All posts filed under: healthy cooking

Food: Dinner Tonight – Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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Brussels Sprouts are in season and naturally this is the time of year, I make this vegetable in so many variations and just devour a bunch in one sitting.  So you can imagine my excitement when I saw this recipe and of course I had to share. Is your mouth watering yet? INGREDIENTS 2 slices thick cut bacon, chopped 1 pound brussels sprouts, halved 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil kosher salt and pepper 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/3 cup medjool dates, pits removed and chopped 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 8 ounces Halloumi cheese, cubed (continued)

Food: Potato and Cauliflower Curry

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Oh heavens above, this is the most amazing dish I’ve yet tried, and as we all know by now, I felt the need to share 😉 INGREDIENTS 1/4-1/3 cup Thai Red curry paste or Khao Soi Paste 2 (14 ounce) cans coconut milk 2 cups low sodium veggie broth 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (or regular molasses) 1 pound baby potatoes, halved if large 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets 1 cinnamon stick 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds kosher salt and pepper 2 cups fresh spinach arils from 1 pomegranate for serving steamed rice, cilantro, and limes, for serving fresh naan, for serving

Food: Dinner Tonight – Spinach, feta, rosemary, pine nuts mini-pies

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I love how everyone has added a certain twist to  my Mediterranean background traditional dishes and in some cases it’s worked just fine, others it was a total disaster. This mini-pie recipe is something I’ve appreciated for a while now and will make a batch for dinner, with a side of plain yogurt for dipping. At least that’s how I roll. 🙂 RECIPE 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped sea salt & freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon cumin 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 cup currants 1/4 cup pine nuts 240g washed and dried baby spinach (a salad spinner is good for this) 1-2 tsps lemon juice 150g feta, crumbled 500g ready rolled shortcrust pastry sheets 1 egg, whisked 2 tbsp sesame seeds  

Food: Roasted Squash, Caramelized Figs and Feta Salad

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I normally don’t eat as much salad as I should once it’s Autumn and surely not at all once it’s Winter. But I will pass on this amazing recipe of the perfect Fall Salad I am going to surprise my family , paired with a wonderful bottle of wine of course 🙂  My choice Cabernet Sauvignon from the central coast, California Ingredients 1 kabocha or acorn squash, sliced 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup honey 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves kosher salt 16-20 fresh or dried figs, halved 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon orange zest black pepper 4 cups baby arugula 4 ounces feta cheese crumbles arils from 1 pomegranate  

Healthy and Beauty: Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

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Recently, or as I see myself aging, I search for ways to stop or slow down the process. First consideration is always trying to maintain as peaceful a life as possible, with minimal stress and maximum time to breathe in and out, and a good night sleep. In addition to the simple steps that my grandparents had in the past practiced, even through the toughest of times, I discovered the benefits of apple cider vinegar. The reason I am acting like I discovered it – is because I was in a store once, and while in the health food section, noticed a bottle of the ‘potion’ if you will and quickly googled it. Sure enough, there were a few details about all the benefits one can achieve by using or consuming ACV. At first I couldn’t imagine drinking anything labeled vinegar, but after the first few sips, I got used to it. The claim, if you search online is that: So, I’ve been drinking ACV for a few days now and in 30 I’ll have …

Health: Flatter Stomach Debate

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Let’s face it. Losing weight around the belly is the most difficult for anyone whose body doesn’t metabolize through good genes (a.k.a naturally skinny folk) The sad thing is – most everything we eat can cause bloating, swelling and all things that strip our changes to a flatter stomach.  The foods that come to mind quickly are beans, broccoli, sprouts, and even tomatoes and carrots. So even though this list has nine foods to avoid if you want to achieve the flatter stomach – there is much more to the science of eating the right way to achieve a healthier stomach-> which could appear flatter. Such as probiotic and well-managed portions. Nevertheless, here’s the list of things to avoid.  I’d love to hear your take. Have you tried the suggestions and if so did you see any results? {featured photo source}

Food: Dinner Tonight – Poblano Corn Chicken Tortilla Soup

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Although we are in the middle of our Indian Summer in San Francisco, I have been craving soup – not a creamy one but a light, broth and just the right amount of flavors, kind of like this one: Ingredients 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 sweet onion, chopped kosher salt and pepper 4 tomatillos, skin removed and diced 2 carrots, chopped 2 poblano peppers, sliced 3 cups homemade or store-bought red enchilada sauce 3-4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 cups fresh corn kernels 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped tortilla chips, avocado, and cheddar for serving lime wedges

Things to Do and Eat Labor Day Weekends

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Every city and state in the U.S. has a dozen or more events planned for Labor Day Weekend and if you go here you’ll find the list for your neck of the woods: But if you are planning on a simple family get together somewhere outdoors, for us San Francisco natives – that means leaving the city to find the sun – then consider these healthy options: Recipe source 1,2,3 Recipe source 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 recipe source 12 – banana split kabobs Have a great weekend everybody – I am taking a few days off from everything social media

Food: Dinner Tonight with Sweet Potato, Poached Egg, Avocado

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I eat whatever I crave at any given time. Meaning to say, I don’t necessarily save an ideal breakfast meal just for breakfast. Eggs for dinner suits me just fine.  So, with that in mind, here’s a quick and a wonderful treat I plan to make for dinner tonight: INGREDIENTS 2 sweet potatoes olive oil salt + pepper for the chimichirri: 1 cup of loosely packed cilantro 1 cup of loosely packed parsley 1/3 cup of red onion 4 cloves of garlic 1/2 of a jalapeño, seeded 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar for the avocado mash: 1 avocado a squeeze of fresh lime juice (1/2 a lime) olive oil salt + pepper 2 fresh eggs (optional)