All posts filed under: healthy cooking

Food: Dinner Tonight – Roasted Chicken and Burrata

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Here’s what’s happening this week – I have family in town. Which means, there is no deciding or organizing any meal at home. Everything is decided last minute and meals are consumed at any number of wonderful eateries around the city-San Francisco.  Except tonight – where I am left on my own and the meal I prepare will be a healthier variation to the mostly overly salty meals I’ve been having each night since last Thursday.   By the way, this is also the explanation for my lack of posts. I will be on track next week for sure. So, here’s what I’ll be switching up to take my dietary needs into consideration ORIGINAL INGREDIENTS – RECIPE 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (skin on or off, I prefer skin off)  – {sticking to chicken breast, not a fan of thighs} 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme, plus more for serving 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper kosher salt and pepper 1/4 cup all-purpose flour   {Not adding any flour} 4 …

Food: Dinner Tonight: Coconut Curry Noodles or Chicken

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I do love coconut curry or around this time of year, butternut squash curry I normally order from my favorite eatery in the city here, and here.  So, here’s whats happened. I assumed we were finally getting our warmer temperatures in the city, but it turns out, we’ve had nothing but cold windy days, overcast, and definitely the feel of Autumn in the air.  Which of course has me craving soups of sorts – and so this recipe for tonight’s dinner: INGREDIENTS 8 ounces rice noodles  {or I’ll add boiled chicken pieces instead of the rice noodles for my diet} 2 tablespoons coconut oil 1 sweet onion, diced 2 zucchini, or summer squash, diced 2 ears sweet corn kernels, removed from the cob 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated 2-3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste 1 14 ounce can full fat coconut milk 1 tablespoon fish sauce (soy sauce for vegan option)   {not a fan of fish sauce so that will be omitted} 2 teaspoons honey   {not necessary, but it’s all up to you} juice and zest from 1/2 a lime 1/4 cup fresh cilantro OR basil, roughly chopped (use you personal favorite) sliced …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Chipotle, Lime Chicken and Fries

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The weather has finally turned for the better in the city – with warm days and SUNSHINE throughout the city and not just downtown. I love this time of the year, when the mornings are crispy cold-ish and the days although shorter are sunny and hot. The only challenge is while other parts of the world are turning to comfort food, or soups to wards off the colder temperatures, we in the city are aiming to cool down by eating all things summer. So I am naturally pretty conscious on how best to proceed with my weekly meal plan, and I think this one will do just fine to half-Keto for me and the original recipe for the family. INGREDIENTS 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped 1 tablespoon honey (cut out for hardcore Keto) 1 teaspoon cumin 2 limes 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated kosher salt and pepper 2 sweet potatoes, cut into matchsticks  (I can cut this portion out for Keto, but I may just cheat today)  2 avocados, lightly mashed 3 heads romaine lettuce …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Grilled Zucchini all around

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So excited to report that I found yet another recipe that I can keep as is for the FAM, and also add my own twist to make it Keto-friendly for me. Here’s what I am thinking: ORIGINAL INGREDIENTS 1 cup dry orzo pasta    ***instead I will use ground chicken sausage – remove skin and saute with a touch of butter – or lots of butter – I usually use Ghee or Grass-fed 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano 1 clove garlic, minced or grated kosher salt and pepper 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes 1 cup cubed feta cheese   ***or Parmesan if you aren’t a fan of feta 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 3 zucchini or yellow summer squash, halved  *** sticking to only green zucchini for the calorie count and carbs kosher salt and pepper 1/4 cup basil pesto   {MORE} And because this variation is delicious, I am making it for the entire family rather than the orzo pasta option for them. {image and recipe source}

Food: Dinner Tonight – Spinach and Artichoke Melt – Two Ways

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Sorry to keep opening most of my food posts with this – but in my household there is me following Keto, and others who don’t really want to (yet), so I have to be mindful when announcing our dinner menu. Although really, I seldom announce it, I just make it – one meal, two ways so no one feels left out. This morning I searched for a cheesy, gooey recipe since the crazy cold weather in San Francisco is making me crave comfort foods – and this is what I came across to tweak a portion for my dietary needs: INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon butter 1 clove garlic minced or grated 1 tablespoon flour  * I usually omit the flour – no need for it really, the cheese is enough thickening ingredient.  1/2 cup milk (I used 2% but whatever you have will be fine)   * I replaced with almond milk or coconut milk for entire meal 1 ounce cream cheese 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/2 cup greek yogurt I used 0% 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach thawed, about 5 ounces 1 (8 ounce) jar grilled artichoke hearts or …

Health and Beauty: Sugar and Carbs Explained

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Since Keto, I have made a conscious effort to cut down on carbs and sugar. Meaning to say, that some days, especially when I feel overwhelmed or stressed, I crave nothing but French fries and a box of chocolate. So, I attempt to alleviate the stress and talk myself out of indulging in the cravings in large quantities. What can I say, I am human and although very disciplined in how I live my life, sometimes do ‘fall of the wagon’. But just to help understand the damaging effect of sugar or carbs for those of us suffering from all sorts of issues – weight gain, bloating, digestive problems, diabetes, and/or allergies, I have listed excerpt from an article I found here. Fruits: A favorable choice over a candy bar – any day – but… if you are overweight, fruit is not your friend  Fruit should be an occasional treat, nature’s dessert, but do not count fruit, fruit juice, dried fruit or fruit pouches as equivalent to vegetables. Fruit is packed with nutrients – well, not …

Food: Dinner Tonight- Korean Beef

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A simple meal is always welcomed in my household. Meaning where I don’t spend hours standing over the stove cooking on a weekday after a long day at work. But the fact, I enjoy fresh ingredients and home-made meals, inspires me to look for the easy in all recipes I find online that the family can enjoy and I can tweak it for my dietary needs. Like this one: INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (remove for Strict Keto – I normally use Gluten free soy sauce for the taste) 1/4 cup honey (remove for strict Keto followers) 1-2 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean chili paste) 1 inch fresh ginger, grated 2 cloves garlic, grated 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, plus more for serving 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, or peanut oil 3 bell peppers, sliced 1 zucchini, chopped 1 1/2 pounds skirt or flank steak, thinly slice against the grain 4 green onions, chopped 1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped {more} No rice for me – or if I absolutely am craving …

Food: Dinner Tonight- Thai Steak Sandwich

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I love steak sandwich and will actually search for the option on any menu while dining out. But tonight, I wanted to do something different with the skirt steak that’s been thawing out in my refrigerator. Now as I have mentioned many times, I Keto my way through life now, with the option to have one cheat day here and there. Meaning to say, that this recipe is too good for me to leave out anything, so if you are curious then see below how it is I am cheating: INGREDIENTS 2 pounds skirt steak 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/3 cup honey (cheat) 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari   (cheat)  4 cloves garlic, minced or grated 1 inch fresh ginger, grated 1 tablespoon chili paste 1 toasted baguette, halved and cut into 4-6 pieces (cheat) gingered tahini or mayo, for spreading (optional) MANGO BASIL SALAD 1/3 cup sesame oil juice from 2 limes 1 tablespoon fish sauce 2 green onions, chopped 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 1 mango, sliced or chopped (cheat) 2 carrots, shredded (cheat) 2 persian cucumbers, sliced 2 jalapeños, sliced 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped  (cheat)   **If you want to maintain the Keto alternative …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Chili, Lime, Chicken and Avocado

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Hating the fact, we’ve eaten out for the past couple of nights, because there is no ‘off-switch’ when a colorful oversized menu is shoved in your face by the waiter, who is rattling off the specials and then coming around a few times until order taken,  ‘insisting really’ but pretending not to – for us to order a beverage on happy hour or not. So, this morning on my way out of the door, I announced that we would be dining in – the meal of course would be up to Keto-me.  Kind of like this… INGREDIENTS 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size chunks 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated 1 tablespoon honey  [omit for my portion] 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano kosher salt and black pepper 2 sweet potatoes, cut into wedges  [omit or just one wedge to taste] 2 red bell peppers, chopped into bite sized chunks steamed white or brown rice, for serving  [omit for me for sure] AVOCADO SALSA 1 avocado, diced 1 jalapeño, seeded …

Food: Breakfast – Eggs Included

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I had a very early start this morning. Meaning my dog woke up at one in the morning and just would not go back to sleep. So by four, I was up getting ready for my day, except this  happened – Eggs Florentine from here WHICH as I have to remind, is pretty Keto friendly for me with a few changes. Here’s what I mean: Ingredients For the hollandaise sauce 230 g of butter 3 egg yolks 1 tablespoon of lemon juice 1 tablespoon of water 200 g of butter Salt Pepper For the poached eggs 4 eggs 1 tablespoon of vinegar  (I deleted it as well just because) 4 slices of toasted bread (which I remove for Keto and instead create a parmesan cheese crisp) For the spinach 400 g of fresh spinach cleaned and washed 200 ml of whole fresh milk (coconut milk for me)  Nutmeg Salt  {more}