All posts filed under: healthy cooking

healthy eating: chocolate zucchini cake

Published by

Baking is a chore for me believe it or not, but once in a while I get the urge to bake my own cake and last night I decided I needed a chocolate cake which contained some healthy ingredients and so I found one here and figured I better share: 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup cocoa 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 eggs 1/3 cup canola oil 1/2 cup plain yogurt 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 teaspoons grated orange peel 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8×8” cake pan or 8” round spring form pan. In medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon. In large mixing bowl, beat eggs and stir in canola oil. Beat dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with yogurt. Stir in vanilla, orange peel and zucchini. Pour batter in baking pan and bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes …

healthy eating: eggs and asparagus

Published by

I love fine cuisine, I don’t deny it, but once in a while I truly appreciate finding a recipe online that is not only healthy but has my favorite ingredients in it. Now the interesting thing for me about eggs and asparagus is that I  often made a frittata with them with a touch of parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, but the recipe here is a much simpler way of incorporating the two together and I have to tell you,  it was amazing!  I loved it and I know you will too. But I am always curious about what your take is on the recipes I provide, so please let me know how it turned out for you? Parmesan Roasted Asparagus Topped with a Poached Egg: Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net Olive oil cooking spray 5 spears of asparagus Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste Parmesan cheese, shaved or shredded 1 egg Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray then add the …

healthy eating: protein shakes

Published by

I must admit I live by protein shakes, almost on a daily basis. But buying one made from Starbucks, Jamba Juice and other healthy drink bars can be expensive, even though they are delicious and hastle-free. Just recently I decided to purchase my very first industrial strength blender and some good old fashioned Whey protein powder from a health food store, as well as found some recipes here which I think are pretty easy to follow in order to make my very own shakes at home. The wonderful thing about making shakes at home is that, you can actually add fresh fruits rather than the frozen ones from the specialty stores. Not to mention the fact, Springtime  is also the best time of the year to mix and match different fruits as they are in season and more available in your local supermarket. Here are a few of my favorites: Wild Berry Boost Ingredients: 2 scoops Vanilla Whey Powder 8 raspberries 4 strawberries 15 blueberries 16 ounces nonfat milk 1/2 cup ice cubes Pineapple Power …

healthy eating: chicken au champagne

Published by

Oh my, how can this get any better. A chicken dish with my favorite alcoholic beverage – champagne from my favorite site here for me to share with my readers. Let me know how it turns out for you? INGREDIENTS 4 chicken breasts (with skin and bone) Salt and freshly ground pepper Chervil, tarragon, or thyme (optional) 1 shallot, quartered 1 cup Champagne (Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut recommended)  Yield: 4 Servings RECIPE Place the chicken breasts in a roasting pan, and season them. Pour 1/2 cup of the Champagne over breasts. Make a slit in each breast and insert a piece of shallot.  Place the pan under the broiler, skin-side up, for 3 minutes, until the skin is nicely browned. Turn and broil the other side for 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the broiler, baste with the pan juices, and add the remaining 1/2 cup of Champagne. Adjust the oven temperature to 475 degrees and bake the chicken for 30 minutes, basting once or twice. Serve over brown rice. Sautéed mushrooms add a …

for the love of cupcakes

Published by

What is the craze with cupcakes? I mean they have been around for years but just in the last 5years or so, every woman I can think of considers cupcakes for their get togethers more so than cakes. I suppose they are more fun, less fattening and perfectly sized for most anyone and any occasion – in America that is – just in case everyone else is scratching their heads with what I am stating here. Anyway, I won’t deny it, I love them too and often search for cupcake specialty stores most anywhere I go in the states. My favorite is Sprinkles here and although quiet pricy, they are the best I have ever had, especially on the first day – not so much second day and after. So in light of this subject matter, I have included photos of some of my favorite cupcake decor for your viewing pleasure. Also, please drop me a line with your favorite cupcake speciality store.

healthy eating: salmon tacos

Published by

I must admit, I cannot resist Mexican food, although some of the California gourmet variations are not the true sense of the cuisine.  But either way, I do appreciate all the attempts to spin off from the original Mexican style taco and embrace them in my own home. With that said, I have found this really interesting Salmon taco recipe here which  I have added to my list of healthy meals for the family. Hope you like it. Santa Fe Salsa 1 can(s) (11 ounce) mexi corn, drained 1 cup(s) cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered 1/2 cup(s) black beans, rinced, drained 1/2 cup(s) shredded carrots 1/2 cup(s) green chile salsa 1/4 cup(s) diced red onion 2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh cilantro Salmon 2  (about 1 1/2 pounds) salmon steaks, 1-inch thick 1 tablespoon(s) jalapeno and lime flavored olive oil, or any favorite flavored or plain olive oil 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt 1/4 teaspoon(s) pepper 8  taco shells Shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce for garnish Directions In a medium bowl, combine the salsa ingredients; set aside. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brush oil over salmon steaks; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook salmon in skillet 3 to …

healthy cooking: filet mignon with roquefort

Published by

Who doesn’t love a great piece of steak, except the non-meat eaters of course. I love steak and if it were up to me, I could eat one every day. But in trying to keep a balance with my healthy eating and cooking goal, I only eat steak once a month and it has to be a filet mignon. I am however, particular about the cut and often times would go to a specialty meat and poultry shop to purchase just the right cut and size. With that said, I have found a great filet mignon recipe (not that I really ever need a  recipe to prepare the steak)  here and have actually served it up by itself – without a side dish on occasion and then with the spinach sautéed with lemon and garlic and a wonderful french Cabernet Sauvignon. I am not going to recommend the wine because to each his/her own on that one. Anyway, enjoy the recipe and let me know how it turned out for you. Ingredients U.S. Metric Conversion …

healthy eating: chili with lentil

Published by

I found this amazing chili recipe here and wanted to share it with my readers. Most busy women appreciate making food in bulk in order to feed their family and have a little bit left over for lunch the next day.  But even if that isn’t the case in your household, you will appreciate the chili with lentil recipe below. Just in case you are curious about the health benefits of lentil: It is a member of the legume family, which is highly recommended in healthy eating. Not only do lentils lower cholesterol, they  also manage blood-sugar disorders due to its high fiber content. Lentils also contain six important minerals, two B-vitamins, protein with virtually no fat. So, next time you are in the mood for chili, consider my favorite legume, lentil instead of the usual beans chili is made with. Serves 8 This simple vegetarian chili recipe uses lentils instead of beans. Brown lentils work best as they will hold their shape even when tender after cooking. Serve with our Health Starts Here hearth …

healthy eating: understanding champagne

Published by

I admit I am one of those women who have converted from drinking wine to drinking champagne. The funny thing is it took me a while to learn about wine and by the time I finally got a clear understanding of wine types and pairing, I decided to convert to champagne when I made the decision to eat healthy. So now I am trying to understand and learn about what makes for a good or excellent champagne or since I am from California – sparking wine.  I know, I know there is no comparison and the two are not the same. But, now that I am able to address the beverage by its proper title based on what part of the world it’s from (California, USA or Europe), I want to understand how to choose quality “bubbly” so that I am in line with my healthier eating agenda. I found my answer here, from one of the best (French of course) wine conesuir I can think of 🙂 and based on what she says, these are …

healthy eating – beef stew with red wine and dried plums

Published by

For some  reason I love beef stew, I suppose because it is the American version of Boeuf Bourguignon, which happens to be one of  my favorite French dishes (yes I said French again).  The wonderful thing about beef stew is that you can actually make it a day in advance and in a large quantity for a fun meal, for the entire family or while entertaining friends during the winter months. Now, although I enjoy traditional beef stew with potatoes and carrots, on occasion I am always looking for “out of the norm” recipes to make the meal exciting and yet weight watcher friendly and thankfully I was able to do just that with the beef stew recipe that I found here. It has no potatoes or carrots, instead it’s made with dried plums and celery celeriac. I actually made this version minus the vanilla bean and it was pretty good and I didn’t feel guilty about watching what I ate.  I paired it with a  *robust Cabernet and sliced, *rustic French (yes I said …