 

Ingredients for Cinnamon Pita Crackers:

• 1 tbsp safflower oil
  
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  
1 tsp sucanat or agave nectar
• 4 6-inch whole-grain pitas

Instructions:

ONE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

TWO: In a small bowl, combin the safflower oil, ground cinnamon and sucanat.

THREE: Brush mixture over both sides of the pitas. Cut each pita into 8 triangles and split each in half, separating the 2 layers.
FOUR: Arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
FIVE: Bake until crisp, about 10 minutes.

SIX: Let cool completely on baking sheet.
SEVEN: Store in an airtight container for up to 1-week. 

**Nutrients Per 11 Crackers: Calories: 137, Total Fat: 3g, Sodium 227mg, Total Carbohydrates: 24g, Sugars 1g, Protein: 4g, Fiber: 3g

A delicious and flavorful salad. Perfect for a warm, sunny day!!

This simple salad is hearty enough to stand on its own for a no-cook dinner and if you have any leftovers, simply pack them for work the next day. A marinated dish such as this often tastes even better once the flavors have had time to meld. For a more classic lunch salad, try it served over a bed of lettuce and drizzled with a bit of extra lemon juice.
MMM!! I can taste Summer already!!

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
• Pinch ground cayenne pepper
• 3 cups BPA-free canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 red bell pepper. diced
• ¼ each chopped fresh cilantro and mint
• 1/3 cup crumbled low-fat feta cheese

Instructions:

ONE: In a small bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne; set aside.

TWO: In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, carrots, onions , tomatoes, red pepper, cilantro, mint and feta.

THREE: Pour lemon juice dressing over chickpea mixture and toss to combine. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

**Nutrients Per 1-Cup Serving: Calories: 254, Total Fat: 9g, Sodium 203mg, Total Carbohydrates: 34g, Sugars 7g, Protein: 10g, Fiber: 8g

Go bananas with chocolate & tofu pudding

For all of you wondering what the surprise ingredient in this smoothy and silky chocolate & banana pudding is? TOFU!! I know. It's not beets, dates, figs or brussel sprouts but still something a little different.

Tofu is full of protein and calcium and protects against a variety of health conditions including heart disease and cancer. It is a vegetarian staple that is also becoming mainstream with meat-eaters as well. It is helpful for energy and building muscle.

You can't go wrong with chocolate and banana is a very good addition to help make this pudding creamy and hard to resist. This recipe is quick, delicious and full of many great health benefits. Go bananas!!

Ingredients: 

• ¼ cup/60ml unsweetened almond milk
• 3 tbsp/45ml cocoa powder
• 1x12.3-oz box Silken Lite Firm Tofu
• ½ tsp/2.5ml real vanilla extract 
• 2 very ripe bananas (thaw slightly if using frozen bananas
• scant pinch sea salt

Instructions:

ONE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

TWO: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ¾ cups water to a boil. Stir in rice and return to a boil; cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff lightly with a fork and set aside.

THREE: Heat a large skillet on high. Add steak and cook for about 2 minutes per side, until browned. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
FOUR: Drain and wipe out skillet; heat oil on medium-high. Add onion, mushrooms and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, until onions and soft and translucent. Sprinkle flour over top of mixture and stir to combine. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add pepper, nutmeg and ½ cup cheese; stir until combined.
FIVE: In a 4.8-qt casserole dish, combine steak, onion-mushroom mixture and rice; mix well. Spread mixture in an even layer. Top with remaining ½ cup cheese. Transfer to oven and bake for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

**Nutrients Per 1-Cup Serving: Calories: 287, Total Fat: 9g, Sodium 113mg, Total Carbohydrates: 26g, Sugars 5g, Protein: 25g, Fiber: 3g

A quick & super-easy casserole that's great for a busy schedule

Life has been extremely busy lately, if I'm not running around between work and school I have been at the hospital visiting my new baby niece. Still, I can and have to find time to put together a delicious and healthy meal to give me energy for the day.
I stumbled across a super-easy casserole recipe while browsing a special Classic Comfort Foods edition of Clean Eating magazine. I'm a huge fan of mushrooms so this was a no-brainer choice for me!! As well, of course it is difficult to say no to comfort food.
This recipe features sirloin steak, your choice of mixed mushrooms and low-fat Swiss cheese. MMM. Exactly what you need when your life is hectic and you can't quite figure out sometimes whether you're coming or going!!
The added bonus of this recipe, if you want to make this recipe vegetarian, you can swap out the steak for even more mushrooms. They're an ideal, low-calorie way to add "meatiness" to any dish. Mushrooms also help lower cholesterol and may reduce the risk of breast cancer and diabetes. Even great to give your immune system a boost!!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup wild rice
• 1 lb top sirloin steak, trimmed of visible fat and cut into 1-inch thick strips
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 cups slice mixed mushrooms (TIP: Try a blend of porcini, portobello and trumpets)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
• 1 cup shredded low-fat Swiss cheese, divided

Instructions:

ONE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

TWO: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ¾ cups water to a boil. Stir in rice and return to a boil; cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff lightly with a fork and set aside.

THREE: Heat a large skillet on high. Add steak and cook for about 2 minutes per side, until browned. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
FOUR: Drain and wipe out skillet; heat oil on medium-high. Add onion, mushrooms and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, until onions and soft and translucent. Sprinkle flour over top of mixture and stir to combine. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add pepper, nutmeg and ½ cup cheese; stir until combined.
FIVE: In a 4.8-qt casserole dish, combine steak, onion-mushroom mixture and rice; mix well. Spread mixture in an even layer. Top with remaining ½ cup cheese. Transfer to oven and bake for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

**Nutrients Per 1-Cup Serving: Calories: 287, Total Fat: 9g, Sodium 113mg, Total Carbohydrates: 26g, Sugars 5g, Protein: 25g, Fiber: 3g

Snack Attack?!? Why not grab a snack that's high in protein.

If you're anything like me, you look forward to your daily snacks. Those little in between treats that get you through to your next meal. They can be healthy, satisfying and taste great without throwing you off your goals. A protein bar with peanut butter will definitely give you that little extra energy and the oats are great for helping lower your cholesterol.

Feel free to add in cinnamon or raisins for extra flavor and texture. These protein bars are low in sugar but taste great.

TIP: Buy expensive items in bulk (such as oats) and pre-portion them into single-serving containers to grab an on-the-go snack.







Ingredients:

• 2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 4 scoops protein powder (vanilla or cookies n' cream flavors work best)
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup water

Instructions:

ONE: Knead all ingredients in a large bowl.

TWO: Line a square baking pan with waxed paper. Spread dough into pan using a spatula. Optional: Spread a thin layer of peanut butter on top.

THREE: Freeze for 30 minutes.
FOUR: Remove from freezer. Cut into bars.

**Nutrients Per Serving: Calories: 230, Total Fat: 10g, Sodium 20mg, Total Carbohydrates: 21g, Sugars 3g, Protein: 15g, Iron: 2g