A Healthy Alternative!

I am going to try and do this once in a while for those of you who sometimes just don't see how you can substitute delicious foods for healthier ones without really sacrificing flavor. I know I am definitely one of these people, but slowly I am coming around to the realization that you don't have to sacrifice 100% of the great taste of the foods you love, just because you are making them healthier.

Today's Meal will be an alternative of your typical spaghetti with tomato sauce. The tomato sauce in itself doesn't have to be incredibly bad for you. Take for example a simple sauce that consists of tomato sauce, garlic, olive oil and onions. Tomatoes contain an antioxidant called lycopene, it is also found in ketchup. Antioxidants are great for our body, the problem I find with very tomato-y sauces is that they taste too acidic, to solve this I often take a PINCH of a sweetener, its not killing you, but it does usually handle the acidity problem. All in all you can truly add some other spices as well such as basil, parsley etc, these are great for you too!

Now when it comes to the actual pasta, this is the part where it can get carb filled. Sure you can opt for the whole wheat pasta, but in all actuality, this isn't a whole lot better than the regular pasta! I would like to introduce to you, or remind you if you already know of this, to spaghetti squash. This vegetable is an awesome alternative to regular spaghetti and is pretty delicious too might I add :) Here are a few simple steps to make this dish happen for you!

1. When you purchase a spaghetti squash (yes its called that), be sure that it looks good all the way around, no bruising etc. It should also be a nice yellow color. Like bananas, if it is green, it is probably not quite done yet :)

2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

3. Wash the squash as you would any other vegetable and dry it completely.

4. Slice the squash in half long ways and scoop out any of the pulp that is inside the little pocket, this can be done with a spoon easily :) This always reminds me of taking the seeds and pulp out of a pumpkin before you carve it haha What an imagination I have!

5. Once you have completely removed all the stuff inside and it looks clean and ready to go, drizzle a little olive oil over the cut side of the squash and sprinkle some salt and pepper as well to your liking.

6. Place the squash cut side down onto an oven safe dish and let that baby cook! This can take anywhere between 35-40 mins give or take a few minutes depending on how big of a squash you are dealing with.

7. When the squash is tender enough where you can stick a fork into it easily, then it is done. Now you want to flip the squash back over so you are seeing where you originally "gutted" it and with a fork, scrape out the inside of the squash. This is the actual squash that you are going to eat! It should look rather stringy just like spaghetti :)

8. Serve this with your favorite sauce of some salt and pepper and Parmesan cheese, whatever you like!

There you have it, a healthier alternative to your everyday spaghetti dish, without sacrificing the flavor.

xox

I've Officially Added Another Salad to my FAVORITE Salad List! :)

Thai Chopped Chicken Salad

At 390 Calories and packed with savory flavor (thinking about it makes my mouth water and it's only 10am!) this salad is a no brainer for those who love massive flavor in their salads as opposed to the feeling of crunching on watery tasteless lettuce leaves haha When I first tried this, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked everything in this salad. I'm notorious for picking out things in my food lol With this I did none of that sort. From the soy beans to the red peppers, I devoured everything because it was just so delicious. If you are in a Panera Bread any time soon, please do your taste-buds a favor and try this baby out!

*Note: this salad packs a little bit of heat too, nothing tabasco sauce like but certainly leaves you tasting a little spice. I love spicy things so this wasn't a problem, however, if this is for you, you can perhaps ask what contributes to the spice and have that taken out :)

Ingredients: 

Fresh Cilantro, Crispy Wonton Strips, Chopped Romaine Lettuce, Citrus & Pepper Chicken, Fire Roasted Edamame Blend, Low Fat Thai Chili Vinaigrette, Thai Cashew Pieces and Thai Style Peanut Sauce.

For the LOVE of Food :) Valentine's Day Meal with a Healthy Remix!

My Boyfriend has been on a health food kick lately as we all know going to the gym and eating a Big Mac is quite counteractive lol When you have committed yourself to eating healthy and cleansing your body of all yukky toxins, its really not cool to take a day off and binge just for the sake of love :) The only way you will "train" yourself and be successful when choosing a healthier way of life is to STICK TO IT! This being said, just because I can eat 5 Quarter Pounders and not gain a pound doesn't mean I should, nor should others. This Valentine's Day the mister and I are keeping it low key because its on a work evening. I absolutely love cooking and I figured why not prepare a special meal for him?! In sticking close to his new journey into healthy foods, I customized this Valentines Day Menu to be yummy but also health conscious. I did some online research and threw these things together for dinner. Lets get started :)

Appetizer: Edamame (low sodium soy sauce & salt optional) 

1 1/2 cup serving brings approximately 120 calories

Edamame are so great. Not only are they packed with soy, protein and fiber,  but they are  great snacking option as well to fight down those sugary cravings. Served as an appetizer in many sushi restaurants, they have always been a hit with the bf and myself :) These can be found in your grocers freezer or bought fresh, your choice!

Main Course: Lemon Thyme Baked Salmon

Each Serving brings approximately 315 calories and is packed with Zinc, Potassium and Vitamins D & B!

Lemon Thyme Baked Salmon is absolutely delicious! I often sneak a little garlic in there too :) Its simple in that it requires only about 5 ingredients, and if you get your salmon descaled and "de-skinned" (which I HIGHLY recommend) its a no brainer when it comes to making this dish. I know it may scare some amateur chefs away, but don't be intimidated, you can do this!  For a simple recipe click here !

Entree Side 1: Steamed Brown Rice

Each 1 cup serving brings approximately 216 calories

 

Brown rice may pack more calories than you were looking for, but compared to white rice this is a steal :) Its still bringing you fiber and also is jam packed with Magnesium, Selenium and all kinds of Vitamin B! My boyfriend often eats this with grilled chicken, another good alternative.  An easy brown Rice Recipe can be found here !

Entree Side 2: Mixed Steamed Vegetables

Each 1 cup serving brings approximately 50 calories!

Vegetables are great to throw with almost any dish, which is why I love them, their versatility! You can choose any vegetables you like or just one. The key is to steam them to perfection, there's nothing I hate more than soggy vegetables that have lost their gorgeous color! If you have a steamer great, if not some lightly salted water will do, steam just a few minutes checking on them often, and when al dente (still a little firm) remove them promptly, and here's the trick throw them into some ice cold water. This will stop them from cooking and getting all wilted :)

Dessert: Low Fat Ice Cream Topped with Fresh Fruit

Per half cup serving low fat ice cream brings approximately 120 calories

I know I know, you look at this and think what?! How can anything that looks this good even be considered for someone trying to not overdo it with the calories. Well everything in moderation can be done my friends :) Serve yourself small portions, and eat slowly (converse in between, this will take the concentration off of the food and assist in keeping you from scarfing down a whole pint!) Low fat ice cream can be a great treat, and topped with fresh fruit, an even better one. Fruit is always a healthy option any time of day. 

This is what will be going on the table tomorrow ladies and gents. I'm so excited as it all looks even more delicious as I blog about it haha This meal in total leaves me at approximately 900 calories give or take leaving room for your personal touches. That's not half bad if you ask me! I hope you all have a happy and healthy Valentine's Day with your loved ones. Valentines day isn't only for couples, but also to remember how loved each of us really are. Celebrate with your family, friends, anyone dear to you. Enjoy xo!

Chop it up! --My Favorite Salads

It's no secret that when I find a great salad I can eat it for months straight! At the moment I have two absolute favorite salads, both very different. My first one is a simple, three ingredient salad, the second one is a more intricate salad with many more little parts, both are equally amazing :) Lets get started:

Simple Salad

This salad is just one of the ones I always get, there are however many brands of boxed spring mix salads in the produce section of your grocery store. This salad has a pretty great taste. I don't like iceberg because I feel as if it has no taste at all. Spinach and arugula are just two of the things you can find in these boxed salads, and this beings such a fresh great taste to your mix! With this I grill a little chicken and cut it into pieces and throw it in the salad and top it off with my MIRACLE dressing. I say miracle because in my opinion this dressing can make ANYTHING taste good. I've used this dressing on steaks, chicken and salads and I love it more each time :)  You can add some croutons or anything else you may like but I leave it at this and its just as good.

 Chopped Salad

Next is my favorite restaurant salad. With a mix of so many things that I already love eating separately, this is fail proof for me. Included in this salad is corn, apples, bacon, blue cheese, avocado, tomatoes & romaine lettuce. All of these ingredients are chopped finely to perfection and tossed in a vinaigrette dressing. You can try this salad at The Cheesecake Factory :)

I hope you can add a little spice to your normal "salad regimen" (haha) by trying one of these! Enjoy xox

Scrumptious Sweets!

A few months ago, while at my friend D's house I came across this recipe in a magazine that she had in her kitchen. This book was glorious, it had hundreds of recipes JUST for COOKIES! My taste-buds can't really handle extremely sweet things, so the baked goods that I usually make aren't too too sugary. On another note I do not like chocolate, but love white chocolate.  I know I know I'm missing out, or so I hear! haha This recipe is a mixture of oats, cranberries, and white chocolate, all things I absolutely love. For this reason I am so excited to share this recipe with you all :)

Just as it looks, this cookie has a bite of cranberry, white chocolate and oatmeal in EVERY bite guaranteed. Its quite delectable! :)

For this recipe click here. Enjoy xox!

Can I get a SIDE of that?

Do you ever make an excellent main dish and think, hymm what can I use as a side dish that not only complements what I made, but also makes the plate look even? lol This has happened to me so many times, so I am going to share a few dishes with you that are quick and compliment a few dishes that come to mind.

Firstly, Sauteed Green Beans, one of my personal favorites!

Level: Easy
Ingredient Count: Approx 4

What you're going to want to do is go to the grocery store and get those green beans that you have to get a handful of and throw into those plastic produce bags. Once you get home, with kitchen scissors if you have, or a knife if not, trim off the ends of the green beans and halve them.

Grab a saute pan and drizzle a little bit of Olive Oil on the bottom to cover the bottom of the pan. Add some minced garlic, DO NOT burn the garlic, which is so easy to do. Don't let the oil get too hot before adding the garlic or else you will get a huge splatter and burnt garlic in no time. Another key is to keep the flame at a low level. Once you add the garlic and it has been sauteing  for a few minutes, add the green beans mixing thoroughly to assure the flavors of the garlic are distributed throughout.

I love the part where I see the green beans turn a bright almost kelly green color, this lets me know that they are cooking to perfection. Add salt and pepper to your liking and mix thoroughly once again. Now this part is completely up to you, how long to saute. I like my beans to have a little bit of a crisp to them, I'm not one for mushy vegetables, but if you like them softer leave them cooking a little longer.


Next, Garlic Chive Mashed Potatoes!

Level: Easy
Ingredient Count: Approx 5

Growing up, my brother and I would always ask my mother and grandmother to make mashed potatoes, it was by far our favorite side dish ever. Mashed potatoes are a go to item when cooking a steak or sometimes a chicken as well. They are simple to make and always a hit as well.

You can start by peeling the potatoes if you wish, often when I use red skin potatoes I leave the skin on, adds a delicious texture and taste to the recipe! Add the potatoes cut into tiny chunks into a pot of boiling water which you should season with salt. When the potatoes are soft enough for mashing, drain them and add butter, milk, salt and pepper while mashing and stirring. For the Chives and garlic, use finely minced garlic and wash your chives (found in any supermarket near the produce) and finely chop. Throw these ingredients in the pot with your potatoes and mix all together for a lovely savory side dish!

That's a Spicy Meat-uh-Ball!

Ground meat has to be one of the most versatile things one can have lying around the kitchen. You can make so many things with it just think. There's meatloaf, hamburgers, Meat sauce..MEATBALLS! lol One of my favorite meatball recipes comes from Teresa Giudice. My grandmother makes amazing meatballs, I was raised on them! However, I was looking for a different tasting meatball one day and I came across this recipe one morning while watching The Rachel Ray Show. These meatballs are juicy, optionally spicy, and so succulent not to mention that whenever I cook them at my boyfriend's house they are such a hit with everyone! Well lets get to the good stuff already, here we go.

Level: Intermediate (don't let this scare you though!)
Ingredient count: Approx 9 (this includes sauce as well)


To see all the details on how to whip up this fantastic dish click here ! Enjoy :)




 Just for fun, I think of this clip whenever I think of Meatballs! haha

Some of my Favorite Eats..Yummy! :)

Ok so everyone who knows me knows I may be thin, but I eat like there's no tomorrow! haha There aren't many foods that I won't try and that I don't like. That being said, I have razzled and dazzled a little in the kitchen myself, to feed my craving for a delectable dish. I love spicy anything, so most of these recipes are altered to be more spicy, but I shall let you know where that part is optional. Shall we begin? YES!

Cacio e pepe

Level : SUPER EASY
Ingredient count: Approx. 6

Cacio e Pepe is such an easy dish, anyone can whip this baby up in no time and find their stomach happily filled :) Its pretty much cheese, pasta, and pepper. How simple is that?!

Ingredients : Olive Oil, Pasta of your choice, Black Pepper, Salt, Pecorino Romano Cheese grated and Butter & Red Pepper Flakes which are completely optional!


1. You are going to want to cook a pot of pasta as you normally would. I suggest adding a teaspoon or so of Olive Oil to avoid the pasta sticking together, gross! Salt your water well, and cook the pasta until its perfectly al dente.
2. Drain the pasta and reserve just about a cup or so of the water, this will be used later :)
3. At this point, in the same pot that you cooked the pasta in, you may add the optional butter, and throw that pasta back in there. Some recipes will say to add the reserved water in as well, but I like to add it gradually after adding the other ingredients to assure the texture I'm going for is achieved to perfection!
4. Add a significant amount of Black Pepper (approx 1/2 tsp), salt (approx 1/4 tsp) and your grated Romano cheese (approx 2 cups) at this time, as this will be the means of flavor.  At this time you may also add some Red Pepper Flakes. Warning: with red pepper flakes a little goes a long way!
5. You are going to want to "fold" all of these ingredients together while slowly adding some of the reserved pasta water. Once you get to the texture you're going for, voi la, you have yourself one of my favorite delectable EASY dishes.  Buon Apetito!

Note: Another recipe for Cacio e' Pepe can be found in Skinny Italian which can be purchased here !