Salmon Florentine

Salmon is probably the best seafood for you. It's quick-cooking, tasty, doesn't taste too "fishy", and falls apart when it's ready.

I think the toppings for the same could be used for chicken or even steak.

10 oz spinach

1 Tbs olive oil

1/4 cup shallots, minced

2 tsp. garlic, minced

5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup ricotta

4 skinless salmon fillets

Heat oven to 350°. 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more. 

Add spinach, tomatoes, salt, pepper flakes and pepper; cook, stirring, 2 minutes more. Remove from heat; let cool about 15 minutes. 

Add ricotta; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. 

Pack about 1/2 cup spinach mixture on top of each fillet, matching the shape of the fillet. 

Place fillets on a rimmed baking sheet or in a glass baking dish; bake until cooked through, 15 minutes. 

Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Who would have thought my family would be such beet-fanatics?! Not only are the delicious, but they are SO good for you. 

We are also crazy for goat cheese, so this recipe was just perfect.

I used:

2 Organic Beets

Organic Kale

Boston Lettuce

Organic Walnuts

Organic 100% Maple Syrup

EVOO

Organic Balsamic Vinegar

Fresh Goat Cheese

Thoroughly wash the beets.

Place them in a pot and fill with enough water to cover them.

Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes.

Drain and let cool.

Once the beets are cool, peel or cut off the otter layer and slice into cubes or strips.

Meanwhile, heat a couple turns of EVOO in a small skillet.

Add the walnuts and brown.

Add in about 1 Tbs of maple syrup and let bubble and brown.

Tear apart and place the kale and boston lettuce in a large bowl.

Add the beets and walnuts with the liquid from the skillet.

Toss with the balsamic and top with crumbled goat cheese.

Chicken Caprese

Here's a healthier version of fried chicken for y'all.

The chicken is breaded, but with organic whole wheat panko breadcrumbs and then the chicken is baked instead of fried.

The caprese adds in your vegetables and the whole meal can be done in under 30 minutes!

Perfect for one of those busy days where you don't want to cook a huge dinner.

The caprese can be prepared ahead of time, as well.

Ingredients:

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

4 oz fresh mozzarella, cubed

2-3 Tbs olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 large leaves fresh basil, chopped

3/4 tsp salt, divided

2/3 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp paprika

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Brush parchment paper with olive oil.

In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, 2-3 Tbs olive oil, garlic, basil, and 1/4 tsp salt. 

In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs, cheese, and paprika.

In another dish, pour a few Tbs of olive oil to coat the chicken.

 Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.

Dip the chicken in the olive oil and then the breadcrumb mixture.

Place the breaded chicken on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Turn chicken over and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Remove garlic and discard before spooning mixture onto the chicken.

Turkey Spinach Meatballs

I'm always looking for a healthier, lighter meatball recipe. As long as you add enough liquid to the turkey meatballs, they will always come out moist and delicious!

The spinach added an nice flavor and helped boost up the nutritional value.

You can add the turkey balls to some whole wheat pasta or brown rice or you can enjoy they on their own.

Ingredients:

1 heaping cup of spinach

1 cup shredded Parmesan

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs or whole wheat panko

1/4 cup olive oil

3 eggs

1 package ground turkey

Preheat oven to 375.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Finely chop the spinach.

In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the turkey.

Add the turkey and mix together.

Form into meatballs on the lined tray. (It helps to wet your hands while rolling, the meat won't stick to you)

Bake for 20 minutes.

My turkey meatballs flattened a little bit and were more like turkey meat-flats, but they still tasted amazing.

Quinoa Veggie "Fried Rice"

Quinoa. 

A superfood.

High in protein, a good source of fiber, magnesium, and iron. Also, it it a good source of calcium!

Getting in your fruits and vegetables everyday is so important. You need to feed your body with the right fuel to make it run.

I often find that those who have a hard time eating a ton of vegetables really like stir-frys. It gives you the opportunity to customize the vegetables (and meat if you chose).

Let's get started!!

2 Tbs EVOO, divided

2 eggs, beaten

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, diced

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 Tbs freshly grated ginger

3 Tbs soy sauce

2 scallions

2-3 cups of your choice of vegetables (I used Organic broccoli, carrots, cauliflower & zucchini)

Heat 1 Tbs oil in a large skillet over low heat.

Add the eggs and scramble. Set aside.

Heat remaining Tbs of oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes.

Add vegetables and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes.

 Add cooked quinoa and stir until heated through.

Add ginger and soy sauce. Toss to combine and cook until heated through.

Stir in scallions and eggs.

Kale Salad with Brussels Sprouts

Ugh. Brussels Sprouts Again?!

Haha. I apologize for those Brussels sprouts haters, but here comes another one!

For those of you who are regular salad eaters, this is a great dish to spice up your menu.

Kale is one of those "super foods". There are sooooo many health benefits to kale and I can't believe I've only just recently started incorporating it into my weekly meal plans. I often add it into a smoothie or we make kale chip. My husband and 15 month old son eat the kale chips up before I can even sit at the table!

This salad is raw and full of all it's natural nutrients!

You will need:

1 bunch kale

10 Brussels sprouts, washed with ends cut off

2 lemons

2 Tbs mustard

1 Tbs shallot

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp salt

black pepper

1/2 cup EVOO, divided

1/3 cup raw nuts (I used walnuts), chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Add 1 Tbs olive oil to a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped nuts and stir until browned, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a towel-lined plate to de-grease. Sprinkle with a little salt.

Wash and de-stem the kale. Chop into thin strips.

Wash and cut off the ends of the Brussels sprouts and chop into thin strips.

Juice the lemons into a bowl and add the minced shallot and garlic, mustard, 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper.

Whisk to combine.

In a large bowl, mix together the sliced kale and Brussels sprouts.

Add the remaining olive oil to the lemon juice mixture. Whisk to combine the dressing.

Add half of the mixture to the greens and mix thoroughly.

Keep adding to taste.

Add the toasted nuts and top with cheese.

Chicken Spring Rolls

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a Chinese food, sushi maniac! But, unfortunately, it is not the healthiest type of food. Actual sushi, without the rice and added sauces is great for you, if you don't mind eating raw fish (which is don't, but most people can't handle it).

That being said, there are a ton of other Asian options, like spring rolls. I used Soy Wrappers that I found at Wegmans. You can add any type of vegetable that you have and really any meat. I used chicken or you can make it vegetarian, as well!

I never used these wrappers before and they are very thin and a little hard to work with. I had 5 wrappers and after the first and second one, I got the hang of it.

The recipe I based this off of had a peanut dipping sauce, but I opted to just add a dribble of Organic Soy Sauce instead!

So, play around with the ingredients and have fun with it!

I used:

5 Soy Wrappers (a variety pack)

Organic Cooked Chicken, cut into thin slices

Organic Shrimp

Organic Red Pepper, thinly sliced

Organic Cucumber, thinly sliced

Organic Carrots, thinly sliced

Organic Spinach

Organic Radish Sprouts

Organic Sage and Basil

Organic Scallions

Organic Lime

Place all of the filling in the center top of the wrapper.

Fold the bottom up and roll (carefully).

Yup. That's it!

Easy Peasy! 

Enjoy!

Homemade Cheese It's

Yes, I said Cheese Its!!

If you've ever looked at the ingredients on the Cheese Its box you'd be shocked:

ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), VEGETABLE OIL (SOYBEAN AND PALM OIL WITH TBHQ FOR FRESHNESS), CHEESE MADE WITH SKIM MILK (SKIM MILK, WHEY PROTEIN, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES, ANNATTO EXTRACT FOR COLOR), CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF SALT, PAPRIKA, YEAST, PAPRIKA OLEORESIN FOR COLOR, SOY LECITHIN. 

WTH is all of that?!

Do you want to know what ingredients I put in my homemade Cheese Its?!

Whole Wheat Flour, Organic Cheddar Cheese, Organic Creamy Jack Cheese, Salt, and Organic Butter.

That's it!!!! And it's super easy to make!

They do taste much better while they're still warm or after a few hours, but my son ate the rest of them the next day. When I make them again I think they will taste better if they are thinner.

All in all, a great alternative for the unhealthy boxed snack!

1 cup whole wheat flour (or if you must use all-purpose flour)

8 oz cheese (any cheese you like), shredded

4 Tbs butter, softened

1 tsp salt

Ice water

Mix together the shredded cheese, half of the salt, and the softened butter.

Add in the flour and mix until the dough looks like fluffy clumps.

Then, with the mixer running, add a Tbs at a time of ice water until the dough forms a soft ball. (I added 5 Tbs)

Divide the dough in two and form each into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Roll into about an 1/8 inch thickness and cut into 1-inch squares. (I had a tiny square cookie cutter)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the cheese its onto it. Make a small hole in the center with a toothpick and sprinkle with remaining salt.

Bake about 10 minutes or until they have puffed up and the edged begin to brown.

Let them cool completely before eating. They do taste the best the same day, but you can store them in an air-tight container and enjoy another day!

Sage Polenta with Mushrooms and Brussels Sprouts

What's with all the Brussels sprouts lately, you might ask. 

Funny thing is that I don't think I ever ate them as a kid and now I don't understand why. There's not too strong of a taste to them and they're filled with great nutrients. 

My husband is not a fan of mushrooms, but he really liked this dish.

Polenta is really simple to make. You can buy pre-made polenta that comes in a tube-like shape, or I bought organic polenta mix. All polenta is is ground corn.

I used Parmigiano Reggiano for my cheese and I cut everything in half since there's only 2 1/2 of us!

And, as always, most if not all of my ingredients are organic.

You will need:

1 pound Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and quartered

8 oz Mushrooms

2 Tbs EVOO

S & P to taste

Polenta (follow package instructions)

3/4 cup Shredded Parmesan, divided

1/4 cup Fresh Sage, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss the Brussels sprouts and mushrooms in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, or until browned.

While the veggies are baking, bring the water to a boil in a saucepan.

Reduce heat to low and whisk in the polenta.

Continue to whisk until polenta has thickened, about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan, sage, and salt, and pepper to taste.

Divide the polenta into 4 bowls and top each with 1/4 of the baked veggies and 1 Tbs of Parmesan.

Salmon with Prosciutto

In the past couple of months I have become a salmon freak!

I never really liked fish growing up. I would enjoy shrimp and crab legs, but that's about all the seafood I would eat. 

Venturing from diet to diet I would try different fish here and there. But, I didn't really start to enjoy them until I really was appreciative of the flavor and thought of it more as a yummy meal, instead of a low-calorie food.

What I like about salmon is that it literally falls apart and melts in your mouth (if it's cooked right). 

Prosciutto is another favorite of mine. Just the right amount of salt and not too crunchy. I can just eat it out of the package too...and I think it tastes much better that way.

Asparagus, aside from being yummy, has many health benefits. It is low in calories and a great source of folate and potassium. The stalks are high in antioxidants, so make sure you use as much of the asparagus as you can. The trick is to hold each end in your hands and it will break where it's supposed to. Green asparagus is also a good source of Vitamin C.

So steam that Organic Asparagus, Bake your Wild Caught Salmon with the Prosciutto on top and serve with an Organic Wild Rice Medley!

Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

Who doesn't love a healthy lunch wrap without the carbs?!

This recipe is not only healthy, it is also quick and easy.

You can put any combination of ingredients into a quick lettuce wrap, this is one I really enjoyed.

I used:

1/2 Pound of Organic Shrimp

1 Organic Lime

Boston Lettuce

Organic Scallions, chopped

Organic Radishes, chopped

Organic Sage, chopped

Organic Basil, chopped

That's it!

Cook the shrimp and assemble your lettuce wrap!

Zucchini Pizza

Looking for a healthier, low-carb pizza option?!

Well, look no further...

I was a little skeptical when I first decided to try this recipe, but I will now admit that I ate half the pizza myself and Cam ate the other half!

Make sure you really ring out the water in the zucchini.

 My pizza turned out a little soggy (that obviously didn't stop us from devouring it) and when I try it again I will be getting some cheese cloth because I heard that works the best to get all the water out.

This recipe is really easy and does not take very long to make.

Healthy Ingredients. Big Flavors. Happy Tummies!

You will need:

3 Medium Size Zucchinis

2 Eggs

1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan or Mozzarella (I used Parmigiano Reggiano)

Salt

Toppings of your choice (I used Organic Tomato Sauce, Sauteed Organic Red Onions, Garlic, Fresh Basil, and more Parmigiano Reggiano and Organic Creamy Jack Cheese)

Preheat the oven to 450.

Grate the zucchini into a large bowl.

Sprinkle salt on the zucchini, stir and let sit for a few minutes.

Squeeze the water out (I used a paper towel).

Place back in the bowl and add the eggs and grated cheese.

Spread parchment paper on a pizza stone or baking sheet.

Spread out your dough batter about 1/2 inch thick into a circle.

Cook in the oven for about 20-30 minutes, or until browned.

While the pizza is in the oven, saute and toppings that you would like.

When the pizza is done, remove from oven and add toppings.

Bake again until the crust edges brown further and cheese on top melts.

As I said before, the pizza didn't last long, so I'm glad (and lucky) that I got a picture of it.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Bread

I have recently adventured into making my own bread.

Like cough medicine, there are so many unnecessary added ingredients in bread. And forget white bread. White bread is as far away from anything natural as you can get. If you're going to eat bread, rolls, bagels, etc, stick with 100% whole wheat and as little ingredients as possible.

I've done a ton of searching for store-bought breads and even the organic, gluten free kinds still contain a lot of ingredients. Unfortunately, for times sake, the best way to eat bread with limited ingredients is to make it yourself.

My first batch turned out alright. I forgot to cut a slit down the middle and I think it would have helped in making the loaf less dense. But, for my first time out I think it was pretty good.

I found this recipe on Pinterest, but I used only whole wheat flour and coconut oil instead of canola oil.

Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Whole Wheat Flour, Organic Milk, Active Dry Yeast, Raw Organic Honey, Kosher Salt

Dissolve 1 packet of active dry yeast in 1 cup warm water.

Stir in 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup honey, and 2 Tbs oil.

Add 2 cups flour and 1 Tbs salt.

Stir to combine.

Add the rest of the flour.

Stir to form a shaggy dough.

Let stand for 20 minutes.

Using a dough hook in the electric mixer, knead the dough for 5-10 minutes, or until dough is smooth and forms a ball.

Clean out the mixing bowl and film it with oil.

Roll the dough around the bowl to coat.

Cover and let rise 1-2 hours.

Divide the dough in 2 and shape into balls.

Let rest for another 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Shape each ball into a loaf and transfer to loaf pans.

Let rise again for about 30-40 minutes.

Slash the top of the loaves with a serrated knife and put them in the oven.

Turn down the heat to 375° and bake 30-35 minutes.

Remove loaves from pans and let them cool completely before slicing.