All posts tagged: healthy eating

healthy eating: Spaghetti with Kale

Published by

I have a weakness for spaghetti, and have pretty much mastered a recipe making the typical version by using organic tomato sauce, olive oil, garlic, and chicken sausage, and fresh basil leaves. The pasta can be any style. I use spaghetti pasta. Anyway, The other day, I came across this recipe online and want to try it. It’s Spaghetti with braised kale.  The only thing missing is the lemon essence, which can be added to the final sauce saute. Click on photo to be redirected to the recipe: {photo source click here}

healthy eating: kale salad with lovely vignaigrette dressing

Published by

Kale is one of those things you either love or hate. I happen to love it, up to now mostly steaming it to make it easier on the digestive system. The other reason is because I haven’t yet found the best dressing to pair it with. So, as you can imagine, I paused here while searching online for ideas to incorporate into my weekly menu. Kale, Orange nad Hazelnut – a variation I already love. But what caught my attention the most was the dressing. Ingredients 8 cups Tuscan kale, large stems removed, chopped into bite-sized pieces 2 blood oranges or cara cara oranges 1/2 cup stilton, or other blue cheese, crumbled 1/2 cup blanched hazelnuts, toasted and chopped   for the vinaigrette: 1 tablespoon minced shallot 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard 1/2 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 tablespoon minced parsley zest and juice from 1 lemon pinch of kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper Make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, combine shallot, garlic, dijon, honey and vinegar. …

healthy recipe: sweet potato vegetarian chili

Published by

Oh my God! I drooled when I saw this recipe and immediately ran to the grocery store to get the ingredients to make it. I found it here and well, see for yourself, if you are into healthy eating, curbing all gluten.   Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chipped 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 dried guajillo chiles, deseeded, stemmed & sliced thin (1 for the chile, 1 for the topping) 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 2 14-oz. cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes 4 cups vegetable broth 1.5 cups cubed sweet potatoes 2 cans of beans – black, red, pinto, or a combo 1 cup chopped kale 1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen is fine) a good squeeze of lime salt, pepper topping options: chopped scallions tortilla strips – toast 10-15 minutes in the oven toasted chiles – toast 1-2 minutes in a 350 oven (or until they curl up) toasted pumpkin seeds diced avocado w/ a squeeze of lime Instructions Heat oil in a medium-large pot over medium heat. Add …

the need to tone my body

Published by

I’ve been watching what I eat for years. This is of course, after turning 40 and realizing I’ve started to finally put on some weight. But in talking to friends, about the best method, over a few cocktails mind you, they suggested diet pills. I refused naturally, since every single addiction, has an adverse affect. Then I read the book French Women Don’t Get Fat and learned a few things, but realized I didn’t have the luxury to follow it (due to my hectic schedule).  I decided to go with Weight Watchers ready to eat meals. After losing over 17 pounds in less than 2 months and hating every bite I ate, I stopped losing weight, because I got sick. High blood pressure and ailments I had never experienced before in my life. I was completely over it. The diet food, the idea of pills, not eating, eating too much fiber. I even tried vegan and gluten-free. Some worked, others were misleading. I know what you are thinking, this is sounding too much like an …

healthy recipes: skinny red velvet cupcakes

Published by

My weakness for sure, red velvet cupcakes. I can eat them by the dozen and make them everyday meal replacement if I had it my way. But, since I have to watch my weight and eat right, blah blah blah, 🙂  I decided it was time to search for a ‘skinny’ version of this wonderful dessert. I found the recipe here: Skinny Red Velvet Cupcakes Gina’s Weight Watcher Recipes Servings: 26 • Serving Size: 1 cupcake • Calories: 141 • Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts 1 1/2 cups cake flour 1 cup white whole wheat flour 1 cup sugar 1 tbsp unsweetened dutch-process cocoa 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp white vinegar 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce 1/4 cup butter, softened 1 egg 2 egg whites 2 tsp vanilla 1 1/3 cup light buttermilk 1 tbsp red food coloring Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake tins with liners. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flours, salt, cocoa, and baking powder. In another large bowl beat sugar, applesauce and butter. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix baking soda and vinegar. Add half of the dry ingredients …

healthy cooking: lemon coconut pancakes

Published by

While I searched online for a new pancake mix recipe for the Easter morning breakfast  I had in mind and of course while staying  on my healthy eating kick, I discovered one, similar to pancakes I’d eaten at a restaurant in Emeryville, California several weeks ago and figured I’d try it. (Phew!!!) So, here it goes: Lemon Coconut Pancakes with Honey-Tart Yogurt Sauce 1 cup Gluten-Free flour 1 tsp Baking Powder 1/2 tsp Baking Soda 1 cup Brown Sugar 2 eggs 1 cup Coconut Milk 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil Juice of 1 Lemon 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract Yogurt Sauce 1/4 cup Plain Yogurt of Choice (Goat, Sheep, Cow) 1 Tbsp Honey 2 tsp Strawberry Preserves Juice of 1/2 a Lemon Mix all ingredients together well; set aside and serve with pancakes First, mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl, and set aside. In a separate bowl mix all the wet ingredients together and whisk well. Slowly stir in wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients, and mix thoroughly until a smooth batter …

healthy recipe: beet tartine and goat cheese

Published by

I found a recipe here, which included one of my favorite vegetables – beets and the fact it is marinated, and eaten with goat cheese make it even more appetizing, not to mention the fact it is one of the best ways to detox. Beet Tartine with Marinated Caper Berries Serves 2 Ingredients: 2 medium-sized beets 4 slices whole-grain rye bread (check the ingredient list for suspicious ingredients) soft goat cheese / chèvre (optional) handful marinated caper berries fresh rosemary sea salt + cracked black pepper Directions: 1. With the skin still on, wrap beets individually in foil and roast in a 400°F / 200°C oven for at least one hour, until you can easily pierce the beet with a sharp knife. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Unwrap and slide skins off. Slice into desired shapes. 2. While the oven is hot, spread goats cheese on the slices of rye bread and place under the broiler until golden, about 5 minutes. 3. On each piece of toast place the sliced beets, caper berries, …

healthy eating: yogurt with caramelized figs

Published by

While adjusting to my new eating regiment (going on week three), I have to incorporate at least 6oz of plain yogurt with some sort of fresh fruit on a daily basis. Since the recipe never indicated which brand of yogurt to consider, I decided to go with my favorite yogurt complimented with fresh organic  blueberries. I loved the combination until of course I came across this recipe and my world hasn’t been the same since: Yogurt topped with Caramelized Figs 1 cup Yogurt of choice (I used Fage Plain Yogurt) 2 Figs, halved 3 Tbsp Organic Agave Sprinkles of Pistachio Nuts Dashes of Ground Cinnamon To caramelize the figs, add agave to a small skillet and place figs face down. Simmer over low heat until browned and toasty smelling (3-4 minutes). Place yogurt into bowl, drizzle over caramelized figs and sprinkle over pistachios and dashes of cinnamon. {click here for photo credit}

healthy eating – not just as a new year resolution

Published by

While in my twenties, I have to say I had no worries about eating healthy, nor in moderation. I was able to eat and maintain my size 4 figure for decades,  so of course when I hit 40 I figured I was still one of the lucky ones who could eat whatever she wanted to and stay thin and healthy, until of course I developed high blood pressure and other health concerns which got me to re-think my eating habits. In the last two years, I’ve been on a crusade to find the best possible recipes and menus to follow just so I could, not only maintain my weight, but also ensure, all my health issues are under control. What I got sucked into during the time was following an accelerated and pre-packaged diet plans and  although I lost weight, I didn’t do it the (very) healthy way I wanted to. I won’t mention what didn’t really work for me, but from all the aggressive dieting I not only gained the weight back, but my …